I'm a firm believer in interpreting symbolic and apocalyptic passages as symbols and not literal. I interpret the literal as literal. I am compelled by common sense to make the symbolic fit into the 'plain speak' outlines. As a Christian, I focus on the prophetic information aimed at Christians in the NT rather than that in the OT aimed at Israel. Here is what I believe to be the case from the NT. On this topic I see no need to respond to every reply.
When did King Jesus begin his reign on the throne of David?
“Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.’ This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:29-36)
When did King Jesus complete making his enemies his footstool?
Speaking of the resurrection on the last day..."for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1Cor 15:22-26)
Where is the reign of believers, in heaven or on earth?
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth/γῆ. (Matt 5:5)
"And now they sing a new song. "It is fitting," they say, "that Thou shouldst be the One to take the book And break its seals; Because Thou hast been offered in sacrifice, And hast purchased for God with Thine own blood Some out of every tribe and language and people and nation, And hast formed them into a Kingdom to be priests to our God, And they reign over the earth/γῆ." (Rev 5:9-10) I'm convinced Revelation was written prior to 70 AD
At what time is the general resurrection and general judgment?
"It is his will that I should not lose even one of those he has given me, but should raise them all up on the last day." (John 6:39)
"There is a judge for anyone who rejects me and does not accept my words; the word I have spoken will be his judge on the last day." (John 12:48)
There is NO "second resurrection" mentioned in the Bible, just a 'second death' compared to first resurrection.
"Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand years." (Rev 20:6)
[The book of Revelation uses symbolic language similar to the OT, so 1000 is not literal: see the following]
"For every wild animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills." (Ps 50:10) Only 1000?
"A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you." (Ps 91:7)
"A thousand shall flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you shall flee, until you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill." (Isa 30:17)
Who are those reigning for a thousand years?
"Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years." (Rev 20:4)
A. Everywhere thrones are mentioned in heaven, they are in heaven so why would this pertain to a reign on earth?
B. This speaks of "souls" not resurrected bodies.
C. Those reigning are martyrs, not all believers.
D. These are probably the souls of the martyrs mentioned earlier in Revelation:
"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed." (Rev 6:9-11)
I take the prophecy beliefs of a-mils, post-mils and pre-mils seriously, but reject the entire imaginative system of the dispensationalists, which sees a Judaized reign of Christ in the future.
When did King Jesus begin his reign on the throne of David?
“Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.’ This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:29-36)
When did King Jesus complete making his enemies his footstool?
Speaking of the resurrection on the last day..."for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1Cor 15:22-26)
Where is the reign of believers, in heaven or on earth?
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth/γῆ. (Matt 5:5)
"And now they sing a new song. "It is fitting," they say, "that Thou shouldst be the One to take the book And break its seals; Because Thou hast been offered in sacrifice, And hast purchased for God with Thine own blood Some out of every tribe and language and people and nation, And hast formed them into a Kingdom to be priests to our God, And they reign over the earth/γῆ." (Rev 5:9-10) I'm convinced Revelation was written prior to 70 AD
At what time is the general resurrection and general judgment?
"It is his will that I should not lose even one of those he has given me, but should raise them all up on the last day." (John 6:39)
"There is a judge for anyone who rejects me and does not accept my words; the word I have spoken will be his judge on the last day." (John 12:48)
There is NO "second resurrection" mentioned in the Bible, just a 'second death' compared to first resurrection.
"Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand years." (Rev 20:6)
[The book of Revelation uses symbolic language similar to the OT, so 1000 is not literal: see the following]
"For every wild animal of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills." (Ps 50:10) Only 1000?
"A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you." (Ps 91:7)
"A thousand shall flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you shall flee, until you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill." (Isa 30:17)
Who are those reigning for a thousand years?
"Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years." (Rev 20:4)
A. Everywhere thrones are mentioned in heaven, they are in heaven so why would this pertain to a reign on earth?
B. This speaks of "souls" not resurrected bodies.
C. Those reigning are martyrs, not all believers.
D. These are probably the souls of the martyrs mentioned earlier in Revelation:
"When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed." (Rev 6:9-11)
I take the prophecy beliefs of a-mils, post-mils and pre-mils seriously, but reject the entire imaginative system of the dispensationalists, which sees a Judaized reign of Christ in the future.