I Am A Dispensational Premillennialist

Wow, that is a mouthful. The idea of a person being a Dispensational Premillennialist refers to a definitive theological system regarding the “End Times.” Of course, there are several theological positions concerning the End Times, however, I want to define my position for transparency.

What Is Premillennialism

Premillennialism as a system is primarily based on a literal method of biblical interpretation. The main premise of premillennialism is that Jesus will literally return to the earth before (pre) the millennium begins and that He himself will inaugurate and rule over it.

Premillennialists are usually divided into two groups with respect to their central approach to the prophetic Scriptures, Historic Premillennialists (HP), and Dispensational Premillennialists (DP). The difference between the two centers on the place of the nation of Israel during the millennium, the period of a thousand years during which Christ will reign on earth (see Revelation 20:1-7).

Premillennialism holds to a literal interpretation of the end times. It sees the events in Revelation 19-20 as a futuristic, progressive chronology, which include:

• The Rapture; The rise of a single antichrist; A seven-year tribulation
• The Second Coming of Christ; The Battle of Armageddon; The judgment of the antichrist and the binding of Satan
• The resurrection of the dead; The establishment of a 1,000-year reign of peace (the Millennium); The release of Satan and one final rebellion
• The final judgment; The beginning of the New Heaven and the New Earth (“the eternal state”)

Dispensational Premillennialism[1]

The “key” to understanding a dispensational premillennialism position is the word “literal.” A DP would take all prophecy of the End Times as being a literal 1,000 years and not like the Historical Premillennialist position of being figurative.

Dispensational premillennialism (DP) argues:

1. The second coming of Christ and the establishment of the millennial kingdom is preceded by the “rapture” of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).
2. Following the “rapture” of the church, the Antichrist will appear, marking the beginning of the seven-year period of the outpouring of God’s wrath known as the “Tribulation.”
3. Hold that that nation of Israel will be saved and restored to preeminence during the millennial reign of Christ.
4. Hold that there is a distinction between the Nation of Israel and the Church, and that God has a place for both national Israel (cf. Romans 11:28-29) and the church (“faithful Israel”; cf. Revelation 7:4).
5. Hold that, during the current age, Jews must accept Jesus as their Savior before Jesus can return in glory to establish his millennial reign.

Therefor DP’s believe that during the Millennium:

1. Christ will sit on the throne of David and rule the world from Jerusalem.
2. Israel will be given the place of honor among the nations.
3. The temple will be rebuilt with temple sacrifices reinstituted as memorial sacrifices.

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[1] Proponents of this view include Wayne Grudem, Erwin Lutzer, Charles L. Feinberg, John Walvoord, Charles Ryrie, and J. Dwight Pentecost, and it was popularized through Hal Lindsey’s 1970 bestseller, The Late, Great Planet Earth, and the Left Behind Series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.