According to the theory of Premillennialism, the Lord will return to the earth after seven years of tribulation to fight the battle of Armageddon against the devil and his army. Christ and His army will be victorious and He will execute judgment upon the ungodly. The Lord will then usher in His Kingdom on earth that will last for 1,000 years. Specific beliefs vary between religious groups, but that is the basic theory.
The battle of Armageddon, as taught in Premillennialism, is based on a misinterpretation of Revelation 19. In Revelation 19:11-19, the King of kings comes forth to do battle with the beast and the false prophet. The beast and the false prophet are seized and defeated in Revelation 19:20-21.
The context of Revelation 19 should be interpreted figuratively. The book of Revelation was written to assure Christians in the first century of victory over evil and to keep them from giving into emperor worship during the existence of the Roman Empire. Christians who refused to worship the emperor as Lord were being persecuted, some to death. When the Roman Empire fell and false emperor worship ended, the battle of Armageddon was over. The beast and the false prophet were defeated (Revelation 19:20-21). Therefore, Armageddon is a symbol for the battleground where the army of God clashes with Satan and overcomes.
Armageddon means "hill of Megiddo," a real place that existed in the Valley of Jezreel where a number of famous battles were fought. At Megiddo, Barack and Deborah defeated the kings of Canaan in Judges 5:19. In Judges 6:33, Gideon defeated the Midianites. Saul was defeated by the Philistines at the hill of Megiddo in 1 Samuel 31:8.
The term "Armageddon" is only mentioned once in Revelation 16:16, and should be interpreted figuratively. If "Armageddon" is to be interpreted as a literal place, then we would have to be consistent and interpret everything else in the book of Revelation literally. For example, the generals in verse 13 who fight for the devil would all look like frogs. There would need to be a space that would hold 200 million horsemen, Revelation 9:16. There would also be a great river of blood 200 miles long, Revelations 14:20.
The 1000 year reign of Christ, as taught in Premillennialism, is based on a misinterpretation of Revelation 20. Revelation 20 was written after the cross and during the Roman persecution of the church. Like the battle of Armageddon, the context should be interpreted figuratively.
The book of Revelation is unlike any other book in the New Testament because it is written in signs and symbols. The number 10 was used as a symbol for fullness and completeness. The number 1000 is a multiple of 10, meaning a reign with Christ that is unbroken and complete.
Revelation 20:4 states "they" sat on thrones and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The "they," not us, in verse 4 are the souls of martyrs who had been slain for refusing to worship the beast. Again, Revelation was written during a time when it seemed like the cause of Christ would be crushed by Roman persecution. Earlier in Revelation 6:9-11, these Christians were under an altar crying for vengeance. In Revelation 20:4, the martyrs are on now on thrones. Despite the fact these martyrs were murdered for the cause of Christ, Christianity flourished. Christianity did not falter under persecution. Instead, the cause of persecution, emperor worship and the Roman Empire was defeated. The "first resurrection" mentioned in Revelations 20:6 is therefore the cause of Christ emerging out of certain defeat.
The 1000 Year reign of Christ is now being fulfilled. According to Matthew 12:28-29 and Hebrews 2:14-15, Christ bound Satan and limited his power over sin and death when Jesus was crucified and arose from the grave. Through Christ, we can resist and be delivered from the power of Satan (1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7). Christ reigns from resurrection to the second coming (1 Corinthians 15:22-28). Therefore, the 1000 year reign of Christ in Revelation 20 is not an "earthly" reign of the Lord, but a spiritual reign with victorious saints (Revelation 20:4).
In the next and final article, we will address the Premillennial teachings concerning the Nation of Israel.
The battle of Armageddon, as taught in Premillennialism, is based on a misinterpretation of Revelation 19. In Revelation 19:11-19, the King of kings comes forth to do battle with the beast and the false prophet. The beast and the false prophet are seized and defeated in Revelation 19:20-21.
The context of Revelation 19 should be interpreted figuratively. The book of Revelation was written to assure Christians in the first century of victory over evil and to keep them from giving into emperor worship during the existence of the Roman Empire. Christians who refused to worship the emperor as Lord were being persecuted, some to death. When the Roman Empire fell and false emperor worship ended, the battle of Armageddon was over. The beast and the false prophet were defeated (Revelation 19:20-21). Therefore, Armageddon is a symbol for the battleground where the army of God clashes with Satan and overcomes.
Armageddon means "hill of Megiddo," a real place that existed in the Valley of Jezreel where a number of famous battles were fought. At Megiddo, Barack and Deborah defeated the kings of Canaan in Judges 5:19. In Judges 6:33, Gideon defeated the Midianites. Saul was defeated by the Philistines at the hill of Megiddo in 1 Samuel 31:8.
The term "Armageddon" is only mentioned once in Revelation 16:16, and should be interpreted figuratively. If "Armageddon" is to be interpreted as a literal place, then we would have to be consistent and interpret everything else in the book of Revelation literally. For example, the generals in verse 13 who fight for the devil would all look like frogs. There would need to be a space that would hold 200 million horsemen, Revelation 9:16. There would also be a great river of blood 200 miles long, Revelations 14:20.
The 1000 year reign of Christ, as taught in Premillennialism, is based on a misinterpretation of Revelation 20. Revelation 20 was written after the cross and during the Roman persecution of the church. Like the battle of Armageddon, the context should be interpreted figuratively.
The book of Revelation is unlike any other book in the New Testament because it is written in signs and symbols. The number 10 was used as a symbol for fullness and completeness. The number 1000 is a multiple of 10, meaning a reign with Christ that is unbroken and complete.
Revelation 20:4 states "they" sat on thrones and reigned with Christ a thousand years. The "they," not us, in verse 4 are the souls of martyrs who had been slain for refusing to worship the beast. Again, Revelation was written during a time when it seemed like the cause of Christ would be crushed by Roman persecution. Earlier in Revelation 6:9-11, these Christians were under an altar crying for vengeance. In Revelation 20:4, the martyrs are on now on thrones. Despite the fact these martyrs were murdered for the cause of Christ, Christianity flourished. Christianity did not falter under persecution. Instead, the cause of persecution, emperor worship and the Roman Empire was defeated. The "first resurrection" mentioned in Revelations 20:6 is therefore the cause of Christ emerging out of certain defeat.
The 1000 Year reign of Christ is now being fulfilled. According to Matthew 12:28-29 and Hebrews 2:14-15, Christ bound Satan and limited his power over sin and death when Jesus was crucified and arose from the grave. Through Christ, we can resist and be delivered from the power of Satan (1 Peter 5:8-9; James 4:7). Christ reigns from resurrection to the second coming (1 Corinthians 15:22-28). Therefore, the 1000 year reign of Christ in Revelation 20 is not an "earthly" reign of the Lord, but a spiritual reign with victorious saints (Revelation 20:4).
In the next and final article, we will address the Premillennial teachings concerning the Nation of Israel.
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