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 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 Bottomless Pit & Revelation 9 & 20

from Google Images

There are many terms found in the Apocalypse that are either found nowhere else in the Bible, or they are found in only one or two other places in Scripture. For example the term bottomless pit (G12; abussos) is found seven times in the Apocalypse, but only once in Luke and Romans, respectively. What does it mean, and how does abussos affect the interpretation of the texts in which it is found? The pagans believed that Orcus (we call him Satan), the god of the underworld, ruled the abussos (G12), which was also supposed to be the abode of demons. Whatever light the New Covenant text sheds upon this Greek word, they certainly would not embrace the pagan thought about Orcus, the god of the underworld, nor would it be the abode of demons, in the sense they would be evil spirit beings roaming about in an imagined underworld, to which one’s spirit goes when one dies. Nevertheless, this seems to be what many modern Christians perceive, when they imagine Satan to be the ruler of hell. Such doctrines are purely pagan and are not supported in the Bible.

 

The Dragon and His Seven Heads

from Google Images

Something concerning the dragon of Revelation 12 occurs in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus had dispatched the Seventy (70 disciples, including the 12 Apostles) two by two throughout Samaria, as he proceeded on his way to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51; 10:1). Upon the return of the Seventy, they greeted Jesus with great joy, saying even the demons were subject to them in his name. Albeit, Jesus warned them not to rejoice over this but, rather, be glad that their names were written in heaven (Luke 10:17-20). What is most interesting is that Jesus said he beheld Satan “having fallen from heaven, as lightening” (Luke 10:18). In other words, Jesus beheld the fall of Satan from heaven as an accomplished fact during his earthly ministry!

 

Now Is Come Salvation…

from Google Images

John heard a loud voice speaking in heaven (Revelation 12:10).

 “…Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhibiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” (Revelation 12:10-14)

 

The Child Who Would Rule All Nations

from Google Images

We are studying the twelfth chapter of Revelation, in which John saw several signs in the heavens. These, as I have shown in studies immediately previous to this one, are signs in the Zodiac, not Greek mythology, but signs which the Lord had given us that take note of the work he was doing among men. He gave these stars and signs their names (Psalm 147:4; Job 9:9), but his word had been corrupted by men to reveal “men, birds, beasts and creeping things” (Romans 1:21-23, 28) that reveal different stories than the Gospel, which they originally foretold.

 

The Sign of the Dragon

from Google Images

In a previous study on Revelation 12 I mentioned the woman that John saw in the heavens, and showed that she represented Israel, giving birth to Jesus, according to the flesh (cf. Hebrews 7:14; Romans 1:3; Revelation 5:5; 22:16). Continuing in this study, John saw another wonder (G4952 – semeion) or sign in the heavens. It was a dragon, which in the context of the sign of the woman being Virgo, this second sign must be Draco the dragon constellation (Revelation 12:3) that appears in the sign Sagittarius.

 

The Synagogue of Satan

from Google Images

The doctrine of Satan as understand by Christians today was not so developed in ancient Israel. At least, we have no indication in the Bible that such a doctrine was developed that shows Satan to be a spiritual archenemy of God. From Genesis to Revelation, there simply is no spiritual archenemy of God. As far as Scripture is concerned, satan simply means adversary or enemy. Jesus called Peter his enemy or his satan (G4567 – satanas) in Matthew 16:23. In the Old Covenant the Lord raised up two satans or adversaries (H7854) against Solomon (1Kings 11:14, 23). In fact, the Angel of the Lord was Balaam’s satan or adversary (H7854) in Numbers 22:22. So, what is Jesus referring to when he mentions the synagogue of satan?

 

What Did Jesus Mean by ‘Generation’?

from Google Images

We need only to use the Gospel according to Matthew in order to show exactly how Jesus and his contemporaries understood the word generation. Nevertheless, there seems to be a great deal of confusion in Christian circles, today, over the understanding of this word, as it pertains to knowing the time of Jesus’ Second Coming. Because some of our modern scholars want to place this generation far into the future from when the Gospel had just begun in the first century AD, most believers have come to accept and believe that the return of Christ was prophesied to occur in our day or, perhaps, even more than 2000 years after Jesus’ crucifixion. Nevertheless, if we truly believe that it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18; Romans 3:4; Titus 1:2), then we need to pause and reconsider what believe about the timing of Jesus’ Second Coming.

 

Jesus Being Ironical

from Google Images

While they were in the state of unbelief, Jesus asked his Apostles, when they went out with the Seventy (Luke 22:35; cf. 10:4) and enjoyed the success of their labor, did they lack anything, and, of course, they replied they lacked nothing. In other words, while in the state of belief, they lacked nothing. God was with them, and they enjoyed success in everything they did in the service of the Kingdom of God (cf. Luke 10:17). However, now that they were in the state of unbelief, Jesus said they needed to do the opposite of what he had commanded them in Luke 10:4. In other words, they needed to take their purses and their scrips (shepherd bags), because, while in the state of unbelief they could not expect the provision of God. In fact, if they had no swords, they would now need to sell even their garment to buy one, because without faith they couldn’t expect the protection of God (Luke 22:36).

 

Does Satan Pray?

from Google Images

Jesus first told the disciples that all of them would be offended in him that evening and this would be the fulfillment of prophecy (Mark 14:27; cf. Zechariah 13:7), but they didn’t believe him (cf. Mark 14:29). Then Jesus told Peter that Satan has desired (G1809) to sift all the Apostles, as though they were wheat, in order to separate them from Jesus (Luke 22:31). That is, Satan intends to kill Jesus and then scatter the Apostles in hope that he may prove them to be no more than chaff, as he had done with Judas, who, rather than being a disciple of the Lord, proved to be his betrayer.

 

The Voice of God v/s the Voice of Men

from Google Images

Just before embarking on his final journey to Jerusalem, Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them what would happen to him after they arrived at Jerusalem (Luke 18:31-33). In very plain language he told them that he would be delivered over to the Romans who would seek to demoralize him; they would scourge him and kill him, but he would rise again on the third day. On at least two other occasions, this being the third (Luke 18:31-33; Matthew 20:17-19), Jesus had discussed these very matters with his Apostles (cf. Luke 9:22; Matthew 16:21 and Luke 9:44; Matthew 17:22).

 

False Teachers

from Google Images

Have you ever wondered what life would have been like had the Jews not rejected Jesus? For example, would there be a need for a Second Coming? Would Christ, today, be reigning out of Jerusalem, and would the world be at peace? This seems to be the position taken by the dispensationalists, because they expect Christ to return sometime in the future and do exactly that. In fact, according to the father of modern Dispensationalism, John Darby, the Cross was the work of Satan.

 

Spiritual Warfare

from Google Images

The Seventy returned from their mission rejoicing in the Lord, and their experiences far exceeded their expectations. They told Jesus that even the demons were subject to them through his name. Indeed, we are engaged in a great spiritual battle. It is the battle of the great day of God Almighty (Revelation.16:14). It is a battle of authority. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus (Luke 10:22; cf. Matthew 28:18), and he gives this authority to us (Luke 10:18-19; cf. Matthew 28:18-20;). Satan had fallen when Jesus first sent laborers out into the fields to bring in a harvest, and his authority continues to crumble at the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Satan fell, when he first began to lose ground[1] to God. Jesus and his servants fought and Satan and his servants (religious leaders and heads of state) fought (Revelation 12:7-9). Satan began losing the hearts of men at that time and continues to lose today.

 

War in Heaven

from Google Images

In order for the idea to be true that demons are fallen angels, there had to have been some kind of conflict between the forces of good – God and his angels – and the forces of evil – God’s enemy and his angels. Yet, when those of us who believe or believed at one time that a ‘war in heaven’ did occur look into the word of God (the Bible), we are surprised to find that no account of such a conflict exists. I know I was surprised when I began to search the pages of God’s word to prove the teaching I had been told about Satan and his demons falling from their positions of glory in heaven. Yet, since there is no such clear record of such a thing occurring in the Bible, how did we come to believe a war between God and Satan occurred?