Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:1-2
A millennium is a thousand years.
The book of Revelation teaches that Satan will be bound for one thousand years. End-times theology (the technical term is eschatology) focuses on the one thousand years.
When will it happen? Will it happen? Is it literal or figurative? Are we crazy for thinking such thoughts?
Some believe that the millennium is figurative and call their point of view “Amillennialism.” The “A” means “no.” They consider the book of Revelation to spiritually, not literally, describe end-time events.
Amillennialists view the victory of binding Satan as the victory of the church over evil. Of course, the question can be asked, “When has the church really been victorious over evil – totally and completely?”
Don’t spend too much time on Amillennialism because it is wrong!
Others believe in Postmillennialism – that the church age will be victorious and usher in the return of Jesus.
This viewpoint lost momentum in the years after World War I and II (it did not look like the church was becoming dominant politically) but has resurfaced in recent years. The new Postmillennialism teaches that Christians rise in influence in areas such as politics, entertainment, and business, bringing end-time victory for Jesus.
Don’t spend too much time on Postmillennialism because it is wrong!
Premillennial eschatology believes in a literal Millennium. Most believe Jesus raptures the church before the Millennium, then there will be a seven-year Tribulation. Jesus returns after the Tribulation to overthrow evil and rule with the church upon the earth for one thousand years.
Spend lots of time studying Premillennialism, because it is right!
I’m being humorous.
I believe the Premillennial viewpoint is the most Biblical, but it is not an issue of salvation. You can be “A,” “Post,” or “Pre” and still go to heaven. However, Amillennials and Postmillennials will be assigned traffic duty in the outer-universe for completely missing the point with hundreds of end-times prophecies.
Okay everyone – all together – LOL, again LOL! (When it comes to discussing eschatology, many Christians lose their sense of humor.)
I call myself a “humble Premillennialist” as those of us with this theology tend to make lots of charts – this verse relates to this event, this verse relates to that politician, this diagram explicitly demonstrates who will be the anti-Christ, and this chart makes it certain that Springfield, Ohio, will be the new Jerusalem.
All prophecy has literal intention and fulfillment, but the more specific Christians get with the actual, the greater potential for error.
Why am I a Pre-Millennialist? I believe that God gives real promises for the victory of Israel, the church, and creation – which can’t be fulfilled until Satan is bound.
Jesus will then rule for 1,000 years.
Amen. We will rule with him. I want to oversee Springfield, Ohio.
Interruptions will feature the Book of Revelation in 2021. Read #280, #281, #295, #307, #316, #333, #343, #364, and #380 at www.grantedwardsauthor.com for previous blogs on Revelation.
I’m writing 20 more blogs on Revelation in the next year.