Part 36
14. John 14:16 mentions that Christ promised that the Holy Spirit would indwell us forever. "...give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;"
2 Thessalonians 2:6-10 shows that the Holy Spirit will be taken out of the world. Verse 7 mentions the restrainer. The term is in the masculine and must be more powerful than Satan to restrain Satan and only God can fill this qualification. We must assume this is speaking of the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit indwells us, if the Holy Spirit is going, then the believers must go also to keep John true to what is said.
15. If you hold to the interpretations that the 24 elders of Revelation are representative of any Old Testament or New Testament saints you must have a taking out of saints of one kind or the other before the tribulation (the elders are there). Some set forth the belief the elders are angels however the two classes are held as distinct in Revelation 5:11, "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders...." (Those holding to the twenty-four elders being representatives of the church, suggest the following as basis
for their belief: a. The number is a representative number relating to the priesthood: 1 Chronicles 24:1-19. b. Believers will wear white: Revelation 3:5; 4:4. c. Crowns and the term redeemed are related to New Testament believers: I Thessalonians 2:19, I Corinthians 6:20.)
16. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:10 indicates that the coming will be as a thief in the night (vs. 2) which indicates before the tribulation. The whole text seems easiest to interpret if it is pretribulation. Also, the only way it can be a surprise is if its before the tribulation.
17. The rapture in the New Testament speaks of church age saints only. The 2nd coming speaks of Christ's return to set up a kingdom. All Old Testament prophecy fits into two areas. Messiah the lamb or Messiah the King. His coming at the cross was as a lamb. He next will come as a king.
Question: Is the church ever promised a nation — land — kingdom on earth? NO.
Question: Is Israel promised these things? YES. All through the Old Testament. Israel is of prime interest in the end times.
18. The rapture does not see Christ on earth — only in the air. The 2nd Coming is when Christ touches down on Matthew Zion. This and number 17 show the rapture and the 2nd coming are two events. The 2nd coming is before the millennium thus the rapture needs to be before the tribulation. (Unless you have it very very close to the 2nd coming, as some posttribs do.)
19. The rapture is never spoken of as more than one taking out. There is no inference whatsoever that it is in waves as the partial rapture folks indicate.
20. Daniel 9:11 shows the tribulation to be the trouble of the Jews.
21. 1 Thessalonians 3:13 mentions that the saints will be coming with Christ at the 2nd Coming. They have to get up there before the 2nd coming some how and a pretrib rapture would make more sense than the posttribulation.
We want to look at some of the other thoughts concerning the time of the rapture.
The Partial Rapture Theory: (G. H. Lang, G. H. Pember, J. A. Seiss and Austin Sparks hold to this thought.)
This position is one which teaches that only the worthy will be taken out before the tribulation and that the unworthy believer is left on earth to go through a time of purging. Indeed this sounds like the reformations answer to purgatory, the only difference being is that we know how long the tribulation is, while the Roman Catholic has no idea how long they will be in purgatory.
They base this position basically on Hebrews 9:28 which states, "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
Ira E. David indicates they will be raptured out as they are prepared to go. The indication is that those ready when the tribulation starts will go, and then there will be waves going every now and then.
Some suggest Paul was trying to catch the first boat over when he mentions: "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:10-12
PROBLEMS
1. They do not tell you how many good works, or how pure you must be to make it in the first wave.
2. They do not deal with 1 Corinthians 15:51 which says, "we shall all be changed".
3. The church is termed the body of Christ. It would be of interest to know which part of the body, Christ is going to rip from the rest of the body when He takes part of His body to heaven.
4. We see in this position, that old doctrine of works coming into the scheme of things. If I work hard enough, then I will please God.
References they use.
Look to the context on these, and you will certainly fail to see any hint of a partial rapture.
Matthew 24:40-51 Speaking of two in the field and one taken. There are several possible explanations to this text. To begin with there is no indication of waves of believers going from time to time. There seems to be a set separation.
a. This could be prophetic of the rapture. It could be speaking in general of all mankind and the fact that some will be taken and some will not.
b. This would fit with the second coming when Christ comes with His armies and removes all of the lost from the face of the earth to set up His kingdom with all righteous Jews. Mark 13:24-26 indicates that Christ will gather the saints at His second coming. It may be that He gathers them into one spot, then deals with the lost on a world wide basis.
c. This would fit nicely with the end of the Millennium when there will be some that are taken by death at the great sweep of the lost from the kingdom.
Matthew 25:13 speaks of the ten virgins — some are taken and some are left. The context of this is given in 25:1, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins...." This is a millennial text. To use this in relation to the rapture, you would have to be posttrib.
Mark 13:33-37 This asks the believer to watch, and not be caught sleeping. It is clearly speaking of living a life that depicts someone believing He were coming at any moment. This is a good imminence text. Stay awake. The context would again be speaking of the Second coming. Verse 24 mentions, "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light." Then v 26 mentions, "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory."
Luke 21:36 Again the context identifies this as a text belonging to the kingdom. v 31, "...know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand."
1 Thessalonians 4 13-18 If it is those that are watching, how can the dead be involved as this text tells us?
1 Thessalonians 5:6 Again the thought of watching is the purpose.
2 Timothy 4:8 This speaks of reward for loving and watching for His appearing. Time nor waves are present in the thought of the verse.
Titus 2:13 The thought of looking and watching is prevalent.
Hebrews 9:24-28; Revelation 3:3; 12:1-6.
My over all question might be something like this. I know of people that are watching, but are doing nothing else. This seems illogical to say that the watchers will go and the workers will stay. Indeed, the people that set dates for the coming of the Lord are watchers.
I think the better idea is for us to be watching, looking and anticipating the day, but to labor in the fields that are white unto harvest until He comes.
MIDTRIBULATION VIEW OF THE RAPTURE
Norman B. Harrison states that the rapture occurs with the sounding of the 7th trumpet of Revelation 11:12 and the catching up of the two witnesses. He feels that the two witnesses represent the church.
The problem with this is that we have no indication that the two witnesses represent the church. Indeed it would seem there is evidence that the two witnesses are Old Testament resurrected saints. Malachi mentions Elijah coming back. (Mal 4:5)
The two witnesses are killed and this is not a very clear representation of the church.
He feels that the church must suffer tribulation. I suspect they use Acts 14:22 for a proof text. "...that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." They feel the last half of the Tribulation is the wrath of God. 1 Thessalonians 5:9, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,"
Revelation 6:16-17 mentions that "the great day of his wrath is come," and this is in the 6th seal. They need to place the trumps and seals in the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation. Thus, the church is removed before it.
The following was added to and adapted from the Rapture Question — Walvoord.
1. They are in truth pretribulation rapture people for the rapture is before The Great Tribulation.
2. They reject the thought that all of Daniel's 70th week is tribulation.
3. They at times call themselves pretrib and not midtrib.
4. They view Revelation 1-10 as fulfilled, or being fulfilled today. Chapter 11 and on are yet future.
5. They place emphasis on the trumps. The last trump of Revelation is the last trump of 1 Corinthians 15:52. However, no scripture links the two trumps. The trump of Revelation is sounded by an angel but we don't know who sounds the I Corinthians trump. The Revelation trump is to wrath while the I Corinthians trump is to escape from the world. The Revelation trump is not the last LAST trump, for Matthew 24:30-31 says there is one at Christ's 2nd coming. "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
Concerning trumps: In the Roman army there were three trumps sounded when they were striking camp.
1. Strike tents and prepare to depart.
2. Fall into line.
3. Last — march away. The church is marching away so to speak. This is the last trump for the church but may not be the last trump of the end times. You see, the last bell for a class period is not the last bell of the day.
Problems with the position:
1. If we can read Revelation then we can look for the events of the 7 trumps and first six seals and know when the rapture will occur. Has it occurred to you that this eliminates the possibility of an imminent return of Christ. We could indeed know and predict it if the rapture wasn't until half way through the tribulation.
2. They forget that the 70th week is to for dealing with Israel only. The church would not need to be present.
They argue that the temple was not destroyed until 70 AD so God mixes things also. However, Acts 10 seems to be a definite turning point where God began to work with Gentiles. (We have synagogues today but it isn't to say that God is working with both Israel and the Church today.)
3. Their thinking on the first 3 1/2 years is that it isn't really tribulation. Let's look at some of those non-tribulation events. Famine, 6:5-6; death for 1/4 of the world, 6:8; stars falling, moon turned to blood, mountains and islands moved (6:12-14). This isn't the wrath of God?
Post Tribulation Rapture Theory (George Ladd (Taught at Fuller), Leon Morris, and Harold Ockenga hold to this thought.)
This theory views all living saints as going through the entire tribulation, and that the rapture is actually a part of, or very close to the 2nd coming of the Lord, just prior to the Millennium. This is usually held by Amills and Postmills.
The people holding this position are normally split into two camps.
1. Those that hold to the theory that the present age is the tribulation. In Acts 8:1-3 there was a great persecution which was called tribulation in Acts 11:19. Therefore the tribulation started with the church age.
The term used here is also mentioned by Christ in Matthew 24:21, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."
2. Those that hold to a seven year tribulation at the end of this present age, and prior to Christ's second advent.
Ryrie in a Survey of Bible Doctrine lists the following points of this theory. Following each point an answer will be given.
1. "The rapture and the second coming are described in the Scriptures by the same words, which indicates they occur at the same time (1 Thessalonians 4:15 and Matthew 24:27)."
Matthew 24:27, "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." 1 Thessalonians 4 15, "...the coming of the Lord...." Why do they have to be the same thing and at the same time? There is no proof.
Might I mention something about that word coming? It is Strong's number 3952 if you want to look it up. It is used in 1 Corinthians 16:17 of Stephanus, and in 2 Corinthians 7:6 of Titus. This is the term "parousia". It is even used in 2 Peter 3:12 of a coming day. Thus, the usage of the term in relation to two events does not require that the two events are one.
2. "Since saints are mentioned as present during the tribulation days, the church is present on earth during that time (Matthew 24:22)." "...but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." There are "elect" in the passage which can relate to elect of any age. The Church need not be anywhere near.
"It is predicted that a resurrection will occur at the beginning of the millennium, and since it is assumed that this is the same
resurrection as that which occurs at the rapture, the rapture will take place just before the millennium (Revelation 20:4)."
An assumption which has very little basis. This would be the resurrection of all righteous dead and they would meet the living righteous in the air. All changed — glorified bodies. Only ones left to enter Christ's kingdom are glorified saints and lost from the tribulation. Problem: The entrance into the kingdom requires rebirth, thus the lost can't enter, and glorified saints can't be reborn, thus no one can enter the kingdom. There also is no one to produce children for population to rebel at the end of the Millennium if there are only glorified saints.
4. "The church can and will be preserved from the wrath of the tribulation period by supernatural protection while living through that time and not by deliverance from the period (as Israel was protected from the plagues while living in Egypt)."
Not one ounce of evidence to this thought is given in Scripture. Indeed Revelation 6:9-11 shows that the righteous will be martyred in the tribulation. That is NOT supernaturally protected.
5. "The Scriptures do not teach imminency; therefore, the rapture can be after the known events of the tribulation."
A study to show imminency would be needed here, but it would seem that as a thief in the night indicates imminency...
6. "Posttribulationalism was the position of the early church." So were several doctrines that more modern theologians have proven to be in error.
References that are used: Matthew 13:37-43 These verses show a gathering, but again the time is not mentioned; Matthew 13:47-50 These verses also mention a gathering, however both saved and unsaved are mentioned — this is not so at the rapture; Matthew 24:4-14; John 14:3 This verse really has nothing to do with when but that He will return for us; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1; Revelation 8-16.
So, what do we do know that we've gone through these positions?
1. Take time in your future ministries to dig in, and see what some of the fundamental writers say on the subject of the rapture. Next study literal interpretation, dispensations and then the imminency of Christ.
2. When you have that firm in mind go to some of the other writers and see what they teach, and why they believe what they believe. Remember they mix terms that literal interpretation cannot. (Israel and Church)
3. I think that a good study of the subject will leave you feeling as I do — that of all the evidence and opinion, the pretrib position is the easiest to see in scripture. It fits well with the scriptural references that we have to deal with.
4. Study and think and consider. The questions are not answered solidly no matter what some may say. There are good and bad in all of the
positions. The pretribulation position seems to present very few difficulties to me.
5. I am not sure that the subject has been studied as completely as it should be by any of the scholars. Many of our doctrines today were formed over hundreds of years of study and restudy. Men discussed and studied until they arrived at the best teaching involving all of the texts. Historically there does not seem to be any real statement on premillennialism.
The Trinity was not an established doctrine until A.D. 325. Human depravity wasn't a settled doctrine till the 5th century AD. The sufficiency of Scripture and the priesthood of the believer weren't settled until the reformation. So, we may not settle the end times discussion for many more years. I think that as years go by, we may see more definitive statements concerning the pretribulation rapture.
6. Realize that this is nothing that you are going to loose your salvation over. When we went through this in my first year of college I was on the skids for two or three months trying to figure out what I was. There was a much greater emphasis on prophecy at that time. I wasted a lot of time that I should have been using for study.
I am not saying it isn't important. I am saying, give it some good study and time for thought.
The thoughts that we have considered are basically a compilation of the thinking of several pretribulation men.
This may be an overstatement, however I don't think that it is. The pretribulation position fits into the literal interpretation that most fundamentalists hold to. To hold some of the other positions, you have to accept other forms of interpretation which are not consistent with historical fundamentalism, nor logical principles of interpretation.
The system fits well with what scripture states. The logical and scriptural arguments seem to be very consistent with the Word.
Dr. Pentacost states, "Pretribulation rapturism rests essentially on one major premise — the literal method of interpretation of the Scriptures. As a necessary adjunct [something that accompanies] to this, the
pretribulationist believes in a dispensational interpretation of the Word of God. The church and Israel are two distinct groups with whom God has a divine plan."
As I have studied the other positions I find it hard to believe that you can hold to any other position without doing damage to these four doctrines:
a. Literal Interpretation.
b. Dispensations.
c. Distinctions Between The Church And Israel.
d. Imminency Of The Return Of Christ.
Dr. Pentacost on pp 193-194 of Things To Come, mentions that Allis one of the key Amillennialists of our day admits, Get This, that if one is to interpret scripture literally and not figuratively that one Must Become a premillennialist. That is the proven end of literal interpretation. He further admits that if you hold to literal interpretation you must also become, as a result of your study of scripture a pretribulationist.
Dr. Pentacost of p 194ff details the pretribulation rapture position in great detail. I believe he hits most of the points that we have mentioned.
Concerning literal interpretation those taking other positions must spiritualize the texts concerning prophecy. Walvoord gives some examples in the following quote.
"Postribulationists usually ignore the distinction between Israel and the church much in the fashion of the amillenarian school. The reason for this is that none of the tribulation passages in either the old or new testament ever mention the "church" or the ecclesia. In order to prove that the church is in the tribulation period, it is necessary to identify key terms as equivalent to the church. Hense, Israel becomes a general name for the church and in some contexts becomes an equivalent term. The term elect is taken to be equivalent to the church, regardless of the limitation of the context, and saints of all dispensations are considered as members of the true church. In order to make these various terms equivalents, it is necessary to take Scripture in other than a literal sense in many instances — the use of Israel as equivalent to the church being an illustration."
(Taken from the book, The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord. Copyright 1979 by the Zondervan Corporation. Used by permission. p 57)
In short, I think what I am saying is this. Present a position other than the pretrib without damaging the doctrines of literal interpretation, dispensations, distinctions between Israel and the church or the imminent return of Christ and I will consider it.
I MAY BE WRONG, BUT I DON'T THINK IT CAN BE DONE.
THE MILLENNIUM
Before beginning this study please read the following texts: Isaiah 65:1725; Jeremiah 31:33-34; Ezekiel 36:25-31.
Eusebius tells of a feast at the end of the Nicean Council as being really special. (He was an early church historian. The council was in A.D. 325)
"It felt as if we were imagining a picture of the Kingdom of Christ, and that what was happening was no reality, but a dream."
I think that we can draw from this that the Eusebius was not Amillennial, and that he viewed the kingdom as yet future and literal.
I would suggest a couple of items that we did not cover previously concerning the fact that the Lord was offering a kingdom while here the first time around.
John 1 41, "...We have found the Messias which is, being interpreted, the Christ." Andrew viewed the Lord as the Messiah.
John 1 49, "Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel."
They viewed the Lord in more than a friendly way...
It is not easy to tell how much of the gospels we can relate to the kingdom. It would seem that much of the information would directly relate to the kingdom, in that the Lord was offering it, and preparing people for it.
Will there be healing in the kingdom? The healing and miracles were a sign of the Messiah's having come, so may not be. Yet, Luke 8:1-3 mention that the Lord was "...shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God...." The context mentions some that had been healed, and they were ministering to the Lord in a material manner. This may be a part of the millennial form of things.
The kingdom is yet future, due to the fact that the Lord has never returned to set it up. We certainly are not in a kingdom ruled by Christ now.
When He instituted the Lord's table, He mentioned that He would not partake of it until the kingdom (Luke 22 18). He is not partaking at present to my knowledge.
Luke 24 30 is of interest. It shows the Lord with the folks on the road to Emmmaus, and as they fellowshipped together He broke bread with them, but did not share of the cup.
Let us just list some topics of the mill. and their basis.
This is a brief look at things. The verses listed are only a sampling of many many more that you could use in preparing lessons, and sermons.
CHILDREN WILL BE BORN
Jeremiah 30 20, "Their children...."
Isaiah 65 20 mentions children's death.
The children born to these godly parents will have opportunity to follow the God of their Fathers, yet it is evident that some will not. Indeed, the indications are that many will not.
CHRIST WILL RULE
Isaiah 2 4 mentions judging
Isaiah 11 3-4 mention that He will judge righteously.
Jeremiah 23 5-6 tell that He will be king. His name will be "The Lord Our Righteousness."
Psalm 72 6-11 mentions that all the kings of the earth will bow before Him.
He will be here, and in control of all that is going on. He evidently will have help in ruling, which we will see later.
DAVID WILL RULE
Isaiah 55 3-4 indicates it.
Jeremiah 30 9 states it.
"But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them."
Hosea 3 5, "...and seek the Lord their God, and David their king...."
Ezekiel 37 24-25 This text mentions David as their prince, and also shows him as the servant of God.
Let us set our progress aside for a moment and consider this problem of both Christ and David ruling.
Some have suggested that "David" is equal to, or the same as Christ. Since Christ came from the line of David and there was a promise of a Davidic king, then Christ was the fulfillment of that.
Some see the branch coming from David in the prophets as a literal son of David's line that will be born in the end time. There is no real proof of this thinking. That would add to the confusion, for the texts state David will reign and now we would add a son of David along with Christ and David himself.
The easiest, most literal interpretation, would fall along these lines. Christ will rule for it is His kingdom, yet David will rule. In Biblical times it was not uncommon for co-regents to exist. One being the actual king in office and name and the other in practice of ruling under the guidance of the king. Christ may use David as a ruling regent. Ezekiel 37 24-25 may indicate this in that David is shown as the servant of God, and the Prince of the people.
It might also be suggested that Christ will reign over all the earth from the heavenly sphere, or possibly the New Jerusalem, while David is over Judah proper.
I don't think that it would hinder prophecy one bit to limit David to ruling over Israel, while having Christ ruling over the whole earth.
DEATH
Isaiah 65:20, "...for the child shall die an hundred years old...."
Though there is death in the kingdom, there is indication in this same verse of long life. This long life will lead to a quick population growth, which would allow for many rejectors at the end of the kingdom.
EVIL DOERS WILL BE CUT OFF
Psalm 37 9-11 shows the evil doers will be cut off and the context seems to be similar to the beatitudes. "...the meek shall inherit the earth...." (vs 11)
HEALING IS INDICATED
Isaiah 35 3-6, "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing...."
Ezekiel 34 16 mentions, "...will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick...."
HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE FOR EVERYONE
Joel 2 28-32,
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh...." (28a)
Though the kingdom will have many aspects in which it is similar to the OT way of things, there seems to be some new parts as well.
It would be an interesting study to see if the cross wasn't the difference between the OT saints not having the Holy Spirit and the church/kingdom believers having Him indwell them. It certainly seems logical.
JERUSALEM WILL BE A CENTER OF HOLINESS
Zechariah 14 21, "Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts...." The same verse goes on to say there will be no Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts, indicating there will only be Jews.
The Jew of Christ's day saw Jerusalem as the center of the earth, but now in the millennium this will be fact. All roads will lead to Jerusalem, so to speak.
JERUSALEM WILL BE THE CENTER OF GOVERNMENT
Isaiah 2 2-4 states this.
JOY
Isaiah 9 3-4,
"...they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest
and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil."
Isaiah 12 3-6
Indeed, anywhere the Lord is there certainly should be joy.
There will be many attributes of Christ that will rub off on the kingdom. The joy, the love, the glory, the peace etc.
LAND
Ezekiel in the later chapters goes into great detail as to the divisions of the land.
Psalm 69 35-36 indicates a continuing possession of the land.
LANGUAGE
Zephaniah 3 9 indicates a universal language, "For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent.
That should reduce culture shock for missionaries. HA.
LONG LIFE
Isaiah 65:20
OFFERINGS
Ezekiel 42 13
We don't know what the significance of these offerings will be. They may just be symbolic in some manner, or they may be a memorial to things of the OT.
PEACE
Isaiah 2 4,
"And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
The Sermon on the Mount — (The Beatitudes) would indicate the life in the kingdom will be very peaceful.
Isaiah 65 25,
"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock...."
PRIESTS
Ezekiel 42 14
RULE WILL BE WITH A ROD
Isaiah 11 4,
"...and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with
the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked."
This is the context of Him being the judge.
Psalm 2 9,
"Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in
pieces like a potter's vessel."
SACRIFICES WILL BE OFFERED
Ezekiel 42 13
SAFETY FOR JERUSALEM
Jeremiah 33 16, "In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely...."
SAINTS ONLY
At the beginning. It seems there will be offspring due to the fact there are lost at the end when things are coming to a close.
Matthew 18 3,
"...Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall
not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
John 3 3, "...Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Jeremiah 31 33-34;
Some feel there may be some gentile believers from the tribulation that enter into the Mill. We have no text to show this, yet there is that possibility. Many feel that the gentile believers will be martyred in the Trib. and come with the church at the second advent.
Since the Mill is primarily an Old Testament concept and the gentiles of the Trib. would be in the Old Testament concept this might be a possibility. This might well account for the nations that seem to be present in the Mill.
SAINTS WILL REIGN
2 Timothy 2 12, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him...."
Revelation 5 10 also.
Some suggest that the apostles (Matthew 19 28) and the church (1 Corinthians 6 2-3) will reign and rule in the Mill. This may be so, however these texts show them judging and angels are involved in the Cor. text, thus it would seem better to say they will judge in some manner.
Whether this judging is in the Great White Throne, ruling, or some area that we aren't aware of we don't know.
I would personally assume that we will be judging in some manner. This may be in the area of reigning with the Lord, in the idea that as we see wrong we will take care of it.
SATAN BOUND
Revelation 20 1-3 Have Someone Read It.
SIN
It exists: Zechariah 14 17-19
It will be judged quickly: Zechariah 14 17-19
It will be judged justly: Isaiah 11 4,
"But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smit the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked."
TEMPLE
Ezekiel 41ff
Zechariah 14:20 mentions the pots of the Lord's house.
THE EARTH'S TOPOGRAPHY WILL CHANGE
Zechariah 14 4-10 shows some major changes. There will be fresh water going out from Jerusalem. Indeed, it is indicated they will flow into the Dead Sea. ("hinder sea")
Ezekiel 47 9-10 show that the Dead sea will once again live.
Engedi in verse ten is near the Dead sea and fishermen will be there.
UNIVERSAL WORSHIP OF GOD
Zephaniah 3 9, "...that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent."
This would not include those that will not be converted, though it would indicate they may outwardly worship until the end of the Mill when they rise up in rebellion.
WAR WILL NOT EXIST
Isaiah 2 4 speaks of the beating of swords into plowes.
IT SHOULD BE A GREAT TIME.
Miscellaneous Millennial texts: Psalm 24:7-10; Hosea 6:1-3 seems to indicate that the Lord would have set up the kingdom immediately upon Israel's turning, after their rejection. The turning has never been forthcoming so this prophecy still awaits its final fulfillment.
THE MILLENNIAL POSITIONS
I would like to begin with a quote from Boettner in Tan's book (Tan, Paul L.; "The Interpretation Of Prophecy"; Rockville, MD: Assurance Publishing, 1974, p 269-270) "'There is a logical connection between Premillennialism and Dispensationalism. Most of those who take Premillennialism seriously and become enthusiastic about it go on to adopt Dispensationalism. Conversely, we believe that most of those who becomes convinced of the errors of Dispensationalism proceed to throw Premillennialism overboard to.'" (Boettner/MILLENNIUM p 158)
PREMILLENNIALISM (AS WE SEE IT)
A. The Basis: The basis of premillennialism is found in the Old Testament Covenants given to Israel. The premillennialist sees these covenants as yet unfulfilled. These covenants will find their complete fulfillment during the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth.
"Premillennialism insists that all the provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant must be fulfilled since the covenant was made without conditions. Much of the covenant has already been fulfilled and fulfilled literally; therefore, what remains to be fulfilled will also be fulfilled literally. This brings the focus on the yet-unfulfilled land promise." (Reprinted by permission: Ryrie, Charles C.; "Basic Theology"; Wheaton: Victor Books, 1986, p 457)
B. The Definition: "Premillennialism is the view that holds that the second coming of Christ will occur prior to the Millennium which will see the establishment of Christ's kingdom on this earth for a literal 1,000 years. It also understands there will be several occasions when resurrections and judgments will take place. Eternity will begin after the 1,000 years are concluded. Within premillennialism there are those who hold differing views as to the time of the Rapture." (Reprinted by permission: Ryrie, Charles C.; "Basic Theology"; Wheaton: Victor Books, 1986, p 450/Ryrie has a brief history of premillennialism on p 451-452.)
C. The System:
1. They believe in a literal historical grammatical system of interpretation.
2. They believe that today is not a golden age. (Corruption is the norm in our day and things are not getting better and better. We are pessimists according to the present day lingo — 1990.)
3. There is a definite distinction between Israel and the Church.
4. Prophecies concerning Israel were fulfilled literally to this point and will one day be completely fulfilled — literally.
5. They hold to a literal, visible, bodily and glorious return of Christ in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
6. They hold to a literal Abrahamic Covenant which was extended into the future.
7. They recognize the Church as the spiritual seed of Abraham. Galatians 3:29
8. They recognize the difference between physical and spiritual seed of Abraham. Romans 9:6-8
9. The Abrahamic covenant was unconditional.
10. They use a Dispensational approach to Scripture.
11. The Church was formed separate from Israel. (Although early Christians were Jews.) 1 Corinthians 10:32 and Romans 11:26 shows this distinction between the two.
12. An overview of the system's teaching. They hold to the following points:
a. Soteriological Program (God is in the process of providing salvation for accepting mankind.) Genesis 3:15
b. Promises Given To Abram that were to find fulfillment in his life and his people. Genesis 12
c. Palestinian Covenant Deuteronomy 30:1-10
d. Davidic Covenant 2 Samuel 7:12-16
e. New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31-24
f. Kingdom Prophesied By The Old Testament Prophets.
g. Kingdom Offered And Rejected By Christ at His first advent. Matthew 10-12
h. Church Was Indicated In Matthew 16 -- Church was started in Acts 2
j. God Will Again Deal With Israel. (They are only set aside at this time. This is national Israel. Individual Jews may and do come to the Lord for Salvation through the Messiah that has come.)
k. The Millennial Kingdom Is Yet Future. (Revelation 20:1-6 and Old Testament references to future kingdom)
l. Final Resurrection And Judgment. This will follow the kingdom and will deal with all unsaved of all time. Revelation 20: 11-15
D. Problems Of The System (from those outside the system)
1. Premillennialists are accused of not being scientific in their study of the Scripture. This would have reference to the not using of the liberal's methods of criticism and interpretation. To this the premill suggests, they lack of knowledge of the system.
2. Premillennialists base their whole system on one text, Revelation 20:1-7. The fact that Scripture mentions a 1000 years is disputed by the other positions. Some feel that the 1000 years is not to be taken as a literal 1000 years, but rather be viewed as a period of time. They would suggest that we are in that period of time now. The truth is that this text fits only to the Old Testament Kingdom when you use a literal framework of interpretation. John The Baptist and Christ came on the scene preaching a kingdom, but never defined it or told the Jews what it was. The only kingdom they would know about is the promised Davidic kingdom of the Old Testament. The whole of the New Testament is a continuation of the Old and its program. God did not dump the Old Testament kingdom, just postponed it and mentioned it through John to allow people to know that it is still coming.
3. They are inconsistent in their literal interpretation. (We are not literal literalists.) This refers to the fact that the premillennialist allows for the allegories, etc. of the Old Testament. They charge that if we are going to be literal, then we should be literal in all passages. In otherwords when the Psalmist mentions that David was the apple of God's eye, we should see this as God having an apple in His eye named David.
Premillennialists recognize types, signs and other language oriented quirks that literal interpretation would require.
4. They hold to a reinstitution of sacrifices and this contradicts Hebrews 8:8-13. Yes, we see sacrifices in the Millennial kingdom because the Bible prophecies this. We do realize there is no need for sacrifice for sin, however there are other sacrifices, and these sacrifices in the Millennium may be similar to the Lord's Table in meaning. They may have commemorative value.
The problem is that the objectors probably misinterpret Hebrews, and ignore that the premill. always mentions that the Millennial sacrifices are a memorial or some other form, rather than the sin sacrifices that are no longer needed.
5. They interpret the Old Testament and fit the New Testament into it. Amen. Since we believe in progressive revelation, we would certainly look at the oldest and understand the new in light of that knowledge. This is only logical and correct.
6. A future work with Israel (kingdom) is inconsistent because Jew and Gentile are one now. Ephesians 2:14-16 They do not see any distinction between Israel and the Church, so this is a charge that is to be expected. The two entities are separate and the Bible is clear on this.
They wrongfully mix Israel and the Church. They also wrongly interpret the Ephesians text along with all of the texts which show that the two are different and distinct.
7. Literal interpretation is not a valid method.
This concept should turn their own minds to the illogical and profane. How can we understand a message given to us unless we use the literal method? If they were to receive a telegram from their Aunt Tilda, wouldn't
they use literal interpretation to understand it? God wanted to communicate with man thus the literal method is the only logical method.
8. A difference between Israel and the church is inconsistent with Romans 11:11-24.
On the contrary, this text depicts clearly, if interpreted literally, the distinction between Israel and the Church. They have a misconception of the Romans illustration.
9. The New Testament doesn't interpret the Old Testament literal so why should the premillennialists? James spiritualizes Amos 9:11 in Acts 15:1417.
True the New Testament writers do not always use the Old Testament literally, however they do use it literally at times. They drew information from the Old Testament to use for their own day much as we do. A spiritualizing does not remove the need for a literal fulfillment. Peter in His first sermon in Acts mentions the fulfillment on the day of Pentecost as a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, however that prophecy was not literally, completely fulfilled. It will have a complete literal fulfillment yet future.
10. Premillennialists ignore Matthew 21:43 when Christ removed the kingdom from Israel.
How can we have a millennium if God is not dealing with Israel? This is the crux of the system. God is not dealing with Israel today, but will one day resume His dealings with them. We do not ignore the removal of the kingdom from Israel, we view it as a literal occurrence. Indeed, the Matthew text is a precursor of the Romans 11:11ff text. The removal of the kingdom is not ignored, it is recognized and this is an integrated part of the system.
11. Galatians 3:28,29 says there is no difference between Jew and Greek. Premillennialists should apply Jewish truth to Gentiles.
True, there is no difference, but this is speaking of the spiritual realm and not the physical. (Romans 9:6-8 show a difference between the two.) In this age there is no difference between Jew and Gentile within the church and indeed, within the need of salvation and its availability to all of mankind. The phrase "in Christ Jesus" limits the thought to believers.
The whole problem of problems is that we cannot answer them adequately enough to convince the other side. We can find no arguments strong enough to convince them. We have no text good enough to stir their solidarity in their position Why? Because they interpret differently than we do. If they accept literal, historical, grammatical interpretation then they must, by their own lips, accept Dispensational Premillennialism. They realize that the Dispensational premillennial position is the end product of the literal method of interpretation. We realize their position is due to their method of interpretation, thus there is a great gulf fixed that no man can cross (unless he changes his method of interpretation).
COVENANT PREMILLENNIALISM
A. Basis: This system is based on the Old Testament Covenants which are now being fulfilled in and by the Church.
B. The System:
Tan defines the system as follows: "A system of eschatology which attempts to reconcile premillennialism with covenantism while avoiding dispensationalism and pretribulationism. (P 364; The Interpretation Of Prophecy.)
He mentions (p 269) that, "They want what one writer describes as 'amillennial covenantism with a premillennial topping.'"
They view the program as beginning at Genesis 3:15 in the promise of one that will overcome evil. From that point forward there is a kingdom rule by God, over man. This rule takes different shades of meaning as time passes. In the Old Testament it was a direct rule through the judges, kings, and prophets. When Christ came to earth and died, then ascended to the Father the Kingdom took on a spiritual aspect. He is now reigning from heaven and will continue to do so until the end times. At the end, there will be a literal kingdom over Israel, yet they do not see it as an all Jewish kingdom.
It seems that they view much of prophecy allegorically, yet when it comes to Revelation 20 and the 1000 year kingdom, they turn to literalism.
The position views the second coming as the introduction to the kingdom on earth. The Devil will be bound during this time of the kingdom while
Christ will be ruling here on earth. They view the church age as a kingdom which is ruled from heaven. The tribulation also occurs prior to the kingdom.
They would view the kingdom in the book of Matthew as this spiritual kingdom. They would view all the book as applying to that kingdom — today. This has been taught in many churches over many years. I was raised on this idea in a church where the Gospel was seldom taught. I have heard it taught in Evangelical churches as well.
It seems that they view things very similarly to us, however there is one distinction. They believe that the covenants are being fulfilled in the church today. They want to have covenantism but remain premillennial.
1. Their system views the Church as spiritual Israel. Romans 9:24
2. Abraham is the Father of all believers. Romans 4:11
3. They view Jeremiah 31 as fulfilled in this age. They see the Hebrews 8 passage as contradictory to the thought of a religious system for the Jews in the kingdom future.
4. They do accept a literal Israel. Romans 11:26
5. They do differ with premillennialism about the prophesied sacrifices of Ezekiel 40-48. They view them fulfilled by Christ completely with no future fulfillment. Hebrews 8
6. They believe in a literal national future salvation for Israel.
7. A literal 1000 years is recognized, however this is not taught in the Old Testament or the Gospels, only Revelation 20:1-6. It is some new kingdom that was never mentioned, or indicated prior to Revelation 20.
8. Christ preached a salvation message. He was not preaching a kingdom message.
9. Today we are in the mystery or spiritual form of the kingdom. Matthew 13
10. Christ reigns in heaven today, but on earth during the 1000 years.
11. The covenants and the kingdom find their fulfillment in this mystery form of the kingdom today.
12. The kingdom was promised in the Old Testament. This would be the mystery form — the church.
13. The kingdom is being fulfilled today.
14. The kingdom will be concluded at the 2nd return of Christ for a 1000 year earthly reign.
15. They hold to a resurrection of the saved premillennium, and unsaved post millennium for judgment.
16. It would seem that they reject a literal tribulation.
17. Tan submits that they affirm, "that the church and Israel are somewhat blended, though not fully amalgamated." (p 246; The Interpretation Of Prophecy.)
C. Problems Of The System.
1. They deny the dispensational system yet operate within one. They view different governing relationships between God and man thus accepting one of the basics of dispensationalism.
2. They improperly view Romans 9:24 and see the Church as spiritual Israel.
3. They reject literal fulfillment of Ezekiel 40-48 because of not viewing Hebrews 8 properly. They feel there cannot be a new temple in the future because the Lord's sacrifice in the heavenly tabernacle was once and for all.
4. They fail to relate the Revelation 20:1-6 1000 years to the Old Testament Kingdom. It is hard to conceive why they would find a new — unrevealed kingdom in the book of Revelation. The easiest and most logical view is that this is the kingdom prophesied.
5. They spiritualize most of the Bible's prophecy yet take Revelation 20 literally.
Tan in The Interpretation Of Prophecy, mentions that they spiritualize the 144,000 to be the church while holding to a literal 1,000 year kingdom. He terms their interpretation as "selectively inconsistent" (p 268).
6. Someone that believes Satan is being plundered today has a problem. A look at any city newspaper will show the decadence of our society and world. To say that Satan is bound in this age is to attribute all evil that goes on to God and his kingdom that is being ruled from heaven by Christ. Satan and evil are free and active in this present age.
7. They see no distinction between the Kingdom and Soteriological programs. The kingdom is a program in and of itself to bring man to God.
8. Their system requires a non-chronological book of Revelation. Passages showing saints in heaven will be out of sequence if it is chronological in their system.
9. They mix Israel and the Church.
AMILLENNIALISM
A. The Basis: Amillennialism is based on the Old Testament covenants which were transferred over to the Church for fulfillment.
B. The System:
In a nutshell the position views the world ruled by the one that is in a position to do so. Adam was the ruler until his fall into sin when the Devil took over the rulership of the earth. He ruled throughout the Old Testament period. His rule was interrupted when the Lord came to earth to setup His kingdom. Not only did Christ set up His kingdom — the millennium — the Davidic kingdom — the 1000 years — but He also bound Satan for the duration of this new kingdom.
Their view of Daniel is that the kingdoms that are mentioned are Satans kingdoms here on earth (Babylon, Media Persia, Greece). The 70th week, or tribulation is past and it ended in A.D. 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem.
Christ is now ruling from the heavenly Jerusalem. When Christ returns to earth at the second coming he will introduce eternity in which the Old Testament will be fulfilled.
Tan suggests that amillennialism is, "A system of eschatology which, among other things, interprets the millennium as symbolical of present life in heaven." (P 363; The Interpretation Of Prophecy.)
THE PRINCIPLES OF THE SYSTEM
1. The seed of Abraham is equal to all of God's people. Israel and the Church age people are one.
2. God dispensed with the Land and Promise. The promises are no longer to be considered. This is due to the following: a. The Jews have lost their lineage; b. The promise was fulfilled literally in the past; c. The promises were conditional and Israel didn't meet the requirements.
3. The promise was for any group of God's people in any age. (If this is correct, then why don't we go claim Israel for the Christians in the United States?)
4. Israel lost their promises and the Church inherited them. (Church = Israel)
If the promises have been dispensed with, how can any group of God's people claim them? Illogical.
5. They see no justification for a total literal interpretation of Scripture.
6. They agree with Covenant Premillennialists that Revelation 20:1-6 is the Millennial Kingdom, but disagree as to what it is.
7. They feel Revelation 20:1-3 is today. Satan is now bound. (He can't prevent spread of the Gospel however.)
8. Revelation 20:4 is speaking of martyred saints.
9. Christ reigning literally 1000 years is not required. This would indicate that the millennial kingdom to them may be quite different from the kingdom of the Old Testament.
10. The Old Testament Kingdom came in Christ's time. Matthew 12:28
11. They do allow for a future phase of some sort. (This would be the Revelation Millennium, even if they don't define what it is.)
12. Overview of their teachings.
a. Satan has a series of kingdoms Daniel 9 (Babylon, MedioPersia, Greece and Rome)
b. God's kingdom takes over. (Fall of Rome)
c. Satan cast out of Heaven at the cross.
d. Satan bound at fall of Rome.
e. Kingdom offered by Christ.
f. Kingdom set up A.D. 70. (fulfilled at fall of Rome.)
g. Resurrections and judgment just prior to eternity.
h. Jesus reigns in Heavenly Jerusalem Galatians 4:26.
i. The book of Revelation deals with the fall of Jerusalem and fall of Rome.
j. The 1000 years is only representative of an ideal time.
C. Problems:
1. They interpret literally in theology but allegorically in prophecy. Any system that switches between methods of interpretation should be suspect of interpreting to show their position rather than to see what God has to say. The person who believes in allegorical interpretation is much more honest in what he is doing.
2. All prophecy is fulfilled in this current age. Anyone reading through the Old Testament would realize that some prophecies are not fulfilled, and a look around our world would show that this is not a golden age.
3. Today is a golden age with Satan bound. How can anyone believe Satan is bound today.
4. They reject dispensations even though they have them in their system. Any system that does not offer blood sacrifices today is a quasi-
dispensational system. They must realize there are differences in how the Lord deals with man.
5. Their arguments are very weak, and their textual interpretations are very stretched.
6. They admit Scripture doesn't say the Promise was conditional, but they assume that it was. To assume that something is true where the Bible is silent opens us to any man's assumption as truth. I might well assume that I am free to murder since the Scripture does not state, "Stanley shalt not kill." I could easily say that the "thou" of Scripture is everyone except myself.
7. They make no difference between Israel and the Church. This does an injustice to the Scriptures.
8. The land and promise are not out of the picture. Israel has never occupied the total promised land. All this is yet future when the Lord returns to his dealings with Israel.
9. Basically the whole system is a problem in that it is not consistent with literal interpretation.
10. They tend to stretch your imagination. (Acts 1:6 Christ's answer to disciples' question is turning their attention from a Kingdom that is already set up to their coming responsibility of witnessing. To premillennialists he is saying the millennium is yet future.)
Among the amillennialists is the Roman Catholic Church.
COVENANT THEOLOGY
A. The System Defined: Tan suggests: "A system of theology which, among other things, explains all relationship between God and man from the beginning to the end of time under the Covenant of Works, the Covenant of Grace, and (sometimes) the Covenant of Redemption." p 364; The Interpretation Of Prophecy.
B. The System Explained:
The system operates on the basis of two covenants. The first is the covenant of works which ended at the fall of Adam. Genesis 3:15 is the
second covenant in cryptic form. The covenant is the covenant of grace. This covenant covers all of time since the fall.
Some add a third covenant of redemption which is introduced at the cross, but it is viewed as an integrated part of the covenant of grace.
The people holding to this position interpret Scripture very differently than we do. They use figurative, or allegorical views of Scripture and find new, deeper meanings behind the words of the Scriptures.
They see two covenants neither of which appear in Scripture. The covenant of works and the covenant of grace. The covenant of works carried mankind all the way to the fall.
The verse they use to show the covenant of works is Romans 2:7-9, "To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek." (It is strange that they give a New Testament reference to back up a system that occurred hundreds of years before.) They also use Psalm one as proof text. (This is at least a little closer in proximity.)
The covenant of grace was given in cryptic form in Genesis 3:15. At the time of Abraham, God instituted the covenant of grace which has other covenants or administrations within it. A Covenant has three elements to it: Parties, Promises, and Conditions.
The covenant of works, I gather, is the fact that Adam and Eve could live in the garden as long as they worked in the garden and kept their noses clean. This is also called by other names such as, Edenic covenant, and covenant of life.
This covenant had three stipulations. The Evangelical Dictionary Of Theology, lists them as follows:"
(1) a promise of eternal life upon the condition of perfect obedience throughout a probationary period;
(2) the threat of death upon disobedience; and
(3) the sacraments of paradise and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Elwell, Walter A. Ed.; "Evangelical Dictionary Of Theology"; Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984, p 279)
The covenant of grace is really poorly named because it is actually a second covenant of works. God in this new covenant requires obedience to His revealed will. As He sees obedience, then He will bless the person. This covenant is between God and the elect, for it is God's promise to save the person who believes.
As you can see, the Covenant Theologian is required to mix the Church and Israel into one large group of God's people where there are no distinctions. The mixing of Testaments can be seen in the fact that they use Romans 2:7-9 to show the covenant of works which ended at the fall. All of Scripture as now complete is the basis for their system. It would seem to me that no person prior to the completion of Scripture could really know what God wanted because all Revelation was not given.
In keeping with this they would view all promises of both testaments as theirs for the choosing. A further mixing of the testaments results in some cases with infant baptism. The rite of Old Testament circumcision for babies is carried over into the thought of baptism. Both being a sign of the covenant. (A note of interest: Circumcision was a male right, so how can it be a precursor for baptism, a male and female right?)
Ryrie quotes Allis's book "Prophecy And The Church," "The law is a declaration of the will of God for man's salvation." They feel that we are to be obedient to the revealed will of God so that He will bless us.
AMILLENNIALISTS AND THEIR BOOKS
Jay Adams, "The Time Is At Hand"
O. T. Allis, "Prophecy And The Church"
William E. Cox, "Amillennialism Today"
Floyd E. Hamilton, "The Basis Of Millennial Faith"
As I understand their thinking, the first covenant was given to carry man through time, but Adam blew it. Finally God found Abraham, a man that
would obey, and so God set the second covenant, out of His grace, another covenant of works to carry man through.
Some see a third covenant, a covenant of redemption -- I have not done any research on those that present this. Elwell in his "The Evangelical Dictionary Of Theology"; p 279-280, shows this covenant to be as follows: "According to covenant theology, the covenant of grace, established in history, is founded on still another covenant, the covenant of redemption, which is defined as the eternal pact between God the Father and God the Son concerning the salvation of mankind."
"The Father loves the Son, commissions him, gives him a people, the right to judge, and authority over all mankind... the Son loves the Father, delights to do his will, and has shared his glory forever...."
"On this foundation covenant theology affirms that God the Father and God the Son covenanted together for the redemption of the human race, the Father appointing the Son to be the mediator, the Second Adam, whose life would be given for the salvation of the world, and the Son accepting the commission, promising that he would do the work which the Father had given him to do and fulfill all righteousness by obeying the law of God."
POSTMILLENNIALISM
A. The System Defined: Tan suggests: "A system of eschatology which, among other things, sees the millennium ushered in through a gradually Christianized world. Christ comes at the end of this 'millennium.'" ("The Interpretation Of Prophecy" P 367)
In recent days there have been many taking on this line of thinking. Ten years ago Boettner and J.M. Kik were the only men alive that seemed to hold this position. In recent days many in the Charismatic movement have been accepting this thinking and teaching it. They see the Church as theüoower to bring in the Millennium.
They see that the Church is responsible to reach all peoples of the earth with the Gospel and then the kingdom will be set up. Revelation 7:9a is used to help show that the earth must be reached before the Kingdom can
come into existence. You will be seeing more and more about this in the future. This is behind many of the evangelism movements of our day.
They are calling this the "Kingdom Theology." Some fear that this theology is playing into the hands of the New Age Movement which is teaching a very similar philosophy. They feel that the new Christ is about to be revealed and that he will soon set things right here on earth for his rule over man.
We will have a serious look at Kingdom Theology in a future section.
PRINCIPLES OF THE SYSTEM
1. The preaching of the Gospel to the world will bring mass world wide conversions which will usher in the 1000 years of peace. Sound like any recent evangelism push? 2000 for example.
2. Christ will return at the end of the 1000 years of peace.
3. There is one large general resurrection of all the dead of all times.
4. There will be a general judgment of all those raised and those living at the coming of Christ.
In the past the main deterrent to this position was the advent of the World Wars. Prior to the wars there seemed to be a peace coming, and people were coming to the Lord. Since the wars this position had little to offer. It may well be that the new crumbling of communism and the appearance of peace over the earth will bring forth a new movement toward this system of thought.
They deny Christ's reign on earth, and spiritualize the tribulation information. The idea of world evangelism was not a possibility until the 80's when the kingdom theology came into focus.
Many evangelical groups have taken up the 2000 concept which teaches that we will reach the world by the year 2000. Many have spent millions on strategy and labor to accomplish this goal. There is nothing wrong with the labor and investment of money to evangelize, however the goal of 2000 is foolish at best. When we evangelize the world, Christ can come
according to the ologies of today. God will, however choose that time, not man, not man's plans, not man's efforts.
There is a real redefinition in world evangelization becoming popular today because of this thinking. They are now saying that if a people group has one church in it, then that people group has been evangelized. Based on this misconception they have announced that world evangelization is nearing a reality. Imagine, if there is one church in the Afro-American people group then that group of millions is considered evangelized.
"This viewpoint teaches that the second coming of Christ will occur after (post) the millennium. Postmillennialists look for a utopian state on earth to be brought about through the efforts of the church, and during this golden age the church, not Israel, will experience the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham and David. The kingdom will be on earth, but it will be a "church kingdom" not a Jewish kingdom, and the King, Christ, will be absent from the earth, not present on it. He will rule in the hearts of the people and return to the earth only after the millennium is complete. then will follow a general resurrection of all the dead, a general judgment of all people, and eternity will begin.
"Postmillennialism conceives of the unfulfilled Abrahamic promises as being fulfilled by the church and, of course, not in any literal sense. Its method of interpretation is generally to spiritualize prophecy." (Taken from: "A Survey Of Bible Doctrine"; Ryrie, Charles C.; Copyright 1972, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago; Moody Press. Used by permission. pp 162-163.)
POST TRIB PREMILLINNARIANISM
Men holding to this position that I have run across are: George Ladd, Mark Krouse, and Mark Kromminga.
Ladd wrote "The Gospel Of The Kingdom And Presence Of The Future." Walvoord has a review of this book and says that the premillennial position was totally left out and that he believes Ladd is closer to being Amillennial. Ladd says no to this. (The review was in Dallas Seminary's theological journal, Bib Sac. July 1974.)
They view the Rapture and 2nd Coming as one event between the Tribulation and Millennium. The believers are resurrected and the living unrighteous are judged at this point in time. This introduces Christ's literal rule for 1000 years on earth. At the end of this time there is a general resurrection and the unrighteous are judged. The righteous enter eternity.
They make no distinction between Israel and the Church. They feel that God's Soteriological program is the Kingdom program. They feel literal historical interpretation is wrong, thus arrive on the scene as Post Tribulational Premillennial.
Another group of postribulation people are the Seventh Day Adventists. The 7th dayers got into trouble, predicting the second coming because they were postrib and saw the Roman Church as the end times culprits. They figured up with their trusty calculator and decided on 1844 and blew it. (They viewed worship on Sunday from Rome and calculated the end of the spiritualized tribulation that they were living through.
REVISED DISPENSATIONAL PREMILLINNARIANISM
This position seems to be a cross between dispensationalism and Covenant Theology thus the name that has been given to them. There is little written on their position that I have been able to find.
This view doubts the view which we have set forth, that Christ and John the Baptist were offering a literal 1000 year kingdom. (Millennial kingdom of the Old Testament.)
As I understand the view they see the dispensational approach, but instead of viewing the church as parenthetical they see it as a grafting of the gentiles into the kingdom that is ongoing in God's plan. When the gentiles were grafted in they became the kingdom. The kingdom is one ongoing program with God and there has just been a slight change in clientele during the church age.
They view a pre-millennial return of Christ to fulfill the promises of Israel in a 1000 year reign of Christ. I do not know what they do with the tribulation for it does not appear on the charts I have seen.
There is strong reaction to the idea that Christ offered a kingdom and that it was rejected. They feel that it was Christ's person that was rejected rather than His kingdom. (We would agree that His person was rejected as was His kingdom.)
They view the sermon on the mount and other teachings prior to the rejection as the spiritual intent of the Mosaic law and that they are for this age as well as the kingdom to come.
They make a very valid point to the thinking of some pre-trib. people. They take issue with the thought that the church is a parenthesis. A period which God Super Glued in, to fill the gap till the 2nd Coming. Some almost make it appear that God didn't know that the kingdom was going to be rejected. This is consistent with what has been presented in this work. The church is a part of the ongoing program of God that was planned before the foundation of the earth. The church is the kingdom in mystery form. In this they would agree with our view.
Indeed, God did know the events coming, and had planned the church age all along. He had just not revealed it as yet.
They see Christ's offer of a kingdom as a spiritual kingdom (salvation) not the Davidic kingdom.
I'm not sure they are that far removed from Posttrib Premillennialism. They see the church age as a phase of the kingdom — which seems to be consistent with things. They keep Israel and the church separate except that we will be with Israel in the tribulation if there is one.
Their disagreement with our position would be basically two fold. They would believe that we are in a spiritual phase of the kingdom now and that Christ was not offering the Millennial Kingdom when He was on earth.
That concludes our brief look at some of the other views of the end times. It might be asked, "Does it matter what we hold?"
Yes, it does matter. If you are going to live life and declare that the Bible is your guide to faith and practice, then you must look at what It says and believe it.
When interpreted literally the Bible shows the Premillennial position very clearly. The system fits the facts given. If you reject literal interpretation, then you will find yourself in some other belief system. True, all systems lead to righteous living and that is to be admired in all that believe in any system.
The key in all of this is God's message. Did He deliver it in obscure hard to understand methods, or did He deliver it in a very understandable form? The latter seems most logical.