The Millenium and the Book of Revelation

1. Definitions, Terms, and References
2. Revelation
3. Chiliasm vs Antichiliasm (and differing views of millennium)
4. Dispensationalism
5. Rapture

APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE

written in symbolic, pictorial language. Usually produced during time of persecution -- principally eschatological.

CHILIASM

the theological doctrine that Christ will come to earth in a visible form and set up a theocratic kingdom all over the world and thus usher in the millennium.

DISPENSATIONALISM

the belief that God operates under different sets of rules (dispensations) at different periods throughout history (e.g. law, and grace). Specifically, it refers to the belief that the Jews are still God's chosen people, and will be treated separately from the church during the end-times.

ESCHATOLOGY

the study of the end times.

MILLENNIUM

the thousand year period of Christ's reign on earth.

RAPTURE

the bodily removal of the Church -- usually associated with the tribulation period.

Halley's Bible Handbook

Henry H. Halley

takes a historical view of Revelation

The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views

ed. Robert G. Clouse with G.E. Ladd, H.A. Hoyt, L. Boettner, and A.A. Hoekema

"easy," debate format

The Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulational

by G.L. Archer, Jr., P.D. Feinberg, D.J. Moo, R.R.Reiter

"difficult," debate format

The Ryrie Study Bible

edited by Charles Ryrie

study notes and commentary take a premillennial dispensational approach

The Peoples Study Bible

edited by Harold Lindsell

study notes and commentary do not take any particular approach

The New Testament and Wycliffe Bible Commentary

edited by Everette F. Harrison

There is some truth in each of these systems of interpretation. Just as the first three chapters "must" be interpreted historically, other parts of the book takes place immediately before the second coming (at the end of the age). There are great spiritual principles set forth in the judgements, promises, and Messianic victories. The tribulations the Church has endured began in the Roman empire and are still continuing leading to the drawing of many interesting historical parallels.

	----- chiliast -----	----------- anti-chiliast -----------
	Premillennial	Amillennial	Postmillennial
WHAT	millennium before second coming	no earthly millennium	millennium after second coming
HOW	church age, tribulation/rapture, millennium, resurrection/judgement*, eternity	church age, second coming, general judgement, eternity	church age, millennium, second coming, general judgement, eternity
INTERPRETATION	literal interpretation of prophecy	promises made to Israel fulfilled in the church	largely spiritualized
NATURE OF THE KINGDOM	personal, visible, reign of Christ as King in Jerusalem	spiritual	golden age of prosperity and righteousness

Resurrections:

1) at the rapture - of saved dead,

2) after the millennium - of unsaved dead

Judgements:

1) at the rapture - believers works

2) at the second coming - gentiles and Israel

3) after the millennium - fallen angels and unsaved dead

Dispensationalists	Non-dispensationalists
believe that the promises that God made to Israel in the Old Testament will still be fulfilled in the National Israel	believe that Israel abrogated her right to the promises by disobedience -- promises will be fulfilled in Spiritual Israel (i.e., the Church)

Many dispensationalists believe that:
- there is a separate (different) way for Jews to be saved especially during the millennium
- the "Kingdom of God" has nothing to do with eternity
- the Church was an afterthought because the Jews rejected the Messiah
- the temple will be rebuilt and the Levitical system re-instituted

"Dispensationalism forms its eschatology by a literal interpretation of the Old Testament and then fit the New Testament into it. A nondispensational eschatology forms its theology from the explicit teaching of the New Testament" (Ladd p.26).

	pre-trib rapture	mid-trib rapture	post-trib rapture	partial rapture
MEANING	rapture before tribulation	rapture after 3 1/2 years of tribulation	rapture after tribulation	only worthy saints are raptured.
SUPPORTING ARGUMENT	- keep saints out of trouble Rev 3:10 - trib is outpouring of wrath and church is exempt - "After this" (Rev 4:1) speaks of rapture	- last trumpet of 1 Cor 15:52 is 7th trumpet of Revelation & therefore mid-trib - Great Trib is last 1/2 of Daniels 70th week and Church only preserved from that Rev 11:2, 12:6 - Resurrection of two witnesses pictures rapture.	- rapture and second coming described by same greek words - preservation from tribulation not exemption (i.e., Israel and the plagues in Egypt) - Saints seen on earth during tribulation Matt 24:22 - To suffer persecution for God is seen as the ultimate blessing.	- verses like Heb 9:28 which require preparedness.

"The time of the Rapture is neither the most important nor the most unimportant point of Christian theology. ... When one considers the whole spectrum of Christian theology, eschatology is only a small part of it. Moreover, the Rapture question constitutes only a small segment of eschatology" (Feinberg p.47).