This paper is to give Biblical rebuttal to those who say Christ’s millennial reign is spiritual and not physical – that it has been ongoing since He ascended on high and that there will not be a thousand year period originating at a specific location where Christ reigns, as described in Scripture.
Supplemental to this theology is the doctrine God has cast Israel aside and the church has replaced Israel. To bolster their arguments, the amillenialists refer to conspiracies to push Christians to agree with them, for they run short of Scripture to back up their theories.
Beware of Conspiracies
Many, to make their point appear valid, will refer to conspiracies – almost to scare one into believing as they. The problem is, conspiratorial evidence often overstates the case and reads more into the situation than really exists.
Satan and demons have influence all over the world and there are evil people mixed in with every good thing, such as in the church. This is the story of the wheat and the tares (Mat 13:24-30). Nonetheless, God has warned us not to fear conspiracies. God is in control. When we focus on conspiracies, we take glory from God and give it to man. May this never be among those who claim to worship Him.
Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. [Isa 8:12-13 ESV].
Certainly, if you look hard enough, there are connections between this sect and that sect – this government or belief and another such organization. But the fact is, as John McArthur put it, there are only two religions – or ways of viewing God and the world:
- The religion that man must pay for his sin; and
- The religion that God paid for mans’ sin. (Not his exact words).
Many sects, secular and religious, have connections because of shared beliefs and/or mutual friendship among leaders but this proves nothing. Usually what is broadcast by conspiracy theorists are circumstantial evidences which rely upon additional circumstantial evidences. Sometimes the case is shallow. Other times all the dots finally connect but never can a conspiracy trump the fact God is in control.
It is one thing to warn others of false doctrines but it is entirely another to think we can or must protect God by dispelling conspiracies. We warn of false doctrines by examination in light of Scripture not by alarming people with alleged dark conspiracies.
God Is Not Done With The Nation Of Israel (Church Has Not Replaced)
For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. [Rom 2:28 ESV].
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. [Rom 9:6-8 ESV].
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father,” for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. [Mat 3:8-9 ESV; see also Luk 3:8].
According to Scripture, a true Jew or son of Abraham is one who is by promise – by faith in Christ. Nonetheless, God has promised to prosper the nation of Israel. He will raise her up one day and all the inhabitants will turn to Christ. From Jerusalem, Christ will rule all the nations. For God the Father has covenanted two things with God the Son: 1) a bride – the church; and 2) a dominion – the nation of Israel. See also https://cominus.com/the-eternal-covenant-a-savior-for-mankind/
For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for Himself. [1Sa 12:22 ESV].
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see Me again, until you say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” [Mat 23:37-39 ESV; see also Luk 13:34-35]
In Matthew 23, Jesus promised a time of desolation for rejecting the Messiah. He also promised a time of restoration when He brings His kingdom to earth and rules from Jerusalem. Seven hundred years earlier, the Prophet Isaiah, foretold the nation of Israel would be restored after a second diaspora. This prophecy was partially fulfilled in 1948 and will be finally fulfilled when Christ comes to reign on the earth.
In that day the Lord will extend His hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of His people. . . He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. [Isa 11:11-12 ESV]
Jeremiah wrote God will restore Israel and forgive them of their sins. This has not yet been happened but will be fulfilled when Christ returns to reign.
I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against Me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against Me. And this city shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. [Jer 33:7-9 ESV].
Ezekiel spoke a similar prophecy, reinforcing the idea Christ will reign. Upon this return, God will purge the rebellious from the nation. This has not happened either but will be fulfilled when Christ comes to reign.
As I live, declares the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face. As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord God. I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. I will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me. I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord. [Eze 20:33-38 ESV; see also Eze 39:21-24].
These prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel have never been fulfilled. If God has abandoned Israel, they never will be – and this cannot be. Furthermore, the Prophet Zechariah prophesied a returning to Christ after they have crucified Him – and this has not happened yet.
And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on Me, on Him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over Him, as one weeps over a firstborn. On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land shall mourn, each family by itself. . . [Zec 12:10-12 ESV].
Zechariah also prophesied, in chapter fourteen, one day all the nations will gather against Israel to destroy her and it will seem as though they are winning. But Christ will come with miraculous power: the mountain will be split and the land turn to plains and those who fought against Israel will rot as they stand. Christ will be victorious and He will be king over all the earth and reign in Jerusalem.
And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one. The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses. And it shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction. Jerusalem shall dwell in security. And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths. [Zec 14:9-12 ESV].
Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. [Zec 14:16-17 ESV].
Much of the book of Zechariah has to do with the return of Israel and Christ’s reign in Jerusalem. These verses pulled here, have not been fulfilled and Scripture tells us God does not lie nor change His mind (Num 23:19; 1Sa 15:29). Therefore, we have to conclude God still has a plan for the nation of Israel.
In Romans chapter nine, the Apostle Paul laments that his fellow Israelites have turned away from God. Nonetheless, there will be a remnant saved and this will be a time of Gentiles turning to Christ. For the true sons of Abraham are those who believe. In chapter ten, saying his earnest prayer is for Israel to get saved. He compares the righteousness of the Law to the righteousness of faith and concludes all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Then he asks the question, “How can they be saved if they have not heard and how can they hear without a preacher?” But even with the preaching, Israel continued to reject Christ, so God will make them jealous by including the Gentiles. Finally, the eleventh chapter begins with the question, “Has God rejected His people (Israel)?” and the answer is an emphatic, “By no means.” Paul gives evidence he is of Israel and God promised Elijah there was a remnant – and there still is a remnant and they are chosen by grace. Then, after further discourse about the opportunity given the Gentiles, Paul talked about the mystery that Israel would be hardened until the fulness of the Gentiles come in. Then Israel would return. Right now, they are enemies of the Gospel for the sake of the Gentiles but regarding election, this will change. For just as the Gentile was once disobedient (during the Old Testament times) yet has received mercy, so too, the Jew will receive mercy. “For God has consigned all to disobedience, that He may have mercy on all.” [Rom 11:32 ESV]. According to the Apostle Paul, God is not done with the nation of Israel.
Revelation 19:15-21 says all the nations will be at war with Israel but Christ will come and wipe out all the foreign armies with their leaders. So much that the birds of the air will gorge themselves on the flesh. This will happen in the end times and has yet to occur. Thus, we must conclude, either God is a liar and His prophecies will be left unfulfilled or God will bring about His purposes, including what He has promised for the nation of Israel.
It is not over and God is not done with the nation of Israel.
Why The Current Age Cannot Be The Millennial Reign
. . . and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets long ago. [Act 3:20-21 ESV].
In this sermon, the Apostle Peter declared Christ would reign in heaven until the time to reign on earth, which was foretold by the prophets. This means Christ will have an actual, physical reign on earth.
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against Him who was sitting on the horse and against His army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth. . . [Rev 19:11-20:8 ESV].
This prophecy says before Christ establishes His throne, He will strike down the nations. This has not been done yet. We know this is not figurative language because 1) the angel is calling all the birds to gather for the carnage and 2) all the kings of the earth will gather with their armies to fight against the Christ. This prophecy will be a fulfillment of Psalms chapter two.
This prophecy of Revelation nineteen and twenty says Christ will rule with a rod of iron (see also Rev 2:27 and Psa 2:9). This is not happening now. We are living in the age of grace when God is calling all men to repent (Act 17:30).
This prophecy of Revelation nineteen and twenty describes the time of the Thousand Year Reign as Satan being bound. He has no influence among the people or the nations. As we look at the world around us, it is obvious Satan and his demons are alive, well and active.
This prophecy of Revelation nineteen and twenty describes the time of the Thousand Year Reign as those who died for Christ being resurrected and reigning with Christ. There is no evidence of this currently in progress.
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. [Isa 2:2-4 ESV; see also Mic 4:1-3].
This passage from Isaiah chapter two is a prophecy of the physical reign of Christ on the earth. Isaiah makes four points which will be characteristic of His reign:
- Jerusalem will be established as the capitol city of the world and Christ will reign from there;
- People will come from all the nations, seeking Christ’s instruction;
- Christ will judge the nations and decide disputes;
- There will be no war and weapons of war will be remanufactured into tools of production.
There is no evidence this is happening now. In fact, the world is threatening Jerusalem and wars are ongoing and imminent.
[B]ut with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His waist, and faithfulness the belt of His loins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of Him shall the nations inquire, and His resting place shall be glorious. In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people. . . [Isa 11:4-11 ESV].
This passage from Isaiah chapter eleven is a prophecy of the physical reign of Christ on the earth. Isaiah makes four points which will be characteristic of His reign:
- He will reign in righteousness and slay the wicked;
- There will be no predatory animals;
- The world will be full of the knowledge of the Lord and the nations will seek His counsel;
- He will bring back the nation of Israel.
None of this is happening now. In fact, the wicked prosper and they promote the distribution of predatory animals among the people – to our harm – and few seek the counsel of God.
At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart. [Jer 3:17 ESV; see also Isa 24:23]
Jeremiah prophesied Christ will rule from Jerusalem and the nations will seek the counsel of the Lord. This will be peculiar to Christ’s physical reign on earth, which is not happening now.
The Prophet Joel foretold Christ will reign, physically, from Jerusalem: “The Lord roars from Zion, and utters His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the Lord is a refuge to His people, a stronghold to the people of Israel. [Joe 3:16 ESV].
More prophecies not yet fulfilled and scenarios of the Millennial reign that are not present today:
- Zephaniah 3:14-20 says God will one day restore the fortunes of Israel, wipe out their oppressors and physically reign in their midst.
- Zechariah 2:10-13 says Christ will inherit His portion in Israel and will again remember Jerusalem and will physically reign in their midst and the mouths of scoffers will be stopped.
- Zechariah 8:2-9 says Christ will dwell in Jerusalem and the people will return to Him. People will live to an old age and there will be an abundance of children playing in the streets.
- Zechariah 9:10 says Christ will rule. Jerusalem will be at peace and there will be no war among the nations.
- Zechariah 14:1-21 – Israel will be utterly defeated in battle (this portion could have been fulfilled and/or it will happen again) Christ will overcome her enemies with super natural wonders. He will split the Mount of Olives so that it will become a refuge and the land will become a plain. Those who fight against Israel, their flesh will rot as they stand. Christ reign over all the earth from Jerusalem. People from all nations will bring tribute to Christ in Jerusalem.
- Revelation 16:16 says all nations will assemble for war against Israel at Armageddon and this has not happened yet.
When the Scriptures tell us Christ will reign for one thousand years in Jerusalem and that He will rule with a rod of iron and that all nations will give Him tribute, this is not figurative language. The Bible speaks of an actual, physical reign and Jesus Christ promised Israel will be destitute until the time He comes to reign in Jerusalem. Believe the Word of God.
