Millennium - This word comes from  the Latin mille, "thousand," annum, "year"; a theological term based upon Rev. 20, indicating the thousand-year period of Christ's future earthly reign in connection with the establishment of the kingdom over Israel (Acts 1:6).    

     Basically, however, it is more accurate to employ the term “kingdom”, which has far-reaching roots in the OT, rather than a term signifying merely a time during which the kingdom continues. Three common millennial views which are held: postmillennialism, amillennialism, and premillennialism.

     Postmillennialism  This interpretation maintains that present gospel agencies will root out evils until Christ will have a spiritual reign over the earth, which will continue for 1,000 years. Then the second advent of Christ will initiate judgment and bring to an end the present order. This theory, largely disproved by the progress of history, is no longer popular, but it has enjoyed some resurgence in recent years. Postmillennialism was promulgated by the teaching in England of Daniel Whitby, 1638-1726.

      Amillennialism  Promoters of this view maintain that no Millennium is to be looked for except that which, it is claimed, is in progress now in this gospel age. This theological interpretation spiritualizes or, rather, gives a mystical meaning to the vast kingdom promises in the OT.  Zion is construed not to mean Zion but to refer to the Christian church. It makes no comprehensive differentiation between Israel and the church, a distinction that evidently underlies John the Baptist's prophecy of the baptism of the Spirit and Jesus' reference to this in Acts 1:5. This spiritual ministry formed the church (Acts 2; cf. I Cor. 12:13).  Gal. 3:26-29; 6:12-18 makes it plain that God’s people today are Christians (Spiritual Israelites).  Moreover, the view contends that Satan is at present bound or limited by the gospel.  This author  holds to amillennialism as being the most logical view of all the current views.  However, he considers debating over the various views as being childish, since it is not a matter of salvation.

 

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     Premillennialism  This interpretation teaches that the age will end in judgment at the second coming of Christ, who will restore the kingdom to Israel and reign for at least 1,000 years. The criticism that such a view of the Millennium is based on an unclear passage in Rev. 20 is not allowed by premillennialists since this reference, they say, embraces all the kingdom promises of the OT as well as the Day of the Lord, which is prominent in Scripture and connects with the kingdom, or Millennium. Most of the opposition to premillennialism comes from the assumption that an earthly kingdom with Israel at the head would involve a retrogression from the spirituality brought in by Christ through His death, resurrection, and ascension. But premillennialists hold that the promise of the fulfillment of the covenants and promises to physical Israel in the OT demand such an earthly kingdom. The Millennium will be the last of the ordered ages of time. Eternity will not dawn until the Millennium is complete (Isa. 65:17; 66:22; II Peter 3:13; Rev. 21:1). This chart, or diagram, used by premillennialist is called a "time- line."  Old Testament > Christ's Death on the Cross > Church Age > Rapture > Tribulation, Battle Of Armageddon, Antichrist > 1,000 Year Earthly Millennial Reign Of Christ.

     The Millennium will be characterized by the binding of Satan and the extreme limitation of sin. The perfect sinless state, however, will occur in the eternal state after the Millennium.

    There is a saying as old as the ages which needs to be applied especially to scriptures which are found in symbolic passages.  That being, “That is, in the Bible THE MAIN THINGS ARE THE PLAIN THINGS, AND THE PLAIN THINGS ARE THE MAIN THINGS.  May God bless you as strive to be a good Bible student!

 

   Plainly, don’t get short changed.  Let’s be ready to meet our Maker.  The Bible (in Acts) teaches that to avoid hell and gain heaven - one must:

1) Believe In Jesus As Savior (16:31)  2) Repent Of Sins  (17:30)  

3) Confess Christ Audibly (8:37)  4) Be Baptized In  Water (2:38)  

5) Live A  Christian Life (14:22)   6) Be Active In the Church (2:47)

 

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