The Second Coming and the End of All Things

I grew up in dispensational premillennialism, which means that I grew up with the teaching of a rapture, seven year tribulation, the return of Christ followed by 1,000 year millennium, then the final end. I moved away from that position to a type of amillennialism for numerous reasons, but one reason was that I thought the premillennial position diminished the significance of the Second Coming. Sam Storms captures this issue in a precise way over at his Enjoying God Ministries Blog. He explains:

One of the primary reasons I am not a Premillennialist (neither Historic nor Dispensational) is because of what I read in the NT concerning the Second Coming of Christ.

To be a Premillennialist of any sort, you must believe that physical death and the curse on the natural creation will continue to exist beyond the time of Christ’s return. You must believe that the New Heavens and New Earth will not be introduced until 1,000 years subsequent to the return of Christ. You must believe that unbelieving men and women will still have the opportunity to come to saving faith in Christ for at least 1,000 years subsequent to his return. To be a Premillennialist, you must believe that unbelievers will not be finally resurrected until at least 1,000 years subsequent to Christ’s return and that unbelievers will not be finally judged and cast into eternal punishment until at least 1,000 years subsequent to Christ’s return.

But my reading of what happens at the Second Coming of Christ indicates that then, and not 1,000 years later, physical death is swallowed up in the victory of Christ, never again to exert its power; the natural creation is delivered fully and finally from its bondage to sin; the New Heavens and New Earth are inaugurated; all opportunity for salvation of the lost comes to an end; and both the final resurrection and final judgment of all mankind occur.

I think that middle paragraph is precisely the concern with the premillenial position.
 James Grant