We noted previously that verses 1-3 speak of a thousand-year period. On this question there would be wide divergence of opinion. This is the group which John sees as living and reigning with Christ. Though these believers have died, John sees them as alive, not in the bodily sense, but in the sense that they are enjoying life in heaven in fellowship with Christ. The word translated to meet in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (apantesis) is a technical term used in the days of the New Testament to describe a public welcome given by a city to a visiting dignitary. Why may we not therefore understand the details found in these verses as descriptions of life on the new earth?6 This is particularly likely in view of the sweeping panoramic vision conveyed by verse 9: the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Why should these words have to be thought of as applying only to a thousand-year period preceding the new earth? Mark of the Beast Fulfillments It is believed there was a literal, physical stamped or etched mark of the beast placed on all people who lived under the judicial and religious reign of the Jewish Great Sanhedrin prior to 70 AD (see The Little Horn & the Clay are Jewish ). This, however, he cannot do while he is bound. Jesus casting out of demons, so he teaches us in this passage, was evidence of this triumph. Amillennialists find no scriptural basis for the dispensationalist division of the Second Coming into two phases (sometimes called the parousia and the revelation), with a seven-year period in between. 10:11). He also looks for an intensified form of tribulation and apostasy as well as for the appearance of a personal antichrist before the Second Coming. [5] Scriptural Defense They also reject the view of many dispensationalists that there will be as many as three or four resurrections (since, in addition to the two resurrections just mentioned, dispensationalists also teach that there will be a resurrection of tribulation saints and a resurrection of believers who died during the millennium). What is meant, then, by the words they came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years? Nothing is said in verses 4-6 about the earth, about Palestine as the center of this reign or about the Jews.5 The thousand-year reign of Revelation 20:4 is a reign with Christ in heaven of the souls of believers who have died. Christ has won the decisive victory over sin, death and Satan. See the excellent chapter on the new earth in Berkouwer, pp. Amillennialists also teach that during this same thousand-year period the souls of believers who have died are now living and reigning with Christ in heaven while they await the resurrection of the body. Evangelism and social concern, therefore, must never be thought of as options between which Christians may make a choice; both are essential to full-orbed kingdom obedience. What is this mark? The basis for this teaching is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52: Listen, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changedin a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. The millennium of the premillennialists, however, is said to be primarily a reign of Christ over people who are still alive when Christ comes and over their descendants! In other words, this mark (charagama) identifies those who worship and serve the beast. But since the kingdom of God demands total commitment, the church must also be vitally concerned about the implementation of Christian principles in every area of life, including the political and the social. The rapture of all believers now takes place. As has been indicated above, however, chapters 20-22 comprise the last of the seven sections of the book of Revelation and therefore do not describe what follows the return of Christ. 7:22). That there will be such a rapture the Bible clearly teaches. Not only in the book of Revelation but elsewhere in the New Testament the final judgment is associated with the Second Coming of Christ. Though the final joy of the redeemed in the life to come has been hinted at in 7:15-17, it is not until we reach chapter 21 that we find a detailed and elaborate description of the blessedness of life on the new earth (21:1-22:5). The most important day in history, therefore, is not the Second Coming of Christ which is still future but the first coming which lies in the past. Home The Riddleblog The Blessed Hope Podcast About the Author Sermons and Lectures (Audio) Amillennialism (Audio, Links, Charts) Biblical and Theological Studies Two Kingdoms My Books and Published Essays A Case for Amillennialism (2013) The Man of Sin (2006) Lion of Princeton (2015) First Corinthians: Lectio Continua (2013 Contributions to Multi-Authored Though the last day is still future, we are in the last days now. After that, he must be set free for a short time. In addition, it describes the final judgment, the final triumph of Christ and his church, and the renewed universe, here called the new heaven and the new earth. So What Are We Learning From It? That John is speaking of a kind of resurrection here is apparent from the second sentence of verse 5: This is the first resurrection words which obviously refer to the living and reigning with Christ of verse 4. But since the book was also intended for the church through the ages, its message is still relevant for us today. A notorious figure listed in the book of Revelation is called The Beast. So who is the beast identified in the book of Revelation? Peter speaks of new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness shall dwell (2 Pet. 65:17-25) are quoted from the New Scofield Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1967) which gives the King James Version with only a few minor revisions. When we do so we shall see that the premillennial interpretation of these two representative passages is by no means the only possible one. 65:17; 66:22; Rev. The second death, then, means everlasting punishment after the resurrection of the body. The end of chapter 19 depicts the fall and final punishment of the dragons two helpers: the beast out of the sea, and the false prophet, who appears to be identified with the beast out of the earth (see 16:13). The kingdom of God means nothing less than the reign of God in Christ over his entire created universe. Man of Sin - Uncovering the Truth About Antichrist. The fact that we are living in the last days now implies that we are already tasting the beginnings of eschatological blessingsthat, as Paul says, we already have the first fruits of the Spirit (Rom. Isaiah is not speaking here about a newness which will last no longer than a thousand years but about an everlasting newness! As regards future eschatology, amillennialism affirms the following: 1. Unbelievers and all those who have rejected Christ shall spend eternity in hell, whereas believers will enter into everlasting glory on the new earth. Another passage which ties in the restriction of Satans activities with Christs missionary outreach is John 12:31-32: Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. At this point one can well imagine the disciples raising a disturbing question: How can we possibly do this if Satan continues to deceive the nations the way he has in the past? Amillennialists do not expect to see the perfect society realized during this present age. This life is a life of great happiness (see Pauls words in Phil. The common denominator for all amillenaristic views is the denial of the Kingdom of the righteous on Earth before the general resurrection. (24) And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. There is a basic difference in the method of biblical interpretation employed by premillennialists and amillennialists. 666 and the Mark of the Beast -- Amillennialism 101. It means that we live in hope a hope that is built on faith and that expresses itself in love. In any event the reigning with Christ described here apparently includes having some part in Christs judging activity (see Dan. Amillennialism and the Mark of the Beast - The Highway Portal Calendar Active Threads Forum Search Member Spotlight Anthony C. NJ/PA Posts: 355 Joined: May 2016 XVII., and condemned the Anabaptists (historically, most Anabaptist groups were amillennial) and others 'who now scatter Jewish opinions that, before the resurrection of the dead, the godly shall occupy the kingdom of the world, the wicked being everywhere suppressed. The Lutheran Church formally rejected chiliasm in The Augsburg Confession"Art. They must rather be understood to mean that Jesus saw in the works his disciples were doing an indication that Satans kingdom had just been dealt a crushing blow that, in fact, a certain binding of Satan, a certain restriction of his power, had just taken place. Just too much Dispy influence to let such an opportunity pass. As far as the thousand years of Revelation 20 are concerned, we are in the millennium now. These words about the second death imply that the first resurrection which John has just mentioned is not a bodily resurrection. They have been present in some sense from the very beginning of the Christian era2 and are present now.3 This means that we must always be ready for the Lords return and that we may never in our thoughts push the return of Christ off into the far-distant future. Verse 17 speaks unambiguously about the new heavens and the new earth (which the book of Revelation depicts as marking the final state). They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. The New International Version renders these words as if they were a further description of the martyrs referred to in the preceding clause. John sees the risen and glorified Christ walking in the midst of seven golden lampstands. The vision of the glorified Christ together with the letters to the seven churches obviously form a unit. A proper kingdom vision, it seems to me, will help us to keep our balance on this question. When premillennialists therefore charge amillennialists with teaching a future kingdom which is only spiritual and which has nothing to do with the earth, they are not representing the amillennial view correctly. This work is particularly valuable in that it shows how the New Testament spiritualizes many Old Testament concepts: Zion, Jerusalem, the seed of Abraham, Israel, the temple, sacrifices and so on. This means that the new heavens and earth of Revelation 21 is a reference to God's presence, which is no longer confined to the Holy of Holies and which will then extend to all of creation. Amillennialism or amillenarism is a chillegoristic eschatological position in Christianity which holds that there will be no millennial reign of the righteous on Earth. Gerhard Kittel, ed., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, trans. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed (NIV). Needless to say, the vision here recorded would bring great comfort to the relatives and friends of these martyrs: John sees their souls as now sitting on thrones in heaven, taking part in the work of judging. Amillennialism or amillenarism is a chillegoristic eschatological position in Christianity which holds that there will be no millennial reign of the righteous on Earth. This fulfillment will not take the form of phenomena which are totally new but will rather be an intensification of signs which have been present all along. Indeed, this thesis would conclude that the eschatological beliefs of the period studied would be generally inimical to those of the modern system (perhaps, seminal amillennialism, and not nascent dispensational premillennialism ought to be seen in the eschatology of the period). Must Distinguish Between Beast and Man of Sin. (25) The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock, and dust shall be the serpents food. Amillennialism, Book of Revelation Millennium, Revelation 20, Sam Waldron One of the most debated portions of the book of Revelation is the identifying mark of the beast mainly the numbers 666. Aristion[when?] The names of these beliefs (including premillennialism and postmillennialism) do not refer to when the millennial kingdom will occur, but to when Christ will return to earth in relation to the kingdom. Also could not the imperalcult be looked upon as a tupe the antitype beingthe future antichrist. 14:9; 2 Cor. moment at the Messiah's reign. 666 and the Mark of the Beast -- Amillennialism 101. Because the exact time when Christ will return is not known, the church must live with a sense of urgency, realizing that the end of history may be very near. Back A Case for Amillennialism (2013) The Man of Sin (2006) Lion of Princeton (2015) First Corinthians: Lectio Continua (2013 Contributions to Multi-Authored Books Back 666 and the Mark of the Beast A Reply to John MacArthur Civil Religion Evil in the Millennial Age? "[30], The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches have long held amillennial positions, as has the Roman Catholic Church, which generally embraces an Augustinian eschatology and which has deemed that premillennialism "cannot safely be taught. 1 Corinthians -- Lectio Continua Commentary. Amillennialists also cite scripture passages that they believe to indicate that the kingdom of God is not a physical realm. These signs, however, must not be thought of as referring exclusively to the time just preceding Christs return. That such a charagama specifically refers to the imperial stamp on official documents (Sweet, Revelation, 217), indicates that whatever John means by this mark is directly tied to the states usurpation of that authority and honor which belong to God alone. 666 and the Mark of the BeastIf you are a futurist and believe that the beast of Revelation 13 is not connected to the Roman Empire of the first century and remains yet to be revealed at the end of the age (i.e., during the seven-year tribulation period, as dispensationalists teach), then you will not look at the mark of the beast through the lens of the New Testament and the historical situation when John was given his vision. We must see all of life and all of reality in the light of the goal of the redemption not just of individuals but of the entire universe. And given the breakneck pace of the advance being made in all forms of technology, it is only natural that futurists would see Johns reference to the mark of the beast as somehow connected to the technological advantage by which the beast and false prophet will enslave the inhabitants of the world and deceive them into worshiping the Antichrist.As futurists see it, when John speaks of the mark of the beast, hes essentially predicting that some future form of technology will be utilized by Antichrist to dominate and control the worlds population. In a clear and accessible manner, Kim Riddlebarger presents and defends amillennialism as the historic Protestant understanding of the millennial age. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. For if believers should here be thought of as having been physically raised, with glorified bodies, they would already be enjoying the full and total bliss of the life to come, and it would not need to be said that over them the second death has no power. For an expanded exposition of these verses, see Hendriksen, pp. But I would reply that the casting out of demons is an evidence of the presence of the kingdom of God (Mt. Though it is true that amillennialists do not believe in a literal thousand-year earthly reign which will follow the return of Christ, the term amillennialism is not an accurate description of their view. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Amillennialism and the Mark of the Beast: Portal Forums Calendar Active Threads: Forum How can we use it responsibly in Bible study? The number 6 represent incompleteness or man or imperfection, while 7 represent completeness, which is demonstrated after 70 AD when the Roman Empire falls. By inaugurated eschatology I mean that aspect of eschatology which is already present now, during the gospel era. All Rights Reserved, Ignorance, Unteachableness, Obstinacy and Carelessness Cannot be Conquered any Otherwise than by the Spirit of God, Monergism eBooks on Amazon in Kindle Format, Do Not Despise the Day of Small Beginnings, 14 Ways that God is Far More Excellent than Men, Those in Bondage to Sin are Still Duty Bound to Obey God. Amillennialism is sometimes associated[by whom?] Later in the chapter we are told that when the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations of the world to gather them together to fight against and, if possible, to destroy the people of God (verses 7-9). But in order to do so he will have to overcome a rather serious exegetical obstacle. Amillennialists, on the other hand, believe that though many Old Testament prophecies are indeed to be interpreted literally, many others are to be interpreted in a non-literal way.3 In the abstract, an amillennialist might agree with the definition of the premillennial hermeneutical method given by Walvoord. 5:8). 2:8). That this is the proper interpretation of these verses is clear not only from what has been developed above, but also from the fact that this chapter describes the defeat and final doom of Satan. Jay E. Adams, The Time Is at Hand (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1970), pp. See Martin J. Wyngaarden, The Future of the Kingdom in Prophecy and Fulfillment (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1934) for an elaboration and demonstration of the amillennial method of interpreting prophecy. Now follows the final judgment. 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