Eschatology
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Postmillennialism |
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In
the book Postmillennialism, Loraine
Boettner, a noted postmillennial apologist, has stated: ‘We have defined
Postmillennialism as that view of the last things which holds that the
Kingdom of God is now being extended in the world through the preaching of the
Gospel and the saving work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of individuals,
that the world eventually is to be Christianized, and that the return of
Christ is to occur at the close of a long period of righteousness and peace
commonly called the "Millennium." It should be added that on
postmillennial principles the second coming of Christ will be followed
immediately by the general resurrection, the general judgment, and the
introduction of heaven and hell in their fullness. The Millennium to which
the Postmillennialist looks forward is thus a golden age of spiritual
prosperity during this present dispensation, that is, during the Church age,
and is to be brought about through forces now active in the world. It is an
indefinitely long period of time, perhaps much longer than a literal one
thousand years. The changed character of individuals will be reflected in an
uplifted social, economic, political and cultural life of mankind. The world
at large will then enjoy a state of righteousness such as at the present time
has been seen only in relatively small and isolated groups, as for example in
some family circles, some local church groups and kindred organizations. This
does not mean that there ever will be a time on this earth when every person
will be a Christian, or that all sin will be abolished. But it does mean that
evil in all its many forms eventually will be reduced to negligible
proportions, that Christian principles will be the rule, not the exception,
and that Christ will return to a truly Christianized world. Postmillennialism
further holds that the universal proclamation of the Gospel and the ultimate
conversion of the large majority of men in all nations during the present
dispensation was the express command and meaning and
promise of the Great Commission given by Christ Himself. when
He said: "All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.
Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always,
even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:18- 20). We believe that the
Great Commission includes not merely the formal and external announcement of
the Gospel preached as a "witness" to the nations, as the
Premillennialists and Amillennialists hold, but the true and effectual
evangelization of all the nations so that the hearts and lives of the people
are transformed by it. That seems quite clear from the fact that all authority
in heaven and on earth and an endless sweep of conquest has been given to
Christ and through Him to His disciples specifically for that purpose. The
disciples were commanded not merely to preach, but to make disciples of all
the nations. It was no doubtful experiment to which they were called, but to
a sure triumph. The preaching of the Gospel under the direction of the Holy
Spirit and during this dispensation is, therefore, the all-sufficient means
for the accomplishment of that purpose. We must acknowledge that the Church
during the past nineteen centuries has been extremely negligent in her duty,
and that the crying need of our time is for her to take seriously the task
assigned to her. Instead of discussions of social and economic and political problems,
book reviews and entertaining platitudes from the pulpit the need is for
sermons with real Gospel content, designed to change lives and to save souls.
The charge of negligence applies, of course, not only to ministers, but
equally to the laity. Every individual Christian is called to give his
witness and to show his faith by personal testimony,
or through the distribution of the printed word, or through the generous and
effective use of his time and money for Christian purposes. Christ commanded
the evangelization of the world. That is our task. Surely He will not, and in
fact cannot, come back and say to His Church, "Well done, good and
faithful servant," until that task has been accomplished’ (from
http://www.mbrem.com) |
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Amillennialism
differs from Postmillennialism, for Lorraine Boettner says: ‘Amillennialism
differs from Postmillennialism in that it holds that the world is not to be
Christianized before the end comes, that the world will in fact continue much
as it now is, with a parallel and continuous development of both good and
evil, of the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. It agrees with
Postmillennialism, however, in asserting that Christ does not establish an
earthly, political kingdom, and that His return will be followed by a general
resurrection and general judgment. Post- and Amillennialists thus agree that
the |
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To
sum up, postmillennialists affirm that the millennium is a period of one
thousand years of universal peace and righteousness in this world, which
precedes the return of Jesus Christ to earth in judgement. However,
postmillennialists are divided as to whether or not the period of time is a
literal one thousand years, and whether or not the millennial age begins
abruptly or gradually. Some see the millennial age as entirely future, others argue that it may have already begun to
gradually emerge. Postmillennialists also disagree as to the events that mark
the beginning of the millennial age. Therefore, the difference between
amillennial and postmillennial Christians centers upon the character and
length of the millennial age. Postmillennialists see the millennial age as
commencing at some point during the present age, and as a period in which the
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The
following men hold to Postmillennialism. Rev. David Brown, a Scotch
Presbyterian minister, and a considerable number of systematic theologians,
the Hodges at Princeton (Drs. Charles, Archibald A., and Caspar Waster Hodge,
Jr., the latter having been the writer's revered teacher), Dr. W. G. T.
Shedd, Dr. Robert L. Dabney, Dr. Henry B. Smith, Dr, Augustus H. Strong, and
Dr. Benjamin B. Warfield. Probably the most influential books from the
postmillennial viewpoint have been The Second Advent, by David Brown (1848,
revised 1849), which for many years was recognized as the standard work on
the subject, and Dr. Charles Hodge's Systematic Theology (1871). In more
recent times Dr. Warfield (died, 1921) has been recognized as the outstanding
postmillennial theologian. His influence was exerted through a period of more
than thirty-three years as Professor of Systematic Theology in Princeton
Theological Seminary and as Editor of the Presbyterian and Reformed Review
and later as one of the chief contributors to the Princeton Theological
Review. The following recent books have been written from the postmillennial
viewpoint: Israel and the New Covenant (1954), by Roderick Campbell; Thy
kingdom Come (1974), by R. J. Rushdoony; The Puritan Hope (1971), by lain
Murray (England); An Eschatology of Victory (1974), by Marcellus J. Kik; and
Christ's Second Coming: Will It Be Premillennial? (1990), by David Brown. |
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Confutation |
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The
Holy Scriptures teach that the large majority of those who hear the Gospel
will not be saved, for it is written that “many are called, but few chosen”
(Matthew |
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In
addition, many false prophets will rise up and deceive many (cf. Matthew
24:11), nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and
there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places (cf.
Matthew 24:7) |
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Furthermore,
according to the Scripture, a short time before Jesus returns from heaven the
antichrist will be revealed. The antichrist is the man of sin, who will exalt
himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped (cf. 2
Thessalonians 2:3-4), whom will be given authority over every tribe, tongue,
and nation, and it will be granted to him to make war with the saints and to
overcome them (cf. Revelation 13:7). Therefore, before Jesus returns from
heaven the world will be under the rule of the antichrist, who
will persecute the Church to the death. However, when Jesus returns from
heaven He will destroy the man of sin with the brightness of His coming (cf.
2 Thessalonians 2:8), and “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the
kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of
the Most High” (Daniel 7:27 – NKJV). |
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As
you can see, according to the Bible, this world will not be Christianized, there will be no golden age of spiritual
prosperity during this present dispensation for things will go from bad to
worse. Know this, that all those who teach Postmillennialism deceive people.
Therefore beware of them. |
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The Millennium is not a golden age which is to occur
before the return of Christ, but it is a thousand-year reign which will be
established on the earth by the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns. Here is
what the apostle John says in the book of Revelation concerning the
millennium: “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to
the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that
ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and
bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and
sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the
thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to
judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their
testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped
the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or
their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The
rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.)
This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in
the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they
will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand
years” (Revelations 20:1-6 – NIV). Therefore, when Christ returns from heaven
the dead in Christ will be raised from the dead (this is the first
resurrection) and those who are living will be changed, and all of them will
reign with Christ for a thousand years. During this earthly reign Satan will
not be able to deceive the nations for at the coming of Christ he will be
bound and thrown into the Abyss, where he will be kept until the end of the
millennium. You will ask me now, ‘What will happen after the Millennium?’
When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and
he will deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth to gather them
for battle. These nations will surround the camp of the saints and the
beloved city, and fire will come down from heaven and devour them (cf.
Revelation 20:7-9). Then Satan will be cast into the lake of fire (cf.
Revelation 20:10), the rest of the dead will be raised from the dead (this is
the second resurrection) and they will be judged according to their works
(cf. Revelation 20:11-15), and after the judgement God will create new
heavens and a new earth, and the New Jerusalem – the heavenly city – will
descend upon the new earth, and there the saints will reign forever and ever
(cf. Revelation cap. 21-22). All these things are still to come, and we look
forward to seeing them. We are sure that they will take place at God’s
appointed time. |