The Case Against Pre-Millennialism
The Biblical evidence AGAINST the Pre-millennialism.
First...what is the theory of pre-millennialism? It goes like this: Christians will be raptured, or called up into heaven, leaving behind all who have not accepted Jesus. Those who are left behind on earth will then be subject to a 7 year period of tribulation, where the forces of Satan will hold complete control of the earth. During this time, millions and millions will be killed. At the end of this period, Jesus will return and establish an earthly kingdom, reigning for 1000 years. During this time, Satan will be bound and there will be peace on earth. At the end of this period, Satan will be released, he will energize his followers for the last great battle with the forces of good. Christ will defeat Satan, and then the devil will be cast into the lake of fire forever.
Interesting. Now, let’s look at what the Bible says about all this.
The prophet Daniel wrote of 5 kingdoms in chapter 2. The first 4 are identified, both by sacred and secular evidence, as Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. He says in verse 44 of chapter 2, "In the time of those kings (the kings of Rome, the 4th kingdom) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed.....it will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever."
So when was this kingdom established? During the time of the Roman empire. Let's try to pinpoint the date:
Matthew 3:1-2: In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." In the days before Jesus began His ministry, the kingdom was near.
In Mark 1:15, Jesus says, "The kingdom of God is near." Jesus, as he begins His earthly ministry, reaffirms that the kingdom is close at hand.
In Mark 9:1 Jesus says to the assembled disciples, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God comes with power." The kingdom will come before some of those standing there were to die. (Hint: do you know any disciples walking around who are 2000 years old?)
In Luke 10:9, Jesus told the 72 disciples He was sending out to preach the good news, "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'the kingdom of God is near you.'" It was soon to be established.
Now it must be noted before we look at the exact date of the establishment of the kingdom that Jesus referred to the 'kingdom' and the 'church' as the same thing. When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper in Luke 22, He told His disciples in verse 29,30: "And I confer upon you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom." We read that the church in Corinth partook of the Lord's Supper (I Corinthians 11:17-30) and also the church in Troas (Acts 20:7). Since the Lord's Supper was to be taken in the kingdom, yet was observed in the church, are the church and the kingdom the same?
In fact, Jesus used the words 'church' and 'kingdom' interchangeably. Look at Matthew 16:18-19. "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock (Peter's confession of Him as the Son of God) I will build my church.....I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." If the two were not the same, then Jesus was to build one thing but give Peter the keys to something else.
So what was the date that the kingdom was established? In Mark 9:1, Jesus said the kingdom would "come with power." In Luke 24:49, Jesus tells the disciples to stay in Jerusalem "until you have clothed with power from on high." This power did come on the apostles in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what appeared to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues (languages) as the Spirit enabled them.
On that day of Pentecost Peter preached the first gospel sermon (Acts 2:14-36), telling the assembled Jews how they could enter the kingdom (Acts 2:38-39). Peter had been given the keys to open the gates to the kingdom and the authority to bind or loose (Matthew 16). On the day of Pentecost, he exercised this authority that Jesus had given him, he opened the gates to the kingdom and Acts 2:40-41 tells us that 3000 souls entered and became citizens that day.
Further confirmation that the kingdom has already been established comes from Paul in Colossians 1. He writes in verse 12:"...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light." How do we share in the inheritance? Paul gives us the answer in Ephesians 1:13-14, "And you were also included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession – to the praise of His glory."
What is the seal of inheritance? The Holy Spirit.
When do we receive the Holy Spirit? When we are baptized. (Acts 2:38)
What else do we receive at baptism? The forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38)
Now look back at Colossians 1 again, this time in verse 13: "For He (God) has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
When we are baptized, we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive forgiveness of sins, and are brought into the kingdom. If God's kingdom has yet to be established, then what kingdom do we gain citizenship into at baptism?
Hebrews 12:28 tells us that "we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken." If it cannot be shaken, then it will not end, and it will not be replaced with some future kingdom.
Finally, the pre-millennialism theory states that Jesus will establish his future kingdom on earth. But Jesus told Pilate in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not of this world." It is a spiritual kingdom. And it has already been established. Any teaching that the kingdom is of this world or will be established in this world and is yet to come contradicts the rest of the Bible!
Also, the Bible tells us that Jesus CAN'T reign on an earthly throne of the kingdom.
Jesus already reigns on the throne of the kingdom. Zechariah 6:13 says that 'He will be clothed in majesty and will sit and rule on His throne." (quoted again in Acts 2:29-36). Jesus is on the throne in heaven.
Zechariah said in that same passage (6:13) that "He will be a priest on His throne."
Hebrews 4:14 tells us that "we have a great high priest who has gone into heaven, Jesus the Son of God." Hebrews 8:1-4, "The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not man. Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If He were on earth, He would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law." Jesus is the "great high priest...sitting on the throne of majesty in heaven, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not man...who if He were on earth would not be a priest." Jesus can't be reign on earth on be the great high priest of heaven!
Finally, Luke 1:32 says that Jesus will "be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David." (father, here, is used as in the Jewish genealogy). This was fulfilled in Acts 2:29-36 that we already looked at. But the throne is in heaven. Jesus CANNOT RULE ON AN EARTHLY THRONE OF DAVID. The proof? Jeremiah 22 tells of the banishing by God of the Jewish king Jehoiachin (also known as Jeconiah) who was handed over to the Babylonians. Verse 30 says, "This is what the Lord says: Record this man (Jehoiachin) as childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah." Well, guess what? Jehoiachin shows up in the earthly lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1:12 (the line of Joseph) AND also in Luke 3:27 (Mary's line). This doesn't mean Jesus can't sit on the throne of David, just that He can't do it on earth (in Judah). Therefore, Jesus can't return to sit on an earthly throne for 1000 years. If He did, then the word of God spoken in Jeremiah would be a lie!
Finally, how the world will end is described in 2 Peter 3:10: "But the day of the Lord (the day Christ returns) will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." When Christ comes again, on THAT DAY, the earth will be laid bare and the heavens (atmosphere) will disappear. How then, could Christ reign for an additional 1000 years? Where would His throne sit if the earth has been destroyed?
For one last perspective, let's look at I Corinthians 15:22-24. I will insert comments inside [ ] to make the point: For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when He comes [the 2nd coming], those who belong to Him. Then the end [not the beginning of another 1000 years], when He hands over the kingdom [not establish it] to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power [not that He will now begin to rule].
In John 5:28-29, Jesus says, "Don't be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned." This is a simultaneous resurrection, not a multiple resurrection like the millennial theory dictates. Either the theory of pre-millennialism is right, or Jesus is right. Which is it?
-John Gooch
