What About Premillennialism?

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Premillennialism may be loosely defined as the doctrine that when Christ returns, He will actually come to earth and establish a literal kingdom in Jerusalem, reigning there 1,000 years. Within the Premillennial cult (which has infiltrated practically every denomination to some degree) there are almost as many points of difference as there are adherents. However, most Premillennialists would subscribe to the following basic contentions:

1. God did not fulfill all of the land promises to the Israelites.
2. Christ planned to establish a literal kingdom in Jerusalem when He first came, in which He would fulfill these alleged unfulfilled promises.
3. The Jews rejected His aspirations and thwarted His kingdom plans.
4. Since His kingdom plans were upset, He established the church as an emergency afterthought, until the real kingdom could be established.
5. At His second coming, Christ will enthrone himself in Jerusalem on David’s throne where He will reign for 1,000 years over a kingdom in which all of the land promises will be fulfilled.

If these things are taught in the Bible, we must believe them. But are they? Consider the following:

1. God has fulfilled the land promises: “So Jehovah gave unto Israel all the land, which He sware to give unto their fathers” (Jos. 21:43ff, emph. DM).
2. Christ never intended to establish an earthly kingdom: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
3. The Jews tried to force Jesus to be their king (they expected an earthly kingdom), but He refused such a crown (John 6:15).
4. The church is not an afterthought, but a part of God’s eternal purpose through Christ (Eph. 3:10–11). The kingdom He came to establish is the church (Mat. 16:18–19). It was established in the first century (Mark. 9:1). First century saints were not waiting for the kingdom but were in it (Col. 1:13; Heb. 12:28).
5. Christ is now on David’s throne at God’s right hand in Heaven (Acts 2:29–33). There is no New Testament passage that places Christ on earth again, but He will call His own up to meet Him “in the air” where we shall be evermore (1 The. 4:17). He will not establish His kingdom when He comes, but will deliver His present kingdom (the church) to the Father (1 Cor. 15:23ff). The 1000 years necessary to the whole premillennial system (Rev. 20:4) is in a very figurative passage and relates only to beheaded martyrs.

[Note: I wrote this article for and it was published in the February 12, 1976, edition of Granbury Gospel, weekly bulletin of the Church of Christ, Granbury, Texas, of which I was editor.]

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