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Counterpoints
Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 21, 2024
A very unique structure, 3 positions, 3 cases made, 2 responses to each from the opposing sides. Still not premillennial and a bit more sympathetic to the amil position after reading. Ironically, the post-mil representative in this book was the most down-to-earth and logically consistent, although perhaps a little confirmation bias existed.
September 7, 2024
AN INTERACTIVE COMPARISON OF THE THREE BASIC POSITIONS
Editor Darrell Bock notes in the Preface to this 1999 book, "I know of no other recent work where proponents of the three major millennial schools are brought together for an interactive presentation of their views in an irenic environment... This book picks up the eschatological discussion by treating the question of the Millennium and beyond. This question concerns whether or not there is a future intermediate earthly kingdom of a literal thousand years over which Christ will rule before the new heavens and new earth are established." (Pg. 7)
Craig Blaising presents Premillennialism, Kenneth Gentry ['Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation,' 'He Shall Have Dominion: A Postmillennial Eschatology'] presents postmillennialism, and Robert Strimple presents Amillennialism.
Strimple points out, "Our Lord knows of only TWO ages, the present age and the age to come. He tells his disciples that in the present age they cannot expect anything other than oppression and persecution and must forsake all things for his sake. Jesus nowhere predicts a glorious future on earth before the end of the world, as postmillennialists posit. On the contrary, the things he himself experienced are the things his church will experience." (Pg. 63) Commenting on 2 Peter 3:3-14, he says, "the picture presented by the Spirit through Peter does not allow for a thousand years intervening between the second coming of Christ and the coming of the day of divine judgment and cosmic renewal." (Pg. 107)
Gentry notes that Strimple notes that Paul "'says not a word about a return of the Jews to the Promised Land or about a millennial kingdom in which Christ will reign from his throne in Jerusalem.' These omissions certainly seem damaging to Blaising's dispensational schema; they are tantamount to Sherlock Holmes's dog that did not bark. What better place for Paul to mention the millennial reign from Jerusalem? But Paul is deafeningly silent." (Pg. 133)
Blaising observes, "Most premillennialists are quick to acknowledge that a thousand-year kingdom transpiring between the coming of Christ and the Final Judgment is explicitly found only in Revelation 20. Nevertheless they would argue that the Millennium is compatible with or an aspect of the broadly based biblical theme of a coming eschatological kingdom of God. As a matter of progressive revelation, the Millennium adds to and helps to harmonize the broader biblical teaching." (Pg. 159)
Gentry comments, "Premillennialism's dependence on Revelation should send up a red flag... because of the obvious matters of difficulty associated with Revelation's imagery and premillenialism's total dependence on it." (Pg. 240) He asks, "what becomes of those saints converted in and dying during the Tribulation (e.g., Rev 7:14) AFTER the first resurrection at the pretribulational Rapture? When are they resurrected? They have already 'missed' the first resurrection in the pretribulational scheme. And what of those Tributlational converts who live through the post-Rapture Tribulation to enter the Millennium in unresurrected bodies? When they eventually die in the Millennium, where is their resurrection? Unfortunately, these classes of believers are lost in the shuffle, for in the premillennial system the resurrection of God's people (the first resurrection) has already occurred; only the resurrection of the lost remains." (Pg. 243) He also suggests, "Many theological problems remain with the premillennial scenario... [such as] the convenient and surprising imposition of enormous time gaps in prophecy, such as in ... Daniel 9 (where the gap stretches from Christ's ministry to the future Great Tribulation---despite Daniel's providing a careful, unified measure of 'seventy weeks.'" (Pg. 255)
Whatever one's position (if any) on such matters, this book will be of great help to Christians in clarifying their understanding of the three positions.
Editor Darrell Bock notes in the Preface to this 1999 book, "I know of no other recent work where proponents of the three major millennial schools are brought together for an interactive presentation of their views in an irenic environment... This book picks up the eschatological discussion by treating the question of the Millennium and beyond. This question concerns whether or not there is a future intermediate earthly kingdom of a literal thousand years over which Christ will rule before the new heavens and new earth are established." (Pg. 7)
Craig Blaising presents Premillennialism, Kenneth Gentry ['Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation,' 'He Shall Have Dominion: A Postmillennial Eschatology'] presents postmillennialism, and Robert Strimple presents Amillennialism.
Strimple points out, "Our Lord knows of only TWO ages, the present age and the age to come. He tells his disciples that in the present age they cannot expect anything other than oppression and persecution and must forsake all things for his sake. Jesus nowhere predicts a glorious future on earth before the end of the world, as postmillennialists posit. On the contrary, the things he himself experienced are the things his church will experience." (Pg. 63) Commenting on 2 Peter 3:3-14, he says, "the picture presented by the Spirit through Peter does not allow for a thousand years intervening between the second coming of Christ and the coming of the day of divine judgment and cosmic renewal." (Pg. 107)
Gentry notes that Strimple notes that Paul "'says not a word about a return of the Jews to the Promised Land or about a millennial kingdom in which Christ will reign from his throne in Jerusalem.' These omissions certainly seem damaging to Blaising's dispensational schema; they are tantamount to Sherlock Holmes's dog that did not bark. What better place for Paul to mention the millennial reign from Jerusalem? But Paul is deafeningly silent." (Pg. 133)
Blaising observes, "Most premillennialists are quick to acknowledge that a thousand-year kingdom transpiring between the coming of Christ and the Final Judgment is explicitly found only in Revelation 20. Nevertheless they would argue that the Millennium is compatible with or an aspect of the broadly based biblical theme of a coming eschatological kingdom of God. As a matter of progressive revelation, the Millennium adds to and helps to harmonize the broader biblical teaching." (Pg. 159)
Gentry comments, "Premillennialism's dependence on Revelation should send up a red flag... because of the obvious matters of difficulty associated with Revelation's imagery and premillenialism's total dependence on it." (Pg. 240) He asks, "what becomes of those saints converted in and dying during the Tribulation (e.g., Rev 7:14) AFTER the first resurrection at the pretribulational Rapture? When are they resurrected? They have already 'missed' the first resurrection in the pretribulational scheme. And what of those Tributlational converts who live through the post-Rapture Tribulation to enter the Millennium in unresurrected bodies? When they eventually die in the Millennium, where is their resurrection? Unfortunately, these classes of believers are lost in the shuffle, for in the premillennial system the resurrection of God's people (the first resurrection) has already occurred; only the resurrection of the lost remains." (Pg. 243) He also suggests, "Many theological problems remain with the premillennial scenario... [such as] the convenient and surprising imposition of enormous time gaps in prophecy, such as in ... Daniel 9 (where the gap stretches from Christ's ministry to the future Great Tribulation---despite Daniel's providing a careful, unified measure of 'seventy weeks.'" (Pg. 255)
Whatever one's position (if any) on such matters, this book will be of great help to Christians in clarifying their understanding of the three positions.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews