Diagrams for “Inmillennialism: Redefining the Last Days”

In his foreword, Dr. Tom J. Nettles mentions a key feature of my forthcoming book, Inmillennialism: Redefining the Last Days, which McGahan Publishing House plans to publish in August:

To keep the progress of his argument clear throughout this book, Rogers has 30 diagrams that illustrate the viewpoint. Some of these add details to the existing paradigm as the argument advances and some of them compare his viewpoint to other options. These are clear and helpful, not at all intimidating. Visual aids are added gradually as needed. Rogers constructs them like a good engineer would do when designing a machine—every part necessary, none left over.

Perhaps engineers like myself are more inclined than most (normal) people to use diagrams. Clarence Larkin, a former mechanical engineer, wrote a popular book in which he used ninety hand-drawn diagrams—he lived before the computer age—to teach his dispensational premillennialism. I marvel at the patience this work required.

My book has only a third of Larkin’s diagram count, and they were not hand-drawn. A local graphics artist—Drew Sanders of DSDSGN here in Gadsden, AL—just finished reformatting the thirty diagrams Dr. Nettles mentioned. I am thrilled with them and want to share a few with you ahead of the book’s publication. They will also provide a glimpse into how the book develops its thesis.

Diagram 1: Amillennialism

The book contains a brief description of the four primary prophetic models currently available. Most Christians who hold definite views of prophecy claim one of them as the system that best characterizes their understanding of God’s word. Theologians call one of those models amillennialism. Here is the diagram that shows its principal features:

Diagram 2: The Foundation of Inmillennialism

One of my reasons for writing Inmillennialism was to show that a robust prophetic model arises from a straightforward exposition of two key passages of Scripture: the Olivet Discourse and 1 Corinthians 15. I begin with simple diagrams that show Jesus foretold the temple’s destruction and that the disciples knew that event would end the Mosaic age (Matt 24:1–3): 

This simple structure serves as the basis for all that follows.

Diagram 3: More Details of Inmillennialism

As my explanation of the Olivet Discourse continues, I add many details to the basic diagram, explaining the reason for each. At the end of the Discourse, the diagram has expanded to look like this:

Conclusion

Two key elements in 1 Corinthians 15 provide the finishing touches to the inmillennial model, but I don’t want this post to be a complete spoiler, so I will stop at this point.

I hope the subject is inviting enough to cause you to read the book and consider the impact a renewed prophetic vision can have on our churches and individual lives as we serve the Lord in his kingdom. I also hope the diagrams Drew and I have developed live up to Dr. Nettles’ billing: “clear and helpful, not at all intimidating.”