The Differing Theories

Before I go into why I believe that a Premillenial return of Christ is the most correct, doctrinally based interpretation of scripture I feel it fair to at least present the other views of the millennial timing held by other people. There are 3 main views for the timing of the rapture.

Let me define each theory for you:

What is the Millennium?

The thousand-year period mentioned in connection with the description of Christ's coming to reign with His saints over the earth (Rev 19:11-16; 20:1-9). Many Old Testament passages refer to the millennium (Isa 11:4; Jer 3:17; Zech 14:9).

These and many other Old Testament passages are often taken to refer only to the thousand-year period itself. However, it is often difficult in these passages to see a clear dividing line between the earthly period of the millennium and the eternal state of new heavens and earth. Therefore, it is best to let one's teaching about the millennium be drawn specifically from the words in Rev 20. The other great promises to Israel, while they have a temporary fulfillment in the thousand years, still await the fulness of the new heavens and new earth and the unhindered presence of Israel's king and the church's husband-Jesus Christ our Lord.

During that thousand-year period, Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit so he will not deceive the nations until his short period of release (Rev 20:3,7-8). The faithful martyrs who have died for the cause of Christ will be resurrected before the millennium. They will rule with Christ and will be priests of God and Christ (Rev 5:10; 20:4). The unbelieving dead will wait for the second resurrection (Rev 20:5). After the thousand years, Satan will be released and will resume his work of deceit (Rev 20:7-8).

The most important aspect of the millennium is the reign of Christ. Peter taught that Christ now rules from the right hand of God (Acts 2:33-36). That rule will last until His enemies are made His footstool (Ps 110:1). The apostle Paul also understood Christ to be presently reigning in a period designed to bring all of God's enemies underfoot (1 Cor 15:25-27). Thus the impact of Christ's present rule over the earth from God's right hand must not be seen as unrelated to His future reign during the millennium.

The position that holds to an actual thousandyear period in the future is known as the premillennial view. This interpretation does not diminish the power of Christ's present rule from heaven or limit that rule to the church only. That position sees the need for a thousand-year place in history for an earthly fulfillment of Israel's promises of land and blessing. It stresses that the one thousand years in Rev 20 are actual years and are not symbolic.

Why do I feel the Premillenial View is the best?

I would like to caveat this answer as well as everything else on this site by saying it is not my goal to make you agree with me, but rather to challenge you to prayerfully consider God's Word on the topics concerned so that you will develop your own conclusions based on His Word. I fully believe the promises laid forth in the Bible of a literal and physical earthly reign of Christ. I also believe that the Bible should be interpreted as such....literally...unless that is not possible. Take note though that where symbolism is used, that symbolism is usually defined plainly elsewhere in the Bible thus maintaining for me a literal interpretation.

A book I recently read lays out six key points to support a Premillenial view and even had an acronym to make it easy to remember:

P - Promises of God
R - Resurrection in Revelation 20:4-6
E - Earliest View
M - Most Natural Reading of Revelation 20:1-6
I - Imprisonment of Satan
L - Literal One Thousand Years in Revelation 20:1-6

P - Promises of God.
The premillennial view is the only view that allows for a literal fulfillment of God's covenants with Abraham and David.

God promised Abraham the following things (Gen 12:1-3 and 15:18)
1. That God would bless Abraham personally and that the whole world would be blessed by him
2. That God would give Abraham many descendants
3. That God would give Abraham and his descendants a specified plot of land forever and the boundaries are laid out in Gen 15:18.

The first two have been literally fulfilled. Abraham had many descendants and the world has been blessed via the Jewish Scriptures and the Jewish Savior. So, if the first two were literally fulfilled it is logical to conclude the third will be fulfilled literally also. Furthermore since the third promise is yet to be fulfilled, it must still be yet to be fulfilled in the future.

Next the Davidic Covenant. 2 Sam 7:12-16 tells us that God promised David that one of his descendants would sit on the throne and reign over his kingdom forever. Although the promise was not that the rule would be uninterrupted, but rather that David's line would maintain the right to rule forever. This promise was applied to Jesus when he was born (Luke 1:32-33). Premillenialists maintain that Christ must literally sit on David's throne on earth for this to be fulfilled.

Furthermore, in Matt 19:28 Jesus promised the disciples that in His kingdom they would sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Acts 1:3 tells that Jesus taught his disciples for 40 days about the kingdom. Apparently He had been teaching about the future restored kingdom for Israel and they wanted to know when it would occur. In Acts 1:6-7 He told them not to be concerned about the timing. IF they were mistaken in understanding about the restored kingdom would it not be logical to conclude he would have corrected them at that point?

Just before the ascension Christ confirmed that the kingdom would be restored to Israel. Therefore a future, millenial kingdom of Christ is the only possibility mentioned in Scripture when the Davidic covenant could be literally and completely fulfilled.

R - Resurrection in Revelation 20:1-6
In Revelation 19:11-19 John writes about his vision of the second coming of Jesus back to earth. In Revelation 20:1-6, the next section following the condemnation of the beast and false prophet and binding them for 1000 years, John discusses the resurrection of the dead after Christ has returned. Revelation 20:4 states "and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years". This millenial reign begins after Christs return and after the resurrection of the righteous dead.

Some will argue that verse refers to a spiritual resurrection or conversion, HOWEVER, the Greek word used in Rev 20:5 referring to the resurrected people in v.4 is anastasis. The Greek word anastasis is used 41 times in the New Testament and each time it refers to a bodily resurrection.

Since the resurrection and reign follow the second coming in Rev 19:11-21 one can conclude that they will literally follow the Second Coming in reality too. To me this is a pretty strong argument for a future, literal, and physical reign of Christ for 1000 years.

E - Earliest View
For the first two centuries premillenialism was the view of the church. Papias, a companion of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John (who wrote Revelation) believed as much. All of the other noted second and third century Christian scholars taught a literal earthly millenium. Some of these teachers were Irenaus, Apollinarius, Tertullian, Victorinus, and Lactantius. Justin Martyr also followed this school of thought.

M - Most Natural Reading
I believe that the premillenial view provides the clearest and most natural reading of Rev 20:1-6. This is the only passage in the Bible to specifically mention a thousand year reign of Christ. It occurs following the Second Coming and the resurrection. It requires no special interpretation to understand what is written.

I - Imprisonment of Satan
As noted earlier, other views contend that satan was bound (Rev 20:1-3) at the First Coming of Christ and he remains bound right now. Pardon my sarcasm, but, yea, right! This contradicts not only the ongoing events of the world around us, but how satan is pictured in the New Testament. Here are some examples:

"the ruler of this world" (John 12:31, 14:30)
"the god of this world" (2 Cor 4:4)
hindering believers (1 Thess 2:18)
"the prince of the power of the air" (Eph 2:2)
"like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8)

By looking at some of the descriptions from the New Testament, viewing the condition of the world today it appears that satan is not even remotely bound, and if he is, he's bound by a mighty long chain.

Also look at the description of the binding and imprisonment of satan in Rev 20:1-3....nothing like that is even remotely related to the First Coming of Christ.

L - Literal One Thousand Years
The premillennial view is the only one that consistently interprets Bible prophecy literally, both from the Old and New Testament. The other views tend to spiritualize many prophecys away by applying them to the church which they often claim is spiritual Israel.

The Bible itself provides the correct method of interpretation of prophecy. All of the prophecies of Christs first coming were fulfilled literally in His coming. It only makes sense to conclude the prophecies of His second coming will also be fulfilled literally. God doesn't change, why would He change what He means in His Word?

The thousand years is mentioned six times in Rev 20. Verses 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. The implication of that is significant moreover all the other specific references to time in Revelation imply literal time i.e. "ten days" (Rev 2:10); and "forty two months" (Rev 11:2; 13:5). Otherwise it is noted as phrases like "a little while" (v6:11) or a "short time" (v12:12)

In sum due to the natural and literal interpretations of Revelation, premillenialism allows for the literal fulfillment of God's promises, it follows the Bible's sequence for the Second Coming and resurrection, it is the view of the early church, it provides for the most natural reading of Scripture, it is the only one that doesn't claim satan is bound and provides for a literal view of Revelation, taking it for it's word.

Why Must There Be a Millennium

The millennium will serve at least four important functions in the eternal plan of God.

To Reward the Faithful: In the millennium the saints will be awarded positions of authority based on their faithfulness in life (Luke 19:16-19).

To Redeem Creation: The current earth is not the original one God created. If you recall, after the fall of Adam and Eve God pronounced 5 curses (Gen 3:14-19). The earth was the last one. That curse was described well in Romans 8:19-22. Isaiah 11:6-9; 35:1-7 and Ezek 47:8-12 paint some wonderful pictures of the redeemed earth of the millennial kingdom.

To Recognize the Promises of God: God made three unconditional and eternal covenants that will be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom. These are the covenants made with Abraham (Gen 12:1-3;15:18-21), David (2 Sam 7:12-16; Ezek 37:22-25; Amos 9:11-15; Zeph 3:14-17) and the nation of Israel (Jer 31:31-34; Ezek 36:24-26).

To Reaffirm the Total Depravity of Man: God's Word clearly teaches that man is sinful by nature and practice. After the thousand year reign satan will be looses for a season and will be able to gather a rebel army who apparently never submitted to Christ in their hearts. This is most likely people born during the millennium? This will prove without a doubt that regardless of heredity, circumstances or environment that man is sinful apart from God's saving grace. But the rebellion is crushed and all who remain move into eternity.

Resources:
Are we Living in the End Times? LaHaye and Jenkins, Tyndale House, 1999
101 Answers, Mark Hitchcock, Multnomah Publishers, 2001
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers