Premillennialism (Part 6)

This is from the continuing series of articles that appeared in the "Christian Courier" on this topic. The paper was published by the East Main Street Church of Christ in Stockton, California and edited by Wayne Jackson. This article appeared in the July 1973 edition. It's my opinion this is the most critical installment of the series.

The 20th chapter of the Book of Revelation, verses one through six, is the very heart and soul of the theory of premillennialism. It is what George Murray calls, "the very citadel and bulwark of premillennial eschatology." (Millennial Studies, p. 175.) Indeen it may be said, were it not for these half dozen verses, the theory would not even have a semblance of suggestion in the New Testament. As Albert Barnes observes, "It is admitted on all hands, that this doctrine, if contained in the Scriptures at all, is found in this one passage only. It is not pretended that there is, in any other place, a direct affirmation that this will literally occur, nor would the advocates for that opinion undertake to show that it is fairly implied in any other part of the Bible. But it is strange, not to say improbable, that the doctrine of the literal resurrection of the righteous, a thousand years before the wicked, should be announced in one passage only." (Commentary on Revelation, pp. 428, 429.)

In a former article, it was stressed that it is foolish to attempt a forced harmony between the figurative elements of Revelation 20:1-6 and the premillennial theory, the latter being contradicted by so many plain passages of SScripture. Making this very point with reference to Revelation 20:1-6, noted scholar Charles Hodge wrote: "It is a sound rule in the interpretation of Scripture that obscure passages should be so explained as to make them agree with those that are plain. It is unreasonable to make the symbolic and figurative language of prophecy and poetry the rule by which to explain the simple didactic prose language of the Bible. It is no less unreasonable that a multitude of passages should be taken out of their natural sense to make them accord with a single passage of doubtful import." (Systematic Theology, III, p. 842.) Finally, note this significant quotation from Geerhardus Vos concerning the relationship of the Book of Revelation to the premillennial view. "In regard to a book so enigmatical, it were presumptuous to speak with any degree of dogmatism, but the uniform absence of the idea of the millennium from the eschatological teaching of the New Testament elsewhere ought to render the exegete cautious before affirming its presence here." (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, II, p. 987.)

PURPOSE AND FORM - Preliminary to this discussion should be a few observations concerning the purpose and form of the Book of Revelation. According to the testimony of Irenaeus, the book was penned by the apostle John near the end of the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian (who died in 96 A.D.). The church of this age was being severely persecuted, indeed in subsequent years it was subjected to a veritable blood bath. The design of Revelation is thus to show: (a) the relatively infant church would be heir to much persecution and suffering; (b) The saints must persevere and by their faith overcome these trials; (c) The Christ would ultimately be victorious over all His enemies.

That the Book of Revelation is highly symbolic is evidenced not only by its content, but also by the introduction. Christ "signified" the message by His angel unto John (1:1). The question naturally arises as to why the Lord chose symbols to be the vehicles of these truths. Symbolism frequently serves a two fold purpose, to reveal and to conceal. Occasionally, the Lord's parables functioned in this capacity, that is, they portrayed certain truths to the disciples while withholding the same from those who were spiritually dull (Matthew 13:10-15). The message of victory within Revelation, much of which was in the imagery that adorned the Old Testament, with which the Christians were undoubtedly familiar, would be grasped by those early disciples. At the same time, the defeat of the persecuting powers was veiled to those not discerning the figures. One can well imagine for example, how trials for the Christians might have been intensified had they been discovered circulating a document which literally predicted the overthrow of the Roman empire. And so, as George Ladd points out: "In the apocalypses, symbolism becomes the main stock in trade, particularly as a technique for outlining the course of history without employing historical names." (Baker's Dictionary of Theology, p. 52.) It is thus a gross error to literalize the Book of Revelation, and this is precisely what the premillennialists have done with the first six verses of chapter twenty.

THEY SYMBOLS EMPLOYED - An examination of these first half dozen verses of Revelation 20 evidences the following symbols: a key, a chain, a dragon or serpent, an abyss, a thousand years, thrones, a beast, marks on foreheads and hands and a resurrection. It is certainly a strange interpretation which contends that a figurative serpent was bound with a figurative chain and thrown into a figurative abyss which was locked with a figurative key to be confined for a literal thousand years! It ought to be manifestly obvious that no literal reign of Christ upon the earth is here alluded to. Even if one does not understand the specific design of the symbols, he can see the symbolic import of the thousand years.

SIGNIFICANT OMISSIONS - Perhaps this context is more significantly devastating to the premillennial theory for what it does not say but which, if the theory be true, it surely would have mentioned. Nothing is said of : (a) Christ's second coming; (b) the establishment of a kingdom; (c) an earthly regime; (d) a bodily reigning; (e) the throne of David or; (f) the Jews being regathered to Palestine. Now all of these elements are vitally important to the millennial view, yet they are conspicuously absent from this narrative!

THE GIST OF THE NARRATIVE - Obviously the context of Revelation 20:1-6 is a part of the design of the book as a whole. Many scholars believe that this section is a symbolic description of the revival of Christianity from a period of bloody persecution. For example, note that earlier (6:9-11) John had seen the "souls" of the martyrs "underneath the alter" crying, "How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Here however, the apostle views the "souls" on "thrones" reigning with Christ. For a while, Christianity appeared to have been buried in tribulation but ultimately it emerged; it was, figuratively speaking, resurrected. The Scripture speaks of figurative resurrections as well as literal ones. (See Isaiah 26:19; Ezekiel 37:12; Romans 11:15.) "It would, therefore, not be inconsistent with the analogy of prophecy if we should understand the Apostle as here predicting that a new race of men were to arise filled with the spirit of the martyrs, and wereto live and reign with Christ a thousand years." (Hodge, op. cit., p. 842.) That this "resurrection" alludes to the triumphs of persecuted saints is further borne out by the fact that "the second death hath no power" over these reigning ones, which harmonizes perfectly with chapter 2, verse 11: "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." Thus, the "resurrection" of 20:6 is a figurative way of saying "overcome." The one thousand years of course, would also be symbolic in scope, suggesting either that the victory of God's cause as considered in this context would be lengthy in span, or possibly the one thousand years may denote the completeness of the saints' triumph. For the figurative usage of numbers compare Exodus 20:6; Matthew 18:22; Revelation 5:11, etc.

At any rate, it is certain that there is no support for the theory of premillennialism, not in the Book of Revelation, not in the whole Bible. It is a false heresy.