Dr Paul Allen

By Mitch Chase Revelation 20:1–6 contain the Bible’s teaching on a period of “a thousand years,” and these verses comprise one of the most disputed passages in the whole Bible.  You may have thought through the four main millennial views (dispensational premillennialism, historic premillennialism, amillennialism, and postmillennialism) and have reached a conventional conclusion.  Or maybe you’re undecided. No matter what view you hold (firmly or loosely), here are 20 questions that would be good to think through: What is the relationship of Revelation 20:1-6 to Revelation 19? Should the “thousand years” in Revelation 20:1–6 be interpreted literally or symbolically? Is there a relationship between Revelation 12 and Revelation 20:1-6? Can the “first resurrection” in Revelation 20:5 and 20:6 refer to anything other than a bodily resurrection? Though the terminology of a millennial reign occurs only in Revelation 20, is the millennial reign taught conceptually in any previous New ...

As believers, we know it will end. And we know some of the how it will end—at least who wins in the end. We’ve done our best to mine the prophetic texts in Scripture to gain more and more detail that can be quantified and systematized to tell us how the world might end. It’s comforting to know the details of something coming, even if it’s ultimately beyond your control. To know what’s ahead gives us some sense of security. So, for 2,000 years, Christians have tried to piece together what the Bible says about the end. A wide swath of orthodox interpretations is possible. This post explains the four broad eschatological (end times) categories: amillennialism, postmillennialism, historic premillennialism, and dispensationalism. Each of these views proposes a different take on three key aspects of the end of the world: the millennium, the binding of Satan, and the relationship between Israel and the church. Amillennialism Amillennialism’s name is a clear giveaway to its defini...

One of the most encouraging developments in evangelicalism over the past several decades has been the remarkable resurgence of reformed theology. This rediscovery of the doctrines of grace has not only captured the Bible ’s emphasis on the sovereignty of God in salvation but also strengthened the unity of the church around the centrality of the gospel. In the area of eschatology, however, I have noticed two concerning trends among those who have joined this reformation. The first involves what I call eschatological agnosticism. To be sure, eschatology is one of the most difficult theological issues to understand, especially when it comes to the finer details. But some Christians, although diligent students of Scripture in every other area, avoid the topic altogether and appear content to place themselves in the category of undecided. Some even seem proud of their agnosticism, as if ignorance about the meaning of biblical prophecy is evidence of a commitment to more significan...

One of the key disagreements between amillennialism and premillennialism is whether the thousand years of Revelation 20:1-6 is present or future. According to the amillennial interpretation, this thousand-year period consists of the present age which extends from the first coming of Christ to His second coming. In contrast, premillennialism teaches that the thousand years of Revelation 20 is future and will take place immediately after the second coming. In his book End Times Made Simple, Samuel Waldron argues for the amillennial view. In doing so, he spends three chapters on Revelation 20, starting with a discussion of various hermeneutical issues which he believes “must take center stage and precede the detailed study of the passage” (p. 85). According to Waldron, understanding and applying these hermeneutical principles is crucial to an accurate interpretation of this controversial chapter. The first hermeneutical principle cited by Waldron involves the historical context of R...

Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative by Sam Storms - Described by Kevin De Young as "the standard bearer for Amillennialism for years to come.” Kingdom Come offers an alternative and a biblical rationale to the widely held view of Premillennialism : that Christ ’s return will be followed by 1,000 years before the final judgement . This book reveals that this is not the only option for Christians . This is a substantial work which will challenge and encourage. Storms explain the belief that the 1,000 years mentioned in the book of Revelation is symbolic, with the emphasis being the King and his Kingdom. So that even those who remain unconvinced will need to reckon with the powerful case made for Amillennialism by reading this work. Questioning Premillennialism Upon graduating from The University of Oklahoma in 1973, I began my studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. My professors were a Who's Who of dispensational premillennialism: John Walvoord (then president of DTS...