3 Scriptures in Support of Amillennialism

"They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed."

-2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 ESV

As a follow up to my previous blog post, "Why I Subscribe to Amillennialism," I thought I would zoom in on a few of the key Scriptures that have influenced me to adopt Amillennialism.

Below, I'll show three passages which I believe make a strong case for Amillennialism. They show:

(1) that judgment takes place at the second coming of Jesus;

(2) that eternal life in the new heavens/earth begins at the second coming of Jesus;

and (3) that death ends and transformed bodies are received at the second coming of Jesus.

3 Scriptures in Support of Amillennialism

#1 Judgment takes place at the second coming of Jesus.

Judgment will take place at the second coming of Jesus (not after a long period of time / millennium). The word "when" is used by Paul which indicates the timing. He explains that it is "when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels" (v. 7). He also uses the phrase "on that day" (v. 10).

[2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 ESV] 5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering-- 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

#2 Eternal life in the new heavens/earth begins at the second coming of Jesus.

Paul relays the message that Jesus himself told them: believers (both dead and alive) at his second coming will meet Jesus and live with him eternally. Paul uses the idea that we will meet the Lord in the air and return with him (a custom where they would meet a dignitary outside of the city and return with them). He says, "[W]e will always be with the Lord" (v. 17).

[1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 ESV] 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

#3 Death ends and we will receive our indestructible bodies at the second coming of Jesus.

Paul reveals a message that has been a mystery until he wrote 1 Corinthians: we will instantaneously receive our transformed bodies at the second coming of Jesus and death will be put to an end forever. This is problematic for the premillennial view since death ending and transformed bodies would come after the millennium (i.e., 1,000 year period after the second coming of Christ).

[1 Corinthians 15:51-55 ESV] 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"

---------------

SUMMARY:

Thus, if judgment, eternal life, and receiving our new bodies all happen at the second coming of Jesus, then it doesn't seem like Paul has a long period (perhaps a 1,000 literal year period) in mind. That is, it doesn't seem like Paul has an extended time period after the second coming of Jesus and before the judgment and the new heavens/earth (i.e., the premillennial view).

Therefore, these Scriptures are strong support for the Amillennial viewpoint.