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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.
