Postmillennialism

Postmillennialism holds that the Second Coming of Christ will occur after the millennial period. In this view, the number 1,000 (see Revelation 20:1-6) isn't to be understood literally, but as just a long period of time. Postmillennialists believe that the Kingdom of God that exists now will be extended throughout the world by means of the Church's proclaimmation of the gospel. At the end of the millennial period, however long that lasts, postmillennialists believe Christ will return, at which time the resurrections and judgments will occur, followed by the eternal state.

Postmillennialism can be graphed in the follow way:

   Christ                                                                                                 Second Coming
____|_________________________________________________|__________________________________
                        Church Age >>>>>>>>>> The Millennium                                                 The Eternal State

Postmillennialists interpret certain Psalms as teachings that there will be a time of peace and prosperity on the earth. For instance, Psalm 22:27 reads,

"All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord
and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him."

To the postmillennialist, this verse's eschatological teaching is that there will be no supernatural event, except for the proclaimation of the gospel, that will inaugurate the millennial period such as a rapture. Families bowed down to God simply because the Church has answered Christ's mandate to evangelize the world.

The Absence of Preceeding Events

An important passage to postmillennial beliefs is Isaiah 2:2-4.  In this passage, it's emphasized that eschatological terminology is the context for the description of nations at peace with one another. It's also emphasized that there is an absence of a precedeing series of events such as the rapture.  The passage reads:

In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all the nations will stream to it.  Many people will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountains of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.  He will teach us His ways, so we may walk in His paths.”  The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.  He will judge between the nations and settle disputes for many people.  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.

To the postmillennialist, preaching the gospel results in a peaceful planet under God’s sovereignty. 

The establishment of the millennial period includes two phases.  The first phase is the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ.  The second phase is believers preaching the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ Postmillennialist Kenneth L. Gentry Jr. writes:

The massive influence of Christ’s reconciling death will operate in history through the age-long drawing of all men, resulting in the world-as-a-system returning to God.  He will not accomplish this catastrophically by external political imposition, but gradually by internal personal transformation.  Redemptively transformed people generate a righteously transformed world.  God’s gracious drawing finally results in a massive, systemic conversion of the vast majority of humankind.  This universal drawing leads to a redeemed world.

Related articles:

• Amillennialism
• Premillennialism
• The End Times