Release of CONDITIONAL FUTURISM

[james.goetz]

Wipf and Stock Publishers released my title Conditional Futurism: New Perspective of End-Time Prophecy.

Conditional Futurism introduces a new perspective of end-time theology (eschatology). The book holds to Christian futurism while integrating the Apocalypse of John with the conditional dynamics of prophecy taught in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and various other books throughout the Old Testament. The new paradigm concludes that the final antichrist (also known as the man of lawlessness, the beast, and the eighth king) may read the apocalyptic prophecy of his doom while deciding instead to repent of evil and turn to the Lord, which is a biblical option that would fulfill the divine purposes of the apocalypse. This cutting-edge scholarship also develops new biblical models of angels appearing as humans, the descent of Christ into hell, and the kings in Revelation that incorporate with this end-time theology that encourages hope in all circumstances.

[Phillip Macdonald]

Hello James,
I am completely new to this eschatological viewpoint.  I gave up trying to understand the topic since there are so many differing ideas and how was I ever to sort them out?!  I was raised historical pre-mil but later leaned toward the Post-mil of the Puritans for it's more hopeful outlook. But mostly I have remained agnostic about Biblical prophecy.

But one thing I have always wondered about is the significance of the story of Jonah.  Before coming to a UR position I held secretly to the idea that perhaps God has set out before us a conditional future since God said indeed He was going to destroy Nineveh and yet He "changed His mind".  I had hope that this was possibly a microcosm of God's dealing with all mankind and that He was displaying for us that His pronouncement of "ECT" could in the end be revoked on condition of repentance.

I don't know if what I am saying is at all tracking with the trajectory of your book as I only read a few things regarding its premise.  But it sounds very intriguing and I look forward to reading it!

grace and peace,
phillip

godslovewins.com

[james.goetz]

Hi Phillip, yes, I mention Jonah's prophesy of doom as an example of a conditional prophecy. And so did the late F. Furman Kearley in "The Conditional Nature of Prophecy: A Vital Exegetical and Hermeneutical Principle" http://www.apologeticspress.org/rr/reprints/Conditional-Nature-of-Prophecy.pdf. Kearley was not a universalist or a futurist, but he got me started on the conditional nature of judgment and blessings in the Old Testament. I definitely track with you on this.  :bigGrin:

[Phillip Macdonald]

Thank you James for the links.  You have definitely piqued my interest on the subject.  I will be ordering your book.   It's been so long since I even cared about prophecy because it carried so much negative baggage.  I am looking forward to exploring your view.

grace and peace...
phillip

godslovewins.com