Most religious folks, right here in this community, believe in the future reign of Jesus Christ on this earth, following what they term "The Rapture of The Church" and "The Battle of Armageddon."  In fact if you do not believe this manufactured doctrine popularly held perhaps by the majority, you are an odd ball in the religious court! You aren't a "fundamentalist" religiously so far as they are concerned if you reject this popular materialistic doctrine. Never mind the fact that among those holding to this general idea, there are dozens of different views of how and when all this will come about.  If such were as clearly taught as some affirm, one would think that all those who hold the doctrine would at least agree on the events leading up to this "mother of all events." However such simply isn't the case. In fact the author of a popular book called "The Late Great Planet Earth" had to update his predictions when his time table failed miserably as set forth in that book. He now hedges on just how long a generation is. His "time table" for the fulfillment of what he supposes will happen when Christ returns was calculated from 1948 when Israel became a nation. Hal Lindsey should have done as did William Miller of whom Ellen G. White was a disciple and who reworked his prophetic time table and became the founder and prophetess of Seventh Day Adventist fame.

   William Miller gave up predicting and left the scene. The Jehovah's Witnesses have set several different years in their "prophetic" prognostications as to the time when this "present world order" would end at the second advent of Christ," only to be found false prophets. I possess a book called "Millions now living will never die" put out by the Watchtower Society.  That book set 1931 as the time the kingdom would be set up on the earth. It too was wrong, wrong, wrong! Rather than giving up and admitting that  "no man, nor angel, not even the Son of God knows when He shall return" as the Bible  teaches,(Matthew 24:36) they continue to set dates and teach speculative theories as to what will transpire at His coming. The same was true of the late Herbert W. Armstrong of the "Worldwide church of God."   His son, Garner Ted has taken up where he left off and is still advocating "The World Tomorrow" here on this planet, much like that of other millennialist. He even teaches that Christ will force men to live in peace among themselves in his "World Tomorrow" scenario. It seemingly matters not in the least to these pseudo prophets that Jesus said while on earth "My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered unto the Jews: but now My kingdom is not from hence" (John 18:36). They say in essence, "Oh yes, Lord, Your kingdom is an earthly kingdom too!" You will begin to reign at your second advent after the rapture, Armageddon, and the seven year tribulation period. Not necessarily in that order. What audacity! What unmitigated gaul! What a lack of respect for what the Lord Himself taught while on earth, and what is revealed in His New Testament! But still "the beat goes on and on and on.."

    There are many other passages pinpointing the time, place, nature, etc. of His kingdom, which all premillennial speculations contradict flatly. All of these must be overlooked or explained away to accept the future literal one thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on earth along with all of its attendant heresies.  Let's look at some of these.

   An old friend and gospel preacher now deceased, James P. Miller once gave the above as a formula, a key to remember some facts about the subject under consideration. We shall now see the truthfulness of his affirmation.

   The king had seen in a dream a "great image" whose form was terrible! (Dan. 2:31-33). This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and arms of silver, and his belly and thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. "Then he saw a stone cut out without hands, which struck the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them:and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.  This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king."

   This shows where to begin the reckoning. After this kingdom, the Babylonian, there were to be three inferior kingdoms and in the time corresponding to the fourth world kingdom (the Roman Empire ket) "The God of heaven would set up a kingdom that would consume all of these kingdoms and stand forever (Daniel 2:37-45). This is referring to the rule of Jesus Christ in the hearts of men and women under His worldwide religion as is seen by the "Great Commission" passages just before His ascension back to the Father in heaven (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:45-49). Verse forty four is even clearer on this point. "And in the days of these kings (Roman kings ket) the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and it shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44). This shows the spiritual nature of Christ's worldwide kingdom. Wherever men and women submit to King Jesus as the Lord of their lives and are born of the water and of the Spirit into His kingdom (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:3-5), regardless of the governmental system under which they live, they are free men and women under Christ their spiritual king (Colossians 1:18, 24; Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; Luke 6:46).

   This is what Jesus meant when He said, "Neither shall you say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). No spot on this globe can ever be pointed to as where the kingdom of God exists! That includes Jerusalem Palestine, the place the materialist say Christ will take up His reign for a literal 1000 years. This should settle this matter, nevertheless it doesn't satisfy those who hold to this theory.  They would take Christ off the exalted throne in heaven (David's throne Acts 2:30-36 at God's right hand), bring Him back to this mundane sphere and place Him on a lesser throne on the footstool, earth. What a demotion of King Jesus (1 Timothy 6:15; 1 Peter 3:22)!  Friends, when Jesus said "My kingdom is not of this world," He meant exactly that. Christ's kingdom is not of this world, and never will be! He now reigns and will continue to reign until he comes to receive His kingdom, the church, unto Himself and then He will deliver it to the Father, not set it up (Ephesians 5:22-27, 1 Corinthians 15:21-28).

   The very first gospel sermon ever preached and that by a man guided by the Holy Spirit, said that "Jesus was raised to sit on his (David's throne)" verse 30 in particular.  If Jesus isn't now on David's throne exalted and reigning, then He hasn't been raised from the dead!  Why so? Because this passage says he was "raised up to sit on his throne."  Any doctrine that denies that Jesus is now exalted and reigning, is a doctrine that cannot be true! Just a week before I wrote what you are now reading a man said to me that Jesus was not now a king but a prince awaiting His coronation in the future millennial kingdom!

Identifying Marks     Kingdom          Church
Origin place & date    Isa. 2:2-3           Acts 2:1-47
Territory, World        Dan. 2:44           Mark 16:15
Owner, founder         Jno. 18:36          Matt. 16:18
Ruler over each         1 Tim. 6:15         Eph. 5:23
Governing law           Isa. 2:3               Acts 2:36; 3:22-23
Christ gave keys        Matt. 16:19        Acts 15:7
Terms of entrance      Jno. 3:3-5           Acts 2:38,47
Membership             Col. 1:13-14        Col. 1:2
Memorial Supper      Matt. 26:29        1 Cor. 11:20-27
Glory Exaltation         Isa. 2:2-3            Eph. 3:1-21
Reward of faithful      Matt. 25:31-34   1 Cor. 15:58; Eph. 5:27
Time of Deliverance   1 Cor. 15:24       1 Thess. 4:13-18.

   John the immerser's charge was to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus, and to prepare the Jews for their King and His soon to be established at that time, kingdom among men. Matthew records it thus: "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight" (Matthew 3:1-3).  When Jesus began His public ministry, he taught the Jews the same thing about the imminent establishment of His kingdom among men. "From that time (after Satan tempted Jesus) Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).  Not only are such clear passages available to us to assist us in knowing God's time table for His kingdom to be established, we have even clearer ones than these. "Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:14b-15).  "At hand" cannot likely be still future today! What was "at hand" was about to transpire. I shall heap much more evidence in addition to the chart and the above passages as we narrow down the evidence to some discernable information from passages which cannot be mis-interpreted for they are too clear unless one is so prejudiced as to be unable to see them. Too, one who doesn't love truth may well have received the "strong delusion" of which Paul wrote in  (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12), causing them to believe the premillennial lie!

   We hear a lot about this phrase, "last days" or in the "end time" etc. You can tell by the language folks have created that they misunderstand many New Testament teachings relative to the church which is the kingdom of Christ (Hebrews 12:22-28; Matthew 16:18-19). When the Scriptures speak of "last days" or in "these last days" it actually had to do with the last days of the Jewish system which was to be destroyed by God's judgement, which transpired in AD 70 when Titus the Roman officer surrounded the city of Jerusalem and starved them and then burned the city to the ground. This was predicted in (Matthew 24:1-34). Verse 34 said that the generation to whom Jesus was speaking would not pass till all these things be fulfilled. The remainder of that chapter is speaking of the Lord's return at the end of this age in this writer's understanding. Christ will come "like a thief in the night" at his final coming (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4). No signs will be given. There were signs for the destruction of Jerusalem as seen in Matthew twenty four and other related passages. It is worthy to note that in keeping with the prophecies that Israel would never again be the mighty nation under God's protection as it once was, was assisted in being fulfilled by the fact that when Titus' army destroyed Jerusalem, he burned all records of any Jews genealogy. They could never be rebuilt as the theory of the future restoration of Israel to Palestine accompanying the premillennial reign of Jesus suggests-(Jeremiah 19:11). They could not restore the old Jewish priesthood for they have no record from which to determine it. Think of the slap in the face all of this theory is to Jesus Christ our Lord. He cannot be a priest on earth, He was from Judah (Hebrews 7:14). If He isn't high priest now, He never will be for the earthly priesthood of Israel was of Levi, not Judah! Too, we read in  Hebrews 7:12, "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law." This fulfilled the promise of a "new law" (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:1-13).  Premillennialism makes God a failure and every prophet a liar! It is the premillennialist who are wrong about this matter not God. They say that Jesus came to establish His kingdom but was rejected and as an after thought or a stop gap measure set up the church and the "church age" thus began with the "kingdom age" yet to come. None of which is true. The fact is the church was planned by God from eternity (Ephesians 3:8-11). The death of Christ was why He came into this world. He wasn't accidently killed thereby messing up God's plan! No, no! Peter on Pentecost said that this was "the determined council and foreknowledge of God" that caused Jesus to be delivered for crucifixion (Acts 2:23). Jesus Himself said, "Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again. This command have I received of My Father" (John 10:17-18). It was no accident. He even predicted that this would occur (Matthew 20:18-19). He restored the ear of the man Peter maimed and said to Peter that he did not understand the things of God. He had to be delivered for the gospel system of redemption to become a reality, so men could be reconciled unto God in one body by the cross  (Ephesians 2:10- 17). God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Just about everything is wrong with premillennialism!

   The kingdom of Christ was promised by Christ in the lifetime of some to whom He spoke (Mark 9:1). The place of its origin as is also noted in the preceding chart, was Jerusalem (Isa. 2:2-4). The time was to be "in the days of these (Roman) kings" (Daniel 2:44). The exact time would be the first Jewish feast of Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection and exaltation to David's throne (Acts 2:22-36). The kingdom was to come with power, (Mark 9:1). The power was to come with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Repentance and remission of sins was to be preached among all the nations in the name of Jesus Christ beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47). Each of these prophecies was fulfilled as recorded in (Acts 2:1-4; 22-47). The unalterable truth is that the kingdom came on Pentecost day in AD 33 as recorded in Acts chapter two. All prophetic hands pointed to this time and place. After Pentecost, all hands point back to that as the beginning day for Christ's church/kingdom (Acts 11:15). Both Paul and John affirmed that they were citizens of Christ's kingdom (Colossians 1:13-14; Revelation 1:9). How could they be kingdom citizens if it did not exist? Church membership and kingdom citizenship are identical terms speaking of the same relationship. That relationship being "the house of God, the church of the living God" (1 Timothy 3:14-15).

   Again let me point out some consequences if the kingdom hasn't come, there has been no one as yet "born again."  How do I know this? Because Jesus said men are "born again" into the kingdom (John 3:3-5). Too, no one should observe the Lord's supper if the kingdom hasn't come as yet, for Jesus said He would not drink it with them until the kingdom came (Luke 22:18). Still we see Paul giving instructions for how the members of a local church were to partake of this memorial feast (1 Corinthians 11:23-28). This shows that the church and the kingdom are one and the same. Each of these members at Corinth were citizens of Christ's kingdom and members of His church and the only collective for functioning in things they did as a group or as church action was the local congregation (Acts 14:23; Phil. 1:1-2; Acts 20:6-7). Christians were not to forsake these assemblies (Hebrews 10:22-25).

   Being "born again" and receiving the "remission of sins" are one and the same action. So, if the kingdom hasn't come, no one has had the remission of sins. Still Peter told believers in Jesus to "repent and be immersed.... for the remission of sins.."(Acts 2:38).  Those who did were added to the church (Acts 2:41, 47). This is identical to being "delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son" (Colossians 1;13-14). The same blood that "purchased Christ's church" (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25), is associated with this deliverance into His kingdom, "in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14).

   It seems to me it is too clear to miss unless prejudice and pride get in one's way! The kingdom is the church. The church is the kingdom. If as the Hebrew writer says we have "received a kingdom that cannot be moved" as members of the church of the first born ones (Hebrews 12:28). It would be impossible for this church/kingdom to get out of the way to make room for a future kingdom to be established.  Why? Because it "cannot be moved" (V- 28).  Actually premillennialism makes God less than divine. If He was unaware that the Jews would reject His Messiah and crucify him and had to "patch up" His mistake with a "stop gap"  "church age" measure, He isn't omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent etc. Not so my friend!  God knew exactly what would happen to His Son as we have already seen. This means that all the "future kingdom" theorist are trying in vain to make a materialistic system and a paradise earth a reality for it will never happen! By teaching what they are, they are denying themselves citizenship in Christ's present kingdom, His blood bought church and their only hope for eternity in the place Scriptures call heaven (2 John 9-11; Galatians 1:6-9).

Another consequence of the future kingdom theory is that it denies the present conversion of the (us) Gentiles (Acts 15:12-18). This was a reference to what the prophet Amos had said about God's plan to save the Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas had worked among them and God had worked miracles by them among the Gentiles. Peter had gone to Cornelius and he had been converted (Acts 10-11). All this evidence proved to these brethren in the first century that God had "built the tabernacle of David" which referred to the present church or kingdom wherein both Jew and Gentile could be reconciled unto God "in one body by the cross" (Ephesians 2:16). See (Amos 9:11-12). You may not have been aware that the premillennialist would by their doctrine deny themselves salvation in this present age for many of them are Gentiles! Gentiles couldn't become God's children until the kingdom was established. Inspired men applied the prophecies of Amos to our present age as we've seen in (Acts 15). Talk about "shooting one's self in the foot," this is a classic example of it. Actually, it's worse than a "foot wound" it is a "head wound" for it is fatal to their soul.

   The above being correct (and who can deny it?) Christ unending reign began over nineteen hundred years ago and will remain uninterrupted until the last enemy, death is destroyed at His coming (John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:12-15; 2 Corinthians 15:1-58; Acts 17:30-31).

   One should read carefully the reference to "Armageddon" in (Revelation 16:16). See as you read the context around this verse if you can find anything that is a forty second cousin to the theories men have built about this verse. I just reread my copy of Herbert W. Armstrong's ideas take from "Plain Truth" magazine of June, 1985. It is absolutely amazing to read what men force into the context that isn't hinted at and certainly isn't taught therein. One passage mind you and we have theories galore by the folks who reckon that Jesus must return to this earth and take up His reign for a literal one thousand years after this decisive battle of Armageddon in which He leads His army against the enemies of truth! Can you believe it? Jesus fighting a physical battle. Back in John 18:36 Jesus stated as already pointed out, "My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but My kingdom is not from hence."

This context depicts the confrontation between the forces of good and evil with the outcome being certain. Good will win out in the end. The use of the place were many physical battles were fought in Israel's history serves in this case to highlight this "spiritual battle" much like "Waterloo" is used to remind us of Napoleon's defeat. He met his waterloo. The forces of evil will meet their "Armageddon." Truth will win out over error. The Roman empire and its evils including emperor worship among other things was to be brought to naught by the truth of Jesus Christ. Art Ogden says this is God's judgement against Israel, Jerusalem in particular which happened in AD 70 when Titus the Roman officer destroyed the city of Jerusalem. Christ's truth has won the battle. Where is the Roman empire and her cohorts today? They have fallen never to be rebuilt. The battle was decisive. If Ogden is right, the nation of Israel who caused the Messiah to be crucified received God's judgment. As already mentioned in this study, their records were destroyed and they were never to be rebuilt as seen in (Jeremiah 19:11). Which ever interpretation one takes, this is not some future physical battle yet to be fought.

   Those who hold to the premillennial view of a  one thousand year reign of Christ on earth, lean heavily on these few verses, which by the way they say are to be taken literally. Now while I believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible generally, there are context where to make it literal reduces it to an absurdity! Such is the case here. Everything needed to substantiate the premillennial theory is absent from this context which is their proof text for the theory. Read it first and now notice what is not mentioned there. Then notice also the problems one faces who takes the  1000 literal. To be consistent one should take it all literal or admit that it isn't to be taken literally.  Foy E. Wallace Jr. made a chart of things necessary to the literalist, the earthly kingdom and 1000 year reign position. It is conclusive to my mind if one will be totally objective with the context. 1. It does not mention the second coming of Christ. 2. It does not mention a bodily resurrection. 3. It does not mention a Reign on earth. 4. It does not mention the literal throne of David. 5. It does not mention Jerusalem of Palestine. 6. It does not mention us (you or me). 7. It does not mention Christ on earth. If taken literal, only the "souls of beheaded martyrs" will reign with Him 1000 years. See? Are you willing to take as literal everything in this context of passages? See the result. 1. A literal key possessed by an angel to a literal bottomless pit. 2. The dragon, the old serpent, who is the Devil and Satan (a spirit being mind you ket) is bound I assume with the angel's literal chain.  3. Satan is cast into a literal bottomless pit for a literal 1000 years then loosed. 4. Souls of beheaded witnesses of Jesus, and for the word of God...lived and reigned with Christ for this literal thousand years. I repeat, "Everything essential to the premillennial theory is absent from this context." Why not just give it up? It is not taught in the word of Christ. It is a materialist doctrine unworthy of those who know that Christ is now exalted and reigning. As already mentioned, the first gospel sermon ever preached was preached by Peter on Pentecost and it alone refutes premillennialism. Read it from (Acts 2:1-4; 22-47). Jesus is now "King Jesus" and not only a "crown prince" awaiting His coronation. I would as soon be the one who pierced the side of Jesus with the spear as to demote my Lord from His exalted position at the Father's right hand. One offense is no worse than the other.

   Will you submit to "King Jesus" as the Lord of your life, head of His church, King of His kingdom? He wants you to be saved. He lived and died for you salvation. He lives now and reigns at the Father's right hand in heaven. He awaits your voluntary submission to His authority over your life (Acts 3:22-23; John 12:48; Luke 6:46; John 14:15, 20-23). But you must believe and obey the "gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; 1 Peter 1:22-25; Acts 2:22-38, 40-47; Mark 16:15-16; Galatians 3:26-29; Romans 6:3-6). The sequence of steps into Christ and into His church/kingdom are to hear the gospel and believe in it and in its author, Jesus Christ. Repent of sin and error. Confess Jesus as Lord and be immersed into His death to have your sins washed away in His blood (John 8:21-24; Heb. 11:6; Acts 17:30; 2 Pet. 3:9; Romans 10:10; Acts 8:37; Acts 22:16; Titus 3:5; Acts 2:38). This will make you a Christian only and a citizen of Christ's kingdom. Isn't that sufficient? Absolutely, for when He returns it will be to receive His chaste bride His church/kingdom unto Himself and deliver it to the father in heaven and eternity will begin (Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:24).      E-mail me at     kthomas@dpc.net    Call me at 347-3582 or 347-5645