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Title: Camel's in the Tent
Source:
Chick Publications
URL Source: http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1081/1081_01.asp
Published: Jul 3, 2012
Author: Jack Chick
Post Date: 2012-07-03 15:47:35 by redleghunter
Keywords: None
Views: 2991
Comments: 4
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#2. To: Liberator, A K A Stone, SJN (#0)
PING The latest from Chick.
The only place I part company is on the Millennium. Millennium is the Latin word for a thousand. Six times in six verses St. John talks about a thousand years (20:2-7). This is the only place the Bible mentions them. www.wels.net/news-events/...anguage-new-testament-age Misinterpretations No words of Scripture, however, have been mishandled more than St. John's record of "a thousand years" (20:2). During this thousand years, John wrote, the devil will be "bound" and "locked" up (20:2,3), and believers will sit on thrones with "authority to judge" (20:4). Many use these words to support the notion of a literal, thousand-year Christian rule over the world. Tied to this notion are universal peace, a rapture, forced conversions, and the Battle of Armageddon. Those who misinterpret the thousand years have two things in common. They take the thousand years in chapter 20 literally. They also share the idea of a heaven on earth. They want the Christian church to have earthly glory and success in this world. The idea of heaven in the here-and-now has been around for a long time. Strangely enough, heaven on earth notions haunted the church before John wrote the Revelation. Many of the ancient Jews envisioned the Messiah as an earthly ruler who would restore Israel to world dominance. Jesus encountered these ideas from those who tried to make him their king. Since John wrote the Revelation, false prophets within the church have revived these old Jewish ideas in many forms. Reformation leaders labeled these false teachings "certain Jewish opinions." Today, those who look for a literal thousand years of messianic rule are called Millennialists. How can we be sure chapter 20's thousand years is not literal? First, everything else in the first two verses is figurative. Jesus is symbolized by an angel. Satan is pictured as a dragon. Hell is signified by a deep pit, the Abyss. Though pits do not have keys, Jesus is holding the key to the Abyss. Satan is a spirit who cannot be held by chains, yet Jesus binds him with a great chain. To demand that the thousand years at the end of verse 2 is literal violates the way God is speaking here. Second, Jesus' plain words about the last days rule out any thoughts of heaven on earth. Jesus said "wars and rumors of wars" (Matthew 24:6), not peace, would characterize the end of the world. Christians will not rule this world, Jesus prophesied, but would be turned over to earthly rulers "to be persecuted and put to death" (Matthew 24:9). Instead of mass conversions predicted by the Millennialists, Jesus foretold "many false prophets" and said "the love of most will grow cold" (Matthew 24:11,12). The rest of Scripture, too, warns Christians not to expect any kind of heaven on earth. Paul wrote, "While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly" (1 Thessalonians 5:3). Peter urged his persecuted readers to look for the church's glory beyond earth: "In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13). We must not dismiss Millennial-ism lightly. It is not merely a matter of theologians quibbling over words. Only God's truth builds faith. Error destroys it. Millennialism does more than violate God's truth. It harms faith. With its short range focus on earthly victory, it takes the believer's eyes off the final victory Jesus promised. Millennialists often confuse the roles of church and state. They make Jesus out to be a bread king instead of the eternal Savior of souls. What is the millennium of Revelation 20? In most verses, it is figurative language for the New Testament age. The first three verses make this clear. The thousand years begins with the binding of Satan. "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work" (1 John 3:8). Jesus' death and resurrection "disarmed the powers and authorities" (Colossians 2:15) of the devil. While he was on earth, Jesus said, "The prince of this world now stands condemned" (John 16:11). The "thousand years" of the New Testament age began when Jesus defeated the devil. Throughout the New Testament age, those who die in faith will rule with Jesus in heaven until the last day (v. 4). Those who die in unbelief will be raised at the end of the thousand years to face the judgment (v. 5). At the end of the New Testament age, Satan will be loosed for "a short time" (v. 3). He will be allowed "to deceive the nations" (v. 7,8) as a sign that the end is near. In verse 6 there is another "thousand years." From what John writes, this thousand years follows the first. From the rest of Scripture it is clear that this thousand years figuratively represents heaven. To understand the thousand years in the Revelation, we need to remember that "all Scripture is God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16). That thousand years can mean nothing but what the rest of the Bible teaches. Although the devil is limited during the New Testament age, the church will face many troubles. Those who look for a heaven on earth place themselves in danger of losing heaven in heaven. "Some things that are hard to understand . . . ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do other Scriptures, to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16). Through this thousand years we will trust Jesus. "In this world you will have trouble," (John 16:33) he told us. But "in my Father's house are many rooms" (John 14:2). For us there will be heaven in heaven.
A very interesting piece. I think the author has mixed in replacement theology with the literal interpretation of the millennium. I fail to see those who believe in a physical 1000 year reign to suggest mass conversions and heaven on earth. Revelation is clear their is distinction between Chapters 19-20 and 21- 22. I think the author makes a good point that anyone who tries to supplant the Work of Jesus Christ with another way to Salvation, is more than just in error. But in the Evangelical churches I do not see anyone suggesting this. What is suggested is if you take the Bible literally, plainly in some areas you should do so in other areas to include prophecy when it is presented literally and plainly. The presentation of Revelation chapter 20 is a bit flawed I think. In the beginning verses it makes no mention the Angel in question is Christ. In fact in the preceding chapter (19), Jesus Christ is called by every Name but an angel. The other part I respectfully disagree with the author is he sees two distinct 1000 figurative year periods. If read in context, I see it is all a one thousand year period. I am humble enough to say "I don't know what I don't know" and leave it at that. I think Revelation Chapters 19-21 follow the literal words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24-25.
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#3. To: redleghunter (#2)
#4. To: SJN (#3)
We must not dismiss Millennial-ism lightly. It is not merely a matter of theologians quibbling over words. Only God's truth builds faith. Error destroys it. Millennialism does more than violate God's truth. It harms faith. With its short range focus on earthly victory, it takes the believer's eyes off the final victory Jesus promised. Millennialists often confuse the roles of church and state. They make Jesus out to be a bread king instead of the eternal Savior of souls.
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