If Your Church Teaches Rapture/1000 Year Reign, Open Your Bible and Study This

Pre-millennialism Defined and Refuted 

INTRODUCTION:

A. This morning I would like to give another reason why I am a member of the church of Christ – I am a member of the Church of Christ because it teaches the kingdom has now been established and Christ is now reigning.

 

B. The future kingdom theory together with the literal reign of Christ upon the earth for a literal 1,000 years has invaded the denominational world, it is publicly being advocated by their preachers, and it has even invaded the decision making of our government.

1. I could never cast my lot with a religious group which is lending its support to such a wild theory.

2. This wild theory is called “Premillennialism”

3. This false doctrine teaches that Christ at His second coming will set up a kingdom (not yet established) and will reign in Jerusalem for a 1,000 years over man on the earth.

C. No doubt there are some things hard to understand in the Bible, but Premillennialism cannot possibly be true.  

DISCUSSION: 

A. PREMILLENNIALISM CANNOT BE TRUE BECAUSE THE KINGDOM HAS ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED

1. Daniel, in recalling Nebuchadnezzar’s forgotten dream and in giving the interpretation of it said, “And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed … it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44).

a. What kings? The kings of the Roman Empire, according to the interpretation of the dream in light of sacred and secular history.

b. God’s ever-standing and never-ending kingdom was to be established while the Romans ruled over man.

2. In the days of the Roman kings John the Baptist came preaching, “Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:1-2).

3. After John had been put into prison Jesus preached, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk. 1:15).

4. Jesus taught that the kingdom was to come during the lifetime of some of the then-living disciples.

a. Mark 9:1

b. Now, either the kingdom has been established, or we have some of the Lord’s disciples living at the age of nearly 2,000 years.

c. If there is someone that old still around we would have heard of it

5. When Jesus sent out the seventy, He said, “The kingdom of God is nigh unto you” (Lk. 10:9). That is, it was soon to be established.

6. We now come to the exact date that the kingdom was established

a. You will recall Mark 9:1 – this power came on the apostles in Jerusalem on Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:1-4).

b. Therefore, the kingdom came on Pentecost

7. After Pentecost, Paul wrote, Colossians 1:13

a. They could not have been conveyed or translated into the kingdom if it didn’t exist

b. And, not only that, John said he was in the kingdom (Revelation 1:9).

8. The absurdity of this doctrine is again seen when placed alongside of Hebrews 12:28 – if we have received a kingdom that shall not be shaken, how can it be said that the kingdom has not yet come.

9. Consider also that it is preposterous to look for a kingdom to be established on the earth, for Jesus His kingdom was not of this world (Jn. 18:36). 

B. PREMILLENNIALISM CANNOT BE TRUE BECAUSE CHRIST’S THRONE IS IN HEAVEN

1. Zechariah said that Christ “shall sit and rule upon his throne” (Zech. 6:13).

a. Christ is now sitting at God’s right hand (Acts 2:30-35)

b. Therefore, Christ’s throne is at God’s right hand. Not on earth!

2. Zechariah declared that Christ would be a priest on His throne (Zech. 6:13).

a. Paul said that Christ is a great high priest in heaven (Heb. 4:14)

b. Therefore, Christ’s throne is in heaven. Not on the earth!

3. Consider this as well, wherever Christ cannot be a priest He cannot have His throne, for Christ “shall be a priest on his throne” (Zech. 6:13).

a. Christ cannot be a priest on earth – Hebrews 8:4

b. Therefore, it is impossible for His throne to be on the earth. It must be in heaven! 

C. PREMILLENNIALISM CANNOT BE TRUE BECAUSE IT TEACHES WE ARE NOT LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS

1. Peter’s statement on the day of Pentecost, “This is the last days,” is sufficient enough to prove doctrine false.

2. All premillennialists hold that we are not living in the last days.

3. They teach that Jesus will inaugurate the last days at His second coming.

4. But the inspired apostle Peter said the last days began when the kingdom began on the day of Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus

5. Who are we going to believe? 

D. PREMILLENNIALISM CANNOT BE TRUE BECAUSE AT THE LORD’S RETURN THE EARTH WILL BE BURNED UP

1. Consider – 2 Peter 3:10

2. How will Jesus reign on the earth if it is burned up? 

E. PREMILLENNIALISM CANNOT BE TRUE BECAUSE REVELATION 20:1-6 DOES NOT TEACH IT

 

1. Revelation 20:1-6

2. This is the premillennialists’ sugar stick text, but notice what it does not mention:

a. The second coming of Christ

b. Christ’s reign on the earth

c. A resurrection of the body

d. Christ ever being on the earth again

e. That we will reign with Him, but rather those who had been “beheaded for the testimony of Jesus” (v.4)

3. This passage is teeming with figurative language

a. They have taken one phrase out of a passage full of figurative language and have tried to make that one phrase (“reign with him a thousand years”) as literal

b. Why do they take that one phrase literally and not the others? 

CONCLUSION: I am a member of the Church of Christ because it teaches the kingdom has now been established and Christ is now reigning!
adapted-Tom Moore/Preacherfiles.com