Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen. Revelation 1:7
We’ve already taken a brief look at three possible end times perspectives: the most popular view, dispensational pre-millennialism; the most optimistic view, post-millennialism; and the simplest view, amillennialism. Today we briefly examine the oldest view of the four basic eschatological systems believed on in church history, the historic pre-millennial view. Let’s take a look.
DOCTRINE OF HISTORIC PRE-MILLENNIALISM
In ancient days, the system was known by its Greek name, chiliasm, and its adherents were known as chiliasts, from the Greek word for “thousand,” χιλια. It is the oldest of the four views, as Papias (60-130), a disciple of John, the writer of the book of Revelation, was this view’s earliest proponent. Speaking of John, he wrote:
“Amongst these he says that there will be a millennium after the resurrection from the dead, when the personal reign of Christ will be established on this earth.” —Papias, Fragments, ch. VI; translated by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D.; T&T Clark, Edinburgh; 1867
Justin Martyr (100-165), also, supported the historic pre-mil view:
“But 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..... And further, 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.” —Justin Martyr, The Dialogue with Trypho, chs. LXXX, LXXXI; translated by Alexander Roberts, D.D. & James Donaldson, LL.D.; T&T Clark, Edinburgh; 1867
Other adherents to this system are John Bunyan (1628-1681); John Gill (1697-1771); George Müller (1805-98); Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892); Donald Arthur Carson (b.1946); John Piper (b.1946); and Albert Mohler (b.1959).
The historic pre-mil doctrine is similar to the dispensational pre-mil view with some marked exceptions, the most prominent being the event known as the “tribulation,” or to some, “the great tribulation.” While the dispensational pre-mil advocate sees the “great tribulation” as synonymous with wrath of God, and thus exempt from the tribulation period, the historical pre-mil adherent does not necessarily equate tribulation with God’s wrath; the two not being interchangeable, but co-existing, citing the Lord Jesus’ words from this verse in particular:
“I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
This is why another name for historical pre-millennialism is “post-tribulationalism.” The Christian who favors the historic pre-mil view believes that while we will suffer tribulation and persecution in the world (John 16:33; 2 Tim 3:12), we are certainly exempt from God’s wrath (1 Thess 5:9). While the dispy pre-mil believer sees the rapture of the church and the visible and bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ as two distinct events separated by a period of time which includes seven years of tribulation on earth, the historic pre-mil believer views the events of the rapture and the Lord’s second coming as occurring in a singular event (1 Thess 4:13-18)… which leads us to the major difficulty from this view….
DIFFICULTIES WITH THE VIEW
I have not read every writing for all proponents of this view; however, of all those I’ve read, there are few that acknowledge the difficulty, and even fewer that attempt to deal with it. What is the difficulty? First, who is to populate the earth in Christ’s millennial kingdom? The saints alive at Christ’s coming cannot populate the earth because they have been raptured. The saints asleep at Christ’s return cannot populate the earth because they have been resurrected. In other words, both groups have glorified bodies. And according to most proponents of this view, the wicked have all been slain at Christ’s return by the “sword that came from the mouth” of Jesus (Rev 19:21), in other words, by the Word of His power. This begs the question for the second difficulty, how then will Gog and Magog rise (Rev 20:7-9) at the end of the thousand year period?
John Gill, a predecessor to Charles Spurgeon at the New Park Street Chapel, is one of the few who recognized the problem with an attempt to address it. Dr. Gill suggested that the “rest of the dead” (Rev 20:5) will be…
“…raised from the dead, even all the wicked that have been from the beginning of the world; which accounts for their number being as the sand of the sea: and these rising where they died, and were buried, will be in and come from the four quarters of the worlds; and as they died enemies of Christ, and His saints, they will rise such; hell and grave will make no change in them…” —John Gill, Gill’s Complete Body of Practical and Doctrinal Divinity, pg. 666; Sovereign Grace Publishers
More than likely, most historic pre-mil theologians will not agree with John Gill’s explanation of Revelation 20:5, 8. Nevertheless, Dr. Gill at least recognized the issue and made an attempt to reconcile its difficulties, whereas others have not.
DESIRABLE CHARACTERISTIC
The first desirable characteristic from the historic pre-mil view is found in the strength of faith, the growing endurance, and development of patience that comes from a heart and attitude forged by expecting to encounter trials and tribulations in this fallen world. By and large, the historic pre-mil believer does not attempt to escape daunting situations and circumstances, but instead, leans upon Christ’s sovereignty to learn and grow from the experience, realizing that we are, in God’s providence, being conformed to the image of His Son because of what we endure, not by escaping it.
The second desirable characteristic is found in the pre-mil attitude toward Scripture. While proponents attempt to view Scripture as realistically and as chronologically as possible, most recognize the importance of allegorical significance in Scripture, viz., a Christ-centered and Christ-exalted view from holy writ, as well as embracing a practical application from the Bible’s pages. In other words, for the most part, the interpretation and understanding of Scripture is not an “either/or” endeavor, but “and/and/and.”
DETRIMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS
The most glaring detriment concerning the historic pre-mil view is this: if somehow, unsaved persons enter this future period of time alongside resurrected and raptured saints in Christ’s millennial kingdom, it means that glorified men, women, and children will co-exist with mortal sinners, descendants of Adam, whose curse and corruptions cause them to live with sin, suffering, and death in a moral and messianic kingdom. This is quite a difficult concept to reconcile in the hearts of Christ’s redeemed.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
We’ve covered the four orthodox views concerning the millennium. I’m not advocating for any specific view, really; though I may have leanings toward both the a-mil and historic pre-mil perspectives. Yet, as before, my last thoughts here are the same as the previous three— if the eyes of our faith are upon the Lord Jesus Christ, we will see Him when He comes, and the details of His coming will fall into place.
PRETERISM
Now, there are only the four legitimate, possibilities as we’ve covered in this chapter and in the previous three. We should, however, consider the full preterist view, as an eschatological scheme that is neither orthodox, nor acceptable. Just so you know.
Until then…
May the Lord Jesus continue to bless and keep you.