The 1,000-year reign can’t refer to an earthly kingdom
(John 18:36 ESV) 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
(Dan 2:44 ESV) And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,
Jesus declares plainly that the kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. And Daniel’s prophecy of the kingdom is clear that the kingdom to be established at the time of the Romans will last forever. There won’t be a second earthly kingdom that replaces the original spiritual kingdom. Nor do any of the numerous Old Testament prophecies about the kingdom speak of a transition from a spiritual kingdom to an earthly kingdom.
The resurrection of the righteous and the wicked is simultaneous, not separated by 1,000 years
(John 5:28-29 ESV) 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
John speaks of a single “hour” (singular in the Greek, too) when “all” the dead will hear God’s voice and be resurrected, some to life and some to judgment.
The scriptures speak of but one resurrection when addressing the end times —
(Act 24:14-15 ESV) 14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.
“A resurrection” is singular.
The second coming will be at a time unexpected
(1Th 5:2-4 ESV) 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
These observations eliminate all Premillennial and many Postmillennial theories
The Wikipedia describes Premillennialism thusly —
Premillennialism in Christian end-times theology is the belief that Jesus will literally and physically be on the earth for his millennial reign, at his second coming. The doctrine is called premillennialism because it holds that Jesus’s physical return to earth will occur prior to the inauguration of the millennium. It is distinct from the other forms of Christian eschatology such as postmillennialism or amillennialism, which view the millennial rule as occurring either before the second coming, or as being figurative and non-temporal. Premillennialism is largely based upon a literal interpretation of Revelation 20:1-6 in the New Testament which adherents claim describes Jesus’s coming to the earth and subsequent reign at the end of an apocalyptic period of tribulation. It views this future age as a time of fulfillment for the prophetic hope of God’s people as given in the Old Testament. Others such as the Eastern Orthodox claim that this passage of Revelation describes the present time, when Christ reigns in heaven with the departed saints; such an interpretation views the symbolism of Revelation as referring to an invisible spiritual battle rather than a visible battle on earth. Premillennialism is often used to refer specifically to those who adhere to the beliefs in an earthly millennial reign of Christ as well as a rapture of the faithful coming before the tribulation preceding the millennium. Post-millennialism, for example, agrees with premillennialism about the future earthly reign of Christ and a preceding time of tribulation but maintains that there will be no rapture of the faithful before the tribulation.
The notion of an earthly kingdom in between a resurrection of the saved and a second resurrection of the damned is inconsistent with the rest of scripture. And if the Millennium is an actual 1,000 years, ending with the Second Coming, the time of the Second Coming won’t be much of a surprise.
The Wikipedia describes Postmillennialism thusly —
Although some postmillennialists hold to a literal millennium of 1,000 years, most postmillennialists see the thousand years more as a figurative term for a long period of time (similar in that respect to amillennialism). Among those holding to a non-literal “millennium” it is usually understood to have already begun, which implies a less obvious and less dramatic kind of millennium than that typically envisioned by premillennialists, as well as a more unexpected return of Christ.
Postmillennialism also teaches that the forces of Satan will gradually be defeated by the expansion of the Kingdom of God throughout history up until the second coming of Christ. This belief that good will gradually triumph over evil has led proponents of postmillennialism to label themselves “optimillennialists” in contrast to “pessimillennial” premillennialists and amillennialists.
Many postmillennialists also adopt some form of preterism, which holds that many of the end times prophecies in the Bible have already been fulfilled. …
Postmillennialists also diverge on the means of the gospel’s conquest. Revivalist postmillennialism is a form of the doctrine held by the Puritans and some today that teaches that the millennium will come about not from Christians changing society from the top down (that is, through its political and legal institutions) but from the bottom up at the grass roots level (that is, through changing people’s hearts and minds).
Reconstructionist postmillennialism, on the other hand, sees that along with grass roots preaching of the Gospel and explicitly Christian education, Christians should also set about changing society’s legal and political institutions in accordance with Biblical, and also sometimes Theonomic, ethics (see Dominion theology). The revivalists deny that the same legal and political rules which applied to theocratic state of Ancient Israel should apply directly to modern societies which are no longer directly ruled by Israel’s prophets, priests, and kings. In the United States, the most prominent and organized forms of postmillennialism are based on Christian Reconstructionism and hold to a reconstructionist form of postmillennialism advanced by Gary North, Kenneth Gentry, and Greg Bahnsen.
Obviously, the school of Postmillennial thought that expects the church to use the government to save the world deeply misunderstands the gospel.
Now, the problem I have with the Postmillennial interpretation is the theory of some that the Millennium doesn’t begin until sometime in the future. The rest of scripture just doesn’t have room for two-stage kingdom, with a second-stage that is an earthly kingdom. And as we considered in the To Change the World series, I can’t buy the argument that it’s the church’s job to bring the Millennium.
Indeed, any theory that merges church and state is, to me, very highly suspect — especially if the theory anticipates that the church will wield earthly power to gain control of the state. That idea entirely disregards the rest of the New Testament.
Amillennialism
The Wikipedia describes Amillennialism thusly —
Amillennialism (Latin: a- “no” + millennialism) is a view in Christian end-times theology named for its rejection of the theory that Jesus Christ will have a thousand-year long, physical reign on the earth. This is in opposition to premillennial and some postmillennial views of chapter 20 of the Book of Revelation.
In contrast, the amillennial view holds that the thousand years mentioned in Revelation 20 is a symbolic number, not a literal description; that the millennium has already begun and is identical with the current church age, (or more rarely, that it ended with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 — see Preterism). Amillennialism holds that while Christ’s reign during the millennium is spiritual in nature, at the end of the church age, Christ will return in final judgment and establish a permanent physical reign.
Now, the term “Amillennialism” is a poor choice of terms, because it sounds like a denial of the teaching of Rev 20 altogether, which isn’t true. Rather, it’s a denial of an earthly reign of Christ for a literal 1,000 years. I think this is the most likely choice.
1,000
Revelation is chock full of symbolic numbers, and every theory finds the need to interpret most numbers non-literally. There’s no reason to imagine that 1,000 is exempt from being a figure of speech. Consider 144,000 —
(Rev 14:1-3 ESV) Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
144 is 12 x 12, that is, a combination of the 12 tribes and the 12 apostles, showing the unity of those saved under the Law and those saved under Jesus. 1,000 is 10 x 10 x 10, and 10 symbolizes completeness, and so we have a triply complete number, perhaps referring to the Trinity.
Having introduced us to 144,000, and the reader having presumably thought through the meaning of 10 x 10 x 10, the 1,000-year reign must be interpreted in the same light. It’s whatever number is needed to utterly, completely fulfill God’s purposes — just as the 144,000 redeemed people is however many people God chooses to redeem to fulfill his perfect, complete purpose.
Sad to say, Jay, that – although you admitted that you never eally studied this topic – you came to a conclusion so quickly. This does not look like serious study, but more like pickuing and choosuing from commentaries – let me address a few errors or misleading statements in your post.
The ESV omits a word in John 18:36 that really changes the meaning of the statement concerning the question whether His kingdom will be on this earth or not. This word in "now" (Greek ????).
KJV therefore reads: But now My kingdom is not from here.
This does at least allow for a revelation of His Kingdom on this Earth. So your categorical statement: Jesus declares plainly that the kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. cannot be backed up from this verse at all.
How can you say this from Dan 2:44? The only things revealed about this kingdom inthis text are that it will be indestructable and everlasting. And you point to its beginning in the Roman period.
We can fairly say that Psalm 110 has been fulfilled in Christ's ascension, but look at what it actually says: The Kingdom does come in more than one stage:
In the first stage of the Kingdom Christ is seated at the right hand of His father. His throne is in heaven, and there is an important "until" in this verse that corresponds with the "now" in John 18:36. NOW this kingdom is not of this earth UNTIL all enemies are subdued to Christ.
The second stage of the Kingdom of God is described by the Day of Wrath, when CHrist comes down to earth as a warrior and victor over the rulers of this world. THese are terrible words, and they correspond exaclty witth the description of the final battle between the Beast and his army against the Lord, our Christ (Rev 19:19-21).
And after that, the millenium on this earth becomes a reality (Rev 20:4-6.
Now back to Daniel: The Kindom of God will crush the last empire, the Roman one. When did this happen – or when will this happen?
If we hold to the historic end of the Roman Empire, it does build up to some weird conclusions:
a) Christianity "overcame" the Roman Empire by becoming the state religion at around 325 (Council of Nicea).
b) The Constatinian Church developed a completely different nature than the Pre Nicene Church: It become money-loving and violent, it became an idolatrous church – so we copuld say: In reality the Roman Empire overcame Christendom by paganizing the Gospel.
c) The Roman Empire fell 427 (Western Rome) as a "Christian Nation" – followed by great spirituial darkness in Europe.
d) Just an observation: Amillenialism (that arose in the allegorical school of Origenes in the 3rd century) was quickly adopted by the state church as a justification of the new situation.
If I look at this, I'd say: No, the prophecy of Dan 2:44 is not fully fulfilled yet. The reason: This Kingdom does come in two stages.
Where is the Roman Empire now? The Beast strangely "was, is not and is to come" – this speaks of Nero, who died, but in a way will return. (Rev 17:8) This means there will be a revived "Roman Empire", and this one will be crushed at Christ's second coming. My personal opinion is that it might well come out of the European Union (which started out with treaties signed in Rome) – but I would not make a dogma out of this. I just watch the political scenery with an eschatological interest.
Was this is a way presented, that you at least can follow the idea? I think you were overly quick to dismiss premillenialsm based on John 18:36 and Dan 2:44.
I'll leave it that "short" this time … 😉
Alexander
Why? If you look at the chatrs the second coming is BEFORE the millenium, and the coming of the Lord is just as unexpected for the majority of this world as in any other system of eschatology. The only hints we have are the signs of the time.
Alexander
In Matthew, Mark and Luke Jesus is asked the question _"When will these things happen and what will be the sign they are about to take place?" In Matthew it says "what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?"
They apparently knew that the destruction of Jerusalem was connected to Christ's second coming. Then at the end of His answer He says in all three accounts that "some of you standing here will see these things come to pass".
I think it would be a big news story if any one found a two thousand year old Jew alive today.
The destruction of the temple is one thing, but it is more connected to the closing of the Old Covenant than to the Millenium.
If we read Rev 11:1-13 we read again of a temple in Jerusalem.
Some comments on that:
a) If Revelation was written around 96 (as many say) it must be a new temple.
b) If Revelation was written before 70 it can refer to the existing temple but also to future temple.
Let's stay with b:
If you read the whole story of Jersualem in Rev 11:1-13, the city will be damaged by an earth quake, but not destroyed more than 10% – this is very different from the destruction mentioned in the Gospels and fulfilled by the Romans.
There is another prophecy about a lawless man who sits himself in the temple to be worshipped (2Th 2:4). This did not happen within the 40 years between Christ and the destruction of the temple, but it has its parallel to the Beast in Rev 13:4. The Beast will be worshipped by all nations (except the faithful Chrsitians).
Some say the Beast is Nero, because the number of his name and title fit 666 – in fact many Early Christians thought so, too. Yet there is something strange about this: First, Nero was already dead when the temple was destroyed. Second, Revelation does idicate it is Nero, but a new, a revived Nero. Nero was the 6th emperor, but it was not this 6th who plays the big role in these events, but an 8th that is like him (Nero, revived). This BTW indicates the Rev was written during the life-time of Nero because the 6th emperor "is", the first 5 are "fallen" and a 7th one will come, but only for a short time (Rev 17:10).
List of the first 7 emperors:
Number 7 was only for about a year (fitting to Rev 17:10). And it was Vespasian who was emperor when the temple was destroyed. The 8th – Otho was of no significance either, neither war Vitellius.
The most convincing way to interpret all of this therefore is, that God "stopped counting" after the seven heads, saying "one of these seven" will come again – he has the number 666. So the Beast will have the characteristics of Nero. And since this Beast did not appear on the scene yet, I believe this whole story is to be expected in the near or more or less distant future.
It is connected with 10 kings who give this Beast Rulership (Rev 17:12) – they did not exist yet at the time of Nero. So where between Nero's death and the destruction of Jerusalem (68-90) can we identify these 10 kings? Nowhere.
The Beast comes out of the sea, out of the turbulent ocean of the nations (Rev 13:1). It has these 7 heads and ten horns that are explained in Rev 17:10-12. So this Beast will come to power in a surprizing way. The Beast is both the Ruler and the Empire (such as the Emperor stands for the Empire). Rev 13:3 shows that one of its heads had a deadly wound, but came to life again – and the earth marvelled about this.
I think this is a new form, a revived and even more powerful version of the old Roman Empire, that comes into existence because the kings/rulers of the different nations want a global leader. This will be the climax of all empires of the past – and since it stands in the line of the Roman Empires, the ultimate destruction of the idol in Dan 2:44 will take place then, when this Beast appears and will be destroyed. And in the course of this, the city of the Beast – Babylon – Rome – will be destroyed also.
You see, the story of Reveleation speaks for the most parts of different events than our Lord in his end-time speeches. This is not a contradiction, but a further and clarifying revelation.
This means the destruction of the temple has nothing to do with the end of the world, but with the end of the Old Covenant. So this does not answer the question whether or not there will be a Millenium on earth.
Alexander
A revived Roman empire is making the news today as a core of Europe is emerging in the midst of a sovereign crisis. Rompuy, Merkel and Sarkozy on November 28, 2010, negotiated and announced, a Leaders’ Framework Agreement to establish a permanent crisis mechanism, that will replace that European Financial Stability Fund, EFSF, that expires in mid-2013. This sovereign debt default mechanism is called the European Stability Mechanism, ESM. We see that today, Germany is the power force, in attempting to find a way out of Europe’s sovereign crisis. Ambrose Evans Pritchard commented, on May 2, 2010, in the Telegraph.co.uk, in words reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher: “If the aim of Helmut Kohl and Francois Mitterrand at Maastricht was to tie down a ‘European Germany’ with the silken chords of emu, they failed. Monetary union has delivered a ‘German Europe’ after all. And he continues, We now know the answer to Henry Kissinger’s question: “Who do I call if I want to call Europe?” Only one person matters. The Chancellor of Germany.
Evidence abounds that Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain no longer have sovereign debt seigniorage, and are not viably obtaining and will not be viably obtaining revenue from sovereign debt sales; any upcoming bond sales are being done by banks which submit debt or have submitted debt to the ECB for funding of new debt issues. Such means of obtaining money is simply a Ponzi financing, it is monetization of debt, and cannot be sustained much longer.
Theyenguy believes the sovereign crisis will intensify, and that out of Götterdämmerung, an investment flameout, according to Bible Prophecy, a Sovereign, Revelation 13:5-10, and a Seignior Revelation 13:11-18, an Old English term for top dog banker who takes a cut, will emerge to establish fiscal sovereignty and credit seigniorage for both Europe’s financial institutions and residents. And that those living in the Eurozone, as well as all the world, will live see a loss of national sovereignty, and live in debt servitude to the beast system of global corporatism as held forth in Revelation 13:1-4
A revived Roman empire is making the news today as a core of Europe is emerging in the midst of a sovereign crisis. Rompuy, Merkel and Sarkozy on November 28, 2010, negotiated and announced, a Leaders’ Framework Agreement to establish a permanent crisis mechanism, that will replace that European Financial Stability Fund, EFSF, that expires in mid-2013. This sovereign debt default mechanism is called the European Stability Mechanism, ESM. We see that today, Germany is the power force, in attempting to find a way out of Europe’s sovereign crisis. Ambrose Evans Pritchard commented, on May 2, 2010, in the Telegraph.co.uk, in words reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher: “If the aim of Helmut Kohl and Francois Mitterrand at Maastricht was to tie down a ‘European Germany’ with the silken chords of emu, they failed. Monetary union has delivered a ‘German Europe’ after all. And he continues, We now know the answer to Henry Kissinger’s question: “Who do I call if I want to call Europe?” Only one person matters. The Chancellor of Germany.
Evidence abounds that Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain no longer have sovereign debt seigniorage, and are not viably obtaining and will not be viably obtaining revenue from sovereign debt sales; any upcoming bond sales are being done by banks which submit debt or have submitted debt to the ECB for funding of new debt issues. Such means of obtaining money is simply a Ponzi financing, it is monetization of debt, and cannot be sustained much longer.
Theyenguy believes the sovereign crisis will intensify, and that out of Götterdämmerung, an investment flameout, according to Bible Prophecy, a Sovereign, Revelation 13:5-10, and a Seignior Revelation 13:11-18, an Old English term for top dog banker who takes a cut, will emerge to establish fiscal sovereignty and credit seigniorage for both Europe’s financial institutions and residents. And that those living in the Eurozone, as well as all the world, will live see a loss of national sovereignty, and live in debt servitude to the beast system of global corporatism as held forth in Revelation 13:1-4
That's basically my understanding as well. Political details don't matter that much, but the overall development.
Amiellanialism cannot provide an answer to this situation. Satan should be bound, but obviously isn't. Christ should be reigning, but He obvioulsy isn't yet.
But Premillenialsts know, that events such as these (either this or something similar in the future) MUST happen before Christ returns. And so these times are not as dark and threatening as they might seem: We are getting closer!
Alexander