In the forth class of the series, we compare and contrast two end times views, Historic Premillennialism and Dispensational Premillennialism.

1. Premillennialism – Historic and Dispensational
C.S. Noren, 2017

2.  Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven,
holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit
and a great chain. And he seized the dragon,
that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan,
and bound him for a thousand years, and threw
him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over
him, so that he might not deceive the nations
any longer, until the thousand years were ended.
After that he must be released for a little while.
(Revelation 20:1-3 ESV)

3.  Also known as chiliasm.
 Papia, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus,Tertullian,
Methodius, and Lactantius.
 Revelation 20 speaks of a millennium (1000
years) after Christ’s return.
 One second coming (no prior rapture).
 No particular emphasis on the ethnic nation
of Israel as God’s chosen people.

4.  Second Coming of Christ – The future return
of Christ to earth.
 Rapture – An event where believers who
have died and will be raised and believers
who are still alive on earth shall be caught up
in the clouds to meet Christ in the air.
(Derived from the Middle French rapture,
which comes from the Medieval Latin rapture
(seizure/kidnapping), which comes from the
Latin raptus (a carrying off).

5. Christ’sFirstComing
Eternity
Millennium
Dispensational Premillennialism
Second Coming Final Judgment
Trib
Rapture
Millennium
Historic Premillennialism
Second Coming Final Judgment
Trib

6.  Second Coming of Christ:
 First resurrection of the saints.
 Satan bound
 Start of Christ’s 1000 year rule on earth.

7.  End of the Millennium:
 Satan loosed.
 Final great rebellion.
 Rebellion crushed.
 Second resurrection (of the wicked for judgment).
 Final Judgment.
 Satan and his followers cast into the lake of fire.

8.  Millennium appears to fit in a natural reading
of Revelation.
 Does not fall back to the shadows.
 Fits within the Reformed Confessions.

9. # Fit? Eschatology Principle
1 Yes The Church is part of the messianic kingdom of Christ.
2 Yes Modern Israel is not part of the messianic kingdom of Christ.
3 Yes Modern Israel is biblically not a precursor to the mass conversion of
the Jewish people.
4 Yes The land in the Bible is a type encompasses the entire universe for
God’s redeemed people.
5 Yes Return of Israel to the land refers to the restoration of all things in the
resurrection of believers in the return of Christ.
6 Yes No reestablished priesthood or sacrificial system will provide a proper
supplement to the current established priesthood of Christ and his
final sacrifice.

10. # Fit? Eschatology Principle
7 Yes It is illegitimate to have worship practices that put Jewish and Gentile
believers in different categories.
8 Yes The present and future messianic kingdoms will have Jews and
Gentiles in equal standing.
9 Yes The future messianic kingdom will not have a distinctive Jewish aspect
that will distinguish Jewish believers from Gentile believers.
10 Yes The future messianic kingdom will embrace the whole created realm
and not have a special region designated as the promised land.

11.  Death is not completely conquered on
Christ’s return because there is at least the
massive rebellion at the end of the
millennium.
 This contradicts 1 Corinthians 15:22-27; 50-56
 Sin remains in the world.
 This contradicts Romans 8:18-23.
 This contradicts 2 Peter 3:8-13.

12. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order:
Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end,
when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every
authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The
last enemy to be destroyed is death. …
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the
perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but
we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For
the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on
immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on
immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

13. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory
that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the
sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who
subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption
and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole
creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the
creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait
eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

14. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some
count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all
should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the
heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved,
and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of
holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of
which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as
they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in
which righteousness dwells.

15.  Final judgment occurs at the end of the
millennium, not at Christ’s second coming.
 Contradicts 2 Peter 3:8-13.
 Contradicts Matthew 25:31-46.
 Contradicts 2Thessalonians 1:5-10

16. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on
his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people
one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the
sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you
gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I
was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will
answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give
you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe
you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer
them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to
me.’

17. “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was
thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked
and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also
will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked
or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying,
‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to
me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal
life.”

18. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered
worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—since indeed God
considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to
you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not
know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will
suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his
saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony
to you was believed.

19.  Revelation uses highly figurative language.
 Revelation employs literary patterns of
repeating (recapitulating) views of the period
from Christ’s first coming to his second.
 The millennial placement after Christ’s
second coming is not necessary taught in
Revelation.
 Use clearer teaching passages to illuminate
the Revelation passage on the millennium.

20.  There are many contending end-times views.
 Many views are named based on how they
deal with the millennium.
 Historic Premillennialism (Chiliasm) seems to
be the first popular view.
 It was supplanted by Amillennialism during
the time of Augustine of Hippo.
 Historic Premillennialism had a recent
reprise.

21.  Historic Premillennialism is compatible with
Reformed confessions.
 It seems to follow a natural reading of
Revelation.
 Historic Premillennialism is difficult to
reconcile with many biblical passages.
 Revelation leaves room for other views on the
millennium.

22.  On weaknesses of Historic Premillennialism:
 https://eschatologystuff.wordpress.com/2007
/03/13/problems-with-premillennialism-by-
sam-storms/

23.  Major Distinctions
 Distinction between Israel and the Church.
 Eschatology – Premillennial with Rapture.
 Minor Distinctions
 Dispensations.
 Biblical Interpretive Distinctions
 Progressive Revelation.
 Grammatical-Historical Interpretation.

24.  Theology Simply Profound
 http://theologysimplyprofound.org/
 “A Podcast OfWestminster Orthodox Presbyterian
ChurchWhere God Powerfully SpeaksThrough His
Means Of Grace.”
 Has an outstanding series on Dispensationalism.
▪ Episode 22 (April 2016) – Episode 37 (August 2016), with
other relevant episodes.
 Look up “Theology Simply Profound” in iTunes or
your favorite podcast app.

25.  OT Prophecies concerning Israel are to be
literally fulfilled to ethnic Israel.
 Israel is not a type, it is the antitype.
 OT Symbolism is constrained.
 It is especially constrained in OT prophetic
statements.

26. ISRAEL
 The earthly chosen people
of God.
 OT promises and curses
relate to ethnic Israel.
 OT promises to Israel will
be fulfilled in the
millennium.
 OT trappings of temple and
sacrifices will be present in
millennium.
THE CHURCH
 The spiritual, heavenly
people of God.
 OT prophecies did not
mention the NT Church.
 The Church has a different
destiny or purpose than
Israel.

27. # Fit? Eschatology Principle
1 No The Church is part of the messianic kingdom of Christ.
2 No Modern Israel is not part of the messianic kingdom of Christ.
3 No Modern Israel is biblically not a precursor to the mass conversion of
the Jewish people.
4 No The land in the Bible is a type encompasses the entire universe for
God’s redeemed people.
5 No Return of Israel to the land refers to the restoration of all things in the
resurrection of believers in the return of Christ.
6 No No reestablished priesthood or sacrificial system will provide a proper
supplement to the current established priesthood of Christ and his
final sacrifice.

28. # Fit? Eschatology Principle
7 No It is illegitimate to have worship practices that put Jewish and Gentile
believers in different categories.
8 No The present and future messianic kingdoms will have Jews and
Gentiles in equal standing.
9 No The future messianic kingdom will not have a distinctive Jewish aspect
that will distinguish Jewish believers from Gentile believers.
10 No The future messianic kingdom will embrace the whole created realm
and not have a special region designated as the promised land.

29. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispensationalism#mediaviewer/File:History_of_Dispensationalism_Darby_III.svg

30.  Based on 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.
 Many other passages can be used.
 1 Corinthians shows a striking contraction in
“Rapture Doctrine”.

31.  The critique is based on the concept of proof
by contradiction.
 It depends on the law of non-contradiction:
Nothing can be true and false, at the same
time and in the same sense.
 If the premise being defended results in a
contradiction, then the premise is false.

32.  1 Corinthians 15:51-53 ESV: Behold! I tell you
a mystery.We shall not all sleep, but we shall
all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the
trumpet will sound, and the dead will be
raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
For this perishable body must put on the
imperishable, and this mortal body must put
on immortality.

33.  Dispensationalists identify 1 Corinthians
15:51-53 as a rapture event.
 Believers, living and dead, are caught up with the
Lord.
 Notice that “the last trumpet” is sounded.
 There is a problem with the last trumpet.
 Matthew 24:31

34.  Matthew 24:31 ESVAnd he will send out his
angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will
gather his elect from the four winds, from
one end of heaven to the other.
 Dispensationalists view this is the 2nd coming
of Christ … after the rapture in 1 Corinthians
15.
 This makes the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians
15 not the last trumpet.

35.  How can the not last trumpet of 1 Corinthians
15 be called the last trumpet?
 Four DispensationalTheories:
 The last trumpet with different blasts of the
trumpet.
 The trumpet sound is seven years long.
 Matthew 24:31 is not about the visible second
coming of Christ.
 This last trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15 is the last for
the Church.

36.  The last trumpet with different blasts of the
trumpet.
 Rebuttal: Does not work because 1 Corinthians
15:52 says the trumpet sound. It means this is the
last sounding of the trumpet.

37.  The trumpet sound is seven years long.
 Rebuttal:The stress on 1 Corinthians 15:52 is on
the quickness of the operation.

38.  Matthew 24:31 is not about the visible second
coming of Christ.
 Rebuttal: Matthew 24:30 is clearly visible:
Matthew 24:30 ESVThen will appear in heaven
the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes
of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son
of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with
power and great glory.

39.  This last trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15 is the last
for the Church. – Rebuttal:
 This theory means there is a qualification to the
last trumpet.
 Rule in interpretation is that there must be explicit
limited qualifiers in the context.
 There is no indication in 1 Corinthians 15 that last
is qualified in any way.
 The passage is cosmic and not limited in any way.

40.  The most straight forward and plain literal
reading of Matthew 24 and 1 Corinthians 15 is
that the rapture event of 1 Corinthians 15 is
identical to the second coming of Christ in
Matthew 24.
 Therefore there is no secret rapture of the
Church prior to the second coming of Christ.

41.  Dispensationalism is an invention in the
1800’s by John Nelson Darby.
 It’s major distinctives include different plans
of God for ethnic Israel and the Church and
the Premillennial Rapture view.
 The rapture view runs into many major
problems and contradictions when analyzed
biblically.