Thy Kingdom come…has it?

5-15-11

Millennialists misuse the prophets‘ message about the establishment of the kingdom and deny some very basic Bible doctrines. Their teaching destroys the inspiration of the prophets. A prophet was one who spoke for God. He could be regarded as the mouth of God, since the very words which the prophet spoke were the words of which God had place in his mouth. Deut. 18:15-18, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.” This is according to all that you asked of the LORD your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, "Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.' "The LORD said to me, "They have spoken well.” I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”

2 Pet. 1:20-21, “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

When predictions fail to come to pass, the prophet is either a false prophet, or God is a false god. The living God is different from men and their idols in that He has the power to cause what He predicts to come to pass (cf. Num. 23:19; Isa. 46:10-11). They are false prophets who make predictions that fail to come to pass (cf. Deut. 18:20-22; 13:1-2).

Thus, the new birth, conversion, escaping the power of darkness and the right to eat the Lord's Supper are all ruled out if the premillennialists are right. It is not an innocent speculation over "unfulfilled prophecy" but a system of infidelity which makes the church an accident, makes God a false prophet, and robs us of every blessing we presently enjoy in the kingdom. If anyone reads the events of Chapters 3 & 4, how can they believe the false teaching of the Premillennialist? The modern day so called Jews do not believe Jesus the Christ will return to collect his glorious Body the Church.

If the very people of whom this theory is suppose to guarantee salvation to do not believe it themselves, why do the teachers of this false doctrine continue to preach it? Do they have more at stake than trying to convert the world to Christianity? Could it possibility be their pocket book is doing the talking? Many religious people sent their last dollar to the tale-evangelist believing that they are helping Israel as a promise of God the creator. Who are God's Jews today? Jews today are "not" those who are "outwardly," racially or nationally so. Circumcision is not that which is "outward in the flesh;" it is "of the heart". This circumcision is "made without hands;" it occurs in baptism when the Lord forgives our "sins" (Col. 2:11-13).

Therefore, since one is "not a Jew" in a fleshly sense in God's sight, premillennialism, which promises blessings to Jews based on their physical form, is shown to be a false doctrine.

Premillennialism teaches that some, because they are physical, fleshly Jews, will inherit the "holy land" when, as they allege, Christ returns to reign in Jerusalem. Phil. 3:3 presents a problem for this idea. "For we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Jesus Christ and put no confidence in the flesh."

In order to believe that fleshly Jews will yet be brought back to Palestine to reign with Christ, one has to "put much confidence in the flesh." However, Paul said he "put no confidence in the flesh." Paul gloried "in Jesus Christ". In fact, he said, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal. 6:14). The "true circumcision," the genuine Jew, will worship God in the spirit. He will not glory in his genealogy or rejoice in his race.

If one accepts premillennial doctrine, he must glory in his fleshly descent. It is his fleshly form as a Jew which, according to premillennialism, guarantees his reign with Christ on earth. However, if one accepts the Bible, he must reject premillennialism and "put no confidence in the flesh."

According to the doctrine of premillennialism, fleshly descendants of Abraham, Jews, will be restored to the land of Palestine when Jesus returns to reign in Jerusalem. Gal. 3:29 poses a problem for this concept. "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."

One may be a physical Jew, of the Jewish race, but that does not make him the "off spring" of Abraham in God's sight. "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God" (Rom. 9:8). "Know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" (Gal. 3:7). "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made" (Gal. 3:16).

Premillennialism says that to be an heir of the promises, one must be a physical Jew in order to be "Abraham's seed". However, to be "Abraham's seed" today, one must "belong to Christ". To "be Christ's," one must believe and be baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:26, 27). Only by belonging to Christ can one be an heir of the promises made to Abraham. Unbelieving, disobedient Jews, therefore, are excluded, and premillennialism’s promise is proven to be false. Premillennialism teaches that Jews and Gentiles have different hopes and promises in the purposes of God. These differences are based upon one's racial and national constitution. Acts 15:9 presents a problem for this doctrine. "And (God) put no difference between us (the Jews) and them (the Gentiles), purifying their hearts by faith."

Gal. 3:28 further establishes that there is no racial, social, or sexual distinction "in Christ Jesus." "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."

The promises made to Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3 have been fulfilled in Christ. God’s eternal purpose has been accomplished in Christ. All who will “call upon” Christ can inherit the eternal life which was promised before creation. (Tit. 1:2; Rom. 10:11-13)

Roger Bruner