INTRODUCTION PART I ... Why Post-millennialism Cannot Possibly Be True PART II ...The Sabbath Millennium YOU ARE HERE  PART III ... Pre-Millennialism... The Facts Vs. The Fairy Tales PART IV ... Summary and Conclusion. Gog and Magog Also See The Change In Millennial Beliefs by David Haggith ON THIS PAGE
Augustine... Again! The Facts Vs. The Fairy Tales
Introduction
1) Does Pre-Millennialism Imply That Jesus Did Not Manage to Set up His Kingdom in The 1st Century?
2) When is Death Finally Abolished?
3) When Does The "End" Come?
4) Can Flesh And Blood Enter The Millennium Kingdom?
5) Salvation During The Millennium?
6) Is The Parable of The Sheep And Goats Synonymous With the White Throne Judgment?
7) Are All Things Presently under Christ's Feet?
8) Revelation 19 and 20 Are In Chronological Order
9) A Closer Look At The Timing of Romans 8:19-23
10) The Heavens Will Pass Away and The Earth Burned Up Summary and Conclusion
Augustine... Again!
Amillennialism was championed and popularized by Augustine who, perhaps influenced by Constantine's policies, saw a triumphant church in a world that was getting better, not worse. He
viewed the thousand years of Revelation 20 not as some special future time but the period beginning with Christ's first coming, that is, the age of the Christian church. Throughout this age, the saints reign with Christ not in the fullness of the coming kingdom prepared for those blessed by God the Father, but "in some other and far inferior way. [04]
In view of the fact that Augustine's theology was so completely off base... his belief system so hopelessly skewed on virtually every major point of doctrine (DETAILS), I cannot possibly understand why we do not view anything and everything he wrote with deep suspicion. Instead evangelical protestants consider him "to be in the tradition of the Apostle Paul as the theological fountainhead of the Reformation teaching on salvation and grace". [05]. Unfortunately, it seems that we don't necessarily need Augustine to come up with far-fetched, unbiblical theories. We seem to manage quite nicely on our own, thank you!
Pre-Millennialism... The Facts Vs. The Fairy Tales.
Introduction
There is absolutely no question that pre-Millennialism, or the belief that Christ will return after the Tribulation and set up a thousand year reign of peace, is the only view supported by the Scriptures.
Unfortunately, even Christians who believe in/teach pre-Millennialism have only succeeded in thoroughly muddying the waters with unbiblical nonsense. Pre-millennialist beliefs can get incredibly complicated, often seeming to involve several dispensations, multiple covenants, two second comings, three or four resurrections, and at least four judgments. While I might be guilty of some exaggeration here, it is true that many teachers have to resort to detailed charts in the hope that they are being understood. To complicate matters even further, pre-millennialists often claim that the Rapture, when believers receive their glorified bodies, is not Jesus' Second Coming... He just appears in the air. (I strongly suggest you read Raptured! But Where Are We Going? which includes the precise Greek words used in the account). What we can be certain of is that these ideas are a million light years away from being Biblical. Scripture teaches that the Second Coming of Christ, the rapture, and the resurrection of the righteous all occur on the same day, with a separate and later (1000 years later) resurrection of non-believers. And, guess what? It is not in the slightest bit complicated nor hard to understand. See That Earth Shaking Seventh Trumpet which is, in a sense, the most eventful of all them all, since it literally ushers the old age out, and the new one in. In fact, pre-millennialists have introduced so many preposterous and even bizarre ideas (A prime example being the completely fictional, totally ridiculous, but immensely popular, Left Behind series), that it is little wonder that many sane, rational people have looked for an alternate explanation. What follows are some of the primary reasons a-millennialists proffer for not believing the millennium will begin after Christ's Second Coming. Unfortunately both sides ignore, or badly misinterpret, some very crucial, verses that are actually not in the least bit complicated. However, we need to remember that Scripture does not lend itself to shallow interpretations. We have to dig into who said it, what period of time they were referring to and who they were speaking to. We also need to stop ignoring verses that do not agree with our preconceived ideas. And finally, we need to remember that doctrine cannot be based on a verse here or a verse there. Instead all relevant verses have to be taken into consideration.
1) Does Pre-Millennialism Imply That Jesus Did Not Manage to Set up His Kingdom in The 1st Century?
I do not know if any pre-millennialists actually claim (not in so many words anyway) that Christ intended to establish His kingdom when He came to earth, but thwarted by the Jew's rejection, He 'postponed' the establishment of the Kingdom until His second coming. However, many a-millennialists, who believe we are now living in the millenium period, believe that pre-millennialism automatically assumes that the Kingdom of God will only be set up at some future date. For example, Wayne Jackson of Christian Courier says
The pre-millennial view implies that the Jewish rejection of Christ was an unexpected miscarriage in the plans of God. [06]
To begin with, it is not saying very much for God's sovereignty, if a small bunch of Pharisees, or a slightly larger unbelieving Jewish populace, managed to thwart His plans. In any case, as Christian Courier rightly points out, Christ's rejection by the Jews was hardly unexpected, having been prophesied in the Psalms centuries before He ever came to earth. The Psalm in question was quoted by Matthew, Mark, Luke and Peter. The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. (Psalms 118:22 NASB) (See also Matthew 21:42-43, Mark 12:10-11, Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:7)
The million dollar question is why the pre-millennial view would automatically imply that, for whatever reason, the establishment of the kingdom was re-scheduled. Wayne Jackson answers the question. (BTW: There is little question that the below statement is absolutely true, with one minor exception. The kingdom was not set up "shortly after the death of Christ", but established by Christ Himself as He walked the earth). Nothing in the Scriptures is any clearer than the fact that the kingdom of God was established shortly after the death of Christ... The assertion that the kingdom was not set up in the first century, but is yet to come, strikes at the very heart of the inspiration of the prophets. [06]
No argument from me! There were plenty of indications that this kingdom had already begun in Jesus' day. For example, Jesus told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God was already in their midst. (Luke 17:20-21) See The Kingdom - When? Anyway, the belief that God's Kingdom was introduced in the first century is the primary reasoning modern a-millennialists reject any notion that Christ will Himself set up a thousand year reign of peace after the tribulation. In other words, the choices are supposedly limited to... A) Christ set up His kingdom in the first century, which we are now living in, OR B) It is only at His Second Coming that Christ will establish a permanent kingdom which will start with His thousand year reign.
Except for one little problem. We are not paying enough attention to Jesus' exact words.
The Now And Coming Kingdom
As previously mentioned, Jesus told the Pharisees that the Kingdom of God was already in their midst. Since Jesus was speaking to the ritual bound Pharisees who's hearts were far from clean, He was unlikely to be referring to the kingdom being within them in any way, but to the fact that the Kingdom was already present among them.
Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or, 'There it is!' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:20-21 NASB)
However, more than once, Jesus also told His listeners that the kingdom was at hand ... but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand (Gk. eggizo) (Matthew 10:6-7 NASB) Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand (Gk. eggizo); repent and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15 NASB)
The Greek word eggizo simply means 'close' or 'approaching', as is obvious from the following examples. When they had approached (Gk. eggizo) Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, (Matthew 21:1 NASB) But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near (Gk. eggizo). (Luke 21:28 NASB) because he came close (Gk. eggizo) to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me. (Philippians 2:30 NASB)
So how could the kingdom be "at hand" and already in their midst. Very easily if we completely understand the words Jesus used. The primary meaning of both the Aramaic word malkuta, and the Greek word basileia (translated into the English 'kingdom') was not physical territory, but the more abstract concept of royal rule or government. Thus, when Jesus used the Aramaic phrase malkuta dishmaya which, in Matthew's Greek, is rendered as he basileia ton ouranon, He was not referring to real estate, but authority. As said by Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts The word basileia could sometimes refer to a locale over which a king ruled, but its primary meaning in the first-century was "reign, rule, authority, sovereignty." (The same was true of the Aramaic term, malku, the word actually spoken by Jesus.) We see this meaning clearly in one of Jesus' parables. He speaks of a nobleman who "went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return" (Luke 19:12, NIV; the NRSV reads "to get royal power for himself"). The Greek of this verse reads, literally, "he went to a distant country to receive a basileia for himself." He didn't go to get a new region over which to rule, but rather to get new and greater authority over the place he lived. [See Jesus Message - Part 7: When is the Kingdom of God Coming?]
So Jesus was not at all contradicting Himself when He said the kingdom was already in the midst of people and was at hand. One cannot pinpoint exactly when the rule of God commenced. One could say it began with Mary who acknowledged the angel's announcement with the words "Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38 NASB), or the moment Simon Peter and his brother Andrew put down their fishing nets and responded to the Lord's call to follow Him (Matthew 4:18-19) The seeds of the kingdom began to germinate when its king entered the world. Since there cannot be a kingdom without subjects, the disciples in whose hearts God was sovereign, were the first. The kingdom took a flying leap forward at Pentecost when Jewish disciples rapidly multiplied, followed a short time later, by innumerable Gentiles. The kingdom had began to spread. However, God's kingdom (in every sense of the word) will only be fully realized when Jesus physically returns to earth and takes it over, destroying His enemies and ruling from Jerusalem. Or when Satan is finally destroyed and God brings His Heaven down to earth and comes to live among His people, which has always been the ultimate goal. In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom (Heb. malkû) which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom (Heb. malkû) will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms (Heb. malkû), but it will itself endure forever. "Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy." (Daniel 2:44-45 NASB)
Either way, we are indeed living in the initial stages of God's kingdom, but not in the millennium, which is God's designated period of rest... His Sabbath Millennium.
2) When is Death Finally Abolished?
An article entitled "What You Must Believe If You Are a Premillennialist" on the Gospel Coalition site says
Since both eschatological schools agree that Christ's reign consummates with the destruction of death, and since the destruction of death signals the end, we need only ascertain the time of "death's death"! [08]
Fair enough! Many centuries ago, Isaiah made a prophecy... He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 25:8 NASB)
These words are twice repeated in the book of Revelation. Although the first quote in Revelation 7:17 gives us no clue as to when this happens, Revelation 21:4 puts the fulfillment of this ancient prophecy into the exact end-time time-line. and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4 NASB)
If you read from Revelation 20:1, at least through 21:4, it should become very clear that Isaiah's prophecy will be literally fulfilled at the end of the millennium when God creates a new heaven and a new earth, and brings His holy city, the new Jerusalem, down from heaven. This may confuse some people who believe that death was abolished a thousand years earlier. A belief that is based on Paul's first letter to the Corinthians when he, speaking about how the human body will be changed at the last trumpet when we meet the Lord in the air (the Rapture), said "death is swallowed up in victory" (15:54). He then asks the rhetorical question... "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Paul's words have been taken to mean that, at the Rapture, death will be universally done away with. This would make it impossible that the entire unbelieving population will be resurrected, judged, and sentenced to death a thousand years later. However, we need to pay attention to who Paul was addressing, and not assume he was making general statements applicable to the entire human race. Paul's letter was written to the church in Corinth. He was telling believers that because "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" and "the perishable cannot inherit the imperishable" (15:50) they would all be changed. Death would no longer have any sway over them because they would be changed. and if you are not convince, consider this... only believers have been given the victory through Christ (Vs. 57). (50) Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (51) Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (53) For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. (54) But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "death is swallowed up in victory. (55) "O death, where is your victory? o death, where is your sting?" (56) The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; (57) but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:50-57 NASB)
To repeat myself... If you read Revelation 20 and 21 as they were meant to be read... as two consecutive and seamless chapters, it becomes very clear that these verses are in chronological order. In summary... Satan is bound and cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years, during which period the saints live and reign with Christ. When, at the end of the millennium, he is let out of his prison for a short time and goes out to deceive the nations and gather them together to war against Christ. After his army is devoured by fire from heaven, Satan is thrown into the lake of fire to join the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 20: 7-10). Revelation 20:11-13 then describes the White Throne Judgment when the sea and Hades gives up their dead, who are judged according to their deeds. Then, and only then, are death and Hades finally thrown into the fire, which is the "second death" (20:14). Everyone who was once consigned to Sheol/Hades will simply cease to exist, as will Sheol/Hades itself. (Since no one will ever die again, Sheol/Hades are no longer necessary). (See What and Where is Hell?) Chapter 21 starts with the word "then" which indicates what comes next... Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." (Revelation 21:1-4 NASB)
Revelation 21:4, which says "there will no longer be any death" refers to after the unrighteous are resurrected to face judgment at the White Throne. They will be the last people to ever die.
3) When Does The "End" Come?
If you read Paul's words in an earlier passage in the same chapter, he says that 'the end' comes after the Rapture when Christ delivers the kingdom to the Father...
(23) But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, (24) then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. (25) For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. (26) The last enemy that will be abolished is death. (1 Corinthians 15:23-26 NASB)
We tend to assume that the "end" means the final winding up of everything, including death. However, we need to note that Paul says Christ has to reign until He puts all His enemies under His feet, the last of which will be death. Satan who obviously has to be counted as one of the Lord's enemies, will only be finally done away with after the millennium, when he is cast into the Lake of Fire. And since the "last enemy that will be abolished is death", death can only follow Satan into oblivion, which is exactly what Revelation 20 says... And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also (Vs. 20:10).... Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. (Vs 20:14)
In other words, it is only after Christ's thousand year reign that every enemy, including death, will be abolished forever. The question remains as to what Paul meant when He said "then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father". The answer is quite simple. God's coming Kingdom was never intended to be anything but an earthly one, which He will rule. See The Location and Nature of Heaven The second chapter of the book of Daniel describes how God will bring about the destruction of man's kingdoms, and inaugurate His own literal and everlasting kingdom. In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom (Heb. malkû) which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom (Heb. malkû) will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms (Heb. malkû), but it will itself endure forever. (45) "Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy." (Daniel 2:44-45 NASB)
Man's kingdoms will end in the Day of God's Wrath (See Two Babylons), which means, as Paul wrote, Christ will abolish all rule, authority and power and hand it all over to the Father. For the next thousand years the power and authority will belong to one person only, i.e. Christ who will rule from Jerusalem. However, that does not mean that all enemies have been eliminated. As was said before, it is only after Christ's thousand year reign that every enemy, including Satan and death, will be finally destroyed.
4) Can Flesh And Blood Enter The Millennium Kingdom?
Apparently some pre-millennialists believe that the millennium kingdom will be occupied by two groups of people... those with normal physical bodies and those with glorified bodies.
So who are these people who will supposedly enter the millennium kingdom in natural bodies and will apparently continue bearing children for a thousand years? Opinions differ quite widely. Some say they will be the children, under the age of accountability, who survive the tribulation. Others that these people will be believing Gentiles and believing Jews. (Why any believer would not be given a glorified body at the time of the Rapture is beyond me). See Summary of Events At The Seventh Trumpet And The Rapture Since Paul's words ... "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 15:50) are clear and unambiguous, where pre-millennialists get these ideas from is anyone's guess. And no, Paul was not saying that flesh and blood cannot inherit the eternal new heaven and the new earth that God will establish after the millennium. If you read the entire section in context, Paul connects flesh and blood not being able to inherit the kingdom of God, with the changing of our bodies which happens at the Rapture. He makes a point of stating that at the rapture the "perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality". In other words we have to be changed before we even enter the millennium kingdom because the perishable cannot inherit the imperishable. (50) Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. (51) Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:50-53 NASB)
The site gotquestions says There is no mention in Revelation 19-20 of any kind of rapture event. The implication is that saints who are on Earth when Christ returns will remain on Earth to enter the millennial kingdom in their natural bodies. [09]
Of course there is no mention of the Rapture in Revelation 19-20, simply because these chapters describe events that will occur after God's people have been moved off the earth. How can we know this? When John opened Chapter 19 with the words "After these things...", the "things" he was referring to were the Seven Bowls described in chapter 16, simply because chapters 17 and 18 are not part of the chronological sequence of end-time events.. These two chapters are a break taken to describe the destruction of the Two Babylons. Therefore The Rapture occurs at the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet, which also introduces the Seven Bowls. Since the Seven Bowls signify the end of the earth as we know it, believers are taken off the earth to save them from the total annihilation that these judgments bring. See Summary of Events At The Seventh Trumpet
5) Salvation During The Millennium?
Elaborating on the fictitious idea that the saints, who are still living when Christ returns, will enter the millennial kingdom in their natural bodies, gotquestions is of the opinion that these believers will bear children who, in flesh and blood bodies, will have the same opportunity for salvation as we do.
Children born during the millennial kingdom will have the responsibility of faith in Christ as all people of past ages have (faith in Christ since His coming; .... Unfortunately, not all of the children that are born during the millennial kingdom will come to faith in Christ. Those that do not will be led away by Satan into rebellion against God at the end of the millennial kingdom when Satan is let loose for a short time (Revelation 20:7-10). [10]
This is not possible for two reasons. a) The Prophets Foretold A Complete End Of All The Inhabitants Of The Earth Zephaniah
Speaking about the "Day of The Lord", the prophet Zephaniah described it as a "A day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities..." (Zephaniah 1:15), then went on to quote the Lord as saying... (17) I will bring distress on men So that they will walk like the blind, Because they have sinned against the Lord; And their blood will be poured out like dust And their flesh like dung. (18) Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the Lord's wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end (Heb. kâlâh), Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth. (Zephaniah 1:17-18 NASB)
The Hebrew word kâlâh means to utterly consume, as is evident by its other occurrences in the Old Testament... For thus says the Lord, "The whole land shall be a desolation, Yet I will not execute a complete destruction (Heb. kâlâh)". (Jeremiah 4:27 NASB) For I am with you, declares the Lord, 'to save you; For I will destroy completely (Heb. kâlâh) all the nations where I have scattered you, Only I will not destroy you completely. But I will chasten you justly And will by no means leave you unpunished.' (Jeremiah 30:11 NASB) Yet My eye spared them rather than destroying them, and I did not cause their annihilation (Heb. kâlâh) in the wilderness. (Ezekiel 20:17 NASB)
In a prophecy against the Assyrians, the prophet Nahum said But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end (Heb. kâlâh) of its site, and will pursue His enemies into darkness. Whatever you devise against the Lord, He will make a complete end of it. Distress will not rise up twice. (Nahum 1:8-9 NASB)
It should, by now, be pretty obvious that Zephaniah meant that no one would escape total annihilation.
Paul
In fact, Paul echoed Zephaniah's thoughts
For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 NASB)
Therefore, if believers are taken off the planet and given their new bodies, and no sinner will escape, who in the world will be left alive to enter the Millennium in a flesh and blood body? However, there is yet another piece of evidence which comes from Luke's pen...
Luke
The Lord Jesus specifically taught that the days of Noah and the days of the Son of Man parallel each other. In His words. "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man," (Matthew 24:37, Luke 17:26). In other words, in the days immediately preceding the return of Jesus Christ, we should expect to find conditions similar to those that existed just before the flood. [See Days of Noah]
Luke added that similar conditions existed in Sodom and Gomorrah before they were destroyed. (26) "And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: (27) they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. (28) "It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; (29) but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. (30) "It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:26-30 NASB)
However, it should be very carefully noted that God did not destroy inhabitants until Lot, the only righteous man in the city, left Sodom. And, as Luke went on to say, it will be just the same when Christ returns. Once believers are taken out of the way (The Rapture) the Seven Bowls will destroy all the inhabitants of the earth. See That Earth Shattering Seventh Trumpet and The Day Of The Lord which is the first chapter of The End of The Age)
b) The Mystery Of God Is Finished At The Seventh Trumpet
The second reason is that the book of Revelation very clearly states that, at the Seventh Trumpet, the mystery of God is finished. (5) Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, (6) and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer, (7) but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:5-7 NASB)
We usually think of a mystery as something that we have to figure out. For example a murder mystery is a "whodunit". However, when the Bible speaks of a "mystery", it does not mean something that is difficult to understand, or even incomprehensible. In Scripture, the word refers to something that had not previously been revealed... ie. the good news of the Gospel that God planned "before the ages". A believer understands the mystery (which is precisely why they became believers), but others do not. but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; (1 Corinthians 2:7-8 NASB) and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; (Ephesians 3:9 NASB) that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, (Colossians 1:26 NASB)
Jesus said to his disciples... And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, (Mark 4:11 NASB) And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. (Matthew 13:10-11 NASB)
In short, the mystery is the Gospel which hadn't been revealed until the Son of Man came to earth. And when the mystery of God is finished, the doors to the Kingdom will be closed forever, with no possibility of redemption for any that had not already become a disciple of the Lamb.
6) Is The Parable of The Sheep And Goats Synonymous With the White Throne Judgment?
(31) But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. (32) All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; (33) and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. (34) Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (35) For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; (36) naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' (37) Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? (38) And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? (39) When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' (40) The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' (41) Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; (42) for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; (43) I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' (44) Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' (45) Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' (46) These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (Matthew 25:31-46 NASB)
A-millennialists will argue that, in the above verses, Jesus is very clear that He will separate the sheep from the goats when He comes in His glory. In other words, this judgment of the sheep and the goats, and the White Throne judgment, spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15, are the same judgment which occurs at Christ's Second Coming. However, I am not quite sure why we still do not understand what a parable is. Parables are NOT literal. They are short, simple, colorful, and easily remembered stories, used to communicate, teach, or emphasize spiritual lessons. And they always have to be interpreted in harmony with other teachings. For example, when He related the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus was not speaking about literal virgins, a literal groom, or a literal wedding. Although it gave us some valuable clues as to what to expect, the story was simply a way to get people to realize that because Christ will return at an unknown time, His people need to be always ready. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard had nothing to do with a literal vineyard, a literal landowner, or literal workers being paid daily wages. It simply means that, regardless of whether they come to faith early or late in their lives, all believers will have eternal life. (Please note however, that there are different rewards in the coming kingdom. Apparently there are those who will make it to heaven, but who will have earned few, if any, additional rewards. See The Bema Seat of Christ and Rewards in Heaven. So why in the world do we assume that the parable of the sheep and goats is a literal account of end time events? Will believers really ask the Lord when it was that they fed Him? Will unbelievers literally ask when it was that they neglected to take care of Him? Not really. This parable simply emphasized that we will be repaid according to our deeds (Matthew 16:27), not that everything will happen as soon as the Lord returns to earth. Note I: And, no, I am not getting into a faith vs. works debate here. However, over and over again, the Scriptures emphasize obedience, righteousness, justice and taking care of people who needed help, without which the rituals and sacrifices were not acceptable to the Lord. Unless we are extremely foolish, we would do well to pay close attention to those verses in the Old Testament that tell us that God said that not only would He withdraw from people who practiced evil, and not love them anymore, but He would actually hate them, and would neither pity nor feel sorry for them. Note that in all cases, the reason given for the Lord's reaction is the evil deeds of the person, or people, involved. In other words, God will repay according to a person's deeds. And the New Testament confirms that we will be judged according to our deeds. See Myth of Faith Alone Note II: An outstanding example of a parable being completely misinterpreted is the one our Lord told about Lazarus and the rich man. Since people do not go to heaven or hell based on their financial status, we know that the parable is figurative. Sadly, the traditional interpretation uses preconceived ideas to decide which parts of the story are literal, and which are allegorical). See The Parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus
7) Are All Things Presently under Christ's Feet?
The a-millennialist will also argue that since the book of Ephesians says "all things" are put in subjection under Christ, He has to be presently reigning over everything. Thus we currently have to be in the millennium.
which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:20-22 NASB)
This argument does not really hold water, simply because a glance at the headlines of our morning newspapers will make it quite clear that the vast majority of this world isfar from being in subjection to Christ. What's more, they neither know nor care that He even exists. So what did Paul mean? One of the most interesting uses of verbs in the Hebrew Old Testament was how future events (prophecies) were spoken of as being in the past. Very often, prophecies about the future were expressed, not in the future tense as we might expect, but in the past or perfect tenses. In other words, the future was described as having already occurred. By doing this the prophets emphasized the certainty of God's word, inasmuch as a future event would occur without question or doubt. It was as good as done. This idiom, very familiar to scholars who often call it the "prophetic perfect" tense, was carried over into the New Testament by the Hebrew authors/prophets. In fact, if you think about it, even modern English users sometimes use the past tense to indicate that some action is as good as completed. For example, we often say "done" when asked to do something. Examples of the "prophetic perfect" abound. For example, the following promise was made long before Abraham had any descendants. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates: (Genesis 15:18 NASB)
When Og, the king of Bashan, and his army came out to battle the nation of Israel, God's assured Moses that they would not be defeated in the following words... But the Lord said to Moses, "Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people and his land; and you shall do to him as you did to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon." (Numbers 21:34 NASB)
Before the Israelites left Egypt, the Lord told them You shall also observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance. (Exodus 12:17 NASB)
In other words, when Paul wrote that the Father had put all things in subjection under Christ's feet, He was not necessarily signifying that this was already a reality, but that it was as good as accomplished. As the author of Hebrews said... we do not yet see everything being subjected to Christ. You have put all things in subjection under His feet." For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him. (Hebrews 2:8 NASB)
However, this, in no way means that Christ's Kingdom doesn't currently exist as some premillennialists teach. For want of a better way to express it... It is the now, and not yet, Kingdom which emerges in three stages. Stage One: The initial stage began the moment Christ was born on earth. ... The ruler of the kingdom entered the world, verifying who He was by fulfilling prophecy, and demonstrating the arrival of the reign of God with mighty deeds. However, since there is no kingdom, earthly or otherwise, without subjects, Jesus then proceeded to make disciples, thus establishing His reign in the earthly realm. Stage Two: Shortly after Jesus physically left earth, His kingdom, which until that point had consisted of a handful of discouraged followers, took a gigantic step forward at Pentecost. It literally exploded onto public consciousness with the arrival of the Holy Spirit, causing a rapid multiplication of Jewish disciples. Stage Three: However, God's kingdom (in every sense of the word) will only be fully realized when Jesus physically returns to earth and takes it over, destroying His enemies and ruling from Jerusalem. This final consummation, or fulfillment, of the kingdom of God on earth, has always been the ultimate goal.
8) Revelation 19 and 20 Are In Chronological Order
Additionally, a-millennialists do not think Revelation 19 (which describes the Second Coming) and Revelation 20 (which speaks of the millennium) are in chronological order. They also believe that the Battle of Armageddon referred to in Chapter 19, is the same battle mentioned at the end of the 1,000 years in Revelation 20:7-9.
Is any of this true? Does Revelation 20 Chronologically Follow Revelation 19?
Revelation 20:1-6 says... Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. (2) And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; (3) and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. (4) Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (5) The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. (6) Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-6 NASB)
The underlined words in the verses above tell us that these people were slain for their resistance to the beast, but were brought to life to reign with Christ for a thousand years, which makes the timing of the rule and the demise of the beast of crucial importance. Revelation 13:4 tells us that the beast has authority to do his worst for a period of forty two months (three and a half years), while Revelation 19:19-20 states that he is seized and thrown into the lake of fire when Christ returns. (4) they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?" (5) There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. (Revelation 13:4-5 NASB) (19) And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. (20) And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. (Revelation 19:19-20 NASB)
In other words the beast rules for the 42 months prior to Christ's return, during which time many are martyred. And since these martyrs are raised to reign with Christ for 1000 years, the 1,000 years has to take place after Jesus' Second Coming.
One Battle Or Two?
Are the battle of Armageddon (Revelation Chapter 19) and the battle said to take place at the end of the millennium (Revelation 20:7-9) one and the same?
They are not!
Satan is only released from prison after the 1,000 years of the millennium, when he gather the nations together for war. The army is destroyed, and Satan is cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet already are. (7) When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, (8) and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. (9) And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. (10) And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10 NASB)
Q) And when were the Beast and the False Prophet cast into the lake of fire? A) At the Battle of Armageddon 1,000 years earlier. (19) And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. (20) And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. (Revelation 19:19-20 NASB)
9) A Closer Look At The Timing of Romans 8:19-23
Because creation does not groan, nor suffer the pains of childbirth, we understand that these verses in the book of Romans are in extremely figurative language, not meant to be taken literally.
(19) For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons (Gk. uihos) of God. (20) For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope (21) that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. (23) And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:19-23 NASB)
While not all commentators are agreed that the word translated "creation" actually refers to the earth and nature, Isaiah expressed a similar sentiment when he said The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left. (Isaiah 24:4-6 NASB)
In other words, the ground itself was cursed after Adam and Eve's fall. See Genesis 3:17-19.. An article by Harry Alan Hahne (Associate Professor of New Testament at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary in Scottsdale, Arizona) says Romans 8:19-23 is one of the "most profound New Testament expressions of God's plan for the natural world". It powerfully depicts the apocalyptic expectation that at the end of history God will reverse the damage from the Fall not only to humanity, but even to nature itself.... This passage strongly suggests that God will transform the existing creation, rather than create a brand new world from scratch. When Paul says "the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay" (v. 21)... Paul's vision for redemption has a cosmic scope God's plan for redemption is not just for individual human souls or even the corporate redemption of a new community, although these are both essential aspects of redemption. Thus, the redemption that Christ brings will have cosmic consequences. At the Second Coming of Christ when God's people are resurrected and glorified (vv. 19, 23; cf. 29-30), the natural order will be restored to its proper operation, so that it fulfills the purpose for which it was created. This passage strongly suggests that God will transform the existing creation, rather than create a brand new world from scratch. When Paul says "the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay" (v. 21), the phrase "the creation itself" could be translated more literally as "this creation." The resurrection of the bodies of believers is part of this perfection of nature, for which both the material creation and believers "wait eagerly" (vv. 19, 23; cf. Philippians 3:21). [11]
God plans to restore the whole creation to the pristine state it was in before the fall when everything worked exactly as He intended it to. The question being when this is scheduled to happen. "Sons" or Son
Let's look at verse 19 again. Paul wrote.. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing (Gk. apokalupsis) of the sons (Gk. uihos) of God. (Romans 8:19 NASB)
I have absolutely no idea why every English translation renders the Greek word uihos as "sons". Although it can be legitimately translated either way, uihos is used some 65 times in the New Testament and has been translated "son" far more often than the plural form. It was often used for Christ. For example... concerning His Son (Gk. uihos), who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son (Gk. uihos) of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:3-4 NASB) For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son (Gk. uihos) , much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:10 NASB)
It makes far more sense if verse 19 read... "or the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the Son (Gk. uihos) of God", especially since five of the 18 occurrences of the Greek word apokalupsis (reveal) refer to Christ's Second Coming, but never once to people. so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation (Gk. apokalupsis) of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 1:7 NASB) and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed (Gk. apokalupsis) from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, (2 Thessalonians 1:7 NASB) so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation (Gk. apokalupsis) of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:7 NASB) Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation (Gk. apokalupsis) of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:13 NASB) but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation (Gk. apokalupsis) of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. (1 Peter 4:13 NASB)
This revealing takes place at the Seventh Trumpet, along with the Rapture, the resurrection of the righteous, and the Seven Bowls. In his second letter Peter said... (10) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. (11) Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (12) looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! (13) But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:10-13 NASB)
Many assume these words mean that because "the new heavens and new earth come at the time of Christ's second advent, there can be no earthly millennial reign intervening between the two". [12] There has to be a restoration or renewal of nature, at the same time as, or VERY shortly after, Christ's return, simply because He does not return alone. After meeting Him in the air and receiving their new bodies, believers will return to earth with Christ. Although spirituality is of crucial and primary importance, it has to be accompanied by some measure of practicality. Those believers will still be in need of food and water here in God's kingdom here on earth. Since Peter's succinct description of the devastation makes one wonder if even a blade of grass will survive the Seven Bowls, we can be sure that, apart from God directly restoring nature, or providing some kind of manna, all of us will starve in very short order. Therefore, if we look at it logically, creation would have to be restored before, or shortly after, we return to earth. This however, does NOT mean this restoration of nature that takes place at Christ's Second Coming is the New Heaven and the New Earth. The New Heaven and Earth, spoken of in Revelation 21:1, are a far deeper concept than just the renewal of creation. It is only after the millennium when Satan, death, and Hades are done away for good, that God literally moves His dwelling place from the 'third heaven' down to earth... to forever dwell among His people. Only when the New Jerusalem is on earth, can we say we have a new heaven and a new earth. And, as John added.... There will be no more sea. See A New Heaven and A New Earth (chapter IV of What And Where is "Heaven"?) And Chapter V... No Longer Any Sea? But wait a minute! Weren't the heavens burned up in the 'Day of The Lord'? No! Not all of them.
10) The Heavens Will Pass Away and The Earth Burned Up
When Peter said that in the day of the Lord, "the earth and its works will be burned up", we know exactly what he meant. However, it is not quite as simple when it comes to the phrase "the heavens will pass away with a roar" simply because, according to the Bible, there are three heavens, and we need to define which one (or ones) Peter was referring to.
In our English Old Testaments, there is a distinction made between "sky" and "heaven" (or heavens). However, it was the translators who decided which English word to use, since no such distinction exists in the original Hebrew. In all cases the Hebrew word used is shâmayim, which was used in three different ways... 1) The visible sky, where birds fly, and clouds float. God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky (Heb. shâmayim) and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Genesis 1:28 NASB)
2) Outer space where planets and stars etc. exist Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens (Heb. shâmayim) to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; (Genesis 1:14 NASB)
And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens (Heb. shâmayim), and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." (Genesis 15:5 NASB)
3) The third, far less tangible place, is where God Himself dwells. In the Old Testament, this heaven was often described by using shâmayim twice, which was then translated into "the heaven of the heavens" or "the highest heaven". The verses below indicate that two different heavens are being referred to... Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven (Heb. shâmayim) and the highest heavens (Heb. shâmayim), the earth and all that is in it. (Deuteronomy 10:14 NASB) But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven (Heb. shâmayim) and the highest heaven (Heb. shâmayim) cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! (1 Kings 8:27 NASB)
Since it is entirely impossible that the Father is going to destroy His own dwelling place, when Peter said "the heavens will pass away with a roar", he had to mean the visible sky and, possibly, even outer space, is going to be utterly demolished.
Summary and Conclusion
There is absolutely no question that the Bible teaches that Christians will undergo a terrible time of persecution (The First Six Seals, probably under the antichrist. It is their shed blood which is sort of the 'last straw' for the Lord, who will then send plagues on the earth of unbelievably immense proportions. This period was called the Day of the Lord or The Day of the Lord's wrath by numerous prophets of old. However, since the whole point of salvation is escaping the wrath of God, Christians will somehow be protected during this terrible time.
At the Seventh Trumpet, the atonement complete (See The Two Phase Atonement, Christ will harvest the earth. Believers will be physically lifted off the planet and given their new imperishable bodies, just before God rains down the seven bowls, which will make a complete and terrifying end of all the inhabitants of the earth. (Zephaniah 1:17-18) See The Rapture After this we will return to earth with Christ who will establish a thousand years of peace and rest. See The End of The Age
Not only does the imagery and symbolism of Revelation describe the horrendous conditions of the last days, but tells us in what order they will occur. In summary, the first Six Seals unfold one after the other. The 'Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse" (The first four seals) symbolize the persecution of the church with much blood being shed, which will, in a sense, be the last straw and bring an end to God's patience. The opening of the Seventh Seal will introduce the series of Seven Trumpets. The first six are the 'Great Tribulation', which Jesus said would be unparalleled in the history of our planet. The blowing of the Seventh Trumpet will herald Jesus appearing before the Face of God for us, and what we call the "rapture". This will be closely followed by the Seven Bowls when He will, as the prophet Zephaniah said, cut man off from the face of the earth (Zephaniah 1:2-3) How and why did the change from pre-millennialism to a-millennialism come about? HERE
For the first two-hundred years of Christian history, the utopian millennium described by the Apostle John in The Apocalypse was understood as a literal period of a thousand years that would follow Christ's physical return to earth. So what happened?
Endnotes
[04] David Wright. Amillennialism: Millennium Today. Christian History Institute. Issue 61.
https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/amillennialism-millennium-today/
[05] Augustine of Hippo. http://www.theopedia.com/Augustine_of_Hippo [06] Wayne Jackson. Examining Pre-millennialism. Christian Courier Publications.
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/322-examining-premillennialism [07] ibid. [08] Justin Taylor. What You Must Believe If You Are a Premillennialist. October 6, 2009.
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/10/06/what-you-must-believe-if-you-are-a-premillennialist/ [09] Who will occupy the Millennial Kingdom? http://www.gotquestions.org/millennial-kingdom.html [10] ibid. [11] Harry Alan Hahne. The whole Creation has been Groaning. Copyright 2010 Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University.
http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/106707.pdf [12] Justin Taylor. What You Must Believe If You Are a Premillennialist. October 6, 2009.
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/10/06/what-you-must-believe-if-you-are-a-premillennialist/ | 
