50 Reasons For a Pretribulational Rapture By Dr. John F. Walvoord

[TheDivineWatermark]

"there's also "the ends [PLURAL] of the ages [PLURAL]" in 1Cor10:11"

I think the KJV translators did this verse more justice by using "world" rather than "ages" because it fits the context more accurately. It's plural because 23,000 peoples' world ended which fits the context. The usage of "ages" makes it sound like 23,000 ages passed or were fulfilled.

I believe where the text says "UPON WHOM" that it is not speaking of the "past history folks"... but the "OUR" [including at the time of the writing] folks... "[for] OUR [admonition/learning]"<--THESE ppl! "UPON WHOM" this such-and-such "ARE ARRIVED / ARE COME" (NOW, when this was written... not back then in the OT times).



Anyway, I gotta shut down for the night.

Nice talkin' with y'all... Good night!

 

[Truth7t7]

I believe where the text says "UPON WHOM" that it is not speaking of the "past history folks"... but the "OUR" [including at the time of the writing] folks... "[for] OUR [admonition/learning]"<--THESE ppl! "UPON WHOM" this such-and-such "ARE ARRIVED / ARE COME" (NOW, when this was written... not back then in the OT times).



Anyway, I gotta shut down for the night.

Nice talkin' with y'all... Good night!

Night cv5, dont let the bugs bite

 

[cv5]

Show me where the Bible says Gentiles will be extracted from the living saints prior to Christ's return. Why would you hold to such a view? Is there anything in the BIBLE that supports that. Sure, it fits pre-trib. But where does the Bible teach this? Revelation speaks of the 144,000 of the various tribes. It does not say there is no one else.

Also, as for the church going through tribulation, Christians, both Jew and Gentile, experience tribulation.

Acts 14
21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church[/b[, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Your questions betray the fact that you literally have no idea what you're talking about. If you do not understand the difference between Jews gentiles and Christians as it relates to end-time eschatology, now is the time to start.

 

[cv5]

Gods presented words are meaningless?

Of course you place the false teaching of a Millennial Kingdom on this earth, above Gods words below that prove otherwise.

There Will Be No Millennial Kingdom On Earth At The Return Of Jesus Christ, Your Millennial Kingdom On This Earth Is Gone!

As God's word "Clearly Teaches" below, Jesus Christ returns (Then Cometh The End) Death Is Swallowed Up In Victory, The Eternal Glorified Body Is Received, At This Last Day Resurrection And Changing

Will You Rebel Against The Clear Words Of God?

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 below Is The End, Not A Pre-Trib Rapture As Many "Falsely Teach"

(Then Cometh The End)

(Death Is Swallowed Up In Victory)

1 Corinthians 15:21-24 & 51-54KJV
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

(The End Of The World)

There Will Be No 1,000 Year Millennial Kingdom Upon This Earth, Jesus Christ Returns In Fire And Final Judgement, Dissolving This Existing Earth By Fire, Immediately After The Tribulation.

This Existing Heaven And Earth Will Be (Replaced) By The New Heaven, Earth, Jerusalem, A New Creation, At The Return Of Jesus Christ!

(Behold, I Make All Things New)

2 Peter 3:10-13KJV
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Revelation 21:1-5KJV
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Matthew 24:29-30KJV
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

1 Corinthians 3:13KJV
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

Luke 17:29-30KJV
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9KJV
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Malachi 3:2KJV
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

Psalm 46:6KJV
6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

Psalm 50:3KJV
3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

Psalm 97:5KJV
5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

Isaiah 66:15KJV
15 For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

Zechariah 14:12KJV
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

Nahum 1:5-6KJV
5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

Revelation 20:9KJV
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

That word salad doesn't do much to resolve your problem with Zechariah 6. It's gonna happen take my word for it. Same goes for the millennial temple and the sacrifices thereof.

 

[Truth7t7]

Your questions betray the fact that you literally have no idea what you're talking about. If you do not understand the difference between Jews gentiles and Christians as it relates to end-time eschatology, now is the time to start.

End time eschatology surrounds saved Church, and unsaved wicked, it's that simple

 

[Truth7t7]

That word salad doesn't do much to resolve your problem with Zechariah 6. It's gonna happen take my word for it. Same goes for the millennial temple and the sacrifices thereof.

Your words have proven to be contrary to scripture, if your looking for meaningless its found

To claim God will instruct and bless future animal sacrifice for sin, after the cross of Calvary?

"SCARY"

 

[Evmur]

I appreciate your come back reponse. But I still disagree with your conclusion. I came to this understanding, just reading the Scripture, especially Mat 25:13. The solidly puts a Pre-Trib Rapture, as an OPTION, and then once the Antichrist is Makes a Peace Treaty with Israel, that RULES OUT Mid-Trib, and Post-Trib, BECAUSE HIS DAYS ARE NUMBERED. Leaving ONLY the Pre-Trib Option. I get all excited anytime I teach the Pre-Trib Option. I know in my HEART it is TRUE, so I will continue to teach it.

Matt. 24. states Jesus speaking "after the tribulation of those days .... they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory and He will send forth His angels to gather the elect from the 4 corners of heaven"

Isn't that a simple plain statement? "after the tribulation"

Folks go on about the beast who is Antichrist forcing everyone to take his mark, how can this happen after Jesus returns? Antichrist is slain when the Lord returns.

Therefore the mark of the beast comes before the rapture, it is this persecution of those who refuse his mark which is the great tribulation.

 

[Evmur]

Angels gather not Jesus.
Gathered FROM HEAVEN.

AGAIN.....is the gathering of rev 14

We are speaking of the rapture.

So yes in your mind...and via omission...your theory works in your circles.

You are now post wrath???

His deal is POST WRATH.

How can the deal be post wrath? he is the first casualty of God's wrath, he is slain in the temple when Jesus comes ....

 

[Truth7t7]

Therefore the mark of the beast comes before the rapture, it is this persecution of those who refuse his mark which is the great tribulation.

The Great Tribulation Will Come Upon The Wicked World, While The (Sealed Church) Is Protected

The (Sealed Church) will be present on earth and protected, when wicked men are tormented 5 months, desiring to die as death flees

All saved believers are (Sealed) by God, Eph 1:13, 4:30

Ephesians 1:13KJV
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 4:30KJV
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

It Was Commanded, Only Those Without God's Seal, The Sealed Church Is Protected

Revelation 9:3-6KJV
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

 

[cv5]

Again, the context matters.

Notice in 1 Corinthians 10:8 the context is about 23,000 people who died in one day. That was the end of their world.

1 Cor. 10:8
8Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Now look at 1 Cor. 10:11

11Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Again context with Hebrews 9:26

Heb. 9:26-28
26For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Notice that in reference to the end of the world death and life is spoken of again. That's the common theme in all of these "end of the world" verses.

In Matthew 13 and Matthew 24 the end of the world involves the whole world facing God's wrath. It'll be the end of the whole world as in the whole planet.

Usage of the term "age" "ages" is never used to describe the death of the individual sinner. In the sense that their "time has come". Ridiculous.

 

[lamad]

Matt. 24. states Jesus speaking "after the tribulation of those days .... they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory and He will send forth His angels to gather the elect from the 4 corners of heaven"

Isn't that a simple plain statement? "after the tribulation"

Folks go on about the beast who is Antichrist forcing everyone to take his mark, how can this happen after Jesus returns? Antichrist is slain when the Lord returns.

Therefore the mark of the beast comes before the rapture, it is this persecution of those who refuse his mark which is the great tribulation.

Your's is a theory, just not what is written. Follow the script! The great crowd too large to number is in heaven in chapter 7. (The just raptured church) The beast is revealed and rises to power in chapter 13. After him the False Prophet shows up. Together they get an image and mark created.

Chapter 14 God warns people not to take the mark, showing us the mark is not yet being enforced.
Chapter 15 the martyrs of the Beast begin showing up in heaven, showing us the Days of GT have already started, late in chapter 14.
Chapter 16 are the vials poured out - to shorten those days of GT.
Chapters 17 and 18 show us the destruction of Jerusalem.
Chapter 19 is the marriage and supper in heaven. Then Christ's return to Armageddon

Then, NOT SHOWN to John so not written by John: Jesus sends out angels to gather together of Jews and Hebrews from heaven and earth. He has promised to do this.

Then Rev. 20: the start of the 1000 year reign of Christ.

This is the written order of things. Any other order is error, plain and simple.

 

[cv5]

Your's is a theory, just not what is written. Follow the script! The great crowd too large to number is in heaven in chapter 7. (The just raptured church) The beast is revealed and rises to power in chapter 13. After him the False Prophet shows up. Together they get an image and mark created.

Chapter 14 God warns people not to take the mark, showing us the mark is not yet being enforced.
Chapter 15 the martyrs of the Beast begin showing up in heaven, showing us the Days of GT have already started, late in chapter 14.
Chapter 16 are the vials poured out - to shorten those days of GT.
Chapters 17 and 18 show us the destruction of Jerusalem.
Chapter 19 is the marriage and supper in heaven. Then Christ's return to Armageddon

Then, NOT SHOWN to John so not written by John: Jesus sends out angels to gather together of Jews and Hebrews from heaven and earth. He has promised to do this.

Then Rev. 20: the start of the 1000 year reign of Christ.

This is the written order of things. Any other order is error, plain and simple.

The Church has been taken out of the midst of the tribulation. The specific term "Church" is never to be seen, noted or recognized in the text during this time-span. Nowhere in the Bible does it EVER state that the Church will see tribulation-wrath. It ALWAYS says that we will we removed from the time and place of it and receive comfort/consolation/rest while it is happening.

Group to whom you are referring are the "tribulation saints". A specific class unto themselves and unique.

You're making the common mistake of mashing-up very specific unique groups, which leads to an aberrant end-time eschatology.

 

[Runningman]

Matt. 24. states Jesus speaking "after the tribulation of those days .... they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory and He will send forth His angels to gather the elect from the 4 corners of heaven"

Isn't that a simple plain statement? "after the tribulation"

Folks go on about the beast who is Antichrist forcing everyone to take his mark, how can this happen after Jesus returns? Antichrist is slain when the Lord returns.

Therefore the mark of the beast comes before the rapture, it is this persecution of those who refuse his mark which is the great tribulation.

Yes, the plain and straightforward text of Olivet Discourse, the very red letter words of Jesus, should be our guide to help us interpret the rest of eschatology. You're right.

If someone places the return of Christ and the gathering to Him (rapture) before the great tribulation then that means they have misunderstood what Jesus said. Nothing in eschatology, or in the Bible as a whole, should contradict the Olivet Discourse.

In keeping in step with the words of Jesus, Paul teaches a post-tribulational rapture in 2 Thess. 2. You're right again!

Now that we know there is mutual consensus within the scripture about when the rapture is then never at any point should we try to place the rapture pre-trib.

It's actually very plain for most people and beginner Bible students who are teachable and honest.

It's when people spend a lifetime in a denomination learning things a certain way that they filter Bible interpretation through a certain kind of lens and miss truths.

Really my prayer for everyone here is to find a place where they are able to just accept the Bible for what it says.

 

[FreeGrace2]

There Will Be No Millennial Kingdom On Earth At The Return Of Jesus Christ, Your Millennial Kingdom On This Earth Is Gone!

You still haven't explained your spiritualized version of Rev 20 and what "the end" and "has ended" means in reference to 1,000 years.

But go ahead and make up whatever you want. Let's see how reasonable it sounds.

Will You Rebel Against The Clear Words Of God?

Coming from one who rejects the clarity of Rev 20!

 

[TheDivineWatermark]

TDW: "there's also "the ends [PLURAL] of the ages [PLURAL]" in 1Cor10:11"

I don't think we're splitting hairs here because this actually matters. The reason it matters is because the version your using has an entirely different nuance to the KJV. The reader will draw two vastly different conclusions depending on which text is used to interpret these verses.

[bold and color mine ^ , to emphasize what I'm going to address in this post]



I'm using a Greek Interlinear (to see how the Greek had expressed it, and whether in the "singular" or "plural," in this text); you should try using one in your studies, sometime:

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_corinthians/10-11.htm - Interlinear [in this case, it is "plural" and "plural," as I showed (at top in quote)] - 1Cor10:11 - "the ends [plural] of the ages [plural]"




[perhaps you can find a Greek Interlinear that shows something different to this, regarding the "plurals" here??]

 

[Truth7t7]

You still haven't explained your spiritualized version of Rev 20 and what "the end" and "has ended" means in reference to 1,000 years.

But go ahead and make up whatever you want. Let's see how reasonable it sounds.


Coming from one who rejects the clarity of Rev 20!

It's you who denies the simple truth before your eyes

Perhaps you can help me find the things claimed by those teaching a Literal 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom On This Earth in Revelation 20:1-6 below?

1.) No Physical Earthly Kingdom?
2.) No Physical Earthly Throne?
3.) No Physical Mortal Humans?

The Above Claims (Don't Exist), A 1,000 Year Millennial Kingdom On This Earth, Is A Man Made Fairy Tale (Fact)

Revelation 20:1-6 Is 100% In The Lords (Spiritual) Angel, Heaven, Devil, Satan, The Souls, The Dead, God, Christ?

100% Spiritual Realm, No "Literal" Time (Fact)

2 Peter 3:8KJV
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Revelation 20:1-6KJV
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

 

[Runningman]

I'm using a Greek Interlinear (to see how the Greek had expressed it, and whether in the "singular" or "plural," in this text); you should try using one in your studies, sometime:

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_corinthians/10-11.htm - Interlinear [in this case, it is "plural" and "plural," as I showed (at top in quote)] - 1Cor10:11 - "the ends [plural] of the ages [plural]"




[perhaps you can find a Greek Interlinear that shows something different to this, regarding the "plurals" here??]

I do use those sometimes. I also am good at grammar. Look again at the usage of the commas in the lexicon you cited:

These things now [as] types happened to them, were written then as admonition of us, to whom the end of the ages are arrived.


Provided they didn't use commas in the original greek, they decided to use them in the english translation you picked out.

Punctuation has the ability to vastly change the interpretation of something.

Notice in the red letters above the usage of commas that are separating ideas within a sentence.

If you remove the other idea from the sentence it reads like this:

These things now [as] types happened to them to whom the end of the ages are arrived.

The them that something happened to are the 23,000 mentioned in the passages. The KJV renders it better with the use of "end of the world."

 

[TheDivineWatermark]

I do use those sometimes. I also am good at grammar. Look again at the usage of the commas in the lexicon you cited:

These things now [as] types happened to them, were written then as admonition of us, to whom the end of the ages are arrived.

Provided they didn't use commas in the original greek, they decided to use them in the english translation you picked out.

Remember to put an "s" on the end of the word "ends" ( ^ instead of how you wrote it out, here ^ ), coz that's how the interlinear shows it to be, from the Greek.




The red letters [English part] at the link I provided, is not where I see any commas provided:

https://biblehub.com/interlinear/1_corinthians/10-11.htm



Try the vertical one... perhaps one can see the word order better there without commas?? (and I agree that no commas would be used in the Greek originally): https://biblehub.com/text/1_corinthians/10-11.htm




Okay, so you're thinking the text reads: "These things now [as] types happened to them to whom the [plural] ends [plural] of the [plural] ages [plural] are arrived [perfect indicative - possibly 'were arrived']" ...(and were written for our admonition<--this "our" not being whom "the ends of the ages" had/has anything to do, am I reading you correctly?)




So you believe the "these things [plural]" (as "types") refer only to the one incident [v.8's]?

 

[FreeGrace2]

FreeGrace2 said:
You still haven't explained your spiritualized version of Rev 20 and what "the end" and "has ended" means in reference to 1,000 years.

But go ahead and make up whatever you want. Let's see how reasonable it sounds.

Coming from one who rejects the clarity of Rev 20!

It's you who denies the simple truth before your eyes

There is NO truth in spiritualizing Scripture, which is what you are doing.

When one spiritualizes Scripture, they can make up anything that want. And Rev 20 is as literal as your nose.

Perhaps you can help me find the things claimed by those teaching a Literal 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom On This Earth in Revelation 20:1-6 below?

1.) No Physical Earthly Kingdom?
2.) No Physical Earthly Throne?
3.) No Physical Mortal Humans?

It's all there. But you'd rather spiritualize and ignore reality.

Why won't you explain the "the end" and "has ended" means when attached to "1,000 years".

Kinda difficult to spiritualize that one, huh.

The Above Claims (Don't Exist), A 1,000 Year Millennial Kingdom On This Earth, Is A Man Made Fairy Tale (Fact)

Doesn't matter how many times you state your own fantasy. Still doesn't make it real.

Revelation 20:1-6 Is 100% In The Lords (Spiritual) Angel, Heaven, Devil, Satan, The Souls, The Dead, God, Christ?

Why don't your prove your fantasy then?

100% Spiritual Realm, No "Literal" Time (Fact)

Then prove your opinion. I have the actual words of Scripture. All you have is an opinion attached to verses that you've made up to mean something other than what is there.

2 Peter 3:8KJV
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Why would anyone think this applies to Rev 20? Just because both mention 1,000 years? Pretty shallow thinking.

Revelation 20:1-6KJV
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

OK, you've quoted the passage in Rev 20. I color coded the words that you WON'T explain by spiritualizing. Please try.

If they aren't literal, then what?

 

[someguyfrommars]

There Will Be No 1,000 Year Millennial Kingdom Upon This Earth, Jesus Christ Returns In Fire And Final Judgement, Dissolving This Existing Earth By Fire, Immediately After The Tribulation.

This Existing Heaven And Earth Will Be (Replaced) By The New Heaven, Earth, Jerusalem, A New Creation, At The Return Of Jesus Christ!

OK, I get the point- you do not believe in a 1000 Year Millennial Kingdom. That said, what exactly is Revelation 20: 1-6 referring:

"1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

"4 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. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.

"6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years."

I am not attempting to 'stir the pot' or cause trouble but the passage 'they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years' is pretty straightforward and direct.

What is the context of the passage? Time frame? Past? Future? Is it a literal thousand years or meant to indicate a lengthy period of time?