A major reason to embrace Premillennialism is because it is taught explicitly in Revelation 20.
Rev 20.1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years... 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
We are specifically warned not to tamper with this information!
Rev 22.19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
Now I'm well aware that from the Early Church until now Amillennialism has held a distinguished place in the Church, and that is has, without fear, "subtracted" any sense of a literal Millennium. And I'm not here to judge any Christians who interpret things according to their faith. I would just warn that even well-intentioned errors in this regard has consequences, and we should be aware of that.
So I suppose we could see the thousand years as a kind of symbolic spiritual reign, a "thousand" representing eternity, or even a current spiritual Kingdom that will extend into eternity. But this would make the narrative unrecognizable and without meaning. It is best, I think, to take it literally.
What is the biblical basis for a literal view of the Millennium? Two things stand out here. One, Satan is bound, so that his current opposition to the People of God will be halted, allowing a measure of peace.
And two, those who successfully obtain a position of authority as Christians will be given the right to reign over the mortal earth. This also will restrain evil among men so that a measure of peace is assured.
Do we have precedent for these things in the Scriptures? Of course. We can read about how the judges and the kings of Israel who walked with God administered justice both within their own kingdom and also over neighboring kingdoms that had been at war with them.
We do know what it is like when an enemy has been vanquished and done away with. And so, we know what the character of the Millennium expresses in biblical terms. Only, instead of this just applying on behalf of Israel this will also apply to many nations of the world that subscribe to the Christian faith.
Importantly, the Jewish Prophets predicted the coming of the Messianic Kingdom in which Israel would finally be delivered for all time from the oppression of their pagan neighbors. This has never been fulfilled, and is said to take place at the Coming of Christ the 2nd time.
Luke 21.24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Acts 1.6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
So, Jesus confirmed Israel's future salvation at his 2nd Coming, but would not say when this time would be. It is left in the Father's hands.
Jesus was concerned to add to the promise of Israel's future salvation a number of other nations whose people will be added to the roles of this promise. Israel alone would not obtain the Kingdom apart from the many other nations promised to Abraham.
Paul spoke of the skepticism that might arise from Israel's failure at Jesus' first Coming, but insisted that Christians continue to have faith that God will be faithful to His promise to Israel. And if not faithful to Israel how can we know God will be faithful to us?
Rom 11.25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
Let us not think that because the New Covenant superseded the Old Covenant of Law that God's promises have suddenly been abandoned. God can never break His word, because He is omnipresent. He doesn't waste words.
Rom 4.16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
Rev 20.1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years... 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
We are specifically warned not to tamper with this information!
Rev 22.19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
Now I'm well aware that from the Early Church until now Amillennialism has held a distinguished place in the Church, and that is has, without fear, "subtracted" any sense of a literal Millennium. And I'm not here to judge any Christians who interpret things according to their faith. I would just warn that even well-intentioned errors in this regard has consequences, and we should be aware of that.
So I suppose we could see the thousand years as a kind of symbolic spiritual reign, a "thousand" representing eternity, or even a current spiritual Kingdom that will extend into eternity. But this would make the narrative unrecognizable and without meaning. It is best, I think, to take it literally.
What is the biblical basis for a literal view of the Millennium? Two things stand out here. One, Satan is bound, so that his current opposition to the People of God will be halted, allowing a measure of peace.
And two, those who successfully obtain a position of authority as Christians will be given the right to reign over the mortal earth. This also will restrain evil among men so that a measure of peace is assured.
Do we have precedent for these things in the Scriptures? Of course. We can read about how the judges and the kings of Israel who walked with God administered justice both within their own kingdom and also over neighboring kingdoms that had been at war with them.
We do know what it is like when an enemy has been vanquished and done away with. And so, we know what the character of the Millennium expresses in biblical terms. Only, instead of this just applying on behalf of Israel this will also apply to many nations of the world that subscribe to the Christian faith.
Importantly, the Jewish Prophets predicted the coming of the Messianic Kingdom in which Israel would finally be delivered for all time from the oppression of their pagan neighbors. This has never been fulfilled, and is said to take place at the Coming of Christ the 2nd time.
Luke 21.24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Acts 1.6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
So, Jesus confirmed Israel's future salvation at his 2nd Coming, but would not say when this time would be. It is left in the Father's hands.
Jesus was concerned to add to the promise of Israel's future salvation a number of other nations whose people will be added to the roles of this promise. Israel alone would not obtain the Kingdom apart from the many other nations promised to Abraham.
Paul spoke of the skepticism that might arise from Israel's failure at Jesus' first Coming, but insisted that Christians continue to have faith that God will be faithful to His promise to Israel. And if not faithful to Israel how can we know God will be faithful to us?
Rom 11.25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27 And this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
Let us not think that because the New Covenant superseded the Old Covenant of Law that God's promises have suddenly been abandoned. God can never break His word, because He is omnipresent. He doesn't waste words.
Rom 4.16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
