Eschatology

The Last Things
(Amillennialism)

Christ reigns now; one resurrection, one judgment, one consummation.

📜 "Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who 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 for a thousand years." — Revelation 20:4 (ESV)

📜 "The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." — Luke 17:20-21 (ESV)

What We Believe

At Teaching Bridge Fellowship, we hold to Amillennialism—the historic Christian understanding of the "last things" (eschatology). We believe that Jesus Christ is reigning now from heaven, that the "thousand years" (millennium) of Revelation 20 refers to the present age between Christ's first and second coming, and that history will culminate in one general resurrection, one final judgment, and the eternal state of the new heavens and new earth.

Amillennialism is not "no millennium"—it is the belief that the millennium is now, spiritually fulfilled in Christ's reign over His church and the nations. We are living in the "last days" inaugurated by Christ's first coming, awaiting the consummation when He returns.

Christ Is Reigning Now

The heart of Amillennialism is the confession that Jesus is King right now. After His resurrection, Jesus declared, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matthew 28:18). He ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He now rules over all things (Ephesians 1:20-22; Psalm 110:1). This is not a future reign—it is a present reality.

The Kingdom Has Already Come

Jesus repeatedly taught that the kingdom of God has arrived in His ministry:

• "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:15)

• "If it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matthew 12:28)

• "The kingdom of God is in the midst of you" (Luke 17:21)

The kingdom is not entirely future—it is already, but not yet. It has been inaugurated in Christ's first coming and will be consummated at His return. We are living in the "between times," the overlap of the ages, where the old order is passing away and the new creation is breaking in.

Satan Is Bound

Revelation 20:1-3 describes Satan being bound for "a thousand years" so that he can no longer deceive the nations. This binding happened at the cross and resurrection. Jesus said, "Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out" (John 12:31). Satan is bound in the sense that he can no longer prevent the gospel from going to all nations (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8). The gospel is now spreading to every tribe, tongue, and nation—something Satan kept restricted in the Old Testament era.

This doesn't mean Satan is inactive—he still prowls like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). But his power has been decisively broken at the cross (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14-15). He is a defeated foe, awaiting final judgment.

The Millennium Is the Present Age

The "thousand years" of Revelation 20 is not a literal future period—it is symbolic language (as is typical in apocalyptic literature like Revelation) representing the entire church age from Christ's ascension to His return.

During this time:

• Christ reigns from heaven (Ephesians 1:20-22)

• The saints reign with Him spiritually, participating in His victory (Revelation 1:6; 5:10)

• The gospel advances to the nations, and the church grows (Matthew 24:14)

• Satan is bound from deceiving the nations, but still active in tempting individuals (Revelation 20:3; 1 Peter 5:8)

At the end of this age, Satan will be released for a short time to gather the nations for one final rebellion (Revelation 20:7-9). This rebellion will be crushed by Christ at His return, followed by the final judgment.

One Resurrection, One Judgment

Unlike Dispensational eschatology (which teaches multiple resurrections and judgments), Amillennialism affirms that there will be one general resurrection of all the dead—believers and unbelievers—at Christ's return.

The Resurrection

Jesus taught, "An hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment" (John 5:28-29). This is one event, not two separated by a thousand years.

Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 15:23-24: "But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end." The resurrection of believers happens at Christ's coming, followed immediately by the end.

The Judgment

At the general resurrection, there will be one final judgment (Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 25:31-46). All humanity will stand before the great white throne. The righteous (those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life) will enter eternal life. The wicked (those whose names are not written in the book) will be cast into the lake of fire, eternally separated from God.

This is not a second chance, not annihilation, but eternal, conscious punishment for those who have rejected Christ (Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 14:11).

The New Heavens and New Earth

After the final judgment, God will make all things new (Revelation 21:5). The present heavens and earth will be purged by fire and renewed (2 Peter 3:10-13). This is not annihilation—it is transformation. Just as our bodies will be resurrected and glorified (not replaced), so creation itself will be liberated from corruption and brought into the glory of the new creation (Romans 8:19-23).

The new heavens and new earth will be the eternal dwelling place of God with His people:

• "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God" (Revelation 21:3)

• No more death, mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4)

• Perfect righteousness, unbroken fellowship with God, and eternal worship (Revelation 22:3-5)

This is the hope of the Christian—not escaping to heaven, but dwelling with God on the renewed earth in resurrected bodies, in unbroken fellowship, forever.

What About Israel?

One of the key distinctives of Amillennialism is its understanding of Israel and the church. We do not believe in a future separate plan for ethnic Israel. We believe that Christ is true Israel (Matthew 2:15), and that all who are in Christ—Jew or Gentile—are the true Israel of God (Galatians 6:16; Romans 9:6-8).

One Olive Tree (Romans 11)

In Romans 11, Paul uses the image of an olive tree to describe God's people. Some natural branches (ethnic Jews) were broken off due to unbelief, and wild branches (Gentiles) were grafted in. But natural branches can be grafted back in if they believe (Romans 11:23).

This is not two trees—it's one tree, representing one people of God in Christ. The "fullness" of Israel (Romans 11:26) refers to the total number of the elect from both Jews and Gentiles being saved, not a future mass conversion of ethnic Israel during a millennial kingdom.

The Land Promises Fulfilled in Christ

The land promises made to Abraham are not about a future restoration of national Israel to Palestine. They are fulfilled in Christ, who is the true heir of the promise (Galatians 3:16). Believers inherit not a piece of real estate in the Middle East, but the entire renewed creation (Romans 4:13; Matthew 5:5; Revelation 21:1-4).

The prophets spoke of Israel's restoration in covenantal and spiritual terms, not merely geographical. The ultimate fulfillment is found in the New Covenant people of God—the church—united to Christ and destined for the new heavens and new earth.

Why It Matters

1. It Keeps Christ Central

Amillennialism refuses to relegate Christ's reign to a future millennium. He is King now. His kingdom is advancing now. The gospel is going to the nations now. This fuels mission, worship, and hope in the present.

2. It Guards Against False Hope

Some eschatological systems promise earthly utopia, political revival, or national Israel's restoration before Christ returns. But Scripture teaches that the world will not get progressively better before the end. There will be tribulation, persecution, and apostasy (Matthew 24:9-13; 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Our hope is not in earthly kingdoms, but in Christ's return and the new creation.

3. It Promotes Unity

Amillennialism recognizes one people of God in Christ—not two separate plans for Israel and the church. This guards against the dangerous idea that God has abandoned His Old Testament promises or that there are multiple ways of salvation.

4. It Fuels Perseverance

We're not waiting for a secret rapture to escape tribulation. We're called to endure, persevere, and remain faithful until Christ returns (Matthew 24:13; Revelation 2:10). Suffering is expected (John 16:33; Acts 14:22), but so is victory in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).

What Scripture Says

Matthew 28:18-20

"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"

Jesus has all authority now. The Great Commission is based on His present reign, not a future millennium. He is with us now, and He will be until the end of the age.

Acts 2:29-36

"Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ... This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God... Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

Peter declares that Jesus is reigning now on David's throne, exalted at God's right hand. The Davidic promise is fulfilled now, not in a future earthly millennium.

Colossians 1:13

"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son."

We have already been transferred into Christ's kingdom. It's not entirely future—it's a present reality.

Hebrews 12:22-24

"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant."

We are already part of the heavenly assembly. We are already citizens of the New Jerusalem. This is our present reality in Christ.

Revelation 20:4-6

"Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed... They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection."

The "first resurrection" is spiritual—regeneration and union with Christ (John 5:24-25; Ephesians 2:5-6). Believers are raised spiritually now and will be raised physically at Christ's return. The "thousand years" symbolizes the present church age, during which believers reign with Christ.

Historical & Confessional Grounding

Amillennialism was the dominant view of the early church fathers (Augustine, Athanasius, Chrysostom) and the Reformers (Luther, Calvin, the Westminster divines). It is reflected in the 1689 London Baptist Confession in Chapter 31-32:

"God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousness, by Jesus Christ; to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father; in which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons that have lived upon the earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil." (1689 LBCF 31.1)

The 1689 affirms one general judgment and the eternal state of the righteous and the wicked, consistent with Amillennial eschatology.

Common Misunderstandings

"Doesn't Amillennialism mean you don't believe in a literal return of Christ?"

No. Amillennialists firmly believe in the literal, bodily, visible return of Christ. We just don't believe in a future earthly millennium. Christ will return, raise the dead, judge the world, and usher in the eternal state.

"Doesn't Romans 11 teach a future mass conversion of ethnic Israel?"

No. Romans 11 teaches that some ethnic Jews will be saved throughout history as God grafts them back into the one olive tree (the church). "All Israel" (Romans 11:26) refers to the fullness of the elect—both Jews and Gentiles—being saved, not a separate future plan for national Israel.

"Isn't Amillennialism pessimistic?"

Not at all. Amillennialism is realistic about the present (the world will not become utopia before Christ returns), but intensely hopeful about the future (Christ will return, judge the world, and make all things new). Our hope is not in earthly progress, but in Christ's glorious return and the new creation.

"Don't the land promises require a literal fulfillment in the Middle East?"

No. The land promises were typological, pointing forward to the entire renewed earth (Romans 4:13; Matthew 5:5). Abraham's true inheritance is not Palestine—it's the new heavens and new earth, which believers will inherit in Christ.

A Word of Application

If Christ is reigning now, then live as citizens of His kingdom. Don't be paralyzed by fear of the future or seduced by promises of earthly utopia. Christ is on the throne. The gospel is advancing. The church is growing. Satan is defeated. And one day, Christ will return, destroy all His enemies, and make all things new.

So be faithful. Endure. Persevere. Don't grow weary in doing good. Don't be shaken by tribulation or persecution. This world is not your home—you're awaiting the new creation, where righteousness dwells, where God is all in all, and where you will reign with Christ forever.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You that You are reigning now and that Your kingdom is advancing throughout the earth. Thank You for the hope of Your return, the resurrection of the dead, and the new heavens and new earth. Help us to live as faithful citizens of Your kingdom, enduring trials, advancing the gospel, and awaiting Your glorious appearing. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen. 🙏

Related Resources:

📖 1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 31 – "Of the State of Man After Death"
1689 London Baptist Confession, Chapter 32 – "Of the Last Judgment"
📘 Jesus Christ: The Only Savior (TBF Page 4)
📘 Covenant Theology (1689 Federalism) (TBF Page 7)
🎙️ Recommended Lecture Series: Kim Riddlebarger – "Amillennialism 101"
📚 Recommended Book: A Case for Amillennialism by Kim Riddlebarger

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In Sum:

TBF holds to Amillennialism—Christ reigns now, one resurrection, one judgment, and the eternal state. Learn what we believe about the last things.