Amill Minute -Clear Eschatology

Praise to the Sovereign King, here, here his people sing, solely and only saving his own bride.

There where the Lamb has died, hark, the Christ is crucified, washed by the blood of that great

High Priest. Hi there, welcome to Reformed Ex Mormon. I'm Pastor Brayden, and I hope you're having a wonderful and blessed day today.

Today we're just going to be continuing on in our series called Amillennialism Minute, where a minute doesn't mean a literal 60 seconds, but rather just a short amount of time to discuss a very important topic.

And I would encourage you, the viewer, to please like, subscribe, and share these videos with your family and friends, as I hope that this will bless everybody that watches this, as well as advance the kingdom of God through the preaching and teaching of his gospel.

Now, today what we're going to be doing is looking at a clear example of eschatology that is found in the text, and use that to help us understand and navigate the difficulty that is

Revelation chapter 20, verses 1 through 10. Now, in order to do this, the very first thing

I would say is that we should read a hermeneutical principle, which is called the analogy of faith.

And this hermeneutical principle, defined on monergism .com, is stated as, the analogy of faith is a

Reformed hermeneutical principle, which states that since all scripture is harmoniously united with no essential contradictions, therefore every proposed interpretation of any passage must be compared with what the other part of the bible teaches.

In other words, the faith or body of doctrine, which the scripture as a whole proclaim, will not be contradicted in any way by any passage.

Therefore, if two or three different interpretations of a verse are equally possible, any interpretation that contradicts the clear teaching of any other scripture must be ruled out from the beginning.

Now, they go on to say this as well, another related principle that is very helpful in interpreting prophecy and apocalyptic literature in particular, is that the clear must interpret the unclear.

In other words, a very specific interpretation of the highly symbolic visions of John's apocalypse, for example, may never trump the clear teachings of Paul's epistles, which are more didactic and less symbolic, and hence more clear, end quote.

Now, looking at this, what this is essentially saying is that since the book of Revelation is prophetic, it's told in visions, some areas are unclear to us, it's not the place that we should go to to dogmatically teach a doctrine from it when there is a more clear bible verse that is not visionary or prophetic in its nature.

What I mean by that is we're going to be looking at 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 20 through 28, and also making reference to verses 50 to 58 in that chapter, and we're just going to be looking at this very clear text that we cannot deny is what

Paul was teaching as the proper eschatology, and using that hermeneutic of the analogy of faith, then we'll go to Revelation chapter 20 where we find that everyone that has a different eschatological view in regard to the millennium, they go to this area almost immediately, where I would argue that we should look at the clear text first to help us understand the not so clear text, the unclear, somewhat hazy text that is

Revelation. So let us go ahead and read 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 20 through 28.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who are asleep.

For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all died, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order,

Christ the firstfruits, after that those who are Christ at his coming, then comes the end, when he delivers up the kingdom to the

God and Father, when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

For he has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he says all things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is expected who puts all things in subjection to him.

And when all things are subject to him, then the son himself will also be subjected to the one who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all.

Now this text to me is a very very clear text in regard to eschatology.

Now on the topic of the analogy of faith I want to read real fast for us from the 1689

Lenten Baptist Confession of Faith chapter 1 in regard to the holy scripture. And look at paragraph 9, says the infallible rule for the interpretation of scripture is the scripture itself.

And therefore whenever there is a question about the true full sense of any scripture which is not manifold but one, it must be searched by other passages which speak more clearly.

Now take notice there, it says that there is not a multitude of interpretations that are correct.

It says that there's only one true interpretation. And therefore we must look at the entirety, the tota scriptura, in order to come to any doctrine.

And that's true when we look at eschatology as well. So what I have done here is looking at 1

Corinthians chapter 15 verses 20 through 28 as the clear text that teaches an eschatological view.

I have made a little graph here to help us illustrate this. So looking here at this graph we will continue to add to it as we look and expand upon this graph when we look at other scriptures and try to apply them in the proper perspective.

So when we look at this chart here according to verses 20 through 23 in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 that after the life death and burial of Jesus Christ the resurrection of Jesus is what's known as the first fruits of the resurrection.

That Jesus Christ is the first one to rise from the grave in this glorified state.

After that what we would see here in this chart here, this graph that I've made, is the interadvental period.

And what I mean by that is the period of time that takes place between the Christ's first coming and Christ's second coming.

We would see some description of this in verses 25 through 28 that teaches us that Jesus Christ is reigning right now which means that he is sitting upon his throne in the heavens and that he is reigning until he has put all enemies under his feet.

This would be what I would argue is that Christ is our conquering king right now. He is making all things be subject to his feet.

Now at the second coming what is taught here in this text is that the second, those that will partake in the resurrection, is going to be those that are his at his coming.

That is what is taught in verses 23 through 24 which let me just read this again. But each in his own order

Christ the first fruits. Again that is speaking of Christ's first coming. After that those who are

Christ's at his coming. So that's speaking of the second coming. And then verse 24 which teaches us the eschatological view of this.

Then comes the end. So this is what brings about the end. It says that it's when he delivers up the kingdom.

And I'd like you to just pay close attention. It doesn't say that's when he establishes the kingdom but rather when he delivers the kingdom to the

God and Father. When he has abolished and again this is the antecedent to this phrase right here which is when he has abolished all rule and all authority and power.

So Christ is making all things be subject to his feet because he reigns.

And it's only when all things have been made subject to him is when the end comes.

The resurrection happens and the kingdom is delivered to the fathers. What this teaches very clearly to us.

And so when we see here in verse 26 it teaches us the very last enemy that will be put subject to Jesus's feet.

And that is death itself. Now what I'm going to do here now is

I'm going to go ahead and put up a second graph just expanding upon what we just read. And it'll help us understand this view a little bit better.

Again verse 20 starting from left to right on this graph. Verse 20 Christ has been raised from the dead.

We know this. Verse 25 and 27 is teaching us that Christ is currently putting all enemies in subjection to his feet.

Then in verses 24 the end is the second coming. And verses 25 to 27 is teaching us that the last enemy is going to be death.

And verse 24 again is the delivering up of the kingdom itself. Now this is clear.

We can put these things in these areas correctly and have no argument according to 1

Corinthians 15 verses 20 through 28. So let us go ahead now look at another expanded picture of this according to this as well as looking at verses 50 through 58 which we won't read right now but I would encourage you the listener to please look at that.

In verses 50 through 58 we see some particulars about what will happen in the end when

God or when Jesus delivers the kingdom to God. Looking at this again verse 52 it says this is the last trumpet.

In verse 52 again it says the dead will be raised imperishable and that's important to notice.

Imperishable. Incorruptible. That what they were able to be corrupted in prior to this time they are now raised incorruptible.

Imperishable. And it says in verse 53 that the mortal will be immortal and why are they immortal in this sense?

It's because in verses 54 to 57 it says that death is swallowed up in victory and this saying will come about is that everyone will be able to say oh death where is your victory oh death where is your sting.

Now looking at this again we can place these in very clear chronological categories and in what 1

Corinthians 15 that is not a hazy or an obscure text by any means it's very very clear we can say this with surety that at Christ's second coming death will be destroyed that death will no longer have sting that death will be put under the feet of Jesus Christ and that Christ is currently reigning right now.

Now why look at this why look at these graphs what what's the issue because this is very clear for us why is there argument on how to view this?

Well the issue is is that when we look at Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 through 10 which again we won't look at right now but I'm going to pull up a little chart here on the screen for you just expanding upon this again we would see that if Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 through 10 are all future for us and when

I mean all future I mean Satan being bound the thousand -year millennial reign of Christ beginning sin and death still taking place people dying as verses 4 through 6 would teach and and not only this but what seems to be

Christ not having all so things put in subjection under his feet if that's our understanding of Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 through 10 we have clearly contradicted that of the teaching of first Corinthians chapter 15 verses 20 through 28 and in particular that this would mean that the world itself is in an unglorified place an unglorified state while Christ is reigning on earth if that's what we believe from Revelation chapter 20 that means creation itself is still suffering sin not only that but men and women are still being given in marriage not only this but men and women are still dying in this time of this thousand years that many people like to take away from Revelation chapter 20 the issue with this again is if we look at the clear text of first Corinthians chapter 15 verses 20 through 28 we must come away with saying that when

Christ comes again he delivers up the kingdom and death is no longer a thing and so when we look at this chart here that I have again expounded upon I've placed

Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 through 3 as a recapitulation or retelling it through the means of visions to John the apostle that that verse right there those three verses in verses 1 through 3 is what's taught in the life death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and it's being told to us clearly in first Corinthians chapter 15 verses 20 through 23 going on from there

Revelation chapter 20 verses 4 through 6 teaches that those that have been beheaded and those that have a testimony of Jesus Christ are raised with him and sat on thrones with Christ during this reign of his now we'll talk about this here in a moment but again right now according to first Corinthians 15 verses 25 through 28 it teaches that Jesus himself is reigning right now upon a throne that Christ is reigning and putting things under subjection under his feet now looking at Revelation chapter 20 verses 7 through 10 we would see that that's where the short season is talked about which we won't get into today but what we would see in there that there is a judgment that happens that things are thrown into hell itself now why is that important here in verses 7 through 10 of Revelation chapter 20 well that's what we would see here in first Corinthians chapter 15 verses essentially looking at at 23 to 28 as well as verses 50 through 58 that death itself is is no longer a thing this is the consummated age the consummated kingdom this is where judgment takes place that the tares and the weed are separated the sheep and the goat goats are separated and judgment is done and from there we will even we'll even expand upon that a little bit more which let's look at another we'll expand upon this picture again let's let's look because again according to the 1689

Lenin Baptist confession of faith if we have a contradiction in the scripture it's meaning that our interpretation is wrong somewhere because there is no there is no contradiction in God's word so if this is the way that we are to view it there should be other verses for us to also understand these things with so here

I've added just a few this is not all that I would argue from by any means but I think that this shows that this view itself is a very biblical one it's one that's found in the text and and I would argue there's no contradiction therein so looking at verbiage and wording that is used in Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 through 3 verbiage that's used in 4 through 6 and also verbiage that's used in 7 through 10 and looking at how to apply that in the very clear text of 1

Corinthians 15 verses 20 through 28 we would see that Jesus himself says the strong man is bound in Matthew chapter 12 verses 28 through 29 the works of the devil destroyed in 1

John 3 8 the devil is rendered powerless in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14 through 16 that at the cross

Christ disarmed rulers and authorities in Colossians chapter 2 verse 15 and that the ruler of this world which is

Satan the devil himself it says in John chapter 12 verses 31 through 33 that the ruler of this world is cast out and in Luke chapter 10 verse 18 where 70 of the the followers of Jesus were able to go and cast out demons it says that Jesus saw

Satan falling from heaven falling out of the heavens like a lightning again when we look at Satan being bound in Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 through 3 it says that he's only bound so he can no longer deceive the nations and and that plays in with how we understand this short period that's talked about later in Revelation chapter 20 which we won't get into right now but but Satan is still active in this world but we have to take these other verses very very seriously the works of the devil have been destroyed the strong man has been bound and the ruler of this world has been cast out that is facts that is what

Jesus himself has said and what the apostles have taught and so it would see fitting that we could take that interpretation of Revelation chapter 20 verses 1 through 3 that's not very that that has very symbolic language in it that's in the means of a vision and we could say that that is very very clear for us in first Corinthians 15 20 through 28 that these other texts here line up with those things very very similarly and harmoniously and then when we look at Revelation chapter 20 verses 4 through 6 there's some interesting language that's used there just looking at these things this is again by no means all the scriptural references i would use to prove or or to help me understand this position of mine but we would see that we are already seated with Christ in the heavenly places according to Ephesians chapter 2 verses 5 through 6 which is also interesting because it speaks of us being dead in our sins and then being raised with him so a death to life that's spoken of in there and so we're seated with him in the heavenly places then it says that in in Revelation chapter 1 verse 6

John has said that he has that Jesus has made us into be made us to be a kingdom a current kingdom that we are priests serving there in Colossians chapter 3 verses 1 through 4 again we see this death to life and we've been raised up with Christ Hebrews chapter 1 verse 3 that Christ has sat down at the right hand of the father

Jesus himself in John chapter 3 verses 3 through 5 he says that you must be born again in order to enter into the kingdom of God we would also see some very particular language that fulfills

Old Testament prophecy in regard to David's throne that the Messiah must sit on the David's throne that the root of David would be raised up and he would establish an everlasting kingdom well according to Acts chapter 2 verses 29 through 33 it says that he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that was the fulfillment of the

Messiah the seed of David sitting upon his throne we'd also see that Jesus himself says my kingdom is not of this world not of this realm in John chapter 18 verses 36 through 37 so again it would be fitting for us to look at Revelation chapter 20 verses 4 through 6 and say this is a current reality that we are reigning and ruling with Christ right now and when we die we are with him and that we have no need to fear in death and that even ourselves are an enemy to God and we've made and made subject underneath his feet and we look to those those precious feet that have been pierced for us upon a cross now when we look at the the second coming in in regard to Revelation chapter 20 verses 7 through 10 if we say that that is yet future for us that that is what happens at the second coming of Christ this is a fitting view as we would see that Matthew chapter 13 verses 39 there's there's a plethora of verses that are very very clear for us in the book of Matthew for the second coming eschatology for ourselves the harvest that's spoken of there tares gathered out of the kingdom we're told in that text that the tares and the wheat grow up together

Matthew chapter 13 verses 37 through 43 wicked are cast out into a place of punishment where there's weeping and gnashing of the teeth

Matthew 13 verse 50 there's a wedding feast that's spoken of in here again this is very important for us on how we understand the second coming as Revelation chapter 21 would even tell us that it's the new

Jerusalem coming down out of heaven adorned and for as a bride adorned for her husband so we see the wedding feast that's spoken of the door is shut meaning there is no second chance so once once the second coming happens there isn't going to be a thousand year period where people have the opportunity to come have faith in Jesus Christ what's taught in there in the in the parable of the virgins in Matthew chapter 25 verses 1 through 13 is saying that you need to repent and believe today that you ought not to put off your salvation for tomorrow because you don't know when the bridegroom is coming and when that trumpet shouts there is no second chance this would go against many beliefs many many other conclusions in Revelation chapter 20 which again that contradicts the clear of the text we would see a separation of sheep and goats that's