Pre-Messianic Age: A More Biblical and Historical
Framework for Premillennialism
Premillennialism has long been a theological pillar within many evangelical movements, particularly in the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA). While historic premillennialism (as opposed to its dispensational counterpart) seeks to align itself with early church eschatology, its terminology remains misleading. The very name “premillennialism” is an accommodation to Revelation 20’s reference to a “thousand years,” yet this focus distorts the deeper biblical narrative.
Still A.B. Simpson the Alliance’s founder sold Scofield Bibles based upon Darbyism, and remained ambivalent to dispensationalism yet flirted with its recruiting motive for world missions. This grew out of the Niagara Bible Conference, a key gathering that shaped dispensational premillennialism in North America. Like the Niagara leaders, he upheld biblical inerrancy, the Second Coming of Christ, and the urgency of world evangelization.
However, Simpson gradually distanced himself due to theological and practical differences. While Niagara emphasized dispensational prophecy and doctrinal precision, Simpson prioritized the work of the Holy Spirit, sanctification, healing, and missions. His Fourfold Gospel (Jesus as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King) clashed with Niagara’s cessationist leanings, and his Keswick-influenced view of sanctification was more experiential than the stricter Reformed framework favored at Niagara.
Rather than focusing on prophecy charts and dispensational timelines, Simpson believed that the evangelization of the world would help “bring back the King” (Matthew 24:14). He rejected rigid separatism and built the C&MA as a movement that emphasized missions, deeper life spirituality, and divine healing. While he remained premillennial, he did not fully adopt Scofield’s strict Israel-Church distinction and was more concerned with global revival than speculative eschatology. His break from Niagara allowed him to cultivate a Spirit-filled, action-oriented Christianity that shaped the C&MA’s identity, distinguishing it from the fundamentalist movement that later emerged from Niagara’s legacy.
Therefore, rather than debating the structure of an earthly millennium, it is time to reclaim a more accurate and covenantal term: Pre-Messianic Age. This reframe allows us to move beyond rigid millennial timelines and engage the Jewish biblical framework, which centers on Messiah ben Joseph (the suffering servant) and Messiah ben David (the reigning King). Recognizing the Pre-Messianic Age as the transition from suffering to restoration corrects errors introduced by dispensational literalism and provides a robust biblical foundation for mission and eschatological hope.
Premillennialism vs. Pre-Messianic Age: The Problem of Terminology
Historic premillennialism asserts that Christ will return before a literal or figurative 1,000-year reign. While it differs from dispensationalism in its rejection of a rigid timeline and pre-tribulation rapture, it still hinges on a chronological reading of Revelation 20 rather than a fully biblical framework.
The Misplaced Focus on a “Millennium”
The term “millennium” originates from one passage in Revelation (Revelation 20:2-7), yet the concept of an age of transition before the eternal reign of God is much broader:
- The Hebrew Bible does not emphasize a numerical period but rather a process of restoration.
- Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel describe the transition from suffering to Messianic peace without relying on a “thousand years” as a fixed period.
- The Apostolic Church expected Christ’s return as the fulfillment of Jewish Messianic hope, not as the beginning of a mathematically defined age.
- The term “Pre-Messianic Age” shifts the focus from a debate over the length of a kingdom to the transition toward the final Messianic reign—a transition already unfolding.
Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David: The Jewish Framework
- Messiah ben Joseph represents an age of suffering, exile, and preparation.
- Messiah ben David represents the completion of restoration, justice, and divine reign.
- The Pre-Messianic Age is the bridge between the two—an era when the world moves from suffering to redemption before the final consummation.
- By recognizing this covenantal structure, we move beyond the Western tendency to treat Revelation 20 as a blueprint for geopolitics and instead restore biblical eschatology to its proper framework.
The Early Church and Pre-Messianic Expectation
Historic premillennialists often appeal to the early church fathers as supporters of their view. Yet, a closer reading of the earliest Christian eschatology shows that their vision was Pre-Messianic, not strictly “premillennial” as later systematized.
The Early Church Expected the Messianic Age, Not a Literal Millennium
- Papias (c. 60–130 AD) described a future time of renewal on the earth before the eternal state, but he did not bind it to a literal 1,000 years.
- Justin Martyr (c. 100–165 AD) held to a coming kingdom but acknowledged that many Christians differed on its nature.
- Irenaeus (c. 130–202 AD) emphasized a restored creation rather than an apocalyptic timeline.
The early church’s expectation was not a dispensational sequence but a fulfillment of biblical hope—the restoration of God’s rule before the final judgment.
A.B. Simpson’s Eschatological Vision
Within the C&MA, A.B. Simpson saw eschatology as mission-oriented, not speculative. He wrote:
“We may accelerate the time of the Lord’s return by meeting the spiritual conditions and preparing the way.”
Simpson’s vision aligns far more with a Pre-Messianic framework than with a rigid millennial construct. His emphasis on the return of Christ as the catalyst for world renewal was not tied to an arbitrary 1,000-year kingdom but rather to the completion of the Great Commission and the preparation for His reign.
The Problem of Dispensational Influence: Why We Must Move Beyond Premillennialism
While historic premillennialism predates dispensationalism, it has been influenced by the dispensational literalist reading of Revelation 20. This has led to theological errors, particularly regarding:
The Misinterpretation of Gog and Magog
Dispensationalists place the battle of Gog and Magog at the end of the supposed 1,000-year reign, yet biblical prophecy suggests Gog has already been unleashed:
- Ezekiel 38-39 speaks of a climactic battle before the final reign of Messiah.
- Revelation 20:7-10 does mention a post-millennium Gog, but this should be read as symbolic of the final rebellion, not as a literal geopolitical event.
- Gog has been at work in the world for centuries, manifesting through empire, false Messianic movements, and Zionist militarism.
- Thus, we are not waiting for Gog’s rebellion—it is already happening. The Pre-Messianic Age is not a future speculation but a present reality.
The Mamzer State and Zionism’s Role in False Eschatology
Many evangelicals mistakenly see modern Zionism as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy, yet the Bible itself warns against this:
- Zechariah 9:6 prophesies that a “mamzer” (illegitimate one) shall dwell in Ashdod—a striking warning against a political Zionist state built on war, rather than the return of Messiah.
- The 1967 Six-Day War transgressed international law, further entrenching Gog’s deception in the Middle East.
- The modern nation-state is not biblical Israel—it is a geopolitical construct, which must not be confused with the biblical eschatological restoration.
- Dispensational premillennialism has been hijacked to justify modern Zionism, yet a biblical Pre-Messianic framework recognizes that restoration does not come through warfare but through divine justice.
The Way Forward: Reclaiming the True Eschatological Vision
Rather than focusing on a literal 1,000-year kingdom, the C&MA and other evangelical movements must embrace the biblical vision of the Pre-Messianic Age:
Eschatology as a Missionary Task
- The Pre-Messianic Age is already unfolding—the nations are being called to repentance and covenantal faithfulness.
- The Alliance must re-engage with Israel, not as a political project, but as a spiritual and prophetic call to restoration.
The Role of the Church in the Messianic Age
- The Church is not replacing Israel, but is the expanded Israel of the nations.
- True justice will not come through Zionist nationalism, but through Messiah’s reign of peace.
Rejecting Dispensational Zionism and Restoring Biblical Hope
- The millennium debate is a distraction—the real focus must be on God’s unfolding covenantal plan.
- The Church must recognize that Zionism has distorted eschatology, replacing true restoration with a secular, militarized project.
- The true Messianic Kingdom will come not through human efforts but through Messiah’s return to establish divine justice.
Conclusion: Embracing the Pre-Messianic Framework
The term historic premillennialism is a misnomer—it locks eschatology into an artificial framework, distracting from the biblical call to prepare for Messiah’s reign.
By embracing Pre-Messianic theology, we return to the biblical vision:
• A transition from suffering to restoration.
• A rejection of Zionist militarism in favor of true Messianic justice.
• A call to mission, justice, and preparation for the Messianic Age.
We do not wait for a dispensational millennium—we labor in the Pre-Messianic Age now.
The Church’s call is clear: Prepare the nations.
Restore covenant faithfulness.
Isaiah 66:1 “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool”
As A.B. Simpson declared:
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
