Premillennialism

Premillennialism (among some Christian Protestants) the doctrine that the prophesied millennium of blessedness will begin with the imminent Second Coming of Christ.

Premillennialism, in Christian eschatology, is the belief that Jesus will physically return to the earth to gather His saints before the Millennium, a literal thousand-year golden age of peace. This return is referred to as the Second Coming. The doctrine is called "premillennialism" because it holds that Jesus' physical return to earth will occur prior to the inauguration of the Millennium. It is distinct from the other forms of Christian eschatology such as postmillennialism or amillennialism, which view the millennial rule as occurring either before the second coming, or as being figurative and non-temporal. For the last century, the belief has been common in Evangelicalism according to surveys on this topic.

Some think that this idea was promoted by Justin Martyr in the 2nd century who was one of the first Christian writers to describe the “Jewish” belief of a temporary messianic kingdom prior to the eternal state.

Justin did write in chapter 80 of his work Dialogue with Trypho, “I and others who are right-minded Christians on all points are assured that there will be a resurrection of the dead, and a thousand years in Jerusalem, which will then be built... For Isaiah spoke in that manner concerning this period of a thousand years.”

The truth is he conceded earlier in the same chapter that his view was not universal by saying that he “and many who belong to the pure and pious faith, and are true Christians, think otherwise.”

One problem today is that many Modern Christians do not "belong to the pure and pious faith, and are true Christians". They have little or no daily ministration, which Justin also writes about except through those men who call themselves Benefactors but who exercise authority and the fathers of the earth who are often socialists who Jesus did not want us to pray to.

Some think that Irenaeus of the late 2nd century and bishop of Lyon was a premillennialist. He wrote Against Heresies in the 2nd century, opposing the Gnostic and considered them a threat. Irenaeus did write “The promise remains steadfast... God promised him (Abraham) the inheritance of the land. Yet, Abraham did not receive it during all the time of his journey there. Accordingly, it must be that Abraham, together with his seed (that is, those who fear God and believe in Him), will receive it at the resurrection of the just.”

Irenaeus had lots of ideas that premillennialist might object to, but creating eschatological views by picking quotes here and there can bring big money for ministers who tell the people what they want to hear. Irenaeus also held to the idea that the end of human history will occur after the 6,000th year. (5.28.3).

Origen challenged the doctrine of the few premillennialists. Some think he was a proponent of amillennialism. Dionysius of Alexandria among others stood against premillennialism.

So is there a premillennial, or a postmillennial, or is amillennialism correct?

Classic Premillennialism is distinctively non-dispensational, meaning there was no theological distinction between Israel and the Church. Dispensational premillennialism generally holds that Israel and the Church are distinct entities.

Yet thousands of Jews accepted Christ as king, and the Apostles worked daily in the government temple providing a eucharistic welfare by charity rather than taxes after Christ appointed them a kingdom.

Dispensationalism traces its roots to the 1830s and John Nelson Darby. C.I. Scofield popularized dispensational premillennialism through the Scofield Reference Bible. The popularity of their ideas grew as the Church moved away from being the main social support for Christians, and they let governments that exercise authority become the chief source of welfare for the Modern Christians. It was also during this time that the definition of Religion changed.

People equate all these prophecies with a Second coming. The phrase "Second coming" does not appear in the Bible. Many of these references, like coming in the clouds, are specific statements to certain people, like what he told Caiaphas.

Some of these references are likely different events.

Then there is a question as to what the reign of Christ would look like.

People have lots of preconceived notions about different interpretations of books like Revelation, and these notions produce a variety of eschatological doctrines, but many people seem to have trouble with the basics like thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.

You cannot be a socialist and Christian, from what Christ said, since socialism requires that men exercise authority over your neighbor to give you benefits.

All of this depends on how people think the kingdom of God looks and operates.

What would his reign look like?

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