Revelation 20:1-6 Expounded

A paper submitted to Dr. OBrien BIBL 450 D04 LUO

 

 

REVELATION 20: 1-6 EXPOUNDED

 

 

A PAPER

PRESENTED TO DR. O’BRIEN OF

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY ONLINE

LYNCHBURG, VA

 

 

 

 

 

IN PARTIAL

FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENTS

FOR REVELATION

BIBL 450 D04

 

 

By

ERIC FOURNIER

MAY 10, 2013

 

CONTENTS

 

 

1.                  INTRODUCTION                            3

2.                  THE MILLENNIUM                        4

3.                  ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH        5

4.                  PREMILLENNIALISM                   6

5.                  POSTMILLENNIALISM                 7

6.                  AMILLENNIALISM                       8

7.                  CONCLUSION                                9

BIBLIOGRAPHY   10

 

REVELATION 20: 1-6 EXPOUNDED

INTRODUCTION

            Premillennialism did not regain popularity until 1875 at, “The Niagra Bible Conference… a few pastors and evangelists met privately for a quiet week of Bible study and prayer… within three years others responded to evidence of spiritual vitality… they hoped to…. Foster unity among premillennial believers.”   Other views that exist among Christian believers are Postmillennial which believes in a symbolic interpretation of the 1000 year reign of Christ and, “… is interpreted symbolically as synonymous with the Church Age;” and Amillennial which, “… sees no millennium of any kind on earth,” they view all prophecies as being full filled after the Great Tribulation and in eternity.  Premillenialism holds to the belief that, “… Christ will return at the end of the Church Age in order to set up His kingdom on earth for a literal one thousand years.”[3]  It was during the late 1700’s until the late 1800’s that premillenialism grew into the theory which exists today.  Most advocates for the premillenial theory hold to historic and dispensational views of the interpretation of Revelation and Daniel; these historic views hold fast to a pre-tribulation rapture theory and withstand most scrutiny.  Like every other theory in scripture, premillennialism and pre-tribulation do have small flaws, but they hold up well literally and historically when put against the other prevailing theories.  Most premillenialist will hold fast that the seventieth week of Daniel is the bulk of the book of Revelation.   Premillennialism is the most valid view and can be supported through research into historic matters.  The books of 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians also support a pre-millennialism and a pre-tribulation stance.  This paper will research why the premillennial view is the most valid, how scripture proves it will begin after the Tribulation and will include the church and Israel; while showing the weaknesses and strengths of the postmillennial and amillennial standpoints. 

THE MILLENNIUM

            Christ’s millennial reign has a few distinguishing features: the binding of Satan, the mystery of ruling with Christ on Earth, the final revolt, and the prophecy ends with the Great White Throne Judgment.   The millennium reign of Christ’s kingdom on earth starts with Satan being bound and sealed in the Abyss by an Angel of God. (Rev 20: 1-3)  According to Dake, “this passage is in continuation of the Scripture on the Battle of Armageddon of Rev. 19:11-21 and shows the confinement of the dragon in the abyss.”  It is only possible to understand Satan’s imprisonment by understanding that angels and demons have a physical presence and are more than spirits, they are physical beings.   Dake references, “(2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6-7) and how all wicked men, demons, fallen angels, and rebellious creatures of all kinds can be confined in the Lake of Fire forever… and confined to Tartarus in chains.”  The next mystery of the one thousand year reign is who exactly will be ruling with Christ on Earth during that time.  It has been speculated that the Martyrs, the remaining population, or that the believers will descend from Heaven to reign on Earth.  There is only a few places where any details are given about who will reign with God during the millennial kingdom,  “Rev 5:10: ‘And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.  Thus, the idea of a literal earthly kingdom has already been introduced as a future prospect.”  Another aspect not widely discussed is the reinstitution of King David, Israel’s heroic king who was promised by God to rule again over the Messiah’s earthly kingdom.  Thirdly, though not a mystery, Satan will be released to torment the Earth just for a short time, after which he will be defeated and cast forever into the Lake of Fire.  Important to understand prior to Satan’s release are the following points: “Some nations survive the Tribulation… Children continue to be born… Christ will rule during the Millenium with a rod of iron… Mankind will rebel against Christ.” After Satan’s final defeat comes then the Great White Throne Judgment on everyone and everything that has existed throughout all the Ages.  A mysterious aspect of the judgment is that it is not a single time judgment, but a series of phases, “(Rev 20:4-5: Judgment of the martyrs; Matt 25:31-46: Judgment of the nations; 2 Cor 5:10: Judgment Seat of Christ; Rev 20:11-15: Great White Throne Judgment… it involves all the unsaved dead of all time (“the great and the small”).”  After the judgments are complete, Christ’s kingdom will be everlasting.        

ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH

            Israel and the Church play different roles and are integral to understanding the biblical prophecies.  Understanding the parts played by each helps prove that premillennialism is the correct stance for the Millennial Age.  According to the premillennial interpretation the church and Israel are separate entities and play different roles.  The church is considered to be the believers up to the point of the rapture and contains a mixture of Messianic Jews and Gentiles.  Israel, though also consisting of Messianic Jews, will after the rapture only contain Non-Messianic Jews.   Out of the Jews that remain, the 144,000 Jews will be saved.  It is widely accepted that the 144,000 is a literal interpretation of Revelation and is not an allegory for the Church.   The people of the Church who are raptured prior to the tribulation will return at Christ’s Second Advent and will reign with Christ continually.  Out of the returned saints, King David will rise up again to rule under Christ over the kingdom of Israel. 

PREMILLENNIALISM

            The Greek word, “chilias, meaning ‘a thousand.’… and the Latin words mille (“thousand) and annus (“year”)… refer to the thousand-year reign of Christ.”  It is this Age which will bring about peace in finality, a blessed Age, and an Age of great anticipation.  Though Satan has been bound for a thousand years, he is still anticipated to return for a final defeat.  Then the greatest event for all the Earth besides the Earth’s creation happens, the Great White Throne Judgment.   Most premillennialist are also pre-tribulationists as well.   The theory of pre-tribulation rests on Scripture being interpreted literally and historically.   A key to understanding these years as literal may be that Daniel’s prophecy of seventy weeks is taken literally, though there are four different views of Daniel’s seventy weeks, the view that they are literal holds most credit in scholarly circles.  In fact the years described in the book of Daniel, “… are literal years ending with Christ’s second coming,” at the end of the seventieth week.

            Part of the argument which helps hold premillennialism above the head of its peers, post-millennialism and amillennialism, is history.  With the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A.D., the death of Nero, he was a historical figure many thought to be an Antichrist, and the eventual fall of Rome; the Tribulation and the millennial kingdom have not been able to come because of unfulfilled prophecy.  Scriptures that show when the millennial kingdom will be established are, “at the return of the King from glory, Mt. 25:31-46; Isa. 9:6, 7; Dan 2:44, 45; 7:13, 14; 8:8-22; Zech. 14; 2 Thess. 1:7; Jude 14; Rev. 17:14; 19:11-20:7… after the Church is raptured (1 Cor 15:51-58; 1 Thess 4:13-17)… and after the… tribulation.”

            Hindson remarks, “the total picture is much greater.  The Bride (Church) has returned from heaven with Christ in chapter 19.  Now the “Tribulation saints” (believers) are resurrected to rule with them.”  It is remarkable the plan that God has laid out for His creation.  Those who are saved will only have to die once and will live on eternally, while those who remain unsaved will die twice and will be dead forever.   The martyrs whom have passed throughout the entire Church Age and the Tribulation period will also be present during the millennial kingdom.  Post-millennialism views this Age differently.

POST MILLENNIALISM

            The definition of post millennialism according to John Piper is,

“… post-millennialist believe that the reign of Christ in the “millennium” is his spiritual reign in the church, and that the peace and glory of the millennium will come about not through the return of Christ, but through the power of the Holy Spirit in the preaching of the gospel. In other words, the church will gradually conquer the world of unbelief through worldwide revival, and there will be a “golden age” when righteousness and peace will hold sway for a thousand years. Then Christ will come.”        

Unfortunately, the view that the post millennialists hold cannot validly hold true against the claims of premillennialists.   Scripture fails to hold true to postmillennialists interpretations and long stretches have to be taken in order to justify certain events, order of events, historical accuracies, people, people groups, and theologies.   A charge that is often levied against postmillennialists, “… is that they fail to distinguish between rapture passages and second coming passages; however, since we never find the word rapture in the Bible, what we label as a rapture or second coming passage will depend on our view of eschatology.”  What Arnold is trying to convey is that the rapture and second coming are actually one and the same event and by scripture it is unnecessary to view them as two events.  Arnold shows that Matt 24:27-31; 1 Thess 4:15-17; and 1 Cor 15:52 are all interpreted to mean that Christ is coming post-tribulation.  Amillennialism varies widely from both the post- and premillennial viewpoint. 

AMILLENNIALISM

            Premillennialsim was preceded by amillennialism for very wrong reasons.  Amillennialism started around the time of the Council of Nicaea and its strongest supporters were Origen, Jerome, and Augustine.  It was Augustine and Jerome who, “… repeatedly dismissed any hope for an earthly or phy Amillennialism is the view that prophecy cannot be taken literal and is only a symbolic representation of what Christ meant in His revelation to John.  There are a few specific viewpoints that Amillennialists all tend to adhear too, “… present millennial age manifest in the present reign of Jesus Christ in heaven… promises made to Israel, David, and Abraham in the Old Testament are fulfilled by Jesus… The millennial is the period of time between the two advents of our Lord with the thousand years of Revelation being symbolic.”   The rest of the points which amillennialism follow tend to flow with the beliefs of post- and premillennialists; the beliefs are, Satan will be released at the end of the age, and then the Great White Throne Judgment will commence.  A big letdown for amillennialism is that there are no scriptural references to back the belief.  The biggest reason for the creation of the amillenial theory was to subtract attention from materialism and draw attention to holy things, hence a way to control the masses.  It is a horror how theology and religion throughout the years has been used for the better good of the rich and politically powerful.

CONCLUSION

            When pitted against postmillennialism and amillennialism, premillennialism comes out the victor.  The Millennial period is a widely anticipated event by all Christians.  Sadly, this event has been used for negative reasons to control the world.  The strongest proofs that premillennialism is valid are the scriptural passages which are interpreted literally to mean to sudden rapture of the Church prior to the Tribulation.  During the Millennial Age of Christ’s earthly kingdom, those present will see the establishment of Christ’s reign, David returning as ruler over Israel, Satan bound and the world changed drastically to a holy place.  The best part of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ is that it has no end, even after Satans imprisonment forever in the firery Abyss and the Great White Throne Judgment, Christ’s kingdom will reign on eternally with all of His followers alive eternally working for and worshipping God.

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

           
Dake, Finis. Revelation Expounded Eternal Mysteries Simplified. Lawrenceville,     Georgia: Dake Publishing

 

            Archer, Gleason, L, Jr. Paul D. Feinberg. Douglas J. Moo. Richard Reiter. Three Views                             on The Rapture Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulation. Grand Rapids, Michigan:                                       Zondervan. (1996)

            Piper, John, Are You Becoming A Post-Millennialist?. (1986) http://www.desiringgod        .org/ resource-library/taste-see-articles/are-you-becoming-a-post-millennialist

            Couch, Mal. Hindson, Ed. The Book of Revelation Unlocking the Future. Chattanooga,     Tennessee: AMG Publishers. (2002)

 

            Miller, Stephen, R. The New American Commentary Daniel. Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Publishing. (1994)

 

            Thomas, Ice; Tim LaHaye; Ed, Hindson; The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy.             Amillennialism. (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers) 2004

 

            William, Arnold III. The Post-tribulation Rapture. http://pbministries.org/Eschatology/      william _arnold 3/2_ptr.htm

Author's Note

I had to delete the footnotes in order for this website to publish this page. I can provide a copy with inserted footnotes to anyone who requests one.