The Millennium When will Christ return? By Patrick Lacson Three - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Millennium When will Christ return? By Patrick Lacson

Three major views of Millennium PREMILL POSTMILL AMILL OATMILL

The study of the book of Revelation “ gives special attention to the testimony it provides concerning our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. ‘The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of ” prophecy’ (Rev 19:10), leading us to worship and serve Him in everything -Dr. William Barrick Our Objective

“ Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil ” and adulterous generation craves for a sign; Matt 12:38-39 NOT Our Objective

Why study Prophecy?  To know how the future will testify of Christ  To be prepared for Christ  To live more for Christ  To serve the body of Christ  To tell others about Christ

3 categories of Should Believe doctrine to believe Perfections Bible is of God God’s Word Must not reject Trinity I am a sinner We are Church is made in Christ’s Jesus is Must Believe the Body God image of Eschatology, how Christ alone God does it all end? saves Historical events that constitute Gospel Biblical story of - Michael Wittmer, Don’t Stop creation, fall, Believing (Zondervan: 2008) redemption, glory

3 orders of Third Order doctrine  1 st order – Cannot Deny, Second Order otherwise deny the Faith  2 nd order – May disagree and produce distinct I am a sinner denominations Spiritual Mode Church  3 rd order – May disagree First Order Gifts of rule but remain in fellowship Baptism even in the local body Christ alone saves Eschatology - Albert Mohler, A call for Theological Triage and Christian Maturity

Is Eschatology practical?  Songs- the Christian’s Praise  Evangelism – the Christian’s Orders  Rev 5 – Worthy is the Lamb!  Matt 7:7; Matt 28:18-20; Matt 24:14)  Joy to the World by Isaac Watts  Longing for Christ – The Christian’s  Even so come by Chris Tomlin Purity  In Christ Alone by Stuart Townend  1John 3:2; Phil 3:21  What a Day that will be  Prayer – The Christian’s Cry  O Come O Come Immanuel  Matt 6:9-13; Rev 22:12-20  Funerals – The Christian’s Hope  2Cor 5:8; 1Cor 15:51-58; 1Thess 4:13-18

What is the Millennium?  Rev 20:1-10 explains a 1,000 year reign of Christ.  From where will Christ rule?  How is Satan “bound” ?  Is 1,000 a literal number?  What happens to Israel? What happens to the Church?

Examination of the 3.5 Views  Premillennialism  Historic/Dispensational Premillennialism  Postmillennialism  Amillennialism Note: Main arguments from Three Views on Millennium (Zondervan: 1999)

Dispensational Premillennialism  Method: strict-literal  Israel and Church: 2 distinct entities with 2 individual redemptive plans (hence dispensational)  Rapture: Pre-tribulation  Millennium:  Christ returns BEFORE 1,000 years

Historic Premillennialism  Method: grammatico-historical  Israel and Church: The church is the fulfillment of Israel  Rapture: Post-tribulation  Millennium:  Christ returns BEFORE 1,000 years

Dispensational Premillennialism Battle of Armageddon (Righteous Resurrection) (Antichrist destroyed) 2 nd Coming Great White Rapture Throne Judgment Millennium Tribulation (Church Age) Satan Loosed Eternal State (7 years) (Satan Bound for 1,000 years) Reign of Antichrist (70 th week of Daniel)

Historic Premillennialism Righteous Resurrection Battle of Armageddon (Antichrist destroyed) 2 nd Coming Great White Throne Judgment Millennium Tribulation (Church Age) Satan Loosed Eternal State (7 years) (Satan Bound for 1,000 years) Reign of Antichrist (70 th week of Daniel)

Postmillennialism  Method: covenant-historical  Israel and Church: the church is the fulfillment of Israel  Rapture: No rapture  Millennium: Golden age previous to Christ’s 2 nd coming where Christ will in hearts of majority of humans on earth by the Gospel

Postmillennialism 2 nd Coming Present Age Eternal State (present age merges into millennium which is not literal thousand years) Final Judgment General Resurrection

“ The millennium to which the postmillennialist looks forward is thus a golden age of prosperity during the present dispensation, that ” is, during the Church Age -Loraine Boettner, Postmillennialism: Millennium Four Views, 117

Amillennialism  Method: redemptive-historical  Israel and the Church: The church is the eschatological fulfillment of Israel  Rapture: No rapture  Millennium: a period that was inaugurated at Christ’s resurrection. Christ is already now ruling over all and is already victorious over Satan

Amillennialism 2 nd Coming We are in the Millennium now Present Age Eternal State The Consummation is not yet Final Judgment General Resurrection

Comparison long, long, time INCREASING EARTHLY

Category Amillennialism Postmillennialism H. Premillennialism D. Premillennialism 2 nd coming Rapture/2 nd coming as Rapture/2 nd coming as Single Event Single Event one two Resurrection General General Believers at beginning of - Church at rapture resurrection at 2 nd Resurrection at 2 nd M - OT/Trib saints at 2 nd coming coming Unbelievers at end of M coming - Unbelievers at end of M J. at 2 nd coming Judgments General judgment General judgment - Believer’s works at for all for all J. At end of Trib. rapture - All at end of trib - Unbelievers at end of M Tribulation Experienced now Experienced now Post-trib view Pre-trib view At 2 nd coming Christ Millennium M is now in church Present blends into M is both present and age M as Gospel future. “already not yet.” inaugurates literal 1,000 advances years on earth Israel and Church is new Church is new Some distinction. Future Complete distinction Church Israel Israel for ethnic Israel but church today is spiritual Israel.

Premillennial View (My position)  Events from chapter 4 to the end have yet to be fulfilled  Revelation 4-19 precedes the glorious coming of Christ on earth  7 years called the “tribulation”  2 parts, 3-1/2 years each (last 3- 1/2 known as “great tribulation”)  Rev 19 is coming of Christ to earth  Rev 20 is Christ’s future millennial reign  Rev 21-22 subsequent to the millennium

Premillennial (more reasons I’m convinced)  Fulfillment of prophecies should occur in a normal way  No judgments in history equal those described in 6,8,9, and 16 (parallel to Exodus ~ were those symbolic too?)  Satan is “bound” in Rev 20 cannot answer rampant sin and deception today  Resurrections and judgments in 20 have not yet occurred  Nor has there been a visible return of Christ portrayed in Rev 19

Premillennial (more reasons I’m convinced, outside Revelation)  Fulfillment of prophecies should occur in a normal way  Isa 11:1-10 Wolves still eat lambs!  Hosea 2:18-20 Israel is still apostate and there is no international peace (9-11, ISIS, wars and rumors of wars abound..)  2Cor 4:4 the “god of this age” continues to blind the eyes of believers  Acts 1:1-6 Forty days of teaching on the kingdom and still they ask, “when is it coming?”

Eschatology and the Christian Life  Prioritizes us (2Peter 3:11-12)  Purifies us (1John 3:2-3)  Encourages us (1Cor 15:58)  Motivates us (Matt 24:44; 1Thess 5:1-10; 1Peter 1:7; 2Peter 3:14)  Rewards us (Matt 5:12,46; 6:1-4; 10:41-42; Rom 14:10; 1Cor 3:8-15; 9:17- 18…)