We see and hear much about the doctrine of Premillennialism, and it would seem that "most" people in the world accept it as true without even so much as an honest investigation of the scriptures.  It shall be our purpose to examine several passages in the coming few weeks in an effort to determine if Premillennialism is true.  If it is, let us accept it fully, but if it is not, may it forever be forsaken for the truth.

   Although it manifests itself in a myriad of forms, the doctrine of Premillennialism basically states that at some future point our Lord will return to this earth and reign on a literal earthly throne for one thousand years.  I am writing this series from the viewpoint that Christ will never return to this earth, but will come in the clouds where we (the faithful) shall be caught up together with him and ever be with him.  The points we shall consider in our short series will be statements which must be true in order for Premillennialism to be true, but which shall be proven false, therefore proving Premillennialism false.

WAS THE LAND PROMISE TO ABRAHAM EVER FULFILLED?

   The advocates of Premillennialism contend that the promise of God to Abraham was not fulfilled and therefore Jesus must return to the earth and do what he could not do when he came before, that is, set up a kingdom which controls the land God promised Abraham.
   The promise under consideration was made in Genesis 12:1-3, and is as follows:  "Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:  and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."  Moses tells us that the promise was conditioned on their obedience to the commands of God:  "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God" (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).  Moses also tells us what will become of the children of God and the promise if the people refused to be obedient:  "But is shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee" (Deuteronomy 28:15).  By means of summary Moses said, "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply:  and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.  But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to possess it" (Deuteronomy 30:15-18).  The promise was made, it was to be performed if they were faithful, it would not be performed if they were not faithful.
   The Bible tells us not only about the nature of the promise and it's conditions, but also we learn that God performed his promise in full.  In Joshua 21:43-45 we learn that God gave Israel all the land he promised Abraham and they possessed it:  "And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers:  and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.  There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass."  How much land does God "owe" Israel?  NONE.  The extent of the land promised was defined in Genesis 15:18, and is as follows:  "In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates."   According to I Kings 4:21 Solomon, as King of Israel, ruled over all of this "promised land":  "And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and untothe border of Egypt...."  Hear Nehemiah: "Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perzzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous...So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduest before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would" (Nehemiah 9:7-8, 24).
   The Lord promised land to Abraham.  He conditioned it on fidelity.  He gave the people all he promised.  They possessed it.  They ruled over it.  Their prophets pointed out that they had everything that was coming to them.  Therefore, for the advocates of Premillennialism to suggest that God has yet to fulfill this promise is for them to go against the teachings of the Bible, and therefore, they are wrong.  "The word of the Lord is right."

(We plan to continue these thoughts in our next issue.)

   Are you a christian?  Have you heard and believed the gospel (Hebrews 11:6), repented of sins (Luke 13:3), confessed faith in Christ (Acts 8:37), and been baptized for the washing away of sins (Acts 22:16)?  Are you being faithful (Revelation 2:10)?  We stand ready to assist you at the Enon church of Christ.

 Tim Smith
 1272 Enon Road
 Webb, AL 36376
 334-899-8131

VOLUME XIX               April 14, 1996            Number 15

HOSPITAL NEWS:  Jesse Brown was dismissed from SAMC. Tracy Taylor underwent surgery on his shoulder in Birmingham last week and is home and recovering.  We continue to remember Bill Hopkins in our prayers.  Roy Ingram was dismissed from SAMC last week.  Lillian Ingram was able to come home over the weekend, but is back in the Nursing Home.

CARD RECEIVED:  We received a THANK YOU card from Jack and Cathy Gott thanking us for the prayers and cards during Jack's illness.

RESPONSE:  Tawnya Butler responded to the invitation asking for forgiveness and prayers after the morning lesson last Sunday.  Let us remember her and her family in our prayers.

ELDER RESIGNS:  After the morning lesson last Sunday, Benny Butler resigned his position as an elder in the Enon church of Christ.  He cited family reasons as disqualifying him from service in this capacity.  He pledged his continued faithful service in the church and all her good works.  Let us remember him in our prayers.  It was a pleasure to serve under him and his leadership.

BIRTH:  Christopher James Speigner was born March 23, 1996.  He weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and was 20 inches long.  Welcome!