Premillennial Theories
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton
I. There are a lot of ideas floating about concerning the Second Coming of Christ
A. Most of them are strange fantasies that have little to do with the teachings in the Bible.
B. Many of the myths are repeated over and over so many times that many people accept them as truth without question.
II. Most follow after forms of premillennialism, a belief that we are living in the age before the 1000-year reign of Christ
A. There are many facets to the idea of premillennialism, and the advocates of the ideas do not agree on all the points.
1. The Rapture
2. Tribulation
3. Armageddon
4. The Thousand-year reign of Christ
5. The Restoration of the Promise Land to Israel
B. Some quotes various sources to help define the concept:
1. Baker’s Dictionary of Theology: “It is held that the Old Testament prophets predicted the re-establishment of David’s kingdom and that Christ himself intended to bring this about. It is alleged, however, that because the Jews refused his person and work he postponed the establishment of his kingdom until the time of his return. Meanwhile, it is argued, the Lord gathered together ‘the church’ as a kind of interim measure.”
2. A Handbook of Theological Terms: “Generally, premillennialists believe that shortly before the second coming the world will be marked by extraordinary tribulation and evil and the appearance of the Anti-Christ. At his coming, Christ will destroy this anti-Christ and believers will be raised from the dead. There will then follow a millennium of peace and order over which Christ will reign with his saints. At the close of time, Satan will be loosed and the forces of evil will once again be rampant. The wicked will then be raised, and a final judgment will take place in which Satan and all evil ones will be consigned to eternal punishment.”
3. Christian Doctrine - A Presentation of Biblical Theology: “For centuries the Jews have been scattered among many nations. In preparation for the return of Christ and the beginning of the millennium, they are being gathered back to their own land, according to prophecy, in a national restoration. David’s throne will be re-established at Jerusalem, and through these restored people as a nucleus Christ will reign with his immortal saints over the whole world.”
III. The flaws of premillennialism are many. This will not be an exhaustive list.
A. It makes Jesus a king on an earthly throne
1. It contains the idea that Jesus was rejected by the Jews as Messiah
a. Matthew 21:9-17 - Yet the people welcomed Jesus into the city of Jerusalem
b. Also Mark 11:9-10 for details of what the people said.
2. It ignores Jesus’ rejection of being made a king
a. A the feeding of the 5000, Jesus spoke of the kingdom - Luke 9:11
b. John 6:15 - He avoided the people trying to make him a king
c. Jesus’ kingdom is not a part of this world - John 18:36
3. It ignores God’s prophecy concerning Coniah, the last king of Israel - Jeremiah 22:28-30
a. Jesus inherited the right to rule on David’s throne through Joseph, a descendent of Coniah (Jeconiah) - Matthew 1:12-16
b. Jesus could not sit on the physical throne without violating Jeremiah’s prophecy.
4. Jeremiah also said Israel would never be made whole - Jeremiah 19:11
5. Jesus said the kingdom would be taken from the Jews - Matthew 21:43
B. It denies that the kingdom was established
1. It was to be done in one generation - Mark 9:1
2. Peter was given the keys to the kingdom - Matthew 16:18-19
a. The church and the kingdom are interchanged.
3. The saved are in the kingdom - Colossians 1:13
4. John was in the kingdom at the time of the writing of Revelation - Revelation 1:9
C. It plays fast and loose with the thousand year reign
1. It makes the thousand year reign literal in Rev. 20:2-9 when the rest of the phrases are used figuratively.
a. “Thousand” can mean “all” - Psalm 50:10
2. It uses Daniel 7:13-14 as proof, but this passage talks of a reign that lasts forever, permanent and without end.
a. Jesus is at the Father’s right hand - Hebrews 12:2
b. God has put all things, except Himself, under Jesus - I Corinthians 15:27
c. Matthew 28:18 - Jesus was given all authority
d. Jesus would reign until death is conquered - I Corinthians 15:25-26
e. Then Jesus gives the kingdom back to the Father - I Corinthians 15:24
D. It alters the description of the end
1. While premillennialists think the kingdom will be established when Jesus returns, I Corinthians 15:24 states the kingdom ends at this time.
2. Yet, to get their theories to match, premillennialists have two resurrections
a. The good at the beginning of the kingdom
b. The bad at the end, when judgment day arrives.
3. The Bible speaks of one resurrection, not two - John 5:28-29
a. They use I Thess 4:13-18 as proof.
b. This talks of the resurrection of the righteous, but it doesn’t eliminate a simultaneous resurrection of the wicked.
4. Rev. 20:4-6 is misapplied to mean the rising of the righteous (rapture - a non-Biblical term)
a. First resurrection is the rising from sin to a new life - Ephesians 2:1, 4-7).
b. The second death is Hell - Revelation 20:14-15
c. Hence, this passage is saying Hell has no power over those who have been saved
5. Armageddon is mentioned as a staging area, but there is no discussion of a battle there - Revelation 16:16
a. Armageddon (the mountain of Meddego) doesn’t exist.
b. There was a city of Meddego, but it was on a plain
IV. The greatest flaw is to say Jesus failed in his mission
A. They claim Jesus was not able to set up his kingdom because the Jews rejected him.
B. This implies that man is able to thwart the will of God!
C. The life and death that Jesus lived fulfilled Scripture - Luke 24:25-27, 44-45
D. This wasn’t a failure, but fulfillment of prophecy.
V. Instead of looking for a kingdom, realize that the kingdom exists.
A. Jesus is it Lord and Christians are the citizens
B. You can become a part of this kingdom, if you accept the invitation
