The Amillennial’s recapitulation view on the Book of Revelation is misplaced and it’s better served in the understanding of Luke 17:20-37.
In this passage, we’ll find the Lord’s answer to the Pharisees’ question on when the kingdom of God would come. It is recapitulated in the following sections of of the same book,
Luke 19:11-27; Luke 20:9-18; Luke 21:5-38.
Since Luke 17:20-21 has no parallel in other Gospel accounts, it is best interpreted by it’s own “recapitulation” or by what Amillennialists call “progressive parallelism.”
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Luke 17:20-21)
Does this passage mean to say the Kingdom of God is already in their midst supporting the Amillennial Eschatological view that we are now in the inaugurated Kingdom? The article: Is the Kingdom of God already in our midst? Answers no. What it means rather is that,
“they should not expect to see a gradually appearing Kingdom of God just from anywhere on this planet, they would not be needing anyone to tell them that it has already come from somewhere. It will come as a surprise but for everyone to see because the event will be visible from heaven, just as lightning is seen from one side to the another. This is what he means when he said, ‘For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.'”
In this article we’ll let Luke’s recapitulation explain it further.
The Kingdom will be in their midst when they see the Son of Man in heaven
Luke 17:20
Luke 17:21a
Luke 17:21b
Luke 17:22
Luke 17:23
Luke 17:24
Luke 17:20 is parallel with Luke 17:22: they will not see the Kingdom in ways that can be observed; they will not see the day of the Son of Man when they desire to see it.
Luke 17:21a is parallel with Luke 17:23: they were warned not to follow anyone who claims to have seen the Kingdom or the day of the Son of Man somewhere.
Luke 17:21b is parallel with Luke 17:24. Each using “for” to give the reason why they should not believe anyone saying they have seen the Kingdom or the day of the Son of Man somewhere,
“For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
“For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.”
What’s the significance of these parallelisms? Simple. The coming of the Kingdom is immediately linked with the day of the Son of Man and his appearing from heaven. The Kingdom will not just be seen emerging from somewhere, it will instantly be for all to see, “in their midst.” The Kingdom will not need another ‘forerunner’ or someone to announce it’s arrival, on the day of the Son of Man, his coming down from heaven will be its own announcement.
The Kingdom will be in their midst after the King is rejected by his own people
Jesus has yet answered the Pharisees’ question when the Kingdom of God would come. What he told them so far is how the Kingdom would come. That it would come not in ways that can be observed by anyone anywhere. That it would come when they all see the Son of Man coming from heaven. But, before any of that would happen,
“first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” (Luke 17:25)
Luke 17:25 is parallel with Luke 18:31-34 where he described how he will suffer and be rejected when he goes to Jerusalem, to be delivered to the Gentiles, to be “mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.” (Luke 18:32). There he will suffer, be killed, but on the third day, be raised back to life (Luke 18:31-33). In spite his lucidity, the disciples failed to understand. Perhaps because they were too fixated in their desire to see the Kingdom established immediately in their midst. And that they expected it happening as soon as Jesus reached Jerusalem. Nevertheless, Luke 18:34 says, “it was hidden from them.”
For this reason Jesus gave them the Parable of Ten Minas because, “they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.” (Luke 19:11). And later when his authority was questioned in Jerusalem, he gave another parable that describes himself being rejected and killed, the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Luke 20:9-18).
The Kingdom will be in their midst as soon as the King returns
The Parable of Ten Minas (Luke 19:12-27) is closely resembled by the Parable of the Talents (Mat. 25:14-30). Both parables speak of a ruler leaving and entrusting his affairs to servants who are faithful and rewarded and a servant who is unfaithful and had nothing in the end. But, the Parable of Ten Minas had an additional antagonist: the people who hated their soon-to-be ruler. They were even expressive of their rejection of him (Luke 19:14). When he came back to receive his dominion, they were slaughtered (Luke 19:27).
The rejection of his own people and their eventual slaughter (Luke 19:14, 27) in this parable is parallel to Luke 17:25-37 where the Lord compared the Day of the Son of Man (or the day he is revealed, Luke 17:30) to the days of Noah (Luke 17:26-27) when the flood came it destroyed the people, and to Sodom (Luke 17:28) when fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed its people. The Parable of Wicked Tenants also paints a gruesome ending.
In other words, when the Son of Man is revealed (Luke 17:30) that place will be a gathering of vultures (Luke 17:37).
The Kingdom will be in their midst when the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled
As they came near Jerusalem, he wept for the City because he knew of its impending destruction (Luke 19:41-44). In Luke 21:5-9 and in Luke 21:20-24 he predicted the destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem, respectively. He also predicted how long the City will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles,
“until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
And only then when their time is up, will they will see the Son of Man in a cloud with power and great glory, Luke 21:27.
But what is most interesting in the context of this particular passage is what’s stated in Luke 21:28. Jesus said,
“when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
He compared “these things” to the budding of a fig leaf. That as soon as a leaf on its tree comes out, they know that the summer is near.
He said that when “these things” begin to take place, they,
“know that the kingdom of God is near.”
And so this is passage Luke 21:27 is without any shadow of doubt goes in parallel with Luke 17:21b and Luke 17:24. As shown below in red,
Luke 17:20
Luke 17:21a
Luke 17:21b
Luke 17:22
Luke 17:23
Luke 17:24
Luke 21:27
The appearance of the Son of Man in a cloud with power and great glory will precede the establishment of his Kingdom on earth. They are inseparably linked. Neither will be seen emerging from somewhere but will suddenly be for all to see, “in their midst.” Neither of them will need further ‘forerunner’ or someone to announce their arrival or appearance. On the day of the Son of Man, his coming down from heaven will be its own announcement.