Today we hear a lot about about a period of time called "The Millennium". What is it? What are its' origins, and what have been the historical positions of the Assemblies down through the ages? Is there more than one view? Did the Assemblies always believe as some groups do today?[1]
The word "Millennium" is, of course, not found in the Bible. It is believed by most groups that use the term to be a literal 1,000-year period of "peace on earth" or "perfect environment". Jesus Christ will rule and reign from literal Jerusalem over a carnal earth BEFORE the Last Judgment. Sin will still be present on the earth and He will sit on the physical throne of His father David in Jerusalem. Their "perfect environment" however, still has sinners in it.
This is also linked to "Premillennialism", meaning their "Millennium" will be future and last a literal 1,000 years, and it comes before the Last or Great White Throne Judgment, which means before the "New Heavens and a New earth".
THE SUBTLE ANTI-SEMITISM OF DISPENSATIONALISM
Here is basically what most Dispensationalists are not taught today about their "Millennium":
"If (the Jews) had chosen to accept Jesus and crown Him as their Messiah on Palm Sunday, A.D. 32, He would have entered the Eastern Gate and announced the restitution of all things, the cancellation of all debts and the proclamation of liberty to the captives. It was a genuine possibility that Israel could have accepted Him as Messiah and He would have ushered in the millennial Kingdom. Somehow, Jesus would have been crucified at some later point to fulfill the prophecy and provide salvation of all those who repent of their sins." Apocalypse. Grant Jeffrey. p. 33-34.
These things are not announced at first. The first thing that is told the new convert to Dispyism is the "Darby-Style Rapture". Later, their other fantastic "times and seasons" are explained in more detail.
The new Dispensationalist then actually comes to be taught "the Jews" never even accepted Yeshua as their Messiah? Yes, and what is worse, this means by direct inference that the reason why all of us don't have "perfect environment" (the millennium) right now is "BECAUSE OF THE JEWS"!?!
OY VEY! the Jews get blamed for everything and now we have to hear THIS TOO?
You see, their "Church Age" they tell us was never mentioned in the Old Testament at all. In fact, it was "completely unknown" to the Old Testament Prophets! It was entirely a mystery to everyone. Their "Church Age" (the "age" they tell us we are now in), they call a "mystery parenthesis". If the Jews had accepted Jesus, He would not have had to go to the cross at all, but would have instantaneously "brought in The Kingdom" (their "Millennium") right there and then! No need for the Church at all! The "age" we are now in, in other words, is a "punishment" everyone has to bear because "those 1st-Century Jews" rejected Jesus so this is what we all got instead of the Millennium!
Enough! What does the Scripture say?
The New Testament says the Jewish people DID Accept Yeshua!
After the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes when Yeshua fed the five thousand:
"Then those men that had seen the Miracle that Jesus did, said, 'This is of a truth That Prophet [2] that should come into the world'. When Jesus perceived that they would come and take Him by force, to make Him a king, He departed again into a mountain Himself alone." John 6:14,15
Did people then change their minds? Look again on Palm Sunday the New Testament clearly says:
"And many spread their garments in the way and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, HOSANNA: BLESSED IS HE THAT COMETH IN THE NAME OF THE L-RD: BLESSED BE THE KINGDOM OF OUR FATHER DAVID, THAT COMETH IN THE NAME OF THE L-RD: HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!" Mark 11:8-10
These facts have been basically ignored by the Dispensationalists. They assert that because the rabbinical leadership did not accept Him, that the "multitudes" that DID were not sufficient at all! We strongly disagree.
At any rate, what did Yeshua do, knowing they DID SEEK to make Him King?
"He departed again into a mountain Himself alone." John 6:15
Does this sound like He was supposed to bring the "millennium" in? Did He say, "Good job but we need more"? "these multitudes aren't enough"? "I want every last person called a Jew in Israel believing right now this very second or the deal is off"?
We are not convinced.
THE "DIFFERENT GOSPEL"
Dispensationalists claim to have "unlocked the mysteries of prophecy". They say that whenever the Bible mentions "Israel" it means the Jewish people ONLY, and not the Church.
Dispies are taught that Jesus was not witnessing to the Church, but only to "Israel". He was witnessing to the Jewish people offering them the "Millennium". Dispies are taught that "The Kingdom" means an earthly Kingdom Promised to the Jews (The Millennium or "Kingdom Age", (still future). Dispies have Concealed a Different Gospel under the guise of being "wise in the Scriptures". One gospel was "The Gospel of the Kingdom" preached by Jesus, and the other is "the gospel of the grace of God" later preached by the Apostle Paul they say. One gospel is for the Millennium, the other is for "the church". Jesus never had to go to the cross. If the 1st-Century Jews had accepted His message, He would have brought the Millennium in right then!
To the Dispies, the Blessings of the Jews are earthly and the Churchs' Blessings are all "heavenly". Therefore the Millennium will be a "Jewish Age", on earth, still future.
Furthermore, there will be many more Salvations in their "Millennium" than ever happened in the entire history of the Church.
THE TRUE ORIGIN
Is there any previous historical base for the belief that the Messiah will Rule Personally on earth and the Jewish people (especially the rabbinical authorities) will have complete control on earth during that time?
Yes. This idea was fully present and developed within rabbinic Judaism before Yeshua arrived. In fact, because Yeshua did not respect the fully developed rabbinic dictates the authorities rejected Him in the first place!
WHAT IS THIS TEACHING?
This is still taught today: the only way to know that King Moshiach (The Messiah) has come is for Him to Bless the Jewish people (this means the rabbinical authorities) with total control over all the earth. The Temple would be rebuilt and animal sacrifices would begin again under complete rabbinic supervision. (This would be a 4th Millennial Temple of course, because the 3rd Temple had been destroyed by their "antichrist" in the "7 year great Tribulation").
The Torah would be completely in force with the Messiah giving them full control and in total agreement with everything they have been doing and backing them up.
If anyone claiming to be The Messiah doesn't back the rabbinical authorities, He simply can't really be the true Messiah!
Is this deja vu or what!?!
Dispensationalism would make the New Testament fulfillment to be based on the complete restoration of the Levitical sacrificial system and temple cultus.
THE RULINGS OF THE ASSEMBLIES
The facts are these: there has NEVER BEEN any recognized Council or Synod of the Assemblies at any time in history that has ever said Yeshua would set up Perfect Environment BEFORE the Last Judgment. As a matter of fact, they ALL have said just the opposite! These are the plain facts.
The True Assemblies, neither by Council nor Synod, have ever said that rabbinic Judaism would be instituted, this time to rule the earth.
Such ideas are not established Rulings within the True Assemblies historically, and they never have been. This is what the denominations that preach such things as "authentic" never tell their congregations.
PEOPLE OF G-D MINISTRIES
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[1
Were these teachings sometimes found within the Christian consensus and believed by some? Yes. The books that contained such teaching were excluded from the Canon of Scripture however, as being the works of men. These were known as Apocryphal or Pseudepigraphal and such works as: 2 Enoch and beyond, 4 Esdras, Assumption of Moses, Ascension of Isaiah, Psalms of Solomon, Baruch and others were known early-on as not being Divinely Inspired works. These works spoke of a future "Golden Age of the Jews" but were never considered Canonical by either Christians or Jews.
[2
Allis, Oswald T. Prophecy and the Church. 1945.
Schlissel, Steve. Hal Lindsay and the Restoration of the Jews Banner of Truth Trust.
