What is the Millennium?

What is the Millennium? Most folks believe it is a 1000 year age wherein Christ reigns and there is great peace throughout the world. Is this true? Well, I’ve decided to write a study series that concerns the Millennium in some manner. According to today’s understanding, the Millennium (a word that does not appear anywhere in the Bible) is the time Jesus is to set up his kingdom after his return to this earth. But, what does the word of God actually say?

Revelation 20:1-9 KJV And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (2) And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (3) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (4) And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (5) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (6) 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. (7) And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, (8) And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. (9) And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

First of all, notice that the term thousand years is mentioned six times, but the term millennium is not mentioned at all. Yet the doctrine of the Millennium is based upon these very verses. I suppose it is precisely because the wording has changed from a thousand years to the word Millennium when we speak of this period that we fail to understand what is actually said. It is my belief that if we actually compared this Scripture with the others where a thousand years is mentioned, we would come to understand exactly what this Scripture describes. However, it is precisely because we have changed the manner in which we refer to this period when we teach it or speak of it that the truth of what God reveals in the Scriptures is hidden from our eyes. So I will discuss how long this period really is. Is it really 1000 years or is that a metaphor for something else?

Secondly, whatever the thousand years is and whenever it occurs, I believe we can agree that Satan is bound throughout this period and has absolutely no power to influence anyone on earth (Revelation 20:1-3). For all practical purposes, he is “dead” during this period of time.

Finally, notice that the faithful “reign with Christ” during this period. So, whatever the term “thousand years” means, it is a time when the faithful “reign with Christ.” But, does this refer to the time of our reward when Christ returns to this earth, or does it refer to something else? For example, Paul told us not to allow sin to reign in our bodies (Romans 6:12). In this sense, sin has control over our behavior, but we are told we should prevent this from occurring. Similarly, do we reign with Christ today as rulers controlling or governing cities or does this Scripture have something else in mine?

Well, the studies below will answer these questions. Perhaps the reader would be surprised with the result and view the Millennium in a completely different light. Does this sound too unbelievable? Well, why don’t you check out one or two of the studies below and see for yourself what the Scriptures say about this mysterious 1000 year age? Whatever you do, let God be glorified through your submission to his holy word.

.

• Does the Millennium Last for 1000 Years?
• The Millennium and the Binding of Satan
• The Millennium and Reigning with Christ
• The Millennium and the Bottomless Pit
• The Millennium and the 1st Resurrection