Premillennial Preterism
Premillennial Preterism is the term ascribed to those who believe that Christ returned in judgment upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70, not to end the millennium already in progress, but to
begin the millennium of a 1000 years. Unlike Premillennialism espoused by Lindsay and other Leftbehind advocates which holds the millennium to be yet future, it suggests the thousand years reign commenced in AD 70 and is ongoing.
As such, it shares partly in the “present millennium” view of Amillennialism only differing in the time of inception by 40 years. Amillennialist teach that the millennium began in A.D. 30, following the ascension and coronation of Christ, whereas the “prepret” view holds it began 30 years later.
I’m sure this is very confusing and so it is to the writer to some extent. To make it even more fun, the Postmillennial partial preterist believes that the millennium occurred from Pentecost until A.D. 70, but inserts the last days for the current time. So, the last days of Partial Preterism chronologically equals the millennium of Amillennialism and PrePret millennialism. Yes, its a brain burner.
On the other hand, the full preterit view of the millennium is that it occurred from about A.D. 30 at the ascension and coronation of Christ upon David’s throne and ended in A.D. 70 at Jesus’ coming in judgment upon Jerusalem. So, where the PrePret has the millennium beginning many full preterists see it as the terminal point.
Is the Millennium Literal Or Figurative?
It doesn’t matter which view is taken, it must be concluded that the millennium is not literal but figurative. Why? Because according to the text in Revelation 20:4, those in the millennium live and reign with him a thousand years. We will examine this in the light of the views expressed above. First, let us take the Premillennial Preterism view espoused by Dr. Duncan McKenzie.
If the millennium began in A.D. 70 and ends with the alleged future coming of the Lord, then the it must be a figurative representation of a thousand years. For a literal thousand years cannot extend beyond that number. 1900 years and counting does not equal one thousand. Thus, if the alleged future return of Christ is another thousand or million years away, the millennium is certainly a figurative number.
Premillennial Preterism Amillennial Ongoing Millennium
The same goes for the Amillennial view. Whatever time extends from Pentecost to A.D. 30 to the present and beyond means that the thousand years is figurative for the same reasons above.
The verdict is still out on the Premillennial view because they hold the event to be in the future, thus ascribing it to a literal one thousand years. But their view is merely speculative theory. Until it happens, it’s just blowing smoke. Further, for those who are pretrib and mid trib, they must add three and a half to seven years on the time anyway to account for their alleged future great tribulation.
Partial Preterism
The Partial Preterist “historical view” of the millennium likewise holds it out to be a “figurative” millennium. For it would commence from A.D. 30, and end with the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. That is the veiw expressed by Dr. Kenneth Gentry, Jr. in the book Three Views on the Millennium. Thus, the “thousand years” covers a 40 year period confined only to one generation, namely those in the first century. The commonality in all the views above is that they see a yet future final return of Christ extending far into the future.
Full Preterism
Similar to the partial preterist, the full preterist holds the pre-parousia reign of Christ starting on Pentecost A.D. 30 as the beginning of the Millennium when he sits upon the throne continuing until all enemies are placed under his feet in A.D. 70. That again argues for a figurative thousand years reign. Only, at the end of the millennium Christ’s coming in judgment on Jerusalem is the consummate coming and beginning of His eternal reign with the Father, Rev. 11:15; 22:4-6. Click here to learn more about fulfilled prophecy.
The 1000 years definetely has a figurative context, because God owns the cattle on a 1000 hills and is faithful to a 1000 generations and a day with the Lord is AS a 1000 years. 3 is the number for divine order and God is infinite. We now live in the AGE to Come which is without end. All prophecy was fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem and the scattering of the holy people in dan 12:7. This happened in 70ad as the war in Heaven Rev 12:7 was won by Michael our Messiah who destroyed his enemies the dragon to fulfill the 70th week of dan 9:27. This great tribulation fell on those that committed the GREATEST sin ever as they said in Mat 27:25 saying His blood be upon us and our children. These are the ones who deserved the great tribulation wrath. These were the ones who died in like manner to fulfill Isa 51:6. Once the world wakes up to these truths, then we can put an end to all these wars and rumors of wars. I hope you will help me spread these truths to your friends, Amen
The 1000 years definetely has a figurative context, because God owns the cattle on a 1000 hills and is faithful to a 1000 generations and a day with the Lord is AS a 1000 years. 3 is the number for divine order and God is infinite. We now live in the AGE to Come which is without end. All prophecy was fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem and the scattering of the holy people in dan 12:7. This happened in 70ad as the war in Heaven Rev 12:7 was won by Michael our Messiah who destroyed his enemies the dragon to fulfill the 70th week of dan 9:27. This great tribulation fell on those that committed the GREATEST sin ever as they said in Mat 27:25 saying His blood be upon us and our children. These are the ones who deserved the great tribulation wrath. These were the ones who died in like manner to fulfill Isa 51:6. Once the world wakes up to these truths, then we can put an end to all these wars and rumors of wars. I hope you will help me spread these truths to your friends, Amen
The 1000 years definetely has a figurative context, because God owns the cattle on a 1000 hills and is faithful to a 1000 generations and a day with the Lord is AS a 1000 years. 3 is the number for divine order and God is infinite. We now live in the AGE to Come which is without end. All prophecy was fulfilled in the fall of Jerusalem and the scattering of the holy people in dan 12:7. This happened in 70ad as the war in Heaven Rev 12:7 was won by Michael our Messiah who destroyed his enemies the dragon to fulfill the 70th week of dan 9:27. This great tribulation fell on those that committed the GREATEST sin ever as they said in Mat 27:25 saying His blood be upon us and our children. These are the ones who deserved the great tribulation wrath. These were the ones who died in like manner to fulfill Isa 51:6. Once the world wakes up to these truths, then we can put an end to all these wars and rumors of wars. I hope you will help me spread these truths to your friends, Amen
Do you believe (Babylon the Great Harlot) and Her prediction of elimination is Preterit or Futuristic?
Babylon, the Harlot is incontrovertibly Preterit, not futuristic. It is the great city where the Lord was slain, (Rev. 11;8) and the city which was drunken with the martyrs of Jesus who murdered the apostles and prophets. Jesus clearly denounced Jerusalem of the first century as the guilty party. Revelation is about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. Any attempt to take the book out of that first century context destroys the context, distorts the meaning and renders it impossible to interpret with any logical methodology.
Premillennial Preterism is simple: The Millennium is the period of the reign of the saints who were martyred by the Beast during the 42 months of his function. The Bible says it lasts 1,000 years, which is almost certainly a figurative number. The Millennium starts when the saints possess the kingdom per Daniel 7, after the parousia.
Doug Wilkinson
This statement, "the millennium starts when the saints possess the kingdom per Daniel 7, is a logical contradiction. The martyrs of the saints occurs in Daniel before the saints possess the eternal kingdom. The little horn (the beast) makes war with the saints and prevails against them until the Ancient of Days came and a judgment is given to the saints of the Most High. Then the time comes for the saints to possess the kingdom, i.e. the Parousia. The persecution and martyrdom all occur within the time of the old heaven and earth, at which destruction the millennium has ended. Sure the thousand years is a figurative number, but it (the millennium) does not extend into the new heavens and earth, i.e. past the judgment. The judgment of Dan 7 is the great white throne judgment of Rev. 20, reaching its consummation when the old heaven and earth, i.e. old covenant Judaism fell in 70 AD.
I agree with some of the points you made, but I think your point on Daniel 7 is wrong. Maybe you can specify when the particular portions of Daniel 7 happen. I'd suggest that the chronological sequence is that the Beast persecutes the saints for the 42 months leading up to the parousia, the judgment of the Ancient of Days is for the saints at the parousia, the saints who are killed by the Beast during that 42 months are raised in the First Resurrection at the parousia, the judgment seats are set up beginning the 1,000 years at the parousia, and the Great White Throne Judgment begins. This means that the Great White Throne Judgement initiates the 1,000 year reign of the saints (obviously to both of us, a figurative number). I agree with most of what you and Don are doing and enjoy your podcast very much, but I think this particular element goes too far.
Doug, I appreciate those comments, but I'm yet to see how it logically fits. Do you agree that the great white throne judgment is the end of the old heaven and earth? Do you agree that when the heaven and earth was destroyed, that was the fulfillment of every jot & tittle of the law and the prophets, (Matt. 5:17-18)? Do you agree that the prophecy of Satan's demise (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 16:20) was the end of the millennium, and also concurrent with the white throne judgment? Do you agree that Satan's demise was imminent, (Rom. 16:20; Rev. 12:10)? Do you agree that the New Heavens and earth are now present, and that the millennium is not a part of the new heavens and earth, (Rev. 21:1-3)? Do you agree that the resurrection is consummated at the Parousia and is concurrent with it, 2 Tim. 4:1?
I tried to respond but the comment was automatically deleted. What am I doing wrong?
1) Yes, it's initiated there but I believe it extends through the 1,000 year reign. 2) Not exactly. What passes away is what has to do with the Mosaic Covenant, not necessarily commentary on the New Covenant. The Old Testament, is about more than the Mosaic Covenant. 3) Not exactly. I'd say that his binding is at the beginning of the 1,000 years which is the same as his being put under Christ's foot. He's finally destroyed at the end of it. 4) Not exactly. He was subjugated and bound in the imminent time frame, but he was not completely destroyed until the end of the 1,000 years. 5) No. I'd say that the NHNE is currently operational and that the Millennium is the first portion of the NHNE. 6) Yes. I'd say that the general resurrection began at the parousia in 70AD.
No. 2. Please demonstrate any prophecy of the N.T. that is not a reiteration of O.T. prophecy. Paul said he taught nothing except what was written in the Law and the Prophets, Acts 24:14-15, and he specifically cited Daniel 12:2-3, saying it was about to be and per Romans 13:11-12, the hour to awake out of sleep (general resurrection) had drawn near. No. 6. According to Paul the resurrection had begun in beginning with Christ as the first of the first fruits, following the remaining N.T. saints as the second portion of those firstfruits (Jas. 1:18) beginning on Pentecost. Thus, resurrection began before 70 AD, Rom. 6:4-6; Phil. 3:11-13, and thus was being completed, (Phil. 1:5-6) at the parousia, at which time the dead ones (Israel and those extending back to Abel) would be raised, per Matt. 23:34-36, all within the first century generation. This preceded the new heaven and earth. Can you find another resurrection in scripture that extends beyond these parameters? Since the Millennium is the end of Satan, and the end of death, that takes us all the way back to Genesis, so no text referring to either can be outside the scope of what was written in the law and the prophets.
Why was it deleted?
Why was what deleted?
I know I am late to the party, I have a question. when did the Christ sit on the throne of David? (Luke 1:32)
John, I haven’t kept up to date on the blog for a while, but according to Acts 2:30, Christ was raised to sit on David’s throne at his ascension to the right hand of the Father. He would continue to sit until all enemies were made his footstool as a goal, and then continue to reign forever once all enemies were put down. Acts 2:34; 1 Cor. 15:25-28; Matt. 25:31.