RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
If you want to you can. Kurschner is basically repeating Grant Osborne's exegesis in his commentary on Revelation.
Postmillenialism? Still a holdable view?
- Thread starter Catechised in Heidelberg
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If you want to you can. Kurschner is basically repeating Grant Osborne's exegesis in his commentary on Revelation.
Ed Walsh
Puritan Board Senior
Hi Steve,
Oh no! I thought this thread was long gone. But I have prayed for Revival all my life so it might as well start with a thread. Steve, you finally have some time on your hands so let him have it.
Stay healthy,
Ed
BRK
Puritan Board Freshman
Pastor Steve, I am not the original poster but I would be grateful for your post.
Catechised in Heidelberg
Puritan Board Freshman
Yes sure, thank you very much, Steve. I am looking forward to it. Hope you stay healthy there. Here in Germany we hear bad things from NY. God bless!
Jerusalem Blade
Puritan Board Professor
The writer Mr. Kurschner quotes from, Matthew Waymeyer, in his Revelation 20 and the Millennial Debate, doesn’t quote William E. Cox (Amillennialism Today, P&R 1966) so as to fully get his thought. This is a fuller quote:
[One difference I have with Cox is that he calls Satan “the man of sin”, whereas—technically speaking—the man of sin (2 Thess 2:3) is the antichrist, a human whose “coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thess 2:9). Kim Riddlebarger wrote perhaps the best book on the coming antichrist, The Man of Sin : Uncovering The Truth About The Antichrist — highly recommended!]
Also quoted by Waymeyer in Kurschner’s post is William Hendriksen (WH), in his More Than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (Baker, 1962 / 1992), and, again, Waymeyer doesn’t do justice to Hendriksen’s thought either. Here’s Hendriksen more fully:
A few pages further WH adds:
He wrote this in 1962, I think.
_______
I think the thought is clear then: Satan is bound with respect to deceiving the nations as nations during the millennial period, but after that he shall be loose for “a little season” (Rev 20:3), but a terrible season that shall be:
In that “little season” the church shall globally be persecuted, such as Haman thought to do in the Persian Empire in the Book of Esther.
In case anyone’s wondering about the “thousand years” being literal or figurative, consider Psalm 50:10, where the LORD says : “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.” Does He mean to say that only upon a certain thousand hills the cattle are His? No, as 10 is a symbolic number in Scripture indicating completeness (think of the 10 Commandments of God’s Law), 1,000 is 10 to the 3rd power, or to “the nth degree”. He speaks of all the hills in the world. It is the entire gospel age the millennium speaks of.
The age of the gospel proclamation ends when the gospel is silenced by edict of the antichrist—it will be silenced by shedding the blood of whomever speaks it. Nonetheless, “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev 12:11).
* * * *
It has occurred to me—and please don’t think me heartless or callous for this—that one benefit of COVID-19 is to familiarize the Western church, particularly in America, with death close at hand, striking down many of us, and not just the grim reaper calling the few elderly or ill of us. At least here in New York City the numbers of fatalities will increase exponentially in the next few weeks.
Many of us Christians dying will no longer seem strange, surreal, anomalous. This will, I believe, prepare us for stronger draughts of affliction—persecution, famine, anarchy, repercussions of electric grid failure, and suchlike. We are in the time of the Apocalypse (loosely speaking), and this will wake us up from our comfortable dream-lives. Multitudes of our brethren in foreign lands have already woken up and face death, imprisonment, assaults, economic deprivation, physical hostility daily. The satanic lullaby of our rosy lives is being drowned out by a harsher reality. It is an antidote.
For the elderly and medically frail among us, until a vaccine is developed for this virus we shall be constantly vulnerable—even when the peaks of exposure and death have passed—for it will remain among us for possibly for years. How long can I (among others) successfully maintain the rigors of a practicing extreme germaphobic? It’s not easy, or inexpensive.
My main concern, personally, is I want to be around to take care of my wife, so she doesn’t have to fend for herself. I don’t think I shared this here on PB, but we had planned—as of November or December of 2019—to sell our condo and relocate to Cyprus, where her twin sister lives, and where we planted (an OPC pastor helping) a church in our city, one of the two Reformed churches in the country. Everything was in place to commence the sale and move. If I predecease her, she’ll have to do this on her own. I do trust the LORD to care and provide for her, bottom line. As it is, this lockdown of all non-essential businesses prevents us from selling, packing up, and moving—till the lockdown is lifted.
But as the virus will remain till a vaccine, life will be more tenuous. Yes, death is the door to riddance of sin, and entrance to our Saviour’s presence—two great delights!
I will write a little more on Amillennialism shortly.
Satan, though bound, still goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The chain with which he is bound is a long one, allowing him much freedom of movement. Amillenarians find no contradiction between the fact that Satan is “bound,” yet at the same time is able to create havoc on the earth. Revelation 20 merely states that Satan is bound in one aspect of his power: “that he should deceive the nations no more.” John neither says nor implies that Satan is immobilized. Many modern gangland bosses have exercised their influence while they themselves were incarcerated.
Satan will be loosed near the end of time, and will lead a final, bitter assault against the church. (p 139)
Satan will be loosed near the end of time, and will lead a final, bitter assault against the church. (p 139)
[One difference I have with Cox is that he calls Satan “the man of sin”, whereas—technically speaking—the man of sin (2 Thess 2:3) is the antichrist, a human whose “coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thess 2:9). Kim Riddlebarger wrote perhaps the best book on the coming antichrist, The Man of Sin : Uncovering The Truth About The Antichrist — highly recommended!]
Also quoted by Waymeyer in Kurschner’s post is William Hendriksen (WH), in his More Than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (Baker, 1962 / 1992), and, again, Waymeyer doesn’t do justice to Hendriksen’s thought either. Here’s Hendriksen more fully:
We repeat, the devil is not bound in every sense. His influence is not completely destroyed. On the contrary, within the sphere in which Satan is permitted to exert his influence for evil he rages most furiously. A dog securely bound with a long and heavy chain can do great damage in the circle of his imprisonment. Outside that circle, however, the animal can do no damage and can hurt no-one. Thus also Revelation 20:1-3 teaches us that Satan’s power is curbed and his influence is curtailed with respect to one definite sphere of activity: “that he should deceive the nations no more”. The devil can do much, indeed, during this present period of one thousand years. But there is one thing he cannot do. With respect to this one thing he is definitely and securely bound. He cannot destroy the Church as a mighty missionary organization heralding the gospel to all the nations. He cannot do that until the thousand years are finished. (p 190)
A few pages further WH adds:
The meaning, then, is this: the era during which the Church as a mighty missionary organization shall be able to spread the gospel is not going to last forever; not even until the moment of Christ’s second coming. Observe what is happening in certain countries even today. Are certain regions of this earth already entering Satan’s little season? (pp 194, 195)
He wrote this in 1962, I think.
_______
I think the thought is clear then: Satan is bound with respect to deceiving the nations as nations during the millennial period, but after that he shall be loose for “a little season” (Rev 20:3), but a terrible season that shall be:
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them Rev 20:7,8,9).
In that “little season” the church shall globally be persecuted, such as Haman thought to do in the Persian Empire in the Book of Esther.
In case anyone’s wondering about the “thousand years” being literal or figurative, consider Psalm 50:10, where the LORD says : “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.” Does He mean to say that only upon a certain thousand hills the cattle are His? No, as 10 is a symbolic number in Scripture indicating completeness (think of the 10 Commandments of God’s Law), 1,000 is 10 to the 3rd power, or to “the nth degree”. He speaks of all the hills in the world. It is the entire gospel age the millennium speaks of.
The age of the gospel proclamation ends when the gospel is silenced by edict of the antichrist—it will be silenced by shedding the blood of whomever speaks it. Nonetheless, “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev 12:11).
* * * *
It has occurred to me—and please don’t think me heartless or callous for this—that one benefit of COVID-19 is to familiarize the Western church, particularly in America, with death close at hand, striking down many of us, and not just the grim reaper calling the few elderly or ill of us. At least here in New York City the numbers of fatalities will increase exponentially in the next few weeks.
Many of us Christians dying will no longer seem strange, surreal, anomalous. This will, I believe, prepare us for stronger draughts of affliction—persecution, famine, anarchy, repercussions of electric grid failure, and suchlike. We are in the time of the Apocalypse (loosely speaking), and this will wake us up from our comfortable dream-lives. Multitudes of our brethren in foreign lands have already woken up and face death, imprisonment, assaults, economic deprivation, physical hostility daily. The satanic lullaby of our rosy lives is being drowned out by a harsher reality. It is an antidote.
For the elderly and medically frail among us, until a vaccine is developed for this virus we shall be constantly vulnerable—even when the peaks of exposure and death have passed—for it will remain among us for possibly for years. How long can I (among others) successfully maintain the rigors of a practicing extreme germaphobic? It’s not easy, or inexpensive.
My main concern, personally, is I want to be around to take care of my wife, so she doesn’t have to fend for herself. I don’t think I shared this here on PB, but we had planned—as of November or December of 2019—to sell our condo and relocate to Cyprus, where her twin sister lives, and where we planted (an OPC pastor helping) a church in our city, one of the two Reformed churches in the country. Everything was in place to commence the sale and move. If I predecease her, she’ll have to do this on her own. I do trust the LORD to care and provide for her, bottom line. As it is, this lockdown of all non-essential businesses prevents us from selling, packing up, and moving—till the lockdown is lifted.
But as the virus will remain till a vaccine, life will be more tenuous. Yes, death is the door to riddance of sin, and entrance to our Saviour’s presence—two great delights!
I will write a little more on Amillennialism shortly.
Jerusalem Blade
Puritan Board Professor
Amillennialism, the present reign of Christ from His throne in Heaven, with His saints
I’ve heard it said that where we—the church of today—are in the Biblical timeline is between the Book of Acts and Revelation. But that’s not entirely accurate, as the Revelation of John, or the Apocalypse as it’s also called, contains in it events and spiritual dynamics that are going on all through the New Testament church age. That means that even now we’re in the Book of Revelation, time-wise—and, truth be told—very likely near the end of it, that is, near the end of the age before the Lord’s return.
Of all the various schemas used to interpret Revelation, only one—the Amillennial—includes all the churches from John’s day to the end of the age, bypassing none. This means that the book and its vital – urgent – counsel was as much for the church in Smyrna of Asia Minor in 100 A.D. as it was for the churches of the Waldenses in the mountains of Europe in 1,200 A.D., and for the churches in our contemporary world of 2020 A.D. The Amillennial—also called the present “millennial” reign of Jesus Christ from heaven, and His binding of Satan, as well as the loosing of him at the very end of the age—is the only view that does not exclude large segments of the age-long church from the blessings of wisdom, courage, and warning promised the readers and keepers of the prophecies of Revelation. Only in the context of the entire NT church age do the details of the visions fit into perfect place.
Of course Revelation isn’t the only book that talks about the end times; Matthew Mark and Luke do, as does 2nd Thessalonians (1st Thess also), and 2nd Peter; in the Old Testament many books are either quoted or alluded to in Revelation, including, Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and some of the minor prophets. Revelation is a key book in eschatology, being the last prophecy, where Jesus is the Prophet giving His vision to John to give to the churches. Still, in the three synoptic gospels Jesus gives us much information as well.
_______
Why getting it right – or wrong – matters: Rightly understanding the times, and one’s labors fruitful, or: Unprepared for what’s coming, wrong focus in one’s labors, and not bearing the best fruit
If one holds to the premil view, we’ll expect to be raptured out before the serious tribulation starts (though there are views within that fold, such as mid-trib, and pre-wrath, both of which go through some tribulation), and how one prepares one’s mind – and life – would be different than if one were postmil, expecting things to generally get better and better and the Christians in it for the very long haul, some ten thousands of years plus, possibly. For the postmil, one would see the secular culture as a field to be sown with the Word of God and spiritual labor with the expectation of that culture becoming “Christianized” and bearing at least outward observance of God’s Law. One would be devoting one’s life and energy to infusing the Mosaic Law into the political-legal arena, with the expectation of its becoming the law of the land.
For the amil, or one holding that the entire present gospel age is the millennial period, we see that we are in a worsening world, with the main threats either intense worldly seduction from an increasingly sensual and antichristian culture, and/or persecution from hostile ruling authorities – with no hope of these things getting better, not in the long run, though there could be short-term improvements. We fight for justice for the downtrodden and speak for those with no voice, even though we go against the grain when we do it in Christ’s name. The focus for the amil is that we
To the amil the Kingdom of God to be secured and sustained is the church, not the culture or the political arena, though one may speak to the culture, whether by Christian witness, works of art and literature, or works of mercy, calling those who love the truth out of the power of darkness and into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. Ditto with the political-legal arena – one may seek to influence those therein to uphold God’s agenda of righteousness and compassion, and to become disciples of Christ, but the amil does not desire to build the Kingdom of God in and of the worldly institutions of culture, law and politics.
To the amil the church is the manifestation of God’s Kingdom and rule in this world, and the House in which He lives. I suppose one’s eschatological view will seriously affect one’s attitude to the culture, politics, and the areas of one’s heartfelt labors. It will also affect one’s expectations of suffering-to-come, and preparing one’s mind and heart in that regard. One’s labors will be twofold primarily: a) seeking to better the church, strengthening, supporting, and nurturing it as the very body of Christ, and b) seeking to call God’s elect yet still unregenerated out of the dark cultures of the world and into His light, which shines brightest in His church. We do not know who these uncalled elect are so we preach to all and as many as we can, according to our gifts and our opportunities.
I do think that having a suspended judgment is wise till one is confident one has a sound end-time view. And it does seem that John (or rather the Spirit of Christ through him) assumes we can understand His revelation to the churches, both then, and now, as the principles and dynamics operating that are revealed remain valid throughout the age:
There is a blessing to those who undertake to comprehend, and it is not small, but substantial. If the early church could understand Revelation, and they could, so can we.
_______
The Bible—and the Amillennial—see two ages spoken of in Scripture, this age (or world) and the age to come. Paul said this present world / age was evil (Gal 1:4), and there are only two ages, this and the world to come (Matt 12:32). There is no golden age to come, as that would make three ages. Further examples:
There is no third golden age of Postmillennialism, nor the Premil third age of a literal millennium where Christ reigns from earthly Jerusalem. Two ages only: this and the world to come. Only Amillennialism is true to the Biblical text in this.
_______
Some excellent books on Amillennial views of Revelation:
Dennis E. Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation. Johnson’s work is excellent.
Greg Beale, The Book of Revelation (New International Greek Testament Commentary). Beale is really the prince of Revelation expositors; while this book is very pricey, it is the best for students who want to dig into details, and pastors who desire thoroughness. Beale’s shorter commentary while good, does not come near the larger.
William Hendriksen, mentioned in the previous post, is also excellent, a good introduction to Revelation, along with Johnson.
I have, but haven’t read Richard Phillips’ Revelation commentary yet—as I’d been preparing for the international move. So I can’t comment on it.
I’ve heard it said that where we—the church of today—are in the Biblical timeline is between the Book of Acts and Revelation. But that’s not entirely accurate, as the Revelation of John, or the Apocalypse as it’s also called, contains in it events and spiritual dynamics that are going on all through the New Testament church age. That means that even now we’re in the Book of Revelation, time-wise—and, truth be told—very likely near the end of it, that is, near the end of the age before the Lord’s return.
Of all the various schemas used to interpret Revelation, only one—the Amillennial—includes all the churches from John’s day to the end of the age, bypassing none. This means that the book and its vital – urgent – counsel was as much for the church in Smyrna of Asia Minor in 100 A.D. as it was for the churches of the Waldenses in the mountains of Europe in 1,200 A.D., and for the churches in our contemporary world of 2020 A.D. The Amillennial—also called the present “millennial” reign of Jesus Christ from heaven, and His binding of Satan, as well as the loosing of him at the very end of the age—is the only view that does not exclude large segments of the age-long church from the blessings of wisdom, courage, and warning promised the readers and keepers of the prophecies of Revelation. Only in the context of the entire NT church age do the details of the visions fit into perfect place.
Of course Revelation isn’t the only book that talks about the end times; Matthew Mark and Luke do, as does 2nd Thessalonians (1st Thess also), and 2nd Peter; in the Old Testament many books are either quoted or alluded to in Revelation, including, Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and some of the minor prophets. Revelation is a key book in eschatology, being the last prophecy, where Jesus is the Prophet giving His vision to John to give to the churches. Still, in the three synoptic gospels Jesus gives us much information as well.
_______
Why getting it right – or wrong – matters: Rightly understanding the times, and one’s labors fruitful, or: Unprepared for what’s coming, wrong focus in one’s labors, and not bearing the best fruit
If one holds to the premil view, we’ll expect to be raptured out before the serious tribulation starts (though there are views within that fold, such as mid-trib, and pre-wrath, both of which go through some tribulation), and how one prepares one’s mind – and life – would be different than if one were postmil, expecting things to generally get better and better and the Christians in it for the very long haul, some ten thousands of years plus, possibly. For the postmil, one would see the secular culture as a field to be sown with the Word of God and spiritual labor with the expectation of that culture becoming “Christianized” and bearing at least outward observance of God’s Law. One would be devoting one’s life and energy to infusing the Mosaic Law into the political-legal arena, with the expectation of its becoming the law of the land.
For the amil, or one holding that the entire present gospel age is the millennial period, we see that we are in a worsening world, with the main threats either intense worldly seduction from an increasingly sensual and antichristian culture, and/or persecution from hostile ruling authorities – with no hope of these things getting better, not in the long run, though there could be short-term improvements. We fight for justice for the downtrodden and speak for those with no voice, even though we go against the grain when we do it in Christ’s name. The focus for the amil is that we
“may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life...” (Philippians 2:15, 16)
To the amil the Kingdom of God to be secured and sustained is the church, not the culture or the political arena, though one may speak to the culture, whether by Christian witness, works of art and literature, or works of mercy, calling those who love the truth out of the power of darkness and into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. Ditto with the political-legal arena – one may seek to influence those therein to uphold God’s agenda of righteousness and compassion, and to become disciples of Christ, but the amil does not desire to build the Kingdom of God in and of the worldly institutions of culture, law and politics.
To the amil the church is the manifestation of God’s Kingdom and rule in this world, and the House in which He lives. I suppose one’s eschatological view will seriously affect one’s attitude to the culture, politics, and the areas of one’s heartfelt labors. It will also affect one’s expectations of suffering-to-come, and preparing one’s mind and heart in that regard. One’s labors will be twofold primarily: a) seeking to better the church, strengthening, supporting, and nurturing it as the very body of Christ, and b) seeking to call God’s elect yet still unregenerated out of the dark cultures of the world and into His light, which shines brightest in His church. We do not know who these uncalled elect are so we preach to all and as many as we can, according to our gifts and our opportunities.
I do think that having a suspended judgment is wise till one is confident one has a sound end-time view. And it does seem that John (or rather the Spirit of Christ through him) assumes we can understand His revelation to the churches, both then, and now, as the principles and dynamics operating that are revealed remain valid throughout the age:
“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (Rev 1:3)
There is a blessing to those who undertake to comprehend, and it is not small, but substantial. If the early church could understand Revelation, and they could, so can we.
_______
The Bible—and the Amillennial—see two ages spoken of in Scripture, this age (or world) and the age to come. Paul said this present world / age was evil (Gal 1:4), and there are only two ages, this and the world to come (Matt 12:32). There is no golden age to come, as that would make three ages. Further examples:
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world [age], neither in the world [age] to come (Matt 12:32).
There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting (Luke 18:29, 30).
The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage (Luke 20:34, 35).
[Christ is set] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come (Ephesians 1:21).
There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting (Luke 18:29, 30).
The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage (Luke 20:34, 35).
[Christ is set] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come (Ephesians 1:21).
There is no third golden age of Postmillennialism, nor the Premil third age of a literal millennium where Christ reigns from earthly Jerusalem. Two ages only: this and the world to come. Only Amillennialism is true to the Biblical text in this.
_______
Some excellent books on Amillennial views of Revelation:
Dennis E. Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation. Johnson’s work is excellent.
Greg Beale, The Book of Revelation (New International Greek Testament Commentary). Beale is really the prince of Revelation expositors; while this book is very pricey, it is the best for students who want to dig into details, and pastors who desire thoroughness. Beale’s shorter commentary while good, does not come near the larger.
William Hendriksen, mentioned in the previous post, is also excellent, a good introduction to Revelation, along with Johnson.
I have, but haven’t read Richard Phillips’ Revelation commentary yet—as I’d been preparing for the international move. So I can’t comment on it.
BRK
Puritan Board Freshman
What a wonderful post! Thank you so much for your edifying comments.
You mentioned:
I suppose one’s eschatological view will seriously affect one’s attitude to the culture, politics, and the areas of one’s heartfelt labors. It will also affect one’s expectations of suffering-to-come, and preparing one’s mind and heart in that regard.
I have some first-hand experience with this, having grown up in a very different theological system (dispensationalism) in which the Church is to be raptured prior to the Great Tribulation. At times, and I say this with no intent to slander, I have detected an air of indifference to the events of the world from some holding this view, although attention is certainly drawn to circumstances that appear to signal the "end times" in this hermeneutic (e.g., Israel as a nation), largely because when this Great Tribulation is finally upon the world, "I won't be here".
But from my vantage at present, the Scriptures say that suffering is in fact given to the elect on behalf of Christ (Philippians 1:29) and is to be regarded as a blessing rather than a curse. But how is Christ victorious? He is victorious in that even in suffering his Gospel will be proclaimed to the ends of the earth while he makes his enemies a footstool for his feet. In this manner, I think one of the strengths of the amillennial position, if I understand it correctly, is that the it helps to reconcile the tension between suffering for Christ and being victorious in him for the glory of God.
Of course, in no way do I suggest that those who hold alternative views have no defense or are any less brothers. I only mean to say that I find this position to be a very strong framework for understanding Biblical revelation on eschatology.
Jerusalem Blade
Puritan Board Professor
Thanks for that testimony, Joshua!
RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
On one hand I commend you for dealing with more substantial issues, such as the timing of Satan's binding. Too often critics of premillennialism focus on the nature of the number 1,000. That might be relevant down the road, but it's not the most important issue.
Jerusalem Blade
Puritan Board Professor
Hello Jacob,
I hope this finds you in good health—you and your family, are all okay? My wife and I are well in NY—holed-up in the glass, steel, and concrete mountains of Babylon the great city, where the plague ravages. Trusting in the Sovereign, our King, and His wise providence.
The relevance of the nature of the "1,000" is the hermeneutic involved, interpreting the visions of Revelation literally or symbolically, figuratively. But you are right, the issue at hand was the nature of Satan's being bound, so that must needs have been the focus.
I hope this finds you in good health—you and your family, are all okay? My wife and I are well in NY—holed-up in the glass, steel, and concrete mountains of Babylon the great city, where the plague ravages. Trusting in the Sovereign, our King, and His wise providence.
The relevance of the nature of the "1,000" is the hermeneutic involved, interpreting the visions of Revelation literally or symbolically, figuratively. But you are right, the issue at hand was the nature of Satan's being bound, so that must needs have been the focus.
RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
We are doing well. Thank you. Correct, we can't completely ignore the 1,000 years. I just don't think it is the most relevant place to start.
And I think you and I have more in common than might appear otherwise. I agree with your cultural analyses and I have found your take on the spiritual aspect of drug use very intersting.
Jerusalem Blade
Puritan Board Professor
In case anyone's wondering what Jacob is referring to re "the spiritual aspect of drug use", here's a sampling, Our Sorcerous Age: Prelude To Armageddon:
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