Early Chiliasm
Background and development of millenarian eschatology
1. Introduction
This paper attempts neither an exegetical defense of chiliasm, nor a comprehensive
survey of millenarian thought.
1
My own eschatology is historical premillennial, after the fashion
of Ladd, so my own stance will come out, but this paper is neither a defense nor a critique of
chiliasm. I begin with Isaiah 65 and work up through the fourth century of the Christian era,
not attempting to follow on into medieval thought, let alone into the modern debate. I will
trace those who had some input into the development of Christian chiliasm, but without
concern to declare the various contributors as "in" or "out" of the chiliast camp.
Because I deal with so many nonbiblical texts, I include most of them at the back of
this paper, and throughout my discussion I cross reference the pages at the back where they
may be found.
2. Jewish Background
We certainly would include Isaiah 65:1725 among the texts that informed developing
chiliasm (see text at p. 36). God says, "I am ready to create new heavens and new earth"
in which "Jerusalem will bring me joy" (v. 19). It will be a time of security and prosperity, a
time when birth is no longer frustrated by the curse (v. 23), a time when even the animal
kingdom is at peace (v. 25). To that Old Testament background, we could add the various
texts that speak of agricultural super-fertility (e.g., Amos 9:13; Joel 3:18; Ezek 47:112; Zech
2
------------------------------------
1
Kromminga notes various older works that are often hard to get: D. H. Kromminga,
The Millennium in the Church: Studies in the History of Christian Chiliasm (Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Eerdmans, 1945); H. Corrodi, Kristische Geschichte des Chiliasmus (Frankfurt, 1781);
S. Hopkins, A Treatise on the Millennium. Shewing from Scripture Prophecy, That It is Yet to
Come; When It Will Come; in What It Will Consist; and the Events Which Are First to Take
Place, Introductory to It (Edinburgh: John Ogle, 1794); S. Waldegrave, New Testament
Millennarianism or, The Kingdom and Coming of Christ as Taught by Himself and His
Apostles (Bampton lectures; Eight sermons preached before the University of Oxford, in the
1854; London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co., 1855); L. Atzberger, Geschichte der christlichen
Eschatologie innerhalb der vornicänischen Zeit (Freiburg, 1896); E. Wadstein, Die
Eschatologische Ideengruppe: Antichrist, Weltsabbat, Weltende, und Weltgericht (Leipzig: O.
R. Reisland, 1896).