What is amillennialism?
Question 10051
Amillennialism is the belief that there will be no literal thousand-year earthly reign of Jesus following His second coming. The “a-” prefix means “no” or “not,” so amillennialism means “no millennium” in the sense of a future earthly kingdom. Instead, amillennialists believe the “thousand years” in Revelation 20 symbolically represents the current church age, during which Jesus reigns spiritually from heaven. At the end of this age, Jesus returns, the dead are raised, judgement occurs, and the eternal state begins immediately.
The Basic Amillennial Position
Amillennialists interpret Revelation 20:1-6 symbolically rather than literally. When John writes about Satan being bound for a thousand years, amillennialists see this as describing Satan’s limited ability to deceive the nations during the gospel age. Jesus spoke of binding the strong man: “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).
In this view, Jesus’ first coming initiated His kingdom reign. He currently rules from heaven, and believers reign with Him spiritually. The “first resurrection” in Revelation 20:5 is not physical but spiritual, referring to regeneration when a person comes to faith. The “second death” has no power over these believers because they have eternal life.
At the end of history, Jesus returns in glory. There is one general resurrection of all the dead, both righteous and wicked. A single judgement follows, after which believers enter the new heavens and new earth whilst unbelievers face eternal punishment. There is no intermediate millennial kingdom between Christ’s return and the eternal state.
How Amillennialists Interpret Key Passages
Amillennialism requires interpreting Old Testament kingdom prophecies in a non-literal way. When Isaiah speaks of the wolf dwelling with the lamb (Isaiah 11:6), amillennialists typically see this as poetic language describing the peace and harmony within the church where former enemies are reconciled through the gospel. Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, all become one in Jesus.
The promises to Israel are understood as fulfilled in the church. Paul writes: “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring” (Romans 9:6-7). Amillennialists argue this shows that God’s true people are defined by faith, not ethnicity. The church becomes “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16), inheriting the promises made to Abraham.
Regarding the “thousand years,” amillennialists point out that numbers in Revelation are often symbolic. There are seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls. The number twelve appears repeatedly. Why, they ask, should we take “thousand years” literally when so much else in Revelation is figurative? A thousand represents completeness—ten cubed—signifying the complete period between Christ’s ascension and His return.
The Historical Development
Whilst premillennialism dominated the earliest centuries of the church, amillennialism gained ascendancy largely through Augustine of Hippo (354-430). Augustine initially held to premillennialism but later rejected it, partly due to excesses among some premillennialists who emphasised physical pleasures in the millennium. He argued that the kingdom is spiritual and present now.
Augustine’s influence on Western Christianity was enormous. Through the medieval period and following the Reformation, amillennialism became the standard position in both Roman Catholic and Reformed Protestant circles. John Calvin, Martin Luther, and most Reformed theologians held to amillennialism or something similar. It remains the dominant view in Reformed churches today.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Amillennialism has some genuine strengths. It rightly emphasises that Jesus’ kingdom has already been inaugurated. Jesus declared: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). He told the Pharisees: “The kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:21). The kingdom is both present and future, already here but not yet in its fullness.
Amillennialism also avoids some of the speculative excess that can accompany detailed prophetic systems. By focusing on the already-present reality of Christ’s reign, it keeps believers centred on present obedience rather than endless calculations about future events.
However, amillennialism faces significant challenges. First, it requires extensive spiritualisation of Old Testament prophecy. When Ezekiel describes in great detail a future temple with specific measurements, sacrifices, and tribal land divisions (Ezekiel 40-48), amillennialists must argue this is all symbolic. But if we can dismiss such detailed descriptions as merely figurative, how do we determine what in Scripture should be taken literally?
Second, the repeated emphasis on “thousand years” in Revelation 20:1-7 becomes meaningless if it merely symbolises an undefined period. Why mention it six times if the duration is irrelevant? And if the binding of Satan happened at Christ’s first coming, why does Peter describe the devil prowling about seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8)? Does that sound like a bound enemy?
Third, amillennialism struggles with God’s unconditional promises to Israel. God told Abraham: “To your offspring I will give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18). This was an unconditional covenant, confirmed with a unilateral ceremony where only God passed between the sacrificial pieces (Genesis 15:17). Israel never fully possessed these boundaries. If this promise is “spiritualised” to mean something other than literal land, we must ask whether God keeps His word as stated.
Paul addresses Israel’s future explicitly: “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-26). Amillennialists interpret “all Israel” as the elect throughout history, but Paul is clearly distinguishing between Israel and Gentiles in this passage. He uses “Israel” consistently throughout Romans 9-11 to mean ethnic Israel, so why would he suddenly shift to a different meaning in chapter 11?
The Question of Biblical Interpretation
The debate between amillennialism and premillennialism ultimately centres on hermeneutics, how we interpret Scripture. Amillennialism tends toward a more allegorical or spiritualising approach, especially with prophecy. Premillennialism advocates a more literal, grammatical-historical method, taking texts in their plain sense unless context demands otherwise.
Consider Jesus’ handling of Scripture. When He quoted the Old Testament, He took it at face value. When He spoke of His own death and resurrection, He meant it literally, though the disciples initially struggled to understand. After the resurrection, He explained: “Everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). He then showed how the Scriptures spoke of His suffering and glory. If the prophecies about Jesus’ first coming were fulfilled literally, why would prophecies about His second coming and kingdom be fulfilled only spiritually?
The apostles took Old Testament prophecy seriously. Peter, preaching at Pentecost, quoted Joel’s prophecy and said “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:16). But Joel’s prophecy includes not just the Spirit’s outpouring but also cosmic signs and the day of the Lord (Joel 2:28-32). If Peter saw Joel’s prophecy as still being fulfilled, we should expect the entire passage to find fulfilment, not just the parts that suit amillennial interpretation.
Pastoral Implications
From a pastoral perspective, amillennialism can lead to triumphalism, the idea that the church is already manifesting the kingdom in its fullness. This can produce either complacency (“we’ve already arrived”) or despair when the church manifestly fails to display kingdom characteristics. The reality is that we live in the “already but not yet.” Jesus reigns, but His kingdom has not yet come in its fullness. We experience foretastes of the kingdom but also groan whilst waiting for redemption (Romans 8:23).
Amillennialism also affects how we view Israel and Jewish evangelism. If the church has replaced Israel, there is no special place for Jewish missions or concern for the Jewish people. Yet Paul makes clear that the gospel is “to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). He had great sorrow for his kinsmen according to the flesh and desired their salvation (Romans 9:1-3). The premillennial view that God still has purposes for Israel naturally produces concern for Jewish evangelism and support for the Jewish people.
Conclusion
Amillennialism represents a sincere attempt to understand biblical prophecy, and many godly believers hold this view. It rightly emphasises Christ’s present reign and the spiritual nature of His kingdom. However, it requires extensive reinterpretation of Old Testament promises and faces difficulties explaining how detailed prophecies can be dismissed as merely symbolic. It also struggles to account for God’s unconditional covenants with Israel and the repeated emphasis on future restoration throughout the prophets.
Whilst we should show charity toward brothers and sisters who hold different eschatological views, we must also be willing to examine whether our interpretive methods honour the text. Do we take Scripture at face value, or do we impose our theological system on it? The question is not just about the millennium but about how we read all of God’s Word. Let’s be people who say with the psalmist: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105), trusting that God’s promises mean what they say and will be fulfilled exactly as He declared.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Matthew 24:35