“2 Now it will come about that in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. 3 And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; so that He may teach us about His ways, and that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go out from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 And He will judge between the nations, and will mediate for many peoples; and they will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not lift up a sword against nation, and never again will they learn war. - Isaiah 2:2-4
In today’s message we will discuss the Millennium - the 1,000-year reign of Christ. There are 3 major Christian views pertaining to it. Amillennialism is the belief that we are living in the Millennium right now, between the first and second coming of Christ, and that “1,000 years” figuratively refers to a long, unspecified period of time during which Jesus reigns from heaven. Postmillennialism proposes that the evangelistic efforts of the Church will someday succeed and most of the world will be saved. This will usher in a Golden Age of Christianity on the earth (ie, the Millennium), after which Jesus will return.
The third interpretation is called Premillennialism. I hold this view, as do many others, because I believe it to have the most Biblical support. Premillennialism has gained popularity in recent centuries due to the sweeping moral decay of humanity. Premillennialists maintain that Jesus will return prior to the Millennium, set up His kingdom, and then reign over the earth (from the earth) for 1,000 years. After the Millennium, there will be a final judgement followed by the eternal state. My understanding of Revelation is based on this theological perspective...
After the Great Tribulation comes to an end and Christ returns to the earth, there will be a brief period of preparation prior to the beginning of the Millennium. During this time Satan (and his demons) will be bound and cast into the abyss and the souls of all remaining unrighteous people will be judged and condemned to Hades. The righteous survivors of the tribulation will live on into the Millennium in their fleshly bodies alongside the Church-Age Christians, Old Testament Saints, and Tribulation Saints who will collectively reign with Christ in their glorified bodies.
I. THE MILLENNIUM (Revelation 20:7a)
Jesus will establish His kingdom and reign over the earth for 1,000 years. I think that this period of time should be interpreted literally, as it is repeated verbatim 6 times in verses 2-7. During His 1000-year reign (called the Millennium), Jesus will rule from Jerusalem where He will be seated on the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33). The nations of the earth will submit themselves to Him and to His righteous theocracy. Glorified Christians will serve as governors and nobles under His divine headship.
The Bible does not answer all of the questions we might have about the Millennium. Generally speaking, it will be a time of peace, comfort, and tranquility. The earth will be repaired and the environment refreshed following the tribulation. The believers who survived the tribulation will be fruitful and repopulate the earth (as did Noah’s family after Flood). The people of earth will be joyful, obedient, holy, and filled with the knowledge of God. There will be a lack of violence and bitterness. Those still with natural bodies will live long and happy lives.
During the Millennium many of God’s promises and covenants will be fulfilled. The Lord predicted that Israel would someday be redeemed and restored - that they would come to know their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10). He also swore to give the Promised Land to Abraham’s descendants eternally. Furthermore, He foretold of a righteous King that would rule over them forever (Luke 1:33, Isaiah 9:7). God has not forgotten any of these covenant promises, and He will keep His word by honoring these things during the Millennium.
II. THE RELEASE OF SATAN (Revelation 20:7b-10)
After the 1,000 years are complete, Satan will be released from the abyss where he’d been imprisoned. He will come out and deceive the nations of the earth, referred to here as Gog and Magog. He will gather them together for war, and they will be as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They will march to the plains of Israel and surround the camp of the saints and Jerusalem. Suddenly, fire will fall from Heaven and devour them all. The Devil will be thrown into the lake of fire, to join both the Antichrist and False Prophet who are already there.
Although the Millennium will begin with only righteous people, apparently over time the numbers of nonbelievers will gradually increase. The yet-to-be-glorified people still have bodies of flesh, which are naturally tainted with sinful and carnal desires. Though Satan himself will not be manifestly present, still thousands will stubbornly turn away from God and reject Jesus as their rightful King. When the Devil is finally released, these adversaries will join with him in a short-lived and failed rebellion against God.
Magog was the grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:2, 1 Chronicles 1:5). Historians believe that his descendants settled to the far north of Israel. Many respected eschatologists equate them with modern-day Russia. Gog is their king or prince (Ezekiel 38:2). The original battle of Gog and Magog, prophesied by Ezekiel (in chapters 38 & 39), will likely take place immediately before or sometime during the first half of the tribulation. However, this reference to Gog and Magog seems to be metaphorical, as this uprising obviously involves more than just 1 nation. Nevertheless, some commentators have dubbed the final rebellion of Satan as “The 2nd Battle of Gog and Magog”.
Just like the Battle of Armageddon, Satan’s revolt at the end of the Millennium will be a brief and one-sided affair. God will quickly and resoundingly destroy both him and his allies. This will be Satan’s final defeat. I tend to believe that all demons and fallen angels will be thrown into the lake of fire at this time, too.
III. THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT (Revelation 20:11-15)
John saw a great white throne and Someone awesome seated upon it - all of creation fled before Him. All of the dead stood before the throne, including those of the sea, Death, and Hades. Then 2 sets of books were opened - the Book of Life and the books of human deeds. All of the dead, both great and small, were judged according to their deeds. The realms of Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire as well as everyone whose name was not written in the Book of Life.
Though His name is not definitively stated, most experts agree that Jesus was seated on the throne (Matthew 25:31). This was likely His millennial throne, upon which he had ruled for the past 1,000 years. All who were spiritually “dead” - that is, the wicked and lost - were resurrected (John 5:29) and brought before Him to be judged. This includes every person who was ever confined in Hades, dating all the way back to the death of the first unrepentant sinner (after the fall of Adam and Eve). Because none of their names were written in the Book of Life, Jesus proceeded to judge the unrighteous based solely upon their deeds. Scripture teaches that human deeds are woefully insufficient for the attaining of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). As such, all of them were condemned and cast into the lake of fire.
Following The Great White Throne Judgment, the current realm of Hades will no longer exist. It along with everyone who has ever been held there will be thrown into the lake of fire, or Gehena, which is the final and eternal Hell. The Antichrist, False Prophet, Satan, and all of the demons will be imprisoned there also. Tartarus or the abyss will be no more. All of God’s enemies will be removed, destined to suffer in fiery hell for all of eternity.
CONCLUSION
When the Millennium ends, the righteous who still have bodies of flesh will be glorified in an instant, similar to Christians living at the time of the rapture (1 Corinthians 15:52). Believers who die during the Millennium (if possible) will also be resurrected and glorified. Though these issues are not specifically discussed, they would seem to be necessary. Thus, following the Millennium every person - without exception - will have been physically resurrected and fitted for eternity. In addition, everyone will have been judged to either life or death.
Someone asked me recently, “Why would God release Satan at the end of the Millennium?” It’s a good question. My response would be, “Why does God allow Satan to terrorize people today? Why not bind and banish him now?” There are some things that we simply do not understand about the mind of God, yet we must trust in His reasoning. God is in control, and we can always rest in His sovereignty and strength. This is something we should all be thankful for!
In today’s message we will discuss the Millennium - the 1,000-year reign of Christ. There are 3 major Christian views pertaining to it. Amillennialism is the belief that we are living in the Millennium right now, between the first and second coming of Christ, and that “1,000 years” figuratively refers to a long, unspecified period of time during which Jesus reigns from heaven. Postmillennialism proposes that the evangelistic efforts of the Church will someday succeed and most of the world will be saved. This will usher in a Golden Age of Christianity on the earth (ie, the Millennium), after which Jesus will return.
The third interpretation is called Premillennialism. I hold this view, as do many others, because I believe it to have the most Biblical support. Premillennialism has gained popularity in recent centuries due to the sweeping moral decay of humanity. Premillennialists maintain that Jesus will return prior to the Millennium, set up His kingdom, and then reign over the earth (from the earth) for 1,000 years. After the Millennium, there will be a final judgement followed by the eternal state. My understanding of Revelation is based on this theological perspective...
After the Great Tribulation comes to an end and Christ returns to the earth, there will be a brief period of preparation prior to the beginning of the Millennium. During this time Satan (and his demons) will be bound and cast into the abyss and the souls of all remaining unrighteous people will be judged and condemned to Hades. The righteous survivors of the tribulation will live on into the Millennium in their fleshly bodies alongside the Church-Age Christians, Old Testament Saints, and Tribulation Saints who will collectively reign with Christ in their glorified bodies.
I. THE MILLENNIUM (Revelation 20:7a)
Jesus will establish His kingdom and reign over the earth for 1,000 years. I think that this period of time should be interpreted literally, as it is repeated verbatim 6 times in verses 2-7. During His 1000-year reign (called the Millennium), Jesus will rule from Jerusalem where He will be seated on the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33). The nations of the earth will submit themselves to Him and to His righteous theocracy. Glorified Christians will serve as governors and nobles under His divine headship.
The Bible does not answer all of the questions we might have about the Millennium. Generally speaking, it will be a time of peace, comfort, and tranquility. The earth will be repaired and the environment refreshed following the tribulation. The believers who survived the tribulation will be fruitful and repopulate the earth (as did Noah’s family after Flood). The people of earth will be joyful, obedient, holy, and filled with the knowledge of God. There will be a lack of violence and bitterness. Those still with natural bodies will live long and happy lives.
During the Millennium many of God’s promises and covenants will be fulfilled. The Lord predicted that Israel would someday be redeemed and restored - that they would come to know their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10). He also swore to give the Promised Land to Abraham’s descendants eternally. Furthermore, He foretold of a righteous King that would rule over them forever (Luke 1:33, Isaiah 9:7). God has not forgotten any of these covenant promises, and He will keep His word by honoring these things during the Millennium.
II. THE RELEASE OF SATAN (Revelation 20:7b-10)
After the 1,000 years are complete, Satan will be released from the abyss where he’d been imprisoned. He will come out and deceive the nations of the earth, referred to here as Gog and Magog. He will gather them together for war, and they will be as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They will march to the plains of Israel and surround the camp of the saints and Jerusalem. Suddenly, fire will fall from Heaven and devour them all. The Devil will be thrown into the lake of fire, to join both the Antichrist and False Prophet who are already there.
Although the Millennium will begin with only righteous people, apparently over time the numbers of nonbelievers will gradually increase. The yet-to-be-glorified people still have bodies of flesh, which are naturally tainted with sinful and carnal desires. Though Satan himself will not be manifestly present, still thousands will stubbornly turn away from God and reject Jesus as their rightful King. When the Devil is finally released, these adversaries will join with him in a short-lived and failed rebellion against God.
Magog was the grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:2, 1 Chronicles 1:5). Historians believe that his descendants settled to the far north of Israel. Many respected eschatologists equate them with modern-day Russia. Gog is their king or prince (Ezekiel 38:2). The original battle of Gog and Magog, prophesied by Ezekiel (in chapters 38 & 39), will likely take place immediately before or sometime during the first half of the tribulation. However, this reference to Gog and Magog seems to be metaphorical, as this uprising obviously involves more than just 1 nation. Nevertheless, some commentators have dubbed the final rebellion of Satan as “The 2nd Battle of Gog and Magog”.
Just like the Battle of Armageddon, Satan’s revolt at the end of the Millennium will be a brief and one-sided affair. God will quickly and resoundingly destroy both him and his allies. This will be Satan’s final defeat. I tend to believe that all demons and fallen angels will be thrown into the lake of fire at this time, too.
III. THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT (Revelation 20:11-15)
John saw a great white throne and Someone awesome seated upon it - all of creation fled before Him. All of the dead stood before the throne, including those of the sea, Death, and Hades. Then 2 sets of books were opened - the Book of Life and the books of human deeds. All of the dead, both great and small, were judged according to their deeds. The realms of Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire as well as everyone whose name was not written in the Book of Life.
Though His name is not definitively stated, most experts agree that Jesus was seated on the throne (Matthew 25:31). This was likely His millennial throne, upon which he had ruled for the past 1,000 years. All who were spiritually “dead” - that is, the wicked and lost - were resurrected (John 5:29) and brought before Him to be judged. This includes every person who was ever confined in Hades, dating all the way back to the death of the first unrepentant sinner (after the fall of Adam and Eve). Because none of their names were written in the Book of Life, Jesus proceeded to judge the unrighteous based solely upon their deeds. Scripture teaches that human deeds are woefully insufficient for the attaining of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). As such, all of them were condemned and cast into the lake of fire.
Following The Great White Throne Judgment, the current realm of Hades will no longer exist. It along with everyone who has ever been held there will be thrown into the lake of fire, or Gehena, which is the final and eternal Hell. The Antichrist, False Prophet, Satan, and all of the demons will be imprisoned there also. Tartarus or the abyss will be no more. All of God’s enemies will be removed, destined to suffer in fiery hell for all of eternity.
CONCLUSION
When the Millennium ends, the righteous who still have bodies of flesh will be glorified in an instant, similar to Christians living at the time of the rapture (1 Corinthians 15:52). Believers who die during the Millennium (if possible) will also be resurrected and glorified. Though these issues are not specifically discussed, they would seem to be necessary. Thus, following the Millennium every person - without exception - will have been physically resurrected and fitted for eternity. In addition, everyone will have been judged to either life or death.
Someone asked me recently, “Why would God release Satan at the end of the Millennium?” It’s a good question. My response would be, “Why does God allow Satan to terrorize people today? Why not bind and banish him now?” There are some things that we simply do not understand about the mind of God, yet we must trust in His reasoning. God is in control, and we can always rest in His sovereignty and strength. This is something we should all be thankful for!