Prophecy and the Doctrines of Grace: A Tribute

By Thomas E. Hoolsema, Jr.

The book Prophecy and the Doctrines of Grace attempts to connect the two great biblical themes of Gods sovereign grace and His divine plan for the future. It compares the views of both the reformed and dispensational camps, and how these differences affect ones views of future things. Other doctrines such as baptism, the Lords Day, and election are explored. The book closes with a discussion of the new heavens and the new earth in Revelation 21 & 22. We have a great and loving God, whose love for us spans from eternity past to eternity future. We can say with Paul in I Corinthians 2:9, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 29, 2006
• ISBN: 9781452082271

Thomas E. Hoolsema, Jr.

Thomas E. Hoolsema, Jr. was born and raised in Houston, Texas.  He grew up under his father’s ministry at the Oaklawn Presbyterian Church.  He graduated from Houston Baptist College in 1970.  He currently works as a technical writer for the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services in Austin, Texas.

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Contents

Dedication

-Introduction-

-The Rapture-

-The Judgment Seat of Christ-

-The Tribulation-

-Christ’s Eternal Kingship-

-Revelation 20-

-The Believer’s Role in Judgment: Present and Future-

-The Olivet Discourse-

-Signs of the Times-

-Our Motivation for Christ’s Return-

-The Lord’s Day-

-Israel and the Church-

-Baptism-

-God’s Electing Love-

-The Promises to Israel-

-A Kingdom Not of This World-

-The Age to Come-

-Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecies-

-The New Heavens and the New Earth-

-Bibliography

-End Notes

Dedication

For over 50 years, my father, Thomas E. Hoolsema fulfilled his calling as a minister of the gospel at churches in Oklahoma and Texas. Throughout my childhood and young adult life, he was pastor of Oaklawn Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas. It was here that I saw how my father used the Word to bring people to a better understanding of God’s Grace and His providence. Dad’s love for the Scriptures was such a part of his life and his ministry, and he transferred that love to me. When he went to be with the Lord in December of 1999, I committed to find a way to express my appreciation for his service to our family and to Christ’s church.

This book, an exploration of the doctrines of prophecy and grace, is a tribute to his commitment to the Scriptures. Just as God was glorified through my father’s life and his ministry, I pray that this book would give a glimpse of the magnificence and power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To God Be the Glory!

Thomas E. Hoolsema, Jr.

September 2004.

-Introduction-

Man has always been intrigued with what will happen in the future. The three most basic questions of man’s existence are: (1) Where did I come from? (2) Why am I here? and (3) Where am I going? In the book of Job, which predates even Abraham, the question arises If a man dies, shall he live again? This question in Job 14:14 is echoed many times in the New Testament. In Matthew 24:3, when Jesus introduces the destruction of the temple, his disciples ask, When shall these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age? Even scoffers, such as those in II Peter 3:4, raise the question, Where is the promise of His coming? However, the Bible gives absolute certainty, even in its earliest writings, that Jesus will come again. Job 19:25 states, For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at last on the earth.

A large portion of the Bible is prophetic in nature. Many Old Testament prophecies speak of Christ’s first coming – his birth, life, death, and resurrection. Jesus Christ is truly the focal point of history. Our calendar is even divided by Jesus’ birth. His first coming was redemptive in nature. Jesus states in Mark 10:45, For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Having accomplished this tremendous work of redemption, Jesus then arose from the dead and ascended into heaven. However, right before his death, he promised his disciples in John 14:3, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself. Acts 1:11 states, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come again as you see Him go up into heaven. Jesus will come again to judge the world and to consummate history.

A second major topic to be examined is the primary theme of scripture – the grace of God.

We know from passages such as Romans 8:29-30 that our salvation spans over all of time. The five acts which God sovereignly bestows on his people – foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification, are commonly referred as the Doctrines of Grace. They form the golden chain from eternity past to eternity future.

The unfolding of God’s gracious dealings with fallen man can be traced all the way back to Genesis 3:21, where God provided a covering for Adam and Eve after their sin in the garden. In verse 15 of this same chapter, there is the first messianic promise that God would provide a remedy for sin. Genesis 3:15 reads, And I will put enmity between you (the serpent) and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise your head, and you will bruise His heel.

Throughout the Old Testament, men brought animal sacrifices as a covering for their sin. This is first seen in the narrative of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. These sacrifices all pointed to Christ’s ultimate and final atonement for sin on Calvary’s cross. Old Testament passages such as Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 foretell this event. Just as the cross separated two criminals, so it also divides all of mankind into two categories – the saved and the condemned. I Corinthians 1:18 says, For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

There is a great prophetic aspect to the grace of God. As we will see, many biblical themes that are introduced in the opening chapters of Genesis come to full fruition in the closing chapters of Revelation.

In the entire span of church history, good and godly men have debated the particular details surrounding Jesus’ return. This writing attempts to examine these issues in the light of scripture. Paul states in I Corinthians 13:12, For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then shall I know just as I also am known. This is also spoken of in the fourth chapter of Ephesians. In expounding upon the doctrine of the church, Paul says that teaching is given to edify and equip the body of Christ. He then states in verses 13 through 16 that as we speak the truth in love, we come to the unity of the faith, to a perfect man, and to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. II Timothy 2:15 admonishes, Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The different views of prophecy, which we will examine, are as follows:

1) Premillennialism teaches that the millennium is a literal one-thousand year period in which Jesus will establish an earthly kingdom from Jerusalem after his return. The nation of Israel will be restored, and Gentiles as well as Jews will participate in this earthly kingdom

2) Dispensationalism is the teaching that there is a distinction between Israel and the church. All dispensationalists are premillennial; however, they see more of a prominence for Israel during the kingdom age. Dispensational theology teaches that the church will be raptured or removed from the earth before a seven-year tribulation period, which comes right before the millennium. Most Old Testament prophecies apply solely to Israel. The church was not revealed in the Old Testament, and did not begin until Pentecost, fifty days after Christ’s resurrection. Dispensationalism also divides history into seven distinct eras or dispensations. A dispensation, as defined in The New Scofield Reference Bible, is a period of time during which man is tested to some specific revelation of the will of God.¹ These seven dispensations are:

· Innocence – Creation to the Fall,

· Conscience – the Fall to Noah,

· Human Government – Noah to Abraham,

· Promise – Abraham to Moses,

· Law – Moses to Pentecost,

· Church age –Pentecost to the Rapture, and

· Kingdom – the 1,000 earthly reign of Christ.

3) Historic premillennialism holds to a future, literal thousand-year reign of Christ, but sees less of a distinction between Israel and the church. It believes that Old Testament prophecies apply to both of these entities. The church will pass through some, if not all of the tribulation.

4) Amillennialism teaches that the thousand-year period is to be taken in a symbolic manner, and represents the period between the two advents of Christ. There are two aspects to this present kingdom. The first is the present church age here on earth. The second aspect includes saints who are presently reigning with Christ in heaven.

5) Postmillennialism teaches that the kingdom, inaugurated at Christ’s first advent, will continue until his second advent. There will be mass conversions, which will result in a future golden age, prior to the return of Christ.²

-The Rapture-

The rapture of the church is taking believers to heaven in their resurrected bodies. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 is viewed as the primary passage to support this teaching. The debate is whether this resurrection is limited to believers only, or involves all men. The term ‘dead in Christ’ would seem to apply only to believers or the elect, just as the term ‘in Christ’ is used in Ephesians 1:4, which says that these believers are chosen in Christ from before the foundation of the world. Revelation 14:13 says, Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from now on.’’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ’that they might rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’

More ardent dispensationalists say that that the rapture doctrine was taught only by Paul, and that only believers living