The Millennium, a Period of Evaluation

from Google Images

The angel laid hold of the dragon (i.e. the old serpent, the devil, satan) and he bound him in the chain for 1000 years and cast him into the abyss, or the bottomless pit, where he would be unable to deceive the ‘nations’ (ethnos; G1484) for that period of time he was there (Revelation 20:2-3). The Greek word for nations is usually translated gentiles or nation(s) or heathen, all with the intended meaning that the people cited are not Jews. However, Jesus mentioned that there are natural Jews who are not Jews (spiritually; Revelation 2:9; 3:9). In fact, he told the Jewish authorities that Abraham was not their father (John 8:39-40). Paul reiterated this claim in Romans 2:28-29, saying a Jew is a Jew inwardly (spiritually), not he who is one outwardly (physically). The point is this: how would one refer to natural Jews, if he wished to differentiate them from spiritual Jews (believers)? Couldn’t ethnos (G1484) refer to natural Jews that rejected Jesus, i.e. the Jewish nation? If so, then the text would mean the dragon could no longer deceive the Jews for the thousand years (cp. Revelation 7:1; Ezekiel 7:2)?

 

The Millennium & the First Resurrection

from Google Images

John recorded that the martyrs “lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4), and this comprises the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5-6), because those who were in the literal graves (Revelation 20:11-12) or who were buried in the sea (Revelation 20:13) didn’t live again, until the end of the thousand years (Revelation 20:5)! What can be understood from this?

 

How Long Is the Millennium?

from Google Images

Many modern Christians believe that Christ will return one day, perhaps in our lifetime, and initiate a thousand years of peace, and this thousand years of peace is referred to as the millennium. Still other Christians would tell us that Jesus won’t return until after the millennium, and the thousand year period is figurative and represents the present Christian Age. Once this age is over, Jesus will return! Finally, a much smaller group of Christians believe the thousand year period is a much shorter block of time and has already occurred in the first century AD. Which point of view is correct, and can we know?

 

The Judgment

from Google Images

After the Wrath of God had been poured out upon Babylon (Revelation 16) the angel brought John to where he could see the judgment upon the Great Harlot (Revelation 17:2). So, from this point on until the end of the Apocalypse (Revelation 17 through chapter 22), we are given an explanation of what had just occurred. While there are some final remarks about the Lord coming soon and encouragement is given to obey the words of this prophecy, and warnings given not to add to or remove anything from the Apocalypse, by and large these final chapter further explain what John had seen and heard. This, however, is not what most Bible critics tell us, concerning these chapters. Therefore, the responsibility of who or what to believe is place entirely in the lap of the disciple of Christ where it should be in the first place.

1. An Introduction to Revelation 17 _________________________ Revelation 17
2. The Great Harlot and the Apocalypse
3. Spiritual Babylon the Great
4. The Great Harlot Drunk with Power
5. The Beast that Was and Is Not and Yet Is
6. The Seven Heads Are Seven Kings
7. The Ten Horns Have No Kingdom as Yet
8. The Great Harlot
9. The Earth Was Lighted with his Glory _____________________ Revelation 18
10. Babylon the Great Has Fallen
11. Come Out of Her My People
12. Reward Her Even as She Rewarded You
13. Adultery and the Kings of the Earth
14. The Merchants of the Earth
15. Vindicating the Apostles and the Prophets
16. The Ships of the Sea
17. Jerusalem Is Like an Atlantis that Sank
18. More About the Great Harlot
19. I Heard a Voice from Heaven
20. The Inexplicable Joy of the Believer
21. Alleluia – The Lord God Almighty Reigns
22. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb _______________________ Revelation 19
23. The Wedding Feast
24. John’s Improper Behavior and the Gospel
25. Open Up the Heavens
26. His Eyes Were as a Flame of Fire
27. The Supper of the Great God
28. The Bottomless Pit and Revelation 9 & 20 _________________ Revelation 20
29. The Millennium a Period of Evaluation
30. What Is the Millennium?
31. How Long Is the Millennium
32. The Millennial Reign with Christ
33. The Millennium Is a Little While
34. The Millennium and the First Resurrection
35. What is the First Death?
36. Gog and Megog and Jewish Eschatology
37. The Timeframe for Gog and Megog
38. Who Is Gog of the Land of Megog?
39. What Is the Lake of Fire?
40. He Who Sits Upon the White Throne
41. The Judgment of the Just and the Unjust
42. Death, Hell and the Lake of Fire
43. The Bride Adorned for Her Husband _____________________ Revelation 21
44. The New Heaven and the New Earth
45. I Make All Things New
46. The Alpha and the Omega
47. Death and the New Heaven and New Earth
48. The New Jerusalem
49. New Jerusalem and Jerusalem that Is Above
50. New Jerusalem and Heavenly Jerusalem
51. The Judgment of the Saints
52. The Temple of New Jerusalem
53. The River of Life _____________________________________ Revelation 22
54. No More Curse
55. No Night and Beholding the Face of God
56. Behold, I Come Quickly!
57. John’s Intended Worship
58. The New Creation in Christ
59. The Coming Messiah, the Morning Star
60. Come, Lord Jesus!

 

Gog and Magog and Jewish Eschatology

from Google Images

After the thousand years was complete, or in other words, after the millennium, the dragon was to be released (Revelation 20:5, 7). So, immediately after his release from prison or from the bottomless pit, the very first thing on his agenda was to deceive the nations (Revelation 20:8), at which time the Battle of Gog and Magog occurs. Most Bible students believe the nations refer to the gentiles—i.e. all nations except for the Jews. However, as I explained in a previous study[1] the nations in this context refers to the tribes of Israel or the lands of the Jews. So the dragon immediately began deceiving the Jews. If this is so, who is Gog and what is the land of Magog, and when does Gog arise to make war? The text clearly concludes that the battle or war occurs after the millennium, which, from a dispensational and premillennial worldview, gives rise to questions about the success of the so-called millennial reign of Christ: