Your thoughts on amillennialism ?

Question

I don't believe in the rapture of the church. I also don't believe that Jesus will reign (literally) for a thousand years on earth.

The way I interpret Revelation 20 is that when Jesus died on the cross, Satan was defeated. After that and for a "thousand years" (not literal), Jesus reigns with us on earth. I believe we are in the millennium in which Jesus rules on earth. It's not a literal rule but Jesus did say "I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

I really don't like the interpretation of the rapture and the thousand years reign on earth. The interpretation is not very logical and causes many problems. For example, what happens when we come back to reign on earth with Jesus? Can we die again at that time? What happens if we die, is there a third resurrection? If we reign on earth for 1000 years and cannot die, that means there will be both eternal and normal people on earth.

Premillennialism doesn't make any sense to me. What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

I am an amillennialist as well.

Revelation when understood contextually will lead to to amillennialism.

Revelation is book that is classified in the genre of apocalyptic literature. And apocalyptic literature is usually talking about the past and always uses heavy symoblic language.

Plus, Revelation did have a message for the people who read it in the late 1st century. Expecially to overcome the pressure to worship the Roman emperor.

Answer 2

I believe that John the Revelator was referring fully to the occurances of the day. Revelation is really a book about how John envisioned the Romans would come to an end. If you read it with that perspective, allot of the mystery goes away and the book starts to make allot of sense. It also explains why he predicted that Jesus would return before he died.

If you read the first part of Revelations you will see that John saw seven angels who had messages for the Seven churches, all churches who were present during his time on Patmos.

He also mentions Gog and Magog as the place where the final battle will take place, it happens to be ideal for a war against the Romans.

Answer 3

Amillenialism is honestly the least confusing. It additionally has some exceedingly important historic precedent. in my opinion, however, i can not see Revelation 21 installation into this paradigm. Dispensational Premillenialism is a somewhat cutting-edge progression. i think of you're spectacular in seeing a non secular Israel defined via the NT authors. The Gospel writers, i think of, portray Jesus using fact the real remnant of Israel, gratifying all that the country of Israel did no longer do. In Christ, then, we are counted as having fulfilled the righteous standards of the regulation. this is seen, to illustrate, in Ephesians a million:3 the place Paul shows that Christians have gained all the advantages God made to the country of Israel in the OT, hence equating people who're in Christ with real Israel (this is further supported via the 1st century Jewish be attentive to-how of company solidary--see Romans 5). hence, dispensationalism seems to be a very unattractive option. in my opinion, i admire historic premillenialism. It has a good number of the fee inherent to the amillenial place, yet with a analyzing of Rev 21 that i will stay with. i think of it is likewise important that maximum folk of the final evangelical pupils on the instant are historic premil (Moo, Carson, Piper, Grudem, Osbourne, Mounce, Schreiner, and others -- besides the reality that G. Beale is an significant exception [he's amil--see his fact on Revelation]).

Answer 4

I certainly respect your beliefs, but amillennialism and its sister, preterism, makes no sense to me. In order for these views to be true, one must negate the plain meaning of such OT passages as Daniel 9:20-27 (which proves the date Christ would be born and ends with the abomination of desolation committed by the antichrist); Isaiah 25 (describing the state of the earth immediately prior to the beginning of the millenium, including the "Marriage supper of the lamb" described in Revelation); Isaiah 63 (the Second Coming); etc. All these passages describe events which will literally be fulfilled. To state they will not be fulfilled literally is to suggest God mislead us.

It may be that the rapture and the millennial reign of Jesus makes no sense to you because you haven't consulted any authoritative sources. I'd suggest you go to www.pre-trib.org and read the "Article Archive," particularly articles written by Thomas Ice.

Answer 5

Amillennialism is the belief of most orthodox Christians. In the beginning of the book of Revelation John says that the messenger of the words he's about to reveal is "signified" and later on he says he is "in the spirit" when revealing the signs of Revelation. I believe, this type of wording, from John, would lend to a less than literal translation of this book. Feel free to email me for more information.

Answer 6

I am sorry Gui but it is a thousand year period. It is referred to as the lord's day . your documentation is in the new testament where it explains that one day with the lord is a thousand of mans years. So when Christ comes he WILL have his Lord's " day " (one thousand year period). during that "day" he will be teaching with a rod of iron. what will he be teaching? Discipline. Discipline in his word. After that "day" is over Satan will be loosed for a short season to test those people who were taught with a rod of iron. When Christ comes back we all instantly change form the body we are in now into our spiritual body. after the White Throne Judgment our spiritual bodies put on the cloak of immortality if we accept Christ. and you are correct. There is no rapture of the ilk of come let me fly you out of here. God bless.

Answer 7

I'm pleased to see that some Christians are capable of ridding themselves of the rapture myth, and not participating in the arrogance usually accociated with what you call premillenialism. You seem to have a more genuinely Christian view of it... and I mean that in the best sense of the term.

Answer 8

Guess we'll find out when we get to Heaven, I try not to get stuck up on issues that aren't clear and don't really matter.

Answer 9

well i thought the rapture was interpreted to occur on newyears day 2000, but it didn't happed, so waht the heck is that all about?

Answer 10

Gui - Hats off to you - You know your Bible!

Armageddon - ask the Romans about that!