2. CHAPTER 3 Four Biblically Sound End Time Viewpoints Centered around “the millennium” as described in Revelation 20 All four viewpoints have in common: That Jesus will return in bodily form. Whether this be before the millennium or after the millennium depends on interpretation.

3. Amillennialism

4. Postmillennialism

5. Historical Premillennialism

6. Premillennial Dispensationalism

7. Amillennialism (No) millennium

8. How is it Biblical that there is “no” millennium? Most of apocalyptic Scripture is full of symbols. (Especially Revelation!) These symbols make it very difficult to interpret anything with dogmatic security. Amillennialism

9. Number “1000” used symbolically for “vast”: Joshua 23:10 (one can put 1000 men to flight) Job 9:3 (no good answer to God in 1000 questions) Psalm 50:10 (God owns cattle on 1000 hills) Ecclesiastes 6:6 (Very long lives) Amillennialism

10. Number “1000” used symbolically for “vast”: Ecclesiastes 7:28 (Not one good woman in 1000) Song of Songs 8:11 (Lots of silver) Isaiah 30:17 (1000 flee at threat of 1) 2 Peter 3:8 (1000 years like one day) Amillennialism

11. Popular “amillennialists”: Polycarp – Personal friend of Apostle of John Origen, and Clement of Alexandria John Calvin Most of the Reformers Skewed beliefs gave rise to anti-Semitic Nazism Amillennialism

12. Popular “amillennialists”: Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Many Anglicans Many Methodists Jay Adams, Herschel Hobbs, JI Packer Amillennialism

13. “Great Tribulation” not necessarily for set time in future Refers to any tribulation Christians face for their faith Why do Christians face tribulation? Hebrews 10:12 – 13 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, (13) waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. Amillennialism

14. “Great Tribulation” not necessarily for set time in future Seals and Trumpets of tribulation in Revelation 9? Primarily fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. Amillennialism

15. Postmillennialism “after” the millennium

16. Church will achieve perfection, and then “the millennium” will begin (while Christ is still in Heaven) After 1000 years of peace on Earth, Christ will return for the final judgment Fairly similar to Amillennialism because “difficult to pinpoint the millennial reign” Postmillennialism

17. Millennium and tribulation occur simultaneously to “amillennialists”. “Posts” believe millennium starts after great tribulation. (Both believe great tribulation refers to all persecution) So similar to Amillennialism that many theologians were confused as being one or the other Augustine and John Calvin often thought of as “Posts” Jonathan Edwards often thought of as an amillennialist Postmillennialism

18. “...wherein true Christianity shall in every respect be uppermost... a time wherein... those that are in most exalted stations shall be eminent in holiness... a time of wonderful union... wherein the nations shall beat their swords into ploughshears... and God will cause wars to cease to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 2:32-33)... a time wherein all heresies and false doctrine shall be exploded, and the church of God shall not be rent with a variety of jarring opinions... a time wherein the whole earth shall be united as one holy city, one heavenly family.” “Volume 3”, 1808 Postmillennialism

19. Matthew 13:24 – 30 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds[c] among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants[d] of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’… Postmillennialism

20. Matthew 13:24 – 30 … So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” Postmillennialism

21. Historical Premillennialism “Before” the millennium

22. “Historical” because most widely believed by church fathers Some “historicals” believe great tribulation to be all tribulation, some believe refers to possible increase in persecution before Christ’s return

23. Historical Premillennialism “Before” the millennium Famous Church Fathers: Justin Martyr Tertullian of Carthage Papias of Hierapolis (student of Apostle John!)

24. Historical Premillennialism “Before” the millennium Popular Historical Premillennialists: Many protestant theologians John Gill (Baptist Theologian) Benjamin Wills Newton (founder of Brethren movement) Charles Spurgeon Oswald J Smith, Corrie Ten Boom and David Dockery

25. Historical Premillennialism “Before” the millennium “After the resurrection of the dead, there will be a Millennium, when the personal reign of the Messiah will be established on this earth... All animals, feeding only on what the earth itself produces, will become peaceable and harmonious, submitting themselves to humanity.” ~ Papia of Hierapolis “Fragments” (95 - 120 AD)