Three Alternative Views of the Millennium

Church history has seen three differing views of the Millennium kingdom: Premillennialism, A-millennialism, and Postmillennialism. Pre-millennium is the belief that the second coming of Christ will occur prior to the millennium age. This is the view accepted by an over-whelming number of biblical scholars who take the Scriptures literally and at face value whenever possible. Some believe the world is going to become more and more “Christianized”, and that kingdom of Christ will gradually evolve. In this scenario, Jesus would return at the end of the millennium to an already righteous earth. This is known as the Postmillennialism- which is totally contrary to what Jesus told John to record in Revelation. A third viewpoint, known as a-millennialism, is the result of a nonliteral or spiritualized interpretation of Scripture that teaches that the millennium is not an earthly kingdom at all but rather a description of Christ’s current reign from heaven. Again, this is not what Jesus told John.

Premillennialism

Early Christians were unquestionably pre-millennialists. The disciples and those they taught anticipated the return of Christ and the establishment of His kingdom on earth in their lifetime. Detractors of the pre-millennial view claim that it is relatively new theory. But scholars have demonstrated that pre-millennialism was the dominant view during the first three centuries of the early church. Pre-millennialists believe that the rapture, the Tribulation, and the glorious appearance of Christ will all occur before the beginning of the millennium.  And during the millennium, Satan will be bound for 1,000 years and a theocratic kingdom of peace on earth will ensue, with Jesus as its king. The righteous will have been raised from the dead prior to the millennium and will participate in its blessing (Rev. 20;4).

Toward the end of third century, an allegorical approach to Scripture began to dominate theological thought. Philosophy replace the study of Scripture, and pre-millennialism fell into disrepute. Not until after the Reformation was there a revival of pre-millennial thought. Later, in the nineteenth century, Bible institutes and Christian schools across America began to emphasize a literal interpretation of the Bible, and with it, a return to pre-millennialism. Today, despite continued attacks, pre-millennialism is the dominant millennial view. The Pre-Millennial view is the oldest interpretation of Revelation 20:1-10 in church history and is embraced by more evangelical Christians today than any other view of the Millennium.

Amillennialism

Amillennisalists do not believe in a literal kingdom on the earth following the second coming of Christ. They tend to spiritualize and allegorize the prophecies concerning the millennium and attribute yet-unfulfilled prophecies relating to Israel to the church instead. Those to hold to amillennialism also believe that Satan was bound at Christ’s first appearance on earth 2,000 years ago- it is hard to believe that anyone truly believes that Satan is not in this world. Furthermore, its adherents differ as to whether the millennium is being spiritually fulfilled by the saints in heaven. However, they tend to agree that our current state of affairs is probably as good as it’s going to get and that the eternal state (heaven), not the millennial kingdom will immediately follow the second coming of Christ. Those who hold to this view do not adhere to a simple and plain literal interpretation of Scripture. So those with this view can point to no spiritual support to their theory.

Postmillennialism

Postmillennialism, the most recent of the three millennial views, was almost extinct by the middle of the twentieth century. Those who hold this perspective believe that the world will continue to get better and better until the entire world is Christianized, at which time Christ will return to kingdom already flourishing in peace (How is that going?). Although this view was popular at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was all but eliminated, because of the World Wars, the Great Depression, and the overwhelming escalation of moral evil in society. So many who previously held the postmillennial views adopted the amillennial position. However, postmillennialism currently is gaining some resurgence as a corollary to “preterism” and reconstructionism. It continues to promote the entrance of the kingdom prior to the return of the King.

So those with the postmillennialism views are getting closer to the Premillennialism view. The coming millennium will be the most incredible period in earth’s history. It will be a time of unprecedented peace, when those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be able to rule and reign along with their loving King. Only then will the kingdom of God finally be realized on earth. The True Holy Bible makes it clear that the Premillennium is the view described and is the one to which we can look forward.

The Targum (Aramaic paraphrase of the Old Testament), Talmud (a vast compendium of Jewish law and lore), and Midrash (an interpretive method to penetrate the deepest meaning of a Hebrew passage) all have concluded there will be a literal thousand-year period when the Messiah will reign on earth.

Look to part #3 soon.