The nature of the Millennium is arguably probably the most controversial topic within the research of biblical future, however many of the views might be summarized in three main views. It’s vital to know these viewpoints as a result of what we imagine about this thousand-year interval impacts every part else we imagine about biblical prophecy, the longer term, and the occasions main as much as the return of Christ.
Publish- Millennialism
The phrase put up is a prefix meaning “after”. Adherents of Publish-Millennialism imagine the Millennium is an prolonged time of societal enchancment, and Jesus Christ will return to earth after the thousand years of kingdom residing happen. He’ll come after (or put up) the Millennium to a utopian world. This view was launched by an English theologian named Daniel Whitby (1638-1726), who claimed that the guarantees God made relating to a golden age are being fulfilled now, previous to our Lord’s return, via the preaching of the Gospel by the Church.
Obtain Each day Devotions from David Jeremiah
Signal as much as obtain e mail devotions every day!
To carry a Publish- Millennialism view, due to this fact, you need to imagine issues are getting higher in our world on a regular basis. This angle flourished within the early days of the 20th century amidst total peace, prosperity, and an unbelievable explosion of innovations like the auto, airplanes, and radio. Virtually in a single day, all that modified. World Conflict I broke out and introduced an enormous wave of disappointment and sobriety to Publish- Millennialism. The worldwide flu epidemic that adopted World Conflict I blanketed the world in dying. Then got here The Nice Despair, adopted by World Conflict II, and the following Chilly Conflict with its risk of nuclear apocalypse. Reasonably than evolving into utopia, the world lurched from one disaster to a different, like an airplane in a dying spiral.
Because of this, Publish-Millennialism misplaced a variety of its steam as the 20th century unfolded.
A- Millennialism
The second view, A-Millennialism, is shaped by the Greek prefix a, which negates a phrase and means “no.”
A-Millennialism, then, actually means “no Millennium.” These holding this view don’t imagine there shall be a future thousand-year reign of Christ, however when He returns He’ll instantly usher within the new heaven and new earth. Furthermore, they imagine that the guarantees God made to Israel within the Previous Testomony, which might solely now be fulfilled throughout a millennial reign, needs to be spiritualized and interpreted in a symbolic means.
For instance, think about the phrases of the prophet Isaiah, who spoke of a day of peace among the many nations:
The mountain of the Lord’s home shall be established on the highest of the mountains … and all nations shall circulation to it. Many individuals shall come and say, ‘Come, and allow us to go as much as the mountain of the Lord, to the home of the God of Jacob; He’ll educate us His methods ….’ He shall decide between the nations, and rebuke many individuals; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not elevate up sword in opposition to nation, neither shall they study warfare anymore (Isaiah 2:2-4).
This passage would point out a coming age when folks from all of the nations of the world will circulation into Jerusalem to listen to the Lord educate His Phrase, and peace shall prevail amongst all of the nations. A-Millennialists don’t imagine there shall be such a coming age upon the earth. Reasonably, the spirit of what Isaiah stated is occurring now because the Church takes the Gospel to the world, and the Church is presently reigning with Christ over the earth.
The one technique to make A-Millennialism work is to spiritualize and symbolize the numerous Previous Testomony Scriptures that promise a coming Golden Age. As soon as you start doing that, you get away from a literal interpretation of the Bible. One of many soundest ideas for Bible research is that this one: If a passage can moderately be interpreted actually, achieve this. When the biblical author clearly makes use of symbolic language, then interpret that image throughout the context of the passage. A-Millennialism doesn’t comply with this rule, and that results in hypothesis quite than readability.
Pre- Millennialism
The weaknesses of Publish-Millennialism and A-Millennialism level us within the route of the third view, which inserts the Scriptures way more clearly and completely—Pre-Millennialism. That is the oldest of the three views and the simplest to clarify and perceive. It holds that Jesus Christ will physically return to this earth on the finish of the Nice Tribulation, defeat His enemies on the Battle of Armageddon, after which arrange His kingdom on this earth. He’ll reign for a thousand years, bringing human historical past full circle and to a becoming climax.
In line with this view, when Revelation 20 talks a few thousand years, that’s what it means. It is going to be a time frame after the Tribulation when Jesus Christ comes again to actually reign on earth, and through that point all the guarantees of the Previous Testomony regarding the nation of Israel and the dominion shall be fulfilled precisely as given. The redeemed Jews will dwell of their homeland, and the world will expertise the type of golden period it has all the time wished.
In line with Revelation 20, the Millennium will nonetheless finish with a remaining riot of humanity in opposition to God, and at the moment Christ will exert His energy, deliver the previous earth to its final conclusion, condemn the unsaved on the Great White Throne, and convey concerning the new heaven and the brand new earth. If you happen to take a second to scan the final a number of chapters of the Bible, you’ll see how completely this view matches the chronology that unfolds in Revelation 19–22. The Millennium—this thousand yr reign of Christ— hyperlinks the Second Coming and the everlasting state, serving as an ideal transition between the 2.
On this definitive e-book, esteemed Bible instructor and pastor Dr. David Jeremiah unveils the Second Coming of Christ and His Millennium reign on earth with outstanding readability. He additionally demonstrates how our understanding and response to those vital occasions can remodel our lives at this time.
The put up 3 Major Views of the Millennium: Understanding Biblical End Times Prophecy appeared first on David Jeremiah Blog.
