Premillennialism and the Bible - Rev 20:1-6

 

Introduction

Premillennialism (“pre” before and “millenium” 1,000 yrs). No two groups teach exactly alike, but all have major points of agreement:

1.      OT prophecies not yet fully established.

2.      Promises to Abraham not yet fulfilled (seed – great nation).

3.      Christ failed in his establishing a kingdom, therefore the Church was an afterthought and He will return later to “finish the job”.

4.      The Jews as a nation will be converted and restored to Palestine.

5.      Christ will return to earth, establish his kingdom, and reign for 1,000 years on David’s literal throne in Jerusalem.

 

I.       PreM teaches that God had guaranteed to restore the Israelites to 

     Palestine, and that not until then will the kingdom of OT prophecy be set  

     up or established.

A.     PreM teaches that the Jews NEVER occupied all the land God promised them.

1.      The OT kingdom will have to be restored with the Jews in Palestine, so that

      God’s promise can be redeemed and fulfilled. (Joshua 21:43-45; 23:12-13, 15-

      16)

B.     PreM teaches that Abraham’s descendants are “in the flesh” rather than “in faith”   

     (Rom 2:28-29; Gal 3:7, 26-27)

 

II.     Most PreM teach that Christ intended to set up his kingdom while on

     earth, but the Jews would not allow him to do so. Ergo, He returned to the

     Father, set up the church as a substitute, and when the Jews are ready,

     He will return and establish the original kingdom

A.     John 6:15

1.      Jews WANTED an earthly kingdom and tried to help Christ establish it, and  

      were going to “take him by force” in order to make him a king.

2.      God’s plan never included the Son to reign over a worldly territory as its king.

3.      When Jesus had the chance to become an earthly king he turned it down.

4.      PreM theory denies this.

B.     Eph 3:10-11

1.      The church was in the ETERNAL purpose of God, and not a mere  

      “afterthought” or “substitute”

2.      Consider His great wisdom and how He has brought together so many threads

      into one great, and all encompassing plan

3.      PreM denies this, saying the church would not have been set up if the Jews

     had received the kingdom

C.    John 17:4

1.      Jesus accomplished the mission of the Father (Dan 2:44)

2.      PreM denies this, as Christ failed in His mission

 

III.  PreM teaches that after the 2nd coming, Christ and His saints will reign over all the earth for 1000 years

A.     Rev 20:1-6

1.      This is the FOUNDATION passage of the PreMil theory

2.      Many questions come have come out of this text. Whatever answers are found

     MUST be consistent with the rest of the Bible and in harmony with the theme  

     and purpose of Revelation. (Rev 22:18f)

3.      PreM admit that many expressions in the chapter are figurative and symbolic  

     and cannot be taken literally, BUT THEY INSIST ON A LITERAL 1000 YRS.

4.      The advocates of the theory read many things INTO the passage that    

      absolutely are not there:

a)     No mention of a 2nd coming

b)     No mention of a bodily resurrection

c)      No mention of a reign on earth

d)     No mention of a literal throne of David

e)     No mention of Jerusalem or Palestine

f)        No mention of us

g)     No mention of Christ on earth

B.     John 18:36

1.      The Jews expected an earthly kingdom and this verse shows that they were     

      mistaken. Hence, PreM are also mistaken.

C.    Acts 2:16-17

1.      “Last days” refer to the entire Christian age (not “one-day” such as Pentecost in

      Acts 2)

D.    Jer 22:24-30

1.      This passage deals a death blow to the PreMil theory

2.      The context (v. 24-30) is, as God is warning King Coniah that he is the last of

      the lineage of David that would ever sit on a throne ruling in Judah

3.      Therefore, Christ CANNOT occupy a throne, ruling in Jerusalem in Judah,  

      since he is of the tribe of Judah (Emphasis on 22:30!)

4.      Christ is a descendant of Coniah Matt 1:11,16

5.      Rather, He is NOW King of kings and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim 6:13-17

 

Conclusion

Let us not be misled by materialistic, Christ dethroning and Scripture denying theories and speculations of men.