Premillennialism
A view held among orthodox Christians
The belief that Christ will return before a literal thousand-year reign on earth.
Also called: premillennial, premillennialist, premil, historic premillennialism, chiliasm
What it means
Premillennialism teaches that Christ's return comes before (pre-) the millennium described in Revelation 20. When he returns, believers who have died will be raised, Satan will be bound, and Christ will reign on earth for a thousand years. After that comes a final rebellion, the last judgement, and the new heavens and new earth.
There are two broad families. Historic premillennialism, held by several early church fathers and by many Baptists and Presbyterians since, sees one people of God and expects the church to pass through the tribulation before Christ returns. Dispensational premillennialism ties the millennium to God's promises to national Israel, and usually expects a rapture of the church before the tribulation. The rapture views (pretribulation, midtribulation, prewrath, posttribulation) are disagreements within premillennialism about when believers are caught up.
Premillennialism, amillennialism, and postmillennialism are all held by faithful Christians, and both the Westminster and 1689 confessions leave the question open. What all orthodox Christians confess together is the personal, bodily, visible return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgement.
In Scripture
John sees Satan bound and the saints reigning with Christ for a thousand years.
Christ comes from heaven as King of kings to judge and make war.
Christ is raised first, then those who belong to him at his coming, then the end.
The prophet foresees a reign of peace in which the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord.
The Lord stands on the Mount of Olives and becomes king over all the earth.
Where it comes up
Confessions: WCF 33.1-3; LBCF 1689 32.1-3
Related terms
Pretribulation raptureA view held among orthodox Christians
The premillennial view that Christ will take the church from the earth before a seven-year tribulation.
Midtribulation raptureA view held among orthodox Christians
The premillennial view that the church will be raptured halfway through a seven-year tribulation, before its worst judgements.
Prewrath raptureA view held among orthodox Christians
The premillennial view that the church will endure the Antichrist's persecution and be raptured just before God pours out his wrath near the end of the tribulation.
PosttribulationismA view held among orthodox Christians
The view that the church will go through the tribulation and be gathered to Christ at his one visible return at its end.
AmillennialismA view held among orthodox Christians
The view that the thousand years of Revelation 20 describe Christ's present reign from heaven between his first and second comings.
PostmillennialismA view held among orthodox Christians
The view that Christ will return after a long age in which the gospel spreads and the nations are widely converted.
DispensationalismA view held among orthodox Christians
A way of reading Scripture that keeps a lasting distinction between Israel and the church, and expects God to fulfil his promises to national Israel in a future earthly kingdom.