Gee, where do I start? Well, for one thing, by excluding Revelation 20, you would be removing the direct proclamation of that thousand year kingdom. However, we have scriptures that refer to that time period whose characteristics of which could not possibly have happened in any time in history which I believe I already posted and will post here again.
"The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them.
7The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest.
9They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water.
In the context above, Isaiah is describing peace and harmony between prey and predator animals. Therefore, one would have to ask the question as to when this state has ever existed since it was written. The answer of course would be that this state has never existed between prey and predator animals. I know because I watch the "Blue Planet" series and Nat Geo.
When has a little child or an adult for that matter, been able to stick their hands in a viper's nest and not be bitten, or play near a Cobra's den and not be attacked?
When in the history of the world has the lion eaten straw like the Ox? The answer is, never!
The reason is found in verse 9, which says that "They will neither harm nor destroy" and that because at that time the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.
"Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.
As the scripture above states, "if a man fails to reach a hundred years old he will be considered accursed." Today if a human being reaches a hundred years old, they are in an elite class because in comparison to the earths population, not many people reach a hundred years old. In addition, if a person dies at a hundred he will be thought to be a mere child. This demonstrates that the longevity of life will be as it was pre-flood. Since then, when has this characteristic ever existed after the flood? Never! Let's continue with the next scripture"
"He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." - Isaiah 2:4
When has the world ever not trained for war or have not been at war? When has "He" (Jesus) ever judged between the nations and settled disputes between them or when has mankind beaten their weapons of war into plowshares and pruning hooks?
The point I am making with all of the above, is that though the term "a thousand years" is nowhere mentioned in any of those scriptures, they are characteristics that have not yet taken place in any time in history nor do they currently exist. Therefore, since God's word must be fulfilled, then those conditions must at some time come into being. The only place that we can assign them to, is that time period of a thousand years mentioned in Revelation 20, which is initiated when the Lord physically returns to the earth to end the age, as described in Matt.24:29-31 and Rev.7:1, 19:11-21.
Since none of those conditions listed above have ever existed and currently don't exist, and it can't be speaking about the eternal state, then there has to be another time period for those to come into being, which is that thousand year situated between this current age and the eternal state.
* Current age
* Millennial kingdom
* Great white throne judgment
* Eternal state
Dispensationalism has two primary distinctives: 1) a consistently literal interpretation of Scripture, especially Bible prophecy, and 2) a view of the uniqueness of Israel as separate from the Church in God’s program.
I believe that I have already provided scriptural evidence for a pre-trib gathering of the church in a previous post as well. But here it is again.
The biggest problem with mid and post gathering of the church, is that it would put the living church through part of or through the entire wrath of God. Regarding God's coming wrath and the believer, scripture states the following:
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"Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! - Rom.5:9
"For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath." 1 Thess.1:10
"But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.
For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
"For the great day of their wrath has come and who can endure it." - Rev.6:17
"Because you have kept My command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. - Rev.3:10
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Now, there are those who claim that those references to God's wrath is referring to the great white throne judgment and not to His coming wrath upon the earth. First of all, we as believers are not neither appointed to suffer God's coming wrath upon this earth nor His condemning wrath at the great white throne judgment. Believers in Christ are not appointed to suffer any wrath at all and that because Jesus already suffered it on behalf of every believer. God's wrath has been satisfied for the believer.
Regarding the church being here during the time of God's wrath, (the tribulation period), anyone who has even done a literal cursory study of the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments would understand that everyone on the earth will be exposed to those plagues of wrath. For example, when those demonic beings are released out of the Abyss at the 5th trumpet, the only group who are exempt from their stinging torment will be the 144,000, as declared in Rev.9:4-5. To include the church as being protected would be to add to the scripture. Another example would be trumpets 1 & 2.
At the 4th bowl judgment and angel pours out his bowl on the sun giving it power to scorch the inhabitants of the earth, searing them with intense heat. How would the church be protected from this? Force fields? Lots of sunscreen?
Another consideration is as follows:
"Then the beast was permitted to wage war against
the saints and to conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation." - Rev.13:7
If the church was to be on the earth during the time of God's wrath, then the saints mentioned above would have to be the church. However if you will notice, they are not being protected, for the scripture states that the beast is permitted to wage war against them and to conquer them. Not to worry though, for the saints referred to are those great tribulation saints wearing white robes which no man can count, revealed in Rev.7:9-17. These are those who will have become believers after the church will have been gathered. If you will notice, the last time the word "ekklesia" translated as "church" is mentioned is at the end of chapter 3. From that time forward, the church is never mention during the narrative of God's wrath.
"Because you have kept My command to endure patiently, I will also keep you out of the hour of testing that is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth."
That hour of trial is referring to the time of God's wrath, also called the day of the Lord.
I hope that this answers your question
Blessings in Christ!
