PART ONE

Have you ever wondered or thought about what the end-times hold for mankind? We all know that no man knows what the future holds. Only God knows the future. Have you considered that God has given us a picture of what the future holds; particularly the end-times. Throughout the Bible God has given glimpses of the future; this is called prophecy.  In the following series we will discuss the prophecies concerning the future end-times events.

1. Premillennialism:

In Christian Eschatology (the study of end-times events), there are different views regarding the Millennium, which is a thousand-year period mentioned in the book of Revelation, specifically in Revelation 20:1-6. The term “Millennium” refers to the belief in a thousand-year reign of Christ, and there are three main views on how this period is understood:

– Pre-Tribulation Premillennialism: This view holds that Christ will return before a seven-year period of tribulation, which is followed by a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on Earth. During this time, Christ will rule with the resurrected and glorified saints. This view often includes the belief in a pre-tribulation Rapture, where believers are taken to be with Christ before the tribulation begins.

– Post-Tribulation Premillennialism: In this view, Christ returns after the tribulation period to establish His thousand-year reign on Earth. Believers go through the tribulation and are part of the resurrected saints who reign with Christ.

– Mid-Tribulation Premillennialism: This perspective places the Rapture and the beginning of the Millennium in the middle of the seven-year tribulation period. Believers are taken up at that midpoint, and Christ’s reign follows.

2. Amillennialism:

– Amillennialism takes a symbolic or non-literal approach to the thousand-year period. Instead of a physical reign of Christ on Earth, proponents of this view often interpret the Millennium as a symbolic representation of the present age of the Church. They do not expect a future earthly kingdom but believe that Christ is spiritually reigning in the hearts of believers.

3. Postmillennialism:

– Postmillennialism anticipates a future period of time during which the world becomes progressively more Christianized and Christ’s influence extends throughout society. This view sees the Millennium as a time of spiritual prosperity and peace brought about by the spread of the Gospel and Christian ethics. After this, Christ returns to judge the living and the dead.

Key differences among these views include the timing of Christ’s return, the nature of the Millennium (whether it’s literal or symbolic), and the role of believers during this period. The interpretation of the book of Revelation and related biblical passages play a significant role in shaping these views on the Millennium and end-times events.

PART TWO will be concerned with the Premillennialism Rapture views.