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

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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

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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 doctrine to believe

• Michael Wittmer, Don’t Stop

Believing (Zondervan: 2008) Should Believe Must not reject Must Believe Bible is God’s Word Biblical story of creation, fall, redemption, glory Church is Christ’s Body We are made in the image of God Trinity Jesus is God Historical events that constitute Gospel I am a sinner Christ alone saves Perfections

• f God

Eschatology, how does it all end?

3 orders of doctrine

 1st order – Cannot Deny,

• therwise deny the Faith

 2nd order – May disagree and produce distinct denominations  3rd order – May disagree but remain in fellowship even in the local body Third Order Second Order First Order Spiritual Gifts Eschatology Mode

• f

Baptism Church rule I am a sinner Christ alone saves

• Albert Mohler, A call for Theological

Triage and Christian Maturity

Is Eschatology practical?

 Songs- the Christian’s Praise

Rev 5 – Worthy is the Lamb!

 Joy to the World by Isaac Watts  Even so come by Chris Tomlin  In Christ Alone by Stuart Townend  What a Day that will be  O Come O Come Immanuel

 Funerals – The Christian’s Hope

2Cor 5:8; 1Cor 15:51-58; 1Thess 4:13-18

 Evangelism – the Christian’s Orders

Matt 7:7; Matt 28:18-20; Matt 24:14)

 Longing for Christ – The Christian’s Purity

1John 3:2; Phil 3:21

 Prayer – The Christian’s Cry

Matt 6:9-13; Rev 22:12-20

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

• f Israel

Rapture: Post-tribulation Millennium:

Christ returns BEFORE 1,000 years

Dispensational

(Church Age) Rapture Tribulation (7 years) 2nd Coming Reign of Antichrist

(70th week of Daniel)

Satan Loosed Battle of Armageddon (Antichrist destroyed)

Millennium

(Satan Bound for 1,000 years) Eternal State (Righteous Resurrection) Great White Throne Judgment

Premillennialism

Historic Premillennialism

(Church Age) Tribulation (7 years) 2nd Coming Reign of Antichrist

(70th week of Daniel)

Satan Loosed Battle of Armageddon (Antichrist destroyed)

Millennium

(Satan Bound for 1,000 years) Eternal State Righteous Resurrection Great White Throne Judgment

Postmillennialism

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

Postmillennialism

2nd Coming

Eternal State General Resurrection Final Judgment

(present age merges into millennium which is not literal thousand years) Present Age

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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

• ver all and is already victorious over Satan

Amillennialism

2nd Coming

Eternal State General Resurrection Final Judgment

The Consummation is not yet Present Age We are in the Millennium now

Comparison

long, long, time INCREASING EARTHLY

Category Amillennialism Postmillennialism

• H. Premillennialism
• D. Premillennialism

2nd coming Single Event Single Event Rapture/2nd coming as

• ne

Rapture/2nd coming as two Resurrection General resurrection at 2nd coming General Resurrection at 2nd coming Believers at beginning of M Unbelievers at end of M

• Church at rapture
• OT/Trib saints at 2nd

coming

• Unbelievers at end
• f M

Judgments General judgment for all General judgment for all

• J. at 2nd coming
• J. At end of Trib.
• Believer’s works at

rapture

• All at end of trib
• Unbelievers at end
• f M

Tribulation Experienced now Experienced now Post-trib view Pre-trib view Millennium M is now in church age Present blends into M as Gospel advances M is both present and

• future. “already not yet.”

At 2nd coming Christ inaugurates literal 1,000 years on earth Israel and Church Church is new Israel Church is new Israel Some distinction. Future for ethnic Israel but church today is spiritual Israel. Complete distinction

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

• ccurred

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…)