I am finding this view is probably more common than I would have thought.
All preterist means, is that these events have already happened in the past.
I would have thought that most Christians are futurists. They believe the events of Revelation and Matthew 24
haven't happened yet, but will happen in the future.
It seems most preterists believe that all (or most) of the events happened before 70AD.
In order for this to have occurred, much terminology used in Revelation and Matthew 24, has to be metaphysical.
For example,
If the New Jerusalem has already come down from heaven, it's invisible and we can't see it.
Also if Jesus reigned in peace on the earth for 1,000 years, it was in a metaphysical way, because
there has never been 1,000 years of peace on the physical earth.
Also, if Jesus and his angels have already come back (2nd coming or rapture) then everyone who
is going to be raptured, has already been raptured.
I'm not sure how the imprisonment of satan for 1,000 years fits into this view.
But I do know there are "partial" preterists... who don't believe all of it has happened, but only parts of it have happened.
Another common viewpoint is the "parallelist" view. Some of these things have already happened, but will happen again, in an even worse way.
Matt 24:21; says this time of tribulation will be the worst time that ever occurred since the beginning of the world, and there will never be another time as bad as this specific time. Some people believe this was the persecution of Christians in the first century, and that most likely Nero was the beast.
However many Christians believe the tribulation is in the future (some believe we are going through it now).
So for the preterists out there... I have some questions.
Is Jesus reigning over the earth now? In peace?
Is Satan imprisoned? Has he been released? Has he been thrown into the lake of fire yet?
Has the great white throne judgment already happened?
Is the New Jerusalem come down from heaven yet?
Are Christian ruling and reigning with Him?
There are more... but that's a start.
All preterist means, is that these events have already happened in the past.
I would have thought that most Christians are futurists. They believe the events of Revelation and Matthew 24
haven't happened yet, but will happen in the future.
It seems most preterists believe that all (or most) of the events happened before 70AD.
In order for this to have occurred, much terminology used in Revelation and Matthew 24, has to be metaphysical.
For example,
If the New Jerusalem has already come down from heaven, it's invisible and we can't see it.
Also if Jesus reigned in peace on the earth for 1,000 years, it was in a metaphysical way, because
there has never been 1,000 years of peace on the physical earth.
Also, if Jesus and his angels have already come back (2nd coming or rapture) then everyone who
is going to be raptured, has already been raptured.
I'm not sure how the imprisonment of satan for 1,000 years fits into this view.
But I do know there are "partial" preterists... who don't believe all of it has happened, but only parts of it have happened.
Another common viewpoint is the "parallelist" view. Some of these things have already happened, but will happen again, in an even worse way.
Matt 24:21; says this time of tribulation will be the worst time that ever occurred since the beginning of the world, and there will never be another time as bad as this specific time. Some people believe this was the persecution of Christians in the first century, and that most likely Nero was the beast.
However many Christians believe the tribulation is in the future (some believe we are going through it now).
So for the preterists out there... I have some questions.
Is Jesus reigning over the earth now? In peace?
Is Satan imprisoned? Has he been released? Has he been thrown into the lake of fire yet?
Has the great white throne judgment already happened?
Is the New Jerusalem come down from heaven yet?
Are Christian ruling and reigning with Him?
There are more... but that's a start.