Historical Premillennialism: This belief was held by a large percentage of Christians "during the first three centuries of the Christian era, and is found in the works of Papias, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Methodius, Commodianus, and Lactanitus." The Antichrist first appears on earth and the seven year Tribulation begins. Next comes the Rapture. Christ and his Church return to earth to rule for a Millennium. The faithful will spend eternity in the New Jerusalem. It is a gigantic cubical structure, some 1,380 miles height, width and depth, which will have descended to Earth. New Jerusalem is a.k.a. Celestial city, City of God, Heavenly Jerusalem, Holy city, Shining City on a Hill, Tabernacle of God, Zion, etc. The forces of evil will have been conquered. The faithful will live during this thousand years of peace in Jerusalem, while occupying spiritual bodies. After this period, all people are judged.
Premillennialism was
declared a heresy at the Council of Ephesus (431). Amillennialism soon became
the prevailing doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church and premillennialism was
suppressed.
Dispensational Premillennialism: (a.k.a. Dispensationalism) Premillennialism,
declared a heresy in ancient times, was reintroduced circa 1830. Most people
credit John N. Darby with its resurrection. He was a minister of the Church of
Ireland, a denomination in the Anglican communion, and the founder of the
Plymouth Brethren. However, author Dave MacPherson claims that British pastor
Edward Irving was the actual person responsible, and that a conspiracy was
organized to give Darby the credit. Premillenialism received general acceptance
by most Fundamentalists and other Evangelical Christians after the publishing
of the Scofield Reference Bible in 1909. As in Historic Premillennialism, the
Tribulation is believed to precede the second coming of Christ, and the
subsequent establishment of the millennial kingdom -- a thousand-year golden
age on Earth. The Final Judgment follows the millennium. But, theologians are
divided over the timing of the Rapture. Many Premillennialists search world
events and signs in the heavens for some indication of the Tribulation, which
they anticipate will arrive at any time.
All of the theories that
have been proposed about the timing of the Rapture appear to contradict some
passages in the Bible. Current beliefs include:
Pre-Tribulation Rapture: (or "pre-trib") The Rapture happens
just before the Tribulation, so that believers will not have to experience any
of its disruption and pain. The main difficulties with pre-trib are contained
in the Olivet Prophecy of Jesus. In Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, Jesus
describes the terrible destruction and loss of life of the tribulation period.
The disaster is believed to be so intense that no human (Christian or
non-Christian alike) would remain alive, except that God shortens the duration
of the disaster for the sake of the believers. Jesus then continues by describing
his return towards earth immediately after the terrible devastation. From this
passage, it is obvious that the rapture will follow the Tribulation. The
supporters of the "pre-trib" position suggest that Jesus will have a
total of three comings: the first during the first century CE; the second at
the start of the tribulation, and a third at the end of the tribulation.
Post-tribulation Rapture: (or "post-trib") The faithful
experience the full horrors of the entire Tribulation and are raptured only at the
end of the 7 years. The main problem with this theory is that there are many
Bible passages which state that Christ's return will be at a time that cannot
be predicted. But the Tribulation period starts with the arrival of the
Antichrist and an interval of peace. Precisely 42 months later, a sudden shift
occurs, a peace treaty is broken, and devastation begins. These would be well
defined dates that would allow an accurate prediction of the end of the
Tribulation. There are other weaknesses to this theory. 7
Mid-Tribulation Rapture: (or "mid-trib") The Rapture happens
42 months into the Tribulation. Up to that time, the Antichrist brings peace to
the world. After 42 months, events take a sudden turn for the worse. Some
supporters of the "mid-trib" position suggest that there will be many
mini-raptures.
Pre-wrath Rapture: This is a new theory, promoted by Marvin
Rosenthal, former director of Friends of Israel, and others. Their view teaches
that the church must experience most of the Tribulation, and then be raptured
towards the end of the Tribulation period.
Partial Rapture: This theory teaches that the faithful
born-again believers are raptured just before the Tribulation. Newly born again
believers are are raptured during or at the end of the Tribulation.
Amillennialism: (Also sometimes referred to as nonmillennialism,
nunc-millennialism, or realized millennialism). Amillennialists believe that
the millennium is not an actual physical realm on Earth. They do not believe
that it will last 1,000 years. Rather it began at the time of Pentecost (circa
30 CE) and is currently active in the world today through the presence of the
heavenly reign of Christ, the Bible, the Holy Spirit and the activities of
Christian faith groups. Both good and evil will continue in the world during
this time. Lawlessness, a falling away from the Church, and persecution of
Christians will increase in magnitude. Finally, the current Church Age will end
suddenly at Christ's second coming. A type of Rapture will happen when Christ
returns: believers will rise to meet Jesus in the sky. All will then shortly
return to Earth. The Day of Judgment will then occur. Events described in The
Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) and in most of the book of
Revelation are seen as occurrences which have already happened, or which are
symbolic in nature and not to be taken literally. The Antichrist is looked upon
figuratively and not as a real person.
This belief was held by
many leaders of the early Christian church during the first and second
centuries CE. Simultaneously, other leaders -- perhaps the majority -- taught a
version of premillennialism that is very different from today's dispensational
premillennialism. St. Augustine (354 - 430 CE), often called the "Father
of Amillennialism" was largely responsible for the establishment of
amillennialism as the formal church belief. It remained the generally accepted
system throughout Christianity until after the Reformation in the 16th century.
Many Christian denominations -- including the
Anglican Communion, Disciples of Christ, Lutheran, Orthodox, Reformed,
Roman Catholic, and some Baptists continue to teach Amillennialism.
Postmillennialism: (Also known as "Christian
Reconstruction", "Kingdom Now Theology" and "Dominion
Theology.") This belief arose during the early 19th century CE. According
to author Loraine Boettner, Postmillennialism involves "that view of last
things which holds that the kingdom of God is now being extended in the world
through the preaching of the gospel and the saving work of the Holy Spirit,
that the world eventually is to be Christianized, and that the return of Christ
will occur at the close of a long period of righteousness and peace, commonly
called the millennium." The theory is based on the perception of a gradual
movement towards social perfection. They predicted that a massive religious
revival, spiritual awakening and purification would occur. The entire human
race is converted to Christianity, including the Jews. A millennium of peace
and righteousness follows. After the millennium, Jesus returns to earth,
resurrects the dead believers, and conducts the last judgment. The Rapture and
Tribulation are largely ignored. This belief is being actively promoted today
by the Chalcedon Foundation and other groups within the Christian
Reconstruction movement.
Preterism is a belief that the events prophesized in the New Testament have
already happened. The great war of Armageddon in the book of Revelation
occurred in the late 60's and early 70's CE when the temple in Jerusalem was
destroyed, many Jews were killed and the rest were driven from Palestine. When
Jesus talked about the end of the world, he did not mean that the physical
world would be no more. He taught that the old worldview held by various
contemporary Jewish groups was coming to an end, to be replaced by a new
concept, the Kingdom of God. Thus, all of the major elements in the book of
Revelation (Tribulation, Armageddon, Rapture, etc.) actually took place in the
first century CE. 8
No Millennialism: Most skeptics and liberal Christian
theologians largely interpret the contents of the books of Daniel and
Revelation as having no prophetic information for our future. Many regard
Revelation as being composed of visions, hallucinations or nightmares of the
author, of little meaning for Christians today. Some believe that the purpose
of the book of Revelation was to stiffen resolve in the early Christian
movement to withstand persecution by the Roman Empire. Thus, its purpose was to
predict persecutions and other events that were to happened to the early
Christian church. They also reject the apparent prophecies in the Book of
Daniel. They believe that Daniel was written early in the 2nd century BCE, long
after most of the events had actually happened. It was history recorded, not
their future prophesized. ecessarily
immediately before the tribulation. [1]
[1]
http://www.religioustolerance.org/millenni.htm