This Age and the Age to Come
Instead of giving you a long narrative supporting
amillenialism, I thought I'd give you a list of scriptures that you can check out. You can
then draw your own conclusions. If you choose not to accept amillenialism, that's fine. It
isn't a big deal. But, at least, you should come away with a better understanding of it
and realize that there are some intelligent reasons for believing in it.
I recommend getting a piece of paper, drawing a horizontal
time-line on it, and then adding in the events that occur on that time-line. For example,
on the left end of the line you can put the cross. On the right end you can put the word
"eternity." Somewhere in the middle put a vertical line. To the left of the line
write "This Age" and to the right of the line write "The Age to Come."
Then, put in the events as to when you think they will occur as you see the scriptures
relating them. You'll find, I believe, that there is no future 1000 year reign of Christ
because everything happens at the return of Christ. That's right, the millennium isn't
future; it is present. If you get to the end of the scriptures, I'll give you a further
explanation about the binding of Satan and when it may have occurred.
The basic argumentation is as follows: There are only two
ages spoken of in the Bible: This age and the age to come. If we can determine what they
are, when one ends and the other begins, and what happens and the end of the first, then
we can learn something. And that is just what happens, we learn a lot.
We amillenialists aren't wacko's, we're just amillenialists.
May the Lord be with you.
By the way. I am
convinced I am right. I am also convinced I could be wrong.
The Scriptures that establish there are Two
Ages
- Matt. 12:32 = blasphemy of the H.S. will not be forgiven in this age or the age to come.
- Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30 = we receive much in this age and in the age to come we will
receive eternal life.
- Eph. 1:21 = (the power of God) is far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,
and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to
come. (NIV)
In this age
- We will receive 100 times as much = Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30
- People are given in marriage = Luke 20:34
- The wisdom of this world is the wisdom of this age = 1 Cor. 1:20
- The rulers of this age are coming to nothing = 1 Cor. 2:6
- Satan is the god of this age = 2 Cor. 4:4
- Jesus rescued us from the present evil age = Gal. 1:4
In the age to come
- will receive eternal life = Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; 1 Tim. 6:9
- do not marry = Luke 20:35
As you can see, the Bible teaches that there are two ages: This age
and the age to come.
End of this age
- the rapture occurs = Matt. 13:39, "and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The
harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels" (NIV). Note: Read the
entire parable in Matt. 13:24-30 and its explanation in 37-43. The harvest is either the
judgment of the wicked or the rapture or both.
- The angels will separate the wicked from the righteous = Matt. 13:30
- weeds (wicked) are pulled up and burned in the fire = Matt. 13:40 13:49
At the end of this age is when the rapture occurs, the
wicked are separated from the righteous, and the wicked are judged ('burned in the fire').
Next comes the "age to come." In pre-millennialism, the judgment occurs at the
end of the 1000 year reign of Christ. But if the judgment occurs at the end of this
age, then where is the future millennium?
The Day of the Lord
Matthew 7:22 - Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' |
"That day" is the day of judgment. |
John 6:39 - And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none
of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. |
The resurrection occurs on the last day. |
John 6:40 - For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and
believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." |
The resurrection occurs on the last day. |
John 6:44 - No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,
and I will raise him up at the last day. |
The resurrection occurs on the last day. |
John 6:54 - Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and
I will raise him up at the last day. |
The resurrection occurs on the last day. |
John 11:24 - Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the
resurrection at the last day." |
"The resurrection occurs on the last day." |
John 12:48 - There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept
my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. |
Judgment occurs on the last day. |
Acts 2:20 - The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before
the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. |
The day of the Lord will be accompanied by celestial signs. |
1 Corinthians 1:8 - He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be
blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. |
The day of the Lord is a time when it is good to be found blameless. This implies a
judgment. |
1 Corinthians 5:5 - hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature
may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. |
The day of the Lord is a day of destruction and salvation. This implies the final
judgment. |
2 Corinthians 1:14 - as you have understood us in part, you will come to
understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the
Lord Jesus. |
The day of the Lord will be a time of boasting in Jesus, a time of testimony. |
1 Thessalonians 5:2 - or you know very well that the day of the Lord will
come like a thief in the night. |
The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. |
2 Timothy 1:18 - May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on
that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus. |
Mercy can be found on "that day." |
2 Timothy 4:8 - Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day -- and not only to me,
but also to all who have longed for his appearing. |
Rewards come on "that day." |
2 Peter 3:10 - But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens
will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and
everything in it will be laid bare. |
The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. |
The Trumpet Call
Matthew 24:3,31 - ...Tell us, when will these things be, and
what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? And He answered them
saying...And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his
elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. |
Apparently, at the end of the age the elect are gathered. This would
appear to be the rapture. |
1 Corinthians 15:52 - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at
the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we
will be changed. |
At the last trumpet, the dead will be raised. |
1 Thessalonians 4:16 - For the Lord himself will come down from
heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of
God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. |
At the trumpet, the Lord descends, and the dead are raised. |
Revelation 10:7 - But in the days when the seventh angel is
about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced
to his servants the prophets. |
The mystery is accomplished accompanied by the seventh trumpet. But what
is the mystery. |
Ephesians 3:3-6 - that is, the mystery made known to me by
revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to
understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other
generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets.
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel,
members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. |
The mystery is that the Gentiles are also to be included in the kingdom of
God and salvation. |
Revelation 11:15 - The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and
there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." |
The seventh trumpet is the last trumpet mentioned in the series of seven
of this section of Revelation. |
Summation of Scripture References
- The harvest occurs at the same time as the judgment of the wicked - Matt. 13:39
- The Judgment is at the end of this age - Matt. 13:39
- The weeds (wicked) are gathered and burned at the end of the age - Matt.
13:40,49-50
- The resurrection of the good is on the last day - John 6:39,40,44,54;11:24
- The resurrection of the good is at the end of this age - Mark 10:30; Matt.
13:39,40,49
- The resurrection of the good is on the day of the Lord - John 6:39-54; 1 Thess
4:16-5:2
- The elect are gathered at the end of the age with the sound of a trumpet - Matt.
24:1-31
- At the last trumpet the dead are raised and the rapture occurs - 1 Cor. 15:52; 1
Thess. 4:16
- Therefore, the resurrection and the rapture occur at the end of this age, which is
the day of the Lord, which is His return, which is the last trumpet.
All of this happens when Jesus returns. There is no room
for a future millennium.
The scripture references above are for your examination.
Hopefully, you will be intrigued by them and stimulated to new thought; that is, if you
aren't already amillenial.
Some will say that if we are in th millennium now, then what
about Satan being bound for a thousand years. First of all, that is taken from Revelation
20 where it says that the dragon was chained for a thousand years in a pit. People take
the 1000 years literally but nothing else. Will the devil, who is figuratively called the
dragon, be bound with chains (literally) and thrown into a pit? How do you bind a spirit
with chains? Is it figurative. Absolutely. Is the pit figurative? Absolutely. The whole
context is figurative, so why can't the 1000 years be figurative also? Remember, to God
1000 years is but a day and a day is but a 1000 years. As you can see, God uses the number
figuratively.
In addition, when Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who was
blind and dumb (Matt 12:22) and the Pharisees said that Jesus was casting out the demons
by the power of Beelzebul (Matt. 12:24), Jesus said, "But if I cast out demons by
the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can anyone enter the
strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And
then he will plunder his house" (Matt. 12:28-29).
Who is the one that must be bound in order for Jesus to be
able to cast out demons? It seems to me it must be the devil.
I invite your comments.
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Calvinist Corner
Copyright by Matthew J. Slick, B.A., M. Div., 1998-2006
I welcome your comments via E-mail at matt@carm.org
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