Introduction
¶2. Pastor Mike Wiltcher (Parson), I greet you in Jesus' name. Likewise, I wish to greet those readers that will follow this debate in real time and those who will read these words in the future.
¶3. I trust that throughout these exchanges we will look to the Scriptures with an open heart and mind; knowing, as we both do, that our personal opinions amount to very little when compared to God's Word. I engage here, not to win a victory over an opponent, but to enter into a form of Bible study that will bring light to the mind and freedom to the spirit. Truth is my only objective.
¶4. In this proposition, and the proposition to be discussed later, both Pastor Mike Wiltcher and I will be examining each other’s eschatological beliefs vigorously. Nothing suffers from examination except error.
¶5. Throughout this discussion the noun “Affirmative” (when capitalized) has reference to the Affirmative Disputant, conversely, the noun “Negative” (when capitalized) has reference to the Negative Disputant.
Definition of Proposition
¶6. Permit me, as is my custom, to open this debate with the definition of the proposition which I will be affirming and my friend will be denying:
"Resolved": firmly determined to prove;
"the Scriptures…": I mean the entire Bible, consisting of both Old and New Testaments — all 66 books;
“teach…": I mean: to instruct by precept, example, or necessary inference;
“the church of Jesus Christ …”: I mean the born again believers who form the body of Christ in the earth;
“is the millennial reign…” I mean the 1,000 year reign of Christ in the earth spoken of in Revelation 20:1-6;
“the Israel of God …”: I mean the Israel of promise who received the kingdom promised to the patriarchs of old;
“Messianic Kingdom …”: I mean the restored Davidic Kingdom, otherwise known as the Kingdom of the Messiah.
My Questions:
¶7. To be answered in the Negative’s first essay, per mutual agreement:
- According to Luke 10:17-19; Matthew 12:28-29//Mark 3:27//Luke 11:20-22, did Jesus teach that Satan was bound at the time of His (Jesus’) earthly ministry?
- In your view, who (or what) is the cultivated Olive Tree of Romans 11:24?
- In your view, does Amos’ prophecy of the House of David being reinstated, to rule over the world (as given in Amos 9:11-12), have the Messianic Kingdom in view?
My Intentions:
¶8. I will set about to prove my proposition by Three Infallible Proofs:
- The Millennium is representative of a long period of time which encompasses the Church Age and terminates at the end of salvational history.
- That the Church is the Israel of God.
- That the Church is the Messianic Kingdom foretold in the Old Testament.
¶9. This is the first of four affirmatives that I will have on my proposition. Here, I will be laying down a bare skeleton that I will be fleshing out in the succeeding three affirmatives.
Infallible Proof #1
The Millennium is representative of a long period of time which encompasses the Church Age and terminates at the end of salvational history.
¶10. The millennium is only mentioned one time in Scripture: Revelation 20:1-6. The Greek of that text reads “chila etâ.” Chila (a thousand) and etâ (years). Our word (millennium) comes to us from the Latin: mille (thousand) and annum (year). The in-house debate is whether or not the reference to a thousand years (of Revelation 20:1-6) is to be understood symbolically (as this Affirmative contends) or literally (as the Negative contends).
¶11. Since our text (Rev 20:1-6) is the sole mention of a millennial reign of Christ, it falls under the stipulations of interpretation which state that no scripture is of any private interpretation (2 Pt 1:20). Therefore, this solitary text must be subjected to the multitude of other texts, of the same genre, that will help to interpret what this text is intending. Moreover, our text is found in an apocalyptic document that (as all apocalyptic writings) is covert, not overt, in nature. Therefore, Revelation is a book of symbols where almost nothing is what it seems to be, on the surface.
Revelation: A Book of Symbols
¶12. The very first verse of Revelation sets the tone and nature of the document: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:” (bolding and underlining mine). Here, the word “signified” is the Greek “esâmanen” from “sâmainō” (St’s G#4591); this word is from sâgma, meaning “a sign.” This very word is used by John (our author of Revelation) three other times: all three in his Gospel. Two reference a covert saying concerning the death of Christ (John 12:33 and 18:32) and one referencing a covert saying concerning the death of Peter (John 21:19). The point, not to be overlooked, is that in all places John employed “sâmainō” (signify, signified, signifying) he indicated a cryptic sign, a covert indicator of an event. So, here in the very first sentence of his Apocalypse he informs his readers that the things he was about to write were but “signs” of realities and not necessarily the realities themselves.
¶13. So, we go to our text:
Revelation 20:1-6, And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 … , that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: … .
4 … : and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, … , and which had not worshipped the beast, … ; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Millennium as a Sign (sâgma)
¶14. The great numbers (in Revelation) dealing with the number “1000” such as the 200 million man army of Revelation 9:16, and the 10,000 x 10,000, and thousands of thousands about the throne in Revelation 5:11, are to be compared to Daniel 7:10 where the 100,000,000 and the 1,000,000 represent the same number. Therefore, all these numbers are rhetorical and represent a number that is so great it is uncountable.
¶15. Therefore, to pull the number 1000 from its apocalyptic environment of symbolism, and insist on its literalness, is questionable exegesis—to say the least. It is especially so, when all other passages on the Messianic Kingdom (when interpreted expositorily) would suggest a figurative meaning for the thousand year reign of the Messiah.
The Time Stamp
¶16. Our text gives us a “time stamp” for the beginning of the millennium. It begins at the binding of Satan, “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.”
¶17. In my first question (see above) I asked the Negative concerning the binding of the Devil, I gave him certain Scripture references that demonstrate the binding of Satan during the earthly ministry of Christ. In the parable of the Strong Man, Jesus taught that a Strong Man’s house cannot be broken into and his goods spoiled, unless he is first bound (Mark 3:27//Luke 11:20-22). Of course, in this teaching Jesus is likening Satan to the Strong Man and Himself as the One Stronger who comes and binds the Strong Man of the world in order to spoil his goods. Matthew records this teaching of Christ even more plainly:
“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.” (Matthew 12:28-29)
¶18. When the binding of the Strong Man is compared to the binding of Satan during the millennium, the likeness is more than stunning: The binding of Satan during the millennium is a qualified binding so that the nations of the world would be free to obey the Gospel. The same is true with the binding of the Strong Man in Jesus’ parable. Luke 10:17-18 sheds further light on this “binding of Satan”: Here, the seventy return from their mission and report to Christ saying, “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.” To which Jesus replied, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Jesus said, “But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come to you” (Lk. 11:20). It is truly difficult to see how the connection between this event (of Christ and the Seventy [Lk 10:9, 17-18 cf 11:20-22]) and Revelation 20:1-6 is missed.
Infallible Proof #2
That the Church is the Israel of God.
¶19. The new birth of Israel, foretold by the prophets and commanded by Jesus to Nicodemus, took place in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost A.D. 30. Israel was born a physical nation (Israel according to the flesh—1 Cor. 10:18) from Mount Sinai; so too, it was reborn a spiritual nation (the Israel of God—Gal. 6:16) from Mount Zion (Jerusalem).
¶20. When Jesus was in Jerusalem for the first temple cleansing, He clashed with Israel’s religious establishment. Here, He said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” (John 2:19). Jesus spoke two directionally: To His disciples He spoke of His resurrection, but to the Jews He spoke of a new Israel that He would raise from the dust and ashes of the old temple order. From the very first, the Jews had Him dead to rights: He was a revolutionary, working to bring down the Temple and all that IT stood for (Mt. 24:1-2), and to raise in its place His body—namely, His church. They watched Him choose twelve disciples—not 10, 20 or 30: twelve is the biblical number of government. His choice of twelve disciples presaged His purpose: namely, to establish a New Israel with the twelve disciples.
¶21. It is exactly to this purpose that Jesus tells Nicodemus (John 3:1-10) “ye must be born again” (v7). Notice the plural “ye” in v7. Jesus was speaking beyond Nicodemus. He was speaking to all Israel as represented in Nicodemus—who was a prince of Israel, a member of the Sanhedrin. When he failed to understand Jesus’ meaning, concerning the new birth, the Lord asked him how this truth had escaped him since he was a “teacher” of Israel (v10). If Nicodemus had studied the prophets with his heart unveiled (2 Cor. 3:14-16), he would have known of the required new birth for the nation. The prophet Jeremiah had foretold of the new covenant, that resulted in knowing the LORD in a new way, which established His laws in the heart; he told of a relationship which removed (not just covered) sin (Jer. 31:31). Many prophets of the Old Testament foretold of Israel becoming a NEW CREATION in the Messianic Age (see Isaiah chapter 11). “Old things are passed away and behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). Jesus, when speaking of the consummation of the Kingdom, said, “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5). In Israel’s new birth, that which was physical transforms into that which is spiritual.
¶22. Therefore, when Paul writes of the cultivated olive tree in Romans 11, it is an olive tree that was born again at Pentecost. I.e. the physical nation of Israel that was transformed into the spiritual nation of Israel. Thus, when the Gentiles were/are grafted into the tree (the Israel of God) they become the tree into which they are grafted.
Infallible Proof #3
That the Church is the Messianic Kingdom foretold
in the Old Testament.
¶23. Amos: In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the Lord that doeth this .(Amos 9:11-12).
¶23a. James: … Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. (Acts 15:13-17).
¶24. From the above companion texts, one sees clearly, from the very first, that James and the apostles (the whole of the Jerusalem council) understood the economy of the Church to be the fulfillment of Amos’ prophecy.
¶25. Amos wrote in a time (760-750 B.C.) just prior to the northern kingdom of Israel being taken captive by the Assyrians (722 B.C.). His book is addressed to both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, e.g. as is seen by the references to Judah and Jerusalem (Amos 1:1-2). The twelve tribes, that were united under the rule of King David, had long past been divided (930 B.C.). And now, the unthinkable was about to happen. Because they had not completely surrendered to the lordship of Yahweh, God would uproot His chosen people by the hands of pagan nations. Amos is the first prophet to speak of this time of judgment as “the day of the LORD” (see 5:18, 20). The prophet paints a vivid picture when he quotes God as saying: “And I will destroy it” (Israel) “from the face of the earth; … And will sift the house of Israel among all nations, As grain is sifted in a sieve;” (9:8-9).
¶26. Yet, if they would repent the LORD assures them that, “I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,” (9:8). There were promises of great hope that “the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph” (5:4-6, 14, 15). (Note here the theme of the “remnant,” which is explained by Paul in Ro. 11:1-5, 7). The promise is of the Messianic Kingdom established with a repentant remnant, and ruled over by the restored “house of David” (Amos 9:11-12). Consequently, the throne of David would reunite the twelve tribes “as in the days of old” (9:11), in a kingdom that would be eternal. Moreover, the result of this restored “tabernacle of David” would be that Israel’s rule would be extended over “Edom” (Edom is representative of Israel’s enemies) and “ALL the heathen;” or said another way – All Gentile nations! (See 9:12.)
¶27. When this prophecy is paralleled with the observation of James (Acts 15:13-17), it becomes clear that the “tabernacle (house) of David” was reestablished by Jesus, the Son of David (see Luke 1:32; Mt. 21:9 etc.), who resurrected from the dead to occupy the throne of His father David (see Lk. 1:32; especially Ac. 2:30 as it is compared with Ps. 132:11). And, further, that this rebuilding of David’s house was accomplished contemporaneously with God’s judgment upon Israel. A destruction and scattering that was presaged by the Assyrians and Babylonians, but completely carried out by the Romans in the generation of Jesus and His apostles (see Mt. 23:34-38 and 24:34). Of course this was accomplished in A.D. 70 by the Roman general Titus.
¶28. As we have already seen, the Lord’s promise to rebuild the house of David “as in the days of old” (9:11), has the reuniting of the twelve tribes of Israel in view—as they were during the reign of King David. This house was raised up on the Day of Pentecost A.D. 30 in the city of Jerusalem, when those who had been sifted throughout the habitable earth (by the Assyrians and Babylonians), along with those of Judah who were God’s remnant – God’s elect (Ro. 11:1-5,7)— the Israel of Promise (Ro. 9:6-8; Gal. 4:22-31), as shown in Acts 2:9-11, ascend to Jerusalem from all points of the compass to be filled with the Holy Ghost, as the prophet Joel had foretold (Joel 2:28ff).
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¶29. Thus, by the above Three Infallible Proofs, I consider the proposition proven.
¶30. I humbly request that the reader thoughtfully and prayerfully consider the upcoming essay by the Negative.
Apostolically Speaking,
☩ Jerry L Hayes
