Preterists - Put up or shutter up

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Feb 7, 2015
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Willie,

Why should it be a problem for any discerning Christian to understand that there are times when God speaks about INDETERMINATE numbers (as above) and there are times when He speaks about exact or precise numbers (Q) It is all a matter of context. As for the Millennium, that is very precise and cannot be interpreted figuratively. To ensure that no one makes that mistake, God repeats *a thousand years* or *the thousand years* six times in Revelation 20. It is pure unbelief which refuses to see this as a specific period of time.

On the other hand, when God wants us to know that time is meaningless to Him, we are told that for God a thousand years are as one day and one day is as a thousand years. As far as God is concerned only about *six days* have elapsed since creation, and all of eternity is before Him and before His saints.
I guess I just don't have the inside track with God that some of you have that allows you to decide when you are going to use "context" to determine "actual" from "metaphor", and when you aren't. (One of you guys posting in this thread once told me the giant flying scorpions are a genuine fact of reality)...... as I assume are also the monsters with all the heads and horns, since they were mentioned under the same sort of context.

But, I'll keep on trying. Maybe that gift will be bestowed upon me...... "soon."
 
Dec 28, 2016
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A thousand years is a thousand years..... deal with it.
And a 1,000 hills is a 1,000 hills. God owns the cattle on 1,000 hills. Not 999 hills, not 1,001 hills, but exactly 1,000 hills. Deal with it. ;) :D :)
 

Locutus

Senior Member
Feb 10, 2017
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The 1000 years is symbolic, just as the 144,000 of the 12 tribes is - John is "idealizing" with numerical symbols, this is typical "apocalyptic" imagery as used by the OT prophets.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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The point many of you "die-hards" are missing is that many of us can freely admit that although we do have some ideas about what things in Revelation and some of these other prophesies might mean.... we certainly do not know for sure. Many of you seem to think it demonstrates your lack of faith or spirituality if you are not able to declare with as much blustered authority as you can muster, that you know with absolute and unparalleled certainty just what each and every word of all of them means.
 
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pottersclay

Guest
The 1000 years is symbolic, just as the 144,000 of the 12 tribes is - John is "idealizing" with numerical symbols, this is typical "apocalyptic" imagery as used by the OT prophets.
You ....a. Not.....a. ........ symbolic imagery........oboy....I'll keep in the peanut gallery on this one.
 
Feb 7, 2015
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Why are we so afraid to say: " I think" or "I believe" or "As I see it" or "It seems to be saying"?
 

Locutus

Senior Member
Feb 10, 2017
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They let you in the peanut gallery, things are getting bad.
 
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pottersclay

Guest
The book of Revelation is seen from a heavenly perspective. John writing down what he saw is just that.....what he saw.
 
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pottersclay

Guest
Why are we so afraid to say: " I think" or "I believe" or "As I see it" or "It seems to be saying"?
That's a question I've been asking for a long time
 

Ahwatukee

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2015
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Hello Angela,

I would say, that appearing multiple times in the same chapter really counts for one time. If you are going to make a doctrine as huge as "the Millennium" seems to be, don't you think, like all good doctrine, it should appear more than once in the entire Bible? I mean, it could have appeared many times throughout Revelation, and the OT and the NT, like the cross, for example, but instead, it is found just once.
Regarding your claim above that the millennium should appear more than once in the entire bible. I would remind you of the meaning of the word "apokalupsis" translated "Revelation" which is defined as something that was hidden and is now being revealed. There is much information that is specific to Revelation and the events of Wrath leading up to the Lord's return to the earth to end the age.

Also, that the thousand years is mentioned six times should not be counted as a "one time" occurrence, but demonstrates the literalness of the number of years being "a thousand." In addition, there is nothing in the context that would lead the reader to consult other scriptures in order to find out the meaning of "a thousand years."

For that reason, I do take it as figurative. Like a lot of Revelation, which simply cannot be interpreted literally.
The book of Revelation should be read in the literal sense until a symbolic interpretation is obvious. It is going into the book of Revelation with the belief that it is all symbolic or allegorical that causes the problems of misinterpretation, which distorts the meaning that God intended.

For that matter, Jesus spoke in parables, which are a type of metaphor. Are those to be taken literally?

No, only where parables are obvious, should they be understood as parables. The problems arise when expositors interpret what is meant to be literal as being a parable. The literal event of the rich man and Lazarus is a good example of this.
 

Ahwatukee

Senior Member
Mar 12, 2015
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And a 1,000 hills is a 1,000 hills. God owns the cattle on 1,000 hills. Not 999 hills, not 1,001 hills, but exactly 1,000 hills. Deal with it. ;) :D :)
There is absolutely no reason to go to Psalms 50:10 and apply the meaning there to the thousand years stated in Revelation. All you are doing is misapplying scripture.

I continue to wonder, since the "a thousand years" is specifically stated six times, what God would have to have written in order for those of you who won't except it as meaning a literal thousand years? What else would God have to put in the scripture to get you to understand that the number of a thousand is exactly what he meant?

In Psalm 50:10, by God saying "I own cattle on a thousand hills" it is figurative of God owning all the hills and all the cattle. Here in revelation 20:1-7, the scripture does not read in a figurative manner. It states six times "a thousand years." A thousand years is the time that Satan will be locked up and restricted in the Abyss. It is a thousand years that Christ will rule on this earth and the saints with him. Satan is released at the end of that thousand years where he preforms one last rebellion. The unrighteous dead are not resurrected until after the thousand years are over.

The thousand years will be a literal thousand years, which will take place after the Lord returns to the earth to end the age, just as scripture states.
 
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pottersclay

Guest
Does anyone know the significance of the 1000 yr reign. What it is referring to. Its really quite sad. But a fulfillment of prophecy.
 
Dec 28, 2016
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There is absolutely no reason to go to Psalms 50:10 and apply the meaning there to the thousand years stated in Revelation. All you are doing is misapplying scripture.

I continue to wonder, since the "a thousand years" is specifically stated six times, what God would have to have written in order for those of you who won't except it as meaning a literal thousand years? What else would God have to put in the scripture to get you to understand that the number of a thousand is exactly what he meant?

In Psalm 50:10, by God saying "I own cattle on a thousand hills" it is figurative of God owning all the hills and all the cattle. Here in revelation 20:1-7, the scripture does not read in a figurative manner. It states six times "a thousand years." A thousand years is the time that Satan will be locked up and restricted in the Abyss. It is a thousand years that Christ will rule on this earth and the saints with him. Satan is released at the end of that thousand years where he preforms one last rebellion. The unrighteous dead are not resurrected until after the thousand years are over.

The thousand years will be a literal thousand years, which will take place after the Lord returns to the earth to end the age, just as scripture states.
I am NOT saying the 1,000 years is literal and I am NOT say it is not. But book such as Revelation that has a 10-headed dragon, locusts with scorpion's stingers with lion's teeth, flowing hair, and a face like a human, a flaming mountain turning the see into blood, Jesus having a sword shoot out of His mouth, that's quite a bit of symbolic language, imo. I am just trying to figure out was is to be taken literally and what is to be taken symbolically.
 
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