Uprooting Three Roots of Premillennialism

     Premillennialism, in its abbreviated form, is the system of religious teaching that says
Christ will personally and bodily return to the earth the second time, in order to establish
his kingdom, and reign for a literal thousand years. Three of the most important roots of
the premillennial tree are (1) the personal bodily return of Jesus to the earth, (2) the
establishment of his kingdom which is yet future, and (3) a literal reign on earth for one
thousand years. If these three roots are uprooted the entire system dies, regardless of
the other intricately woven and often complex details of the theory.

     First, according to the sacred scriptures there is no need for Jesus to ever return to
the earth again. There is no mission that his Father has given him that necessitates
coming back to earth! The premillennial theory denies the efficacy of Jesus' work
the first time he was on earth. Premillennialists say there is work that remains to be
done by the Lord. The Lord himself says, "Not so!" Jesus spoke the following words to
his Father, "I glorified you on the earth, having finished the work you gave me to do."
(Jno. 17:4) Let's ask ourselves a few questions based on this passage: Who did he
glorify? His Father. Where did he glorify his Father? On the earth. How did he
glorify his Father? By finishing the work the Father gave him to do. According to the
Lord he glorified the Father the first time he was on the earth. So, why should he return
to the earth again? He also said he "finished the work" the Father gave him to do. We
may conclude therefore that there is not one single thing remaining for Jesus to do that
necessitates a return to the earth. Jesus finished (Grk. teleioo) his work on earth. The
Greek word teleioo means to complete something in the sense that nothing is missing,
nothing is lacking, all has been accomplished.

     Second, we are specifically told in scripture that when the "day of the Lord" comes,
"the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with
fire...all these things are thus to be dissolved...the heavens will be kindled and dissolved,
and the elements will melt with fire." (2 Pet. 3:10-12) There will be no earth on which
to set foot. Furthermore, Paul wrote, "...the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are
alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord
in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever." (1 Thess. 4:16-17) No descension
to the earth is mentioned in this text. No setting foot on the earth is mentioned. It plainly
says the righteous living and dead will be caught up, and will meet the Lord in the air.

     Third, why does the Lord need to return to the earth to set up his kingdom? The
kingdom of Christ was established during the days of the apostles. Paul, speaking to
Christians said, "He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred
us into the kingdom of his beloved Son." (Col. 1:13) You can't be transferred into that
which doesn't exist! John the apostle wrote, "I John, your brother and partner in the
persecution and the kingdom and patient endurance in Jesus." (Rev. 1:9) Is Jesus not
aware that his kingdom is already in existence? Both John the Immerser and Jesus
preached, "the kingdom of heaven is near." (Mat. 3:2; 4:17) The apostles and
evangelists in the first century preached it as having been established. (Acts 8:12;
28:30-31)

     Fourth, why does the Lord need to return to the earth to reign? The word
of God teaches he is reigning now. In Acts 2:29-36 Peter said Christ was raised
to sit on David's throne. Peter also said Jesus is sitting at God's right hand. This
is evidence that God "has made him both Lord and Messiah." If he is on David's
throne, and if he is at God's right hand, then David's throne is at God's right hand
in heaven, and not on the earth and never will be.

     Finally, someone might ask, "Okay, what about Revelation 20:4 which says, "And
they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years?" (ASV) The "thousand years"
in the text is no more literal than seeing the "souls of those who had been beheaded"
in the same verse. Furthermore, nothing is said in the passage about a reign on earth!

     To use the words of John the Immerser, "the axe has been laid to the root(s) of
the trees." (Mat. 3:10) There will be no personal bodily return of Jesus to the earth,
no future reign of Christ on the earth, and no literal thousand years to get it all done.

                                                                                                                  RD

Copyright 2011