A Response: “A Biblical Guide to Revelation” — Part 6

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In this series, we’ve been “responding” to a guide I have called, A Biblical Guide to Revelation (hereinafter, “Biblical Guide” or “Guide”). You can find the first post here. This post looks at chapters 5 and 6 on the “Millennium.”


Chapter 5: What Is the Millennial Reign?


The Guide then moves on to what’s been called “The Millennial Reign” of Christ. The Guide states, “The Millennial Kingdom and reign take place when Christ is in power for 1,000 years, whilst Satan waits in prison for his last stand against the people of God” (pg. 16). The Guide then goes into the different views — literal, figurative / symbolic, happening in the future, happening now, etc. And while the Guide states that it “won’t pick a side in this article (or at least, won’t allude to which camp the author of this article falls into)” it states, “Scripture does seem to make it clear that [the 1,000 year reign] is probably literal. During this time, after the rapture, the saints of God will come to life again and reign with Christ during this time” (page 16). The Guide is showing its hand then by seeing the Millennial reign “literal” and still to come.


What’s important to keep in mind here is that Christ is already reigning! Paul wrote — 


1 Corinthians 15.25 (WEB; adapted):[1] For [Christ] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.


And Christ’s reign is endless — 


Isaiah 9.7 (LXX2012):[2] His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end: it shall be upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to support it with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The seal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.


Daniel 7.14 (LXX2012): And to him was given the dominion, and the honor, and the kingdom; and all nations, tribes, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.


Luke 1.32-33 (CEB; adapted):[3] [Jesus] will be great and he will be called the [Only Begotten] of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father. 33He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”


Hebrews 1.8 (CEB; adapted): But he says to [the Only Begotten], God, your throne is forever and your kingdom’s scepter is a rod of justice.


I could go on but we get the picture. The Bible is clear that somehow Jesus was given a realm that lasts to the ages of ages. The “thousand years” in Revelation, then, is symbolic — a word picture — of Christ’s endless reign.


Chapter 6: What Are the Different Views on the Millennium?


I’m not entirely sure why the Guide decided to devote an entire chapter to some of the different views of the “Millennium” since it just discussed it in the previous chapter. I suppose it’s to keep the chapters small as this seems to be geared toward a small group setting.


The Guide states there are “three major views of Bible prophecy” (pg. 18). That’s not entirely accurate. There are roughly four views of eschatology and four views of the “millennium.” 


Eschatological views:

  1. Preterism (most or all prophecies were fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70CE)

  2. Historicism (views all prophecies as continuously being fulfilled throughout history)

  3. Futurism (most or all prophecies are still in the future)

  4. Idealism (similar to historicism; views all prophecies as symbolic but doesn’t speak to actual events as fulfillment)


Millennial views:

  1. Post-tribulational Premillennialism (Christ physically returns after the “Great Tribulation” to reign on earth for a literal thousand years)

  2. Pre-tribulational (dispensational) Premillennialism (Christ “raptures” followers before the “Great Tribulation;” Christ and his followers physically return after the “Great Tribulation” to reign on earth for a literal thousand years)

  3. Postmillennialism (Christ returns after a symbolic “thousand years,” i.e., an indefinite period of time)

  4. Amillennialism (no “literal” thousand year)


The Guide just describes Amillennialism, Premillennialism, and Postmillennialism but leans heavily into Pre-tribulational Premillennialism (see the note about the supposed “rapture” in Part 3). There’s not much to respond to here since the Guide is basically just giving us definitions for the different views so let’s keep this one short and move onto the next post in the series — What is the Great White Throne Judgement?




~~~

In the Love of the Three in One,


Br. Jack+, LC


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[1] Scripture quotations marked (WEB) are taken from the World English Bible. The World English Bible is in the Public Domain. That means that it is not copyrighted. However, “World English Bible” is trademarked.


[2] Scripture quotations marked (LXX2012) are taken from the Septuagint in American English 2012. The Septuagint in American English 2012 is in the public domain and may be freely copied, published, etc.


[3] Scripture quotations marked (CEB) are taken from The Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible. Used by permission.

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