by Keith Sharp
Recently Sandy and I received in our mail box an ad for another “prophecy seminar” entitled “REVELATION OF TRUTH: Your Life Is About to Change Forever.” On the back it screamed “IS THE END NEAR?” These seminars promote premillennialism. “Those who believe that Christ will return and set up a 1000 year kingdom are called ‘premillennialists,’ meaning Christ returns first, then establishes the kingdom on Earth” (Lindsey. 164). (Hal Lindsey is a leading premillennialist. Nonbiblical quotesin this lesson are from notable premillennialists. – KS) Premillennialism is far more than just a false doctrine. It is an erroneous philosophy of Scripture study and a false world view. This study will document and prove false thirteen key elements of premillennialism.
Postponement of Prophecy
“It has been shown in tracing the theme of the Gospel of Matthew that the pivotal point in the Lord’s ministry to Israel was reached in the twelfth chapter, where the rejection of Israel by Christ, because of their announced rejection of Him, and the withdrawal of the offer of the kingdom is recorded. Gabelein, speaking of the events in chapters eleven and twelve, says: ‘It is the greatest turning point in this Gospel and with it the offer of our Lord to Israel as their King, as well as the offer of the kingdom ceases!’’” (Pentecost. 456).
This is absurdly false. First, it implies God did not know the Jews would reject Christ, whereas the Jewish rejection and crucifixion of Christ is the central theme of Old Testament prophecy about Christ and the basis of our salvation (cf. Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; Luke 24:44-47).
It also implies the Jews had the power to change the divine plan, although David plainly prophesied their rejection of Christ and announced God would “laugh” at them in “derision” and set up Christ as King despite the opposition of both Jews and Gentiles (Psalm 2).
The time element of the prophecies of the kingdom of the Lord is central to these promises, and to postpone them would be to make the prophecies false. Daniel prophesied the kingdom would be established during the fourth great kingdom from his day, that is, the Roman (Daniel 2:36-45). Either the kingdom of Christ was established during Roman rule, or Daniel was a false prophet.
Christ Not Now King
Premillennialists thus do not believe Jesus is presently in fact King on His throne. But the apostle Peter announced that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to sit on His throne (Acts 2:29-32). Either Christ is now King on His throne, or He has not been raised from the dead. To deny He presently actually reigns is to deny His resurrection. Our premillennial friends implicitly deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Church an Afterthought
They believe the church is an afterthought in the mind of God, a “plan B” to replace the kingdom at this time. “The church is manifestly an interruption of God’s program for Israel, which was not brought into being until Israel’s rejection of the offer of the Kingdom” (Pentecost. 201). The church is no “plan B,” it is the manifestation of the eternal plan of God for our salvation, and was in His mind before the world began (Ephesians 3:8-12). In fact, the church and the kingdom are the same (Hebrews 12:22-24, 28).
Jewish Regathering
Premillianialists contend, “The Jews who believe in the Messiah will also possess the land which is bordered on the East by the Euphrates River, and on the west by the Nile (Genesis 15:18-21)” (Lindsey. l65). The land promise to the descendants of Abraham was completely fulfilled in the day of Joshua (Joshua 21:43-45), and the promise of their restoration after the captivity was totally accomplished during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (Jeremiah 27:22; 29:10; Ezra 1:1-4; 2:70; Nehemiah 7:73).
Miraculous Conversion of Jews
They also assert that all living Jews will be miraculously converted to Christ. “This indicates that the real spiritual life would come with the rebirth of the people after, the restoration”(Lindsey. 50). God no longer treats Jews any differently from Gentiles. He is impartial (Acts 10:34-35; Romans 2:11) and has one plan of salvation for all (Acts 15:7-9; Romans 1:16-17; 10:12). When the Jewish nation crucified the Son of God, God cast them off as His people (Matthew 21:33-45). Now all, both Jew and Gentile, who have come to Christ in obedient faith are His people, His nation, His kingdom (1 Peter 2:4-10).
Reinstitution of Law of Moses
Premillennialists teach that the Law of Moses will once more be in force during the millennium.
“The main points are these: first, there will be a reinstitution of the Jewish worship according to the Law of Moses with sacrifices, and oblations in the general time of Christ’s return…. We must conclude that a third Temple will be rebuilt upon its ancient site in Old Jerusalem…. Jerusalem will be the spiritual center of the entire world and … all the people of the earth will come annually to worship Jesus who will rule there” (Lindsey. 45, 46, 165).
When Christ died on the cross, the Law of Moses and all that pertained to it were “wiped out” and “nailed … to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-17). Animal sacrifices cannot remove the guilt of sin (Hebrews 10:4). The “holy temple” of the Lord is His people, the church, in which God dwells (Ephesians 2:19-22). Any Jew (or Gentile) who returns to the Law for justification is “estranged from Christ” and “has fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:1-4).
Time of Christ’s Coming Known
These false teachers love to claim they know the return of the Lord is near. “If this is a correct deduction, then within forty years or so of 1948, all these things could take place… For all those who trust in Jesus Christ, it is a time of electrifying excitement” (Lindsey, 43, 47). In 1987 I received an anonymous booklet entitled “88 Reasons Jesus Will Return in 1988.” All 88 reasons were wrong! But this is one major appeal of premillennialism – “electrifying excitement”. No one but the Father knows anything about the time of the Lord’s return.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is” (Mark 13:31-33).
Premillennialists claim to know more than the Lord Jesus Christ does!
Secret Rapture
“The word ‘rapture’ means to snatch out away or take out. But whether we call this event ‘the Rapture’ or the ‘translation’ makes no difference – the important thing is it will happen…. Someday, a day that God only knows, Jesus Christ is coming to take away all those who believe in Him. He is coming to meet all true believers in the air…. in the Rapture, only the Christians see Him – it’s a mystery, a secret. When the living believers are taken out, the world is going to be mystified” (Lindsey. 126, 131).
The word “rapture” is nowhere found in the Bible, nor is the premillennial idea of the rapture there. Believers will be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17), but this will be at the Lord’s coming (1 Thessalonians 4:15), when “every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him” (Revelation 1:7). We won’t return to earth after seven years in the air, but “thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Two Resurrections
“… we believe the Bible distinguishes between the Rapture and the second coming of Christ and… they do not occur simultaneously” (Lindsey. 126). Believers will be “caught up” at the time of the coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:15,17), and all, both good and evil will be raised from the dead at the same hour (John 5:28-29).
Great Tribulation
“God’s word tell us that there will be one generation of believers who will never know death. These believers will be removed from the earth before the Great Tribulation – before that period of the most ghastly pestilence, bloodshed, and starvation the world has ever known” (Lindsey. 127).
The “great tribulation” occurred in the very generation to which Jesus spoke before His death (Matthew 24:21, 34).
Future Kingdom
“… if you interpret prophecy literally it does teach that Christ will set up a literal kingdom in time which will last in history a thousand years….” (Lindsey. 165). If you interpret prophecy literally, the only ones who will reign with Christ for a thousand years are those who have been beheaded for Him (Revelation 20:4). The kingdom of Christ has been here since the first century (Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9).
Material Kingdom
“Some contend that neither the Lord nor John ever offered Israel an earthly kingdom, but only a spiritual kingdom. Such a view entirely fails to comprehend the nature of the kingdom preached by John, the Lord, and His disciples” (Pentecost. 455).
“God’s kingdom will be characterized by peace and equity, and by universal spirituality and knowledge of the Lord. Even the animals and the reptiles will lose their ferocity and no longer be carnivorous. All men will have plenty and be secure. There will be a chicken in every pot and no one will steal it!” (Lindsey. 166).
The kingdom of God is the rule of God through His Son Christ Jesus in the hearts of His people (Luke 17:20-21; Matthew 28:18). It is not a kingdom like those of this world, upheld by armed might (John 18:36). It does not pertain to food and drink but to “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
Battle of Armageddon
“So here it is – the last great conflict. After the Antichrist assembles the forces of the rest of the whole world together, they meet the onrushing charge of the kings of the East in a battle line which will extend throughout Israel with the vortex centered at the Valley of Megiddo.”
“The nature of the forces which the Lord will unleash on that day against the armies gathered in the Middle East is described in Zechariah 14:12…. Has it occurred to you that this is exactly what happens to those who are in a thermonuclear blast? It appears that this will be the case at the return of Christ” (Lindsey. 154, 163, 164).
The kingdom of Christ is not defended by nuclear bombs! (John 18:36)
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, 20 English Standard Version).
Conclusion
Premillennialism is “destructive heresy” (2 Peter 2:1-3). It is far more than just an innocent speculation. Its perpetrators twist the Scriptures all the way from Genesis twelve to Revelation twenty. They deny the present reign of Christ as King, and their doctrine implicitly denies His resurrection. They twist the spiritual kingdom upheld by the sword of the Spirit into a fleshly kingdom upheld by armed might. They slander God by portraying Him as favoring fleshly Jews over Gentiles. They are modern Pharisees who would restore fleshly Israel, the Law of Moses, and the Levitical priesthood.
Christians have one hope (Ephesians 4:4). It is not a future, material kingdom on this earth, in which there is “a chicken in every pot, and no one will steal it,” but is an eternal home in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-5).
If you will be born again, born of water and of the Spirit, you can enter the kingdom of Christ even today (John 3:3.5).
Work Cited
Lindsey, Hal, The Late Great Planet Earth.
Pentecost, J. Dwight, Things to Come.
