Posted on 10/08/2025 8:49:37 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
The three main schools of Christian eschatological thought are all related to the controversial theme of the Millennium.
Perhaps the key text for explaining the differences between the Pre-Millennial, Post-Millennial and Amillennial camps is found in Revelation 20:1-7 where mention is made of Satan being bound for “a thousand years” (v. 2) and of those who “lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years”.
Let’s underline the differences.
1.- Premillenialism
The premillenialists can be divided up into two groups: the classic pre-mills and the dispensationalist pre-mills.
On the one hand, Classic Premillenialism, stemming from the time of the Church Fathers, believes that when Jesus returns He will establish His kingdom upon the earth for 1,000 years (which may be symbolic or literal). However, it does not hold to the idea that there will be a secret Rapture before the time of the Great Tribulation. This historical perspective understands the new people of God to be the church and therefore, the promises God made to national Israel will be fulfilled in the history of the church both before and after the Second Coming. Some classic pre-mills also point out that there will be a revival amongst the Jews just before the Lord’s return.
Dispensationalist Premillenialism, on the other hand, is different from the historical version of Premillenialism because it believes that Christ will rapture His church before the Great Tribulation. Dispensationalism, which was born in the nineteenth century but can be traced back to the time of the Fathers, puts a lot more stress on national Israel than Classic Premillenialism. Once the church is raptured, God will begin to work with the nation of Israel as in the days of the Old Covenant. The Jews will preach the Gospel and many Israelites and Gentiles will come to faith in Christ before His return. God will literally fulfil all of the promises He made to Israel in the Old Testament in the Millennium and the nation will reign throughout the whole earth.
2.- Post-Millennialism
Post-Millennialism, in stark contrast to Pre-Millennialism, believes that the Millennium occurs before Jesus’ Second Coming rather than after. Since Scripture speaks of the Millennium as a time of great prosperity for the kingdom of God, post-mills are inherently optimistic. The world, as they see it, is in an ongoing golden process of progress. Although this view is scarcely mentioned by the Fathers, it was championed by many of the English Puritans who believed that a huge awakening was soon to occur amongst Jews and Gentiles before the Lord’s return.
The 1,000 years do not have to be literal in post-mill thought. They merely symbolize a long time of advancement for the cause of the Gospel. Post-Millennialism reached its zenith amidst the cultural buoyancy of the nineteenth-century; but it was promptly struck down following the horrific tragedies that characterized the two World Wars in the first-half of the twentieth-century.
3.- Amillennialism
Last but not least, we come to Amillennialism which, etymologically, means ‘no Millennium’. So what about Revelation 20:1-7? Well, it would be unfair to say that a-mills do not believe in a Millennium; they simply believe that it is a symbolic, heavenly reality and not an earthly one. Christ is ruling right now over His church from heaven alongside his saints. And Satan is currently bound in the sense that he cannot prevent people from hearing the Gospel and believing in Christ.
Like Pre-Millennialism, Amillennialism enjoyed good standing amongst the Church Fathers. But unlike the pre-mill stance, a-mills are persuaded that Christ will not establish a 1,000 year reign on the earth after His Second Coming. Once He comes back, there will be a new heaven and a new earth. And what do a-mills think about the Rapture? Quite simply, they do not believe that there will be one.
That’s all for today!
I’m “Pan-Millinial ...
.
It will All Pan Out.
“It will All Pan Out.”
Yep. No mortal knows these things.
Be ready as Jesus could come at any moment or in a million years.
Satan was bound for 1,000 years, and the church in Israel was at peace. But in the year 1070 (1000 years after the destruction of Jerusalem) the Muslims invaded from Turkey, thus ending the 1,000 years of peace in Jerusalem.
:)
How many schools of eschatological thought can dance on the head of a pin?
Ah...millennialism.
which was born in the nineteenth century
/
Blatant worn out preterist go to bald faced LIE.
What did Yeshua (His real name) say?
Observe how each side sides quote scripture to state its case.
Arab muslims conquered Jerusalem in 637.
I agree in the “pan theory” too. There’s a reason for the confusion. God doesn’t want us to figure it out.
How about the predominant, historical view which is Catholic doctrine, but generally accepted by Orthodox and traditional Protestant denominations that we are living in the Millennium, right now?
And pagan Sasanian Persians conquered Jerusalem in bloody slaughter just before the Arab Muslims conquered it.
“Pan Theory”
.
Exactly!
The discussion is fine but each one carries different attitudes for Belivers.
Ultimately God is Incharge and Jesus stated He didn’t know “The Time”.
.
I’m good with that.
Why can't you disagree politely?
Why not assume that your opponent's beliefs are sincere rather than a lie?
I used to think that way, then I read Jeremiah 9: 23, & 24:
23 Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.
Now, I am happy that he wants us to know & understand.
Just my 2 cents.
Star Trek Future History show warp drive is to come in 2062. Issac Newton calculated that Jesus would return in 2060. Both are human calculations.
I’m of the school that says warp drive will arrive around 2060-2062. Maybe sooner with AI. The result will be millions of people going offworld to other solar systems around the galaxy.
It will look like something like the rapture. ... but it won’t be.
What a ludicrous interpretation of Scripture.
The church in Israel wasn’t at much peace when Saul was going around killing people and throwing them in prison for being believers, nor when Nero was persecuting them.
If that’s the best fulfillment of Bible prophecy you can come up with, you need a better God.
Yes, but they were from Egypt and let the Christians live in peace. It was the invasion from Turkey that ended this - leading eventually to the Crusades.
Our pastor gave a great sermon on it. Our church has three different campuses and three main pastors. They all held different beliefs on Jesus’ return. Our pastor said that is fine, but you need to be able to know your Bible and provide a reasoned and logical argument. And to discuss it with other Christians.
He said that he changed his mind on it once and is pretty firm in his belief, but he might change his mind again depending on the discussion and continued Bible reading and knowledge.
He then went on to tell us what he believed (traditional Pre-Millennialist) and the reasons why he believed that.
“We all agree of course that Jesus IS coming back. So we are all Pan-Millennialists.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.