Resolving the Post and Premillennialist Spat (part 2)

And The Last

Now, our postmillennial brothers (some of which are the greatest Christian apologists in history- notably Greg Bahnsen my personal favorite without a close second. Not counting obviously, Cornelius Van Til who discovered and developed presuppositional apologetics by God’s grace.) conflate the stages of Christ’s coming again (for his church and with all his saints) into one single event and no literal 1000-year reign. They see Psalm 110:1 as one of their strongest indications of their view that Christ reigns from heaven until all his enemies including death are destroyed. I think they tend to take this position due to the influence of Calvinism’s ‘particular redemption’ and ‘effectual calling’ upon their interpretation.

Postmillennialism, “thus, expects the gradual, developmental expansion of the kingdom of Christ in time and on earth.” (Gentry pg.71 He Shall Have Dominion) Postmillennialism confidently anticipates a time in earth history (continuous with the present) in which the very gospel already operative in the world will have won the victory throughout the earth in fulfillment of the Great Commission. "The thing that distinguishes the biblical postmillennialist, then, from amillennialists and premillennialists is his belief that the Scripture teaches the success of the great commission in this age of the church."21 During that time the overwhelming majority of men and nations will be Christianized, righteousness will abound, wars will cease, and prosperity and safety will flourish. (Gentry pg.71 & 21 Greg L. Bahnsen, "The Prima Facie Acceptability of Postmillennialism," Journal of Christian Reconstruction 3:2 (Winter 1976-77) 66.)

“After this extended period of gospel prosperity, earth history will be drawn to a close by the personal, visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ (accompanied by a literal resurrection and a general judgment) to introduce His blood-bought people into the consummative and eternal form of the kingdom. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (Gentry pg.72-3) Gentry states, “Simply put, postmillennialism is the view that Christ will return to the earth after the Spirit-blessed Gospel has had overwhelming success in bringing the world to the adoption of Christianity.” (pg.79) They view a dispensational framework as “the defeat of Christ's redemptive work in history: the gospel of salvation, the building of His Church, and the establishment of His comprehensive, worldwide kingdom: Christendom”. (Gentry pg.121) “As God's kingdom expands in history, it produces an explicitly Christian and biblical culture - Christendom - by means of the comprehensive application of biblical law.” (Gentry pg.143) But his survey of dispensational teachers is that they diminish the influence of the church as the ‘salt of the earth’ (he says God’s word would be culturally void- pg.143) by rejecting theonomy which doesn’t necessarily follow. Pre-tribbers can believe the church is holding back the man of sin from emerging for example. A dispensationalist might be a theonomist, might be a Calvinist, or might be neither but there is nothing coherent that demands it follows despite their insistence. Gentry continues: “Christ established the kingdom and then returned to heaven to await the historical conquest of all His enemies (Acts 2:33-35; 1 Cor. 15:21-27; cf. Matt. 28:18-20). He will not return until all things have been restored under His providential rule (Acts 3:21; 1 Cor. 15:25).” (pg.368)

Gentry recognizes the interpretive importance in this discussion, but he utterly fails when addressing the ‘shall come & is come’ principle we brought up at the first. With reference to Mal.4:5 prophecy he acknowledges what the disciples did in the Matt.17 passage- “there was a widespread anticipation among the Jews that the literal Elijah would appear before the end”. “There is a literal sense in which Elijah did come during the ministry of Christ, for He appeared with Moses when the Lord was transfigured (Matt. 17:3-4; Mark 9:4-5; Luke 9:30-33).” “The evidence is really quite clear that Malachi's Elijianic prophecy was fulfilled during the ministry of Christ.” “Christ dogmatically teaches His disciples that John Baptist had fulfilled the Malachi prophecy covenantally, which the Jews did not understand.” (pg.367) “The reason why John came in the "spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1: 17), and why he should have been received as "Elijah who was to come" (Matt. 11:14), is because he was the literal fulfillment of the Elijah prophecy.” (pg.369) Actually however, John was dead at this point, Elijah has just appeared on the mount and Jesus affirms “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” (Mt.17:11) One need simply read Malachi 4 and recognize the “great and dreadful day of the Lord” did not come in Jesus first appearance. Neither did the day come, “that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up”. “And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.” Therefore, it was not literally fulfilled and thus “Elias truly shall first come“. He would be sent to the Jews for their restoration (Behold, I will send you Elijah... v4-5) For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (Mal.3:6) Elijah himself was to come, and his appearance on the mount with Christ was not that as Jesus himself indicated. Our interpretive principle remains intact and postmillennialism remains in confusion. Gentry does recognize some aspect of this principle as well stating interpretations are “distorted, when the "now/not yet" understanding of the kingdom is overlooked. Just as there is a "now" aspect of the Messianic Kingdom (Matt. 12:28), as well as a "not yet" aspect (Matt. 6: 10)”. (pg.299) And again: “Christ's "now/not yet" teaching elsewhere, where He contrasts the short time until the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 23:36; 24:34) with that of the long wait for the second advent to end history (Matt. 25:5, 14).” (pg.303) So, he is aware of this 'hermeneutic’ but does not apply it consistently.

A particular reading of Psalm 110:1-2 is a major cornerstone of the postmill system. Gentry sees that “it clearly anticipates Christ's enemies being subjugated by Him. But He does this while sitting at the right hand of God ("sit until,,39), not in arising, leaving heaven, and returning to the earth at the Second Advent.” (pg.200) (Presumably not a "wooden literalist" interpretation where Christ does not stand.- Ac.7:56, Rev.5:6-7) Gentry shows the scope of postmill thinking here- “Early in Christ's ministry, He declared His kingdom's approach, and then set out to establish it through preaching and teaching. Upon His coronation, Christ began ruling judicially over the nations of the earth through spiritual means rather than by the sword. He rules representatively through His covenant people, just as Satan rules representatively through his people. Those who are redeemed are members of His kingdom. As they labor for Him, they rule by spiritual and ethical power. Their goal? To see all nations baptized in Christ. The essence of Christ's kingdom is spiritual and ethical, not political and racial.” (pg.231) And as history unfolds slowly as leaven the kingdom of heaven will permeate the kingdoms of the earth. They argue that the great commission (Mt.28:18-20) is an assurance of the conversion of the world to the gospel. Otherwise "the gates of hell prevail against it”. Jesus rhetorically asked, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Lk.18:8) Postill would answer with a hearty ‘yes’! “Christ will return to a truly Christianized world.” (pg.253)

This is at odds with Paul’s warning that “in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves... lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” He continued warning “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Tim.3) This fits the “end of the world” scenario Jesus described in Matt.24 as compared with the “end of the world” in the parables in Matt.13 we discussed in the first part. Jesus responded to the request for “the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world” (v3 not Jerusalem) with warnings of deception (v4-5) of the highest order (v23-6) iniquity abounding as the love of many shall wax cold (v12) wars and rumours of wars (v6) which arise from the lusts of the flesh (Jam.4:1-4). Nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places (v7) and this was just the beginning. (v8) Daniel saw “in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be” (Dan.8:19) when “the transgressors are come to the full”.  In the "appointed time" "at the end" (Hab.2:2-3), Habakkuk saw a time when "the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth." (1:4) (v23) Jesus warned us “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (Jn.16:33) Paul stated above we “shall suffer persecution”, and that “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God”. (Act.14:22) Instead of qualifying these teachings with ‘until the majority of mankind has converted’ Paul gave us the proper perspective that “we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience”. (Rom.5:3) James said “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations”. (Jam.1:1-4) We are reminded that God “comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble”. (2 Cor.1:4) The question was not if but “when they persecute you” (Jn.15:20, Mt.10:23, 5:10-12, 13:21, Mk.4:17, Lk.21:12, 2 Cor.12:10, Gal. 4:29, 5:11, 6:12).

The tribulation and persecution of God’s people would stop, not after a vast majority of mankind start attending postmillennial church services, but “when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven”. (2 Thess.1:7) Paul told the Thessalonians “we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power”. (2 Thess.1:4-9) When Jesus comes back the judgment won’t be upon a few stragglers and hold outs but “by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.” (Isa.66:16) The LORD’s controversy will be with “all the inhabitants of the earth” (Jer.25:30); “the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh” (v31) “And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth”. (v33) This is when “the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Rev.6:17) When “the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged” and God “shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Rev.11:18) It is “hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Rev.3:10) The “Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity”. (Isa.26:21) Not a localized event; not ‘pockets of resistance’.

Gentry describes the postmill milieu as gradualism. “This principle expects the developmental expansion of the kingdom over time. Contrary to postmillennialism, the dispensationalist and premillennialist operate on the basis of catastrophism.“ (pg.249) This is how they interpret the parables in Matthew 13. gradual leavening, seeds growing, becoming great where those nice birds eventually perch (not unclean and hateful birds- Rv.18:2, Mk.4:15). Instead of seeing that “An enemy hath done this”. (Mt.13:28,19,21-2,25 Mk.4:15,19) While the growing time is a gradual process, the harvest is in a moment of decisive catastrophic end. (Mt.13:30,39-42,49) To them leaven can occasionally mean something good in scripture because it was to be used occasionally in an offering. Which itself wouldn’t necessarily follow that conclusion as it could still represent sin even if the sacrifice is a figure of Christ, since he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh and also was made sin for us although he himself was sinless. (Rom.8:3, 2 Cor.5:21) Usually, they misunderstand the objection of the dispensationalist that it isn’t the case that the kingdom is like leaven/sin, but “like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” (v33) In other words, the kingdom is likened unto this scene and not one component of it- like the other parables. Seed’s mostly not yielding their strength, fields sown with wheat and tares, a tree with birds in it, measures of meal with leaven, a net with good and bad fish. “The millennial era has already turned out to be almost 2,000 years; it may continue another 10,000 or more for all we know.” (Gentry pg.336) Which is odd for a ‘young earth’ creationist since if this is the case the ‘last days’ would be longer than the first days by over twice the length. Which would make the days now as the first or middle and not actually the last.

The Throne of David is not the Throne of God

Another major departure of postmill understanding from scripture is regarding the throne of God and the throne of David. They believe that Christ sitting on the right hand of God is him sitting on the throne of David. We previously detailed this distinction between David’s earthly throne from God’s heavenly throne in part 1, but here are a few references- 1 Chr.17:11-15, 1 Chr.22:10, 2 Sam.7:12-4, Isa.9:6-7, 22:22-3, Luke 1:32-3, Jer. 3:16-17, 23:5-6, Matt. 25:31-32, 19:28, Acts 3:19-26, Mk.11:10, Psa.72, 89:19-37,132:11, Zech.14,8:1-8, Isa.2:1-4, 11:4-10, Isa.60.

Postmill understands it to mean that since God reigns over Israel and Christ ascended on high and sat at his right hand (Mk.16:19, Acts 2:25,33-4,5:31, Rom.8:34, Col.3:1, Heb 1:3,13,8:1, 10:12,12:2, Eph.1:20, 1 Pt.3:22, Rev.3:21) that he now reigns over Israel in David’s place. Except that David’s earthly throne in Jerusalem is not God’s throne in heaven. “The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne... For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it... There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.” (Psa.132:11,13-4,17) Not to mention the 12 apostles are not now ruling over the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel. That is to come- Mt.19:28.

Peter showed the difference when he said David “being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne”. (Ac.2:30) David “is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day” (v29) and “David is not ascended into the heavens”. (v34) David’s throne has nothing to do with heaven. Yet David “saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.” (v34-5) So this Jesus “being by the right hand of God exalted” sat on the heavenly throne. (v33) God was always Israel’s king (Ps.89:18, 149:2, Isa.43:15, 44:6) even before there was an earthly king in Israel. (1 Sam.12:12-3) But they “set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba” (2 Sam.3:10), and ‘ruling in Judah’ (Jer.22:30). That is “the throne of Israel” (1 Kin.8:20,25, Jer.33:17). Which is not “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come”. (Eph.1:21) “Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father” (1 Kin.2:12) but he never sat "on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens”. (Heb.8:1,12:2) When scripture says “upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne” (1 Kin.2:23) they are to be understood as “of the earth, earthy”. And although David’s throne is established by God and is thus “the throne of the LORD” (1 Chr.29:23) David reigned over Israel in Jerusalem. (2 Sam.5:5, 1 Kin.2:11) Which Jerusalem is the city of David (1 Chr.11:4,5,7, 1 Kin.8:1), and where they buried kings (2 Kin.14:20). Thus, not the “Jerusalem which is above” which “is free, which is the mother of us all” but “Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.” (Gal.4:25-6) When Jesus sat down on the right hand of God the nation Israel was under Roman occupation and was destroyed some 40 years later. Therefore, this could not be the Messianic reign of the son of David over Israel spoken of by the prophets... obviously.

So, when Isaiah prophesied- “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Isa.9:6-7) It is to be understood by “the throne of David, and upon his kingdom” as from the earthly Jerusalem. The “Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” (Lk.1:32-3) This is upon the earth.

As we mentioned before, postmillenialists take Psa.110:1 to mean that Christ reigns over Israel from heaven until the last enemy is destroyed and thus no coming back to put down all rule and earthly dominion. So, we will next consider this interpretation of 1 Cor. 15:22-8. The order in which all those “in Christ shall all be made alive”. They see the promise “he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet” and “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” as taking place as Christ reigns in heaven at the right hand of God. (The term ‘right hand’ is a metaphor for a place or position of honor and glory and strength. This is exactly how it is used dozens of places in scripture (notably in Psalms, as in 110:1)- Ex.15:6, 12, Dt.33:2, Ps.16:8, 11, 17:7, 18:35, 20:6, 21:8, 26:10, 44:3, 45:4, 48:10, 60:5, 63:8, 73:26, 77:10, 78:54, 80:15, 17, 89:13, 25, 42, 91:7, 98:1, 108:6, 109:6, 31, 110:1, 5, 118:15-6, 121:5, 138:7, 139:10, 144:8, 11, Prv.3:16, Ecc.10:2, Isa.41:10, 13, 44:20, 45:1, 48:13, 62:8, 63:12, Lam.2:3-4, Hab. 2:16, Mt.26:64, Lk.22:69, Ac.2:25, 5:31.) Now it is true that “he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet” but the postmillenialists believe that the resurrection of all men occurs at the last day when Jesus comes to the earth and so death is not destroyed while he is in heaven. (Gentry, pg.246-8) So, they do not hold to a ‘gradual’ reigning from heaven until death is abolished. Psalm 110 however, gives us a 2nd advent context to placing his enemies under foot. He is reigning from Zion with his iron rod (v2, Psa.2:6-12). This is after he ”shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath” (v5, Rev.19:11-16) and “shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.” (v6) This is what we see in Rev.11:15-8 when the 7th angel sounds his trumpet the Lord is still in heaven but the time to tarry is over and it is now the time that “he that shall come will come”. (Heb.10:37) Notice that Christ is still in heaven when “there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” The 24 elders gave thanks saying “O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.” “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” (1 Cor.15:24) Thus Christ will return and execute this destruction and wrath upon his enemies.

But Psalm 110 and the second psalm have Jesus reigning in Zion on his holy hill on the throne of David just as we have been studying. When he takes “the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession”. After he “shall strike through kings” and “wound the heads over many countries”. The LORD said unto my Lord “rule thou in the midst of thine enemies”. (110:2) Not in heaven, but in the midst of nations when they are admonished “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.” (Psa.2:12) Here rules the King, the "Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Rom.1:3-4) “God... hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” (Ac.13:33)

So, the order we see distilling as the dew is captured in Zech 14. Jehovah will “will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle” (v2) “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations” (v3) “the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem”. (v12) Then “his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east”. (v4) “And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.” (v9) In that day all nations will be required to come to “Jerusalem to worship the King”. (v17) This is why we see a literal millennium- Rev.20:1-6, Zech.14:16-19, Isa.2:1-4, 11:4-10, Isa.60 for this is the plain reading to make sense of sinners living under the iron rod of the Messianic Kingdom and suffering for their sin. “Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.” (Isa.26:10) Jesus “shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people”. (Isa.2:4, Mic.4:3) “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” (Isa.60:12) “And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.” (Zec.14:17) And when Satan is loosed again at the end of the thousand years, he will expose their hearts as he did Adam and Even in the garden. (Rv.20:7-8)

With the first resurrection those who are raised incorruptible are like the angels and cannot die anymore and neither marry nor are given in marriage (Lk.20:35-6). The promise to reign with Christ over these nations of the earth that remain is given us. They will not be resurrected in incorruptible bodies as they can sin and die (Isa.65:20, Zech.14:16-19, Isa.26:10-11, Rev.20:7-9, Mt.25:31-40), and they and the surviving Israelites will be marrying and bearing children for the thousand years. (Zech.8:3-6, Isa.11:6-8, Isa.59:21, 60:22, Jer.23:2-8) We are promised rule over the Gentiles with Christ (perhaps as here-Lk.19:15-19) as he will reign from Jerusalem from his temple seated in the holy place. (Isa.2:2-3, Jer.3:17, Zech. 6:12-13,15, 8:3, Ezk.43:5,7) And although those Jews who survive the tribulation will be delivered from their sin and corruption (Isa.60:21, Jer.23:6, 24:7, 31:31-4, 32:38-40, 33:8,16, 50:20, Isa.45:17, Ezk.36:25-33, 37:14,23, Hos.2:19-20, Mic.7:18-20), they will not have a transformed body as in the rapture. (1 Cor.15:51-3, Lk.20:33-8) But they will continue to bear children and multiply through the millennium. (Isa.59:21, 60:22, 65:19-20,23, 11:6-8, 9:6-7, Jer.3:16, 23:3, Ezk.37:25-6, Zech.8:1-6) They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Isa.11:9)