Amillennialism - the most common view

Amillennialism is the most common view taught by the denominational churches.

There are 1845 references in the OT and 17 OT books that speak of the return of Christ to rule on planet earth from the throne of David; and there are 318 references, 216 chapters and 23 of 27 books give prominence to the event.

This was Gabriel's promise to Mary in Luke 1: "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David" (v.32). The throne of David did not exist in those days. For every verse recording His first coming, there are 8 verses for His second coming.

Where did this idea of amillennialism come from?

Origen: taught allegorization of Scripture.
-the problem with this view though is you can make it mean almost anything then.

Augustine: he really nailed several heresies of his day, but he also embraced amillennialism. Bishop of Hippo was very influential to his writings. You have to understand the problem and politics of his day. Constantine legalized Christianity, and the guy that came after him made it the state religion. Pastors were government employees. You're working for the government and telling the people Jesus is going to come back to rid the world of its evil rulers? It doesn't have any market research behind it and it's not very politically correct to preach you're going to be out of a job.

Systematic Theologists overlook one crucial element which is Israelology that is 5/6ths of the Bible. Yet Paul is still addressing Israel in Romans 9,10,11. Paul says Christians are neither Jew nor Gentile showing 3 different groups. Israel and the Church have different origins, different missions and different destinies. They call it Replacement Theology (Reconstructionists) - the Church replaced Israel. Preterism is silly, for it says prophecies have all been fulfilled; or partial preterism which says there are two second comings of Christ. Post-millennialists say we are in the 1000 years now, while amillennialists dismiss it altogether by fancifully allegorizing it away.

If replacement theology were true it would make God a liar towards His promise to Israel. And it lays the basis for Christian anti-semitism. You go from Augustine to Auschwitz. There will be another holocaust that rises up out of those who call themselves Christians but are not, for they won't speak up against it when it is near to happening.

Only pretribulation rapture onlyism and partial rapture deal with imminency-not knowing when Christ will return. He can come like a thief at any moment. But only partial rapture deals with the character of the thief to steal the best first, that is, those who keep the word of His patience (Rev. 3.10).

Most denominations are either amillennial or post-tribulational. Fundamentalists are labeled as premillennial pre-trib. Post-tribulation is also fundamentally premillennial, that is, a more literal view. Yet again, separate rapture stands in between the premillennial views of post-trib, mid-trib, pre-wrath, post-trib, for partial rapture is first rapture according to readiness and pre-wrath final harvest. The more allegorical you are, the less literal you are.

What were the earliest commentaries of a rapture before the Tribulation?
-Episle of Barnabas, (A.D. 100)
-Irenaeus, in Against Heresies
-Hippolytus, a disciple of Irenaeus (2nd Century)
-Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho
-Ephraem of Nisibis, the Syrian (306 to 373 AD) who was a major writer not for the Latin Church, but the Eastern Church. He wrote:

• "For all the saints and Elect of God are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwelm the world because of our sins." (In his sermon On the Last Times, The Antichrist, and the End of the World)

There are many names particular in the 18th century before Darby's time who taught a rapture before the Tribulation, but most of them failed to see the partial rapture, for the first rapture according to readiness as shown to us by Robert Govett in the 19th century. The 19th century was a very spiritual century. It was the Philadelphia church period.