Eschatology

Our Life Group is looking at the End Times this week. The following is a note I put together using information at Monergism. It considers how the four major millenial views answer questions concerning Revelation 20. If you care, I am a former dispesational premillenialist now turned historic premillenialist.

The Millennium – Major Views

by Aaron Orendorff @ Monergim.com

The Questions – Revelation 20:1-8
(1) When is the millennium – past, present and future?
(2) When will Jesus return – before or after the millennium?
(3) What does the binding of Satan refer to (v. 2)?
(4) Is the thousand years a literal period of time (v. 2)?
(5) What is the “first resurrection” (v. 4-6)?
(6) What is the “second death”?
(7) What and when will the rapture be?
(8) What will the world be like until Christ returns?



The Answers
Amillennialism
(1) The millennium is now, the entire period of time from the Jesus’ first coming to His second.
(2) Jesus will return after the millennium.
(3) The binding of Satan refers to the gospel’s worldwide advance.
(4) The thousand years is a figurative number indicating a long period of time.
(5) The first resurrection refers to:
a. The intermediate (after-death) state of believers.
b. The spiritual coming to life (i.e. regeneration) of those who believe the gospel.
(6) The second death refers to hell.
(7) The rapture is a public event that takes place at Christ’s second coming when believers who are still living are “caught up” and transformed.
(8) Both evil and good will increase side-by-side until Christ returns.


Postmillennialism
(1) The millennium is future – a period of worldwide Christian triumph when the Kingdom of God is dramatically unveiled in history.
(2) Jesus will return after the millennium.
(3) The binding of Satan refers both to the gospel’s worldwide advance as well as a sever limiting of his power – both spiritually and physically.
(4) The thousand years is a figurative number indicating a long period of time.
(5) (See Amillennialism)
(6) The second death refers to hell.
(7) (See Amillennialism)
(8) Good will triumph over evil as the millennium approaches and continues.


Premillennialism (Historic or Classic)
(1) The millennium is future.
(2) Jesus will return before the millennium.
(3) The binding of Satan refers to his power and presence being completely removed from the earth.
(4) The thousand years may be literal or it may be figurative.
(5) The first resurrection refers to the physical resurrection of all the “dead in Christ” when he returns.
(6) The second death refers to hell.
(7) The rapture is a public event that takes place at Christ’s second coming when believers who are still living are “caught up” and transformed.
(8) Evil will increase until Christ returns.


Premillennialism (Dispensational)
(1) The millennium is a future time when God will literally fulfill his OT promises to national Israel.
(2) Jesus will return once at the rapture (secretly) and again before the millennium (publically).
(3) The binding of Satan refers to his power and presence being completely removed from the earth.
(4) The thousand years is a literal period of time.
(5) The first resurrection refers to the physical resurrection of Christian martyrs and OT saints.
(6) The second death refers to hell.
(7) The rapture is a secret event that takes place at Christ’s first second coming when the church is silently removed from the earth:
a. Pre-tribulation
b. Mid-tribulation
c. Post-tribulation
(8) Evil will increase until the great tribulation begins – a seven year period of satanic dominance.