Messiah’s Everlasting Dominion

What do you mean that the rule of law and the American republic depend on the dominion of Jesus Christ?

Colonial American Christians influenced by the Great Awakening adopted a Post Mil view of the Kingdom of God, meaning that the Gospel would go forth in such power that ‘the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea’ [Isaiah 11:9].

Christ would return when the Gospel ministry had done its work. They believed the Great Commission was being fulfilled in the New World. Since King Jesus was the ruler of nations, they viewed His authority as being over any other king.

His Law would govern the nations, and His church would proclaim truth and grace. Liberty would reign over tyranny.

But their means subjugated their goals.

Ok, but what is Amil? And why do you doubt that caday5 is what he says he is?

There is no question that a man’s eschatology (doctrine of last things) affects his view of the kingdom.

The post mil Reformers fought to overthrow the church-state aristocracy. Luther brought reform to the church; Calvin brought reform to the state.

The Calvinists established the rule of law over the divine right of kings, that had become a perversion of Romans 13. Later the Puritans under Cromwell put the new theory to the test by declaring to the world that the Law was King.

In New England the Calvinists established a new order built on the Law of God and dependent on Gospel influence. This was the foundation of liberty never before seen among the nations.

When God blessed Israel with His law, it was intended as a model for all nations…

‘See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? [Deuteronomy 4:5-8].


Now, who will say these men were wrong and that God has not blessed their efforts and answered their prayers? I fear that those who hold our Reformed brethren in low esteem have set themselves in opposition to God, having an unbiblical standard of judgment.

Amil vs PostMil next…

Amil and Postmil are the historic views of the millennium kingdom doctrine of Revelation 20. We will not consider Dispensationalism because this is a new interpretation based on an old perversion of the church not being the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption.

Because of the popularity of the Scofield Bible and the rise of Dispensationalism, Revelation 20 has become the center of controversy. We must keep our focus on the focal point of history and the NT interpretation.

What events captured the attention of the OT prophets? We answer not only the coming of Messiah, but also the establishment of the New Covenant and the Kingdom of God. And how does the NT interpret His coming? The NC is the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham and the Kingdom of God is seen in the visible church and in the church universal. The kingdom extends to all nations and is increasing as the Gospel goes forth in the power of the Spirit. The mystery is revealed: the Spirit is poured out on all nations; men from all nations will enter the Kingdom of God by faith in Christ.

Dispensationalism keeps the people of God split into Jew and Gentile groups, as if there are two plans, one for the church and one for Israel. This is perversion of the doctrine of Christ’s work and His church at the most basic level.

The NT could not be more clear. Here is the apostle teaching the church…

‘For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise’ [Galatians 3:26-29].

Both views see the millennium kingdom as the Gospel Age between the first and second advents of Christ. This is the time of ingathering of the multitude that no man can number from every tribe, kindred, nation and tongue for whom Christ can to redeem. Not one of His people will be lost for Christ has accomplished every thing necessary for their salvation. His atonement is perfect in every respect, lacking nothing. All the graces necessary for salvation is guaranteed based on the Covenants of Redemption whereby Christ promised to redeem the elect given to Him by His Father and the Covenant of Grace whereby the Spirit promised to apply that redemption to the elect.

What was new in the New Covenant is the pouring out of the Spirit to give all the people of God an understanding of the redemptive history foreshadowed in the OT and come to full light in the coming of Christ and His NT revelation.

The millennium kingdom is the last days in which the blessings of the New Covenant will be enjoyed by the nations. The age to come is the consummation of the kingdom and the eternal state.

In Revelation 20 it is written that Satan shall be bound for a 1000 years, but afterwards he must be released for a little while. The term ‘bound’ is defined in context to mean he shall no longer ‘deceive the nations’. This is the same term Jesus uses in Matthew 12 to describe one binding a strong man so that he can plunder his goods. Our interpretation depends on Christ being the One binding the strong man and His people being the spoil. Satan cannot hinder the Gospel to the extent that the elect are prevented from entering the kingdom.

“If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.” [Matthew 12:28-29].

Now if we take the phase ‘no longer deceive the nations’ to be an unhindered application of redemption through the Gospel among the nations, the little season must mean an increased opposition to the Gospel before the end of the age. This is the difference between Amil and Postmil. The Amil sees a period before the return of Christ of great tribulation for the church of which Noah and Lot were but types. The Postmil does not; he sees the church increasing in power and influence until the consummation.

I would like to add, about dispensationalism, is that it is a self-serving, as well as new, school of eschatology. It strokes the ego of its adherents by saying that they are living the THE LAST DAYS. People usually respond favorably to having their egos stroked.