- Aug 7, 2016
- 3,762
- 1,943
- 100
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Single
Historically Christian premillennialism has also been referred as "chiliasm" or "millenarianism". The theological term "premillennialism" did not come into general use until the mid-nineteenth century, the modern period in which premillennialism was revived. Coining the word was "almost entirely the work of British and American Protestants and was prompted by their belief that the French and America Revolution (the French, especially) realized prophecies made in the books of Daniel and Revelation."
Jewish antecedents to Christian premillennialism
The concept of a temporary earthly messianic kingdom at the Messiah's coming was not an invention of Christianity. Instead it was a theological interpretation developed within the apocalyptic literature of early Judaism. In intertestamental Judaism there was a basic distinction between the current age and the “age to come.” The “age to come” was commonly viewed as a nationalistic golden age in which the hopes of the prophets would become a reality for the nation of Israel. On the surface, the Old Testament prophets revealed an “age to come” which was monolithic. Seemingly the prophets did not write of a two-phase eschaton consisting of a temporary messianic age followed by an eternal state. However, that was the concept that some Jewish interpreters did derive from their Old Testament exegesis. Their conclusions are found in some of the literature and theology of early Judaism within the centuries both before and during the development of the New Testament. R. H. Charles in his commentary on Book of Revelation concluded that Jewish eschatology must have developed the concept of an earthly temporary messianic reign prior to the eternal state at the latest by the year 100 B.C..
A temporary messianic kingdom in 1 Enoch
The earliest instance in Jewish literature that teaches an earthly temporary messianic age prior to an eternal state began with “The Apocalypse of Weeks” contained in 1 Enoch 91-107. This work likely dates to the early second century and shows a schematization of the divine history divided into ten ambiguous periods of time called “weeks.” In the apocalypse, weeks 1-7 (93:1-10) retell the biblical history from the creation of humanity to the author’s time of writing (possibly during the Maccabean crisis). However, after the seventh "week", the temporary earthly messianic age begins and occurs for a period of three more “weeks” (93:12-15). After the temporary messianic kingdom, the creation of the new heavens and the new earth occurs (93:16).
A temporary messianic kingdom in 4 Ezra
An additional piece of early Jewish literature which explicitly teaches a temporary messianic reign prior to the eternal state is the apocalyptic work 4 Ezra. 4 Ezra likely dates from soon after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The apocryphal book was apparently an attempt to explain the difficulties associated with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple to the Jewish people. During one of the visions in the book, Ezra received a revelation from the angel Uriel. The angel explained that prior to the last judgment, the Messiah will come and establish a temporary kingdom lasting 400 years after which all of creation will be obliterated including the Messiah. (7:28) Seven days after this cataclysmic event, the resurrection and the judgment will occur followed by the eternal state (7:36).
Other early Jewish contributions
Supplementary early Jewish literature that refers to a temporary messianic kingdom prior to the eternal state may be found in 4 Ezra 12:34; 2 Baruch 24:1-4; 30:1-5; 39:3-8; 40:1-4; Jubilees 1:4-29; 23:14-31; b. Sanh. 99a. The Jewish belief in an earthly temporary messianic age continued during and beyond the time of the writing of Book of Revelation. A sample of the rabbinical contributions to the concept are listed as follows:
Circa A.D. 90 Eleazar ben Hurcanus claimed that the messianic reign would last 100 years based on Psalm 90:15;
Circa A.D. 100 Eleazar ben Azariah claimed that the messianic reign would last 70 years based upon Isaiah 23:15;
Circa A.D. 110 Joseph ben Galilee claimed that the messianic reign would last 60 years based upon Psalm 72:5;
Circa A.D. 150 Eliezer ben Joseph of Galilee claimed that the messianic reign would last 400 years based upon Genesis 15:13 and Psalm 90:15;
Various rabbis around the close of the first century C.E. have claimed that the messianic reign would last 2000 years based upon 4 Ezra 7:28; Some contemplated that there may be no messianic reign at all.
Blessings,
Quasar92
Jewish antecedents to Christian premillennialism
The concept of a temporary earthly messianic kingdom at the Messiah's coming was not an invention of Christianity. Instead it was a theological interpretation developed within the apocalyptic literature of early Judaism. In intertestamental Judaism there was a basic distinction between the current age and the “age to come.” The “age to come” was commonly viewed as a nationalistic golden age in which the hopes of the prophets would become a reality for the nation of Israel. On the surface, the Old Testament prophets revealed an “age to come” which was monolithic. Seemingly the prophets did not write of a two-phase eschaton consisting of a temporary messianic age followed by an eternal state. However, that was the concept that some Jewish interpreters did derive from their Old Testament exegesis. Their conclusions are found in some of the literature and theology of early Judaism within the centuries both before and during the development of the New Testament. R. H. Charles in his commentary on Book of Revelation concluded that Jewish eschatology must have developed the concept of an earthly temporary messianic reign prior to the eternal state at the latest by the year 100 B.C..
A temporary messianic kingdom in 1 Enoch
The earliest instance in Jewish literature that teaches an earthly temporary messianic age prior to an eternal state began with “The Apocalypse of Weeks” contained in 1 Enoch 91-107. This work likely dates to the early second century and shows a schematization of the divine history divided into ten ambiguous periods of time called “weeks.” In the apocalypse, weeks 1-7 (93:1-10) retell the biblical history from the creation of humanity to the author’s time of writing (possibly during the Maccabean crisis). However, after the seventh "week", the temporary earthly messianic age begins and occurs for a period of three more “weeks” (93:12-15). After the temporary messianic kingdom, the creation of the new heavens and the new earth occurs (93:16).
A temporary messianic kingdom in 4 Ezra
An additional piece of early Jewish literature which explicitly teaches a temporary messianic reign prior to the eternal state is the apocalyptic work 4 Ezra. 4 Ezra likely dates from soon after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The apocryphal book was apparently an attempt to explain the difficulties associated with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple to the Jewish people. During one of the visions in the book, Ezra received a revelation from the angel Uriel. The angel explained that prior to the last judgment, the Messiah will come and establish a temporary kingdom lasting 400 years after which all of creation will be obliterated including the Messiah. (7:28) Seven days after this cataclysmic event, the resurrection and the judgment will occur followed by the eternal state (7:36).
Other early Jewish contributions
Supplementary early Jewish literature that refers to a temporary messianic kingdom prior to the eternal state may be found in 4 Ezra 12:34; 2 Baruch 24:1-4; 30:1-5; 39:3-8; 40:1-4; Jubilees 1:4-29; 23:14-31; b. Sanh. 99a. The Jewish belief in an earthly temporary messianic age continued during and beyond the time of the writing of Book of Revelation. A sample of the rabbinical contributions to the concept are listed as follows:
Circa A.D. 90 Eleazar ben Hurcanus claimed that the messianic reign would last 100 years based on Psalm 90:15;
Circa A.D. 100 Eleazar ben Azariah claimed that the messianic reign would last 70 years based upon Isaiah 23:15;
Circa A.D. 110 Joseph ben Galilee claimed that the messianic reign would last 60 years based upon Psalm 72:5;
Circa A.D. 150 Eliezer ben Joseph of Galilee claimed that the messianic reign would last 400 years based upon Genesis 15:13 and Psalm 90:15;
Various rabbis around the close of the first century C.E. have claimed that the messianic reign would last 2000 years based upon 4 Ezra 7:28; Some contemplated that there may be no messianic reign at all.
Blessings,
Quasar92
