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Amillenialism 101: This Age, and The Age To Come.
Posted : 25 Apr, 2011 08:05 PM
This Age and the Age to Come
Instead of giving you a long narrative supporting amillenialism, I thought I'd give you a list of scriptures that you can check out. You can then draw your own conclusions. If you choose not to accept amillenialism, that's fine. It isn't a big deal. But, at least, you should come away with a better understanding of it and realize that there are some intelligent reasons for believing in it.
I recommend getting a piece of paper, drawing a horizontal time-line on it, and then adding in the events that occur on that time-line. For example, on the left end of the line you can put the cross. On the right end you can put the word "eternity." Somewhere in the middle put a vertical line. To the left of the line write "This Age" and to the right of the line write "The Age to Come." Then, put in the events as to when you think they will occur as you see the scriptures relating them. You'll find, I believe, that there is no future 1000 year reign of Christ because everything happens at the return of Christ. That's right, the millennium isn't future; it is present. If you get to the end of the scriptures, I'll give you a further explanation about the binding of Satan and when it may have occurred.
The basic argumentation is as follows: There are only two ages spoken of in the Bible: This age and the age to come. If we can determine what they are, when one ends and the other begins, and what happens and the end of the first, then we can learn something. And that is just what happens, we learn a lot.
We amillenialists aren't wacko's, we're just amillenialists.
May the Lord be with you.
By the way. I am convinced I am right. I am also convinced I could be wrong.
The Scriptures that establish there are Two Ages
* Matt. 12:32 = blasphemy of the H.S. will not be forgiven in this age or the age to come.
* Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30 = we receive much in this age and in the age to come we will receive eternal life.
* Eph. 1:21 = (the power of God) is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (NIV)
In this age
* We will receive 100 times as much = Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30
* People are given in marriage = Luke 20:34
* The wisdom of this world is the wisdom of this age = 1 Cor. 1:20
* The rulers of this age are coming to nothing = 1 Cor. 2:6
* Satan is the god of this age = 2 Cor. 4:4
* Jesus rescued us from the present evil age = Gal. 1:4
In the age to come
* will receive eternal life = Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; 1 Tim. 6:9
* do not marry = Luke 20:35
As you can see, the Bible teaches that there are two ages: This age and the age to come.
End of this age
* the rapture occurs = Matt. 13:39, "and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels" (NIV). Note: Read the entire parable in Matt. 13:24-30 and its explanation in 37-43. The harvest is either the judgment of the wicked or the rapture or both.
* The angels will separate the wicked from the righteous = Matt. 13:30
* weeds (wicked) are pulled up and burned in the fire = Matt. 13:40 13:49
At the end of this age is when the rapture occurs, the wicked are separated from the righteous, and the wicked are judged ('burned in the fire'). Next comes the "age to come." In pre-millennialism, the judgment occurs at the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ. But if the judgment occurs at the end of this age, then where is the future millennium?
The Day of the Lord
Matthew 7:22 - Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' "That day" is the day of judgment.
John 6:39 - And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. The resurrection occurs on the last day.
John 6:40 - For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." The resurrection occurs on the last day.
John 6:44 - No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. The resurrection occurs on the last day.
John 6:54 - Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. The resurrection occurs on the last day.
John 11:24 - Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." "The resurrection occurs on the last day."
John 12:48 - There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. Judgment occurs on the last day.
Acts 2:20 - The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. The day of the Lord will be accompanied by celestial signs.
1 Corinthians 1:8 - He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. The day of the Lord is a time when it is good to be found blameless. This implies a judgment.
1 Corinthians 5:5 - hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is a day of destruction and salvation. This implies the final judgment.
2 Corinthians 1:14 - as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus. The day of the Lord will be a time of boasting in Jesus, a time of testimony.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 - or you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
2 Timothy 1:18 - May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus. Mercy can be found on "that day."
2 Timothy 4:8 - Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day -- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. Rewards come on "that day."
2 Peter 3:10 - But the day of the Lord 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. The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
The Trumpet Call
Matthew 24:3,31 - ...Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? And He answered them saying...And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Apparently, at the end of the age the elect are gathered. This would appear to be the rapture.
1 Corinthians 15:52 - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. At the last trumpet, the dead will be raised.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 - For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. At the trumpet, the Lord descends, and the dead are raised.
Revelation 10:7 - But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. The mystery is accomplished accompanied by the seventh trumpet. But what is the mystery.
Ephesians 3:3-6 - that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. The mystery is that the Gentiles are also to be included in the kingdom of God and salvation.
Revelation 11:15 - The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." The seventh trumpet is the last trumpet mentioned in the series of seven of this section of Revelation.
Summation of Scripture References
1. - The harvest occurs at the same time as the judgment of the wicked - Matt. 13:39
2. - The Judgment is at the end of this age - Matt. 13:39
3. - The weeds (wicked) are gathered and burned at the end of the age - Matt. 13:40,49-50
4. - The resurrection of the good is on the last day - John 6:39,40,44,54;11:24
5. - The resurrection of the good is at the end of this age - Mark 10:30; Matt. 13:39,40,49
6. - The resurrection of the good is on the day of the Lord - John 6:39-54; 1 Thess 4:16-5:2
7. - The elect are gathered at the end of the age with the sound of a trumpet - Matt. 24:1-31
8. - At the last trumpet the dead are raised and the rapture occurs - 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16
9. - Therefore, the resurrection and the rapture occur at the end of this age, which is the day of the Lord, which is His return, which is the last trumpet.
All of this happens when Jesus returns. There is no room for a future millennium.
The scripture references above are for your examination. Hopefully, you will be intrigued by them and stimulated to new thought; that is, if you aren't already amillenial.
Some will say that if we are in the millennium now, then what about Satan being bound for a thousand years. First of all, that is taken from Revelation 20 where it says that the dragon was chained for a thousand years in a pit. People take the 1000 years literally but nothing else. Will the devil, who is figuratively called the dragon, be bound with chains (literally) and thrown into a pit? How do you bind a spirit with chains? Is it figurative. Absolutely. Is the pit figurative? Absolutely. The whole context is figurative, so why can't the 1000 years be figurative also? Remember, to God 1000 years is but a day and a day is but a 1000 years. As you can see, God uses the number figuratively.
In addition, when Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who was blind and dumb (Matt 12:22) and the Pharisees said that Jesus was casting out the demons by the power of Beelzebul (Matt. 12:24), Jesus said, "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house" (Matt. 12:28-29).
Who is the one that must be bound in order for Jesus to be able to cast out demons? It seems to me it must be the devil.
I invite your comments.
by: Matt Slick
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