John Wesley and The Millennial Reign

Inside Methodist theology, folks have always looked at what John Wesley might have believed about the end times. In reading this morning sermon 26 (I read one of the standard 52 a week), I came across this snippet. Click here to read the entire sermon on The Lord's Prayer.

I appreciate how Wesley doesn't allow his eschatology to take over. Clearly, it forms a very important part of his thoughts on the Lord's Prayer. The segment that I am interested in was part of the section on the phrase "thy kingdom come." Wesley see's that the thoughts about The End can only be placed in the perspective of the kingdom.

When therefore God shall "give his Son the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession;" when "all kingdoms shall bow before him, and all nations shall do him service;" when "the mountain of the Lord's house," the Church of Christ, "shall be established in the top of the mountains;" when "the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in, and all Israel shall be saved;" then shall it be seen, that "the Lord is King, and hath put on glorious apparel," appearing to every soul of man as King of kings, and Lord of lords. And it is meet for all those who love his appearing, to pray that he would hasten the time; that this his kingdom, the kingdom of grace, may come quickly, and swallow up all the kingdoms of the earth; that all mankind, receiving him for their King, truly believing in his name, may be filled with righteousness, and peace, and joy, with holiness and happiness, -- till they are removed hence into his heavenly kingdom, there to reign with him for ever and ever.

For this also we pray in those words, "Thy kingdom come:" We pray for the coming of his everlasting kingdom, the kingdom of glory in heaven, which is the continuation and perfection of the kingdom of grace on earth. Consequently this, as well as the preceding petition, is offered up for the whole intelligent creation, who are all interested in this grand event, the final renovation of all things, by God's putting an end to misery and sin, to infirmity and death, taking all things into his own hands, and setting up the kingdom which endureth throughout all ages.

I bolded the few interesting passages. From a cursory read, it would appear that Mr. Wesley seemed to favor some sort of post-millennial view. What do you think?

Comments

[JD Swartz]

I stand by the Creed -

"He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom shall have no end."

[Russell Purvis]

That's hard to say, since the "end times" conversation has changed so much since John Wesley passed away.

[Ihop]

Later in life, Wesley began to alter (or at least nuance) his views on eschatology somewhat. He began to take much more interest in the coming general resurrection and what that will look like for all of God's creation.

He seems to have always had a focus on the present in-breaking of the Kingdom of God, but early on tended to hold to an 'other worldly' life after death. I think we can see in the last paragraph you posted from this sermon that he is at least beginning to think more in terms of the 'final renovation of all things'.

Good stuff Chad!