End Times Guide

Overview of Positions & Language

 Amillennialism

  • Overview: Amillennialism interprets the millennium symbolically rather than literally. It suggests that the 1,000-year reign of Christ mentioned in Revelation is figurative and represents the current church age. This view holds that Christ is reigning now through the Church and that there is not a literal future millennium where Christ will reign on earth before the final judgment.

  • Key Points:

    • The millennium is happening now, spiritually.

    • Christ's second coming will occur after this current, symbolic millennium to judge the living and the dead.

  • Adherents: Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther, John Calvin

  • Bibliography:

    • "The Bible and the Future" by Anthony A. Hoekema. This work provides a comprehensive overview of eschatology from an Amillennial perspective - discussing the second coming of Christ, the millennium, and the final judgment.

    • "A Case for Amillennialism: Understanding the End Times" by Kim Riddlebarger. Riddlebarger offers a biblical defense of the Amillennial perspective, addressing key texts and issues in eschatological debate.

PREMILLENNIALISM

Premillennialism is divided into several sub-views, mainly focusing on the timing of the rapture (the event where believers meet Christ in the air) in relation to the tribulation (a period of suffering and persecution) and the millennium.

Classic (Historic) Premillennialism

  • Overview: Believes that Christ will return before a literal thousand-year reign on earth. This view typically holds that the Church will go through the tribulation.

  • Key Points:

    • The rapture and the second coming of Christ are a single event.

    • Believers will face tribulation before Christ's return and the establishment of His millennial kingdom.

  • Adherents: Early church fathers, George Eldon Ladd, John Warwick Montgomery

  • Bibliography:

    • "The Blessed Hope" by George Eldon Ladd

    • "The Coming of the Kingdom" by Herman N. Ridderbos.

Pretribulational Premillennialism

  • Overview: Holds that the rapture will occur before the tribulation, sparing believers from this period of suffering, followed by Christ's literal thousand-year reign on earth.

  • Key Points:

    • The rapture and the second coming are two separate events.

    • Believers are raptured before the tribulation, which is followed by Christ’s second coming and then the millennium.

  • Adherents: John Nelson Darby, Charles Ryrie, John F. Walvoord

  • Bibliography:

    • "Dispensationalism" by Charles C. Ryrie. Ryrie explores the dispensationalist foundations of pretribulational premillennialism, including the rapture and the millennium.

    • "The Rapture Question" by John F. Walvoord. Walvoord provides an extensive examination of the pretribulational viewpoint, defending the timing of the rapture in relation to the tribulation and the millennium.

Pre-Wrath Premillennialism

  • Overview: A variant of premillennialism suggesting that the rapture will occur not at the beginning, but partway through the tribulation—specifically, before God's wrath is unleashed in the latter stages of the tribulation.

  • Key Points:

    • Believers will endure the initial tribulation but be spared from the wrath of God, which is distinguished from the persecution of the Antichrist.

    • The rapture occurs in the middle or latter part of the tribulation, followed by Christ’s return and His millennial reign.

  • Adherents: Marvin Rosenthal, Robert Van Kampen

  • Bibliography:

    • "The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church" by Marvin Rosenthal. Rosenthal introduces and defends the pre-wrath rapture position, arguing against both pretribulational and posttribulational perspectives.

    • "The Sign" by Robert Van Kampen. Van Kampen presents a detailed argument for the pre-wrath rapture, focusing on biblical prophecy and end-times signs.

Postmillennialism

  • Overview: Postmillennialism teaches that the millennium is a period (not necessarily a literal thousand years) during which Christ will reign through His Church, leading to a period of peace and righteousness before Christ’s second coming. The world will gradually become more Christianized, leading to a golden age or millennium of peace and righteousness on earth.

  • Key Points:

    • The millennium is characterized by the widespread success of the gospel and the Christianization of society.

    • Christ’s second coming will occur after this golden age.

  • Adherents: Jonathan Edwards, B.B. Warfield, Doug Wilson

  • Bibliography:

    • "The Puritan Hope" by Iain H. Murray. Murray explores the eschatological outlook of the Puritans, which often aligned with postmillennialism, highlighting their belief in the triumph of the gospel.

    • "He Shall Have Dominion: A Postmillennial Eschatology" by Kenneth L. Gentry Jr. Gentry provides a thorough defense of postmillennialism, arguing for the Church's role in fulfilling the Great Commission before Christ's return.

Dictionary of Major Terms

Covenantalism

A theological system that emphasizes the continuity of God's covenants with humanity throughout biblical history. It contrasts with dispensationalism by focusing on the unity of God's covenantal dealings with His people, often associated with Amillennial and Postmillennial perspectives on the end times.

Dispensationalism

A theological framework that divides history into distinct periods (dispensations) in which God interacts with humanity in different ways. Dispensationalism is often associated with a pretribulational view of the Rapture and a literal interpretation of the Millennium.

Eschatology

The branch of theology concerned with the study of the end times, including events such as the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the ultimate destiny of humanity.

Millennium

Refers to a 1,000-year period mentioned in the book of Revelation. Interpretations vary, with some seeing it as a literal future reign of Christ on earth (Premillennialism), others as a symbolic period representing the era of the church (Amillennialism), or as a time preceding Christ's return marked by the success of the gospel (Postmillennialism).

Rapture

The event in which Christians believe they will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. The timing and nature of the rapture are interpreted differently across various theological views, with some seeing it as occurring before the Tribulation, others midway through, and some at the end or as part of the Second Coming.

Second Coming

The anticipated return of Jesus Christ to earth, prophesied in the New Testament. Christians believe that this event will bring about the final judgment, the resurrection of the dead, and the establishment of God's kingdom in its fullness.

Tribulation

A period described in biblical prophecy as one of great trouble and suffering. Views on its timing and duration vary, with some traditions expecting a specific future period of tribulation before the Millennium or the Second Coming, while others interpret it more generally as ongoing persecution and suffering experienced by believers throughout the church age.