SEMESTER 6
187 – The Description of the Millennial Kingdom
BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE
COURSE: THEOLOGY VI LESSON # 87
ESCHATOLOGY – THE KINGDOM OF GOD – THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM (THE DESCRIPTION OF IT)
Read: Rom. 19:11-20:7
INTRODUCTION:
1. The millennium is an issue of much careful and careless discussion today.
2. It is frequently and wrongly seen as the whole of the kingdom of God.
3. I have already shown you that the kingdom is past, present, and future.
4. We shall further learn that the millennial kingdom is not the final state of God’s kingdom.
5. I have touched it from an advent prospective, i.e., Pre, Post, A.
6. In this lesson we shall attempt a descriptive or an analytical view.
I. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE TERM
1. It comes from the words milli (1,000) and annum (year) thus 1000 years.
2. But it is more than that, it is to claim a 1,000 year reign upon this earth.
3. Both the “Pre” and the “Post” hold that there shall be such a kingdom.
4. The “A” absolutely deny it, though in different ways.
III: By Berkhof’s presentation (Systematic Theology, Page 708) “The a-millennial view is, as the name indicates, purely negative.”
II. THE TIME ELEMENT
1. It is objected that this 1,000 year time element appears nowhere else in Scripture.
2. All “A” hold it to be symbolic and indefinite, as do some from both the “Post” and “Pre” schools.
3. It is argued that the symbolic language of the context, forbids a literal meaning to the 1,000 years.
4. I ask, does it also do that concerning the angel, Satan, Christ and God in the same context? (I expect a literal 1,000 year reign.)
III. THE LOCATION OF THIS REIGN
1. Some hold that the reign of Christ is in heaven over the earth in the undetermined inter-advent period.
2. Others, such as Gill, feel it is upon a totally purged earth. (He was a very strange Premillennialist).
3. Others hold it is upon a partially and/or progressively purged earth. (Rev 19:11-21)
4. Still others see the millennium as upon the earth essentially as it is today. (I think it will be partially purged, politically, economically, militarily, but depravity remains.)
IV. THE NATURE OF THE REIGN
1. Post-mils essentially hold that it is indirect through the effects of gospel preaching, or human advancement.
2. A-mils agree, except in the time span and location of the reign.
3. Pre-mils essentially hold that it is a monarchy in which Christ reigns over and through the redeemed.
V. WHAT I BELIEVE THE BIBLE TEACHES
1. That Christ comes as in Revelation 19:11-16, with His white-robed saints.
2. That He will politically purge the earth by militant, supernatural action. (Rev. 19:17-21)
3. That He will strip Satan of his deceiving power. (Rev. 20:1-3)
4. That He will raise the tribulation saints (Rev. 20:4), to join those who came with Him. (Rev. 19:14)
5. That we shall reign with Him 1,000 years, 365,000 days. (Rev. 20:4)
6. Now I hear some readers and listeners saying this is simplistic for a Bible student. I am glad you noticed.
7. But if words like till, and after that, in Revelation 20:3 and not again until in Revelation 20:5, and when in verse 7, do not give chronology, then I just do not know what to do, but hand in my Bible.
Friend, I do not know all about it, but my Bible teaches He is coming in indignation for those who look not for Him.