Calvary Road Baptist Church
“MILLENNIUM VIEWPOINTS”
With so much going on in the world, I thought it might be good for me to provide some prophetical perspective from time to time. And what better time to start providing prophetical perspective than the end of this difficult and tumultuous year as we anticipate a profoundly challenging and unpredictable new year.
What say we begin by spending some time tonight addressing a topic that is quite prominent in God’s Word, but frequently misunderstood, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God (which are the same thing), and in particular the time span referred to as the Millennium, from the Latin word for one thousand.
There are three main views or interpretative positions pertaining to the Millennium: Premillennial, Postmillennial, and Amillennial. The view you adopt concerning the Millennium will determine your interpretative approach to many passages you study in the prophetic portions of Scripture.
Such questions as “Will there be a Rapture of Church Age believers?” “Will there be a literal Tribulation Period?” “What about the Antichrist?” “What about the battle of Armageddon?” And, of course, “What about the one thousand year kingdom rule of Christ on earth?”
Let me spend a relatively few minutes dealing with the various millennial views under four headings:[1]
First, WHAT IS TERMED PREMILLENIALISM
Of course, the word Premillennialism features the preposition pre at the beginning of millennialism, meaning “before the millennium,” that Christ will return to establish His kingdom on earth.
The fundamental principle to follow when studying prophetic Scripture is to interpret Scripture literally wherever possible.[2] Better than the word literally is the word normally.[3] When one is committed to interpreting prophetic Scripture in a normal fashion the only millennial position that can be maintained is the Premillennial view.
Under this view, Christ will return to the earth at the end of the Tribulation, put down all rebellion, destroy the armies of the Antichrist, liberate Israel, and establish His physical kingdom where He will rule from Jerusalem for a literal 1000 years.
During Christ’s 1000-year reign, Satan will be bound in the abyss, the effects of the curse will be lifted, the covenants with Israel will be fulfilled, and peace, joy, righteousness, and justice will prevail. This is the view supported by the early Christian writers whose comments have survived from the first and second centuries.[4]
Far less important to us, it is the view that was and is supported by such prominent prophecy scholars as the late John Walvoord, the late Dwight Pentecost, the late J. Vernon Magee, and Arnold Fruchtenbaum and John MacArthur.
If I may say, Premillennialism is the most logical, consistent, clear, and defensible viewpoint as supported by Biblical exegesis of both Old and New Testament prophetic Scripture and is the viewpoint I subscribe to, for a number of reasons I do not have time to go into at this time.
Next, WHAT IS TERMED POSTMILLENNIALISM
Post referring to Christ returning after the millennium, this was the major viewpoint of the 18th and 19th centuries. My private opinion publicly expressed is that Postmillennialism arose with the expansion of the British Empire and the belief that worldwide conquest by the British Empire would be used by God to spread the Christian faith around the world. World War One, the Great War, and its trench warfare carnage, took most of the steam out of Postmillennialism.
Postmillennialists maintain that Christ will return to earth after the Millennium, which is the period between His First and Second Comings but not a literal 1000 years. Their conviction was that the world was increasingly getting better and better as the “Christian Church” evangelized and Christianized the non-Christian world. They imagined believers would spread the Gospel throughout the world, everyone would become Christians, Christians would control the affairs of the earth, and following an ideal age under the influence of the Gospel, Christ would return to usher in eternity. As with the Amillennial view, Christ’s reign was seen by Postmillennialists as a spiritual reign, not a literal one. The idea that the world is becoming progressively better denies the reality of harsh world conditions. Again, as a result of the major wars of the 20th century, the collapse of the British Empire and the end of colonialism, and the one hundred million citizens brutally starved to death and otherwise slaughtered by their own governments, this viewpoint fell out of favor, with only a few exceptions. The late Loraine Boettner and the controversial contemporary pastor, Douglas Wilson, represent Postmillennialism among Christians.
Third, WHAT IS TERMED AMILLENNIALISM
The letter “a” before millennial negates the word millennial rendering the meaning to be “no Millennium.” Amillennialists believe there will not be a literal, future 1000-year kingdom on this earth ruled by Christ.
They maintain that Christ will have a kingdom rule but not for a literal 1000 years. His kingdom will be spiritual as He rules either in the hearts of believers or in heaven over redeemed souls, depending on which of the many facets of Amillennialism is followed.
The length of rule, specifically the six times the thousand years is referred to in Revelation 20.2-7, is thought by Amillennialists to be a symbolic representation for an undefined period of time between Christ’s First and Second Advents.
Finally, CONCERNS WITH THE AMILLENNIAL VIEW
Unfortunately, the Amillennial viewpoint has widespread support among Protestant, Greek Orthodox, and Roman Catholic church leadership. The late R. C. Sproul and my friend Peter Masters embrace this position, denying a literal (or better, a normal) interpretation of prophetic Scripture about future events, most specifically the just mentioned Revelation 20.2-7.
They do accept a literal First Coming of Christ but deny many aspects of a literal Second Coming of Christ, which results in an interpretive inconsistency. If prophecies about Christ’s First Coming were literal, normally understood, why wouldn’t prophecies about His Second Coming be just as literal, just as normally interpreted?
They believe prophecies concerning Israel are applied to Church Age believers in Christ and that Satan is bound as a result of Christ’s death and resurrection. This replacement theology approach suggests God will not honor His unconditional covenant promises to Abraham, but that the “universal, invisible Church” has become the recipient of those promises. This distortion of understanding was introduced by such men as Origen and Augustine, but was nowhere in sight before them. By my way of thinking, such an approach laid the foundation for the anti-Semitism that was found in Roman Catholicism and early Protestantism. The questions to ask to refute Amillennialism are, “Does this present age reflect a millennial kingdom ruled by Christ?” And, “Do current conditions on this planet reflect a world absent Satan and his demonic legions?” I believe the answers are a resounding “No.” I would also ask, “Does the modern state of Israel and the survival and return to Palestine of the Jewish people against all odds jibe with Amillennialism?” How about the corollary of Amillennialism, which is that the promise God made to Abraham in Genesis chapter twelve has for some reason been abrogated.[5] Really? That sits well with you?
Furthermore, it is not necessarily surprising that the Ammillennial viewpoint has significant support. As the world is being prepared for the reign of the Antichrist, the strong and widespread influence of New Age and Eastern philosophies that support a “do your own thing” or “whatever makes you feel good” mentality fits perfectly with the Amillennial view.[6] The rules to Biblical interpretation become unclear without an objective process or standard to follow as provided in the Premillennial view. Where is the interpretive line to determine if a passage is to be taken literally or spiritually? Whose decides? And when? If Scripture is left up to the individual to apply as he or she sees fit, where is Scriptural accountability and responsibility absent an objective criteria for the study of God’s Word?
Additionally, Amillennialism might not only be deceptive but also counterproductive to evangelism in that proponents do not have to concern themselves about Satan and demonic activity, the Antichrist, a coming Tribulation Period, a one-world religion or government, not to mention God’s judgment of a sinful world. What is the motivation for evangelism? What is the “blessed hope” of the so-called Church if there is no Rapture? Amillennialism is deceptive, in my opinion, because it promotes the idea to accept whatever comes along. Since the Devil is bound, then whatever occurs must be God’s will and why fight it? When a person doesn’t know God’s will on a particular matter, then he/she cannot stand in faith to appropriate the answer. Faith only works where the will of God is known, and without faith it is impossible to please God, Hebrews 11.6. Finally, it is inconceivable to many that believers following the Amillennial viewpoint could ever walk boldly in their rights, privileges, and authority as provided by God’s Word.
These are some of the overarching high points on the prophetic horizon that may familiarize you with the landscape. More will come at a later time, but allow me to conclude by providing you with a handout that reflects the Premillennial view of prophecy.
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[1] This message is adapted from Robert Kollin, Revelation Unlocked: Keys To Understanding End-Time Events, (Springfield, MO: 21st Century Press, 2003), pages 213-216.
[2] Tim LaHaye Prophecy Study Bible, (AMG Publishers, 2000), page xii.
[3] See Paul Lee Tan’s discussion of normal in The Interpretation Of Prophecy, (Winona Lake, Indiana: BMH Books, 1974), pages 30-36.
[4] George N. H. Peters, The Theocratic Kingdom, Vol II, (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1978), too many footnotes to keep track of documenting the Premillennial views of early Christians.
[5] Genesis 12.2-3
[6] Not to deny that Amillennialism is embraced by many godly individuals.
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Pastor@CalvaryRoadBaptist.Church