Gone Millenial
Amillenial. It’s a word that might not mean much to you. It may warm your heart or send you on a verbal tirade all the same. My question is, how do you say it anyway? Is it ay-millenial or ah-millenial? The first time I came across it was in print, so I read it with the same intonation as “atypical” or “asymptomatic”. But apparently, I’m wrong. Most people say ah. Open up and say… Sorry, couldn’t resist. So, I’m going to have to say “ah” too or people will be forced to correct me. I could make a good case for “ay” but I’ll swallow my pride and try to speak the same language as everyone else. Whether or not I actually agree with the thinking behind that term is another matter.
Amillenial thinkers believe that there is no such thing as a particular literal period of a thousand years foretold in Scripture. They think that when it is mentioned 6 times in Revelation 20:1-8, it is only figurative. They think it does not refer to an actual one thousand year period of time. They would quote 2nd Peter 3:8 which says, “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.” What this actually accomplishes, I’m not sure. It might be helpful though for all of us to back up to verse 4 in 2nd Peter 3. There we find Peter addressing a hypothetical question from a group of folks he calls “scoffers”. This is what they say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” This is very helpful verse when considering what God has been up to on the planet until now, and what he is still planning to do. These “scoffers” are saying that it’s always been the same. From the time God made everything to now it has been the same day in and day out. They would be quick to quote Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Once again, they would be right, but I’m not sure what that accomplishes either. God is the same, but has it always been the same for us here?
Peter didn’t think so. He said, “OK, what about the flood then? Remember that? Every human on the planet died except for 8 souls.” Does that sound like it’s always been the same here? God judged the planet. He says he’s going to do it again. But the next time won’t be water, it will be with fire. Literally. Not symbolically or metaphorically. Fire. Elements burnt up in a fervent heat, Peter says. It’s going to happen. Before that time, there is going to be a literal period of one thousand years where Jesus is going to literally sit on the throne of David and reign on the earth as King. Did I say literally yet? I think you’re getting the picture. How many literal prophecies where fulfilled in the 1st advent of Jesus? Hundreds. From big ones like being of the physical human line of David, to little ones like drinking gall and vinegar, and riding on a donkey’s colt. These were specific predictions that came to pass exactly the way they were foretold. This should encourage us to no end. God means what he says! He doesn’t play games with us, making us do mental gymnastics to figure out what he is trying to say. The hard thing for us to do is to just take it at face value. We are far too prone to allegorize and spiritualize simple things that God never meant us to alter that way. He makes wise the simple, doesn’t He?
Paul warned the Corinthians to not let anyone lead them away from “the simplicity that is in Christ.” It’s simple. Whenever something is symbolic in Scripture, Scripture will tell you that it is! Let’s not make things complicated. The Bible was meant to be read in a plain, straightforward way that will be the highest blessing to those who view it so. So, if you would call yourself amillenial, don’t call yourself names. It’s not nice. Seriously though, if God can’t be taken literally, how can you be sure of what the figurative sense ever is? The next time someone asks you what eschatological persuasion you are, say “Aye-millenial” – Pirate’s can be theologians too!
BJ
Amillenial thinkers believe that there is no such thing as a particular literal period of a thousand years foretold in Scripture. They think that when it is mentioned 6 times in Revelation 20:1-8, it is only figurative. They think it does not refer to an actual one thousand year period of time. They would quote 2nd Peter 3:8 which says, “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.” What this actually accomplishes, I’m not sure. It might be helpful though for all of us to back up to verse 4 in 2nd Peter 3. There we find Peter addressing a hypothetical question from a group of folks he calls “scoffers”. This is what they say, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” This is very helpful verse when considering what God has been up to on the planet until now, and what he is still planning to do. These “scoffers” are saying that it’s always been the same. From the time God made everything to now it has been the same day in and day out. They would be quick to quote Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Once again, they would be right, but I’m not sure what that accomplishes either. God is the same, but has it always been the same for us here?
Peter didn’t think so. He said, “OK, what about the flood then? Remember that? Every human on the planet died except for 8 souls.” Does that sound like it’s always been the same here? God judged the planet. He says he’s going to do it again. But the next time won’t be water, it will be with fire. Literally. Not symbolically or metaphorically. Fire. Elements burnt up in a fervent heat, Peter says. It’s going to happen. Before that time, there is going to be a literal period of one thousand years where Jesus is going to literally sit on the throne of David and reign on the earth as King. Did I say literally yet? I think you’re getting the picture. How many literal prophecies where fulfilled in the 1st advent of Jesus? Hundreds. From big ones like being of the physical human line of David, to little ones like drinking gall and vinegar, and riding on a donkey’s colt. These were specific predictions that came to pass exactly the way they were foretold. This should encourage us to no end. God means what he says! He doesn’t play games with us, making us do mental gymnastics to figure out what he is trying to say. The hard thing for us to do is to just take it at face value. We are far too prone to allegorize and spiritualize simple things that God never meant us to alter that way. He makes wise the simple, doesn’t He?
Paul warned the Corinthians to not let anyone lead them away from “the simplicity that is in Christ.” It’s simple. Whenever something is symbolic in Scripture, Scripture will tell you that it is! Let’s not make things complicated. The Bible was meant to be read in a plain, straightforward way that will be the highest blessing to those who view it so. So, if you would call yourself amillenial, don’t call yourself names. It’s not nice. Seriously though, if God can’t be taken literally, how can you be sure of what the figurative sense ever is? The next time someone asks you what eschatological persuasion you are, say “Aye-millenial” – Pirate’s can be theologians too!
BJ
posted by BJ at 8:09 AM
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