Postmillennialism (PM) is the view that we are already in a
non-literal millennium in which the Church will gradually Christianize the
world before Christ’s return. This optimistic view has energized societal
change:
·
Postmillennialism was a dominant theological
belief among American Protestants who promoted reform movements in the 19th and
20th century such as abolitionism and the Social Gospel. (Wikipedia)
However, through the disillusionment resulting from the two
World Wars, PM has lost favor:
·
John Jefferson Davis notes that the
postmillennial outlook was articulated by men like John Owen in the 17th
century, Jonathan Edwards in the 18th century, and Charles Hodge in the 19th
century. Davis argues that it was the dominant view in the nineteenth century,
but was eclipsed by the other millennial positions by the end of World War I
due to the "pessimism and disillusionment engendered by wartime
conditions." (Wikipedia)
I cannot find any clear and explicit support for PM in the
Scriptures. Instead, it seems that the end will be characterized by widespread
apostasy and persecution:
·
“Then
they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be
hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and
betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and
lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many
will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew
24:9-13 ESV)
·
Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to
courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before
governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When
they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are
to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is
not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother
will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will
rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all
for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they
persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will
not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. (Matthew
10:17-23)
·
But understand this, that in the last days there
will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of
money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful,
unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not
loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its
power. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Jesus had rhetorically asked, “When the Son of Man comes,
will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). He taught that the world would be
taken by surprise at His coming:
·
They were eating and drinking and marrying and
being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood
came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they
were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the
day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and
destroyed them all—so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On
that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not
come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not
turn back. (Luke 17:27-31)
Rather than being in the majority, as PM suggests, we will
belong to a persecuted minority, which is forced to flee. The Book of Daniel describes the “shattering
of the power” of God’s people:
·
“And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was
above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand
toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time,
times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy
people comes to an end all these things would be finished.” (Daniel 12:7)
·
As I looked, this horn made war with the saints
and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given
for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed
the kingdom. (Daniel 7:21-22)
However, this “shattering” will only be temporary:
·
“He [the evil king] shall speak words against
the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think
to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a
time, times, and half a time... And the kingdom and the dominion and the
greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people
of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’”(Daniel 7:25, 27)
Nevertheless, God will strengthen and purify His people prior
to our Lord’s return:
·
“He shall seduce with flattery those who violate
the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take
action. And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for
some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and
plunder... and some of the wise shall
stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time
of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.” (Daniel 11:32-33, 35)
In His Olivet Discourse,
Jesus taught that His people wouldn’t be cowered into submission. Instead, this
would be a great time of evangelism:
·
And this gospel of the kingdom will be
proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then
the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
The noted preacher, Charles Spurgeon wisely wrote, “If the
road to heaven were smooth, heaven wouldn’t be so sweet in the end.” His words
mirror those of Peter:
·
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial
when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening
to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also
rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)
We have every reason for confidence, for our confidence is
in our Savior.
·
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the
gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear
of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by
side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your
opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your
salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake
of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake. (Philippians
1:27-29)
No comments:
Post a Comment