The TMC Bible department has been asked to speak in chapel this week on premillennialism. I began the series on Monday with a message on the case for premillennialism from the Old Testament. Dr. Varner spoke on the New Testament today, and a panel will answer questions on Friday. My message is now online, but I came across some notes tonight that I think might make a helpful series to those who don’t know much about the subject. I ‘ll begin the series on Millennial Views with some brief definitions.
The names for the views come from the timing of Jesus’s return in relation to the millennium, but this is much more than a chronology debate.
Premillennialism: Jesus will return before (pre) the millennium. He will rule over the present earth for 1,000 years in order to fulfill all of God’s unfulfilled promises.
Postmillennialism: Jesus will return after (post) the millennium. The present age is the “millennium” (though it is not 1,000 years long) during which “God’s kingdom” is expanding in the world through the mission of the church. When Jesus comes, history (time) will come to an end and the eternal state will begin in a new heavens and new earth.
Amillennialism: There is no (a) millennium. Adherents reject this designation because they believe that there is a millennium and we are living in it now (though it is not 1,000 years long). Jesus is building his kingdom today through the church (the present spiritual kingdom) and at the end of the age, he will return, destroy the earth, and establish the new heavens and new earth.
Next time I ‘ll explain some similarities and differences between these three views.