For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Larry Truelove
I am neither premillennial nor post millennial but I have respect for both views. With all due respect to premillennialism, I do not know what makes its interpretation more "literal normal" than any other view of the end times. Revelation chapter 12 describes a "woman clothed with the son, and the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of stars."
Is that scripture supposed to be taken literally? Surely, it is a symbol of something. What is normal about that?
Isaiah19:1,...Behold, the Lord rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt; the idols of Egypt will totter at His presence, and the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.
These are only two examples, but there are many, many more. Post millennialism AND premillennialism both have their challenges, but the plea for "normal and literal" interpreting does not solve them. Everyone interprets and we should recognize that there are symbols, metaphors, idioms, and dozens of other figures of speech in scripture.
Maybe the scriptural view of premillenialism is right, but just as easily it could be wrong. As I said, I find problems with all of the views of the end times.