The millennial kingdom

I. Contemporary Millennialism : 1. Definition of the Millennium : Premillennialism ; Amillennialism ; Postmillennialism

2. The moderns trend toward Amillennialism : The decline of Postmillennialism ; The resurgence of Amillennialism ; Trend toward Amillennialism in liberal theology ; Growing attack on Premillennialism

3. The Importance of millennial doctrine

4. Conclusion

II. The answer of Postmillennialism : 1. The rise of Postmillennialism : Postmillennialism not apostolic ; Rise of figurative interpretation ; Rise of Millennial Interadvent theory ; Failure of Augustinian Millennialism ; Joachim of Floris ; Postmillennialism before 1700 ; Daniel Whitby ; Postmillennialism becomes an influential system of theology ; Two principles of Postmillennialism Ii. Postmillennialism as a theological system

the postmillennial attitude toward the Scriptures

the postmillennial doctrine of the millennium

The postmillennial idea of progress

method of consummating the kingdom

the postmillennial doctrine of the second advent

summary of postmillennial theology

iii. Present decline of postmillennialism

the difficulties of the postmillennial system of theology

the inherent weakness of postmillennial system of theology

the inherent weakness of postmillennialism as a system

trend toward liberalism

failure to fit facts of current history

trend toward realism in theology and philosophy

trend toward Amillennialism

the remaining millennial issue III. Amillennialism in the ancient church

i. Amillennialism in the first century

no biblical record of millennial controversy

lack of evidence for Amillennialism in the first century

Is Barnabas Amillennial?

Conclusion

ii. Amillennialism in the second and third centuries

the second century without evidence for Amillennialism

beginnings of Amillennialism in the third century

the use of the allegorical method and platonic philosophy

heresies of Origen advance Amillennialism

beginning of decline of Premillennialism

testimony of first three centuries to Amillennialism

iv. Amillennialism for Augustine to modern times

importance of Augustine

Augustine on the millennium

the present age the millennium

trivial grounds for rejecting Premillennialism

summary of Augustinian Amillennialism

iii. The principle of spiritualized interpretation Iv. Augustine's concept of the present age

v. The failure of fulfillment of Augustinian Amillennialism

vi. Resulting revision of Amillennialism

the millennium the end of interadvent period

the millennium indefinite in length

vii. The Amillennialism of the Protestant reformation

reformers adopt Roman Amillennialism

Premillennialism superficially considered

viii. Modern Amillennialism

Amillennialism continues to follow Augustine

riles of the heavenly millennium view

summary of modern Amillennialism

V. Amillennialism as a method of interpretation

i. The issue

ii. The popularity of the Amillennial method

iii. Analysis of the Amillennial method of interpretation

Amillennial use of the literal method

Amillennial use of the spiritualizing method

iv. Dangers of the Amillennial method of interpretation

VI. Amillennialism as a system of theology

i. The growing importance of millennialism

ii. Amillennial influence on Bibliology

iii. Amillennial influence on theology proper

iv. Amillennial influence on angelology

v. Amillennial influence on anthropology

vi. Amillennial influence on Soteriology Vii. Amillennial influence on ecclesiology

viii. Amillennial influence on schatology

VII. Amillennial Soteriology

i. Historical development

ii. Relation of Amillennialism to covenant theology

iii. Covenant theology in conflict with Dispensationalism

iv. The reductive error of covenant theology

v. Conclusion

VIII. Amillennial ecclesiology

i. The influence of Amillennialism on Roman Ecclesiology

ii. The ecclesiology of the reformation

iii. The concept of the kingdom of God

iv. Amillennial ecclesiology in relation to Israel

the Amillennial dilemma

v. Amillennial ecclesiology in relation to dispensational distinction

vi. Conclusion

IX. Amillennial eschatology

i. Modern liberal eschatology

ii. Roman Catholic eschatology

iii. Reformed eschatology

X. The historical context of pre-millennialism

i. Importance of the evidence of history

ii. Premillennialism in the Old Testament

iii. Premillennialism in the New Testament

two forms of evidence

confirmation to Mary

confirmation by the teaching of Christ

confirmation by the teaching of Paul

confirmation by John

absence of controversy

iv. Extra-Biblical Premillennialism in the first century

v. Premillennialism in the second century Vi. Premillennialism in the third century

vii. Premillennialism from the third century to modern times

viii. Modern Premillennialism

infallibility of Scripture

Literal interpretation

evangelicalism

opposition to ecclesiasticism

emphasis on prophetic studies

XI. The theological context of pre-millennialism

i. Premillennialism a system of theology

ii. Principles of Premillennial interpretation

the literal, grammatical-historical method applied to eschatology

problems of the literal method

the literal method sustained by literal fulfillment

the question of relative difficulty of interpreting prophecy

the problem of the time element in prophecy

the problem of partial fulfillment

Premillennial principles of literal interpretation justified

iii. The Premillennial concept of te present age

iv. The Premillennial concept of Israel

v. The Premillennial concept of the second advent

vi. Conclusion

XII. Interpretation of the Abrahamic covenant

i. Importance of the covenant

ii. The provisions of the covenant

the promise to Abraham

the promise to Abraham's seed

the promise to Gentiles

further distinctions

iii. Literal versus spiritual interpretation

the Amillennial position

the Premillennial view of the covenant

threefold reference to the seed of Abraham

weakness of Amillennial exegesis of covenant passages

iv. Partial fulfillment as a proof of future fulfillment XVI. Will Israel be restored as a nation?

i. testimony of the Old Testament prophets

ii. The denial of this testimony

iii. Israel's continuance as a nation

iv. Israel's regathering after dispersion

v. Israel's possession of the promised land

vi. The restoration of Israel in the new Testament

the teaching of Christ

the general teaching of Romans 11

Israel promised deliverance from blindness

Israel's national salvation

Israel's restoration fulfills Abrahamic covenant

XVII. The kingdom promises to David

i. Importance of Davidic covenant

ii. Analysis of the promise to David

Old Testament confirmation

iv. Fulfillment at the first advent of Christ

v. Does the Davidic covenant require literal fulfillment?

vi. Does the historical partial fulfillment permit a literal interpretation?

vii. Is literal fulfillment in harmony with other covenants?

viii. The New Testament teaching on the reign of Christ XVIII. The new covenant with Israel

i. The promises of the New Covenant with Israel

ii. The problems of interpretation

postmillennial interpretation

Amillennial interpretation

Premillennial interpretation

iii. The provisions of the New Covenant

iv. General teaching of the New Testament on the new covenant

v. The new covenant for Israel in the New Testament

vi. The new covenant with believers of this age

vii. Conclusion

XIX. Premillennialism and the church

i. Bearing of ecclesiology on Premillennialism

ii. Major types of ecclesiology

covenant theology in relation to Premillennialism

kingdom theology

dispensational theology

iii. The church as a distinct body of saints of this age

use of ecclesia

use of ecclesia in the Septuagint

the church future in Matthew 16:18

the body of Christ formed at Pentecost

iv. The church age as a parenthesis

Daniel's seventieth week for Israel

many illustrations of parentheses in the Old Testament XX. Premillennialism and the church as a mystery

i. Is the church a separate purpose?

ii. The mystery of the one body

content of the mystery

Was the mystery partially revealed in the Old Testament?

Does the Old Testament teach the doctrine of the one body?

Relation to Premillennialism

iii. The church as an organism

Christ in you

Christ the fullness of the godhead bodily

The indwelling Christ the hope of glory

iv. The mystery of the translation of the saints

v. The content of the mystery of the translation

vi. Significance of the revelation

vii. The translation of the saints as a comforting hope

viii. The mystery of the bride

XXI. Premillennialism and the rapture

i. Four concepts of the rapture

Posttribulationism

midtribulation rapture

partial-rapture theory

Pretribulation rapture

ii. Arguments for Pretribulationism

Pretribulationism the logical outcome of Premillennial interpretation XXII. The great tribulation

i. The nature of the tribulation

place of Israel in the tribulation

place of Gentiles in the tribulation

the elect in the tribulation

ii. The tribulation in the Old Testament

iii. The New Testament doctrine of the tribulation

XXIII. The second coming of Christ

i. Old Testament prophecies of the second coming

ii. The second coming of Christ in the New Testament

His return to reign in posttribulational

a personal return

a bodily return

a visible and glorious return

a geographical event

accompanied by the holy angels and the saints

to judge the earth

to deliver the elect

to bring spiritual revival to Israel

to re-establish the Davidic kingdom XXIV. The resurrection and judgments at the second advent

i. Seven future judgments

ii. The judgment of the church

iii. The resurrection and judgment of tribulation saints

iv. The resurrection and judgment of Old Testament saints

v. The judgment of the living Gentiles

vi. The judgment of living Israel

vii. The binding of Satan and his later final judgment

XXV. The righteous government of the millennium

i. Views of the kingdom of God

ii. The millennial government an earthly kingdom

iii. Jesus Christ the supreme king of the millennial kingdom

iv. Characteristics of divine government in the millennium

v. The place of Israel in the government of Christ

XXVI. Spiritual life in the millennium

i. The glorious presence of Christ in the millennium

ii. General characteristics of spirituality in the millennium

iii. The millennial temple and worship of God

XXVII. Social, economic, and physical aspects of the millennium

i. Universal justice and peace

ii. Salvation of the majority of men

iii. The curse on the earth lifted

iv. General prosperity

v. Health and healing

vi. Cleavage of the Mount of Olives

vii. The exaltation of the City of Jerusalem

viii. Resulting changes in the land of Palestine XXVIII. The heavenly Jerusalem

i. The eternal home of all the saints

ii. Interpretations of Revelation 21:9-22:5

iii. Relation of resurrected saints to the millennial earth

iv. Scriptural grounds for commingling of resurrected and nonresurrected saints

XXIX. The close of the millennium and the eternal state

i. The final revolt

ii. The judgment of the great white throne

iii. The new heaven and the new earth