What About The Millennium?

Second only to dealing with the resurrection, the idea of the millennium is the most difficult concept to communicate and accept. It is particularly problematic to the preterist position because in many other places, we insist time statements be taken at face value. Yet here, we see the thousand years as a figurative period of time. Admittedly, such a shift at this critical juncture demands a solid defense.

The presentation of such a defense here, is beyond the scope of this introduction. Our purpose is to provide sufficient evidence to persuade the reader there is room to see the millennium as a symbolic period of time rather than a literal 1,000 years.

There is one over-arching consideration that all but forces us to see the millennium in this way: context. You will see it again and again on this site, context is king. This is a basic principle of biblical interpretation which cannot be dismissed. If we are to understand the nature of the millennium we cannot ignore the time context in which it is set.

The book of Revelation opens with, is filled with, and closes with statements of imminency. The things contained in the revelation are things which, of biblical necessity, must have come to pass shortly after John saw them.

Even if it was a literal 1,000 years it has long since passed. What you will see elsewhere on this site is that the millennium was the period between the first and second advents of Christ. Since the second advent came in 70 A.D. the millennium ended at that time.

Much more has been said on this topic but we hope this brief introduction will cause you to think more critically about this important subject.

© Copyright 2003 ~ Jim Wade

10/29/03