The Bible clearly teaches a premillennial return of Christ.
a) Revelation plainly states that Christ’s thousand year reign begins after the devil is bound for a thousand years. Some claim this could be poetic language, not to be taken literally, but that is nonsense. To paraphrase A.W. Tozer, if your sweetheart wrote you a love letter filled with literal statements and poetic metaphors, it would be easy to tell which are which, and the same is true of the Book of Revelation.
b) It is prepostrous to think that THIS is the millennial reign of peace and holiness described in the OT and NT prophecies. Can anyone honestly say they believe the devil is currently bound and exercising no influence over the world? If THIS is the 1,000 year reign of Christ, I’m afraid it was highly overrated.
c) Far too many OT prophecies could only be fulfilled with a premillennial return of Christ.
Post-millennialism is pure nonsense. Amillennialism is slightly less ridiculous, but still clearly wrong.
This is not to be confused with the timing of the rapture, in relation to the return of Christ, which I believe is uncertain, quite possibly intentionally so, on God’s part.
You are absolutely correct. The only way to get post- or a- out of Revelation 20 is to distort the plain meaning of the Biblical text.
“c) Far too many OT prophecies could only be fulfilled with a premillennial return of Christ.”
This to me is the “Rosetta Stone.” It unlocks the puzzle. This is the missing piece to the jigsaw puzzle of prophecy.
I believe this “premillennial” period of time is the kingdom of God - here on this earth. But during this “eon” (the kingdom of God), Jesus Christ governs from His throne in heaven, with earth as His footstool. This is the time when I believe many OT prophecies will be fulfilled.
The “return” of Jesus Christ results in His Parousia, His personal presence because of who He is, in light of His many offices. This period, I believe, will last for the “millennium,” or the “thousand years,” or thereabouts. I’m not sure if it’s just one thousand, or a few thousand. Makes no difference. He will return, and He will be present. (I hate it when the translators set forth “coming” for the meaning of “parousia.” His coming again will result in His Parousia.
Agree. Our Father is like our own parent - takes care of His own and out of the way of any harm. Unless one truly knows The Father through a personal relationship, it would be hard for them to conceive of HIS GOODNESS and FAITHFULNESS.