The Millennial Question: Understanding the Book of Revelation 2 of 3 Greg L Bahnsen / Last Things

This recording has been released into the public domain by the Bonson Institute, where we aim to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. In session of this conference having to do with hope for the future, I want to ask the question, when will Jesus return? Well, none of us can pinpoint the day or the hour because Jesus himself said that that can't be done. In fact, Jesus said that even the Son cannot do that, only the Father alone. So with respect to his human nature, Jesus said that that information is not available even to Him. Of course, as God, he knows all things, and that's quite a mystery that we maybe could have another session to talk about how God and man come together in this one person. But the point is that Jesus as a human being does not know the time, did not know the time when he would return. We don't either. And it's to the great shame of the Christian Church that throughout the ages and even in our own generation, we have those who try to tell us when Jesus is going to come again. We need to learn our lesson and not embarrass ourselves and bring reproach upon the name of the Savior by trying to do that. The question I'm asking is not as to the precise day or hour when Jesus will return, but I want to ask when will Jesus return in relationship to a period of time described in the book of Revelation as the millennium, this 1000 year period that the Church has talked about for years and years and often argued about. Please turn from your Bibles to Revelation chapter 20 and we'll look at this text together and see if we can't answer our question, when will Jesus return in relationship to the millennium? Will he come back before the millennium or will he come back after the millennium? If you say that he'll come back before the millennium, then you hold to what is known as pre millennialism. Sounds like a big word, but it's really not all that big a deal, is it? The millennium refers to the 1000 year reign of Christ. The question is, will he come back before? If you say yes, then you're a pre millennialist. The return of Christ is pre millennial. If you believe that Jesus will come back after the millennial period, then you're a post millennialist. You hold that Jesus will return after this 1000 year reign. So basically, on the question of timing of Christ's return, there are two answers, premillennial and post millennial. There's another question as to the nature of the millennium itself, and on that Christians differ and we're going to be looking at that later on and more particularly in my third lecture. But for right now, the question is, what is the millennium? When is the millennium? And Revelation 20 is the answer to that question. Before we can look at Revelation 20, please be reminded of what has just been completed. In the 19th chapter of Revelation, John has been granted a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ as a victorious rider on a white horse riding through history with the sword proceeding from his mouth, by which he may conquer all opposition, so that the Gospel is seen as defeating every enemy. And because of this, there is a great supper that is celebrated. That supper, I maintain, if you want to pick up my other tapes on Revelation, refers to the celebration that we go through as God's people, hopefully in a weekly way. In the Lord's Supper, we remember that Jesus has died for our justification. Nevertheless, we have this vision of Jesus the conquering Savior, conquering by means of the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And the question's got to arise, how is that possible? How can it be that the Gospel is going to be victorious in conquering the nations? Sometimes people say, Dr. Bronson, haven't you watched the six o' clock news? Don't you know how bad it is out there? I mean, after all, I've listened to some of your series and you often talk about the deplorable state of the Church today. So the world's in a mess, the Church is in a mess. How can you possibly be optimistic that the preaching of the Gospel is going to be victorious? Now, I believe it with all my heart. And in my next lecture, I'll talk specifically about triumph of the Gospel in history. And I'll explain why I can believe that. But for right now, John's answer is going to be given to you. John goes behind the scenes now and he says, how is it in terms of the warfare between principalities and powers, how is it in the spiritual domain that things have come about that the Gospel can now conquer the nations? Revelation 20 is a vision that answers that question. And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years and cast him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him in order that he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years should be finished. After this, he must be loosed for a short while. And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them. And I saw those that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and such as worshipped not the beast, neither his image, and received not the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection over these. The second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years. And that's the end of our reading. John refers to a thousand year period, a millennium. And he says in this thousand year period will find that Satan has been bound with the chain for a particular purpose, that he should deceive the nations. No more until the end of this period. And then for a short while he'll be set free. During this thousand year period, John sees those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and are faithful to him, reign with him even if they've been beheaded, even if they've been martyred for the faith. They are reigning with Christ through this thousand year period. He talks about those who are reigning with Christ enjoying the first resurrection. The first resurrection. Others will not be raised until the end of the millennium. That will be then the second death at that point. And those who are ruling with Christ in this thousand year period, when Satan is bound that he should deceive the nations, no more are priests of God and of Christ reigning with him a thousand years. Well, it's a very short passage. Only six verses. You say, how could this cause any trouble? Wow. Little things have a lot of power. This passage has done a great deal. I won't say more than some other major issues that have come up in the Christian church, but it's right up there in the top the short list of those things that have separated the church in a very massive way. And so before I get into an explanation of it and taking a position with respect to the millennial rule of Jesus Christ, I want to make it very clear to those of you who are listening that we as Christians need to show a great deal of patience and love and charity toward each other as we talk about our differences. Sometimes the debates that we have seen in the Christian church over the millennium have degenerated into holy war or something akin to it, where sadly, it appears that those who take different positions won't even recognize one another as being fellow believers. It sometimes gets to the place where if you don't agree with someone's millennial position, they'll say, well then you're a liberal, you don't believe the word of God. And I want to say at the very outset here that I do not believe that about anybody who may disagree with the interpretation I'm going to offer you today. I believe that those people who disagree are mistaken. I mean, I'm not going to play games here and say, oh yeah, we can all be right, say whatever it means to you. That doesn't make any sense and it doesn't honor our opponents at all. I do believe they are mistaken, but I believe that they are Christians who are mistaken. I believe that if God would grant us charity and patience toward one another and some humility and enough time to talk it through, that all Christians should be able to come to one mind on this. But then again, that depends on a lot, doesn't it? The sanctified ability to differ with somebody and to keep talking and not to break fellowship over it or start hurling insults at one another because the other guy doesn't agree with you. Now my guess is you all know what it's like to have a theological disagreement with fellow believers who won't have that kind of humble, let's stick to this and in charity work it through with one another. It hurts, doesn't it? You know that. And it may well be that for all of my plea for a humble and teachable spirit among ourselves, accepting each other as believers, that people are going to get angry with what I have to say as well. I pray God that won't happen. I've seen a lot of it happen, so I know it's possible. But I want to encourage you if I can convince you of my point of view that you not become Godzillas with this truth going around stomping the Bambi's of this world who can't keep up with you in the argument. That is not the approach to theological discussion that I think is healthy in the Church of Jesus Christ. The church has been divided over the millennium and it's about time we just lay it out before you, then say here's what the issue is here, what the different views are, and then go to the Word of God as our final standard and with all humility say, I think this is what it teaches. That's what I'd like to do in this lecture is address the millennial question. We've read what the millennium is in Revelation 20, only six verses, but a lot of trouble has come from it. And if I can boil down that trouble into a summary statement. I'd like to point out there are three basic views with respect to the millennium. Among Bible believing Christians, we're only going to pay attention to those who take the Bible seriously. Three basic views with respect to the millennium. I've already called them premillennialism and post millennialism. Three basic views with respect to the millennium. Premillennialism, post millennialism. Have I forgotten something here? I thought you said three basic views, Dr. Ronson. Well, there are three basic views, but you have to see that the titles that have come to characterize these positions don't address the same issue. When we call one view premillennial and the other post millennial, we're referring to a timing question. Will Jesus come back before or after the millennium? But there's another school of thought that has come to be called amillennialism. But amillennialism is not addressing the temporal question, the timing question. With respect to the timing question, amillennialists are post mill. All millennialists believe Jesus is coming back after the millennium. If you only want to look at it as to timing, you have two pre mil and post mill. But now as to the character of the millennium, how we're to interpret the Bible with respect to this golden or quasi golden age, then there's a difference of opinion among those who are postmillennial historically and those who call themselves amillennial. Amill literally means no millennium. That's sad, because our Bible believing brothers who are amillennial don't say Revelation 20 should be cut out of the Bible. They don't say there is no millennium. What they are trying to say is the way in which pre and post millennial interpreters have seen a golden age or a semi golden age upon earth as the millennium. We don't believe that's going to happen. So we don't believe in a semi golden age upon the earth called the millennium. They're amil in that sense, although they fully, with all their hearts affirm the millennium as it's taught in Revelation 20. But according to them, what Revelation 20 is talking about is not great conditions upon the earth in the world before Jesus comes back again. So there are two temporal positions and there are two positions as to the essence or nature of the millennium. When you put them all together, you get three positions. Two. Two comes out. Three. That's called theological math. Let me describe these three positions incorporating both the questions of timing and the character of the millennium or the essence of the millennium. And then in this lecture, I'm going to look specifically at the timing question. And then the next lecture I'll address the essence or character of the millennium question. The three positions are pre, mil amil and post mill. Do you mind if I shorten this? I don't have a whole lot of time and I think I can gain a few minutes if I can drop the millennialism part. So I'll just refer to Premills, Mills and Postmills. Anybody have any problem with that? Okay. The pre mill position says that Christ will return prior to the millennium. And what is the millennium? It's a period of earthly prosperity for the kingdom of God that will bring righteousness, peace and prosperity to the world. According to the premillennialist, there is going to be a historical gap, a historical gap between the first resurrection, which is a physical resurrection according to the pre mill view. A gap between the first resurrection, which is physical when Jesus returns, and the second resurrection, which will take place at the final judgment of the wicked. So the premill view is that before the millennium, Jesus will come back pre mill and the millennium will be an earthly period of prosperity, righteousness, peace, prosperity for the world. And at the beginning of the millennium, there will be a first resurrection, and at the end of the millennium, a second resurrection now of the wicked for final judgment. Therefore, if you are a premillennialist and you think of the church age as distinct from the millennium, we are now in the church age, but we are not in the millennium. The millennium is future. After Jesus returns and there's a physical resurrection of his people, then there will be a millennial rule, and then the final judgment at the end. The church age is distinct from the millennium, which is a future period that's interim between the return of Christ and the final judgment. Now, I thought about whether I should have some charts or at least a blackboard so I can draw them. But I said, no, I'm not going to get into all that. So I just expect you to be able to think this through this visually, I think you can imagine this. You have the church age. Jesus returns and resurrects his saints. Then there's a millennial period of prosperity, and then there's the final judgment of the wicked. Therefore, the millennium is interim between the return of Christ and the final judgment. That's the really crucial point I want you to see. Well, two points. The church age is not the millennium, and the millennium breaks up the return of Christ and the final judgment. Now, if you happen to be a dispensationalist dispensationalism is a variation on premillennialism. Dispensationalists are pre millennial, but they have a particular twist, a particular set of distinctive views that makes them go beyond historic premillennialism and hold to other things. If you're a dispensationalist, that millennial period is especially characterized as a restored Jewish nation with Jesus physically ruling from Jerusalem with military might over the world. It's distinctively Jewish. Historically, one of the characteristics of dispensationalism has been to distinguish the church from Israel. This is now the age of the church. We're living in the church age, when gentiles are being saved and brought into the church and so forth. But when Jesus returns, what's going to happen is that it's going to be a distinctively Jewish nation that he rules over, and he's going to rule with military might over all the earth. Therefore, the premillennialist, and particularly the dispensational premillennialist, interprets Old Testament prophecies of kingdom prosperity as being literally fulfilled in a Jewish state that is yet future, that is separate from the church. What will happen during the church age according to premillennialism? Well, the church's preaching of the Gospel throughout the world will be of little avail as the world is going to grow worse and worse and eventually climax in what's known as the Great Tribulation. Now, the Gospel does need to go throughout all the world. Premillennialists will say before Jesus can return. But that's a witness. It isn't necessarily a victorious preaching of the Gospel. It will go throughout all the world. But the world is going to be getting worse and worse and worse, kind of like going downhill and. And then finally we're going to hit the Great Tribulation. If you are a dispensational premillennialist, you believe that before that period of great tribulation, the church is going to be raptured off the earth. If you are a historic premillennialist, you believe that the church will go through that great period of tribulation and then Jesus will return and raise the saints and there will be this earthly kingdom that, that he rules over until the final judgment over the wicked. That's not too hard, is it? Church age tribulation before or after the saints are going to be raptured, Jesus returns and raises the dead, then an earthly period of prosperity called the millennium, and then the final judgment. So this is what premillennialists believe. What do amillennialists believe now? Change the register, clear everything out and let's start again. Amillennialists say Christ will return after the millennium. I know that's confusing because that means they're post mill, right? That's fine. The amill post mill position or the post mill variation known as amillennialism. I'm really not trying to confuse you. I just want to make sure you get the point. They say Jesus is going to come back after the millennium, but the millennium is not a semi golden age on earth. The millennium doesn't refer to a semi golden age on earth. It rather refers to a time of blessing, either in the intermediate state, that is to say Christians who have died, their souls have gone to heaven and and they're enjoying the presence of Jesus there. That's what it's referring to. Or it's referring to the spiritual triumphs and blessings that are enjoyed within the church. So the millennium is a period of blessing either in heaven or it's a spiritual thing within the church for believers. According to the Amel position, Christ's return will actually synchronize with the general resurrection and the general judgment of all men at the very end of the church age. The Amel view is we're now in the millennium. However, the millennium does not refer to a semi golden age on earth. It's either in heaven or it's the spiritual triumphs in the church itself. So we are in the millennium now. And at the end of the millennium, instead of having this gap called the millennium, if you're a pre millennialist, you're going to have all men raised from the dead and all men judged. That's why it's called general resurrection, general judgment. It doesn't differentiate between some men being raised at the beginning of this period called the millennium, and then other people being raised at the end of the millennium. So the all mill view of history is we're now in the church age and at the end Jesus will return and all men will be raised from the dead and all men will be judged and then we enter into eternity. The millennium is that period between the first coming of Jesus and the second coming of Jesus, rather than a period between the first resurrection of the saints and the second resurrection of the wicked. If that helps you see the difference. We believe, if you're an Amil post mill. I happen to hold to this part of amillennialism. We believe that the millennium started at Christ's first coming and it's at the second coming. Of Jesus that it ends. So it is the interim between the comings of Christ rather than being an interim between the resurrections of the saints and the wicked. But if you're an Amiel post mill, if you're an amillennialist believing Jesus will come after the millennium, you think that the millennial period will see a parallel development of good and evil. That is, the world will not be conquered by the Gospel, will not be converted by the preaching of the Church, will not be subdued as yet to Christ the King. There will be individuals who are saved and they will enjoy within the confines of the Church, spiritual victories. And those who go to heaven will enjoy the presence of Jesus. But that's what the millennial blessing is all about. It has nothing to do with outward success for the Gospel and the world coming to be subdued and to obey Christ as king. In which case the prophecies of prosperity that we find in the Old Testament must be taken in a figurative way, referring to inner victories or heavenly victories, not things that pertain to flesh and blood matters, public matters out in the world between the two comings of Jesus Christ. What will the preaching of the Church achieve if you're an Amil? Well, Amils would like to be optimistic and I don't want to malign them here. They want the preaching of the Gospel to be very victorious. They want it to achieve widespread revival and conversions. However, the AML will say for all of that that we want it and we believe God is capable of it. There is no promise in the Bible that that's what will happen. The preaching of the Gospel by the Church, though it can have days of flourishing, will not achieve long term and pervasive success, according to the amil. And indeed a period of increasing lawlessness in the future will even set back the limited successes of the Church. The Church will preach the Gospel, the we'll see some revival, some periods of growth and so forth, but it won't be widespread, it won't be sustained over a long period. And at the end of time, increasing lawlessness will even set back the little that the Church. Well, to say little, I mean the Amiel might be a little insulted, put it that way. What has been achieved, it will not be a semi golden age, but what has been achieved. Even that will be set back by increasing lawlessness at the very end. So now you know two of the three positions, Premill and all. Mill, I'm going to review for you. I don't want to lose you here. Premill says Jesus comes back before the millennium. Then there's going to be an earthly millennium of prosperity. If you are dispensational, very Jewish in character, well, Jesus in a military way will dominate the earth. And at the beginning of this millennium, when he comes, he will raise the saints to rule with him. At the end of the millennium, Jesus will then judge the wicked, and that will be the final judgment. The Amul says, no, we're in the millennium now, and therefore Jesus is going to come back after the millennium when it's all done. And the blessings of the millennial period are not blessings outwardly political, economic, cultural, what have you. Rather, they're inward blessings of the church and the secrecy of our heart or in the intermediate state when we've gone to heaven to be with Jesus. That's what the Bible is referring to when it gives these prophecies of prosperity. And then at the end of the millennium, Jesus will come back and there will be a general resurrection. All men will be raised and all men will be judged and will enter into eternity. Now, I got one more view to tell you, and I hope you've stayed awake to this one, because this is the best one. This is the one that I believe is truest to the word of God. But I have to tell you something. Most everywhere you go where people lecture on this subject of the millennium, you would hardly hear anything about this position known as post millennialism. You know why? Because people will tell you there used to be a group of people known as post millennialism, but they've died out, so we don't have to pay any attention to them. Well, I'm here to tell you the dead are alive. We haven't done died out, and the truth of God has not gone away. It is true that people who have a misconception of postmillennialism have thought that it would have to dwindle and die out, because after all, there have been two world wars, right? Haven't you seen that? We have all these crises of morality and so forth in this world. How could anybody believe that the world's getting better and better and better? Well, but you see, post millennialists don't teach that the world's getting better, better and better and better in that way. There's nothing in the post millennial view that says there can't be a world war and there can't be apostasy and there can't be immorality and so forth. Post millennialists are not somehow liberal evolutionary humanists who think, well, everything is just so wonderful. You know, you get the impression sometimes in the way that post millennials are talked about, that they're just these kind of, you know, sickly Pollyanna people who go through the world, this whistling in the dark thing, who, oh, there's no evil out there. There's nothing to hurt us out there. Everything's going really great. And then people say, yeah, well, if you watch the news, if you know history, then you can't be a post millennialist. Well, you know, in debate, what that's called, that's called knocking down a straw man. Everybody can knock down a straw man. If you set up your opponent and have him teaching things, absurd things, which he doesn't really believe, it's not too hard to come along and say, boy, I can refute that. Well, I want to challenge you. If you come back to my third lecture, I'm not going to be so arrogant as to say that I can't be mistaken. I have to be teachable and humble before the word of God. But I think you're going to be very surprised at how strong a case can be made for post millennialism. Anyway, the post millennial position needs to be described. We are not dead, we are not gone, and we are not going away. We believe that Christ will return after the millennium, and that the millennium, therefore, is the church age. We are in the millennium now. And according to the post millennial position, the millennium is a period of growth for the kingdom of God on earth, growth wherein the world will gradually. And those who have died and gone to heaven, those who are martyrs, those who are saints, will be vindicated. That though they have gone to be with the Lord, their labors will not have been in vain. We believe, therefore, that the kingdom of God will gradually grow on earth, visibly, publicly, externally, it will be obvious to everyone. And we believe that those who die to go with Christ continue to reign with him even in heaven, and will be vindicated. Their labors will not have been for nothing. We believe that at the end of this millennial period, Christ's return will synchronize with the general resurrection and the general judgment of all men at the very end of the church age. So on this point, all mills and Post mills are identical. They believe that we are now in the millennial period. And at the end of the millennial period, all men will be raised from the general resurrection. All men will be judged. General judgment. So there is no millennial gap after Jesus returns that separates his return from the final judgment. The final judgment will be when he returns. So the millennium is the present age between the first and second comings. That is this period of Christ's kingdom on earth between his coming many years ago and when he will return. And it will be a period of prosperity for the gospel. There will be ups and downs, there will be periods of persecution, there will be immorality and lawlessness to deal with, but nevertheless, the overall pattern will be that of growth and success for the kingdom of God. Ups and downs along the way, but overall we're going to see success in the kingdom. Now, historically, some, not all by any means, but some postmillennialists, have referred to the latter period, what they call the latter day glory of the kingdom of God, as the millennium. But it's more common today for postmillennialists to refer to the whole period from the first advent to the second as the millennium. And I think that's exegetically from the teaching of God's word, the defensible position. But you will sometimes find postmillennialists saying, well, it's yet future, because that's the day of real prosperity that we're going to see. What kind of prosperity will we see? We'll see prosperity in the church. It will grow through the gradual conversion of the nations, through the preaching of the Word of God, not through military might, not through guns and bazookas, but by the preaching of the Gospel, the sword of the Spirit. The nations will come under the influence of God, be saved, be part of the kingdom of God. And that salvation of many people must have visible expression and influence in outward culture and society. You see, if we have the gospel in our hearts, if God has changed us, then we have to make a difference. That is, if we're the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. The gospel is going to defeat the darkness of the world. It's going to scatter it. The salt of the earth is going to do its work and preserve the world from destruction. It will be impossible, as we understand Christianity, for there to be a lot, lot, lot more Christians in the world. And yet the world is still going to hell in a handbasket. Because if there are more Christians, they're going to make a difference in society. And so we're going to see not perfection by any means, any more than we see perfection in our individual lives, but we will see a general improvement in the earth's condition, morally, culturally, politically, educationally, artistically, and on and on it goes. In which case, the prophecies in the Old Testament that speak of prosperity for God's kingdom are to be interpreted both figuratively and literally, depending on the context, depending on the author's intention, and they point to the visible victory of Christ's kingdom between his two advents. The preaching of the Church will disciple the nations over the long range by the power of the Holy Spirit. Worldwide conversion will gradually bring a period of extraordinary righteousness and prosperity. And then at the very end of that, for God's own reasons, that will be broken off and Satan will be loosed for a short period and bring about apostasy, upon which Jesus will return in judgment and all men will be raised and all men will be judged. All right, so now you got three positions. Now, the way in which a lot of people would like to do theology is now you go home and decide which one you like. The old smorgasbord approach, you know, well, we got fried chicken, we got roast beef. You know, we got spaghetti. What would you like to have? Which theology sounds good to you? What fits into your personality? Well, it's irrelevant what sounds good to you or what fits into your personality. Maybe you like this post millennial position because it's so optimistic and it glorifies God in terms of his sovereignty and history. Well, that would be wonderful. But you know what? If it's wishful thinking, it doesn't make any difference. A lot of people would like to believe in Santa Claus, too, but it doesn't make any difference that you like it. And there are some people who are more down in the mouth. You know, there really are people who like being negative. Have you ever noticed that? I hate to admit it. And they're in the Christian church, too. You know that. It's got to be glum. They've got to be critical. This world's a horrible place. Can't get any better. You just can't get them out of the doldrums that way. But you see, whether they, in terms of personality, tend to be negative or whether you tend to be optimistic, it makes no difference. The final question here is, what does the word of God teach about the millennium? And I'm going to try to take the remaining time of this lecture to establish that the premillennial and the dispensational understanding of the millennium cannot pass the test of Scripture. As a matter of fact, you cannot, from a biblical standpoint, hold that there's going to be a gap between the first resurrection and the second resurrection, and that you can't maintain that the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has not yet been established on the earth, nor can you establish any kind of discontinuity between Israel and the church, so that in the future the millennial kingdom will be Jewish in its character. And finally, you can't prove from Scripture that there's going to be a pre tribulational rapture before the millennium is instituted. Let's see if we can take each one of these points and knock them off one by one. Turn with me in your bibles to Matthew 12:28. Matthew 12:28. Jesus has cast out demons and his opponents have now accused him of doing so. By the power of Beelzebub, by the power of Satan. And Jesus says, but if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you? Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and spoil his goods? And except he. Now listen, this is crucial. Except he bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house. This text is fascinating because it teaches. Well, it teaches a lot of things, but two things that I want to draw out real quickly here. First of all, Jesus says, if I'm casting out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. So when does the kingdom of God begin? Does it begin in the future when Jesus returns and sets up an earthly millennium? No, the kingdom of God started in his first advent. He said, I'm now conquering Satan. How do you know? Because I'm casting out demons. So the kingdom of God has come. I recently met with a person who tries to in good faith defend old line dispensational position. One of the things that this person dislikes about modern, what are known as progressive dispensationalists is that they're willing to say that the kingdom has come in one sense, but it's not already fulfilled. And he doesn't like that. Now he does want to admit that Jesus is ruling, but he says specifically the kingdom of Jesus is not the Davidic kingdom. And so I want you to keep your finger in Matthew 12. We're going to come back to it in a moment, but turn with me now to Acts, the second chapter, where on the day of Pentecost, Peter is preaching Acts chapter two. And beginning at the 23rd verse we'll pick up Peter's words. Him being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. You by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay who, whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David said concerning him. So this is Peter's inspired interpretation of David's words having to do with the resurrection of Christ. I beheld the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand that I should not be moved. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover, my flesh also shall dwell in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades, neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou madest known unto me the ways of life. Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance. And then Peter says, brothers, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried. His tomb is with us unto this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne, the Davidic throne, he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of Christ, when is the promise to David to have his kingdom, rule over all fulfilled? Peter says, in the resurrection of Christ the promise to David is being fulfilled. He foreseeing the spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we are all witnesses. Being therefore now by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this which ye see and hear. For David ascended not into the heavens, but he himself said, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God hath made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified. My point here is that Peter declares with inspired accuracy that when Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God, that was the fulfillment of the promise of God to David that he would have such a kingdom and that all his enemies would be put under his feet. And so we must conclude that the kingdom has come, and it's the Davidic kingdom. In fact, Jesus said, all power and authority in heaven, on earth is mine. All authority. There is no kingdom that is not his. He is crowned with many crowns, including the crown of the Davidic kingdom. Anyway, back to Matthew 12. Now Jesus has said, if I cast out demons, then you know the kingdom of God has come. And this is the Davidic kingdom as well, mind you, as we have seen. But notice what Jesus says. For how can I be doing this if I haven't already bound the strongman. The beginning of this lecture, we looked at Revelation, the 20th chapter. And we said, revelation teaches us that during the millennium, God's people will enjoy what's known as the first resurrection. And during the millennium, Jesus will have bound Satan well. Now, Matthew 12 tells you when he bound Satan, doesn't it? He says, Satan was bound during his first advent. Therefore, the millennium has already gotten underway. According to Scripture, the kingdom of God has been established. Even the Davidic kingdom of God has been established. Now turn with me to John the sixth chapter. John 6:39, 40. And this is the will of him that sent me. That of all that which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone that beholdeth the Son and believeth on him and should have eternal life. And I will raise him up at the last day. Notice verse 44. No man can come to me except the Father that sent me. Draw him, and I will raise him up on the last day. When will Jesus raise those who are believers in him? When will Jesus raise up the saints? Will he raise them up, as the premillennialist tells us, 1,000 years before the last day of earthly history? See, there's a problem, isn't there? Jesus doesn't separate the resurrection of the saints by a thousand years from the resurrection of the wicked. In the last day of judgment, Jesus says that those who belong to him will be raised up, and that will be on the last day. On the last day. Moreover, the Bible teaches us that those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ have undergone a resurrection experience, that those who belong to the Lord Jesus have been spiritually raised from the dead. Turn back a chapter in John's gospel to chapter five, verse 24. Truly, truly, I say to you. He who hears my word and believes him that sent me has eternal life and comes not into judgment, but has. Pay attention. Passed out of death into life. He's no longer dead. He now lives. He's been raised from the dead spiritually. Truly, truly, I say unto you. The hour comes, and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And they that hear shall live. And then, verse 28, Jesus speaks of a different kind of resurrection now, a second resurrection. He says, marvel not at this, for the hour comes in which all that are in the tomb shall hear his voice and shall come forth. They that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment. And so Jesus in the Gospels tells us of two resurrections, one that is now taking place as those who are spiritually dead hear the preaching of the Gospel and they are raised to life. They pass from death into life. But Jesus says, don't marvel at that, because the day is coming when I will raise all men physically. They'll come forth from the tombs, and some will come forth to the resurrection of life, the other to the resurrection of judgment. Turn to Ephesians 2. Listen to what Paul tells us about our present experience as God's people. And you did he make alive when you were dead, through your trespasses and sins, wherein you once walked, according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the Spirit, that now works in the sense of disobedience, among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive through together with Christ by grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places. In Christ Jesus, Paul says, you were spiritually dead, but you've now been raised with Christ. You have gone through the resurrection. And not only that, you've been raised with Christ. And you sit with Christ in the heavenlies right now in you rule with Christ from His throne in heaven. That's God's view of your spiritual condition. What did John tell us in Revelation chapter 20? He said, this is the first resurrection. And those who enjoy the first resurrection sit on a throne with Christ ruling with him. I want to maintain that for all of the years of debate and all the animosity between schools of thought and the Christian church, there is biblically no excuse for this mistake. The Bible tells us when the millennium began. It began when Jesus in his first advent was casting out demons. He said, the kingdom of God has come upon you. I have bound the strong men. Moreover, we know that the millennial kingdom of God is characterized by the first resurrection. When we sit on the throne with Christ, Paul has told us we have been raised with him, and we sit with him in the heavenlies, reigning with him on his throne. We've ascended with Jesus, so the kingdom has come. The millennium has begun. And when will the millennium end? Revelation 20:9 tells us what will characterize the end of the millennium. I know we are Running through a lot of verses quickly here, but if you will scamper back to Revelation 20. We read that when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall come forth to deceive the nations which are in the 4 Cor. Earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to war, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up over the breadth of the earth and encompassed the camp of the saints about in the beloved city. And how did this rebellion end? John writes, and fire came down out of heaven and devoured them. Fire from heaven, destroying the enemies of God ends the millennium and ushers us into the final judgment. Turn with me in your Bibles to 2 Thessalonians 1 second Thessalonians 1:7:9. Paul writes, and to you that are afflicted, rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with the angels of his power in heaven, flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus, who shall suffer punishment, even eternal destruction, from the face of the Lord and the glory of his might. And so John tells us the millennium will end with fire from heaven, devouring the enemies. Paul tells us that's what's going to take place at the second coming. The Lord Jesus Christ will return from heaven in flaming fire, and he will destroy those who oppose God and the gospel. If we read the book of Revelation in biblical context, then we know that the millennium began at the first advent. It characterizes the condition of those who have been spiritually raised from the dead right now. And it will end when Jesus returns in flaming fire and judgment on the world. And when will Jesus do that? We've already read this in John 6 at the last day Jesus said, this will take place and there will be a general resurrection where all in the tombs will come forth. John 5 has taught us that all in the tombs will come forth, and at that day there will be a general judgment of all mankind. We can look at another text here. Matthew 25:32, 46 real quickly. Matthew 25, verses 32 and 46. I'll read verse 31 to put it in context. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him. Remember, Paul says, with the angels he will come in flaming fire and judgment. Then shall he sit on the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all the nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Look at verse 46. And these shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. And so on the final day, Jesus will return and all men will be raised from the tomb, some to a resurrection of life, some to a resurrection of judgment. All the nations will be gathered before him. He'll separate the sheep from the goats, and they will go away into eternal life or eternal judgment. And so I think that the biblical pattern should be clear to us here, that the millennium began at Christ's first advent. We are now living through that period of time. And there will be no gap between the resurrection of the righteous and the resurrection of the wicked in the future. No thousand year period is available to stick a millennial rule in there. Because the Bible says all men will be raised on the same day, and all men will be judged together on that same day, which the Bible calls the last day. And that's why it appears to me that we cannot hold to a premillennial understanding, much less a dispensational understanding of the millennium. Now, about dispensationalism, I want to say very quickly just two things. Dispensationalism is marked not only by the mistakes that we've already refuted in premillennialism, but by an emphasis upon a pre tribulation rapture in order to leave you wanting more. Let me just whet your appetite by pointing out that the great tribulation that dispensationalists talk about according to the teaching of Jesus has already taken place. Matthew 24:21, Matthew 24:21. In the midst of his discourse at this point, Jesus says, there shall be great tribulation, such as have not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor shall ever be. This is the reference. This is the verse from which we take this expression, the Great Tribulation. But now notice that Jesus, in referring to the Great Tribulation, is talking about a grave time of trouble for the Jews in the land of Palestine, verse 16. Then let them that are in Judea flee to the mountains. He says that at this time the temple is still standing. But he answered and said unto them, see ye not all these things. Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. Jesus was not talking about a time of tribulation for the entire world in the future. He was talking about great tribulation for Judea, for the Jews and his own generation. As we have said previously. And I want to remind you, verse 34 teaches us that all these things will take place within the generation of Jesus hearers. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away till all these things be accomplished. And therefore the great tribulation, which of course would call for a lecture in itself, the great tribulation is not something that is in the future, but according to Jesus own teaching has been taking place already in the past in the generation of his hearers. When the Roman army came in and destroyed Jerusalem, and especially abominated, they desolated and brought in abomination to the temple itself when they destroyed it. And so the tribulation is not yet future. And moreover, even if it were, the Bible doesn't teach there will be any secret rapture before the tribulation. In fact, the Bible is completely silent about any secret rapture. There's not a text in Scripture that you can point to to say that we're going to be raptured quietly. Look at 1 Thessalonians 4:16. We'll make this our last text first. Thessalonians 4:16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. There's going to be a rapture, but you notice it isn't going to be a quiet one. There's going to be the shout of the archangel of God and the trumpet of God, and we're going to be caught up before Christ. There's nothing secret about it. Then it's going to be the noisiest day in earth's history. And all the world will be brought to the attention of the trumpet of God, and the saints will be gathered before him first. And so two things about dispensationalism have to be said. First of all, the great tribulation took place in the generation of Jesus hearers is past. And the rapture that we yet expect in the future is not going to be a silent thing, that not going to be a secret thing, but the most public display of Christ's return imaginable. And therefore, if we let the Bible interpret the Bible, I hope you can understand Revelation 20 a bit better. Now Jesus has come in the past and he has bound the strong men. And those who believe in Jesus have been spiritually raised from the dead. This is the first resurrection. And they sit with him on his throne, ruling over all things, spiritually speaking. And there isn't a great tribulation in the future or a secret rapture. But the day is coming when visibly Jesus will come back, his saints will be gathered before him, all men will be raised from the dead, and all men will undergo the judgment of God. To put it very simply, from a biblical standpoint, we cannot theologically endorse a premillennial or a dispensational understanding of the millennium. And in my next lecture, I'm going to try to make clear that in the choice between the all mill and the post mill view, the post mill view has got the Bible on its side. Thank you. This recording has been released into the public domain by the Bonsen Institute. Duplication, sharing and distribution is encouraged. For more information for information about the life and Ministry of Dr. Greg L. Bonson, visit our website, bonsoninstitute.com where we aim to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.