Talking about me again.
I did not invent it, I learned it----by studying it. And I go by what you say. It has nothing to do with you personally. It is a discussion about a topic.
Premillennialism is not a framework, it is an interpretation. Dispensational theology is a framework of interpretation. Covenant theology is a framework of interpretation (interpretive tool). The two completely change the way in which OT prophecy is interpreted. The first jumps to conclusion that imo break the story of redemption into two distinct and separate parts, and creates contradictions. Covenant theology keeps the Bible, which is the story of redemption in a historical setting, one straight line from the promise of Gen 3 of the seed to the consummation.
Two excellent books for those who are not so married to a view they hold as to refuse to look at anything else. (It helps to know what one is talking about when they talk about it.) Far as the Curse is Found: The Covenant Story of Redemption by Michael D. Williams. A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times by Kim Riddlebarger.
I began as a dispensational pre trib rapture, premillennialist. It is pretty much all that is taught and it is taught as a absolute without any examination or even mention of other legitimate views. Curiosity does not kill the cat as they say, when it comes to seeking above all else the truth of the things of God, and a desire to grow in knowledge and understanding. Even if we find we must give up our pet eschatological doctrines. But it will not happen by osmosis. It takes work and study.
That is what you aren't understanding about me. I don't see eschatology as "doctrine" perse. It is eschatology. I have a framework of premillennialism, of which there is more then one flavor. Premillennialism predates dispensationalism by millennia. The ECFs were historical premillennialists, and whenever they talked about years in regards to the end time, it was 3 1/2 years, and not 7. The last half of Daniel's 70th week. They considered that to be the Great Tribulation.
I though Jesus did a good job of defining Great Tribulation in Matthew 24. I mean, we have great, which modifies... tribulation. So before you can understand what it is, you have to define tribulation. That is suffering, stress, pressure, etc. Now we take great to the front of that. Great suffering, great stress, great pressure. Then we add Jesus framing of the Great Tribulation by saying that if this period of great suffering, great stress, and great pressure were not shortened, there would be no life left on Earth. Earth population: 0. I'm sure Jesus said enough to explain exactly what He was talking about. Don't dance around it. He said it would be such a great tribulation that there has not been anything like it in the history of the world, while the Old Testament says of this "time of Jacob's trouble" in the history of the nation of Israel, and would not ever again be something like it. So there is only one time, since the history of Israel, that God would wipe out the whole population of Earth, and this is it. So the time was shortened for the sake of the elect. God decided not to kill them with everyone else.
I mean, read what Jesus said about it. Jesus said " 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17 [
h]Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18 [
i]Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be a great tribulation,"
It doesn't read like it is going to be a party, or some easy time. Everyone has to RUN because the Great Tribulation is coming. I mean, it seems to say that if one doesn't run, they are done. And it will be such that if one is pregnant or nursing babies, they may be done. They may not get away and face that which Jesus says they must flee.
"such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22 Unless those days had been cut short, no [
j]life would have been saved; but for the sake of the [
k]elect those days will be cut short."
The quality of the tribulation will be such that there will have been nothing like it since the beginning of the world until Jesus spoke, nor ever will be after. No life would be save if the days had not been cut short. So, God has already stated to us His plan that the tribulation will not run its full course, for the sake of the elect.
I don't believe there is any special interpretation that has to be done here. I believe Jesus was clear to His disciples, since scripture says that He was clear when speaking to his disciples. I mean, He gave a parable here and immediately expressed the meaning and why Jesus told them. Just as the parable shows how one can tell summer is near, just as for you, when you see these signs, Jesus second coming is at the door. Jesus did not leave them wondering what He was talking about.
