Premillennialism: An Insult to God

INTRODUCTION

We are seeing, what I call, "Millennium Mania" among the religious world. TV, Radio, pulpits, books, magazines, and Bibles (Scofield, Open) are filled with teachings about the theory of Premillennialism.

We are being introduced to new words (rapture, pre-tribulation, dispensationalism) and new concepts (seven resurrections, five judgments, coming vs. appearing). Many obscure passages are being quoted to us and we are not familiar enough with them to respond.

This is a difficult subject to study because:

A. There is a great variety of sub-set theories.
B. They use several obscure passages from Daniel and Revelation.
C. There are many non-biblical terms.
D. Many biblical words are given unique meanings.
E. Taught in some form by almost every religious group in America.

1. Definition of Terms

A. The word - PREMILLENNIALISM

1. Pre = before, in front of, ahead
2. Mille = Latin for one thousand
3. Annum = A year
4. Ism = the doctrine or teaching about

B. Chiliast = Early Christians who looked for the earthly return of Christ.

C. The major tenets of the theory of Premillennialism

• God promised and His prophets (Isaiah 2:2-4 and Daniel 2:44) prophesied that He would set up an earthly kingdom with Christ on David's literal throne in Jerusalem.
• That the kingdom of Old Testament promise and prophecy has not yet come into existence.
• Though the kingdom was announced "at hand" by both John and Jesus, it has never happened. Many still pray "Thy kingdom come."
• Jesus is King by right only, but is not now actually on His throne.
• The kingdom of Old Testament prophecy was postponed because national Israel rejected Christ.
• Between Christ's first and second coming was a valley which the prophets were unable to see. They just saw the two mountain peaks.
• There are many unfulfilled prophecies regarding the land of Israel, the throne of David and the rebuilding of the temple that are yet to be fulfilled.
• Christ presented in parables a new announcement of the new and unexpected aspect (church age) the kingdom would assume during an anticipated age of the king in rejection and absence from the world.
• In order for the prophecy of Daniel 2:44 to be fulfilled, pagan Rome must come back into existence with a world dictator over a 10 part kingdom. Most believe that it will be a "symbolic Rome" (a world empire like USA or CIS).
• The Jews must be restored as a nation, return to Palestine, and be converted en masse, in order that Christ can be king "in fact," instead of merely a "crown prince."
• The temple of Solomon will be rebuilt and a Jewish system of worship will be restored. Some believe the temple will be built by the anti-Christ, others say it will be built before the rapture.
• There will be a "rapture" - the saints, both living and dead, will meet the Lord in the air and continue there for a period of seven years. This period is call the marriage of the Lamb.
• There will be two resurrections in the future, [a] the saints at the "rapture", and [b] the wicked at the end of the 1,000 years which will be the end of the world.
• At the time of the "rapture" there will come a time of "the great tribulation" upon the earth, which the saints will escape.
• After the "rapture" a period of time will pass, perhaps 7 years, and Christ will leave the throne of His majesty in heaven and occupy the literal throne of David for a literal 1,000 years.
• As king on David's throne in Jerusalem, Jesus will engage in a carnal "battle of Armageddon."
• Christ's coming is eminent!

D. It is very difficult to deal with this doctrine because there are so many variables to it.

• Spiritual, Premillennialism, Amillennialism, Post-Premillennialism
• Old line (John R. Rice), Dispensational (Scofield)
• Rapture – Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation, Post-Tribulation
• 2 Resurrections, 3 Resurrections, 7 Resurrections
• 2 Judgments, 5 Judgments, 7 Judgments

E. Biblical Terms (What Premillennialism teaches about:)

Kingdom - Literal reign in Jerusalem
Second Coming - In two phases
(parousia - presence; epipheneia - manifestation)
Resurrection - In 2 or 3 phases
Judgment - In 2 to 7 phases
Tribulation - Anti-Christ causes suffering
Anti-Christ - World ruler seeks to be worshipped

F. Non-Biblical Terms (What Premillennialism teaches:)

Rapture - "To be caught up"; The taking up to heaven of all true saints before the great tribulation begins here on earth.

2. What is the harm in this teaching?

Many people say, "All of this is future, and who is right will not make any difference. By the time we learn who is right, it will already be taking place."

Here is why this is an important matter of doctrine.

• Premillennialism denies that Christ is now reigning. (Revelation 1:5-6; Hebrews 1:1-3)
• It annuls this dispensation as the Last Days. (Hebrews 1:1; Acts 2:16)
• God becomes a failure, one unable to keep His promises. (Mark 9:1; Daniel 2:44; 2 Corinthians 1:20)
• Premillennialism insults God by denying his foreknowledge of what the Jews would do when Christ came to offer the kingdom.
• Alternates Judaism and Christianity and makes Judaism the final choice. (Hebrews 8:5-7; Hebrews 9:8-11; Ephesians 2:14-15; Colossians 2:14-17)
  [ NOTE: This means a return to the priesthood of Levi, animal sacrifices, day of atonement, Sabbath worship, etc. It means that the death of Christ was in vain. ]
• Belittles the church as a last minute substitute. (Ephesians 3:9-11; Ephesians 5:25-27; Acts 20:28)
• Revokes the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16)
• Nullifies salvation of the Gentiles. (Acts 15:14-17; Isaiah 11:1-11; Ephesians 2:16)
• Demotes Christ from the throne in heaven to the footstool. (Hebrews 1:3-13)
• Makes the first Coming of Christ a failure. (John 17:4)
• Premillennialism makes the OT prophets false teachers. (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)

4. The Core Issue in Premillennialism

A. The following quotations taken from those who believe in and teach Premillennialism.

• "John the Baptist came preaching, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2). Jesus began to preach from the same text in His early ministry (Matt. 4:17)....But the statement, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand," was dropped and not repeated any more, though the kingdom is mentioned dozens of times. The reason is that the Jews rejected Christ their King, and the kingdom was postponed (Luke 13:34-35)." Christ's Literal Reign on Earth, John R. Rice, p. 12

• "Whether there had been any formal offer of the kingdom made to them, and, upon their rejection of it the same was withdrawn and postponed, is no essential matter. But if salvation was offered to the nation by Jesus, all else was implied therein as a matter of course; and if that was nationally rejected, the fulfillment of all their prophetic hopes was thereby made impossible, and automatically deferred until the time when the nation would turn to acknowledge Jesus Christ and be forgiven."
  
• "These parables are really an announcement of the new and unexpected aspect the kingdom would assume during an anticipated age of the king's rejection and absence from the world." R. H. Boll quoted in Prophecy and Premillennialism, James Bales, p. 166

• "But God in HIS foreknowledge knew that Israel would reject the King when he came, and therefore the Kingdom would be POSTPONED, and not set up until His second coming. They rejected the King and now instead of the kingdom comes the Cross, the resurrection, the setting aside of Israel, the calling out of the church, and THEN AFTER that will come the kingdom." Richard DeHann on "Radio Bible Class" quoted in Prophecy Foretold Prophecy Fulfilled, E. R. Harper, p. 4

• "We know that the earthly kingdom has been postponed because the King was rejected of the Jews." 12 Tremendous Themes, John R. Rice, p. 99

• "Dispensationalism holds that the Jewish rejection of the Kingdom caused Jesus to postpone the Kingdom until the second advent and to establish the church as an interlude between the two advents, and that the church was in no sense a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and promises but something entirely new and revealed for the first time to the Apostle Paul. According to that view Judaism remains intact as one of the true and acceptable forms of worshipping God, runs a predicted course and does not give way before nor merge into the New Testament Church as held by Post- and Amillennialists."
  
• "Thus the key point of the dispensational system may be said to be the mystery-parenthesis doctrine of the Church, which is that the Christian Church is a stop-gap between two phases of an earthly Jewish kingdom, one past and the other future." The Millennium, Loraine Boettner p. 229-230

• "It is held that the OT 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." Baker's Dictionary of Theology, Ernest F. Kevan, p. 352

B. The PRIMARY Question to ask about Premillennialism

• Did Jesus come 2,000 years ago to reign on David's throne forever and ever OR did he come to die on the cross?

STUDY: Matthew 4:17; Matthew 16:28; Mark 9:1; Acts 1:6-8

C. EXAMINE THIS CHART:

To prove that Christ came to die, be buried, raised, ascend and receive the kingdom - - proves that he did not come to reign in an earthly kingdom, on a literal throne in Jerusalem.

D. Think about the "WHAT IFS" in Premillennialism.

What if Christ had been successful in the mission which Premillennialism claims? Think about the consequences of his success.

• Still under Judaism
• Animal sacrifices still required
• No forgiveness of sins
• No hope of eternal life
• Under Levitical priesthood
• Nullifies salvation to the Gentiles
• No hope of a resurrection
• Christ could not be our High Priest

6. Their Proof Text Examined - Matthew 24

Outline of the chapter

1. Introduction, Setting and Questions Raised. (1-3)

2. Destruction of Jerusalem (4-35)

• The remote signs. (4-8)
• The near signs. (9-14)
• The immediate sign. (15-28)
• The sign of the Son of Man. (29-31)
• The lesson of the fig tree. (32-35)

3. Second Coming of Christ. (36-51)

A. No warning signs will be given. (36-44)

B. Parable of faithful and unfaithful servants. (45-51)

A Consideration of the Background Regarding the Temple and the Questions Asked by Jesus’ Disciples.

1. They asked three questions.

2. They thought it was one question.

3. Jesus answered two questions.

An exposition of Matthew 24.

1. Remote signs - false Christs, wars and rumors

2. Nearer signs - tribulation, false prophets, persecution

3. Immediate sign - Desolating sacrilege

• Flee from Jerusalem - end is at hand.
• Run, don’t stop, flee to mountains
• This is the destruction of Jerusalem (Lk. 21:20)
• This is not about the end of the world. (Matt. 24:21)

4. Difficult text (29-31)

• Sun, moon stars - fall of nations (Is. 13:10; Ez. 32:7-8)
• Angels - messengers (See Lk. 7:24; Matt. 11:10)

5. Learn from the fig tree - "Heed the signs."

6. No Signs for the coming of Christ.

• Sudden, unexpected, no warning,
• No man, angel, or Jesus knows that day
• Life will be normal when Jesus comes

This message continues in Matthew 25.

1. Parable of wise and foolish virgins. (1-13)
2. Parable of the talents. (14-30)
3. Picture of judgment. (31-46)