Father Yahuwah’s Holy Spirit has impressed us with the need to re-examine the historical method of interpreting Bible prophecies in our pursuit of truth. Our former denominational heritage was saturated with historicism, significantly impacting our orientation and understanding of last-day events. However, when we re-studied this subject, the scales fell from our eyes, and we could see very clearly how historicism was a barrier that prevented us from correctly understanding the Book of Revelation and the Olivet Discourse.
Historicism assumes the end-time prophecies of Daniel and Revelation were fulfilled throughout history; hence, the name. Abandoning historicism has compelled us to delete hundreds of articles, radio episodes, and videos.
Discarding errors and replacing them with biblical truth is always a joy for genuine truth seekers. However, discarding historicism has brought cataclysmic changes in our beliefs, which are considered salvational. We say salvational because historicism, as we espoused in the past and as is commonly upheld by the great majority of Christian denominations, prevents its adherents from understanding the teachings of Master Yahushua in the Book of Revelation and the Gospels, specifically the Olivet Discourse. In other words, historicism runs contrary to the clear teachings of Yahushua.
Historicism contradicts Yahushua’s teachings in the following ways:
So, every generation was primed to look for particular signs of the times happening in their time. Some in every generation went as far as setting dates, such as the Millerittes did in the 1840s, when they proclaimed October 22nd, 1844, as the date for Yahushua’s return to earth. Many in the 1840s in America and, to a lesser degree, Europe and elsewhere became excited about this teaching and shaped their lives accordingly. Thus, they experienced a bitter disappointment when their expectations were not fulfilled. This ‘great disappointment’ has hardened the hearts of many scoffers and, worse, gave rise to the new denomination, the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Instead of discarding the failed historicism method of interpreting Bible prophecy, this denomination continued to build on its unique doctrines that prevented millions worldwide from correctly understanding Yahushua’s teachings in the Gospels and the Book of Revelation.
Thus, current events and news tracking became the focus. Every major event was interpreted as a sign of the times—be it earthquakes, famines, wars, rumors of wars, civil strife, etc. At WLC, we, too, fell for this deception and began to highlight current catastrophes as a sign of the imminent return of Yahushua. This was done because we wrongly understood the Olivet Discourse and the Book of Revelation. We thought that the signs that Yahushua gave in the Olivet Discourse could apply in part to the fall of Jerusalem but were essentially signs of the second coming of Yahushua.
However, such an understanding is false and contrary to what Yahushua confided to Peter, Andrew, James, and John. The signs that Yahushua had in the Olivet Discourse were signs of the imminent destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and had nothing to do with Yahushua's Second Coming.
The only hint Yahushua gave the disciples was that it would be sudden and when least expected.
Furthermore, unlike the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, where Yahushua gave specific signs and a time framework for this event, he stated that no one (not even him) knows the day or the hour of his return except the Father. (Matthew 24:36)
But Yahushua hinted that his return would be delayed. We see these hints in the following parables:
Parable of the Talents: “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country... After a long time, the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.” (Matthew 25:14)
Parable of the Faithful & Wicked Servant: “My master is staying away a long time.” (Matthew 24:48)
Parable of the Ten Virgins: “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom... "Now, while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. "But at midnight, there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’” (Matthew 25:1-6). The virgins thought the bridegroom was coming, and so went out to meet him. But he didn’t come when they thought he would. The coming of the bridegroom took longer than expected. And so they waited. But the longer it took, the drowsier they became. Finally, their eyes became very heavy, and all of them (both the wise and the foolish) fell asleep. Finally, at midnight, he came. So, in this parable, we get the hint of a delay plus the suddenness of his coming. There were zero signs of when the bridegroom was to come.
Life on Earth will be very normal when Christ suddenly returns.
This is a bizarre statement coming from WLC in light of our past sensational videos about the trumpets and the havoc these trumpets will cause in the world, which we had to delete because they were pure speculation in direct contradiction to what Yahushua taught in the Olivet Discourse.
Let’s heed what Yahushua stated would be the world's condition before His return.
As it was in the days of Noah
“But of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:36-39
Yahushua said his return would be as it was in Noah's day. So, what do we know about those days? They were times of gross wickedness and extreme violence. They were days of the giants and Nephilim with the fallen angels trying to corrupt the human race. They were days of hearts hardened to the warning messages that came through Noah. Yahushua could have used all these points to compare Noah's days and those upon his return.
We should be ready for Yahushua's return every day of our lives, for he is coming at a time we do not expect. We are likelier to die any day than Yahushua's return on a specific day. Since we do not control when we will die, it behooves us always to be ready every day of our lives.
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But He didn't use any of them.
What did he say they were doing in Noah's days, which will be the same as when he returns? They were eating, drinking, getting married, and giving their sons and daughters in marriage. In another passage in Luke 17, he also speaks about the days of Lot. Again, he could easily talk about wickedness and sexual immorality if he wanted.
But He did not.
They were eating, drinking, marrying, buying, selling, planting and building. This is what it will be like when Yahushua returns. So, what is Yahushua emphasizing? He emphasizes that life will be normal when he suddenly returns to Earth. People had no idea in the days of Noah that judgment was coming but were carrying on their everyday lives. Sure, there was crazy Noah with his family building a massive boat for the last decades, but they ignored him and declared him an old madman. Likewise, people had no idea that judgment was coming in the days of Lot. They were doing what they had always liked, i.e., eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting and building. In both cases, it was life as usual until the righteous were taken to a place of safety, and then the judgment came.
So, what can we learn from all of the above?
We should be ready for his return every day of our lives, for he is coming at a time we do not expect. We are likelier to die any day than Yahushua's return on a specific day. Since we do not control when we will die, it behooves us always to be ready every day of our lives.
Conclusion
Father Yahuwah,
Thank you for leading WLC to discard historicism for good so we could understand Yahushua’s teachings and warnings correctly. Thank you for forgiving us for our past ignorance and misdeeds, for which we are most repentant. Help us live every day so that we will be ready to face death or welcome Master Yahushua back to Earth. We praise your name forever and ever for your infinite mercies and patience in your dealings with us.
In the Name of Yahushua, we pray to you.
Amen.
