I believe that a literal earthly reign of Christ is taught in passages such as Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 2:26-29; Zechariah 14:16-18; Isaiah 19:21-25; Isaiah 66:19-21; and Micah 4:3-4.
When were Revelation 20:4-6; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 2:26-29; Zechariah 14:16-18; Isaiah 19:21-25; Isaiah 66:19-21; and Micah 4:3-4 fulfilled?
When were the following passages fulfilled?
"I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4-6).
"And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:10).
"He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Revelation 2:26-29).
"And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles" (Zechariah 14:16-18).
"And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance" (Isaiah 19:21-25).
"He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid" (Micah 4:3-4).
REVELATION 2:26-29
I don't believe Revelation 2:26-29 refers to the eternal state, but that "the end" in Revelation 2:26 refers to the end of the present age (Galatians 1:4, NIV), which will be at the 2nd coming (Matthew 24:3, NIV), and the 2nd coming is followed by the millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 19:11-20:6).
Note that ages can end on the earth (Ephesians 3:5, Colossians 1:26) without requiring the eternal state. And what nations would we be ruling with a rod of iron and breaking to shivers (Revelation 2:27) in the eternal state?
MICAH 4:3-4
I believe "neither shall they learn war any more" refers to the millennial period. Note that the battle of God and Magog occurs after the 1000 years have expired (Revelation 20:7-8).
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Not Literal?
Some say these passages are not literal, but symbolic of some "greater truth." But what would that truth be, and how would it be mutually exclusive with a literal earthly reign of Christ?
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Why Is It Important?
Why are you so against the idea of a literal earthly reign of Christ?
Do you consider it to be the most grievous doctrinal error in the church today?
What dangers does believing in a literal earthly reign of Christ pose for a Christian?
Will you be upset if there is one? (Revelation 20:6)
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"1000 Years" Only In Revelation
Even though the specific timeframe of 1000 years is only found in Revelation 20:4-6, I believe that a literal earthly reign of Christ is taught in other passages such as Revelation 5:10; Revelation 2:26-29; Zechariah 14:16-18; Isaiah 19:21-25; Isaiah 66:19-21; and Micah 4:3-4.
Regarding the specific timeframe of 1000 years, if Revelation is a "revelation" of things not known before, and it is the last scriptural writing, could specific teachings not revealed before Revelation be in scriptures written before Revelation?
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Are We In The Millennium Now?
I believe the millennium won't begin until after the 2nd coming (Revelation 19:11-20:6) and the resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6), which had not happened by the time Paul wrote 2 Timothy 2:18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, and by the time John wrote Revelation 19:11-20:6.
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Ruling With Christ
Jesus and we rule now in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), but during the millennium I believe we will also rule with Christ (Revelation 20:4-6) on the earth (Revelation 5:10) over the heathen nations that survive the 2nd coming (Revelation 2:26-29, Zechariah 14:2-21). I believe that Jesus will sit upon the throne of David (Luke 1:32) in Jerusalem during the millennium (Jeremiah 3:17).
THRONE OF DAVID
When did Jesus sit on the throne of David? (Luke 1:32)
Does Acts 2:30 say that David's throne is in heaven, or that Christ is yet sitting upon it?
Note that while Acts 2:30-31 says "he would raise up Christ" was fulfilled at the resurrection, it doesn't say "to sit on his throne" has been fulfilled yet, as it will be "when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory" (Matthew 25:31); "In the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28), "for there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David" (Psalm 122:5).
Does Mark 11:10 say Jesus sat upon the throne of David? Was the donkey David's throne?
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Satan Bound?
I don't believe Satan has yet been bound, for we must still "be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). We currently must "put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:11-12). We must be careful not to be one of those who fall into "the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (2 Timothy 2:26), especially during the coming tribulation when the devil will "come down" to the earth "having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time... And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 12:12, 17). Only when Jesus returns will Satan will be bound with chains and completely sealed in the bottomless pit, and will be unable to deceive the nations during the millennium (Revelation 20:1-3), something he will be able to do freely up until the 2nd coming (Revelation 19:20-20:3).
Satan is currently deceiving the nations, either directly: "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Corinthians 4:4), or "by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4:14), "for many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" (2 John 1:7); even through false Christians, which "serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple" (Romans 16:18); "let no man deceive you" (Ephesians 5:6), for "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:13); and Satan will continue to deceive the nations in the coming tribulation when "Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Revelation 12:9) and "many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:11), and the false prophet shall "deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do" (Revelation 13:14).
When Matthew 12:29 says "Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house," I believe Jesus is referring to the binding of evil spirits, not Satan, for every demoniac is not inhabited by Satan himself; Satan can only be in one place at one time.
Luke 10:17-20 is spoken in the context of evil spirits being cast out of individuals, and doesn't say that Satan himself is bound.
John 12:31 says "now shall the prince of this world be cast out." This cannot mean that Satan has been cast completely out of the world because elsewhere he is referred to as still taking people in the world captive at his will (2 Timothy 2:26).
Acts 26:18 speaks of people being turned away from Satan's power, not the binding of Satan himself.
Romans 16:20 speaks of our bruising Satan under our feet, as did Luke 10:19 in reference to his demons.
Colossians 2:15 says "having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." This cannot refer to a final triumph over Satan himself or even over all his principalities and powers, for we still are wrestling against principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:11-12).
Hebrews 2:14 says "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." But this cannot mean that Satan has been completely destroyed because Satan is elsewhere referred to as still actively working evil (1 Peter 5:8).
None of these verses say that the angel has descended and bound Satan in chains and sealed him in the bottomless pit, as will be done at the 2nd coming (Revelation 19:11-20:3).
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One Resurrection Of The Just & Unjust?
Note that when Paul says "there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust" (Acts 24:15), this only requires they both be resurrected, not that they be resurrected at the same time.
Note that Jesus refers to "the resurrection of the just" only (Luke 14:14), who will be resurrected at his 2nd coming before the millennium (1 Corinthians 15:23, Revelation 19:11-20:6), while the rest of the dead will be resurrected after the millennium (Revelation 20:5).
Note that Jesus' reference to "the resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:14) doesn't require that the 2nd resurrection be only of the unjust, for at the 2nd resurrection it says "whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). It doesn't say "they all were cast into the lake of fire."
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The Last Day Resurrection
Some say there will be only one general resurrection of all people on the "last day." But we are "not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years" (2 Peter 3:8). I believe Jesus will resurrect us at his 2nd coming (1 Corinthians 15:23, Revelation 19:11-20:6), at the beginning of the last 1000 years of this Creation, but the rest of the dead are not resurrected until the end of the last 1000 years (Revelation 20:5).
I believe John 5:28-29 refers to the 2nd resurrection (Revelation 20:13), after the millennium (Revelation 20:5), for note that the only hour that "all that are in the graves" shall come forth is after the millennium (Revelation 20:13). At the 2nd coming only believers are resurrected, for "in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming" (1 Corinthians 15:22-23); "the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:5).
I believe John 12:48 either refers to Jesus' slaying of people with the sword proceeding from his mouth in Revelation 19:21, or to his judgment of unbelievers in Revelation 20:12, which is at the end of the last "thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8).
If Daniel 12:2 refers to the 1st resurrection, I believe the shame would be that of the wicked, lazy Christian servant, for "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord..." (2 Corinthians 5:10-11); "Thou wicked and slothful servant... Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25:26, 30); "And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" (1 Peter 1:17).
I believe Job 14:12 refers to the 2nd resurrection (Revelation 20:11-13), after the millennium (Revelation 20:5).
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Is The 1st Resurrection Now? (Spiritual Only?)
Note that Paul warns us against those who teach a present "resurrection" (2 Timothy 2:18). Passages such as John 5:24-27, Romans 6:3-5, and Romans 8:1-6 don't teach a present "resurrection." I believe that Revelation 20:4-5 teaches a future "resurrection."
Because Revelation 20:4 says "the 1st resurrection" will also include "them that were beheaded," I believe that it will be a physical resurrection of the physically dead, and that this is confirmed by Revelation 20:5, which says "the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished."
The 1st resurrection hadn't happened by the time John wrote Revelation, but, as with the rest of the events of Revelation 4-22, would happen at some point in his vision of what would occur "hereafter" (Revelation 4:1). Note that it is shown as happening in the context of the 2nd coming of Christ (Revelation 19:11-20:6), and is shown as including those "which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands" (Revelation 20:4), which refers back to the events of Revelation 13. I believe that just as neither Revelation 13 nor Revelation 19, that is, neither the tribulation nor the 2nd coming, have happened yet, so the 1st resurrection hasn't happened yet.
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Death Destroyed
Note that death will be defeated at the 2nd coming, for "then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Corinthians 15:54), but only insofar as believers are concerned, for only believers will be resurrected at the 2nd coming: "In Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming" (1 Corinthians 15:22-23); "the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:5). It is only after the millennium that death shall be "destroyed" (1 Corinthians 15:26), for it is only after "the thousand years are expired" (Revelation 20:7) that "death and hell were cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14).
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"Destroyed Them All"
Note that in Luke 17 and Matthew 24, the parallel point between the 2nd coming on the one hand and Noah's flood and Sodom's destruction on the other, can't be the destruction of all the wicked, but rather their obliviousness to the disaster that was about to come upon them, for unlike the flood, which "took them ALL away" (Matthew 24:39), at the 2nd coming not all will be taken away, but "one shall be taken, and the other left" (Matthew 24:40). The ones "left" at the 2nd coming will be survivors of the heathen nations that came against Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:16), who will be forced to worship Jesus in the millennium (Zechariah 14:16-18), and whom we will rule "with a rod of iron" during that time (Revelation 2:26-29, 5:9-10, 20:4).
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The Judgment
We are "not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years" (2 Peter 3:8). I believe Jesus will judge us at his 2nd coming (1 Corinthians 4:5), at the beginning of the last 1000 years of this Creation, but the rest of the dead will not be judged until the end of the last 1000 years (Revelation 20:7, 12).
Note that the Bible shows that the judgment begins with the saints: "Judgment must begin at the house of God" (1 Peter 4:17), at the 2nd coming: "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come" (1 Corinthians 4:5); "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:1); "Then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven" (Mark 13:26-27); "He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me" (Psalm 50:4-5); "The Lord shall judge his people" (Hebrews 10:30); it's not until after the 7th trumpet that the time is come that "that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints" (Revelation 11:15, 18).
After the millennium will be the final "day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men" (2 Peter 3:7), "in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10), for it's after "the thousand years are expired" (Revelation 20:7) that "the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged" (Revelation 20:11-12).
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"There Should Be Time No Longer"
Note that in Revelation 10:6 the phrase "there should be time no longer" can't mean that time itself will cease to exist, but only that the time of "the mystery of God should be finished" (Revelation 10:7), for even in the eternal state of New Jerusalem we see a "a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God" (Revelation 22:1), and no action can proceed apart from the passage of time; similarly in Isaiah 66:22-24, in the eternal state of "the new earth," we see that "from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh," all of which requires the continuing passage of time.
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Has The World Ended?
"Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26).
We have been in the "last days" of this world since Jesus' 1st coming: "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son" (Hebrews 1:2), yet we still must "put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of THIS WORLD, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:11-12).
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Gog And Magog
The battle of Gog and Magog is also described in Ezekiel 38-39. While Ezekiel says Israel burns Gog's weapons for 7 years, it's unlikely Israel would be able to use today's tanks and machine guns as convenient firewood, but they could use wooden "bows and arrows" and "spears" and "shields" made by Gog's army at the end of the peaceful millennium (Ezekiel 39:9-10).
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New Heaven And Earth
Is the amillennial view that the making of "a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away" (Revelation 21:1) occurs before "the thousand years are expired" (Revelation 20:7) and before the battle of Gog and Magog? (Revelation 20:8)
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Flesh And Blood In The Kingdom Of God
Note that there can be people in flesh and blood bodies in the millennium who haven't "inherited" the kingdom of God just as there can be people living in a house who haven't inherited that house.
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Unsaved Entering The Kingdom Of God
The scriptures that forbid the unsaved from being able to enter the kingdom of God must refer to those who die unsaved before the millennium, for some of the heathen nations that came against Jerusalem will be "left" alive at the 2nd coming (Matthew 24:40, Zechariah 14:16). Would Jesus need to force the saved to come up to Jerusalem to worship him? (Zechariah 14:16-18) Would we need to rule over the saved with a rod of iron? (Revelation 2:26-29)
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Jesus' Gospel Teachings & The Millennium
The Regeneration
I believe when Revelation 20:4 says "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them" that it is referring to the fulfillment of Jesus' words to his disciples in Matthew 19:28, "in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." I personally believe "judging" here refers not to a formal and one-time judgment but to a general and continued ruling over Israel during the entire millennial period, like the "judges" in the book of Judges ruled over Israel in the OT.
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Paul' Teachings & The Millennium
Christ's Reign
Note that the sequence of events Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 15:23-26 matches that of Revelation 19-20: 1. Christ's coming, 2. His reign, 3. Death destroyed.
Regarding Christ's reign, Paul elsewhere says "we shall also reign with him" (2 Timothy 2:12), just as Revelation 20:6 says "they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
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Thousand
Note that the same Greek word for "thousand" in Revelation 20 is used elsewhere in Revelation as a literal number, and doesn't have to be read as a symbolic number:
"They shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days" (Revelation 11:3).
"They should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days" (Revelation 12:6).
"The space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs" (Revelation 14:20).
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One Hour
I don't believe that the "one hour" that the 10 kings will be given power with the beast (Revelation 17:12) will be 60 minutes because elsewhere I believe it says the beast is given power over all nations for 42 months (Revelation 13:5-7). Note that the same Greek word translated "hour" in Revelation 17:12 is used in 1 John 2:18, which says "this is the last hour" (NIV, or "time," KJV), so that it can refer to any period of time, even of an indefinite length, as in John 4:23, where the same "hour" refers to the present and indefinitely into the future.
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Is Revelation 20 "Unsupported"
In your view, does each verse of scripture need another to "support" it, or can each verse stand on its own? Is every teaching in the Bible stated no less than two times?
If Revelation is a "revelation" of things not known before, and it is the last scriptural writing, could teachings not revealed before Revelation be in scriptures written before Revelation?
For example, are each of the 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 vials of Revelation "supported" by other scriptures?
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Heresy?
Some claim that the early church considered the belief that Jesus would personally reign in an earthly kingdom a heresy. But Justin Martyr (born circa 100 A.D.) taught a literal millennium in Chapters 80-81 of his work "Dialogue with Tryphon." "I and others, who are right-minded Christians on all points, are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built, adorned, and enlarged, as the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and others declare." (Chapter 80)
"There was a certain man with us, whose name was John, one of the apostles of Christ, who prophesied, by a revelation that was made to him, that those who believed in our Christ would dwell a thousand years in Jerusalem; and that thereafter the general, and, in short, the eternal resurrection and judgment of all men would likewise take place." (Chapter 81)
Irenaeus (born circa 130 A.D.) also taught a literal millennium in Chapters 32-35 of Book 5 of his work "Against Heresies." "It behoves the righteous first to receive the promise of the inheritance which God promised to the fathers, and to reign in it, when they rise again to behold God in this creation which is renovated, and that the judgment should take place afterwards. For it is just that in that very creation in which they toiled or were afflicted, being proved in every way by suffering, they should receive the reward of their suffering; and that in the creation in which they were slain because of their love to God, in that they should be revived again; and that in the creation in which they endured servitude, in that they should reign. For God is rich in all things, and all things are His. It is fitting, therefore, that the creation itself, being restored to its primeval condition, should without restraint be under the dominion of the righteous." (Chapter 32)
"If, then, God promised [Abraham] the inheritance of the land, yet he did not receive it during all the time of his sojourn there, it must be, that together with his seed, that is, those who fear God and believe in Him, he shall receive it at the resurrection of the just." (Chapter 32)
"'I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of this vine, until that day when I will drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.' ... He promised to drink of the fruit of the vine with His disciples, thus indicating both these points: the inheritance of the earth in which the new fruit of the vine is drunk, and the resurrection of His disciples in the flesh. For the new flesh which rises again is the same which also received the new cup. And He cannot by any means be understood as drinking of the fruit of the vine when settled down with his [disciples] above in a super-celestial place; nor, again, are they who drink it devoid of flesh, for to drink of that which flows from the vine pertains to flesh, and not spirit" (Chapter 33). "These things are borne witness to in writing by [Bishop] Papias, the hearer of John, and a companion of Polycarp [died 155]" (Chapter 33).
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Postmillennialism
When do postmillennialists say Revelation 20:7-10 was or will be fulfilled?
When did or will the separation of the wheat and the tares take place? (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)
Postmillennialism teaches "the great triumph of Christ's Church over all the earth before the creedal coming of Christ." But doesn't the Bible teach the exact opposite of this?
In the coming tribulation, the Antichrist will gain control of the entire earth and overcome the church: "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations" (Revelation 13:7); at that time I believe we will cry out: "We have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen" (Isaiah 26:18); "And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished" (Daniel 12:7).
Only at the 2nd coming (Revelation 19), "immediately after the tribulation" (Matthew 24:29-31), will Christ gain the victory for us: "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth" (Isaiah 63:3-6). "The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth" (Isaiah 23:9).
All glory to God: "I will not give my glory unto another" (Isaiah 48:11). "Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory" (1 Chronicles 29:11). "Deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen" (Matthew 6:13).
I believe it says the church's triumph doesn't come until "the 1st resurrection" (Revelation 20:6), that is, the resurrection and changing of all "they that are Christ's" (1 Corinthians 15:23) into their immortal bodies, which will occur at a single point in time, at the "last trump" (1 Corinthians 15:52), at the 2nd coming of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:23, Revelation 19:11-20:6), and which will include those "beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands" (Revelation 20:4), which refers back to the events of Revelation 13.
So the church's triumph in the resurrection cannot happen before Revelation 13 and Revelation 19 are fulfilled, and neither one has yet been fulfilled.
We must hope not for victory over the earth in these mortal bodies, but for victory despite even the persecution and killing of our mortal bodies by our worldly enemies:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:35-37).
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (1 Peter 4:12-13).
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Postmillennial Prooftexts?
Daniel 2:44 (Kingdom never destroyed) -- The church's future physical defeat under the Antichrist (Revelation 13:7, Daniel 12:7) will not equal its defeat spiritually (Romans 8:35-37, Revelation 14:13), nor will it mean that the church will not take the victory physically at the 2nd coming of Christ and rule over the earth with him during the millennium (Revelation 19-20, Revelation 2:26, 27, 29; Revelation 5:10).
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Matthew 16:18 (Gates of hell shall not prevail) -- See ChristiansRevelation.html.
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Matthew 28:18 (All power in heaven and earth) -- Jesus now has de jure rule, but not de facto rule as yet, for still "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (1 John 5:19). Every time we sin we obey wickedness -- we show our love for it instead of God. "He that committeth sin is of the devil" (1 John 3:8).
"Ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2).
"The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one" (Matthew 13:38).
"If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
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Luke 1:33 (No end to the Kingdom) -- See Daniel 2:44.
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John 3:17 "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).
"The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one" (Matthew 13:38).
"For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind" (John 9:39).
"When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world" (1 Corinthians 11:32).
"He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal" (John 12:25).
"Then how shall God judge the world?" (Romans 3:6)
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2 Corinthians 5:18 (Christ reconciling the world unto himself) - See John 3:17.
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Ephesians 3:21 (Church in all ages) -- See Daniel 2:44.