A Very Brief Intro to Postmillennialism

Benjamin Sherrill
5 days ago
3 min read

A couple of years ago I was invited by a Bible Institute to write up a brief summary of the eschatological position I hold to, namely, Postmillennialism. I added some definitions of terms and book recommendations for the students if they desired to dive in deeper. This isn't intended to be a proper defense, but rather a simple starting place for understanding the position.

Eschatology is normally understood as the systematic study of the doctrine of last things, this might include issues on eternity, death, hell, heaven, final judgement, millennial positions, etc. There are three main eschatological positions known as: Premillennialism (Historic and Dispensationalism), Amillennialism, and Postmillennialism.
Postmillennialism teaches that the “thousand years' ' of Revelation 20 occur before the second coming of Christ or after the millennial age. The millennial age is the entire period of time before his first and second advents. Hence, the postmillennialist views the “thousand years” as symbolic and not a literal “1000 years”.
- The postmillennial teaching promotes that Jesus Christ came and established his kingdom on earth in the first century through his life, death, resurrection and ascension at the right hand of the Father (Matt. 12:28; Mk. 1:15). Since then, he has equipped the Church with the gospel, empowered by the Spirit to accomplish the Great Commission by discipling the nations “until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet” (Matt. 28:18-20; Heb. 10:13).
- Postmillennialism believes that the consistent testimony of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation is that through the gradualistic discipleship of the nations, the preaching of the gospel empowered by the Holy Spirit of God, the majority of men and women will be saved (Gen. 3:15;12:3; 49:10; Isa. 2:1-4; 9:6-7; Dan. 2:35; Ezek. 40-48; Ps. 2:7; 22:27-28; 72; 110:1-4; Matt. 13:33-35; 28:18-20; Eph. 1:18-22; Gal. 3:14, 16; 1 Cor. 15:20-28; Heb. 10:10-12).
- Because of this gradual success of the gospel in the nations it will produce a time of increasing faith, righteousness, peace, and prosperity amongst men. After a period of fully-orbed Great Commission success, Christ shall return visibly, bodily, and gloriously to end history (1 Cor. 15:20-28). At the point of his return, there will be a general resurrection and a final judgement. Lastly, because of the worldwide implications, postmillennialism produces an all-encompassing worldview that reaches every area of life and thought (Gen. 1:26-31; Matt. 28:18-20; Col. 1:15-23).

Documentary/Teaching Resources on Postmillennialism:

On Earth as it is in Heaven Documentary by Nathan Anderson
Postmillennialism Intro by Douglas Wilson
Postmillennialism Interview by Bruce Gore

Postmillennial Representatives:

Thomas Brooks, Thomas Goodwin, Samuel Rutherford, Isaac Watts, Matthew Henry, John Owen, Albert Barnes, Jonathan Edwards, William Carey, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Charles Hodge, A.A. Hodge, B.B. Warfield, J. Gresham Machen, John Murray, Loraine Boettner, J. Marcellus Kik, R.J. Rushdoony, R.C. Sproul, Kenneth Gentry, John Jefferson Davis, Keith Mathison, Douglas Wilson, James White, Philip Kayser, Jeff Durbin, David Chilton, Greg Bahnsen, Joe Boot, P. Andrew Sandlin, Joe Rigney, John Frame, etc.

Introductory Books to Postmillennialism: