However, first, I must ask, do you ascribe to an Amillennial position? Seeming that you do not believe in a “coming millennial kingdom” (futurist position). And secondly, in your postulation regarding the “Established Kingdom” if what you’re presenting is true, can you please explain John 18:36? I would really like to reconcile that passage with what you’re pointing out in your teaching.<\/p>\n
I ask this question because I have been walking with the Lord now for over thirty years. And out of those thirty years, over twenty were in the Evangelical church (denominationalism) and ten in the Messianic\/Hebrew Roots (Movements). I have seen, heard, encountered, and experienced both sides of the proverbial fence but I am at a point now that I am at a crossroads and juncture that I need to get past having lived out both sides in my walk with Christ.<\/p>\n
I anticipate your prompt response, Mr. Hamilton. Thank you for your time in advance.<\/p>\n
I’m glad to hear that the lesson got you thinking. Just because a point is not what you are used to hearing, it doesn’t mean it is inaccurate.<\/p>\n
“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm’<\/em>” (John 18:36).<\/p><\/blockquote>\nRead John 18:36 again carefully and notice that in the English translation, Jesus is speaking of his kingdom in the present tense, not the future tense. His kingdom exists but it is not a physical kingdom located in this world. The English text is an accurate translation of the Greek text which is also in the present tense. Nor is there any indication in this passage that Jesus is saying that the location of his kingdom would change in the future. Therefore, this passage does not support a premillennialist view.<\/p>\n
I would not be considered a premillennial, dispensational, or postmillennial. The Bible teaches that Jesus is currently reigning in his kingdom. That reign is symbolically described in Revelation as a thousand-year reign — not because it would last exactly a thousand years. The number 1,000 is frequently used to represent “all” in figurative language. For example, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills<\/em>” (Psalms 50:10) doesn’t mean there are a thousand hills where God keeps His cattle. He is saying that all animals everywhere belong to Him. Jesus reigns for all the remaining time of this world. “For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death<\/em>” (I Corinthians 15:25-26). “Amillennial” technically means “no millennium.” That doesn’t accurately describe the Bible’s description since Christ is reigning and the Christian age is the millennium in figurative language.<\/p>\n\tResponse:<\/h2>\n
Good evening Mr. Hamilton,<\/p>\n
I appreciate your getting back to me on this promptly. You have certainly given me much more to think about, especially because in all of my time within the Evangelical community, I have been taught staunchly from a dispensationalist premillennial viewpoint.<\/p>\n
That said, I’ll need to re-evaluate my theology.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Greetings Mr. Hamilton, I’m reaching out because I have just heard your teaching on “The Establishment of the Kingdom” and I must admit, this is a very unorthodox view in my estimation of what you’re presenting. However, first, I must ask, do you ascribe to an Amillennial position? Seeming that you do not believe…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[127,345,344],"class_list":["post-55804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-about-this-site","tag-kingdom","tag-premillennialism"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":25938,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-we-pray-your-kingdom-come-today\/","url_meta":{"origin":55804,"position":0},"title":"Can we pray “Your kingdom come” today?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 11, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: As a member of the Lord's church, I have taken the position that today, we should not pray for \"Thy kingdom come\" as Jesus taught his disciples on how they should pray.\u00a0 The reason being is because today, the kingdom has already been established (Colossians 1:13). At the present\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55652,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-establishment-of-the-kingdom\/","url_meta":{"origin":55804,"position":1},"title":"The Establishment of the Kingdom","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 13, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Daniel 7:13-27 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Few argue the importance of the Kingdom in God\u2019s plan. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is not of this world - John 18:36 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is a spiritual kingdom - Luke 17:20-21 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Yet there remain arguments as to when it was or will be established. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In part\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28913,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-kingdom-of-god-is-within-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":55804,"position":2},"title":"The Kingdom of God Is Within You","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Bryan Matthew Dockens According to Jesus, \"The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you\" (Luke 17:20-21). Contrary to popular theory, the establishment of God's kingdom would not be a visible\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/handOnHeart.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":31722,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-jesus-was-born-under-the-law-argument\/","url_meta":{"origin":55804,"position":3},"title":"The “Jesus Was Born Under the Law” Argument","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 6, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry W. Benton The Argument Stated: Jesus was \"born\" under the law (Galatians 4:4) and he died on the cross to \"end\" the Old Testament law of Moses (Romans 10:4; Colossians 2:14). The Argument Answered: First, while Jesus was born under the law and lived perfectly under the law,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38409,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/king-and-high-priest-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":55804,"position":4},"title":"King and High Priest Now","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 30, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton Premillennial thinking is that Jesus was not able to set up His kingdom in the first century like He planned, postponed that plan, and will come back again later to set up His kingdom on earth and reign for 1000 years. That is a mistaken view.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49772,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-i-need-to-prepare-myself-as-a-priest-to-fit-into-the-kingdom\/","url_meta":{"origin":55804,"position":5},"title":"Do I need to prepare myself as a priest to fit into the kingdom?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a question regarding the practical application of royal priesthood in the upcoming kingdom of God. Recently I got to know one of the elders and preacher in the church. According to him, we are a royal priesthood (referring to I Peter 2:9) and the role of priest\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55804"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55804\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}