By James Stuart Russell

Written in 1878

     "This is the most popular introduction to and defense of the preterist view of Bible Prophecy in print today. Most theologians in Europe a century ago took a preterist approach, so it is not surprising to hear some of Russell's well-known contemporaries say nice things about his book: F. W. Farrar said the book was "full of suggestiveness." Milton Terry, who wrote Biblical Hermeneutics, quoted extensively from Russell's book and fully endorsed Russell's preterist approach. Charles H. Spurgeon, who did not hold the preterist view, nevertheless stated that the book "throws so much new light upon obscure portions of the Scriptures, and is accompanied with so much critical research and close reasoning, that it can be injurious to none and may be profitable to all." (For the full text of this review, please read C.H. Spurgeon on "The Parousia")

     Well-known conservative writers and theologians in our day are saying similar things about Russell and the preterist view. Listen to these statements by Gary DeMar, Dr. R. C. Sproul, Dr. Kenneth Gentry and Walt Hibbard." (Edward E. Stevens)

     "How many times have you struggled with the interpretation of certain Biblical texts related to the time of Jesus' return because they did not fit with a preconceived system of eschatology? Russell's Parousia takes the Bible seriously when it tells us of the nearness of Christ's return. Those who claim to interpret the Bible literally, trip over the obvious meaning of these time texts by making Scripture mean the opposite of what it unequivocally declares. Reading Russell is a breath of fresh air in a room filled with smoke and mirror hermeneutics." - (Gary DeMar - Author of Last Days Madness)

     "I believe that Russell's work is one of the most important treatments on Biblical eschatology that is available to the church today. The issues raised in this volume with respect to the time-frame references of the New Testament to the Parousia are vitally important not only for eschatology but for the future debate over the credibility of Sacred Scripture." - (Dr. R. C. Sproul - Chairman, Ligonier Ministries)

     "Although I do not agree with all the conclusions of J. Stuart Russell's The Parousia, I highly recommend this well-organized, carefully argued, and compellingly written defense of Preterism to serious and mature students of the Bible. It is one of the most persuasive and challenging books I have read on the subject of eschatology and has had a great impact on my own thinking. Russell's biblico-theological study of New Testament eschatology sets a standard of excellence." - (Dr. Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr. - Author of Before Jerusalem Fell)

     "In view of Dr. Russell's marvelous and insightful observations, no serious student of Biblical eschatology should attempt to construct a systematic scheme of apocalyptic events without first consulting this 19th century work, The Parousia." - (Walt Hibbard - Chairman, Great Christian Books)

Contents

• Preface to the Book

INTRODUCTORY.

THE LAST WORDS OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY.

• THE BOOK OF MALACHI
• The Interval between Malachi and John the Baptist
   

PART I.

THE PAROUSIA IN THE GOSPELS.

• THE PAROUSIA PREDICTED BY JOHN THE BAPTIST

The Teaching of our Lord Concerning the Parousia in the Synoptical Gospels:

• Prediction of Coming Wrath upon that Generation
• Further allusions to the Coming Wrath
• Impending fate of the Jewish nation (Parable of the Barren Fig-tree)
• The End of the Age, or close of the Jewish dispensation (Parables of Tares and Drag-net)
• The Coming of the Son of Man (the Parousia) in the Lifetime of the Apostles
• The Parousia to take place within the Lifetime of some of the Disciples
• The Coming of the Son of man certain and speedy (Parable of the Importunate Widow)
• The Reward of the Disciples in the Coming AEon, i.e. at the Parousia
   

Prophetic Intimations of the approaching Consummation of the Kingdom of God:

• i. Parable of the Pounds

• ii. Lamentation of Jesus over Jerusalem

• iii. Parable of the Wicked Husbandman

• iv. Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son

• v. Woes denounced on the Scribes and Pharisees

• vi. Lamentation (second) of Jesus over Jerusalem

• vii. The Prophecy on the Mount of Olives
  
   

The Prophecy on the Mount examined:

• I. Interrogatory of the Disciples

• II. Our Lord's Answer to the Disciples:

• (a) Events which more remotely were to precede the Consummation

• (b) Further indications of the approaching doom of Jerusalem

• (c) The Disciples warned against False Prophets

• (d) Arrival of the 'End,' or the catastrophe of Jerusalem

• (e) The Parousia to take place before the passing away of the Existing Generation

• (f) Certainty of the Consummation, yet uncertainty of its precise date

• (g) Suddenness of the Parousia, and calls to watchfulness

• (h) The Disciples warned of the suddenness of the Parousia (Parable of the Master of the House)

• (i) The Parousia a time of Judgment alike to the friends and the enemies of Christ (Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins)

• (k) The Parousia a time of Judgment (Parable of the Talents)

• (l) The Parousia a time of Judgment (Parable of the Sheep and Goats)
   

• Our Lord's declaration before the High Priest
• Prediction of the Woes coming on Jerusalem
• Prayer of the Penitent Thief
• Apostolic Commission, the

THE PAROUSIA IN THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN.

• The Parousia and the Resurrection of the Dead
• The Resurrection, the Judgment, and the Last Day
• The Judgment of this World, and of the Prince of this World
• Christ's Return (the Parousia) speedy
• St. John to live till the Parousia
• Summary of the Teaching of the Gospels respecting the Parousia

APPENDIX TO PART I.

• Note A.-On the Double-sense Theory of Interpretation
• Note B.-On the Prophetic Element in the Gospels

PART II.

THE PAROUSIA IN THE ACTS AND THE EPISTLES.

IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

• The 'going away' and the 'coming again
• The Last Days come
• The Coming Doom of that Generation
• The Parousia and the Restitution of all things
• Christ soon to judge the World

THE PAROUSIA IN THE APOSTOLIC EPISTLES.

• Introduction

IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS:

• Expectation of the Speedy Coming of Christ

• The Wrath coming upon the Jewish people

• Bearing of the parousia upon the disciples of Christ

• Christ to come with all His holy ones

• Events accompanying the Parousia

• Exhortations to watchfulness in prospect of the Parousia

• Prayer that the Thessalonians might survive until the coming of Christ

IN THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS:

• The Parousia a time of judgment to enemies of Christ and of Deliverance to His people

• Events which must precede the Parousia

• The Apostasy

• The Man of Sin

IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS:

Attitude of the Christians of Corinth in relation to the Parousia

Judicial character of the 'Day of the Lord' (I Cor. iii. 13)

Judicial character of the 'Day of the Lord' (I Cor. iv. 5)

Nearness of the approaching Consummation

The End of the Ages already arrived

Events accompanying the Parousia

The Living (saints) changed at the Parousia

The Parousia and the 'Last Trump'

The Apostolic Watchword, 'Maran-atha'

IN THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS:

• Anticipations of 'the End' and 'the Day of the Lord'
• The Dead in Christ to be presented along with the living at the Parousia
• Expectation of Future Blessedness at the Parousia

IN THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS:

• 'The present Evil Age, or AEon'

• The two Jerusalems-the Old and the New

IN THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS:

• The Day of Wrath

• Eschatology of St. Paul

• Nearness of the Coming Salvation

• Prospect of Speedy Deliverance

IN THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS:-

• Approaching Manifestation of Christ

• The Coming Wrath

IN THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS:

• The Economy of the Fulness of the Times

• The Day of Redemption

• The present Aeon and that which is coming

• The 'Ages [Aeons] to come

IN THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS:

• The Day of Christ

• Expectation of the Parousia

• Nearness of the Parousia

IN THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY:

• Apostasy of the Last Days

• Eschatological Table, or Conspectus of Passages relating to the Last Times

• Equivalent Phrases referring to the Last Times

• Table of Passages relating to the Apostasy of the Last Times

• Conclusion- respecting the Apostasy

• Timothy and the Parousia

• The Apostasy already manifesting itself

IN THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY:

• 'That Day'-viz. the parousia-anticipated

• The Apostasy of the 'Last Days' imminent

IN THE EPISTLE TO TITUS :

• Anticipation of the Parousia

IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS:

• The Last Days already come

• The Aeons, Ages, or World-periods

• The World to come, or the new order

• The End, i.e., of the Age, or AEon

• The Promise of the Rest of God

• The End of the Ages

• Expectation of the Parousia

• The Parousia approaching

• The Parousia imminent

• The Parousia and the Old Testament saints

• The great Consummation near

• Nearness and finality of the Consummation

• Expectation of the Parousia

IN THE EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES:

• The Last Days come

• Nearness of the Parousia

IN THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PETER:

• Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time

• The approaching Revelation of Jesus Christ

• Relation of the Redemption of Christ to the Antediluvian World

• Nearness of Judgment and of the End of all things

• The good tidings announced to the Dead

• The Fiery Trial and the coming Glory

• The Time of Judgment arrived

• The Glory about to be revealed

IN THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. PETER:

• Scoffers in the 'Last Days'

• Eschatology of St. Peter

• Certainty of the approaching Consummation

• Suddenness of the Parousia

• Attitude of the Primitive Christians in relation to the Parousia

• The New Heavens and New Earth

• Nearness of the Parousia a motive to diligence

• Believers not to be discouraged on account of the seeming delay of the Parousia

• Allusion of St. Peter to St. Paul's teaching concerning the Parousia

IN THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN:

• The World passing away: the last hour come

• The Antichrist come, a proof of its being the last hour

• Antichrist not a person, but a principle

• Marks of the Antichrist

• Anticipation of the Parousia

IN THE EPISTLE OF ST. JUDE

APPENDIX TO PART II.

• Note A.-The Kingdom of Heaven, or of God
• Note B.-On the ' Babylon' of 1 Peter v. 13
• Note C.-On the Symbolism of Prophecy, with special reference to the Predictions of the Parousia
• Note D.-Dr. Owen on 'the Heavens and the Earth' (2 Pet. iii. 7)
• Note E.-Rev. F. D. Maurice on 'the Last Time' (I John ii. 18)

PART III.

THE PAROUSIA IN THE APOCALYPSE.

• Interpretation of the Apocalypse
• Limitation of Time in the Apocalypse
• Date of the Apocalypse
• True significance of the Apocalypse
• Structure and plan of the Apocalypse
• The number Seven in the Apocalypse
• The Theme of the Apocalypse
• The Prologue

THE FIRST VISION.

• THE MESSAGES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES

THE SECOND VISION.

• THE SEVEN SEALS

• Opening of the First Seal

• Opening of the Second Seal

• Opening of the Third Seal

• Opening of the Fourth Seal

• Opening of the Fifth Seal

• Opening of the Sixth Seal

• Episode of the Sealing of the Servants of God

THE THIRD VISION.

• THE SEVEN TRUMPETS

• Opening of the Seventh Seal

• The First Four Trumpets

• The Fifth Trumpet

• The Sixth Trumpet

• Episode of the Angel and the Book

• Measurement of the Temple

• Episode of the Two Witnesses

• The Seventh Trumpet

 

THE FOURTH VISION.

• THE SEVEN MYSTIC FIGURES

• 1. The Woman clothed with the Sun

• 2. The Great Red Dragon

• 3. The Man Child

• 4. The First Wild Beast

• The Number of the Beast

• 5. The Second Wild Beast

• 6. The Lamb on Mount Sion

• 7. The Son of Man on the Cloud

THE FIFTH VISION.

• THE SEVEN VIALS

THE SIXTH VISION.

• THE HARLOT CITY

• Mystery of the Scarlet Beast

• The Seven Kings

• The Ten Horns of the Beast

• (NOTE ON REVELATION XVII.)

• The Fall of Babylon

• Judgment of the Beast and his confederate Powers

• Judgment of the Dragon

• Reign of the Saints and Martyrs

• Loosing of Satan after the Thousand Years

• Catastrophe of the Sixth Vision

THE SEVENTH VISION.

• THE HOLY CITY, OR THE BRIDE

• Prologue to the Vision
  The Holy City described

• THE EPILOGUE
• SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

APPENDIX TO PART III.

• Note A.-Reuss on the Number of the Beast
• Note B.-Dr. J. M. Macdonald's 'Life and Writings of St. John'
• -Bishop Warburton on 'our Lord's Prophecy on the Mount of Olives,' and on 'the Kingdom of Heaven'