Historic Premillennialism: what's the truth about the End Times?

Since the earliest days of the Church there has not been a one-mindedness on eschatology.

Well that is not true. The Lord Jesus Christ was pretty single-minded about it. He was pretty clear about it. But man has continued again and again to fall into a ditch. In days gone by that ditch was called historicism. This is the idea that the book of Daniel and Revelation relates to progressive events throughout history. What a lovely idea. Then you can pin any historic event you want on the Scripture. You can see the appeal. Historicism is an error. For Matthew 24 makes it clear that the eschatological theatre will take place across a single generation (Matthew 24:34). Historicism debunked! We can’t just go along with things because they fit with our logic and reason.

We must let Scripture paint the picture!

Modern Times error

Listen folks, there’s NO such thing as doctrinal innovation. What was true yesterday, is true today and will always be true. That is the nature of absolute truth. Did some doctrines (say Tertullian and the trinity) need clarification? Sure. But they were not innovations. We need to examine modern claims very carefully. In fact the reformation was NOT about introducing new innovations. It was about stripping back Roman innovations. Let’s look at the two modern innovations that pervade the Church relating to end times. For historicism is thankfully in decline. But two new schools of thought have taken its place. The error to the left is preterism. The error to the right is dispensationalism.

What is preterism and is it true?

Preterism is the idea that the prophecy in the book of Daniel and Revelation relate to events that happened in 70AD. The sacking of Jerusalem by Roman armies. During this event the second temple was destroyed vindicating the Lord Jesus’ words that predicted this event. The preterist then links this with Matthew 24:32 which says ‘Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.’ But they duly forget verse 14 which says “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Ask yourself, if verse 32 related to 70AD, had the Gospel been preached to ALL nations? Had ALL the tribes of the earth seen the Son of Man coming in the clouds? Had the elect been gathered from the four winds? Why take verse 32 at face value and ignore ALL these many other verses. The answer to this is found in verse 8 which says “All these are the beginning of sorrows”. The destruction of the temple is part of the beginning of the sorrows alongside wars and rumours of war. Verse 15 gives us what happens after the Gospel has been preached to all nations, what sign we are to look for. The kick off to the end times theatre is the abomination of desolation. When that comes to pass, then events unfold as the chapter continues. It is this clearly that verse 32 relates to. Everything that happens from that moment onwards happens within a generation. This then would enable us to interpret that verse in line with all the verses of the chapter without controversy. Not only is this a clear explanation, but it is the historic explanation. The early church was overwhelmingly futurist in its prophetic outlook. These verses disprove the long running historicism fantasy but they also challenge preterism.

Preterism itself comes from a Roman Catholic Jesuit called Luis de Alcázar. It was invented in 1614 as a way of denying the Puritan claim that the Bishop of Rome was the anti-christ. By claiming Nero was antichrist, they absolved Papa of that charge. Historicism falsified. Preterism falsified.

The question has to be, can I come to my theological conclusion without additional texts? Does the Scripture paint the Picture. Both historicism and preterism fail this test. They rely on unbiblical history as theological proof. It is NOT doctrine by scripture alone.

What is dispensationalism and is it true?

Dispensationalism is a broad theological system that, rather than divide the Scripture into two covenants, looks to divide it into multiple dispensations. These are:

Now the dispensationalist is to be on one level commended. For he truly treasures Scripture. He seeks to be as literal and face value in his hermeneutic as possible. Dispensationalism started with Darby in the 19th century and was popularised by the Scofield reference Bible. I didn’t get beyond page one of this Bible as Scofield denies biblical creation. But that’s another story. We are focused on prophecy. The dispensationalist view is a rather beautiful one. That before the Great Tribulation, spoken of by Daniel, Revelation and even Matthew 24 happens (seven years of judgement and wrath on the nations), that the church will be raptured up to meet the Lord. There is a logic to it. The Scripture itself says ‘we are not appointed to wrath’. This is true. There are many compelling arguments in favour of their pretribulationalist view. However there are also some significant flaws. It is self-evident from the Scripture that we will meet the Lord in the air. 1 Thess 4 says as much. This is what is meant by Rapture. But where in the Scripture is the idea of this being a separate and secret event to the second coming?

What’s the picture the Scripture paints:

If you were dropped on a desert island without any theological knowledge and JUST a Holy Bible, could you by reading the Holy Bible alone come to the dispensational view from the Scripture? I do NOT believe it is a straight forward reading of Scripture.

There are many excellent bible teachers who take a dispensational view on eschatology but NOT on other things. Many dispensational teachers do take the Scripture very seriously. But we must judge a man’s argument based on its concordance with the Holy Bible and NOT His other credentials. I remember reading John MacArthur’s reasoning for adopting a dispensational theology on end times. He said that many of the most trusted Bible teachers took that view and this is true. Greg Laurie, David Jeremiah, Jerry Falwell Sr. and Erwin Lutzer are all men I believe faithfully teach from the Scripture and who take a dispensational view on end times. But my friend I cannot merely take their word for it. On this I find myself siding with JC Ryle and Irenaeus. I believe that Historic Premillennialism is the most faithful and natural view of the Scripture.

Dispensational Truth

For the dispensationalists have highlighted some things that are true and neglected by a slumbering church. There are many prophecies that apply to Israel. Now the great Westminster Confession may claim (through covenantal theology) that Israel has been replaced by the Church. Did not John the Baptist declare that God could make a rock a child of Abraham (Matthew 3:7-9)? Yet look at this promise in the epistle to the Romans:

So how is this fulfilled if the church has replaced Israel? What of the many kingdom promises in the Old Testament. My dear Christian God’s promises cannot be wishy washy wished away! They stand forever!

What is the millennial Kingdom and is it true?

The millennial Kingdom is described in Rev 20 as an earthly Kingdom under Christ’s perfect rule for a thousand years. Before the world is remade into its eternal state. The fulfilment of the Old Testament promises to Israel. Israel restored. The Church ruling with Christ.

But before we deal with Revelation 20, we must deal with the detractors that say ‘Revelation is just apocalyptic language’ or ‘Revelation is just poetry’. Oh how Bible doubters love to say this! Who let you dissect God’s Word like it was a frog! It is NOT for you to create a taxonomy of Scripture! Let the Scripture interpret the Scripture! Satan is a thief and a liar and he’d love you to believe Revelation is poetry. If Revelation is poetry things don’t go so badly for him!! Keep that in mind.

But the Bible doubter says ‘read verse one! Symbols and things that shortly come to pass’.

Let’s start with the word signified. Where is this word also used in Scripture. John 12:32-33 says ‘And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.’ Was this merely poetic language or did our Lord go to the cross and draw men from every nation to him? It does NOT mean symbolism.

The second is shortly. Some Preterists claim that shortly means it all happened in the 1st century. So that would mean that the New Jerusalem had already happened? That the final judgement had already happened? That the devil had already been defeated? Not all of Revelation is part of the end times theatre. When you understand that and read the letters to the churches it makes a lot more sense.

Is the devil currently bound?

Rev 20:1-3 says that the devil is bound and thrown into a pit for a thousand years. Some will say, it means the devil can no longer deceive the nations. You tell me, are the nations deceived today? I would say the world is full of murder, rape and suffering. The devil does NOT seem bound to me. Some will say, yes but for God a thousand years is a day and a day a thousand years. I would argue the specificity on dates implies this is literal. It repeats the term thousand. Not everything in Rev is symbolic. By being specific and repetitious the Scripture is telling us to interpret this literally. When we pray ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, we pray for the day of a thousand years. Read the prophets. The wolf lying down with the lamb.

What is the order of end-times

So the order goes something like this:

What if I disagree with you?

That’s okay. This is not an essential. If the Pre-tribulationists are proven right, then I rejoice to be with Christ all the sooner. If the Preterists are right, then I rejoice to avoid the Great Tribulation. But I will make no apology for taking a stance that is most biblically straight forward. But know, that whatever your view, if you are saved by the blood of Christ I love and appreciate you. This issue must NEVER divide us when Christ died to unite us!

Let God be true and every man a liar!

See you in the Kingdom.