Holy Scripture teaches most emphatically that in His appointed hour (Acts 1, 7; John 6, 28. 29) Christ, the God-man (Matt. 26,31), will appear visibly (Acts 1, 9.11) to all men at the same time (Matt. 24, 27. 30; 1 Thess. 5, 2) in divine glory, and surrounded by His assisting angels (Matt. 25, 31; 1 Thess. 4,16; Matt. 13, 41. 42), to judge “all nations of the earth” (Matt. 25,31), both the living and the dead, the latter after their resurrection (1 Cor. 15, 51; Dan. 12, 2; John 5, 28. 29), to cast the wicked into eternal hell-fire (Matt. 25,46), and to lead His saints into eternal glory (Heb. 9, 28), so that the Church Militant (ecclesia militans) will in all eternity be the Church Triumphant (ecclesia triumphans). (Cp. Luther, St. L., IX, 951 f.)
The Scriptural doctrine of Christ’s glorious return must be emphasized both over against the blasphemies of the ungodly, 2 Pet. 3, 3. 4, and the forgetfulness of Christian believers, who because of the weakness of their flesh are prone to overlook their glorious hope, Mark 13, 23.
With respect to the exact time of Christ’s second advent Holy Scripture teaches that this is both unknown, Matt. 24, 36; Mark 13, 32, and unknowable to men, 1 Thess. 5, 2. 3; Matt. 24, 44; Ma±k 13, 33—36. If in spite of Christ’s warning even believing theologians (Bengel: 1836 is the day of the Lord’s return) have tried to compute the time of His second advent, this proves how deeply sinful curiosity (Acts 1, 6) is embedded in the human heart.
However, while Christians should not try to compute the time of the Lord’s return (against Kussellism, Adventism, etc.), they should carefully observe the signs of the times, which God has appointed in order to arouse His saints to greater watchfulness and preparedness. Matt. 24, 32. 33; Luke 21,29—31; 2 Thess. 2, 3 if. Concerning the signs of the times Luther rightly says that "all creatures serve this day by means of signs” (St. L., XI, 69).
Among the signs of the times Holy Scripture names abnormal conditions a) in the realm of human activity and life (warfare, hatred against the Church, pestilences, famines, general distress, great wickedness. Matt. 24, 5—14. 37—39); b) in the realm of nature (earthquakes, floods, disturbances in the movements of the celestial bodies, Luke 21, 26.26); c) in the realm of the Church (the rise of false teachers, apostasy from Christ, Antichrist, Luke 21, 8.16.17; 2 Thess. 2, 3. 4); etc. As sickness is a sign of the impending dissolution of the individual person (microcosm), so also the disturbances in the world (macrocosm) foretell its final destruction. (Cp. Luther, St. L., VII, 1480 ff.)
That these signs are not recognized as such by men is a proof of the amazing stupor (mirabilis stupor) which sin has wrought in man (Luther, St. L., I, 254IT.). As Luther rightly says, man after the Fall lives in a veritable "Egyptian darkness” (St. L., I, 255).
Especially is the wanton persecution of Christ and His Gospel a most certain sign of the coming Judgment; for this sin of sins involves the basest ingratitude on the part of man. After Christ has redeemed the whole world by His holy suffering and death, all men should gladly worship Him and join and support His Church; but instead they persecute those who love and serve Christ, Matt. 24, 9; John 16, 2; Matt. 10, 17; Rom. 8, 36; Acts 14, 5. 6. 19; 16, 22 ff.
Despite this shameful ingratitude of men (Modernism; Antichrist), Christ most graciously preserves His Word upon earth and has it preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations. Matt. 24,14. But this is at the same time an outstanding sign of the times (Matt. 24,14: “Then shall the end come”).
With respect to the signs which foreshadowed the destruction of Jerusalem and at the same time that of the world, Matt. 24, 2—14.15—31. 32—51; 16, 27. 28, Dr. Stoeckhardt rightly remarks that the destruction of Jerusalem was “both a sign of the day of Judgment and the beginning of the final Judgment” (Bibl . Oesch. d. N. T., p. 256). The “epitelesmatic” character of divine prophecy in general explains also this particular prediction; for in one undivided prophetic vision the Lord here views both the things that are near and those that are farther removed, that is, both the destruction of Jerusalem and that of the world.
With respect to the question whether the signs of the times have been fulfilled, Luther declares that “these signs have already largely (das mehrere Teil) come to pass, so that we cannot expect many others” (St. L., XI, 50f.). But to this we must add that intentionally the signs have been so arranged by God that no one can compute the exact day or hour of the Lord’s second coming. Thus even during the apostolic period it could be said, e. g., with regard to the sign given by Christ Matt. 24,14, that the Christian faith was spoken of “throughout the whole world,” Rom. 1, 8; 10,18; 1 Thess. 1, 8; Acts 19,10; 1 Tim. 3,16.
The purpose of the signs is not to lead Christian believers to determine the hour of the Lord’s coming, but to incite them to perpetual watchfulness, Matt. 24, 42. There is a certain analogy between the end of the world and the death of the individual Christian; for while no one can know just when he will die, every one should always be prepared to meet God when in His appointed hour death should come to him, Amos 4,12; 2 Cor. 5, 9.
The Lutheran Church, on the basis of Holy Scripture, rejects the doctrine of the millennium as a figment of the human mind. The Augsburg Confession (Art. XVII) voices its disagreement with millennialism when it says: “They condemn also others, who are now spreading certain Jewish opinions, that before the resurrection of the dead the godly shall take possession of the kingdom of the world, the ungodly being everywhere suppressed.”
The “Jewish opinion” (Acts 1, 6) appeared early in the Christian Church and was known as chiliasm (an earthly reign of Christ lasting a thousand years). It was taught and defended in many forms (chUiasmus crassissimus , crassus, subtihs). While this classification is not quite accurate, it is helpful in distinguishing between the various types of chiliasm.
The crassest chiliasts (crassissimi) expect a period of great spiritual and temporal blessedness, during which the consequences of sin upon man and the world will be removed.
The crass chiliasts (crassi) expect the destruction of Antichrist and the general conversion of the Jews, so that during a thousand years the Christian Church will enjoy a period of great peace and prosperity. This type of chiliasm teaches a twofold visible return of Christ and a twofold resurrection of the dead and either includes or excludes the earthly reign of Christ in Jerusalem and the Holy Land.
It is a characteristic of the fanciful dream of chiliasm that its advocates never agree among themselves on particulars; the various theories are so contradictory that the whole subject becomes repulsive to the student of doctrinal aberrations because of its very complexity and inconsistency.
The subtle chiliasts (subtiles) reject the doctrine of the twofold coming and resurrection, but expect a period of unusual growth and prosperity for the Christian Church (Spener) before the world will be finally destroyed.
Millennialism (millenarianism) has no Scriptural foundation whatever. The passages which are usually quoted in its favor (Is. 2, 2—1; 11, 6—9; Zech. 9, 9. 10; Joel 3, 2 ft; Micah 4, 1—4; Rev. 20,1—10) do not predict a millennial reign at all, but describe the spiritual glory of the Church of the New Testament, which is brought about through the coming of the Messiah and the preaching of the Gospel throughout the whole world, Luke 2, 13.14; 1,76—79; 1,46—55.
Chiliasm is not only unscriptural, however, but also anti- Scriptural. It expressly contradicts Holy Scripture, which plainly teaches, a) that the time of the New Testament, and especially the last days before Christ’s coming, shall be a period of great persecution and suffering for all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, John 16,33; Matt. 24, 9—13. 21—27; Luke 21, 16.17; and b) that Christ’s kingdom is not earthly and external, but spiritual and internal, John 14, 27; 16,33; Rom. 5,1—5; Luke 17, 20. 21; Mark 1,14.15; Luke 10, 9—11; Rom. 14,17—19. Moreover, by directing the Christian hope to a worldly reign of Christ, chiliasm misdirects and thus destroys the true Christian hope, which steadfastly looks for that wonderful glory of heaven, Phil. 3,20. 21; 1 Cor. 1, 6—8, into which the Church Militant shall be gathered at Christ’s second coining, Matt. 25, 34; 5, 3.10—12.
To the objection of chiliasts that the small earthly Church of Christ which we see now certainly does not represent the glorious Church of our Lord we reply that our Savior deliberately foretells and describes the small size (Luke 12, 32; Matt. 20,16), the distress and tribulation (Acts 14, 22), and the apparent defeat (Matt. 24, 37. 38) of His Church on earth in order that His followers may be kept from the deceitful snares of all chiliastic delusions, Matt. 24,42—51.
Again, millennialism opposes other clearly established Scriptural truths; for it affirms a) a twofold visible coming of Christ, contrary to the express teaching of Heb. 9, 28, and b) a twofold resurrection, contrary to John 6, 40.
If chiliasts contend that millennialism is at least a beautiful hope, which ought not to be weakened or destroyed in those who hold it, we answer that nothing is good or beautiful that is opposed to the teaching of Scripture. Eve, too, regarded the fruit of the forbidden tree as beautiful, Gen. 3, 6; but the beautiful thought of eating of the tree was a delusion of Satan, 1 Tim. 2,14, which resulted in her transgression and brought upon her and all her descendants unspeakable woe.
Similarly many regard the thought of having a vicar of Christ on earth to rule over the Church as very beautiful, 2 Thess. 2, 9—12; but the result is Antichrist, a servant of Satan, 2 Thess. 2, 3. 4, who misleads thousands into eternal damnation, 2 Thess. 2,12, through his very external piety.
Chiliasm is Satan’s most subtle way of inducing believers to regard the crucified Christ as a stumbling-block and foolishness, 1 Cor. 1,23; for their chiliastic dream is really the effect of their inward dissatisfaction with the lowliness of Christ’s Church on earth.
To the objection that at least Rev. 20, 2 teaches a millennium, we reply, a) that this passage does not teach a millennium at all, since those “who lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” are clearly described as “the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God,” Rev. 20, 4, so that the vision depicts not an earthly, but a heavenly scene; b) that the whole passage, Rev. 20, 1—10, is so obscure, that it cannot be a sedes doctrinae for chiliasm, especially since hardly two interpreters will explain it alike; c) that the little season” (μικρὸς χρόνος) together with the “thousand years” embraces the entire time of the New Testament (Luther), since immediately after this “little season” the last Judgment will follow, Rev. 20,10; and d) that, since the Apocalypse is a prophetic book, “so full of obscure visions as well as allegorical and quasi-enigmatical forms of speech, extremely difficult to be understood, it must be expounded according to the analogy of faith or the clear and perspicuous Scripture passages” (Hollaz), which foretell the eschatological events in clear and unmistakable language.
As the millennium, so also the “general conversion of the jews” is a figment of human reason. The champions of this error base their doctrine on Rom. 11, 26: “And so all Israel shall be saved.” But that this passage does not teach a general conversion of all Jews is clear a) from the context, which shows that the apostle understands the expression all Israel (πᾶς ᾿Ισραήκ) in the sense of "the elect of Israel” (v. 28: “As touching the election, they are beloved”); and b) from the fact that in other passages he clearly states the fact that not all Jews, but only the elect will be saved (Rom. 11, 5: “There is a remnant according to the election of grace”; v. 7: “The election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded”).
St. Paul thus clearly distinguishes between spiritual Israel (Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ πνεῦμα), which shall be saved, and carnal Israel (Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ σάρκα), which shall be damned. Cp. Rom. 9, 6: “They are not all Israel which are of Israel”; v. 7: “Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; but. In Isaac shall thy seed be called”; v. 8: “They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of Ood; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed”; v. 27: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved”; v, 31: “Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.”
From this we conclude that the “all Israel that shall be saved” (Rom. 11,26) is the spiritual Israel (the elect in Israel), just as the expression “fulness of the Gentiles” (Rom. 11,25) denotes the elect of God among the Gentiles. The determination of time “until” (Rom. 11,25: “until ἄχρι οὗ the fulness of the Gentiles be come in”) stresses the truth that, as long as Gentiles shall be converted and saved, so long also shall the elect in Israel be brought in, that is, until the end of the world, Matt. 24, 14. The words “and so” (Rom. 11,26: καὶ οὕτως) describe the manner in which “all Israel shall be saved,” namely, by the divine calling of the elect in Israel through the Gospel, by which also the “fulness of the Gentiles shall come in,” Rom. 10,13—18.
In accord with this principle the apostles preached the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, Acts 13,14—52, that during the same New Testament time of grace “all Israel” and “the fulness of the Gentiles” might come in, Rom. 10,1—4. Just so the Church of Christ must preach the Gospel of salvation to every creature and make disciples of all nations till the end of time, Mark 16,15.16; Matt. 28, 20; for through the blessed proclamation of the Gospel the elect among both Jews and Gentiles will be saved, Acts 13, 43—49. (Cp. Christl. Dogmatik, III, 584ff.)
The return of the Jews to Palestine, which is usually made a concomitant of the general conversion of the Jews, is based upon a bare literalism in interpreting Old Testament prophecies (Is. 11, 11. 12; Amos 9, 11—15; Ezek. 40—48; Zech. 6, 12; etc.), which is as unscriptural as it is ridiculous. (Cp. St. L., XIV, 53.) These passages of course foretell and describe the building of the New Testament Church in Old Testament phraseology.