RE-IMAGINING THE MILLENNIUM (1)

Millennium January 14, 2025 Comments: 4

PRevelation commentariesMW 2025-004 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Revelation 20 is not only a hotly debated passage in a hotly debated book, but it is a passage that has greatly impacted the eschatological debate. And unnecessarily so! According to Warfield, Revelation 20 is the tail that wagged the dog. And he is correct.

Revelation 20 has given the name to the several eschatological schools: premillennialism, amillennialism, and postmillennialism. Each name has “millennium” (which means, “thousand years”) in it, which is obviously drawn from Revelation 20. This text’s outsized impact on the eschatological debate is unfortunate for several reasons: (1) the idea of a thousand year reign of Christ is only found in one book; (2) it is only found in one chapter of that one book; (3) it is only found in one-half of that one chapter of that one book; and (4) that book is the most symbolic book in all of Scripture.
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BIBLICAL OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED (2)

Uncategorized January 10, 2025 Leave a comment

Burning churchPMW 2025-003 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is my second article on biblical objections to postmillennialism. Biblical objections are serious. If they are based on a proper understanding of the biblical passage being brought forward. Unfortunately, attempts to undermine postmillennial using Scripture passages also fails for lack of proper evidence. I must be brief, but I will consider two passages frequently thrown against the postmillennial hope.

Luke 18:8

“I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Regarding this verse dispensationalists Wayne House and Thomas Ice argue that: “This is ‘an inferential question to which a negative answer is expected.’ So this passage is saying that at the second coming Christ will not find, literally, ‘the faith’ upon the earth.” Were this the case, postmillennialism would certainly be mistaken. How could Christians be optimistic if the entire Christian faith is prophetically determined to disappear from the earth? Unfortunately for the pessimistic readings of this passage, this is not the case as we may see from the following observations:
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BIBLICAL OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED (1)

Objections January 7, 2025 Leave a comment

Bible DebatePMW 2025-002 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In this brief series I am considering objections thrown up against the postmillennial hope. The most serious class of problems for any eschatological system is the biblical objection. If one’s eschatology does not arise from Scripture itself, it is not a biblical doctrine. We must have a “thus saith the Lord” justifying our prophetic system. Let us consider some of the leading biblical texts brought against the postmillennial hope.

MATTHEW 7:13–14

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

This famous passage seems to undermine the postmillennial hope of a world converted to Christ. How does postmillennialism account for this comment by our Lord himself? Continue reading →

DOCTRINAL OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED

Objections January 3, 2025 Leave a comment

Sin 2PMW 2025-001 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

As I am considering objections to postmillennialism, I will not move from popular practical objections to a more serious class of objections: those related to doctrinal issues. Eschatology is a doctrine, therefore, any doctrinal problems would be self-destructive for the system.

“SIN UNDERMINES THE POSTMILLENNIAL HOPE”

Many evangelical scholars reject postmillennialism because of the Bible’s strong commitment to the doctrine of sin. According to amillennialist Hanko, postmillennialism “is a mirage, therefore, a false hope, because it fails to reckon properly with the fact of sin” and “cannot take sin as seriously as do the Scriptures.” This sounds like a strong objection on the surface. Its beauty, however, is only skin deep. Continue reading →

PRACTICAL OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED

Objections December 31, 2024 Leave a comment

Globe meltingPMW 2024-101 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Ironically, the most hope-filled eschatology is the least liked in our contemporary setting. And this despite its strong presence in the 1600-early 1900s. As we contemplate this fact, we must recognize that the most popular objections against postmillennialism are practical concerns. They are frequently brought against postmillennialism in the popular literature. But to no avail, for there are easy answers to them. Let’s see how this is so.

“World conditions contradict postmillennialism”

Too many evangelicals get their understanding of biblical prophecy from reading the newspapers through their faulty interpretive lens. They point out a truly conservative Christian concern: America is in a great moral and spiritual decline today. And such a decline contradicts postmillennialism’s historical expectations. For instance, dispensationalist theologian Paul N. Benware responds against postmillennialism that “the idea that the world is getting better and better does not at all seem to be in line with reality. The evidence points rather to a world that is growing more and more wicked.”]
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POSTMILLENNIALISM IN ACTS AND PAUL

New Testament, Uncategorized December 27, 2024 Leave a comment

Paul preachingPMW 2024-100 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Though we had a brief interruption in this series due to a special Christmas article, we are now back to considering the presence of postmillennialism the New Testament. We are now in the Book of Acts as we move beyond the Gospels themselves. Having shown the establishment, expectation, and exhortation to the postmillennial hope in the teachings of Jesus, we now look just briefly at the proclaiming of the kingdom by his apostles after his departure to heaven.

The Gospels fit perfectly in the coherent message of Scripture that begins in creation, develops through covenant, and is promised victory in the Psalms and Prophets. And all that we learn in the Gospels undergirds what we hear so frequently in the remainder of the New Testament: the proclamation of the “kingdom of God.” In Acts 3:15 Peter preaches Christ as the “prince of life.” In Acts 5:29 he asserts his obligation to disobey civil authority when it demands that he cease preaching Christ. His rationale is important: “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior” (Acts 5:31). The word “prince” here may literally be translated “leader, ruler, prince.” He is exalted as prince or ruler. Continue reading →

CHRISTMAS AND POSTMILLENNIALISM

Christ December 24, 2024 Comments: 4

PMW 2024-099 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Christmas is here, and quite appropriately it will be followed by a new year. Since Christ came to effect a new creation!

We must not forget the message of Christmas; we must take it with us in the new year God is granting us. So as we enter this season, let us consider the postmillennial hope embedded in Christmas. Unless my memory fails me, Bing Crosby sang: “I’m Dreaming of a Postmillennial Christmas.” If he did not, he should have! Whereas Elvis was apparently an amillennialist when he sang: “I’ll Have a Blue Christmas.” Which might explain the howling of the Jordanaires in the background of this song.

Postmillennialists can easily use Christmas texts to present the postmillennial hope. Continue reading →