Part 7 of a Study of the Seven Dispensations
To some, the word “millennium” may seem to be a long-handled theological term shrouded with mystery. This article will attempt to identify and analyze the major views of this subject and provide a rationale for identifying the biblical view.
A. The Meaning of “Millennium”
The term “millennium” is derived from a Latin word and means a thousand (at times, the word “chiliasm,” taken from the Greek and meaning the same thing, is used) (Walter A. Elwell, ed. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, p. 714). Revelation 20:1-6 describes the devil as being thrown into a pit for one thousand years and Christ reigning on this earth with His saints. The issue is whether this millennium consists of a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth.
B. Analysis of Millennial Views
There are three major viewpoints regarding this kingdom. Two are non-dispensational, and the third view is dispensational. Each major view will be considered as to its definition and salient point of support, and finally, an evaluation of the view will be given.
I. Postmillennialism
“This view sees the kingdom as a golden age of spiritual prosperity during the 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” (Loraine Boettner, The Millennium, p. 14)
This view of the kingdom does not espouse Christ’s literal physical presence on the earth as King reigning over all of the earth. Rather, it is viewed as a golden age of spiritual prosperity on the earth as a result of the good news of the gospel permeating every area of society. Thus, it is the reign of Christians utilizing Christian principles rather than the reign of Christ. Postmillennialists espouse that the good news of the gospel was designed to extend to all the world (John 1:29; 3:16 17, I John 4:14), to which all views would agree. However, to say that the gospel was designed to extend to the whole world is a quantum leap away from saying that the gospel will be received by the whole world. In fact, Paul is rather explicitly clear that this gospel will not affect a sweeping change in the hearts of all men as he states in II Timothy 3:13, “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” Paul was not espousing an overpowering Christian movement that would ultimately produce a golden age of worldwide acceptance of Christ.
To say that the gospel was designed to extend to the whole world is a quantum leap away from saying that the gospel will be received by the whole world.
Another rubric in their system is the reference to leaven in the kingdom parables. Matthew 13:33 states, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven. ” The leaven, so they say, is the good influence of the gospel that ultimately Christianizes all of the world.
The typical use of leaven in Scripture consistently symbolizes evil influence rather than good influence. The sacred Passover feast was to be without leaven (Exodus 12:8, 14-20). This same word in the New Testament symbolizes “malice and wickedness” rather than sincerity and truth (I Corinthians 5:6- 8). It is symbolic of evil doctrine (Matthew 16:12). It is symbolic of external legalistic religion rather than genuine Christianity (Matthew 23:14, 16, 23-28). It is congruent with other Scriptures to interpret Matthew 13:33 as leaven being an evil influence within Christianity that will ultimately cause Christianity to go apostate in the continuum of history.
J. Dwight Pentecost, in his monumental volume Things to Come, summarizes the issue in analyzing Matthew 13:33. “The progress of the age is marked, according to this parable, (1) by the ministry of the woman. This evidently refers to the work of a false religious system (Revelation 2:20; 17:1-8). There will be the rise of false religious systems which claim to be in the kingdom. (2) The age is marked by the introduction of the leaven. This figure is used in Scripture to portray that which is evil in character (Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 2:11;6:17; 10:12; Matthew 16:6; Mark 8:35; I Corinthians 5:6, 8; Galatians 5:9). This corruption is introduced into the meal. Meal was used in the Old Testament (Leviticus 2:1-3) in connection with the sweet savor offerings and was typical of the person of Christ. This parable would reveal that there will rise a religious system that will introduce a corrupting element into the doctrines of the person of Christ” (Pentecost, Things to Come, p. 148).
In evaluating this view, the following thoughts require consideration:
The course of world history —related to spirituality, economics, orderly society and political purity, and present trends —is not in harmony with what postmillennialism espouses. History exhibits hard evidence that world-wide trends are moving in an opposite direction to what the Postmillennialist purports.
There is an incorrect interpretation of the symbolism of leaven as used in the Bible. Leaven is to be interpreted as the evil influence of apostasy upon the purity of true Christianity. Therefore, the parable of leaven in Matthew 13 has reference to the ever corrupting influence of organized religion upon true Christianity.
Postmillennialism tends to be congruent with humanistic effort in man bringing in the kingdom on his own.
Postmillennialism tends to be congruent with humanistic effort in man bringing in the kingdom on his own. But it will both be initiated and administered by the God of heaven (Daniel 2:44).
II. Amillennialism
This view holds that the present age will continue until the end of time with good and bad both in existence. At the end of time, Christ will come and quickly separate the saved from the unsaved and consign each group to its eternal destiny. Amillennialists view references to the millennium strictly as symbolic. Revelation 20 is symbolic of Christ reigning in the hearts of men after regeneration. Therefore, Revelation 20:1-6 is the reign of Christ in man’s heart after he is saved. The reign of Christ, in this case, is personal and internal. Others view Christ’s reign as taking place in the intermediate state, with the believer reigning with Christ in that state.
The salient points for this view are as follows:
Amillennialists concede that the Old Testament language indicates a literal kingdom concept. Geerhardus Vos, who is perhaps the most notable published author for Amillennialism, states, “In the Old Testament, the destiny of the nation of Israel to such an extent overshadows that of the individual, that only the first rudiments of an individual eschatology are found” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 981, “Eschatology”). What G. Vos is asserting is that the Old Testament writers seemed to make reference to a literal physical kingdom on earth. He then asserts that this literal concept of an earthly kingdom was revised in New Testament thought, and New Testament writers spiritualized it, relating it to the reign of Christ in one’s personal life after salvation. He states, “… the N. T. thoroughly spiritualized the conceptions of the last things “. (Vos, p. 981).
In evaluating the Amillennial view, the following points must be considered:
It is incongruent to interpret the first coming of Christ as earthly and literal and then adopt a non-literal interpretation of the second coming. The amillennialist is inconsistent in utilizing two different methods in interpreting the two comings of Christ.
The amillennialist is inconsistent in utilizing two different methods in interpreting the two comings of Christ.
Further, if the writers of the Old Testament had a literal concept of the coming kingdom and the New Testament retunes that to make it spiritual, it would appear that the Old Testament writers were recording mistaken concepts. This does a monumental injustice to the unity and inspiration of the Scriptures. Therefore, to view the millennium as symbolic of the spiritual reign of Christ in the heart after regeneration lacks consistency.
III. Premillennialism
Premillennialism espouses a literal coming of Christ to the earth, which will precede the millennial kingdom. This kingdom is to be understood literally — it will last for one thousand years, during which Christ will actually rule from a literal throne in the real city of Jerusalem. This view honors a consistent, literal, normal method of interpreting both fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecies. The millennial kingdom is as literal and real as the birth, the ministry, and the death and resurrection of Christ in his first coming.
The millennial kingdom is as literal and real as the birth, the ministry, and the death and resurrection of Christ in his first coming.
In all dispensations, there are some salient features that emerge, and the Kingdom is no exception. Each dispensation involves, to a degree, (a) a period of time, (b) a new revelation, (c) a definite responsibility, (d) a failure, and (e) a judgment. These salient features will be reviewed in the order listed above.
A. A Period of Time
Some of the dispensations are not bench-marked as encompassing a specific period of time. The most obvious of these are the first dispensation and the present dispensation of the church. The millennium is unlike that inasmuch as the Scriptures delineate it to be precisely one thousand years.
One must distinguish between the terms dispensation and kingdom. The dispensation itself lasts for one thousand years. Revelation 20:1-7 identifies the millennium as being one thousand years. The term “one thousand” is used six times in these seven short verses.
The Kingdom itself is an eternal kingdom which has no end. Daniel 2:44 identifies it as one which shall never be destroyed. In I Corinthians 15:24, Paul embellishes the thought by stating that after Christ has ruled in the kingdom, He will deliver it to the Father, and the kingdom will become a part of the eternal state.
B . New Revelation
One of the greatest revelatory entities that usher in the age is the personal appearance of Christ, which fulfills Isaiah 7:14.
The millennial kingdom is as literal and real as the birth, the ministry, and the death and resurrection of Christ in his first coming.
A second mention of new revelation is found in the prophecy of Joel 2:28. The dream and vision were very important media of God conveying revelation throughout the ages and the millennium will be no exception.
C. Responsibility in the Kingdom
All men in the kingdom will respond to the king’s authority in every way.
According to Alva J. McClain, life in the kingdom will be spiritual (John 3:3), moral (Isaiah 32:5), social (Isaiah 2:4), political (Matthew 19:28), physical (Isaiah 34), and ecclesiastical (Zechariah 6:12-13).
D. Failure of Men in the Dispensation
Even though all people who enter into the kingdom will be saved, it should be kept in mind that these people will bear children in the millennium, and these children will be as depraved as the rest of mankind as they enter this life (Isaiah 65:20). As a result, there will be widespread failure to respond to the King’s leadership and when Satan is loosed at the end of the millennium, he has a ready following of rebels who form an army to rebel against the King (Revelation 20:7-9).
E. The Judgment of this Dispensation
The judgment is two-fold, and the second part encompasses a greater constituency than just those in the millennium. Phase one: fire comes down from heaven and immediately and suddenly squelches the rebellion (Revelation 20:7-9). Phase two: the Great White Throne judgment is the final judgment when all unsaved throughout all ages are judged and confined to a permanent abode called hell or the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).
In conclusion, the millennium is not a myth as some may purport the Scriptures as a whole to be. It will be a literal historical kingdom on this earth.
In conclusion, the millennium is not a myth as some may purport the Scriptures as a whole to be. It is not a symbol of the permeating worldwide influence of the gospel as the postmillennialist sees it. Nor is it symbolic of the new birth as the Amillennialists see it. It will be a literal historical kingdom on this earth. The King will be Christ, the Old Testament Messiah (Isaiah 11:1- 10), and He will rule on a literal throne in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:9-11).
Russell H. Dell served as Dean of Baptist Bible College. He holds a B.A. from Northwestern College, an M.Div., Th.M., and Th.D. from Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Minnesota and also has done graduate work at the American Institute of Holy Land Jerusalem. He has served as a pastor, educator, and evangelist.
Originally published in the Baptist Bible Tribune, December 1991
Click here to read the Introduction to the Series.
Click here to read The Dispensation of Innocence.
Click here to read The Dispensation of Conscience.
Click here to read The Dispensation of Huma Government.
Click here to read The Dispensation of Promise.
Click here to read The Dispensation of Law.
Click here to read The Dispensation of Grace.
