AUG 22

Revelation 20:1-7
Memorise 1 Peter 5:8-9
“the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about”

WHY DO WE REJECT AMILLENNIALISM?

Amillennialism literally means “no millennium.” Amillennialists teach that there is no future 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth. They say the 1,000 years of Revelation 20 is not literal but symbolical. It is not referring to a physical but a spiritual reign of Christ, and is not an earthly but heavenly one. Some of them say that the millennium is right here and now. Christ is presently ruling over the whole world from heaven through the Church.

Is this correct? Are we right now living in the millennium? If so, then Satan and his demons should not be in this world. Revelation 20:2-3 tells us that Satan will be chained up during the millennium: “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled”. Do we see this to be the case? Is Satan at this time bound? If so, then why is there so much Satanic activity today? And if Satan is now chained up, then the Apostle Peter would be wrong to warn us in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. Satan is still on the prowl, we are clearly not in the millennium yet.

The amillennialists say that there is no future rule of Christ on earth. Is this true? Revelation 20:6 says that God’s people will reign with Christ: “they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Please note the future tense—“will reign” and “shall reign.” The Apostle John was talking about a future, and not a present reign.

Will this reign be in heaven or on earth? Scripture interprets Scripture. In Revelation 5:10, we are told very clearly that Christ and His saints will reign on earth: “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth”. Is this the case right now? Do we see Christ physically on earth ruling over the whole world right now?

Clearly this has not yet happened. We are still waiting for this great event to come. And it will happen when Christ returns to judge this world, put all His enemies under His feet, and rule over this whole planet for a millennium.

Thought: Jesus reigns spiritually in the hearts of all believers today, but one day He will reign literally and personally over the whole world.
Prayer: O Lord Jesus, Thou art sovereign, and in control over all things.