ERROR: MYSTIC MILLENNIUM Idealism, Preterist-Idealism

MYSTIC MILLENNIUM Idealism, Preterist-Idealism

This view holds that the Millennium (1000 years) of Revelation 20:1-7

  • HAS NO BEGINNING OR ENDING DATES IN HISTORY.
  • IT IS STRICTLY A PERSONAL JOURNEY IN CHRIST.

(In essence, Idealism cannot see the difference between the application of prophecy's lessons and prophecy's historical fulfillments).

It incorporates the following errors:

 

 

Idealism:

  1. Asserts that the Resurrection of blessed & holy ones in Rev 20:4 is a past experience in the life of a Christian, that it is, therefore, not a bodily resurrection.
  2. So Idealism erroneously concludes, then, like "Full" Preterism, that the Resurrection of Rev 20:4 is a "coming to covenant life," (born again).
  3. But this logically drives the conclusion that the Resurrection of Rev 20:5 is the "coming to covenant life" of the rest of the dead, as well, since it uses the same words in an adjacent verse.
  4. So, whether one lives and dies as a "blessed & holy" martyr for Christ (Rev 20:4) or as "the rest of the dead" (Rev 20:5), he "comes to covenant life," nonetheless. Such doctrine renders obedience to Christ irrelevant to one's eternal fate. And that, again, lends support to the cancerous doctrine of Universalism.

In conclusion, much of the same arguments against "Full" Preterism, (Covenant Eschatology), can justly be applied against Idealism as well, LINK and LINK.

Despite Idealism, Rev 20:4 is not equivalent to being born-again. Rev 20:4 is the same event as 1 Thess 4:17. Rev 20:4 is the Resurrection of the Just, the Blessed & Holy ones, the coming to life again of the dead in Christ and their being changed into a bodily form just like what Jesus enjoys.

Notwithstanding, while I do see some measure of value in some of the the Idealist approachs to the Scriptures, (the renewed focus upon personal relationship-obedience to Christ, for instance), I also see some room for caution with the Idealist approach to prophecy & history. It should not be taken too far.

 
Frankly, some of the approaches I take can be regarded as "Idealist", too, I suppose. For example, I see resurrected-glorified Saints reigning from the unseen realm in the stead of the Eph 6:12 principalities-powers since the time of Christ's circa 70AD Return. These are Saints, brothers in the faith who have gone on to invisible glory, having been perfected through suffering, biological death, then judgment and resurrection-glorification. This is very ancient and catholic doctrine (in the original sense). And some folk might see some measure of Idealism in it.

And while I agree with Idealism that God's movements in the unseen realm are to be the centerpiece of Man's attention, I also concede that God's unseen movements have very real impacts upon the seen realm. This is why the historical does, indeed, still have some merit. Still, it takes faith to see the hand of God moving through our lives and, indeed, through the histories of the lives of men, nations & civilizations.

Even as Jesus would use parables to describe heavenly concepts with very earthly object lessons, God works through history, intervening in our physical reality, to give us confirmable evidence as to His invisible rule from the spiritual realm.

So I think it important to not lose our awareness of landmark, documentable, historic points of contact between God & Mankind, fulfillments of prophecy. Because if we take the Idealism too far, to the point where we lose all mooring points between our theology and documentable reality - then all we have left is a story that makes us feel better. Whether the story is true or not, it is no longer objectively confirmable - we only have the subjective witness of an inner, personal feeling. Some may call that "faith", but faith is blessed and stimulated by the witness of reality, too, Romans 1:1-4 & Romans 1:19-20. This is also why many believed following the miracles of Jesus and His Apostles and the holy exploits Christ's servants through the centuries since.

And holding onto a story by a feeling, without connection between our belief and reality, when the day comes when we don't feel better, our feel-good, hot-air balloon story comes crashing down and we cannot reason to ourselves or others why "the greatest story ever told" is any more worthy of belief than the confused stories of any of the Christless false religions.

So, the prophecy-history connection is important, (to me anyways), to point out that God is very much involved with Mankind, that He cares enough to intervene in our reality, that we are following something that is rooted deeply into reality and not just some cleverly designed fables. But I am convinced that Jesus is the Truth: and that "truth" is just another way of saying "reality" even as "The Logos" can justifiable by translated "The Explanation (of Reality)." So, to me, the Gospel is NOT the greatest story ever told: no, the Gospel is far and away the single, best, most credible explanation of what's really going on that I have ever encountered, bar none. And any explanation of reality MUST interact credibly and frequently with reality, reality as we experience it, reality as men have recorded it diligently, painstakingly throughout the centuries.
That is why, I believe, God placed it upon my heart years ago to start drawing the connections between the Bible's prophecies and the Bible's own accounts of their historical fulfilments. Joseph's early dreams - Joseph later becoming Lord of Egypt & his brothers. The baker & wine taster's prophetic dreams - the fates of the wine taster & baker. Pharoah's prophetic dreams of good/bad cows - the historical reality of good/bad years. The prophetic promises of inheriting the Promised Land - the historic realities of Joshua's conquering & possessing the Promised Land. The prophecy that David would be king - the historic reality that David became king. The prophecies that the Jews would go into Babylon - the historic reality of the Exile. Malachi prophesying about the Elijah to come before the Lord - the historic reality of John the Baptist being that Elijah that was to come. The prophesies that the Messiah would be born Bethlehem - the historic reality that Jesus the Messiah was born in Bethlehem. Etc, etc, etc.... It seemed that God wanted me to pay careful attention to such connections as I would work my way through my One-Year Bible again and again as a prerequisite to ultimately gaining the ability to draw the connections between the New Testament's prophesies and their later, post-New Testament fulfillments. Perhaps certain blessings of understanding only come to those willing to do their homework. I hope to please the Lord with mine.

May the above be understood in a favorable light, not as an attempt to brag (about what, really?) but an attempt to explain my interest in the matter. It is my hope to show idealistic young people that their dreams of making the world a better place are not in vain, but rather, they are favored by God who is also working to make the world a better place, too. We have a brighter and brigher future ahead of us but it will take a stout optimism to overcome the giants we must face down with every generation. "The wicked flee at the sound of a leaf, but the righteous are bold as a lion." "Let us go up at once and take the land, for God has given it to us and we are well able to possess it!" Through faith in Christ born of a good understanding, we CAN conquer tomorrow for the benefit of our fellow men.

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and with all your mind."

Revelation 21:7
7 "He who overcomes shall inherit these things..."
NASB

1 John 5:4-5
4 For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
NIV

 

Timeline: 
` AGAINST ERROR

ERROR I: "The 1000 years of Rev 20:1-7 starts before Christ's Return"

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  1. The "1000 years" Millennium starts with the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:1-3), and with the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4, the first of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

  2. The Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones of Rev 20:4 = 1 Thess 4:16's Rising of the Dead in Christ. Otherwise would mean the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4), was an event distinct & prior to 1 Thess 4:16, that it was a past experience in the lives of the Apostles, thus driving the conclusion that Rev 20:4 was a "coming to covenant life," (being born-again). This, in turn, would drive the conclusion that the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead of Rev 20:5a was a "coming to covenant life," as well, since it uses the same words in an adjacent verse. The implication, then, would be that whether one lives & dies as "Blessed & Holy" or as "the Rest of the Dead," he still eventually "comes to covenant life," making faith & obedience to Christ irrelevant to one's eternal fate. That conclusion is Universalism, a cancerous doctrine at odds with Scriptures' command to obey to the Word of God the Judge of all men. Note also, Rev 20:5a ≠ 1 Thess 4:16 because there is no mention of non-Christians, ("the Rest of the Dead" of Rev 20:5a), being raised up alongside "the Dead in Christ" in 1 Thess 4:16.

  3. The Rising of the Dead in Christ, (1 Thess 4:16 & Rev 20:4), cannot begin before the Return of Christ since 1 Thess 4:16 teaches these events happen in the same moment.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord HImself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. 5 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that THE DAY OF THE LORD will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that THE DAY should overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of DAY. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of THE DAY, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. 11 Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB
 

I b.  ERROR: Theories starting the "1000 years" Millennium before 2nd Timothy was written. (Hymenaeus)

  1. The "1000 years" Millennium starts with the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:1-3), and with the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4, the first of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

  2. The Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones of Rev 20:4 = the Resurrection that Paul insisted was still future to the time 2 Timothy 2:18 was penned, (around 62AD). Otherwise would mean the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones was a past experience in the lives of the Apostles equating it with the error of Hymenaeus & Philetus.

  3. Therefore, the "1000 years" Millennium of Rev 20:4-6 cannot begin before 2 Tim 2:18 was written around 62AD because that would support the error of Hymenaeus & Philetus that the apostle Paul condemned as a cancerous doctrine.

2 Timothy 2:17-18
Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place [prior to the writing of this epistle], and thus they upset the faith of some.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB
 

I c. ERROR: Theories starting the "1000 years" Millennium before the New Testament was completed. (Satan)

  1. The "1000 years" Millennium starts with the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:1-3), and with the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4, the first of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

  2. Following their resurrection, the Blessed & Holy ones reign with Christ throughout the "1000 years" Millennium, (Rev 20:4-6), while Satan remains sealed into his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:1-3 & Rev 20:7).

  3. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

  4. The New Testament records more harrassment from Satan against God's People, (Christians), during the 30-70AD period in which the New Testament was written than all other history combined, describing Satan fittingly as "a roaring lion walking about, seeking whom he may devour," LINK, hardly bound & imprisoned into the Abyss below. Additionally, there is no credible hermeneutic by which to construe the casting out of individual demons from individual men by Jesus in the Gospels as the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into the Abyss below as foreseen over 20 years later in Rev 20:1-3, LINK. If the period recorded by the New Testament, about 30-70AD, describes the state of affairs during the "1000 years" Millennium when the Devil/Satan is bound, cast & sealed into his prison in the Abyss below as Rev 20:1-3 describes, and yet, despite this Satan was still able to perform all his activities against Christians the New Testament so abundantly records, then it is fair to conclude from Scripture that the Devil/Satan is able to keep performing among us today and into the future much the same activities recorded by the New Testament since not even that prison could stop him, if the Millennium had indeed begun prior to the completion of the New Testament writings c. 70AD.

  5. The New Testament anticipates the reign of the Saints to begin no sooner than Christ's anticipated Return, the good & faithful servants each receiving delegated authority from the Lord Jesus as their reward for their service while He was away, There is no credible hermeneutic by which to construe that reigning had already begun prior to the completion of the New Testament corpus, LINK. If the period recorded by the New Testament, (c. 30-70AD), is what we experience whenever, (per Rev 20:1-6), the Saints reign with Christ then we should expect life under the reign of the Saints & Christ to continue to be the same as during New Testament times: singles should be advised not to marry because of the distress & darkness of the times whenever Saints rule and the Devil/Satan is imprisoned; God's ministers should expect to be hounded from town to town and treated like the scum of the earth and have messengers of Satan sent to buffet them, etc., just like Paul & the rest of the Apostles during the time the New Testament was written, (30-70AD), if the Saints indeed reigned then, the "1000 years" Millennium having supposedly already begun.

1 Peter 5:8-11
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

I d. ERROR: Theories starting the "1000 years" Millennium before the arrival of the Beast & his mark.

  1. The "1000 years" Millennium starts with the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:1-3), and with the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4, the first of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

  2. The Blessed & Holy Ones are the dead who refused to worship the Beast and receive his mark, Rev 20:4.

  3. It is not possible to be awarded the Blessed & Holy Resurrection, (the first resurrection of Rev 20:4-6), before being beheaded for refusing the Beast & his mark before the Beast & his mark even arrive to test Christians.

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB

 

 

ERROR II: "The 1000 years of Rev 20:1-7 is not an actual 1000 years"

.ERROR II: Counting the "1000 years" Millennium not an actual 1000 years

The Millennium, (Latin for "1000 years" as are the Bible's actual words), is a finite period of time with epoch events marking its start and end points:

  1. The "1000 years" Millennium starts with the binding, casting & sealing of Satan into his prison below in the Abyss, (Rev 20:1-3), and with the Resurrection of the Blessed & Holy Ones, (Rev 20:4, the first of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

  2. Following their resurrection, the Blessed & Holy ones reign with Christ throughout the "1000 years" Millennium, (Rev 20:4-6), while Satan remains sealed into his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:1-3 & Rev 20:7).

  3. The "1000 years" Millennium ends with the release of Satan from his prison in the Abyss below, (Rev 20:3 & Rev 20:7), and with the Resurrection of the Rest of the Dead, (Rev 20:5a, the second of the two groups of souls of dead people that are resurrected in Rev 20:4-6).

Revelation 20:1-8
1 And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a THOUSAND YEARS, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a THOUSAND YEARS. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the THOUSAND YEARS were completed). This is the first resurrection. 6 Blesssed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a THOUSAND YEARS.7 And when the THOUSAND YEARS are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out ...
NASB