This article forms part of a series presenting varied interpretations of different aspects of eschatology. You can find the others here. It is an area where there are many different viewpoints, and we encourage healthy and constructive discussion. In this series, we do not claim to endorse any particular interpretation. We simply ask readers to reflect on the various studies put forward, and we welcome comments that are respectfully made. This is the fourth of a number of articles about different interpretations of the millennium from Revelation 20 - this one adapted with permission from postmillennialworldview.com. If you wish to contribute an article on any area of eschatology to our series, you can find our guidelines here.

Postmillennialism holds that the Lord Jesus Christ established his kingdom on earth in the first century through his preaching and redemptive work. Since then he has continued to equip his Church with the gospel, empower her by his Spirit, and charge her with the Great Commission to disciple all nations.

Postmillennialism expects that eventually the vast majority of men living will be saved. Increasing gospel success will gradually produce a time in history prior to Christ’s return in which faith, righteousness, peace, and prosperity will prevail in the affairs of men and of nations. After an extensive era of such conditions, the Lord will return visibly, bodily, and gloriously, to end history. Associated with his return will be the general resurrection and the final judgment after which the eternal order follows. Because of its worldwide historical implications, postmillennialism generates a holistic worldview touching on all areas of life.

With this working definition before us, I will expand on some of its key elements and implications.

A fulfilment of prophecy

Postmillennialism holds that the Lord Jesus Christ founded his Messianic kingdom on the earth during his earthly ministry and through his redemptive labours (Matt 12:28). His establishment of the “kingdom of heaven” fulfilled Old Testament prophetic expectations regarding the coming kingdom (Mark 1:15). The kingdom which Christ preached and presented was not something other than that expected by the Old Testament saints. In postmillennialism, the Church is the fulfilled/transformed Israel and is even called “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16), being made up of the spiritual seed of Abraham (Rom 2:28-29; Gal 3:7, 29; Eph 2:11-22; Phil 3:2-3).

Postmillennialism holds that the Lord Jesus Christ founded his Messianic kingdom on the earth during his earthly ministry and through his redemptive labours.

A redemptive nature

The kingdom’s fundamental nature is essentially redemptive and spiritual, rather than political and corporeal (Luke 17:20-21). Although it has dramatic implications for the political realm, postmillennialism is not political: it does not offer a kingdom in competition with geo-political nations for governmental rule (John 18:36). Christ rules his kingdom spiritually in and through his people in the world, as well as by his universal providence (Matt 28:18-20; Phil 2:9-11).

A transformational influence

Because of the intrinsic power and design of Christ’s redemption, his kingdom will exercise a transformational socio-cultural influence in history. This will occur as more and more people convert to Christ, not by a minority revolt and seizure of political power in history, nor by the catastrophic imposition of Christ at his second advent from outside of history (Isa 2:2-4; John 3:17). As Rushdoony notes: “The key to remedying the [world] situation is not revolution, nor any kind of resistance that works to subvert law and order… The key is regeneration, propagation of the gospel, and the conversion of men and nations to God’s law-word.” This is because “evil men cannot produce a good society. The key to social renewal is individual regeneration.”¹

Evil men cannot produce a good society. The key to social renewal is individual regeneration.

A gradual expansion

Postmillennialism, therefore, expects the gradual, developmental expansion of Christ’s kingdom in time and on earth before the Lord returns to end history (Matt 13:31-33; Mark 4:26-32). This will proceed by a full-orbed ministry of the Word, fervent and believing prayer, and the consecrated labours of Christ’s Spirit-filled people. The ever-present Christ is directing kingdom growth from his throne in heaven, where he sits at God’s right hand.

A victory throughout the earth

Postmillennialism confidently anticipates a time in earth history (continuous with the present) in which the very gospel already operating will win the victory throughout the earth, fulfilling the Great Commission. “The thing that distinguishes the biblical postmillennialist, then, from amillennialists and premillennialists is his belief that the Scripture teaches the success of the great commission in this age of the church”.² The overwhelming majority of men and nations will be Christianised, righteousness will abound, wars will cease, and prosperity and safety will flourish. “It will be marked by the universal reception of the true religion, and unlimited subjection to the sceptre of Christ.” “It shall be a time of universal peace.” “It will be characterised by great temporal prosperity” (David Brown, Christ’s Second Coming, 399, 401)

A golden age

“We can look forward to a great ‘golden age’ of spiritual prosperity continuing for centuries, or even for millennia, during which time Christianity shall be triumphant over all the earth”³. After this extended period of gospel prosperity, earth history will draw to a close by the personal, visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ (accompanied by a literal resurrection and a general judgment) to introduce his blood-bought people into the consummative and eternal form of the kingdom. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Schematically we may present postmillennialism by this graph:

 post millennialism schematic

Understanding Revelation 20 is about the early Church

Post-millennialists note that the “thousand-year” reign of Christ occurs in only one passage in Scripture, Revelation 20:1-6. We further observe that it appears in the most symbolic book in all of Scripture. In Revelation we see a seven-headed beast, fire-breathing horses, locusts with the faces of men and the teeth of lions, a woman standing on the moon, and many more symbolic features. Consequently, we prefer that eschatological discussion begin elsewhere in more straightforward, informative portions of Scripture, and that it be controlled by passages other than the apocalyptically charged, highly wrought symbolic images in Revelation.

The millennial passage in Revelation 20 is prominent in contemporary eschatological discussion today. Indeed, it has given us the names that highlight our distinctive eschatological positions as millennial views. Yet I agree with James Blevins in the Mercer Bible Dictionary when he complains: “The millennium becomes the tail that wags the dog.”

As a postmillennialist, I do not see Revelation 20 as a key text for eschatological discussion. I do believe it is an important text for the storyline of Revelation. But biblical eschatology begins far earlier than in one of the last books of the Bible. And it is exhibited more clearly in those earlier passages.

In fact, by definition, “eschatology” emphasises end-time events. But Revelation is tied to the first century. John introduces and closes his remarkable vision with clear, near-term expectation statements:

• “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place.” (Rev 1:1)
• “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” (Rev 1:3)
• “And he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true’; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.” (Rev 22:6)
• “And he said to me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.’” (Rev 22:10)

Besides this, Revelation 20 is actually the answer to the cry of the first-century martyrs mentioned earlier (and throughout Revelation). It has nothing to do with all Christians throughout Christian history. We can see this in the shared words and parallel assertions found between Revelation 6:9–10 and Revelation 20:4:

“When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’” (Rev 6:9-10)

“Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” (Rev 20:4)

We should note that according to the direct statements within Revelation 20:4, John is dealing with those Christians who had been slain because of their commitment to God’s word (thus, he sees “souls” and he declares they were “beheaded”). He also adds that they “had not worshiped the beast”, whom I believe to be Nero Caesar, the first imperial persecutor of the church. Both of these facts fit within the timeframe designates of Revelation, i.e., that the events must “soon take place” (Rev 1:1; 22:6) because “the time is near” (Rev 1:3; 22:10). Both of these facts also militate against a future, earthly millennial reign of all the saints on earth.

We must understand that biblical eschatology deals with the larger question of cosmic history, rather than narrowly focusing on the trials of the first-century church, which is the focus of Revelation.

Consequently, we must understand that biblical eschatology deals with the larger question of cosmic history, rather than narrowly focusing on the trials of the first-century church, which is the focus of Revelation. Hence, postmillennialists go elsewhere in the Bible to develop our eschatological outlook.

Erroneous Preconceptions

There are a number of unfounded criticisms often levelled at post-millennialism, which I must address.

First, postmillennialism neither teaches nor implies universalism. Postmillennialism does not claim that at some point in temporal history each and every individual then living will be saved. Even at the very height of the advance of the gospel in history, unbelievers will remain among us, though in a minority status. Some of these will be false converts to the faith, others openly unrepentant resisters to it. Jesus clearly teaches this in his Parable of the Tares among the Wheat (Matt 13:30), just before declaring the enormous victory of the faith in all the world (Matt 13:31-33). This is a part of the “mysteries of the kingdom” (Matt 13:11): the glorious kingdom of God does not overwhelm the world in one major event, but grows gradually like a mustard plant and penetrates little-by-little as does leaven. It will not conquer the world absolutely, but grows to a majoritarian dominance like wheat in the field.

The glorious kingdom of God does not overwhelm the world in one major event, but grows gradually like a mustard plant and penetrates little-by-little as does leaven.

Second, postmillennialism neither teaches nor implies perfectionism. Postmillennialists do not argue that at some point in temporal history Christians then living will be perfected. Despite the worldwide victory of the Christian faith, Christians will remain sinners—sanctified sinners, of course, but redeemed vessels of mercy suffering the complications of indwelling sin. Just as no current evangelical church is perfect, neither will an evangelical world be perfect. But if most people on earth were conducting themselves as the average churchgoing, born-again Christian of today, the world would certainly be a different, and much better, place—despite this lack of perfection.

Third, postmillennialism neither teaches nor implies satisfactionism. Postmillennialists do not argue that Christ’s people should prefer temporal, earthly conquest through gospel dominion over eternal, heavenly victory in glory. Any believer with even a modicum of spiritual sanctification and biblical understanding must recognise the surpassing glory that awaits him in the resurrected estate. Then—and only then—will we see God face-to-face, experience the transformation of our bodies from mortality to immortality, enjoy perfect and permanent freedom from temptation and sin, live forever in blessed circumstances, and be reunited with our saved loved ones. The glory of Christian dominion in the earth pales in comparison to the glory of resurrection majesty in the new earth.

Answering a common objection

In addition to these three clarifications, postmillennialists endure dissenters reminding us of present sinful world conditions as evidence against our expectations. We must insist that our eschatological system be properly understood: nowhere in the definition of postmillennialism do we declare that by the year 2011 (for instance) we will witness the glorious blessings of worldwide gospel conquest.

Until the moment the Lord returns, postmillennialism cannot be disproved by evidence from cultural decline and social chaos in the world. Who knows how long God will take to effect the glorious transformation? Just as Christians should not doubt the second coming of Christ because it has not occurred yet (2 Pet 3:4), neither should evangelicals discount the cultural dominion of Christ because it is not full now. All our system requires is that the world be Christianised before the Lord returns—and we do not know when that will be (Matt 24:36; Acts 1:7).

This article is adapted, with permission, from three articles on postmillennialworldview.com

Notes
¹ R. J. Rushdoony, The Institutes of Biblical Law, 113, 122).
² Greg L. Bahnsen, Victory in Jesus, 74)
³ Lorraine Boettner, The Millennium, 29