Introduction:

1. The recent Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel (10/7/2023) have brought the end times doctrines of premillennialism to the fore again.

2. This mini-series will challenge the theological assumptions at the heart of these conclusions in setting forth the biblical doctrine of Christ’s return.

3. This lesson will introduce the claims along with the basic principles of the premillennial system to help us understand their thinking.

Discussion:

I. What They Are Saying

A. Across the religious world, premillennial advocates are calling the current clash with Israel and Hamas the beginning of the end times.

B. The timeline of events varies, but the basic theme is the same; current events in the middle east are fulfilling the “end times prophecies” of the Bible.

C. This is not the first time such claims have been made; consider a sampling:

1. 500 AD: Hippolytus of Rome, Julius Africanus, and Irenaeus

2. 1000 AD: Pope Sylvester II, staring the millennium at Christ’s birth.

3. When this failed, some theorized 1033, starting at His death.

4. 1836: John Wesley, based on his reading of Revelation 12:14.

5. 1844: William Miller calculated Christ’s return for this year.

6. Miller’s followers set many other dates subsequently.

7. 1874: Charles Taze Russell, first president of the Watchtower Society, claimed it was the 6,000th year of earth’s history.

8. 1914: Jehovah’s Witnesses claimed Christ’s invisible presence begins, and His visible return will occur at Armageddon.

9. 1964: A movement within Seventh Day Adventists posited Miller’s 1844 date was accurate, but like Noah, it would be after 120 years (Genesis 6:3).

10. 1980’s: Hal Lindsey, The Late Great Planet Earth

11. 1988: Edgar C. Whisenant 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988

12. 1989: Edgar C. Whisenant 89 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1989

13. 1999-2009: Jerry Falwell predicted He would come within 10 years.

14. 2000: Frank Cherry, Ed Dobson, Timothy Dwight IV, and Edgar Cayce

15. 21 May and 21 October 2011: Harold Camping claimed the rapture would occur on 21 May followed by the end of the world on 21 October.

II. Why They Are Saying It

A. How could anyone look back across so many failed predictions and not discard such a position?

B. The answer is a faulty approach to biblical prophecy.

C. Though a host of influences have fueled these notions, the most influential in the last 200 years are J.N. Darby and C.I. Scofield.

D. Their “literal” interpretation of prophecy holds that prophecies of Israel’s restoration must be fulfilled on the earth.

E. This approach produced the postponement theory which claims Christ postponed the kingdom when the Jews rejected Him, setting up the church as sort of a stop gap measure until His second coming.

F. A further result is the idea that the church and national Israel both represent God’s people with different roles and promises.

III. The Road Ahead

A. There are many variations to the premillennial view, but we will limit our discussions to the most critical issues arising from the view.

B. We will address three main concerns in these discussions:

1. The land promise and problems with the “literal” (actually material) interpretation concerning the restoration of Israel in prophecy.

2. The plain biblical teaching about Christ’s second coming regarding the rapture, tribulation, Armageddon, the millennium, and judgment.

3. Detrimental theological implications of the postponement theory.

Conclusion:

1. The premillennial view promotes a great deal of sensationalism and prompts many to spend much time and energy reading the “signs.”

2. We will see that the postponement theory devalues the church and denigrates the wisdom and power of God.