Prophecy Amillennialism vs. Premillennialism There Have Always

Prophecy

Amillennialism vs. Premillennialism

There have always been discussions among church leaders and scholars regarding the end times and what will occur. The rapture, the return of Christ and the final battle between the forces of God and those of Satan have all been discussed ad infinitum. But, there is one set of beliefs that seems to still cause a great deal of debate among people in the Christian church. This split is between those who believe in a millennial kingdom that follows the rapture and subsequent tribulation period, and those who believe the words in Revelations 20 to be figurative (Slick). Though both sides offer support for their argument it is possible to find scripture that supports the premillennial point-of-view and refutes the amillennial.

The scripture where all the talk of a thousand year reign comes from is in Revelations 20: 2,3 which, from the King James version of the Bible, says;

"2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."

This seems to be fairly clear. There will be a period of time during which Satan is thrown into "a pit" and forced to remain there in chains for a thousand years. Later in the chapter it also sounds like during that thousand years Christ will reign on Earth.

Another portion of scripture that seems to deal with these issues and is often given as a reference for the belief that Christ will reign on Earth in a millennial kingdom is Daniel 7:25-27. It says;

"25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him."

The logic is that the first part of the prophecy is talking about Satan and how he is "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2) for a season, but there will come a time (spoken of in Revelations 20) during which he shall be stripped of all his power and that power given to the saints. This passage does seem to point to an earthly reign.

Another prominent scripture that seems to refer to an earthly reign of Christ is found in Isaiah 11. This is a famous portion of scripture that talks of what will take place when Christ comes to reign on the Earth. Isaiah 11: 6-9 says;

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.