Problem: The Bible certainly teaches creation out of nothing. Consider some scholarly commentary on the opening verse of Genesis:
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Genesis 1:1- Does the Bible teach that God created the universe or just the Planet Earth?
Problems: Genesis 1:1 states that God created “the heavens and the Earth.” However, the “heavens” usually refers to the sky in Hebrew—not the entirety of the physical universe.
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Genesis 1 and 2 – Does it present contradictory creation accounts?
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Revelation 22:14-15 – Will sinful people not get into heaven?
Problem: John writes, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying” (Rev. 22:14-15). Lordship theologians use this verse to claim that sinful, rebellious people will not enter into heaven. Is this the case?
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Revelation 20:7-8 – Do Gog and Magog rebel before the millennium or after?
Problem: Amillennials often argue that premillennials can’t agree with each other, and premillennial theology leads to contradictory conclusions. For instance, the book of Ezekiel states that Gog and Magog rebel against God before the millennium (Ezek. 38), but John tells us that they rebel after the millennium (Rev. 20:8). Amillennials argue that this shows that the premillennial perspective is contradictory at worst, or confused at best. Is this the case?
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Revelation – 20:4-5 – Does the “first resurrection” refer to spiritual regeneration or bodily resurrection?
Problem: John writes,
(Rev. 20:4-5) Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.
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Revelation 20:2-3 – Is Satan currently bound?
Problem: Because amillennials and postmillennials believe that we are currently in the millennium as Christians, it follows necessarily that Satan is currently bound. Postmillennial Kenneth Gentry writes,
Christ accomplished Satan’s binding judicially in the first century; the binding increasingly constricts Satan throughout the Christian era (i.e., the ‘one thousand years’), except for a brief period just prior to the Second Advent (Rev. 20:2-3, 7-9). This binding does not result in the total inactivity of Satan; rather, it restrains his power by Christ’s.[1]
Likewise, amillennial G.K. Beale writes,
The binding was probably inaugurated during Christ’s ministry, which is more the focus of texts such as Matt. 12:29; Mark 3:27; and Luke 10:17-19. Satan’s binding was climactically put in motion immediately after Christ’s resurrection, and it lasts throughout most of the age between Christ’s first and second comings.[2]
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Revelation 17:10 – Who are the seven kings? Roman Emperors or World Empires?
Problem: Most commentators identify these seven kings with Roman Emperors. However, Osborne writes that this “is incredibly difficult.”[1] Consider the list of Roman Emperors below:[2]
Revelation 17:9 – Are the “seven hills” an allusion to Rome here?
Problem: Some commentators argue vehemently that John’s mention of the “seven hills” (Rev. 17:9 NIV) are a clear allusion to Rome. Osborne writes, “At the outset, the angel identifies the seven heads with “seven mountains,” a phrase often used for Rome in the ancient world because it was built on seven hills (see Cicero, Att. 6.5; Pliny, Nat. Hist. 3.66–67; et al.; see Swete 1911: 220 for others). The city began with an amalgamation of groups living on the seven hills (Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Equiline, Palatine, Quirinal, Viminal), and during Domitian’s reign a festival (the Septimontium) celebrated it.”[1] Robert Mounce writes, “There is little doubt that a first-century reader would understand this reference in any way other than as a reference to Rome, the city built upon seven hills.”[2] Is this the imagery being used here?
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Revelation 17:5 – What is the mystery of Babylon?
Problem: Commentators wonder how we should render this section of Revelation. Should we render this section in this way?
NASB: “On her forehead a name was written, a mystery, ‘Babylon the Great.’”
ESV: “On her forehead was written a name of mystery: ‘Babylon the great.’”
NLT: “A mysterious name was written on her forehead: ‘Babylon the Great.’”
Or should it be translated as the NIV renders it?
NIV: “This title was written on her forehead: ‘Mystery Babylon the Great.’”
Is “Mystery Babylon” the title? Or is the title a mystery now revealed as Babylon? Moreover, what does this title mean?
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