Dealing With the Depressed

Spiritual depression is an involved and complex condition. In dealing with the depressed we must be prepared for great anguish and heartache in the work, as well as for the richest blessings when God grants uplifting to the troubled soul. Here we weep with those who weep, call upon God out of the depths, feel all our inadequacies, and cry out for light. Working with the depressed requires much spiritual strength and wisdom and can leave the pastor/elder weary if he is not consciously trusting in the Lord and hoping in Him (Jer. 17:7).

Spiritual depression is a common ailment of the soul. The frequency with which Scripture (especially the Psalms) deals with this subject brings one to the conclusion that it is a very common condition in the lives of the saints. Almost no saint whose life is depicted in the Scriptures was without times of depression. This answers one of the great questions of the depressed: "How can I be a child of God if I feel this way?" The presence of depression does not mean one is not in a state of grace and adoption. It does not mean that my life is not consistent with what God has made me to be, and thus it is something I must seek the grace of God to overcome and change. Depression keeps us from living to the praise of His grace, and therefore is something from which I must repent (1 Pet. 2:9).

Spiritual depression is not a malady before which we stand defenseless and helpless, simply waiting for the time when the storm clouds will pass and the sun will return. The child of God can do something about it. Depression brings us to see our helplessness (and a whole lot of other things about ourselves too). However, God shows these things not to crush us, but to reveal to us the all sufficiency of the great Physician, who has carried our sorrows, and in whose wings there is healing. He instructs us as to where we have gone through His Word, the grace to change. As great as depression is, ans we must not minimize its depths if we are to deal effectively against it, the grace of Christ is far greater. Also concerning this seemingly impenetrable spiritual darkness we labor in the confidence that God's child "can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13).

What is Depression?

By spiritual depression we mean more than what is meant by the popular use of the term. Commonly when we say, "I'm depressed," we mean, "I am feeling low, down, blue, discouraged." Spiritual depression is more than that. It is when the low spirit affects us our life in substantive ways, when we are down and out, when the low feelings take over and drag us even deeper. It is not just feeling bad about one's self and one's circumstances. It is being overwhelmed and governed by those feelings.

Depression is a feeling of guilt and unworthiness. It is a debilitating mood. In depression the conscience becomes overly active and introspective while the body itself slows down and operates at a lower level. In depression we become absorbed in thoughts like, "What good am I?" What's the use anyway? I just can't take it, it's too much."

The Psalmist in the 42nd Psalm gives an extraordinarily accurate picture of depression. Two figures are used: 1) Downcast - As a man bowed down under the weight of some heavy object, so the depressed soul feels itself under a crushing weight from which it cannot escape itself and which it cannot bear. 2) Disquieted - As the sea is tossed by the storm and not at ease, so the depressed heart is plunged into the depths of woe and feels itself unable to attain peace. The psalmist also speaks of the outward symptoms of depression. He looks troubled, haggard, dejected, vexed. He weeps day and night. It has affected his appetite. He is worried about himself and what is happening to him. Everything seems to be on top of him and he is drowning in a sea of woe.

The Scriptures impress on us the depth of this despair. We have already seen that it can affect us physically to the point of sickness, ulcers, weight loss, obesity, loss of memory, etc. (For this see Ps. 77:2-4; Ps. 102:3-5; Ps. 88). It can lead to a total breakdown, in which we cease to function at all (see Jer. 20:7-9). And still more, in depression the sense of God's presence is lost. In the throes of depression we can conclude that God does not answer our prayers or take pity. We become angry with Him and feel ourselves cut off from His presence forever (see Ps. 13; Ps. 77:1-10).

Thus spiritual depression is an interruption of the experience of the peace of God in the soul, a loss of the assurance of God's favor, a surrender to the monster of self-pity, an introspection which is not guided by faith in Christ but by our own pride.

What is the Cause of Depression?

The causes can be many. Anything which tends to get us down a bit can be the initial cause of depression. It can be a change of job, working too much, resentment or bitterness towards someone or something that has happened, marital strife, the waywardness of our child, a disappointment, our looks and abilities, etc. These and more can be the occasion from which depression arises. Or it can be when we know we are guilty to begin with; that is, it can come out of a known and willful sin and transgression of God's will.

However, depression is due to the response one gives to the difficulty, change, disappointment, or sin that has come into one's life. When we fail to respond biblically, and fail to have all our thinking and acting regarding the thing that has come into our lives or the thought has risen in our minds controlled by the Scriptures, then depression strikes. Depression arises when we are governed by and give in to our own feelings regarding these upsetting things, rather than being ruled in our thinking, willing, and acting by the Scriptures.

Depression can spiral. We can fail to handle a responsibility biblically. We walk in a sin impenitently and without making amends as far as we can. we fail to deal with a setback as God would have us deal with it. We look at ourselves and think of ourselves according to the standards we have devised. As a result we feel bad. Then, instead of following our obligations before God and dealing with that responsibility, sin, or lack of self-esteem as God would have-us to do, we follow our feelings on these things. We find ourselves seeking pity. And the end is that we feel worse and worse about ourselves, our circumstances, and our obligations.

We must remember that we are frail and weak saints of God who need at every turn of the way and moment of the day to have our innermost thoughts governed by the Word of the Lord. So easily we slip into viewing life's situations and ourselves from our own vision, rather than through the cross of Christ crucified. When we do this, and then leave ourselves stand for a moment before the gaping hole of our own feelings, our steps well nigh slip and we conclude: "for all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning)" Ps. 73.

The question is asked whether depression can have physical causes. It would be a denial of Scripture to rule that out. Scripture teaches that God has made us one, yet soul and body, and thus there is an inseparable relationship between the physical life and the spiritual. This is powerfully illustrated in the life of our Lord. We read that the devil came to tempt Jesus after He had been in the wilderness forty days and nights fasting, and therefore in a weakened physical state. He, the devil, chose this moment because he was and remains a careful student of human nature, playing every contributing factor in our makeup for his advantage. Because of the close relation between soul and body, we may not dismiss physical factors which either can enter in or lie at the root of depression. A complete physical examination, as well as the use of drugs which supply the body what it normally produces and is not producing can be helpful in the treatment of depression.

Nevertheless, to place depression in the category of physical illness would be a mistake. Then, as with a toothache, so also when my soul is in the depths and I find fear and guilt on every side. I should take myself to a medical doctor for the cure. Then I need perhaps an injection, but I do not need the present power of Christ's grace delivering me from the bondage of my sinful self. To make depression primarily a physical ailment is to negate the need for the real delivering mercies of God working in the heart and soul. Besides, even the aspects of depression which are physically related only underscore and make vivid the problems which are present in the life of the particular saint suffering depression. Depression has to do with sin. Ultimately it has to do with unbelief, the greatest sin against which we struggle. It is the failure to trust in God, even though He slay me. As hard as that is for me to hear, hear it I must, for then, and only then, can I rejoice in the power of Christ Jesus who came to save sinners also from the pit of depression.

How Should We Deal With the Depressed?

First of all, we must handle the Word of God skillfully, compassionately, and believingly.

I trust we need not work to establish the case among us that the Word of God is the powerful tool for treating depression. Depression can and does lead God's saints to be unable to read the Bible and even to become angry at the Bible itself. For a time they cannot use it right. Or they can be using it but not applying it. Therefore, I want to stress the modifiers above: skillfully, compassionately, and believingly. To bring this out, we should be aware of two dangers in this regard. 

The first danger is that of compassion without actually bringing the Word of God. Now compassion is essential for the work of the pastor/elder as Paul sets forth in Acts 20. But there must be more than mere empathy. If all that is accomplished is that the distressed of soul says, "How understanding and sympathetic you are," but he is not told what the Word of God says to him in his need, what good is it? The goal of much shepherding today seems to be to establish the reputation of ministers as sympathetic men. If we are to help our people in their need, the Word must be brought, for it is in the Word that we believe Jesus comes with His healing grace. More, we will make matters worse. The child of God has come to us and told us his woe. It is out there as big as ever. If no word from God comes, the preoccupation with the problem has only increased as a result of the talk with the pastor. We must not only talk about the problem, we must through the problem to see what God says about it. Even the pastor of pastors, the apostle Paul, did not allow his warm heart for the sheep to keep back the Word of God. He reminds the elders of Ephesus, "I kept back nothing that was profitable for you..."

The second danger is to use the Word of God as some kind of magic wand. This is to use Scripture simplistically, to read a few texts and explain them in a general sort of way and then send the person off reciting a favorite passage. We must be faithful and honest with the Scriptures, using them skillfully- that is, practically, substantively, concretely, pointedly. The Scriptures must be brought to bear on the specifics of the depression the person is enduring.

Secondly we must work with the depressed in the framework of the truths of justification and the adequacy of God.

Justification is the truth which, when it rests in the heart, must soothe the troubled soul. Justification humbles pride by teaching that my acceptance with God cannot be based on myself even if I were as good as my pride would want me to be. Justification proclaims to the soul in the depths that there is no condemnation to it. Justification is truth which supplies the motivation for sanctification and thus the reason why I as a despairing saint ought not despair and can do what I find so impossible to do. It was the knowledge that God had cast all his sins behind His back that delivered Hezekiah from the pit. The sins and failures he saw and could not hide from his view had been hid by God. This knowledge got him up again to praise God and busy himself with teaching his children (Is. 38).

The adequacy of God is the answer to every conceivable feeling of inadequacy in ourselves. "Hope thou in God!" was the counsel David gave to his downcast and disquieted soul. We labor in the conviction that in knowing God in His being there is a balm for every wound, correction for every thought, strength for every duty. God delights in having His people know Him in the full array of His virtues (Ex. 34:5-7). He is Jehovah, and, therefore, though we are so weak and sorrow is so strong, He abides stronger. To the fear which the depressed have that He will not help me, He proclaims His name as merciful, gracious, and longsuffering. In dealing with depression we must never doubt the adequacy of our God.

And thirdly, we must take depression seriously, watching for the warning signs, and spending the needed time and energy in counseling which depression requires.

Our eyes should be sensitive to the beginning of depression in the lives of the saints. Some of the indications of depression are: withdrawal from family and friends; loss of interest or satisfaction in one's calling; a feeling of isolation and loneliness; slowed thinking; feeling a burden; feeling helpless and without hope; problems on the job or in the family; sleep difficulty and weight loss; irritability; talk about dying; prolonged grief.

Depression should be something we address in the preaching, frequently in fact, as the struggle against depression is in one form or another common in the lives of God's people, and will be so long as they are in the body of this death.

We should be prepared to spend the time that is needed and deal as thoroughly as we can with the cases of depression that come to our attention. Seldom is one visit to the pastor or elder going to alter a pattern of depression in the life of a child of God. It does not work that way. "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting" (Mark 9:29).

As difficult as this work can be, we engage in it, as with all our work, in the undefeatable confidence that "The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants: and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate" (Ps. 34:22).

Carl J. Haak

Pastor of the Protestant Reformed Church of Lynden, Washington

The Standard Bearer

Volume 69/1993

Issue: 11, 3/1/193

https://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/dealing-depressed?keyword[0]=depression 

Confessing the Living Redeemer

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. Job. 19:25

"I know that my redeemer liveth."

What a confession! What a comfort! On this day when we observe the resurrection of our blessed Savior we echo the triumphant cry of victory that the saints who have gone before us have uttered. As pilgrims and strangers whose citizenship is in the kingdom of God we and all of God's children must face the relentless onslaught of Satan as he attacks us by means of the world, our flesh, and himself personally. But in the darkness of despair the Lord always comes to us with the good news of the gospel that the grave could not hold the Lord Jesus Christ. He lives. And I know that my Redeemer liveth. That is the certain knowledge and blessed assurance of faith.

In our text we have the confession of Job, the likes of whose trials and afflictions you and I have never known and perhaps never will. We know the account very well. In one day he lost all that he had, both possessions and his ten children. In addition he was plagued with a most dreadful disease, which made him so sick that he desired to die. Then there came to him friends who were supposed to comfort him, but only added to his misery. Out of that unspeakable misery, when it appeared that it could get no worse, there came the confident testimony of faith: "I know my redeemer liveth."

We can understand the significance of having a redeemer when we take a look at what a redeemer is. Then we, too, will be glad that He lives. A redeemer is one who will take up the cause of another in order to help him in his time of need. This redeemer is not only ready and willing to pay the price of redemption but actually does so. In this way the redeemer vindicates the one in need and delivers him from all his trouble. Along with Job we need a redeemer because we cannot pay the price. We are in bondage by nature with no way out. This is, of course, a spiritual bondage, the bondage of sin and death under the righteous judgment of God. Since this is the righteous judgment of God who is righteous in all His ways, we know that we deserve the eternal woe of hell.

O, but we know of one who has paid the price of our redemption. Indeed, there is one who as atoned for our sins, thereby delivering us out of our bondage and assuring us of everlasting life in glory. Yes, we know as well as Job knew that this redeemer is Christ, the only promised Savior, the perfect and eternal Redeemer.

Job spoke of Him as he saw Him in prophecy, as the one that was still to come. Since the promise was not yet realized, Job did not know the Christ in the full revelation that we have today. But that does not mean that he was less convinced of his salvation than we are. Just as we do today, the day in which we rejoice in the resurrection of Christ from the dead, so Job could confess with his whole heart and soul: My Redeemer lives.

His Redeemer, even as ours, is Jehovah, the almighty, unchangeable, sovereign God. With His friend Job, God had established His covenant. God says of Job, "This is my servant, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil." How could God possibly say that of Job unless He had taken him into His covenant? The Lord our God was not looking at Job in his nature, but as he was in Christ. What is true of Job is also true of us. Eternally God has engraven us in the palm of His hands. Therefore, before our holy God we are holy and righteous, redeemed and sanctified in Christ.

Thus, as a child of God, Job was first of all deeply conscious of his sin and guilt. But as a child of God he also confessed his sin and obtained pardon. He experienced the blessedness of those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. He loved his God and hated evil. This was evident even at that moment when he was suddenly made destitute and childless. Humbly he confesses, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked I return thither. Jehovah gave, Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah." It is in this consciousness that this servant of God can say in harmony with all God's children: It is God who justifies; God is my justifier. My Redeemer lives! 

O blessed confession, I know that my Redeemer liveth! He lives! He is the Almighty, unchangeable Jehovah, who keeps covenant with His people forever. His grace abideth ever. He does not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our iniquities. He lives! How much richer these words are for us now, since the cross and the resurrection have become a historical reality. The Son of God came into our flesh, suffered, died, and was buried. For a moment even the disciples despaired, so that they hid themselves in bitter sorrow. He who had professed to be the living Savior, the Christ, the Son of the living God, had perished in the hands of wicked men. His body rested in the grave. 

Yet the flame of faith and hope within their souls never entirely faded out. No, suddenly it flared up to shine forth in glorious brilliancy. Jesus arose as victor over death. He had satisfied God's justice. And God raised Him up to exalt Him to power and glory in the highest heavens. We now see Jesus with an eye of faith, crowned with glory and honor, living and reigning with God forever! 

He lives! We know that He lives, for as He has come to dwell with us in the Spirit. He lives even now within our hearts. I know! That is the confession and testimony of faith. The assurance of faith is always personal. Faith says: I know. Faith speaks of my Redeemer. Thus we confess together, I know that my Redeemer liveth. No one can actually know God without knowing that this God is his God, the God of His eternal salvation. The same is true with respect to Christ. No one can know Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners without knowing that this Jesus is also his personal Savior. He who confesses God with a sincere heart also says: My God. And he who confesses Jesus to be the Christ also adds the personal assurance: My Lord and my God.

This faith is and will be sorely tried in our lifetime. There are many temptations that beset us. The world and its lusts still appeal to our sinful flesh. We are filled with dread at the scorn of the world. Then there is our old nature with all its sinfulness. We really need say no more here. Each of us knows his own heart and the sin that arises from it. Added to all that, there are all the sufferings that we must bear. With Asaph we wonder why it appears that the wicked prosper while the righteous must suffer. So our life is fulled with a variety of disappointments, adversities, pains, and distresses. Does God really love us? Certainly it would appear to be contrary. We are inclined to complain with the psalmist in Psalm 77:7-9. "Will God cast us off forever: and will He be favorable no more? IS His mercy clean gone forever? Doth His promise fail forevermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies?"

Yet, wonder of all wonders, you and I confess in triumph of faith: I know that my Redeemer liveth! That is good news that is revealed to us in the Scriptures. God has made known to us His eternal love. He has revealed to us His pardoning grace and saving mercy as it is ours only in Jesus Christ. And ultimately we will dwell in heaven in that glorious inheritance which He has prepared for us, His saints. 

This I know. How do I know? The Spirit assures us of that in our hearts. How does He do that? By the Word and the preaching of that Word. Through this means He not only convicts us of our sins but points us to the cross. Thus being cast down we are lifted up, being hungry we are fed. Being thirsty we are led to the streams of living water. To the grave we are pointed. O, but do not forget, that grave is empty. He who died for us lives. 

Faith says: I know that my Redeemer liveth. Let that word of truth ring forth from now even unto all eternity. That is our victory cry. He lives! 

Rev. Rodney Miersma 

https://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/confessing-living-redeemer 

Postmillennialism (6)

The Postmillennial Interpretation of Revelation 20 (cont.)

In the past, the majority of postmillennialists explainedRevelation 20:7-9 as teaching that the millennium will be followed by a final apostasy from the gospel and law of Christ and by a worldwide rebellion against the kingdom of Christ. Towards the very end of history, Satan will be loosed to deceive the nations and marshal them against the church. Among those who taught this final apostasy were the Presbyterian J. Marcellus Kik and the Christian Reconstructionist Gary North.¹ Kik's interpretation of the passage is representative: "For the thousand-year period he [Satan] was bound. He could no longer deceive the nations.... At the end of the millennium period he is again to be released to deceive the nations. That will be a woeful day for the world."²

Recently, prominent postmillennial Christian Reconstructionists Rousas J. Rushdoony and Martin G. Selbrede have rejected the teaching of a final apostasy as pessimistic. According to Selbrede, the millennium of Revelation 20 (which he understands as the glorious reign of the church over all her enemies in a "golden age") will climax in the salvation of every living human. To such a world, Christ will return. No worldwide rebellion against the kingdom of Christ will intervene between themillennium and the coming of Christ. Selbrede calls his doctrine of the last things "eschatological universalism" and praises it as a teaching of "unbounded optimism." He acknowledges that he is dependent for both the teaching and its name upon the noted Presbyterian theologian Benjamin B. Warfield.

The Optimistic Interpretation of Revelation 20:7-9

Optimistic though this rejection of a final apostasy and rebellion may be, it still must reckon with Revelation 20:7-9: "And when the thousand years [the millennium] are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth...to gather them together to battle...[against] the camp of the saints...and the beloved city." Even optimism must be "bounded" by the word of God.

Selbrede, the contemporary Christian Reconstruction postmillennialist, relies entirely on Warfield's exegesis of the crucial passage on a final apostasy.³ Warfield's explanation is a denial that the "little season" of Satan's loosing (Rev. 20:3) follows the thousand years in history. Rather, the "little season" is contemporaneous with the thousand years. While the saints are living and reigning with Christ in heaven, Satan is constantly opposing the church on earth. According to Warfield, the binding of Satan for a thousand years (Rev. 20:2) refers to his inability to trouble the saints in heaven. The loosing of Satan for a little season refers to his warfare against the church on earth (during much of the same time that he is bound with regard to the saints in heaven). In Warfield's explanation of the binding and loosing of Satan, time is not in view. It is a mistake to think in terms of before and after, as though Satan is bound before the millennium and loosed after it.

The chaining of Satan is not in the event a preliminary transaction, on which the security of the saints follows: nor is the loosing of Satan a subsequent transaction, on which the security of the saints ceases. The saints rather escape entirely beyond the reach of Satan when they ascend to their Lord and take their seats on His throne by His side.... But while the saints abide in their security Satan, though thus "bound" relatively to them, is loosed relatively to the world—and that is what is meant by the statement in verse 3c that "he must be loosed for a little time." ...We must here look on the time-element...as belonging wholly to the symbol and read in the interpretation space-elements in its place.4

Although Warfield does not make this explicit, his explanation of Revelation 20:7-9 includes that gradually Satan's assault on the church during the "little season" (which for Warfield is the entire present age up to the beginning of the "golden age") will weaken as the gospel converts more and more members of the nations, Gog and Magog. Then will be realized the "golden age," which will culminate in the conversion of every living human (Warfield's and Selbrede's "eschatological universalism"). Finally, Christ will return to a "converted earth."

Evidently, the "golden age" with its eschatological universalism must be inserted into Revelation 20 between verse nine and verse ten. The falling of fire from heaven upon the enemies of the church in verse nine cannot refer to the second coming of Christ, for according to Warfield and Selbrede no enemy of Christ remains at His coming. But the casting of the devil into the lake of fire in verse ten must occur at Christ's second coming. The "golden age" of postmillennialism must, therefore, be found between verse nine and verse ten.

This is the exegesis of Revelation 20:7-9 that Selbrede recommends to his postmillennial comrades, who hitherto have been afflicted with the dread malady of pessimism inasmuch as they have allowed the passage to convince them of a final apostasy. Selbrede's recommendation of Warfield's exegesis of the passage comes with a high cost to postmillennialism. The cost is giving up Revelation 20 as proof of postmillennialism's "golden age." As I pointed out earlier in this series on the last things, Warfield demonstrated that the millennium of Revelation 20 refers to the intermediate state. The living and reigning of the saints with Christ take place in heaven, not on the earth. According to Warfield, there is nothing of a "golden age" on earth in the whole of Revelation 20(Warfield finds the "golden age" of postmillennialism elsewhere in Revelation).5 It is very much to be doubted that postmillennialism is willing, or can stand, to pay this cost, even in order to rid itself of the incubus of a final apostasy.

Erroneous Interpretation

Warfield's interpretation of the loosing of Satan, inRevelation 20:7-9, is erroneous. It is so egregiously erroneous as to betray that Warfield's exegesis is driven by his postmillennial theology. A loosing of Satan towards the end of history resulting in a worldwide rebellion against the kingdom of Christ contradicts the dearest tenet of postmillennialism, namely, that history must come to a close with an earthly, visible, and complete victory of the Messianic kingdom. Therefore, the loosing of Satan must be explained away, regardless that the explanation violently conflicts with the plain language of the text and regardless that the explanation is burdened with insoluble difficulties regarding other elements of the passage, as Warfield himself admits.

The truth is that the loosing of Satan from his chain and prison follows the thousand years during which he had been bound: "When the thousand years are expired (Rev. 20:7)." "When" is a particle of time. The words "are expired" translate the Greek verb that means "were ended," or "were brought to [their] end." It is the same word used of the ending of the thousand-year period in verse three of Revelation 20 and there translated, "should be fulfilled": "that he [Satan] should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled." The thought is that Christ has a purpose with the binding of Satan for a thousand years. This purpose is the gathering of the elect church out of the nations by the preaching of the gospel. This purpose would be impossible of realization, if Satan were not bound and thus prevented from deceiving the nations under Antichrist. Only when Christ's goal, or end, with the thousand years has been reached, in the salvation of the entire church, will He loose Satan for a little season, to do his damnedest.

The element of time is very definitely in the passage, both grammatically and with regard to the doctrine.

That the loosing of Satan follows the millennium in time is clearly taught also in verse three. Satan is bound for a thousand years "that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled[that is, ended, in the sense of having been brought to their appointed goal]: and after that he must be loosed a little season." Time is everywhere in the text. Time is prominent. Time is of the text's essence. Satan is bound at the beginning of the thousand years. During the long period of the thousand years, Satan remains bound. Only when the thousand years have ended is he loosed: "after that." And he is loosed "a little season [of time]."

In opposition to Warfield's assertion that the little season of Satan's loosing is the same period of time as the thousand years during which he is bound, verse three sharply distinguishes the time of Satan's binding from the time of his loosing. A thousand years is a long time. It is the time from Christ's ascension until shortly before His coming again. In contrast, the time of Satan's loosing is very brief: "a little season" (literally: "a little time"; time is in the passage literally). And this will be a great comfort to the church that must suffer the consequences of Satan's loosing.

If further evidence of the falsity of Warfield's (and Selbrede's) interpretation of the loosing of Satan were required, it would be that this interpretation forces Warfield to explain the "nations" mentioned in verse three as the elect church in heaven. According to Warfield, the binding of Satan refers strictly to his inability to trouble the saints in heaven in the intermediate state. When verse three, then, teaches that Satan is bound "that he should deceive the nations no more," the meaning must be that he is bound so that he will not deceive the elect in heaven. Warfield recognizes his problem: "The only real difficulty lies in the word 'nations' [in v. 3]. Should we not expect 'saints' instead—for is it not merely with reference to the saints that Satan is supposed to be bound?"6 Half-heartedly, Warfield suggests as the solution to his problem that "nations" in verse three "may include Christians also."7 But he quickly admits that his attempt to explain "nations" in verse three is unsatisfactory. "It cannot be pretended that a real solution of its ['nations' in v. 3] difficulties has been offered in any case; it remains a dark spot in an otherwise lucid paragraph and must be left for subsequent study to explain."8

Apart from the usage of the word "nations" elsewhere in the book of Revelation, the word "nations" is used in verse eight of Revelation 20 to refer to masses of ungodly men and women on the earth. The "nations," identified as Gog and Magog, are the reprobate, ungodly enemies of the true church, whom Satan unites in the little season of his loosing to attack the church. The "nations" of verse three are the ungodly in the world whom Satan cannot deceive during the thousand years, but whom he does deceive during his little season after the thousand years. The "nations" in verse three are the same as the "nations" in verse eight. They are not the elect, believing church, much less the elect in heaven. They are the reprobate wicked, who are always susceptible to Satan's influence. One thing, and one thing only, prevents them from being deceived during the thousand years, and this is Christ's binding of Satan so that he cannot deceive them before Christ has accomplished His great purpose of gathering His church.

Warfield's interpretation of the loosing of Satan, let it be noted, completely distorts the prophecy of Revelation 20:7-9. The passage teaches a loosing of Satan towards the end of history that culminates in an all-out, worldwide attack on the church of Jesus Christ. The church will finally be delivered from this attack and from her ancient foe by a wonder. Fire will come down from God in heaven to devour the hordes of ungodly that assail the church. At that time, Satan will summarily be cast into hell. And then the final judgment will sit (Rev. 20:10ff.).

What is the explanation of the passage by Warfield (and presumably by the Christian Reconstructionist Selbrede)? Satan's attack on the church throughout this present age concludes with the total conversion of the nations, Gog and Magog, that had been attacking the church. Gog and Magog will be saved, to the last man or woman. The camp of the saints and the beloved city will go up on the breadth of the earth, compass the nations that are on the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, about, and successfully evangelize them so that every human then living will be saved. Then will follow a long period of earthly dominion by the saved human race, the "golden age." Where Satan will be during this "golden age," and what he will be up to, we are not told. To this "converted earth," Christ will one day return.
Revelation 20:7-9 is turned on its head.

David J. Engelsma  
http://sb.rfpa.org/articles/chapter-four-postmillennialism-6 

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1 See the previous installment in this series on the doctrine of the last things.

2 J. Marcellus Kik, An Eschatology of Victory (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1971), 246.

3 See Martin G. Selbrede, "Reconstructing Postmillennialism," The Journal of Christian Reconstruction: Symposium on Eschatology 15 (Winter, 1998), 187, 188.

4 Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield, "The Millennium and the Apocalypse," in Biblical Doctrines (New York: Oxford University Press, 1929), 655, 656.

5 See David J. Engelsma, "The Millennium (2)," Standard Bearer 85, no. 15 (May 1, 2009): 345.

6 Warfield, Biblical Doctrines, 656, 657.

7 Ibid., 657.

8 Ibid.

Postmillennialism (4)

The Postmillennial Interpretation of Revelation 20

The interpretation of Revelation 20, the one passage in Holy Scripture that mentions the millennium, or thousand-year period, is basic to the right understanding of the millennium and, indeed, of the truth of the last things generally. The explanation of the passage by Reformed amillennialism appeared earlier in this treatment of the biblical doctrine of the last things.¹

Here I sketch the interpretation of the passage by the leading spokesmen of postmillennialism in the Reformed tradition. According to the Puritans and their modern disciples, Presbyterian postmillennialists such as J. Marcellus Kik and Loraine Boettner, and the Christian Reconstructionists, who lean heavily on Kik's exegesis of Revelation 20, the millennium of Revelation 20 is a very long period of time, extending (in the judgment of most) from the ascension of Christ to a time shortly before Christ's coming again.

Like amillennialism, therefore, postmillennialism explains the millennium figuratively, not as a literal period of one thousand years. Indeed, many postmillennialists suppose that the heyday of the millennium—the "golden age" for the church on earth—will last for hundreds of thousands of years prior to the second coming of Christ.

But it is in its explanations of the binding of Satan (vv. 2, 3) and of the reign of the martyr-saints with Christ (v. 4) that postmillennialism differs radically from amillennialism in its interpretation of Revelation 20.

The Binding of Satan

Postmillennialism understands the binding of Satan to be Christ's gradual restricting of Satan's influence upon men and nations throughout this present age until finally at least the vast majority of humans alive in the world are converted to Christ; all nations are "Christianized," that is, governed by the law of God and influenced by the Spirit of Christ in all their activities; and such evils as war, poverty, and crime are severely curtailed.

The more optimistic postmillennialists suggest that when Satan's binding has been fully realized, even sin and death will sharply diminish. R.J. Rushdoony promises a "world relatively free of crime, at peace, and men having a long life expectancy."² Christian Reconstructionist Martin G. Selbrede envisions "voluntary obedience to Christ on a world-wide scale so total that all rebellion and depravity have been 'extinguished.'" Selbrede is certainly right to describe his millennial hope as "unbounded optimism."³

A curious feature of the postmillennial conception of the binding of Satan is the notion that the binding of Satan is dependent upon the aggressive actions of the church. Postmillennialists charge that Satan's obvious influence over nations and people in our day is the fault of the church. If the church would exert herself, she could accomplish Satan's full binding in the postmillennial understanding of it. Whereas Revelation 20:1 places the chain that binds Satan in the hand of the angel, postmillennialism puts it in the hand of the church.

Unfortunately the Church of today does not realize the power that Christ has given her. Christ has placed in her hands the chain by which she can bind Satan. She can restrain his influence over the nations. But today the Church bemoans the fact that evil is becoming stronger and stronger. She bemoans the fact that the world is coming more and more under the control of the Devil. Whose fault is that? It is the Church. She has the chain and does not have the faith to bind Satan even more firmly. Satan is bound and the Church knows it not! Satan can be bound more firmly and the Church does it not!4

Christian Reconstruction likewise condemns the Christian church for the sorry state of a world under the spiritual domination of Satan. Especially if the church would promote the law of God in national and societal life, Satan would soon be completely bound.

The teaching that the coming of the millennial kingdom of Christ in its full glory is being held back by an unfaithful church is yet another instance of the striking formal similarities of postmillennialism to premillennial dispensationalism that I have already noted.5 Dispensationalism teaches that the millennial kingdom Christ intended to establish at His first coming was delayed by the unbelief of the Jews. Postmillennialism teaches that the millennial kingdom in the fullness of its power and glory is being delayed by an unfaithful church.

What postmillennial interpretation of the binding of Satan ignores is that the binding of Satan is a present reality, not a future possibility. He is bound. He has been bound. He has been bound as tightly and completely as can and need be during this present age. The one who has bound him is an angel from heaven, not the church. The church has many important callings. Binding Satan is not one of them. And, of utmost importance, the binding of Satan concerns one limitation of the devil, and one only: he is not able to deceive the nations, so as to bring about the world-kingdom of Antichrist. His binding has nothing to do with converting a majority of the human race, "Christianizing" the nations, putting an end to wars, diminishing crime, and increasing "material blessings" for the human race.

The Reign of the "Souls"

The reign of the "souls" with Christ of Revelation 20:4-6, according to postmillennialism, coincides with the gradual binding of Satan. Throughout the present age, as Satan is increasingly bound, the church progressively gains influence in society and power over the nations until at last, in the heyday of the millennium, she will have dominion—earthly dominion—over all the nations of the world. By the word of God (for Christian Reconstruction especially the law of God), the church and her members will control politics, civic justice, public morality, economics, education, the media, entertainment, and the arts—worldwide. Coming is a universal, earthly kingdom of Christ, prior to the bodily return of Jesus Christ. This will be the mediatorial, or Messianic, kingdom in its fullest and final manifestation. Leading postmillennial theologians teach that this glorious manifestation of the kingdom of Christ may last hundreds of thousands of years before Christ returns.

This splendid earthly kingdom will be the victory of Christ in the world. Apart from this kingdom, Christ would be defeated.

For this kingdom, the postmillennialists ardently hope—as ardently as the dispensationalists hope for their earthly kingdom.

When this kingdom holds sway over all nations and peoples, the Christian Reconstructionists intend to implement once again the civil and judicial laws of the Old Testament, which ordered the national life of Israel. Hence, the name "theonomy" for the doctrine of Christian Reconstruction. "Theonomy" means 'law of God' with reference specifically to the civil and judicial laws of Old Testament Israel. Christian judges likely will sentence Sabbath-breakers to be stoned to death according to the Old Testament law of Numbers 15:32-36.

The First Resurrection

Basic to this postmillennial explanation of the reign of the saints with Christ is its interpretation of the "first resurrection," in Revelation 20:5, 6, as regeneration. Postmillennialism denies that the first resurrection is the translation of the souls of elect believers into heavenly life and glory at the moment of death. It is essential to the postmillennial explanation of the reign of the saints, as to its understanding of the millennium, that the first resurrection be interpreted as regeneration. For only then can the reign of the saints take place on the earth. If the first resurrection is, in fact, the translation of the souls of believers at death, the reign of the saints of Revelation 20:4-6 occurs in heaven as part of the communion of the saints, in their souls, with the reigning Christ at the right hand of God. And this would mean the collapse of the entire postmillennial conception of a coming "golden age" for the church in history, at least on the basis of Revelation 20.

Kik, therefore, calls the interpretation of the "first resurrection," in verse five, as the spiritual regeneration of God's people in this world the "key" to a right understanding of the millennium of Revelation 20.6

Postmillennial, Christian Reconstructionist (to be redundant) David Chilton does not greatly exaggerate when he judges that he can dispose of amillennialism by refuting its interpretation of the first resurrection as the translation of believers into heaven in their soul at death.

We can dispose of the amillennial position right away, by pointing out the obvious: this is a resurrection, a rising again from the dead. Dying and going to heaven is wonderful, but, for all its benefits, it is not a resurrection. This passage cannot be a description of the state of disembodied saints in heaven.7

With regard to John's seeing "souls" reigning with Christ, postmillennialists point out that "souls" can refer to 'persons,' or to 'lives.' Here, they say, the reference is to regenerated persons reigning on earth in both a body and a soul, especially during the time of the "golden age."

This postmillennial interpretation of the reigning of the saints, as seen by the apostle in Revelation 20:4-6, is exposed as false by the conclusive testimony of the passage that the reign of the saints follows their death—their physical death. It is not, therefore, a reign on this earth, but a reign in heaven. The conclusive testimony is not only that John sees "souls," in distinction from "men," or "believers," or "saints," that is, men and women living earthly life in the body, although this deliberate mention of "souls" is significant. Earlier, referring to the same persons in virtually the same language, John located "the souls of them that were slain for the word of God" "under the altar" (Rev. 6:9). He distinguished these souls (and their abode in heaven) from their brothers who still must be killed, as the saints in heaven had been, by the wicked who "dwell on the earth" (Rev. 6:10, 11).

But the conclusive testimony is that John sees "souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus." These persons, who have been killed by the anti-christian world-power for their faithful confession of Jesus Christ, lived and reigned with Christ. Souls of those who have been beheaded do not exercise earthly dominion in history.

That the souls who reign with Christ are the saints who have been taken up to heaven at death is confirmed by the mention of the "second death" in verse six. The second death is hell, as verse fourteen establishes: "The lake of fire [is] the second death." The first death is physical death. Corresponding to these two forms of death are two forms of resurrection, or deliverance from death. The second is the resurrection of the body into immortality. The first is the translation of the soul of the believer at the moment of physical death.

Contrary to the emphatic, but ungrounded, denial of the postmillennialists, the deliverance of the believer in his soul at death is indeed resurrection. The soul of the regenerated Christian in earthly life is corrupted by sin as much as is his body. Besides, his soul is earthy—completely adapted to living earthly life in this world and completely unsuited to living heavenly life in the other world, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. In addition, as corrupted by sin (as corrupted as is the body) and as guilty of all kinds of transgressions of thought, will, and passions, the soul of the believer is fully deserving of the punishment of eternal death at the moment of its separation from the body in death. That Christ perfectly purifies the soul of depravity, transforms it so that it is now fit to live heavenly life, and takes the soul into the eternal life of heaven at the moment of the believer's death is resurrection—real life for the believer out of real death.

The Intermediate State

Revelation 20:4-6 describes the "intermediate state" of elect believers.8

So clearly does the passage speak of the intermediate state that Benjamin B. Warfield, postmillennialist though he was, acknowledged that Revelation 20:4-6 teaches the intermediate state, and may not, therefore, be appealed to by postmillennialism on behalf of a reign of the church on earth. Recognizing that the "souls of them that had been beheaded" are "disembodied souls," Warfield concluded, concerning the millennium of Revelation 20, particularly verses four through six:

The picture that is brought before us here is, in fine, the picture of the "intermediate state"—of the saints of God gathered in heaven away from the confused noise and garments bathed in blood that characterize the war upon earth in order that they may securely await the end. The thousand years, thus, is the whole of this present dispensation, which again is placed before us in its entirety, but looked at now relatively not to what is passing on earth but to what is enjoyed "in Paradise."9

He added: "The millennium of the Apocalypse is the blessedness of the saints who have gone away from the body to be at home with the Lord."10

The Earthly Victory of Christ

Most postmillennialists, however, differ with Warfield. In the light of their exegesis of Revelation 20, particularly the binding of Satan and the reign with Christ of believing members of the church, as sketched above, most postmillennialists view the millennium as the history of this present age destined to climax in the future in a long period of time during which the church will enjoy almost total earthly victory over her enemies.

The church shall have dominion over land and sea/earth's remotest regions shall her empire be/they that wilds inhabit shall their off'rings bring/kings shall render tribute/nations kiss her ring.

This earthly victory of His church will be Christ's supreme triumph, according to postmillennialism, and the full and final glory of His kingdom. In jarring conflict with this giddy prospect of Christ's victory in history is the sobering conclusion of the vision of Revelation 20 concerning the thousand years. "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations...and they...compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city" (vv. 7-9).

How does postmillennialism explain this overthrow of the dominion of Christ and His church at the end of the millennium and history? And how does postmillennialism harmonize this worldwide revolt against Christ's kingship at the end with postmillennialism's conviction that Christ must have an earthly triumph in history? Does not this revolt represent, for postmillennialism, the defeat of Christ—the decisive defeat of Christ?

Prof. David J. Engelsma 
http://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/chapter-four-postmillennialism-4 

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1. Standard Bearer 85, no. 15 (May 1, 2009): 343-346; no. 19 (August 2009): 448-450.

2. R.J. Rushdoony, God's Plan for Victory: The Meaning of Postmillennialism (Fairfax, Virginia: Thoburn Press, 1977), 2.

3. Martin G. Selbrede, "Reconstructing Postmillennialism," Journal of Christian Reconstruction: Symposium on Eschatology 15 (Winter, 1998): 202, 194. The emphasis is Selbrede's.

4. J. Marcellus Kik, An Eschatology of Victory (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1971), 196.

5 Standard Bearer 86, no. 2 (October 15, 2009): 34, 35.

6. Kik, Eschatology of Victory, 179.

7. David Chilton, Paradise Restored: A Biblical Theology of Dominion (Tyler, Texas: Reconstruction Press, 1985), 196. The emphasis is Chilton's.

8. See my treatment of the intermediate state, with specific reference to Revelation 20:4-6, in previous articles in this series: Standard Bearer 80, no. 9 (February 1, 2004): 210-213; 82, no. 3 (November 1, 2005): 64-67; 82, no. 10 (February 15, 2006): 225-228; 82, no. 20 (September 1, 2006): 465-468; 85, no. 3 (November 1, 2008): 57-60; 85, no. 6 (December 15, 2008): 132-134.

9. Benjamin B. Warfield, "The Millennium and the Apocalypse," in Biblical Doctrines (New York: Oxford University Press, 1929), 649. Warfield found evidence for a future "golden age" elsewhere in Scripture, especially the Old Testament prophecies and Revelation 19:11-21.

10. Ibid., 662.

Postmillennialism (3)

Postmillennialism in the Reformed Tradition (cont.)

Contemporary advocates of postmillennialism in Reformed and Presbyterian churches, particularly the disciples of the Puritans and the Christian Reconstructionists, can appeal to a prominent, powerful strand of the Reformed tradition in support of their doctrine of the last things. Unlike premillennial dispensationalism, the other important challenge to Reformed amillennialism, postmillennialism must be taken seriously by the Reformed church in the twenty-first century.

Edwards and the Puritans

In the preceding installment in this series on the doctrine of the last things, I quoted Jonathan Edwards' postmillennial hope in his The History of Redemption1 as representative of many, though not all, of the Puritans. George Marsden accurately describes Edwards' (and many of the Puritans) bright view of the earthly future of the church. During the coming millennium, "almost everyone would truly follow Christ. As a result, wars would cease, nations would dwell together as brethren, 'the wolf should dwell with the lamb.' There would be 'vast increase of knowledge,' and 'all heresies and false doctrines shall be exploded.' In short, the triumph of Christ's kingdom [in the "golden age" of the millennium—DJE] 'is an event unspeakably happy and glorious.'"2

Edwards called the coming earthly reign of Christ through His church the "church's latter-day glory."3

Marsden indicates an important motivation of Edwards' doctrine of a future millennium prior to the coming of Christ. Edwards was concerned that the number of those who are saved be greater in the end than the number of the lost.4

Typical of the postmillennial Puritans was Edwards' expectation of a future great revival that would usher in the millennium. In order to bring this necessary revival about by the extraordinary work of the Spirit, Edwards organized a vast, worldwide prayer chain. All Christians everywhere in the world were to pray at the same time that the Spirit would send the great revival.

It is a very suitable thing, and well-pleasing to God, for many people, in different parts of the world, by express agreement, to come into a visible union in extraordinary, speedy, fervent, and constant prayer, for those great effusions of the Holy Spirit, which shall bring on that advancement of Christ's church and kingdom that God has so often promised shall be in the latter ages of the world.

Edwards concluded that this prayer for the great revival and, thus, for the millennium was a "duty" of all Christians.5

Recognizing that the biblical teaching of future lawlessness in the world and nominal church, of apostasy on the part of churches and professing Christians, of the rise of Antichrist, and of great tribulation for the true church is a "great damp" on millennial hopes and prayer chains, Edwards neatly consigned the realization of all such New Testament passages to the past, specifically, the time of the Protestant Reformation. "This notion [of a future Antichrist and tribulation—DJE] tends to discourage all earnest prayer in the church of God for that glorious coming of Christ's kingdom, till it be actually come; and that is to hinder its ever being at all."6 That is, like all postmillennialists, Edwards was, and had to be, at least a "partial" preterist.

A full, consistent preterist in eschatology is one who explains all New Testament prophecies of Christ's coming and the things attending that coming as having been fulfilled in the past, whether in AD 70 in the destruction of Jerusalem, or in the time of the persecution of the early New Testament church by the Roman empire. A "partial," inconsistent preterist is a theologian who does exactly what the preterist does with eschatological prophecy, except for the prophecy of the coming millennium and the prophecy of the bodily return of Christ—especially the prophecy of the coming millennium.7

Dutch Reformed

It was not only the Puritans in the broadly Reformed tradition who taught postmillennialism. Prominent, influential Dutch Reformed theologians also advocated a coming "golden age" for the church before the return of Christ. Wilhelmus àBrakel looked for "the glorious state of the church during the thousand years prophesied in Revelation 20."8 Ushering in this glorious, earthly state of the church, àBrakel held, will be a "conversion of the entire Jewish nation," involving "a restoration of the nation [of Israel], not only in a spiritual sense, but also in a physical sense"; the return of the Jews to Canaan; and the literal rebuilding of the earthly city of Jerusalem.9

Waxing ecstatic over the prospect of the "wondrous increase in the measure of grace," the "great numbers" of converts, and the fine earthly state of the church worldwide in the millennium, as well as of the grand, earthly kingdom of the Jews in Canaan, àBrakel exclaimed, "Oh, what a glorious time this will be!" Wistfully, he added, "Who will then be alive?"10—a question that ought to have made him reexamine his postmillennial eschatology. Are all the Old Testament saints and the multitudes of New Testament Christians who will have died before the millennium to miss out on the most wonderful realization of the kingdom of Christ?

Scottish Presbyterians

Postmillennialism has also been the eschatology of Scottish Presbyterians. Writing in the middle of the nineteenth century, David Brown explained the millennium of Revelation 20 as that time in the future, prior to the return of Christ, when the biblical prophecies of the coming glory of the Messianic kingdom will be fulfilled in "their full earthly sense." According to Brown, there will be a "universal reception of the true religion, and unlimited subjection to the scepter of Christ," so that all the religions of the pagans, the "imposture" of Islam, the false religion of the Jews, and the superstition of popery will be abolished. There will be universal, earthly peace; "much spiritual power and glory" because of a more copious outpouring of the Spirit; "the ascendancy of truth and righteousness in human affairs"; and "great temporal prosperity" for true believers and ungodly alike. As is invariably the case with the postmillennial vision, the beginning of the millennium will be the national conversion of Israel.11

Presbyterians in the US

Presbyterians of stature in the United States have also espoused postmillennialism. On the basis, significantly, not of Revelation 20 (the passage that speaks of the thousand-year period), but of Revelation 19:11-21, the vision of the conquering Christ, northern Presbyterian Benjamin B. Warfield forecast a "golden age before the Church," prior to the return of Christ. It will be "at least an age relatively golden gradually ripening to higher and higher glories as the Church more and more fully conquers the world and all the evil of the world." Such will be the church's victory over evil, in Warfield's mind, that he left it an open question whether the millennial "winning of the world implies the complete elimination of evil from it."12

The southern Presbyterian Robert L. Dabney shared his northern colleague's view of the last things. "Before this second advent, the following events must have occurred. The development and secular overthrow of Antichrist...which is the Papacy. The proclamation of the Gospel to all nations, and the general triumph of Christianity over all false religions, in all nations.... The general and national return of the Jews to the Christian Church." Dabney called these future events "this state of high prosperity" for the church on earth. He evidently saw this "prosperity" as the meaning of the millennium of Revelation 20, since he appealed to the chapter in support of his expectation of it.13

The strong presence of postmillennialism in the Reformed tradition does not make the millennial error respectable, much less an option for Reformed churches in the twenty-first century. Postmillennialism is false doctrine concerning the return of Christ, and a practical danger to believers and their children. But the presence of postmillennialism in the tradition does demand that we take the challenge to Reformed amillennialism today, especially by the disciples of the Puritans and by the men of Christian Reconstruction, seriously.

Prof. David J. Engelsma

http://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/chapter-four-postmillennialism-3 

rfpa.org 

 

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1 Jonathan Edwards, The History of Redemption (Grand Rapids: Associated Publishers & Authors, n.d.), 305, 307.

2 George M. Marsden, Jonathan Edwards: A Life (New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 2003), 335.

3 Jonathan Edwards, Praying Together for True Revival, ed. T. M. Moore (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R, 2004), 14.

4 Marsden, Edwards, 335, 336.

5 Edwards, Praying Together, 26. The emphasis is Edwards'.

6 Ibid., 128, 129.

7 For the Reformed criticism of "partial" preterism and the demonstration that "partial," inconsistent preterism necessarily commits one to full, consistent preterism, see my Christ's Spiritual Kingdom: A Defense of Reformed Amillennialism (Redlands, CA: The Reformed Witness, 2001), 129-158.

8 Wilhelmus àBrakel, The Christian's Reasonable Service, tr. Bartel Elshout, vol. 4 (Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1995), 531.

9 Ibid., 348, 526, 530.

10 Ibid., 516.

11 David Brown, Christ's Second Coming: Will It be Premillennial? (Grand Rapids: Baker, repr. 1983), 424-440. The emphasis is Brown's. As the subtitle indicates, much of the book is also an incisive, helpful criticism of premillennialism. John Macleod says of Brown's book that it was "perhaps the most influential book" of that period in Great Britain on the return of Christ (John Macleod, Scottish Theology, Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, repr. 1974, 278). Brown was obviously heavily influenced by the postmillennialism of Jonathan Edwards.

12 Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield, "The Millennium and the Apocalypse," in Biblical Doctrines (New York: Oxford University Press, 1929), 662-664.

13 Robert L. Dabney, Lectures in Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, repr. 1972), 838.

Chapter Four: Postmillennialism (Distinctions [cont.]) (2)

Postmillennialism in the Reformed Tradition

 

The postmillennial theory of the end that appears in the Reformed tradition can, and should, be distinguished from the modernist postmillennialism described in the preceding article. The millennium proposed by Reformed theologians is supposed to come about by means of the preaching of the gospel and the teaching of the law of God, rather than by evolutionary development and human effort. The future "golden age" envisioned by Reformed men will honor Jesus Christ as king of the then triumphant kingdom of God. And at the end of the allegedly Reformed millennium Jesus Christ will finally return bodily to the earth in order to conduct the final judgment and to renew the creation, although some proponents of this theory gladly postpone that return for hundreds of thousands of years.

Puritan Postmillennialism

Within this postmillennial camp, there are two faintly distinct groups. The one consists of the older Puritan, Presbyterian, and Reformed theologians and their contemporary disciples. These held, and hold today, that the preaching of the gospel will eventually convert large numbers of persons, likely a majority, in all nations, so that the church will enjoy a "golden age" of earthly victory in history and the world will experience a time of unparalleled earthly peace and prosperity.

Of great importance to these postmillennialists are "revivals." Revivals are abrupt, extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit converting large numbers of persons. Many of these postmillennialists pin their hopes for the "golden age" on a future great revival, which will convert a majority of Jews and then a majority of Gentiles everywhere on earth. Describing how the "glorious work" of the coming millennium "shall be accomplished," Jonathan Edwards mentions in the first place that "the Spirit of God shall be gloriously poured out for the wonderful revival and propagation of religion.... This pouring out of the Spirit of God...shall soon bring great multitudes to forsake that vice and wickedness which now so generally prevails.... The work of conversion shall break forth, and go on in such a manner as never has been hitherto.... Vast numbers shall suddenly be brought in as it were at once."¹ This is the postmillennialism taught by Jonathan Edwards in his The History of Redemption; described by James A. De Jong in his book, As the Waters Cover the Sea: Millennial Expectations in the Rise of Anglo-American Missions 1640-1810²; and enthusiastically promoted by Iain H. Murray in The Puritan Hope: A Study in Revival and the Interpretation of Prophecy³ and by J. Marcellus Kik in An Eschatology of Victory.4

This form of postmillennialism found creedal expression in the Savoy Declaration of 1658.

As the Lord is in care and love towards his Church, hath in his infinite wise providence exercised it with great variety in all ages, for the good of them that love him, and his own glory; so, according to his promise, we expect that in the latter days, Antichrist being destroyed, the Jews called, and the adversaries of the kingdom of his dear Son broken, the churches of Christ being enlarged and edified through a free and plentiful communication of light and grace [that is, revival—DJE], shall enjoy in this world a more quiet, peaceable, and glorious condition than they have enjoyed.5

Christian Reconstruction Postmillennialism

The other distinguishable group in the postmillennial camp within the Reformed churches is the Christian Reconstructionists. These include Rousas J. Rushdoony, regarded as the founder of the movement; Gary North; Greg Bahnsen; Kenneth Gentry, Jr.; David Chilton; Gary DeMar; and Douglas Wilson.6 This brand of postmillennialism is notable for its emphasis on the role of the law in realizing the millennial kingdom of Christ. Proclamation and enforcement of the law of God must accompany the preaching of the gospel in order to bring about the "golden age." Gary North has written, "If the Christian church fails to build the visible kingdom by means of biblical law and the power of the gospel...then what kind of religion are we preaching?"7 It is worthy of note that as a power bringing about the millennial kingdom the gospel lags behind the law.

During the millennium, according to Christian Reconstruction, the Old Testament civil, or judicial, laws that governed Israel will be binding upon the then "Christianized" nations (viewed by the Christian Reconstructionists as the Messianic kingdom). These laws will establish the kingdom during the millennium. Hence, this postmillennial school is also known as the "theonomic" movement ("theonomic" means 'God's law').

Christian Reconstruction postmillennialism is also distinguished by its vehement charge to the churches that they exert themselves aggressively to realize the millennium. If the Puritans and the older Presbyterians were content to wait upon the Spirit to realize the millennium through their preaching and writing, the Christian Reconstructionists are in a hurry. They are millennial activists. They would hasten the work of the Spirit upon which their reconstructionist hearts are set by prodding the churches. The main duty of the church, according to them, is to establish the millennium.

Dominant in the millennial thinking of the Christian Reconstructionists is dominion. They are ambitious that the church, or the Christian Reconstructionists (Rushdoony had little regard for the church), have dominion in and over the world—earthly dominion in every sphere of human life. For this reason, their postmillennialism is sometimes referred to as "dominion theology."

Essentially One Postmillennial Doctrine

With the exception of Christian Reconstruction's peculiar doctrine of the restoration of Old Testament civil law, the differences between the postmillennialism of the Puritans and older Presbyterians and the postmillennialism of Christian Reconstruction are merely a matter of emphasis. Like Christian Reconstruction, the Puritan doctrine too longed for the millennium as the church's triumph over her foes and put pressure on the churches and their ministers to exert themselves strenuously, by vast prayer-chains and other means, to realize the millennium as the church's hope.

The doctrine of the Puritans and of the older Presbyterian and Reformed theologians and the doctrine of Christian Reconstruction are essentially one. In fact, Christian Reconstruction has simply adopted the exegesis of two passages of Scripture that are vitally important in the controversy over the millennium, Matthew 24 and Revelation 20, by the Presbyterian theologian J. Marcellus Kik. In his introduction to the reprint of Kik's postmillennial interpretation of Matthew 24 and Revelation 20, Rushdoony wrote:

Postmillennialism will again prevail, however, because it is the truth of God and His enscriptured word. As an eschatology of victory, it will inspire men with the power of God, and, as with great saints of old, and the Puritans of yesteryears, lead again and more enduringly to the triumph of Christ in every area, bringing every sphere of thought and action into captivity to Christ. The writings of J.M. Kik give us that eschatology of victory which Scripture sets forth.8

In treating of postmillennialism, I will concern myself with that form of the theory that appears in the Reformed tradition, ignoring the modernist, evolutionary conception. And I will concentrate on those (fundamental) elements of postmillennialism that the Puritan and older Presbyterian doctrine and the contemporary doctrine of Christian Reconstruction have in common. That is, I will examine the strictly postmillennial notion concerning the last things without entering into Christian Reconstruction's doctrine of theonomy, which properly belongs to a study of the relation between the Old and the New Testaments.

Reformed amillennialism with its interpretation of Revelation 20, as set forth earlier in this series of articles, is challenged by a postmillennial expectation of the future that has its own, radically different understanding of Revelation 20. The challenge arises, not from outside the Reformed tradition, but from within the Reformed churches. Admittedly, the challenge to an amillennial explanation of the things that must shortly come to pass and the defense of a postmillennial explanation of these things have come from prominent Reformed and Presbyterian theologians.

What are the main elements of this postmillennialism? What are its biblical grounds, especially its interpretation of Revelation 20? What is the Reformed amillennial criticism of the postmillennialism in the Reformed tradition? And why does, and must, Reformed eschatological orthodoxy, that is, amillennialism, condemn postmillennialism as false doctrine and as a spurious hope?

Prof. David J. Engelsma

http://standardbearer.rfpa.org/articles/chapter-four-postmillennialism-distinctions-cont-2 

http://rfpa.org/ 

 

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1 Jonathan Edwards, The History of Redemption (Grand Rapids: Associated Publishers & Authors, n.d.), 305, 307).

2 Kampen: J. H. Kok, 1970.

3 Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1971.

4 Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1971.

5 The Savoy Declaration, 26.5, in Philip Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids: Baker, repr. 1983), 723.

6 Representative works advocating postmillennialism by Christian Reconstructionists include Rousas John Rushdoony, God's Plan for Victory: The Meaning of Post Millennialism (Fairfax, Virginia: Thoburn Press, 1977); Gary North, Dominion & Common Grace: The Biblical Basis of Progress (Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1987); David Chilton, Paradise Restored: A Biblical Theology of Dominion (Tyler, Texas: Reconstruction Press, 1985); Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., He Shall Have Dominion: A Postmillennial Eschatology (Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics, 1992); The Journal of Christian Reconstruction: Symposium on the Millennium 3, no. 2 (Winter, 1976-77); The Journal of Christian Reconstruction: Symposium on Eschatology 15 (Winter, 1998); and any issue of Douglas Wilson's magazine, Credenda/Agenda.

7 Gary North, Dominion & Common Grace, 143.

8 Rousas John Rushdoony, "Introduction," in J. Marcellus Kik, An Eschatology of Victory (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1971), ix.