THE MILLENNIUM Ever since the dawn of civilization, man has longed to live in a world where all his physical, mental and spiritual desires could be fulfilled. Why should such a utopia be impossible? Why can't man have a world at peace, filled with joy and prosperity, racial harmony and genuine love? Yet, all of man's best efforts to achieve this utopia have failed miserly. This world is full of people hungry and starving to death. This world is full of racial discord. This world is filled with hate and anger, crime, and wars. Why is it that man cannot throught his efforts achieve this utopia? God has allowed a six thousand year period for mankind to rule himself apart from God if man so chooses. During this time, God has, in a sense, kept hands off the affairs of the world. Man has pursued the course that seems right to him. But the six thousand year time period is now almost up. Your Creater has planned a wonderful utopia for man. A thousand years of peace and prosperity are just around the corner, a world bubbling over with joy and happiness. This new order of the happy WORLD TOMORROW will soon be here. In Micah, the fourth chapter, a graphic description is given us concerning this soon coming utopia. Verse one shows an end to the present crisis and God's rulership established over the nations. Then what happens? "And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain [government] of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." It's time you knew about the coming utopia, a millennium of abundant and happy living, free from the fears of war, sickness, and poverty. What is the Millennium? Actually the word "millennium" is derived from the Latin and simply means "a thousand years." You will not find the word "millennium in the Bible, but you will read of the "thousand years." The only scriptures in all the Bible mentioning in specific terms this period of time are in Revelation 20:1-9. Here is the time setting for the coming utopia or millennium. John wrote that he saw an angel who "laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years...and set a seal upon him, that he should deveive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled" (Rev. 20:2-3). Did you notice that? During the millennium, the thousand years, the devil does not deceive the nations. This age we are now in couldn't be the millennium, because the devil is still deceiving the nations. The millennium must still be in the future, a time when the devil will not be deceiving the whole world any longer. Now notice what else John says about the thousand years. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6). So the millennium is a time when the saints reign with Christ. The saints help create the millennial utopia. Who are the saints? Those who are qualifying now by obedience to the Law of God through faith in Christ. Did you ever notice before that those in the first resurrection will reign with Christ a thousand years? (Rev. 20:4). This means that the millennium can't begin until after the first resurrection, because it is those in the first resurrection who do the ruling. When Will the Millennium Occur? Now when does the first resurrection occur? I Thes. 4:14-17 declares that the first resurrection occurs at the second coming of Christ. "...The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." The first resurrection occurs "...at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (I Cor. 15:52). Since the saints do not rise until the second coming of Christ, and since they rule with Christ during the millennium, then the thousand years must occur after the second coming of Christ, and not before. This is vitally important because there are some who teach that Jesus does not come until the end of the thousand years. But your Bible says Jesus comes at the beginning of the thousand years. Christ is returning to bring peace and make a utopia possible! Now notice what else occurs when the last trumpet sounds. In Revelation 11:15, when the last or seventh trumpet blows, the dead are raised and " the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord , and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever." This is when that promised time of peace and prosperity begins. Christ is beginning His reign and the saints are already resurrected to rule with Christ. But where will the saints rule? Speaking of the second coming of Christ, when He will fight against His enemies at Jerusalem, Zechariah said: "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives...and the Lord by God shall come, and all the saints with thee" (Zech. 14:3-5). This scripture reveals that Christ's feet will again stand upon the Mount of Olives, and "all the saints" will come with him. Where Will the Millennium Be Spent? The last phrase of I Thessalonians 4:17 tells us after all the saints meet the Lord in the air, they shall "ever be with the Lord." Since the saints shall always be with Jesus Christ, then any scripture that tells us where Christ will be, will also explain where those resurrected saints shall be during the thousand years. Also any verse that says where the saints shall rule during the thousand years, explains the place where Christ must be ruling, too. Christ Brings His Reward With Him Christ plainly taught that He will bring His reward with Him at His second coming: "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be" (Rev. 22:12). But just what will that reward be? Will it be golden harps on which the saints can play heavenly music for all eternity? Notice what the reward is which Christ will give to all overcomers: "But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations . He shall rule them with a rod of iron...(Rev. 2:25-27). In order to reign during the millennium there must be someone for the saints to reign over. So the saints will rule over the nations.. Daniel in the second chapter of his book, in explaining a dream that king Nebuchadnezzar had, explained when Christ would set up his kingdom to rule this entire world. In the last days of the kings or rulers of this present civilization, "shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people [not to human beings, but to the sons of God], but it shall break in peices and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44). " Notice, that it is "in the days of these kings," not a thousand years later, that God sets up His kingdom under Christ, pictured by the stone that smote the image (Dan 2:34, 35), which became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." Notice it filled the whole earth. It doesn't say heaven. Daniel also prophesied in the seventh chapter: " ...And, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven.... And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, ntions, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (Dan. 7:13- 14). Christ will not rule this earth by himself: "But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever" (verse 18). This rulership will be worldwide. Truly, in that day, "the Lord shall be king over all the earth" (Zech. 14:9). Christ to Sit on The Throne of David In Rev. 3:21, Jesus said: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." So the resurrected saints will sit with Christ on His throne while ruling the nations. At present, Christ is sitting on His Father's throne in heaven, but where will the throne of Jesus be? Christ will sit on David's throne. The angel Gabriel said, as recorded in Luke 1:30-33, that Jesus "shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of this father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacab for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." So Jesus' throne will be the throne of David. David's throne in on this earth (Jer. 33:17). "At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it" (Jer. 3:17). Christ will rule on this earth. Saints Rule on Earth The saints, who at that time will have been redeemed from this earth, will finally exclaim: "And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth" (Rev. 5:10). Notice that the saints will not rule in heaven, but on the earth. One of Christ's parables reveals where the saints shall rule. The disciples mistakenly thought the "kingdom of God should immediatley appear" (Luke 19:11). Christ gave the disciples a parable to show that it would be quite some time before He would return to this earth to set up his kingdom: "A certain nobleman [Christ] went into a far country [heaven] to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered them ten minas [pounds], and said to them, Do business till I come" (Luke 19:12, 13). Those who were industrious and who gained a good return on their master's money were given rulership over "ten cities" (v.17) and "five cities" (v.19). This shows that the glorified saints in the Kingdom of God will be given rule or authority over the nations of the earth. Yes, the saints will reign with Christ on this earth and rule the nations during the millennium. When Christ and his glorified saints sit on thrones governing the nations of this earth, then there will be peace, happiness and prosperity for all nations. No man, nor man-devised government such as the United Nations, will ever be able to bring real peace to this earth. When the Kingdom of God is established on earth, then we shal have peace, and not until then. Yes, a wonderful utopia is coming in the world tomorrow! The Christmas Message Reveals The Kingdom Few have ever thought to think what the Christmas message of Isaiah 9:6-7 really reveals. These passages are read in nearly every church service or children's pageant at Christmas time. Few grasp their real meaning. Listen to them again: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government will be upon His shoulder . And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever." Yes, Christ was born to be a king and rule the coming government or Kingdom of God. This coming Kingdom of God will be set up on this earth to rule the nations. Christ will sit on David's throne and rule the nations of the earth with his saints. How and When Jesus Returns to Earth How did Jesus leave this earth over 1900 years ago? He ascended from the Mount of Olives and was received by the clouds of heaven. And he is going to return in like manner. "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). In Revelation 19 we read that, at the second coming of Christ, military contingents of all nations are gathered to battle against Jerusalem. This same time is described in Zechariah 14:1-3. It is in the Day of the Lord, when all nations are warring against Jerusalem. "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations...and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives " (Zech. 14:3,4). Notice, Jesus is coming in the clouds of heaven (Rev. 1:7) and shall fight against the nations and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is on this earth. He is returning to the Mount of Olives "in like manner" as he left. Notice also, it is in "that day" that He returns to receive the throne of David and to rule the nations with a rod of iron. Christ Remains On The Earth When Jesus returns to this earth, the saints will meet Him in the air, and then accompany Him to this earth . That is where the saints will be. But some contend that the saints go to heaven. The Bible nowhere teaches any such doctrine. Be sure to study our chapter on "The Secret Rapture Theory." Christ and the saints remain on the earth! Let's continue reading what Zechariah wrote: "And it shall be in that day , that living waters [salvation] sahll go out from Jerusalem...in summer and in winter shall it be. And the Lord shall be king over all the earth ...all the land shall be turned as a plain...and inhabitied...And men shall dwell in it , and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem sahll be safely inhabited" (Zech. 14:8-11). Here is the promise of the coming utopia. Christ And Saints Rule Over Mortal People In the day that Christ returns, not seven years or a thousand years later, but in that very day, when the nations that battled against Jerusalem are subdued, the land shall be inhabited and men shall live there. The kingdom of God will rule over the peoples and nations of the earth. Yet these mortal peoples and nations will not be the kingdom or in the kingdom of God. They will merely be ruled over by it. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God..." (I Cor. 15:50). The Gentile nations, after their entire armies have been destroyed (Zech. 14:12-15), shall come to serve Jesus Christ. "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles " (Zech. 14:16). The Feast of Tabernacles is one of the seven annual feastival or holy days of God. This shows God's holy days will be kept even in the millennium. The people that shall be left are going to worship the Lord year by year in Jerusalem, which is on this earth, not in heaven. The Lord shall be King over all the earth (Zech. 14:9). The next verse shows Him punishing nations for disobedience. The saints are also going to judge and correct the nations as they sit with Jesus on His throne. None of these events can occur before the thousand years, and none can occur in heaven because there are no disobedient nations in heaven. Neither will disobedient nations be in the New Earth after the millennium. Therefore these events must happen during the millennium and on this earth. These are the plain statements of Scripture. What Will The Millennium Be Like? A utopian earth. The wonderful world tomorrow, the utopian age, will at last dawn upon this earth. A thousand years of peace and happiness will begin. Isaiah tells us: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:6-9). This is a real utopia. Wild animals will be tamed so that even a little child could lead them. Carnivorous animals will no longer kill, but eat straw like an ox. Poisonous snakes will not harm anyone. Only the Lord could bring about changes like these in the animal world. Isaiah 11 tells us of the millennium. The Gentiles are going to seek God (verse 10) and Israel and Judah are going to be gathered the SECOND time from the heathen nations (verse 11). This is the time spoken of by Paul. "Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins" (Romans 11:25- 27). Here is Good News! Here is part of the Gospel message. Blindness is happened to Israel, until the full number of Gentiles who are to be converted in this age comes into the Kingdom. Then Israel shall be forgiven and the vast majority of Gentiles shall seek God. Isaiah chapter 35 tells us that during the millennium that "the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose" (verse 1). "For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert" (verse 6). The prophet Amos tells us that: "the plowman shall overtake the reaper...and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them" (Amos (9:13-14). What a wonderful world! The deserts will blossom with all kinds of plants. The harvests will be so great that they will still be harvesting one crop when it is time to plant another. Gardens and vineyards will yield much fruit and wine. The waste cities of the world from war, will be rebuilt anew. The nations of the earth will at last receive a "pure language" (Zephaniah 3:9) and will not be cursed with the confusion of languages existing today. Isaiah chapter 35 also tells us, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing" (verses 5-6). What blessings the millennium will bring. People will not have to live in crowded, dirty, inhospitable, cities. Their will not be poverty and starvation. And their shall be no more war! "And he [Christ] shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid..." (Micah 4:3-4). This is a real utopia. What a wonderful world! Millennium Not the Kingdom The Bible teaches that the millennium is the reign of the Kingdom of God on this earth. The millennium is not the Kingdom, it is merely the first thousand years' reign of that Kingdom on earth. When Satan and his demons are restrained from their work of deception, the earth shall at last have its millennial "sabbath" of rest. The resurrected saints will judge the world with Christ and all nations shall have peace at last, because they will for the first time be following God's laws and ways which "shall go forth out of Zion." The saints will assist Christ in govening all nations, in bringing peace, happiness, prosperity and joy supreme to all manking. Yes, a utopia is coming, the wonderful world of tomorrow is just around the corner.