A thousand years. What could that mean? Well, lots of people disagree on the answer to that question. And there are Christians who hold to varying views, so this topic is not generally one to cause brothers and sisters in the Lord to part fellowship based on disagreement.
The major point in common with the various views is that of Christ’s return. All views hold to the belief in Christ’s return, and all have to address the 1000 years in chapter 20. Some do so literally, others figuratively. The point is, Christ is coming back, and there is some sort of millennial time period. How the two relate to each other is the topic of today’s posting.
Premillennial – Christ returns before the millennium, thus the “pre”. This view is in support of the literal rapture of the church, a seven year tribulation period, the end of which is marked by Christ’s physical return. After those events, He will establish a 1000-year reign, the millennial kingdom.
Amillenial – There is no literal millennial period, and the 1000 years is symbolic of the whole time period from which Jesus lived on earth to His second coming. Jesus will come again, and His doing so ends the symbolic millennium.
Postmillennial – The “post” means “after”, and so this view holds to Christ’s return following a millennial kingdom. The millennium here is seen as the triumph of the gospel in the present age, and some would hold to this being a literal 1000 years.
My belief is in that of the premillennial view. That will be discussed when we get to those passages.
There are indeed some born-again believers who would hold to the amillennial view. I cannot say I have had lengthy conversations with any of them about this subject, and would certainly enjoy doing so. There are also those who hold to the amillennial view who are in churches who do not necessarily believe in or teach born-again salvation. Some mainline denominations fall into this category, and they teach that Jesus will come to judge, marking the end of this present age, but with no literal reign of Jesus on earth. So the amillennial view is very much alive today.
The postmillennial view can also be summed up in the belief that eventually the world will be entirely won over to Christ, at which time He will return. Two World Wars pretty much put an end to this notion, as it became vastly clear that the world was not getting more evangelized, but rather sinking further into depravity. The lyrics to the popular patriotic hymn, “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, were written during the Civil War, after its author visited a Union army camp. It became popular with the Union, believing that a victory would usher in the kingdom of God. Thus they sang “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord…” Few today hold to the postmillennial view.
A great hymn that we associate with Christmas, but is actually in line with a millennial kingdom is “Joy to the World”. Look at some of the lyrics, and think on His return this Christmas:
“Let earth receive her King”
“Joy to the world, the Savior reigns”
“He rules the world, with truth and grace”
“No more let sin and sorrow reign, nor thorns infest the ground” (reversal of the curse, believers who had been raptured are no longer affected by sin).
So building upon yesterday, I am holding to a viewpoint of historical epistles being written to literal churches, along with the belief that there will be a literal 1000-year kingdom established by Christ when He returns. That is, He will return before the 1000-year period, called the millennium. Tomorrow…Rapture.
SO WHAT…?
So, I hold out hope that Christ is returning, at any time. This should motivate me to keep busy for Him, so as to be found working when He does so, just as Jesus taught in many of His parables.
So, as I struggle with sin and pride, I look forward to the day when I will no longer be surrounded by that environment, living in the presence of Christ in His kingdom.
So, I can bend a bit if a true believer holds to a view different from mine on this topic, yet we must agree that saving faith in Jesus Christ personally must remain the foundation that cannot falter. Psalm 11:3 says “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Join me in holding fast to the foundation that is Christ Jesus.
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