How long will satan rule after the rapture

This article attempts to show that the separation of the rapture from the second coming is a biblically required complexity. This article claims that the nature of the inhabitants of the millennium requires a separation of the rapture from the second coming and thereby refutes the posttribulational position. The inhabitants of the millenium Premillennial theologians, whether pretribulational or posttribulational, agree on at least two points concerning the inhabitants of the millennium.

Second, these theologians agree that large numbers of unbelievers will inhabit the earth at the conclusion of the millennium. Douglas J. The book of Isaiah and the book of Revelation demonstrate the validity of these two points of concord. Isaiah envisions a humanity marked by its longevity At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus Christ will return with the hosts of heaven as well as the Church to establish the Messianic Kingdom on earth. The Messianic kingdom will close with apostasy and rebellion.

After this judgment there will be a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness is the norm. Moody Bible Institute N. LaSalle Blvd. By submitting this form, you consent to receive promotional and other communications from the Moody Bible Institute. According to the Christian tradition, the Antichrist will finally be defeated by the armies of God under the leadership of Christ with the Kingdom of God on earth or in heaven to follow.

So, in spite of current appearances, Christianity holds firmly to the hope that evil will be finally overcome and that goodness will ultimately prevail. The core idea of the Antichrist — of evil at the depths of things — lays upon all of us the ethical imperative to take evil seriously. Whether the end is nigh or not, we should work to minimise harm and maximise the good in the here and now.

Portsmouth Climate Festival — Portsmouth, Portsmouth. Edition: Available editions United Kingdom. Become an author Sign up as a reader Sign in. Wikimedia Commons. Almond , The University of Queensland.

Author Philip C. Here, then, are five things to know just in case: 1. He is the Son of Satan The Antichrist was the perfectly evil human being because he was completely opposite to the perfectly good human being, Jesus Christ. Some postmillennialists believe the thousand years begin at an undefined time in history—some point after the resurrection of Jesus. Other postmillennialists believe the thousand years began at the resurrection.

The timing of the millennium is not vital for the post- millennial position. Realized millennialism is better. The thousand years in this view stand for a long period of time and do not designate a literal thousand-year reign. Amillennialists argue that the millennium began with the resurrection of Jesus and will last until the second coming. During this time, deceased believers reign spiritually with Christ in heaven in the intermediate state, awaiting their physical resurrection and the renewal of all things, and Satan is bound in the sense of being bound at the cross while the gospel goes out to the nations Matt.

Premillennialists say Christ will literally return to earth before the millennium hence the prefix pre and will reign one thousand years on earth before bringing an end to everything at the end of the millennium. Most premillennialists believe the thousand years designate a literal period of time, but such a view is not necessary for the position, for one could believe in a literal reign of Christ on earth for a long period of time other than exactly one thousand years and still be premillennial.

Premillennialists are divided into historic and dispensational premillennialists. Some are called historic premillennialists because they identify themselves with premillennial church fathers, including Papias, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus.

Dispensational premillennialists, who first appeared in the nineteenth century, are distinguished from historic premillennialists by arguing for a secret rapture seven years before Jesus returns to inaugurate the millennium. Dispensational premillennialists emphasize the fulfillment of promises to the Jewish people during the millennium. Premillennialists maintain the phrase has chronological significance, but amillennialists say this is not necessarily the case.

Given the diversity of usage of the phrase, it is difficult to argue that it clearly points to a new section chronologically. It is quite possible that —10 describes from another angle the events recorded in —21, as we have often seen Revelation recapitulate the time of the end. One significant problem with the premillennial view is that Jesus had destroyed all unbelievers at the end of chapter 19; thus it is difficult to understand how anyone could enter the millennium with an unglorified body.

Why would Satan need to be bound if the armies opposing God were destroyed at the second coming? Historic premillennialists argue the armies in chapter 19 do not represent all people—some were not destroyed at the second coming and thus enter the millennium. However, nowhere else is there any indication that some human beings are not judged at the second coming. Perhaps there is ammunition for the premillennial view in Zechariah 14; there the Lord judges and slays those opposed to him Zech.

Angels descending from heaven are a common feature in Revelation, and here an angel holds in his hand the key to the abyss and a great chain cf. The angel seizes the dragon, the great monster opposing the people of God, and binds him in the pit for a thousand years. They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished.

The angel throws Satan into the pit and locks him in. Thus Satan is unable to deceive the nations for one thousand years. Near the end of the thousand years, Satan is released for a short time to wreak havoc. Premillennialists say the events in verses 2—3 occur when Christ returns to earth, arguing that Satan cannot be locked up before Jesus returns, for he is alive and well during the present evil age, standing behind the beast and false prophet, deceiving and inciting the people of the world to persecute Christians — It is difficult to see how, according to premillennialists, these statements can be true if Satan is confined to the abyss.