With an understanding, then, of the distinctive character of postmillennialism, it is important to go on and see that this position is not eccentric in terms of the outlook of orthodox theology, nor is it a recent innovation (associated, as some erroneously say, with the rise of nineteenth-century humanistic optimism). Rather, the postmillennial hope has been the persistent viewpoint of most Reformed scholars from the sixteenth century into the early twentieth century. In light of that fact, the position deserves to be examined again today for its biblical support and not lightly dismissed as somehow an obvious theological mistake. That is, there is no prima facie reason to reject postmillennialism as foreign to the thinking of the most respectable theological teachers or the unwitting parallel to specific secular movements. The position has been endorsed by the most dependable and outstanding theologians and commentators from the Reformation to the present.
John Calvin
Reformed theology (as distinguished from evangelical or Lutheran theology) takes as its father the indisputable theological master of the Protestant Reformation, John Calvin. The heritage of postmillennialism in Reformed theology can be traced to the Calvinian corpus of literature. J. A. De Jong, in his doctoral dissertation at the Free University of Amsterdam (As the Waters Cover the Sea), asserted that “John Calvin’s commentaries give some scholars cause for concluding that he anticipated the spread of the gospel and true religion to the ends of the earth.”[33] J. T. McNeill, the editor of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion for the Library of Christian Classics, speaks of “Calvin’s conception of the victory and future universality of Christ’s Kingdom throughout the human race, a topic frequently introduced in the Commentaries.”[34] In his recent study, The Puritan Hope, Iain H. Murray stated that “Calvin believed that Christ’s kingdom is already established, and, unlike Luther, he expected it to have a yet greater triumph in history prior to the consummation.”[35] The judgment of these men (and those secondary sources upon which they depend) is certainly well grounded in Calvin’s writings.
About the view that Christ would have a literal one-thousand-year reign upon the earth (namely, premillennialism), Calvin said this “fiction is too childish either to need or to be worth a refutation.” At the same time, he indicated his implicit disagreement with the view (fostered by later amillennilalists) that the millennium pertains to the intermediate state of the saints (i.e., their disembodied heavenly rest subsequent to physical death and prior to the general resurrection); according to Calvin, the “one thousand” of Revelation 20 pertains to “the church while still toiling on earth.”[36] Nor would Calvin have agreed with the position that says the millennial triumph of the saints is simply the spiritual (invisible) victories in the Christian’s heart or the internal blessings privately experienced by the church (namely, one school of amillennial interpretation). With particular application to the kingdom of Christ, he said, “it would not have been enough for the kingdom to have flourished internally.”[37] Calvin saw the Psalmist as saying that the prosperity and strength of the King of God’s choosing must be visible and publicly acknowledged; Christ must be shown victorious over all His enemies in this world, and His kingdom must be demonstrated to be immune from the various agitations currently experienced in the world.[38] In his commentary on II Thessalonians 2:8, Calvin declared:
Paul, however, intimates Christ will in the meantime, by the rays which he will emit previously to his advent, put to flight the darkness in which antichrist will reign, just as the sun, before he is seen by us, chases away the darkness of the night by the pouring forth of his rays.This victory of the word, therefore, will show itself in this world . . .. He also furnished Christ with these very arms, that he may rout his enemies. This is a signal commendation of true and sound doctrine – that it is represented as sufficient for putting an end to all impiety, and as destined to be invariably victorious, in opposition to all the machinations of Satan . . .[emphasis added].
For Calvin, the kingdom of Christ was viewed as established at the first advent and continuing in force until the second advent. During this interadventual period, the church is destined to experience widespread success; throughout history it will bring all nations under the sovereign sway of Christ. To this interadventual period Calvin referred many of the glorious prophecies about the Messiah’s kingdom found in the Old Testament. “The saints began to reign under heaven when Christ ushered in his kingdom by the promulgation of his Gospel.”[39] Commenting upon the Isaiah 65:17 prophecy of God’s creating new heavens and a new earth, Calvin said: “By these metaphors he promises a remarkable change of affairs; . . . but the greatest of such a blessing, which was to be manifested at the coming of Christ, could not be described in any other way. Nor does he mean only the first coming, but the whole reign, which must be extended as far as to the last coming . . .. Thus the world is (so to speak) renewed by Christ . . . and even now we are in the progress and accomplishment of it . . .. The Prophet has in his eye the whole reign of Christ, down to its final close, which is also called ‘the day of renovation and restoration.’ (Acts iii.21)” “The glory of God shines . . . never more brightly than in the cross, in which . . . the whole world was renewed and all things restored to order.”[40] About Isaiah 2:2-4, Calvin had the following to say: “ . . . while the fullness of days began at the coming of Christ, it flows on in uninterrupted progress until he appears the second time for our salvation.” During this time “the church, which had formerly been, as it were, shut up in a corner, would now be collected from every quarter . . .. The Prophet here shows that the boundaries of his kingdom will be enlarged that he may rule over various nations . . .. Christ is not sent to the Jews only, that he may reign over them, but that he may hold sway over the whole world.” The triumphant progress of the church, reigning under Christ, will be remarkable down through history; the soteric restoration of the world will be increasingly evident as all nations come under the rule of the Savior. Such was Calvin’s hope, his biblical philosophy of history.
The scepter of Christ’s kingdom by which He rules is “his Word alone,” and Satan with his power fails to the extent that Christ's kingdom is upbuilt through the power of preaching.[41] Calvin boldly proclaimed that “the labour of Christ, and of the whole Church, will be glorious, not only before God, but likewise before men . . .. Hence it follows, that we ought to have good hopes of success.”[42] “We must not doubt that our Lord will come at last to break through all the undertakings of men and make a passage for his word. Let us hope boldly, then, more than we can understand; he will still surpass our opinion and our hope.”[43]
The confidence of the Reformer was clearly expressed in his expositions of the Lord’s Prayer at the second petition (“Thy kingdom come”): “now, because the word of God is like a royal scepter, we are bidden here to entreat him to bring all men’s minds and hearts into voluntary obedience to it. . .. Therefore God sets up his Kingdom by humbling the whole world . . .. We must daily desire that God gather churches unto himself from all parts of the earth; that he spread and increase them in number; . . . that he cast down all enemies of pure teaching and religion; that he scatter their counsels and crush their efforts. From this it appears that zeal for daily progress is not enjoined upon us in vain . . .. With ever-increasing splendor, he displays his light and truth, by which the darkness and falsehoods of Satan’s kingdom vanish, are extinguished, and pass away . . .. [God] is said to reign among men, when they voluntarily devote and submit themselves to be governed by him . . .. by this prayer we ask, that he may remove all hindrances, and may bring all men under his dominion . . .. The substance of this prayer is, that God would enlighten the world by the light of his Word, -- would form the hearts of men, by the influences of his Spirit, to obey his justice, -- and would restore to order, by the gracious exercise of his power, all the disorder that exists in the world . . .. Again, as the kingdom of God is continually growing and advancing to the end of the world, we must pray every day that it may come: for to whatever extent iniquity abounds in the world, to such an extent the kingdom of God, which brings along with it perfect righteousness, is not yet come.”[44] This prayer for the evident success of the Great commission will not be in vain, according to Calvin; our hope for success should be bold, for we must not doubt that Christ will accomplish this purpose in the world. Here we have the postmillennial vision for preconsummation history.
Calvin’s belief that the nations will be discipled and become obedient to Christ’s word was expressed over and over again in his writings. “Our doctrine must stand sublime above all the glory of the world, invincible by all its power, because it is not ours, but that of the living God and his Anointed, whom the Father has appointed king that he may rule from sea to sea, and from the rivers even to the ends of the earth; and so rule as to smite the whole earth and its strength of iron and brass, its splendor of gold and silver, with the mere rod of his mouth, and break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel; according to the magnificent predictions of the prophets respecting his kingdom (Dan. 2.34; Isa. 11.4; Psa. 2.9).”[45] “God not only protects and defends [the kingdom of Christ], but also extends its boundaries far and wide, and then preserves and carries it forward in uninterrupted progression to eternity . . .. We must not judge of its stability from the present appearances of things, but from the promise, which assures us of its continuance and of its constant increase.”[46] “The Lord opens his reign with a feeble and despicable commencement for the express purpose, that his power may be more fully illustrated by its unexpected progress.”[47] In commenting upon Isaiah 54:1-2, Calvin speaks of the “extraordinary fertility of the Church” as the kingdom is increased, and he uses the image of growth from childhood to manhood in explaining that “the work of God will be extraordinary and wonderful.” With reference to Psalm 67, Calvin calls attention to the new and unprecedented blessing that will come when the Gentiles are called and all nations participate in the saving knowledge of God; as the word of salvation is diffused throughout all the earth, said Calvin, all the ends of the earth will submit themselves to the divine government. At Psalm 22:27 (“All ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Jehovah”) Calvin again speaks of the whole world giving the willing obedience of true godliness to the promised Messiah.
The triumphant reign of the Messiah over the entire world will be accomplished as the nations come to a saving knowledge of God, held Calvin. “The knowledge of God shall be spread throughout the whole world; . . . the glory of God shall be known in every part of the world.”[48] In his Sermons on the pastoral epistles, Calvin declared that “the knowledge of God must shine generally throughout all the world and every one must be a partaker of it”; therefore, “we must take pains to bring all them that wander out of the way of salvation: and we must not lonely think upon it for our life time, but for after our death.”[49] It was precisely because of Calvin’s confidence in Scripture’s promise that the gospel would be so prosperous as to bring the nations to submission to Christ that he alone was active in sending out missionaries – unlike the medievals and his fellow Reformers, who expected the imminent end of the world (e.g., Luther expected it in his own lifetime).
Because Christ has committed to ministers “his Gospel, which is the sceptre of his kingdom, . . . they exercise in some sort his power” – a power by which they subdue to Christ’s dominion the whole world.[50] According to Calvin, Psalm 47 “contains . . . a prophecy of the future kingdom of Christ. It teaches that the glory which then shone under the figure of the material sanctuary will diffuse its splendor far and wide; when God himself will cause the beams of his grace to shine into distant lands, that kings and nations may be united into fellowship with the children of Abraham.” “When God is called a terrible and great King over all the earth, this prophecy applies to the kingdom of Christ . . .. The prophet, then, when he declares that the Gentiles will be subdued, so that they will not refuse to obey the chosen people, is describing that kingdom of which he had previously spoken. We are not to suppose that he here treats of that secret providence by which God governs the whole world, but of the special power which he exercises by means of his word . . .. By these words he intimates that the kingdom of God . . . would be extended to the utmost boundaries of the earth . . . so as to occupy the whole world from one end to the other.”[51] “The Church shall not be limited to any corner of the world, but shall be extended as far and wide as there shall be space throughout the whole world.”[52]
It must be clear by this point that Calvin endorsed the central tenet of postmillennialism, the optimistic confidence that the gospel of Christ shall convert the vast majority of the world some time prior to the return of the Lord in judgment and glory. Speaking of Psalm 72, Calvin taught that “the kingdom of Christ . . . was to be extended from he rising of the sun to the going down thereof . . .. The meaning then is, that the king chosen by God in Judea will obtain so complete a victory over all his enemies, far and wide, that they shall come humbly to pay him homage . . .. This verse [11] contains a more distinct statement of the truth, That the whole world will be brought in subjection to the authority of Christ . . .. The nations will be convinced that nothing is more desirable than to receive from him laws and ordinances . . .. David . . . breaks forth in praising God, because he was assured by the divine oracle that his prayers would not be in vain . . .. David, therefore, with good reason prays that the glory of the divine name may fill the whole earth, since that kingdom was to be extended even to the uttermost boundaries of the globe.”
Expressions of this conviction are manifold throughout the commentaries. For instance, “ . . . the Father will deny nothing to his Son which relates to the extension of his kingdom to the uttermost parts of the earth.”[53] In the same place Calvin indicates that he understood Psalm 2 to predict that men will subdue the whole world to Himself and embrace all lands and nations under His dominion. In introducing Psalm 110, he explains: “In this psalm David sets forth the perpetuity of Christ’s reign, and the eternality of his priesthood; and, in the first place, he affirms, That God conferred upon Christ supreme dominion, combined with invincible power, with which he either conquers all his enemies, or compels them to submit to him. In the second place, he adds, That God would extend the boundaries of this kingdom far and wide . . .. Christ should not reign as King upon Mount Zion only, because God would cause his power to extend to the remotest regions of the earth.” Calvin adds that this kingdom continues to spread and prosper.
Of the scope of this prosperity, Calvin said: “The import of the whole is, that Christ would so rule far and wide, that the farthest would live contentedly under his protection, and not cast off the yoke laid on them.”[54] “The worship of God will flourish everywhere . . .. The law which had been given to the Jews would be proclaimed among all nations, so that true religion might be spread everywhere . . .. since then it is necessary that the worship of God should be based on the truth, when God declares that his name would become renowned in every place, he doubtless shows that his law would be known to all nations, so that his will might be known everywhere . . ..”[55] Lest there be any misunderstanding of Calvin’s meaning, it should be observed that in his Isaiah Commentary he makes it abundantly clear that these prophecies of prosperity and worldwide growth do not pertain simply to an ordinary effect of the gospel on the nations; the prophets envision not merely the placing of the church in a few localities over the earth, but rather the extraordinary – indeed, incredible – triumph of the kingdom through the world. The church goes forth, not simply to battle (with periodic or spotted conversions from place to place), but to incredible victory (namely, the discipling of the nations as such.) “Although those things which the Lord promises are concealed, for a time, from the eyes of men, yet believers perceive them by faith; so that they have a firm belief and expectation of the accomplishment of them, however incredible they may appear to others . . .. He speaks of the extension of the Church which he had formerly mentioned; but it was of great importance that the same things should be frequently repeated, because it appeared to be incredible that the Church . . . would be restored and spread throughout the whole world . . . to the astonishment of all . . . spread far and wide through every part of the world.” In the same place Calvin spoke of “obedience, which the whole world shall render to God in the church.” With the infallible truth of god’s word as his foundation and confidence, then, Calvin affirmed, “there is nothing which we ought to desire more earnestly than that the whole world should bow to the authority of God.”[56]
A further insight to Calvin’s optimistic philosophy of preconsummation history is afforded us in his prayers. Two examples are offered here. The Reformer’s strength of faith is evident as he prayed, “Grant, I say, that we may raise our eyes upward, and consider how much power thou has conferred upon thine only-begotten Son. Grant, also, that he may rule and govern us by his spirit, protect us by his faithfulness and guardianship, and compel the whole world to promote our salvation.” In the same lecture series he prayed, “May we never grow weary, but learn to overcome the whole world . . ..”[57] After Hosea Lecture 34, Calvin prayed: “O grant that we, being mindful of these benefits may ever submit ourselves to thee, and desire only to raise our voice for this end, that the whole world may submit itself to thee, and that those who seem now to rage against thee may at length be brought, as well as we, to render thee obedience, so that thy Son Christ may be Lord of all . . ..” Calvin’s biblically grounded hope shines forth with brilliance in his prayer, “May we daily solicit thee in our prayers, and never doubt, but that under the government of thy Christ, thou canst again gather together the whole world, though it be miserably dispersed, so that we may persevere in this warfare to the end, until we shall at length know that we have not in vain hoped in thee, and that our prayers have not been in vain, when Christ shall exercise the power given to him for our salvation and for that of the whole world.”[58]
Thus we conclude that Reformed theology was launched with a postmillennial perspective, a heart-felt confidence in the promises of Scripture to the effect that Christ would subdue the whole world with the gospel. The dogmatics, commentaries, and prayers of Calvin form a beautiful and orchestrated presentation of an eschatological hope which would become a doctrinal distinctive and motivating power throughout the history of Reformed Christianity.
[33] J. D. De Jong, As the Waters Cover the Sea: Millennial Expectations in the Rise of Anglo-American Missions 1640-1810 (J. H. Kok N.V. Kampen, 1970), p. 8.
[34] Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960), vol. II, p. 904, n. 76.
[35] Iain Murray, The Puritan Hope: A Study in Revival and the Interpretation of Prophecy (London: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1971),p. 40.
[36] Institutes, III.XXV.5.
[37] Commentary at Ps. 21:8.
[38] Ibid., with vs. 17.
[39] Commentary at Dan. 7:27.
[40] Commentary at John 13:31.
[41] Institutes, IV.ii.4 and I.xiv.18; cf. Commentary at Isa. 11:4.
[42] Commentary at Isa. 49:6.
[43] Cited by George L. Murray, Millennial Studies (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1960), p. xii.
[44] Institutes, III.xx.42, and commentary at Matthew 6:10 (Harmony of he Evangelists).
[45] Institutes, Prefatory Address to King Francis I of France.
[46] Commentary at Isa. 9:7.
[47] Commentary at Matthew 13:31 (Harmony of the Evangelists).
[48] Commentary at Isa. 66:19.
[49] Cited by Murray, p. 84.
[50] Commentary at Ps. 45:16.
[51] Commentary at Ps. 47:2, 3, 7, 8; cf. Commentary at Isa. 60:3 for a similar image of the light diffusing throughout the whole world, starting in one place and spreading to every corner; “the church shines with such brightness as to attract to herself nations and princes.”
[52] Commentary at Isa. 60:4.
[53] Commentary at Ps. 2:8.
[54] Commentary at Zech. 9:10 (“his dominion shall be . . . even to the ends of the earth”).
[55] Commentary at Mal. 1:11 (“For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering; for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts”).
[56] Commentary at Isa. 60:4, 16.
[57] Prayers at the end of the 9th and 65th lectures in the Daniel Commentary.
[58] Prayer at the end of the 97th lecture on the Minor Prophets (following Micah 7:15).
The Journal of Christian Reconstruction, Vol. III, No. 2, Winter, 1976-77, Covenant Media Foundation, 800/553-3938