MILLENNIUM
“Millennium” is Latin for one thousand, and there is a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ here on earth. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” There are six times in this passage where it tells us it will last for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:2–7). It will take place in the future, after the Rapture and great tribulation (see END TIMES). This view that Christ returns before the 1,000-years reign is called “premillennialism.” “Postmillennialism” is the belief that Christ comes back after the 1,000 years. And “amillennialism” is the belief that the 1,000 years is not literal.
Both postmillennialists and amillennialists teach that the church has spiritually inherited the promise made to Israel of their kingdom age. But “God hath not cast away his people [Israel] which he foreknew” (Romans 11:2). Today few people hold either the postmillennial or amillennial view, especially postmillennial, as it taught that the world would get better and better till Christ would come back to the open arms of mankind. The Bible teaches the exact opposite, as the world will fight Christ at His return (Revelation 19:11–19), and after two world wars last century, there are few who believe that man is getting better, which would be a “humanistic” idea. The Bible says, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (2 Timothy 3:1). “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse” (2 Timothy 3:13). “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?…iniquity shall abound” (Matthew 24:3, 12).
The rapture (see RAPTURE) takes place before the great tribulation, but those who will be saved during the great tribulation and are still alive at the end of these seven years will not be raptured or have to die in order to enter the 1,000-year reign of Christ here on earth (Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43, 47–50; see END TIMES). Christians who are raptured will be like the angels in heaven and not marry (Mark 12:24–25), but those who enter the millennium directly from the great tribulation will have families, and people will still die (1 Corinthians 15:24–26), but with apparently longer life spans, as before the flood of Noah (Isaiah 65:18–20). (The “new earth” of verse 17 was not given here to tell us the order of events. Verse 20 has the curse, sin, and death, none of which will be in the new earth.) And though all who make it through the great tribulation and start the millennium will be saved, those born during the millennium will still have sin natures and have to decide for or against Christ (Revelation 20:5–9). And because there will still be sin Christ rules “with a rod of iron” (Revelation 19:15). The “curse” of Genesis 3:17–19 will not be lifted until after the millennial reign of Christ, at the start of the “new earth” (Revelation 21:1, 22:3). The saved who lived before the Millennium will “reign” (rule) with Christ over those who will be born during the 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4). At the end of the 1,000 years of peace, people will rebel and be defeated in one last battle (Revelation 20:7–10). The millennium will be the final reminder that man’s problem was not what was on the outside, the lack of a perfect environment, but what was on the inside in his heart (sin).
“Millennium” is Latin for one thousand, and there is a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ here on earth. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” There are six times in this passage where it tells us it will last for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:2–7). It will take place in the future, after the Rapture and great tribulation (see END TIMES). This view that Christ returns before the 1,000-years reign is called “premillennialism.” “Postmillennialism” is the belief that Christ comes back after the 1,000 years. And “amillennialism” is the belief that the 1,000 years is not literal.
Both postmillennialists and amillennialists teach that the church has spiritually inherited the promise made to Israel of their kingdom age. But “God hath not cast away his people [Israel] which he foreknew” (Romans 11:2). Today few people hold either the postmillennial or amillennial view, especially postmillennial, as it taught that the world would get better and better till Christ would come back to the open arms of mankind. The Bible teaches the exact opposite, as the world will fight Christ at His return (Revelation 19:11–19), and after two world wars last century, there are few who believe that man is getting better, which would be a “humanistic” idea. The Bible says, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (2 Timothy 3:1). “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse” (2 Timothy 3:13). “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?…iniquity shall abound” (Matthew 24:3, 12).
The rapture (see RAPTURE) takes place before the great tribulation, but those who will be saved during the great tribulation and are still alive at the end of these seven years will not be raptured or have to die in order to enter the 1,000-year reign of Christ here on earth (Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43, 47–50; see END TIMES). Christians who are raptured will be like the angels in heaven and not marry (Mark 12:24–25), but those who enter the millennium directly from the great tribulation will have families, and people will still die (1 Corinthians 15:24–26), but with apparently longer life spans, as before the flood of Noah (Isaiah 65:18–20). (The “new earth” of verse 17 was not given here to tell us the order of events. Verse 20 has the curse, sin, and death, none of which will be in the new earth.) And though all who make it through the great tribulation and start the millennium will be saved, those born during the millennium will still have sin natures and have to decide for or against Christ (Revelation 20:5–9). And because there will still be sin Christ rules “with a rod of iron” (Revelation 19:15). The “curse” of Genesis 3:17–19 will not be lifted until after the millennial reign of Christ, at the start of the “new earth” (Revelation 21:1, 22:3). The saved who lived before the Millennium will “reign” (rule) with Christ over those who will be born during the 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4). At the end of the 1,000 years of peace, people will rebel and be defeated in one last battle (Revelation 20:7–10). The millennium will be the final reminder that man’s problem was not what was on the outside, the lack of a perfect environment, but what was on the inside in his heart (sin).
