Pre-millennial

A view of the thousand-year reign of Christ that believes Christ’s second coming will occur before it. The condition of the world will be at its worst before Christ’s coming. This view dominated the early Church until the fourth Century when Donatism grew in favor. Irenaeus held this view. This concept was termed chiliasm (from Greek for thousand). It became rare in the middle ages. The key text: Rev 20:4-6.