Defenders Podcast

What should we make of the hope that the church will win the world before Christ returns? Dr. Craig takes up postmillennialism, including its reading of the Great Commission and the parables of the Kingdom, and asks whether the troubles of the last century really count against it. He then turns to the case for premillennialism, from Old Testament prophecies of an earthly kingdom to the promise that believers will reign with Christ. Along the way he weighs the objections to both views.

Will Christ reign on earth for a literal thousand years after he returns? The idea comes from Revelation 20, and Christians have read that passage in very different ways. Dr. Craig introduces the three main views of the millennium: amillennialism, premillennialism, and postmillennialism. He then walks through the case for the amillennial view and the replies premillennialists offer, and invites listeners to weigh the arguments for themselves.

Scientists who predict the end of the universe say there is nothing we can do to prepare for it. Dr. Craig argues the return of Christ is the opposite: an end we can and should prepare for. Drawing on Peter, Paul, and John, he explains why the Second Coming should shape how we live, what we give ourselves to, and why Christians can face the future with hope rather than fear.

Why hasn’t Christ returned after two thousand years, and should we expect him in our lifetime? Dr. Craig wraps up his treatment of the timing of the Second Coming with Jesus’ warnings about readiness and Peter’s reminder that with the Lord a thousand years is as one day. He also takes on an honest objection: the Second Coming is simply too otherworldly to believe. His answer might just surprise you!

Did Jesus expect to return within his disciples’ lifetime? A pair of sayings in the Gospels can give that impression. But Dr. Craig points out that Jesus also told parable after parable anticipating a delay before his return: the faithful servant, the ten maidens, the talents, and the sheep and the goats. What do these stories reveal about how Jesus prepared his followers for the long wait ahead?