Below is a quote from Anthony Hoekema's "The Bible and the Future". It is couched in a chapter discussing the major millennial views. Anyone familiar with the debate over the nature of the millennium, is familiar with the importance of one's interpretation of Rev. 20. The following is the third in a list of objections to Dispensational Premillennialism.
"(3) The return of the glorified Christ and of glorified believers to an earth where sin and death still exist would violate the finality of their glorification. Why should believers, who have been enjoying heavenly glory during the intermediate state, be raised from the dead in order to return to an earth return to an earth where sin and death still exist? Would this not be an anticlimax? Do not glorified resurrection bodies call for lfe on a new earth, from which all remnants of sin and of the curse have been banished? Why, further, should the glorified Christ return to an earth where sin and death still exist? Why should He after His return in glory still have to rule His enemies with a rod of iron, and still have to crush a final rebellion against Him at the close of the millennium? Was not Christ's battling against His enemies completed during His state of humiliation? Did He not during that time win the final, decisive victory over evil, sin, death, and Satan? Does not the Bible teach that Christ is coming back in the fulness of His glory to usher in, not an intrim period of qualified peace and blessing, but the final state of unqualified perfection?
3 comments:
Unless I'm wrong you are quoting from the author you mentioned in his speculations on the book of Revelation.Since he asked let me speculate a little.Well I myself will be thrilled to return to the earth in a glorified body with My Lord and Savior to rule and reign on an earth freed for the first time of the influence of Satan as chapter 20 promises.I don't expect to have to rule or reign in heaven where when made new nothing that would offend will ever set foot.
Why should He have to rule with a rod of iron and crush a final rebellion organized by a released from CHAINS Satan ? Because the Revelation of Jesus Christ in His personal testimony to John the beloved says he will.Jesus Christ certainly won the battle against sin and death on the cross was resurrected by the father to a new creation which I enjoy in Christ Jesus seated on the right hand of the Fathers kingdom in the heaven lies .As far as I can tell Satan and those who serve him are still actively deceiving people, not chained up YET.He the author can easily say that the bible teaches thus and thus.and I can easily say that the bible clearly teaches that there will be one more trial for man on earth without the intimate deceit of Satan to show man himself, once and forever that the fallen creature wants no part of God and His glorious Son Whom Revelation goes on to state will rule on a partially restored earth after such destruction and the death of billions for one thousand years.That's when the church will rule with Him.The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John the Beloved testifies further that the nations that refuse to submit and send representatives to JERUSALEM will also suffer famine and drought.I for one will take the testimony of the risen Savior over the speculation of a covenant believer.What the testimony of Revelation says works just fine with what the old testament prophets had to say.A restored Israel composed of the remnant God promised of faithful Israelis will rule over the gentiles that survive Jacobs troubles and will live in a world where the Son of God and His Bride us and you born again covenant folks will administer His will with the nation of Israel.What do you suppose that the Thessalonian believers were concerned that the already dead believers had missed if there hope was to go to heaven and enjoy bliss with Jesus and the father.They were afraid that there departed brethren would miss the restored kingdom and the reign of the King.When asked this very question about the restoration of the kingdom (when will it be restored) Jesus didn't say get the behind me Satan you worry to much about earthly things HE said in the Fathers time it's not for you to know. That's the CRUX of the difference between you and I when we read the Word of God.The old testament prophecy's of a restored Israel and a church age with believers distinct from born again old testament saints and distinct from millennium saints and a judgment(Great white throne) after mans last trial and distinct from the judgment of the apostate church at Christs return with His saints.I know most of the world thinks me a fool for such a fools interpretation,but I'm comfortable, and you can rest in the knowledge that most of the world agrees with you.I'm a foolish old man with a fools dream. so be it.
Your loving father
I hope you know that I would never call you a fool for what you believe, or call what you believe foolish. I happen to think that on the absolute essentials of Christ's return, we agree, so in that way we both appear foolish to the world. Perhaps you were referring to historical theology when you mentioned it, but I don't think the rest of the world believes as I do (over against what you believe). The rest of the world probably couldn't care less and probably would call us foolish for having such an intramural debate. Even in most of True Christianity today, the believers who don't subscribe to Dispensational Premillennialism (for lack of knowledge or that they theologically reject it) are not necessarily Covenant Theologians either.
The book from which I took the quote is called "The Bible and the Future", and it is a basic defense of Amillennialism which in part, contains some exegesis of Rev. 20. We could go back and forth about the meaning of that chapter and the Rev as a whole, but it probably wouldn't get us anywhere; it seems to me that a discussion over our hermeneutical differences would be more profitable, i.e., the Israel Church distinction. I always appreciate your comments—iron sharpens iron as it is said.
In Christ,
Love jAsOn
Your such a good son, a true blessing.The world I'm sure thinks us ignorant for our position on God and His return to redeem the world.I wish we weren't at odds ,but we are and one of us is wrong in some areas.I am thankful for the things we share.
your old dispensational Dad
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