The end times were a big part of my early Christian walk. Pretty evident in the fact that the church I was a member of was called the Rapture Church of Christ. I remember hearing the stories about the rapture and the end of the world. There was once a lock in at the church for the youth and they made us watch Left Behind and 2012. Who thought it was a good idea to watch such scary content at a giant sleep over? I have no idea, but it sure did a great job in scaring the collective hell out of the kids. I am sure many reading this article can share in some, if not all of these experiences.
I have since to come to reject this view of the end times. And that may be shocking. When I converse with other Christians, eventually the topic of the end times comes up, and they are shocked to hear I do not hold to that view. Why? Most of the time it is because they have no idea that another view even exists. And with that I want to give a short introduction unto the major orthodox views of the end-times.
The Millennium
Don’t worry, we are not about to switch into Y2k conspiracies. The different positions of the end-times all orient around what is known as the millennium in the bible. In Revelation chapter 20 we read,
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” - Revelation 20: 1-4
Each of the end-times views take their name from the timing by which the second coming happens in relation to the millennium. Thus, the positions are the Premillennial (before), Amillennial (no), and Postmillennial (after) positions. There are some variations as the Premillennial positions have two major camps.
Dispensational Premillennialism
That was a mouthful huh? Dispensational Premillennialism is the most popular end times position of the day. When you think about the future Anti-Christ, the pre-tribulation rapture, and the rebuilt temple and the reinstitution of sacrifices in Israel, this is that view. Much of the Left Behind series is a variation of this view. This is actually the youngest of the end-times views, as it is traditionally thought to have been created as a system beginning in the 1850s. I do want to add that Dispensationalism is more than an end-times view. It is an entire way to interpret the bible, or a hermeneutic for my theology nerds. Dispensationalists see a fundamental distinction between Israel and the Church as the people of God. Dispensationalists hold to a “literal” view of scripture and would claim that the other positions are not as literal. This position sees Christ return to each after the rapture, and a seven-year tribulation period to reign physically on the earth for a literal 1,000 years.
Historical Premillennialism
The Historical Premillennialism position shares much with the Dispensational view. But they generally speaking do not see a fundamental distinction between the church and Israel, though many have in history. These Premillennialists generally hold to a post-tribulation rapture. And some do not see the 1,000 years as literal. They also do not believe in a future rebuilt temple and the reinstitution of sacrifices. They also see Christ coming to set up a kingdom before a lengthy period of time called the millennium.
Amillennialism
The Amillennial position does not believe in a literal earthly millennium. Amillennialists view the millennium as a spiritual reign of Christ in the heavenly places. They view the kingdom, generally speaking, as spiritual among the church. They view the 1,000 years or “millennium” as the entirety of the church age. They see Christ returning at the end of the church age to punish evil and usher in the eternal state. Amillennialism is the majority view of church history. It is the second most popular view today.
Postmillennialism
Postmillennialism shares much in common with Amillennialism. Postmillennialism departs from Amillennialism in two general ways. First, Postmillennialism is fundamentally optimistic. In this way it is distinct from all the other views, which are generally pessimistic about the future. Second, Postmillennialism sees the kingdom as physical and earthly, though Christ reigns from heaven and through His people. The Postmillennial position sees the great commission as a success in human history and the vast majority of the world comes to faith in Christ. Then Christ returns to defeat his final enemies and usher in the eternal state. Postmillennialism was the dominant view in the United States prior to the twentieth century. It is the minority view today.
All done!
I hope this was helpful and encouraging. I encourage you all to look more into the different end-times views. They are not issues to divide over and many good Christians have held to all of these views. I think it is very important that Christians know more than one view exists.
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