v 2 – 3 v 4 – 5 v 6 v 7
Historic Pre-millennialism Main Points • Jesus Returns BEFORE He reigns on earth • for a 1000 yrs • AFTER the Great Tribulation (Historic Post-Trib Pre-Mill) • Xns who died … reign with Jesus on earth (v 4) • Xns still living … also given Resurrected bodies … also reign for 1000 yrs (v 6) • Many Jews believe (cf. Rom 9 – 11)
Historic Pre-millennialism Main Points • Satan limited (v 3) • Satan released after 1000 yrs (v 7) • with Unbelievers on earth & goes to war against God & His people (v 8) • they are defeated (v 9 -10) • face Final Judgement (“ 2 nd Resurrection” v 12 – 15) • … Xns to Eternal Life (v 6, 15) • … Unbelievers to Hell (v 15) • … New Heavens & New Earth (Rev 21 – 22)
Historic Pre-millennialism History & Proponents Irenaeus Justin Martyr Tertullian Charles Spurgeon? J. C. Ryle Francis Schaeffer James Hamilton George Ladd John Piper John Mac. Arthur? Albert Mohler Don Carson Wayne Grudem
Historic Pre-millennialism Strengths • flow & logic of Rev 20 … “natural reading” • deals well with Israel & any future salvation • (not “national Israel” … but part of Xn Church) • NT interprets OT • OT passages about future (Isaiah 65 -66; Psalm 72; Zechariah; Daniel) • keeps Return of Jesus central & imminent
Historic Pre-millennialism Weaknesses • 1000 yrs literally? • 2 Resurrections? • Glorified believers with Resurrected bodies on earth? • physical death still exists after Jesus Returns? • after Jesus reigns for 1000 yrs, why would people still reject Him? • purpose of 1000 yrs? • why delay the New Heavens & New Earth? • little else in NT to support Rev 20
Post-millennialism Main Points • Jesus Returns AFTER He reigns on earth • 1000 yrs (ie. long period) • “millennial age” … significant Xn influences on society • Peace & Righteousness reign on earth • “Golden age” … Gospel advances rapidly THEN • … Jesus will Return • … Xns & Unbelievers raised to Final Judgement • … New Heavens & New Earth (Rev 21 – 22)
Post-millennialism History & Proponents John Owen J & C Wesley William Perkins Matthew Henry Jonathan Edwards Charles Finney Charles Spurgeon? Kenneth Gentry Hudson Taylor B. B. Warfield R. C. Sproul Doug Wilson
Post-millennialism Strengths • highlights “Satan is bound” (v 2) • so Gospel can advance without hindrance (v 3) • focuses the church on preaching the Gospel & Global Mission … so the End comes • optimistic & seeks opportunities to influence society • “Thy will be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven”
Post-millennialism Weaknesses • the text of Rev 20? • NT teaches persecutions & suffering will come before the End … no “Golden age” • reality after WW 1 & WW 2 ? • “post-Xn” West ? • “Golden age” … Eternity rather than on Earth • Arts, Economics, Politics, Education, Science etc. “Xn-ised” here on earth?
Dispensational Pre-millennialism Main Points • Jesus Returns BEFORE He reigns on earth • for 1000 yrs (always literally) • “ 1 st Return” before Great Tribulation • … involves a “secret rapture” (Pre-Trib Pre-Mill) • … all Xns on Earth “secretly raptured” into heaven with Jesus (cf. 1 Thess 4. 16 – 17) • … a period of 7 yrs (cf. Dan 9. 24 – 27 “ 70 weeks”)
Dispensational Pre-millennialism Main Points For 7 yrs a Great Tribulation on earth • … many Jews believe (144 000) • Rev 4 – 20 = 7 yrs • … National Israel re-established (“Jerusalem”) • … Temple sacrifices re-instituted (cf. Dan 9. 27) • Jews have a special function distinct from Church After the 7 yrs • … Jesus Returns again (“ 2 nd Return”) • … with the Saints • … reign for a 1000 yrs on earth (v 4 – 6)
Dispensational Pre-millennialism Main Points • Satan limited (v 3) • Satan is released after 1000 yrs (v 7) • with Unbelievers on earth & goes to war against God & His people (v 8) • they are defeated (v 9 -10) • face Final Judgement (“ 2 nd Resurrection” v 12 – 15) • … Xns to Eternal Life (v 6, 15) • … Unbelievers to Hell (v 15) • … New Heavens & New Earth (Rev 21 – 22)
Dispensational Pre-millennialism 7 Dispensations in the Bible 1. Innocence (Garden of Eden) 2. Conscience (Adam – Noah) 3. Government (Noah – Abraham) 4. Promise (Abraham – Moses) 5. Law (Moses – Jesus) 6. Church / Grace (Acts 2 – Rev 20) 7. Millennial Kingdom (Rev 20 – )
Dispensational Pre-millennialism History & Proponents John Nelson Darby (1830’s) Cyrus Scofield (“Reference Bible” : 1909) Dallas Theological Seminary (1924) Dwight Moody Charles Ryrie (Study Bible : 1978) Hal Lindsay Tim La. Haye Jerry Jenkins Billy Graham Chuck Swindoll Warren Wiersbe James Dobson John Mac. Arthur?
Dispensational Pre-millennialism Strengths • takes seriously … Dan, Zech, Ezek Isaiah, Rev (“literal when possible”) • • • commitment to Word of God (against Liberalism) takes seriously Romans 9 – 11 suddenness of Jesus’ Return (“Secret Rapture”) this World is not our Home! Revelation & Daniel in a serious, scholarly way
Dispensational Pre-millennialism Weaknesses • start with 7 Dispensations … then read the Bible! • 7 Ages clearly taught in the Bible? • not “discovered” until 1830 (John Nelson Darby) • a “secret rapture” theology? • a “secret Return of Christ”? • Revelation 4 – 20 … into neat 7 yr period?
Dispensational Pre-millennialism Weaknesses • all the promises (Old Covenant) are fulfilled in Millennium & Israel … rather than Christ / Church Doesn’t engage with NT teaching; • … that ALL the promises find fulfilment in Jesus • … Jew & Gentile are one in Jesus (2 Peoples of God? ) • … no new Temple • … no re-establishing Sacrifices (Bk of Hebrews? ) • Church is taken out of world before Tribulation?
Dispensational Pre-millennialism Weaknesses • Apocalyptic genre taken literally! • 2 Returns of Jesus? multiple Judgements? • conspiracy theories, timetables, charts … Return of Jesus a predictable event? • fear to Xns? • pessimistic about world
A-millennialism Main Points • “A” … not literal period of 1000 yrs • 1000 yrs … Jesus’ 1 st Coming – 2 nd Coming • Rev 20. 1 – 6 … present Church Age • Christ reigning now from heaven (v 6) (“Realised Mill”) • Satan already bound (v 2) (ie. the Cross; “Strong Man”; Mark 3. 22 – 27; Luke 10. 18; Matthew 28 “All Authority”) • “Souls” of Believers reign with Jesus (v 4)
A-millennialism Main Points • before Jesus Returns … persecution, evil, Satan “let loose” (v 7) (cf. “Man of Lawlessness” / Anti-X) When Jesus Returns; • … Resurrection both Xns & Unbelievers • … then Final Judgement (v 11 – 15) • … New Heavens & New Earth (Rev 21 – 22) • • • “Now – but Not yet” / “Last Days” replays / repetition / “diff cameras – same game” Theology not Chronology
A-millennialism History & Proponents Augustine Martin Luther John Calvin Martyn Lloyd-Jones Leon Morris John Stott J. I. Packer Sinclair Ferguson Justin Taylor Mark Dever
A-millennialism Strengths • NT informs about Revelation • symbolic reading … Bible interprets the Bible • Victory at the Cross & Empty Tomb • Christ’s dominion & reign over all things (cf. Paul’s Letters) • • • Biblical Theology (Jesus & His Church) unity of OT & NT “build His church” (the Church – not Israel)
A-millennialism Weaknesses • Rev 20? … many questions unanswered • Rev 20 … only 1 passage? • Satan “fully bound”? (v 2 – 3) • “came to life” (v 4) = “spiritual resurrection” … NT bodily resurrection • “ 1 st Resurrection” (v 6) = Jesus’ R. / coming to faith … but not elsewhere in NT • Rev 20 … our Church Age? • loss of immediacy with Return of Jesus?
PAN-millennialism
Rev 20 : What we all agree on … * Jesus came to Earth (Incarnation) * Jesus is Coming Back again! * Live lives that please Him * Everyone will be Resurrected (Rev 20. 12) * Everyone will face Final Judgement (Rev 20. 13 – 15) … not in the “Book of Life” … Hell … in the “Book of Life” … Heaven (Rev 3. 5, 13. 8, 17. 8, 20. 12, 20. 15, 21. 27; Phil 4. 3; Luke 10. 20) * Chs 21 – 22 (not Ch 20!!!) ends the Book * Eternity … not just 1000 yrs!