The ConsummationDispensational PremillennialismC.S. Noren, 2017

Premillennialism 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. (Revelation 20:1-3 ESV)

Definitions

Second Coming of Christ – The future return of Christ to earth.

Rapture – An event where believers who have died and will be raised and believers who are still alive on earth shall be caught up in the clouds to meet Christ in the air. (Derived from the Middle French rapture, which comes from the Medieval Latin rapture (seizure/kidnapping), which comes from the Latin raptus (a carrying off).

Chris

t’s Fi

rst C

omin

g

Eter

nity

MillenniumDispensational Premillennialism

Second Coming

Final JudgmentTrib

Rapture

MillenniumHistoric Premillennialism

Second Coming

Final JudgmentTrib

Premillennial Views

Historic Premillennial Timeline

The ChurchThe ChurchTribulation

The ChurchMillennium

Judgment

NewThe ChurchThe Church

Dispensational Timeline

IsraelThe Church

TribulationIsrael

The Church

Millennium

Judgment

NewIsrael

The Church

Historic Premillennialism

End of the Millennium: Satan loosed. Final great rebellion. Rebellion crushed. Second resurrection (of the wicked for

judgment). Final Judgment. Satan and his followers cast into the lake

of fire.

Dispensational Premillennialism Major Distinctions

Distinction between Israel and the Church.

Eschatology – Premillennial with Rapture. Dispensations.

Biblical Interpretive Distinctions Progressive Revelation. Grammatical-Historical Interpretation.

Dispensations

Dispensational periods in and of themselves are not the main issue between Reformed and Dispensationalists.

It’s the Israel versus The Church hermeneutic.

Biblical Periods

Genesis 1-3

Genesis 3-8

Genesis 9-11

Genesis 12 to Exodus 19

Exodus 20 until the birth of the church

Church age until rapture

Revelation 20:4-6

Revelation 20-22

Classical Dispensationalism

Innocenceor Edenic

Conscience or

Antediluvian

Civil Governme

nt

Patriarchal

or Promise

Mosaic or Law

Grace or Church

Millennial Kingdom

Eternal State

or Final

Four Dispensational scheme

Patriarchal Mosaic Ecclesial Zionic

Recommended Podcast Series Theology Simply Profound

http://theologysimplyprofound.org/ “A Podcast Of Westminster Orthodox

Presbyterian Church Where God Powerfully Speaks Through His Means Of Grace.”

Has an outstanding series on Dispensationalism.▪ Episode 22 (April 2016) – Episode 37 (August

2016), with other relevant episodes. Look up “Theology Simply Profound” in iTunes

or your favorite podcast app.

Overriding Assumptions

OT Prophecies concerning Israel are to be literally fulfilled to ethnic Israel.

Israel is not a type, it is the antitype. OT Symbolism is constrained.

It is especially constrained in OT prophetic statements.

Israel versus the Church

ISRAEL

The earthly chosen people of God.

OT promises and curses relate to ethnic Israel.

OT promises to Israel will be fulfilled in the millennium.

OT trappings of temple and sacrifices will be present in millennium.

THE CHURCH

The spiritual, heavenly people of God.

OT prophecies did not mention the NT Church.

The Church has a different destiny or purpose than Israel.

WCF, Chapter 25 The catholic or universal church, which is invisible,

consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

The visible church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord JesusChrist, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.

Consistency with Principles The main issue is Dispensationalism

separates God’s people: Israel – The OT promises only refer to

them. The Church – Distinct from the true

Israel. This is unbiblical.

History of Dispensationalism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispensationalism#mediaviewer/File:History_of_Dispensationalism_Darby_III.svg

Rapture Critique

Based on 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. Many other passages can be used. 1 Corinthians shows a striking

contraction in “Rapture Doctrine”.

Logic Tools

The critique is based on the concept of proof by contradiction.

It depends on the law of non-contradiction: Nothing can be true and false, at the same time and in the same sense.

If the premise being defended results in a contradiction, then the premise is false.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 ESV: Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Last Trumpet

Dispensationalists identify 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 as a rapture event. Believers, living and dead, are caught up

with the Lord. Notice that “the last trumpet” is

sounded. There is a problem with the last

trumpet. Matthew 24:31

Is it really the Last Trumpet? Matthew 24:31 ESV And he will send

out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Dispensationalists view this is the 2nd coming of Christ … after the rapture in 1 Corinthians 15.

This makes the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15 not the last trumpet.

Workarounds to Last Trumpet How can the not last trumpet of 1

Corinthians 15 be called the last trumpet? Four Dispensational Theories:

The last trumpet with different blasts of the trumpet.

The trumpet sound is seven years long. Matthew 24:31 is not about the visible second

coming of Christ. This last trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15 is the last

for the Church.

Different blasts of the trumpet The last trumpet with different blasts

of the trumpet. Rebuttal: Does not work because 1

Corinthians 15:52 says the trumpet sound. It means this is the last sounding of the trumpet.

Trumpet sound is seven years long The trumpet sound is seven years

long. Rebuttal: The stress on 1 Corinthians

15:52 is on the quickness of the operation.

Not the second coming of Christ Matthew 24:31 is not about the

visible second coming of Christ. Rebuttal: Matthew 24:30 is clearly

visible: Matthew 24:30 ESV Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

The last trumpet for the Church This last trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15 is

the last for the Church. – Rebuttal: This theory means there is a qualification

to the last trumpet. Rule in interpretation is that there must be

explicit limited qualifiers in the context. There is no indication in 1 Corinthians 15

that last is qualified in any way. The passage is cosmic and not limited in

any way.

Rapture Conclusion: No Rapture The most straight forward and plain

literal reading of Matthew 24 and 1 Corinthians 15 is that the rapture event of 1 Corinthians 15 is identical to the second coming of Christ in Matthew 24.

Therefore there is no secret rapture of the Church prior to the second coming of Christ.

Summary

Dispensationalism is an invention in the 1800’s by John Nelson Darby.

It’s major distinctives include: Different plans of God for ethnic Israel

and the Church The Premillennial Rapture view.

The rapture view runs into many major biblical problems and contradictions.

…but what about? Matthew 24:36-42

[36] “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. [37] For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. [38] For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, [39] and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. [40] Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. [41] Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. [42] Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. (ESV)

…but what about?

Matthew 24:40, 41: Emphasis is on being ready. Cannot judge by external appearances.

People pursuing same activities, one will be taken, one left.

It is referring to the separation of those who are ready from those who are not.

“Taken” often refers to judgment. For example, Israel was taken into captivity.

…and what about? 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

[13] But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. [14] For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. [15] For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. [18] Therefore encourage one another with these words. (ESV)

…and what about?

1 Thessalonians 4 Metaphor of a triumphant, conquering

general returning to the city.▪ Trumpets sound.▪ Messenger announces the coming general

and army with a loud voice.▪ The people of the city go out to meet the

general and participate in the victory parade that comes into the city.