Jesus was to reign a thousand years vol 2

JESUS WAS TO REIGN A THOUSAND YEARS VOL 2
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
NOTE: This second volume deals with other views of the thousand year reign.
Revelation20:6 Blessedand holy is he who has part in
the first resurrectionThey are blessedbecause “they
shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign
with Him a thousandyears”
The Postmillennial View
By Jay Rogers
Published April 2008
When thinking about eschatologytoday, few Christians are even aware ofthe
postmillennial view. When I have traveled to Russia, Ukraine, Latin America
and other nations on short term missions trips, I am usually askedthis
question by new converts: “Are you pre-trib, mid-trib or post-trib?” as if
these were the only three forms of eschatology. I often have to explain that I
am not a dispensationalist. It is difficult to show some Christians that there is
another way of looking at the end-times and the millennium altogether.
Postmillennialism (literally, “afterthe thousand years”)is the belief that
Christ will physically return to the earth only after a non-literal millennium is
completed. Postmillennialism is optimistic about the end times. Christ’s reign
over the earth from heavenincreases during the millennium, which is thought
to be not a literal one thousand year period, but “a very long time.”
Postmillennialism places the Church in a role of transforming whole social

structures before the SecondComing and endeavoring to bring about a
“GoldenAge” of peace and prosperity with greatadvances in education, the
arts, sciences andmedicine.
All Christians must believe in the literal, physical return of Jesus Christ.
Christians may differ in their opinions as to the nature of the millennium and
the exactsequence ofend times events without departing from biblical
orthodoxy.
However, I believe that major problems have been causedby the most
popular system: dispensationalpremillennialism. Ironically, I did not know
anything of the postmillennial view until I became aware ofthe limitations of
the dispensationalparadigm. In searching for a view to replace
dispensationalism, I found postmillennialism to be most convincing.
Dispensationalismis the idea that God has workedin different ways
throughout history through different economies ordispensations. A
dispensationalistmakes a major division betweenthe Covenants, Godacting
with wrath and vengeance in the Old Testament, and with love and grace in
the New Testament. Dispensationalismteachespre-tribulational rapture,
divides the end times into severaldispensations and teaches a conspiratorial
view of history. Dispensationalismis the system devised by two men who
wrote in the 1800s.
John NelsonDarby, an Irish priest (Anglican), organized a group calledthe
Plymouth Brethren. Darby taught that the SecondComing of Christ was
imminent. He rejectedthe creeds of the early church and believed that social
reform is useless.Darby’s followers concentratedonsaving men and women
out of the world.
C.I. Scofield, a Texas pastor, popularized the teachings ofJ.N. Darby in a
systematic theologyknownas dispensationalpremillennialism. C.I. Scofield
first compiled his reference Bible as a teaching aid for missionaries. It soon
became one of the most widely used tools for Bible study among entire
denominations such as Southern Baptists and Disciples of Christ.

Despite the fact that many of the dispensationalists stressedpersonalholiness,
the paradigm shift toward dispensationaltheologyhas paved the way for a
greaterevil, antinomianism, which means literally “anti-law.”
Antinomianism is an anti-law position which states correctlythat man is saved
by faith alone; but states incorrectlythat since faith frees the Christian from
the law, he no longerbound to obey the law. Antinomianism creates a system
in which the laws of the Bible cannot apply to governing an individual or
society. Dispensationalismpromoted antinomian thinking by de-emphasizing
the relationship of the Old Covenant law to the individual. In turn this led to a
waned influence of Christians in society.
In my study of church history, I found that the greatrevivalists and reformers
of past centuries were not dispensationalists. WhenI read Athanasius,
Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Edwards, Whitefield and Wesley, I found to
my surprise that none of them ever spoke of“the rapture.” This is because
they were either postmillennialists, amillennialists or historical
premillennialists. They put “the rapture” (a synonym for the resurrection)at
the end of history. According to the prevailing view of most Christians in
history, the resurrectionwill occurat the same time as the SecondComing of
Jesus and the final judgment. Darby and Scofieldwere the first Christians in
history to place the resurrectionsevenyears prior to the SecondComing of
Jesus to the earth. In doing so, they proposed two SecondComings.
In rejecting dispensationalism, I became a sort of an “ad hoc amillennialist.” I
became interestedin questions about the nature of the millennium itself. I
soonfound that I could fully work out a postmillennial view, one that stresses
victory for the church in time and history. I found this view to be very
exciting.
In answering questions about eschatologyfrom a postmillennial view, first I
must stress that there is a difference betweenmillennial viewpoints and
hermeneutics. The manner in which one interprets the Bible (hermeneutics)
will have something to do with one’s millennial viewpoint. However, one can
often arrive at very different conclusions aboutthe millennium or the end-

times using either a futurist, preterist, historicist or idealist approachto the
Bible. The definitions of these hermeneuticalapproaches are as follows.
Futurism: This is the “end-times view.” Mostof the prophecies of the Mount
Olivet Discourse (Mat. 24)and the book of Revelationare yet to be fulfilled.
The locustplagues of Revelation9 might be interpreted to be Cobra
helicopters, and the northern invader of Israeldescribed in Ezekiel38 might
be the SovietUnion’s army.
Preterism: This is the “before-times view.” Mostof the prophecies of the
Mount Olivet Discourse (Mat. 24)and the book of Revelationwere literally
fulfilled by 70 A.D. The book of Revelationand the Olivet Discourse (Mat. 24)
are thought to deal with the coming persecutionof the church by CaesarNero
and the destruction of the JewishTemple at Jerusalemin 70 A.D.
Historicism: This view states that the prophecies of the book of Revelation
was fulfilled sometime in history, but not in the first century or in the future.
The black plague of the Middle Ages might be interpreted to be one of the
plagues brought by the four horsemenof Revelation6. The pope at the time of
Martin Luther is often thought to be the BeastofRevelation13.
Idealism: This is also called the spiritualist approach. This view states that the
prophecies of Revelationare not to be takenliterally, but have a general
symbolic application in all history. The heavenly battle of Revelation12 is
thought to describe the ongoing battle betweengoodand evil in the spiritual
realm.
My view differs from premillennialism and amillennialism in approachas well
as in application. I will be describing a postmillennial view that is partially
preterist. However, not all postmillenialists of history were preterists. Most
have been historicalpostmillennialists.
Mostpostmillennialists are either preterists or historicists.
Mostamillennialists are either idealists or historicists.

Mostclassicalpremillennialists are either historicistor futurist in their
approachto Revelation.
All dispensationalpremillennialists put virtually every biblical prophecy
about judgment in a “sevenyear tribulation” thought to be coming in the near
future.
MostChristians today know less about their eschatologyfrom a carefulstudy
of the Bible than they do from books such as The Late GreatPlanet Earth, the
Left Behind series, andthe wild conjecture of films such as The Omen, The
Seventh Sign, and even an Arnold Schwarzeneggermovie, The End of Days.
We have almostforgotten the postmillennial view of Bible prophecy which has
had many adherents in church history. However, this historic view is being
repopularized today by many well-knownconservative Bible scholars, suchas,
Loraine Boettner, J. Marcellus Kik, R.J. Rushdoony, Ian Murray, Greg
Bahnsen, Kenneth L. Gentry, R.C. Sproul, Dr. George Grant, to name just a
few.
The GreatTribulation and the Antichrist
In my view, the answers to these questions are determined more by
hermeneutical approachthan by a particular millennial view. In fact, the
terms “sevenyear tribulation” and the “antichrist” do not appear anywhere
in the book of Revelationor in any passages aboutthe “end-times.” In my
view, the “sevenyear tribulation” and the “antichrist” are simply not end-
times events!
What did Jesus meanby greattribulation?
“Greattribulation” is mentioned by Jesus in Mat. 24, “Forthen shall be great
tribulation”(v. 21). Jesus is here referring to the tribulation that is about to
come on the land of Judea just before the destructionof the Temple in 70 A.D.
The tribulation is defined as something soonto come, “this generationshall
not pass away” (v. 34). Also, history will continue for some time after the great
tribulation: “Forthen there will be greattribulation, such as has not been
since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor shall everbe” (v. 21).
He also tells us that the tribulation will be cut short for the sake ofthe elect(v.

22). So according to Jesus, history is going to continue for some time after this
tribulation. The textual context points to a time one generationafter Jesus, to
the destructionof the nation of Judea and the Temple at Jerusalemin 70 A.D.
Some today may doubt that the Roman siege ofJerusalemfrom Spring AD 67
to the fall of the Temple in September 70 was the greatesttribulation in
history, but if you were a Jew living in Jerusalemin those days, you would
have believed it was. Josephus’History of the Wars of the Jews sheds some
interesting light on this fact. In any case, we have to interpret the text
faithfully as objective truth. Thus, we see that this “greattribulation” does not
come at the end of the kingdom age, but shortly after the beginning (64-70
AD).
According to John, “Who is the antichrist?”
In the epistle of 1 John, the word “antichrist” is only used as a descriptionof
people who don’t believe in the teachings of Jesus. He is not describedas one
satanic entity as the BeastofRevelationbut as a person, any person, who
deviates from the Christian orthodoxy. But through years of myth-making,
futurists converted “many antichrists” into a single Antichrist, an apocalyptic
villain.
“Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist,
that denies the Fatherand the Son” (1 John 2:22).
There are now many antichrists. Anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ is
an antichrist.
Who then is the BeastofRevelation?
The Beastis believed by many Christians to be the same figure as the “Manof
Sin” in 2 Thessalonians2:3 and the “antichrist” mentioned in 1 John.
However, this is a strained, unbiblical leap of logic. Many Christians who are
supposedto be looking for Christ’s glorious appearing and busy with fulfilling
the GreatCommissionare insteadlooking for an antichrist.

According to the Apostle John in Revelation13:18, the Beastis a reprobate
villain of the most ultimate depravity. The Beastis the very incarnation of evil
and the persecutorof God’s people.
Numerous candidates for the BeastofRevelationhave been advanced
throughout the years by noted Bible experts. These have included Caesar
Nero, the Roman Emperor Justinian, Pope Leo, Napolean, Lenin, Stalin,
Adolf Hitler, Mussolini, Henry Kissinger, Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald
Reagan, andeven now Bill Gates!The theories and predictions about the
Beastgo on and on.
The popularity of this theorizing on the identity of the Beastis seenin the
many books on the marketwhich have sold tens of millions of copies. The
BeastofRevelationis the main characterin many films which paint him as a
diabolicalworld dictator who will bring about a New World Order, who will
unite all world religions in order to worship him. According to some Bible
prophecy experts, the Beastwill control the destiny of every individual on the
planet through hand-implanted computer chips with personal identification
numbers. And finally, it is believed that the Beastwill sealhis own destruction
by bringing the late greatplanet earth to the brink of Armageddon through a
nuclear holocaust.
According to Newsweek magazine, 19 percentof all Americans and nearly
half of all evangelicalChristians in America “believe that the Antichrist is on
the earth now.”
Why do so many believe this? According to 1 John 2:18, antichrist must come
in the “lasttime.” So it is no wonder that some of the most noted Bible experts
in our day are trying to identify him. However, the Bible does not say there
will be one special“antichrist.” Johnsaid, “Little children, it is the last time:
and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are many
antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1 John 2:18).
Note that John, writing in the first century, says that now is the last time.
When Christians speak of the “lasttimes” or “end times,” most often they are
referring to any passagein the Bible which refers to the “lastdays.” But not

all references to the “lastdays” speak of the end of history. There are at least
two other senses ofthe term used in the New Testament.
1. Sometimes the “lastdays” refers to the time after the appearance ofChrist
in public ministry (c. 30 A.D.) and before the destruction of Jerusalem(70
A.D.) i.e., the last days of Israelas a nation-state.
2. The “lastdays” may also refer to the entire time after Christ’s ministry and
before the end of history. We were in the “lastdays” during the day of
Pentecost(Acts 2:11) and we are still in the “lastdays” now.
In my view, John was writing about first century events. The Beastof
Revelationand his number, six hundred sixty-six, is a cryptogram for Caesar
Nero, while the antichrist is another figure, any man who denies Jesus is the
Christ. But most Christians have never heard of this view. The problem is that
many Christians, having not seriouslystudied the Bible, don’t know the
difference betweensensationalismand sound doctrine, betweenfiction and
biblical theology. Many sincere Christians acceptsome wild theories about
end-times prophecy as though this loose style of Bible interpretation has the
same authority as the infallible Word of God itself.
The SecondComing, Final Judgment
The secondcoming and final judgment occur after the millennium is
completed. My view is identical with almost all postmillennial and amillennial
views. The order of end-times events would occurlike this:
1. The millennium (thought to be non-literal “one thousand years” or a very
long period of time) is first completed.
2. Jesus Christthen returns physically to the earth.
3. Immediately after this is the resurrection of the righteous and the
unrighteous.
4. Immediately after this comes the final judgment.

I should interject here that there is always a first judgment that occurs at our
death. But the final resurrectionand judgment will occur at the end of
history.
The order of events is exactly the same in postmillennialism as in
amillennialism. Postmillennialists differ only with amillennialists in viewing
the progress ofthe kingdom of God during the millennium with much more
optimism.
There is a difference betweenthis view and the view of the historical
premillennialist. The premillennialist is inclined to think that the millennium
is complete before the resurrection of the dead and the final judgment. The
only difference is that Christ returns before the millennium. (Hence the term:
premillennialism.) I don’t agree with this order of events, but it is not a
departure from orthodoxy.
The major disagreementof the postmillennialist is with dispensational
premillennialism and its elaborate conspiracytheories, time tables, charts and
graphic scenarios ofprevailing evil in the end-times. Dispensationalists seem
to ascribe biblical significance to almost every new development in current
world events. Critics also point out that bizarre eschatologicaltheories are the
hallmarks of many cults.
Aside from concerns about faulty interpretation, I also worry that some
Christians may be getting so wrapped up in deciphering prophecy and
awaiting divine deliverance that they ignore the Great Commission.
The Nature of the Millennium
The millennium is occurring right now! To understand what I mean by this,
you must first see that the main point of debate centers around the question of
goodversus evil. Will Christ or the devil prevail in history in the time prior to
the Lord’s return? The eschatologicalview of many Christians today puts
much more emphasis on a coming antichrist, than on the victory of Jesus
Christ. But postmillennialists believe that Satanand the BeastofRevelation
have already been defeatedand that greatvictory lies ahead.

Postmillennialists in history were once knownas “progressive millennialists.”
These were Christians who rejectedthe “millenarian” view (the archaic term
for premillennialism) that the kingdom would only come on earth when Christ
came physically to setup His throne on earth as it is in heaven. They opted
instead for a view that the kingdom is advancing progressivelyin history.
Postmillennialists believe that the kingdom of God came on earth during the
time of Jesus’ministry on earth. “But if I castout devils by the Spirit of God,
then the kingdom of God is come unto you” (Mat. 12:28). The kingdom of
God is already here, but it has not yet grown to its fullness. In history, the
kingdom has been advancing little by little. The kingdom is likened to a grain
of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowedin his field until it grew into a
greattree (Mat. 13:31). It is also likened to leaven, which a woman took, and
hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened(Mat 13:33). The
kingdom of God is always progressing andgrowing until it spreads into the
whole world. The role of the Church during history is to bring all things into
captivity to Christ.
If we are going to work for the kingdom with an eye toward winning, we must
have a postmillennial faith. If we are to bring everything into captivity to
Christ, we must have a theologythat tells us it is impossible to lose. Ideas have
consequences. We must believe that we are the people of victory and Christ is
going to triumph in history. Only when all things are put under His feetwill
the lastenemy, death, be destroyed.
“Forhe must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy
that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:25,26).
This is a remarkable idea. According to this passage,Christis reigning now
from heaven. He will do so until all enemies of the Gospelare put under His
feet. The postmillennial view is that Christians are used of God to put His
enemies into submission. Through the conversionof the nations of the world,
God’s enemies will be destroyed. The last enemy, death, is destroyed only at
the SecondComing. Until that time, we can look forward to greatvictories.
We are told that “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
Lord and of His Christ” (Rev. 11:15).

The idea that the Lord has entrusted the stewardshipof the world to His
people is found in the parable of the talents in Luke 19. Here the Lord says to
His servants, “Occupytill I come” (Luke 19:13). The Lord is gone for a long
time, while His most faithful servants work to increase the wealth of their
Master’s kingdom. When the Masterreturns, He rewards those who have
done the bestjob with the wealthentrusted to them in advancing the kingdom
in their Lord’s absence. Thosewho work for the advance of the kingdom
receive rulership over entire cities. But the enemies of God who would not
allow Christ to reign over them are slain (Luke 19:27).
So ideas do have consequences.If we believe that Satan is already bound
according to Revelation20:2 and Christ is seatedon the throne of heaven,
then we ought to work for the increase ofthe kingdom of God in history. If we
do not work for the kingdom, we will see no increase, and God will judge us
accordingly.
The nature of the millennium is a time of great victory for God’s people. As
we draw closerto the SecondComing, we will see the nations not only
evangelized, but taught to obey all the things Godhas commanded us,
according to Matthew 28:18-20.
Interpretation of Revelation20:1-6
When we look at Revelation20, we see the phrase “thousand years”
mentioned by John six times. This is the only place in the Bible where the
“millennium” is mentioned. There are, of course, otherpassagesin the Bible
which speak of a prolonged era of prosperity and peace. But there is only this
passagewhichspeaks ofthe “thousandyears.” Therefore, most
postmillennialists are not dogmatic about the literal length of time of the
“thousand years.” It could be interpreted to mean a long time.
We may view the number “thousand” as a symbolic number. This is
consistentwith other passagesin the Bible, such as when God says that He
owns “the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalms 50:10). Surely what is meant
here is much more than exactly one thousand hills but all the cattle in the
world.

Postmillennialists teachthat Jesus will return after the millennium is
completed in order to judge the world. Premillennialists teachthat Jesus is to
return prior to a literal one thousand year reign of Christ on earth. Does
Revelation20 state that Jesus is to return prior to the thousand years? No,
neither explicitly nor implicitly does Revelation20 state that Christ has
returned to the earth prior to the millennium. Premillennialists believe that
Revelationdoes imply this because Jesusis on the throne and Satan is bound.
However, we know that Jesus satdown at the right hand of the Father shortly
after His resurrectionand ascension(Heb. 8:1; Rev. 4:2). Christ is already
seatedon a throne and is even now the ruler over the kings of the earth (Rev.
1:5).
Is Satan bound now? Yes, Satanwas bound in the first century during the
first coming of Jesus. Scripture teaches this.
Jesus said:“But if I castout demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of
God has come upon you. Or how cananyone enter the strong man’s house
and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he
will plunder his house” (Mat. 12:28-29).
The New Testamentspeaksofthe binding of Satanin various places. Satan
falls from heaven (Luke 10:18); he is castout of heaven (John 12:31); he was
crushed under our feet (Romans 16:20); he was disarmed (Col. 2:15); he was
rendered powerless (Hebrews 2:14); his works were destroyed(1 John 3:8).
Note that John doesn’t saythat Satan is bound in every respect. Christ binds
Satanfor a well-defined purpose: “to keephim from deceiving the nations
anymore” (Rev. 20:3b). In the Old Testamentonly Israelknew the true God.
But Christ’s coming changes this as the Gospelis preachedto all nations (Isa.
2:2,3; 11:10;Mat. 28:19;Luke 2:32; 24:47;Acts 1:8; 13:47).
So if Jesus is on the throne of heavenand if Satanis bound from deceiving the
nations, then we are now in the millennium. I interpret the millennium to be
the period of time in which the Gospelis being preachedand the nations of the
world are being converted. We are in the midst of the “millennium” now and
have been for about 2000 years.

Interpretation of Old TestamentProphecyRegarding the Kingdom
The Old Testamentis rife with prophecies concerning the nations being under
the Christ the Messiah. This is an important aspectof our faith. A whole book
would be necessaryto quote entirely the texts of the Old Testamentthat
predict the triumph to come in Christ, how all the nations shall be His. Isaiah
and Ezekielespecially, andmost of the minor prophets, have foretellings of
the kingdom age when the nations of the world will turn to Christ and obey
God’s law.
The Bible is divided by two covenants, but it is really one Covenant, the
original is renewedagainunder Christ’s reign. In the New Testament, the
promises made to Abraham are given to the Church. Paul refers to the
Church as the “Israelof God” (Gal. 6:6). All of Israel’s promises apply to the
Church today. “Thatthe blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles
through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith” (Gal. 3:14).
Dispensationalistsspiritualize this passage saying that the covenant with the
church is for salvation only, but the covenant with Israelis for the land and
material blessings. According to the futurist view, the material blessings for
Israelwill occuronly during a future millennial reign after Jesus returns to
the earth.
Postmillennialists agree that the promise of the Spirit is a greaterdimension
than material blessings, however, the church is to go into all the world and
preach the Gospel. This means that we have a duty. Christians must occupy
the whole world. The GreatCommissionis to make disciples of all nations
with Christ as the ordained King of all creation. As we do this, greatmaterial
prosperity and peace will be securedby the people of God that all nations will
enjoy.
Amillennialists and premillennialists know that eventually Christ will win, but
for now Christians are on the losing side. But I believe that the impulse for
victory is a God-giveninstinct. Victory has a strong appeal to the people of
God. The promise of God tells us we can’t be losers. Idon’t believe God

programmed us for defeat. We have a magnificent calling because we are a
people calledto victory not to defeat.
Of course, premillennialists also believe that the millennium will be a time of
greatvictory, prosperity and peace in the world. But postmillennialists believe
that these trends will increase gradually and will become the normal state of
affairs for a very long period of time before Christ’s SecondComing. In
studying the prophecies of the Old Testament, I became more and more
convinced of the postmillennial view. Just a few examples will explain my
conviction.
“There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath
not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner
being an hundred years old shall be accursed” (Isa. 65:20).
What is remarkable about this passage to me was not the prediction that there
would be no infant mortality in the millennium, but that people would live to
be an old age. That implies that the resurrectedsaints of God, who return to
earth with Christ (according to the dispensationalistview) will live side by
side with mortal men who will be born, live to a very old age and die during
the millennial reign. I beganto suspectthat this passageand others like it
refer not to a future millennial reign after Christ’s return, but to history
before the SecondComing. It is not unlikely that in the next few generations,
infant mortality will be all but wiped out and that most people will live past
their one-hundredth year. There will be a literal fulfillment of this prophecy
in history.
There will not be universal redemption of all men during the millennium, but
in some nations the vast majority of people will at leastoutwardly profess to
serve the one true God. Isaiahsays that even in Egypt, being a type of the
unregenerate world, five cities out of six will call upon the name of the Lord,
an image of greatvictory. “In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt
speak the language ofCanaan, and swearunto the LORD of hosts;one shall
be called, The city of destruction” (Isaiah 19:18).

There will be a time when the holiest of all men will be advanced to greatest
positions in civil politics. “And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their
queens thy nursing mothers” (Isa. 49:23).
The richestmen in the world, those who have greatinfluence, shall devote all
to Christ and His church. “The daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift,
even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour” (Psa. 45:12).
Wars will one day cease according to the Bible. There will be universal peace,
love and understanding among the nations of the world, instead of confusion,
wars, and bloodshed. “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke
many people: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their
spears into pruning hooks:nation shall not lift up swordagainstnation,
neither shall they learn war any more” (Isa. 2:4).
There will be universal disarmament as weapons ofwarfare will be destroyed.
“He maketh wars to ceaseunto the end of the earth: he breakeththe bow, and
cutteth the spearin sunder: he burneth the chariotin the fire” (Psa. 46:9). All
nations will live togetherin peace. “And my people shall dwell in a peaceable
habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places” (Isa. 32:18).
Strong families will be restoredand there will be greatlove betweenchildren
and their parents. “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children,
and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Mal. 4:6).
There will be a time of greateconomic prosperity in the Christian nations of
the world. “Forthe seedshall be prosperous, the vine shall give her fruit, and
the ground shall give her increase, andthe heavens shall give their dew, and I
will cause the remnant of this people to possessall these things” (Zec. 8:12).
“And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the
nations of the earth, which shall hear all the goodthat I do unto them: and
they shall fear and tremble for all the goodnessand for all the prosperity that
I procure unto it” (Jer. 33:90).
There will be a time of greatlight and knowledge.“And it shall come to pass
in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark. But it shall be one day,

which shall be knownto the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to
pass, that at evening time it shall be light” (Zec. 14:6,7).
It will be as though God will give so much light to His church, that the sun
and moon will be ashamed. “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun
ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem,
and before his ancients, gloriously” (Isa. 24:23).
One of the greatestpostmillennialtheologians of history was Jonathan
Edwards. In his book, History of Redemption, Edwards theorized that the
advance of the Gospelwould somedayspread to Africa and Asia. Edwards
wrote:
There is a kind of veil now castover the greaterpart of the world, which
keeps them in darkness. Butthen this veil shall be destroyed, “And he will
destroy in this mountain the face of the covering castoverall people, and the
veil that is spreadover all nations” (Isa. 25:7). And then all countries and
nations, even those which are now most ignorant, shall be full of light and
knowledge. Greatknowledgeshallprevail everywhere. It may be hoped, that
then many of the Negroesand Indians will be divines, and that excellentbooks
will be published in Africa, in Ethiopia, in Tartary, and other now the most
barbarous countries. And not only learned men, but others of more ordinary
education, shall then be very knowing in religion, “The eyes of them that see,
shall not be dim; and the ears of them that hear, shall hearken. The heart also
of the rash shall understand knowledge”(Isa. 32:3,4).
In the first half of the 1700s, whenEdwards was writing, the Christian
population of Africa and Asia was less than one percent. That Africa would be
convertedto the Gospelwas unbelievably optimistic. Today, I am encouraged
to know personally of successfulChristian missions among Africans, Indians
and Tatars just as Edwards predicted. Many from among these nations are
converted. They are entering the ministry, writing books and dedicating their
lives to the conversionof the lost. I am also encouragedto imagine what is to
come in the future.
At the beginning of the 20th century, 80 percent of the world’s Christians
were in North America, South America and Europe. Now the Christian

population of these countries is only 40 percent of all Christians because more
and more of the new Christians are in Africa and Asia. In the 1990s, the
Republic of Zambia identified itself as a Christian nation. Here are Africans
running a country trying to reordereverything according to the Word of God.
There is still a greatwork of reformation to be accomplished, but when the
president and vice president of a nation in Africa have affirmed that they
believe that God’s Law should rule, that is major news!
It has been a slow start, but things are happening dramatically all over the
world today. Great things have been happening since Christ came, but in the
20th century the pace stepped up dramatically. Now we are seeing more
people savedin eachyear than were savedin all the time period of the New
Testament. This influence of the Gospelis reaching all parts of society. In
short, The Old Testamentpredicts a time of greatvictory for the Church
before the SecondComing of Christ.
Revelation20 - Literal or Symbolic - Interpretation?
Question
Is Revelation20 suppose to be interpreted literally or symbolically? What
about the 1000 years?
Answer
There are many views of the millennium, or thousand-year period (Rev. 20:1-
6). The three most prominent are Pre-Millennialism (Pre-Mill); Post-
Millennialism (Post-Mill); and Amillennialism (A-Mill). In general, Pre-
Millennialism believes the millennium begins after the SecondComing of
Christ. In Post-Mill (meaning, "afterthe millennium"), the assertionmade is
that the millennium occurs toward the end of the church age. In the A-Mill,
view we assertthat the millennium was:(1) inaugurated in Christ's life, death,

resurrectionand ascension;(2) continues through the church age;and (3)
then is consummated at the SecondComing of Jesus Christ.
Those in the Pre-Mill camp normally look at Revelationand take it literally.
However, can a chain literally hold the Devil? (Rev. 20:1). What kind of lock
or sealis John referring too? Of course, we should also ask what is a Dragon
as well? Is this to be literally interpreted too? Apparently not, as the Apostle
John also refers to him as "that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan"
(Rev. 20:2). In other words, John sees the Dragonas the serpent in the Garden
(Gen. 3:1), who is the equivalent of the Devil or Satan. So, John himself says
he is using the word symbolically. Since this is the case, thenshouldn't 1,000
years be interpreted symbolically too?
The book of Revelationcontains multiple visions. Since this is the case, the
Apocalypse uses a lot of symbolism. For instance:
In Revelation1:14-15 speaking aboutChrist, it mentions his hair is like white
wool, like snow; eyes like a flame of fire and; feetlike burnished bronze, etc.?
Are we to take this literally?
In Revelation2:1, it mentions sevenstars and sevengolden lampstands. What
do these mean? How does one hold a star, much less seven, in his hand?
In Revelation3:1, who are the seven spirits of God? What does it mean to be
hot, cold, or lukewarm (Rev. 3:15)?
In Revelation4:1, it mentions "a door" in Heaven? Is this a literal door? Does
everyone need to turn a door knob to come and go from Heaven? The one who
sits on the throne has the appearance of jasperand carnelian(Rev. 4:3)? Is
God just a combination of jewels?
In Revelation5:5, it mentions elders, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and the
Rootof David, which need to be interpreted.

In Revelation6:1, who are four living creatures who talk? What or who do the
four horses refertoo (Rev. 6:2, 4, 5, 8)? Are there going to be literal horses
racing across the heavens?
In Revelation7:1, it mentions the four winds of the earth? Who are the
144,000 (Rev. 7:4-8)? Who is the Lamb (Rev. 7:9)?
In Revelation8:6, what do the seven trumpets mean? What is the star named
Wormwood(Rev. 8:11)?
In Revelation9:1, what is the bottomless pit? How canliteral locusts sting like
a scorpion(Rev. 9:3)? What is the sealof God (Rev. 9:4).?
In Revelation10:1, what does it mean to be wrapped in a cloud, with a
rainbow over one's head, and a face like the sun, and legs like pillars of fire?
In Revelation11:4, what do the two olive trees mean? Who or what is the
Beast(Rev. 11:7)?
In Revelation12:1, are we supposedto interpret, "a womanclothed with the
sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars"
literally?
In Revelation13:1, who or what is the Beastrising out of the sea, with ten
horns and sevenheads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names
on its heads? What is a Dragon(Rev. 13:4)?
In Revelation14:14, does Christ literally sit on a cloud? Does Jesusliterally
have a sickle (Rev. 14:5)?
In Revelation15:2, what is a sea of glass mingled with fire? What is the song
of the Lamb (Rev. 15:3)? Do we write songs to glorify literal Lambs?
In Revelation16:1, are the bowls literally ceramic type bowls? What is throne
of the Beast(Rev. 16:10)? What are unclean spirits like frogs (Rev. 16:13)?
In Revelation17:1, who is the Great Prostitute? What does wilderness mean
(Rev. 17:3)? How does someone getdrunk with blood (Rev. 17:6)?

In Revelation18:3, how do nations drink the wine of the passionof Babylon's
sexualimmorality? How do kings commit immorality with a city? How can
sins be "heapedhigh as heaven" (Rev. 18:5)?
In Revelation19:11 does Heaven literally open and close? Does Christliterally
have eyes like a flame of fire (Rev. 19:12)? Does a sword literally come from
Christ's mouth (Rev. 19:15)?
In Revelation20, chain is said to hold the Devil (Rev. 20:1), 1,000 years (Rev.
20:2, 3, 4, 6, 7), and four corners of the earth (Rev. 20:8).
In Revelation21:2, how cana city be a Bride? How does a Lamb have a Bride
(Rev. 21:9)?
In Revelation22:2, what is the tree of life? How can it have twelve kinds of
fruit on it? How canone tree be on either side of the river? Is this literal fruit?
Will everyone in Heaven have marks in their foreheads (Rev. 22:4)?
While the list above is not by any means exhaustive, every chapter of the book
of Revelationcontains symbolism; this includes Revelation20. So, one
applying literal interpretation methods will necessarilymisinterpret the entire
book.
1,000 years should also be interpreted symbolically. There are many reasons
for this: (1) the figurative use of numbers in the Apocalypse (Rev. 5:11; 7:4-9;
9:16; 14:1; 21:16); (2) the figurative use of other terms (chain, abyss, dragon,
serpent, locked, sealed, etc.)in Revelation20; (3) the figurative use of 1000 in
the Old Testament(Deut. 1:1-11; 7:9; 32:30; Josh. 23:10;Job 9:3; 33:23;Pss.
50:10;68:17; 84:10;Eccl. 6:6; Song 4:4; Isa. 7:23; Isa. 30:17; and especially1
Chron. 16:15-17 = Psa. 105:8-10, where God's "covenantforever" and
"everlasting covenant" are equatedwith "the word which He commanded to
a thousand generations"). See Greg Beale in The Book ofRevelation(The
New International Greek TestamentCommentary, Eerdmans).

RelatedQuestions:
Other reasons Amillennialism is correct?
Answer by Dr. JosephR. Nally, Jr.
Dr. JosephR. Nally, Jr., D.D., M.Div. is the TheologicalEditor at Third
Millennium Ministries (Thirdmill).
A Defense of(Reformed) Amillennialism (2)
Revelation20
ProfessorDavid J. Engelsma
The name by which the distinctively Reformeddoctrine of the last things is
known is "amillennialism." This name derives from the 20th chapterof
Revelation. Six times in verses 1-7 is mentioned a period of "a thousand
years." An angelbinds Satan for "a thousand years" (vv. 1, 2). The result is
that Satancannot deceive the nations for "a thousand years" (v.3). John sees
certain souls living and reigning with Christ "a thousand years" (vv. 4, 6).
The rest of the dead lived not againuntil the "thousand years" were finished
(v. 5). When the "thousand years" expire, Satan is loosed, deceivesthe
nations, and makes war againstthe saints (vv. 7-9).
The term "millennium," of Latin origin, means "thousand years."
"Amillennialism," therefore, is the teaching about the thousand year period of
Revelation20 that denies that this period is a literal one thousand year period
of history during which Christ will establishan earthly kingdom in the world.
Positively, amillennialism holds that the thousand year period of Revelation
20 is a figurative description of the entire period from Christ's exaltationuntil

shortly before His secondcoming. During this period two important events
take place. One occurs in the abyss:Satan is bound. The other happens in
heaven: the martyrs live and reign with Christ.
Millennial Error
The matter of the millennium, mentioned only in Revelation20, has come to
require more attention in eschatology(the church's doctrine of the last things)
than Scripture would suggest. The thousandyear period is just one more
feature of the revelation of the end in the book of Revelation. The reasonwhy
the subjectreceives so much attention, and must receive so much attention, is
that serious doctrinal errors have attachedthemselves to the millennium of
Revelation20.
On the one hand, there is the grievous heresythat bewitches multitudes of
supposedevangelicals andfundamentalists so that they expecta carnal
kingdom of the Jews in Palestine, precededby a secret"rapture" of the
church. This bizarre teaching involves denial of the oneness of Old Testament
Israeland the New Testamentchurch, rejectionof the unity of the covenantof
grace,
opposition to infant baptism, and embrace of the dread doctrine and practice
of antinomism (lawlessnessoflife with appeal to "grace").
On the other hand, there is the serious error tolerated, if not promoted, by
Reformed and Presbyterian churches, that finds in Revelation20 the basis for
expecting a carnal kingdom of Christ that will be victorious according to
earthly standards. Not only does this error, known as postmillennialism (since
it postpones Christ's coming to the end of the future earthly goldenage), find
in Revelation20 the basis of a carnal kingdom, but it also finds in this chapter
a mandate to the church to getbusy to "Christianize" this world. Any church
that declines this mandate is severelycriticized, if it is not heartily damned.

The effectof this interpretation of Revelation20 is the radical, total
reconstructionof Reformed eschatology. No longerare there signs of the
return of Christ; no longerdoes the earthly future hold abounding
lawlessness;no longerare we to anticipate greatapostasy;no longerare the
saints to prepare for Antichrist; no longer are we to brace ourselves for a
greattribulation.
Especiallybecause ofthese millennial errors, Reformedand Presbyterian
people must be clearas to the meaning of Revelation20.
The Meaning of Revelation20
"A thousand years" is a figurative, or symbolical, description of the entire age
of the new covenant. The number 1,000 is a symbolical number, made up as it
is of the number 10. In the Bible, 10 is the number of completeness.The
symbolical nature of the thousand year period is in harmony with the
symbolical characterofthe book of Revelation, e.g., the depiction of Satanas
a greatred dragon ( Rev. 12). It is also in harmony with the obviously
figurative characterof the binding of the spirit, Satan, with a greatchain. In
addition, Revelation20 is a vision ("and I saw," vv. 1, 4), not historical
observation.
The binding of Satanrepresents the sovereigncontroland restraint of the
devil by the Lord Jesus that prevents him from deceiving the nations. During
the presentage, Satancannot unite the nations under Antichrist. This
restraint is related to the "withholding" and "letting," or restraining, of II
Thessalonians 2:6, 7 that assures thatthe man of sin, "that Wicked" (v.8), will
be revealedin his proper, God-appointed time (v.6).
Throughout this same age, the martyrs - those who were beheadedon account
of the witness of Jesus and on accountof the Word of God - live and reign in

heaven with Christ. The vision of the thrones in Revelation20:4-6 refers to
what theologycalls "the intermediate state," that is, the life and glory of elect
saints at death and until the secondcoming of Jesus.
This is plain.
John sees "souls"sitting on the thrones. Earlier, in Revelation6:9, the apostle
spoke of the souls of the martyrs under the altar in heaven. Those souls in
heaven were distinguished from humans dwelling on earth (v.10). The "souls"
of Revelation20:4-6 are those men and women who had been beheaded for
their faithful confessionof Christ in time of antichristian persecution
throughout the presentage.
At the instant of death, the martyred saint is takenup in his soul to be with
Christ in heaven, and there he lives and reigns with Christ.
Living with Christ in heaven in the soul at the instant of physical death is the
"first resurrection" (v. 5). The postmillennialists argue that the living and
reigning with Christ cannotrefer to the intermediate state because the life of
the soulat death is not resurrection. J. Marcellus Kik, whose commentary on
Revelation20 has been very influential among modern postmillennialists,
wrote: "The very factthat RevelationTwenty deals with a resurrection
eliminates the interpretation that the Chapter is speaking of the intermediate
state of the soul" (An EschatologyofVictory, Presbyterianand Reformed,
p.230). The "Christian Reconstructionist" DavidChilton has written:
We candispose of the Amillennial position right away, by pointing out the
obvious: this is a resurrection, a rising againfrom the dead. Dying and going
to heaven is wonderful, but, for all its benefits, it is not a resurrection. This
passagecannotbe a description of the state of disembodied saints in heaven

(Paradise Restored:A Biblical TheologyofDominion, ReconstructionPress,
p.196).
The postmillennialists are wrong.
The taking up to heaven of the soul of the believer at death is, indeed,
resurrection. There is an actof the risen Christ upon the soul at the instant of
death purifying it from all sin and transforming it from a soul adapted to
earthly life into a soul adapted to heavenly life. There must be this
resurrectionof the soul by Christ if the soul is to be with Christ in heaven.
Souls do not automatically fly awayto heavenat death. Souls of believers do
not naturally fly to heaven. The Heidelberg Catechismindicates Christ's
raising of the soul of the believer at death in Question57: "my soulafter this
life shall be ... takenup to Christ its head."
The saint goes to heaven by resurrection, and only by resurrection. There are
two stages. The first is the resurrectionof the soul. This is the resurrectionof
Revelation20:5. The secondis the resurrection of the body. This is the second
resurrection, implied by the first resurrectionof Revelation20:5.
Accordingly, the first death of the reprobate ungodly is the suffering of God's
wrath in his soul at the moment of physical death. The seconddeath will be
his suffering of God's wrath in hell in soul and body after the final judgment
(see Rev. 20:6, 14).
At the end of the thousand years, Satanwill be loosedfor a short time (vv. 3,
7). The one who "letteth," or restrains, will be taken out of the way (II Thess.
2:7). This enables Satan to establishhis world-kingdom under Antichrist. The
result is the final, all-out assaultupon the true church and her living, faithful
members (vv. 8, 9). The "belovedcity" represents the church. The "saints"
are all those whom the Spirit of Christ has sanctifiedthrough faith in Christ.

After a short time of intense persecutionof the church - the "great
tribulation" of Matthew 24:21 and the "time of trouble" of Daniel 12:1- fire
from God will devour the ungodly in the secondcoming of Christ (cf. II Thess.
1:6-10).
Then follow at once the final judgment and the eternal state, heavenand hell
(Rev. 20:1 1ff.).
The Explanation by Postmillennialism
The postmillennial explanation of the passage in the interests of the physical
victory of an earthly kingdom of Christ in history is mistaken. The
explanation by J. Marcellus Kik, adopted in the main by the "Christian
Reconstructionists,"is an example of this mistakeninterpretation.
The reign of the saints is locatedon earth, as though the apostle never spoke
of "souls," indeed, of "souls" who had been "beheaded." Beheadedsouls do
not live and reign on earth. B. B. Warfield, himself a postmillennialist,
recognizedthat "disembodiedsouls" do not rule in Christ's kingdom on
earth. Correctly, he concluded that Revelation20:4 gives us "the picture of
the 'intermediate state"'("The Millennium and the Apocalypse," in Biblical
Doctrines, Bannerof Truth, pp. 648, 649).
The postmillennialist interpretation supposes that Christ's taking of the soul
of the Christian to heaven at death is not resurrection when, in fact, only
resurrectioncan translate a sinful earthly soul to a holy, heavenly life. The
postmillennialist denies that the intermediate state involves resurrectionin the
face of the explicit testimony of Revelation20 that the living in heaven of souls
that had been beheadedis the first resurrection.

The Kikkian/"ChristianReconstructionist" postmillennialists are even wrong
in their explanation of the binding of Satan. Kik explains the binding as
restraining Satanfrom having "complete controlover the nations of the
world" (Eschatology, pp. 203-208). ButSatan does have "complete control
over the nations of the world." Of course, he is not the almighty sovereign.
The triune God is sovereign. But Satancontrols the nations of the world as to
their spiritual condition. Scripture calls him the "godof this world." History
proves that for the past 1900 odd years now, Satanhas governednations as to
their spiritual and moral life.
The binding of Satanis the restraint of him in this one respect:he cannot
establishthe kingdom of Antichrist. This is unacceptable to postmillennialism
since it has decided that Antichrist is a thing of the past, having been fulfilled
in the Roman empire from about A. D. 65 to about A. D. 313.
Kik is also in error when he explains that Satanis bound by the actionof the
church. The church has the greatchain. She could almost completely
"restrainhis influence over the nations." It is the fault of the church that the
devil has so much influence in the world. If only the church would heed the
"Christian Reconstructionists"and exert herself to getand wield dominion on
earth, Satanwould be bound (see Eschatology, p.196).
This is obviously false. The angelwho binds Satan is not the church, but the
servant of the ascendedLord Jesus Christ. Christ has bound Satan. Kik's
explanation is a denial that Satan is actually bound. Since the church has not
yet exertedherself to get dominion, Satanis not yet bound. But the text says
that he has been bound: "... and bound him a thousand years" (v.2).
Revelation20 againstthe Postmillennialists
Revelation20 is no support to postmillennialism, but rather a refutation of
that error. The saints do not gain earthly victory in the world; rather, they

suffer and are beheaded. History does not come to its end with the earthly
triumph of the church; rather, Satanis loosed, and the hordes of the ungodly
attack the church and the saints. The hope held before the people of God is
not a carnalkingdom on earth; rather, it is our living and reigning with
Christ in heavenat death.
This hope, with its accompanying hope of bodily resurrectionin the Dayof
Christ, does not render the Reformedamillennialist passive on earth. On the
contrary. Exactly because we are assuredthat the worstthat the foe can do is
usher us into heaven and onto our thrones, we are encouragedto be faithful
and diligent in our confessionofthe Word of God. This is the calling of the
church in the world.
And this is preparation for the "little season" thatis before the church, the
loosing of Satan.
Apostasyand Persecution
It is the Reformeddoctrine of the last things that the last days are a time of
departure from the faith by many and a time of persecutionof the true church
by a wickedworld. Apostasyand persecutioncharacterize the entire age from
Christ's ascensionto His secondcoming. They increase and intensify at the
very end in connectionwith the coming of the Antichrist and the
establishment of the universal kingdom of the beast.

The Reformedfaith repudiates the notion that the lastdays hold the prospect
of the conversionof the majority of the human race so that the true church of
Christ is in a position to persecute the ungodly.
The ReformedCreeds
Reformed doctrine is establishedby the Reformedcreeds. These creedsteach
the lastdays as the time of apostasyand persecution. The SecondHelvetic
Confession(1566), expressing the conviction of all the leading Reformers,
stated:
And from heaven the same Christ will return in judgment, when wickedness
will then be at its greatestin the world and when the Antichrist, having
corrupted true religion, will fill up all things with superstition and impiety
and will cruelly lay waste the Church with bloodshed and flames (Dan., ch.
11). But Christ will come again to claim his own, and by his coming to destroy
the Antichrist.... We further condemn Jewishdreams that there will be a
golden age on earth before the Day of Judgment, and that the pious, having
subdued all their godless enemies,will possess allthe kingdoms of the earth.
For evangelicaltruth in Matt., chs. 24 and 25, and Luke, ch. 18, and apostolic
teaching in II Thess., ch. 2, and II Tim., chs. 3 and 4, present something quite
different (Reformed Confessionsofthe 16th Century, ed. Arthur C.
Cochrane, WestminsterPress, 1966,chap. 11).
The two main sections oneschatologyin the "Three Forms of Unity" are
Question52 of the Heidelberg Catechismand Article 37 of the Belgic
Confession. Question52 ofthe Catechismlocates everybeliever, and by
implication the true church, in circumstances ofpersecutionthroughout the
present age:
Q. What comfort is it to thee that Christ shall come againto judge the quick
and the dead"?
A. That in all my sorrows and persecutions, with uplifted head I look for the
very same person, who before offeredhimself for my sake,...to come as judge
from heaven: who shall castall his and my enemies into everlasting

condemnation, but shall translate me with all his chosenones to himself, into
heavenly joys and glory.
Article 37 of the Belgic Confessiondoes the same. It declares that the final
judgment is
most desirable and comfortable to the righteous and elect:because then their
full deliverance shall be perfected, and there they shall receive the fruits of
their labor and trouble which they have borne. Their innocence shall be
known to all, and they shall see the terrible vengeancewhich Godshall
execute on the wicked, who most cruelly persecuted, oppressedandtormented
them in this world.
The article continues that it is only then, at Christ's return, that the faithful
and electwilt be crownedwith glory and honor, all tears will be wiped from
their eyes, and "their cause whichis now condemned by many judges and
magistrates, as hereticaland impious, will then be knownto be the cause of
the Sonof God."
Not only is there nothing in these articles about any hope of a "goldenage,"
but also the articles plainly rule out the notion of an earthly kingdom of
Christ in history.
The ungodly always dominate. The world's rulers always condemn the cause
of the true church. The wickedalways oppress the saints. The only hope of the
church in the world, and their full deliverance, is the secondcoming of Christ
and the final judgment.
This is Reformed doctrine.
Postmillennialism has no basis in the Reformedcreeds. Postmillennialism
conflicts with the Reformedcreeds. Postmillennialismis condemned by the
Reformed creeds, explicitly by the SecondHelvetic Confessionof 1566,
implicitly by the others.

PerpetualWar
As is true of all of the doctrines contained in the Reformed creeds,
amillennialism is basedon the plain teaching of the Bible.
The original promise of the gospelin Genesis 3:15 put enmity betweenthe
church and a wickedworld that is spiritually descendedfrom Satan:"And I
will put enmity betweenthee and the woman, and betweenthy seedand her
seed...."Enmity is war. In the war, the ungodly - Satan's spawn- do real,
although not fatal, harm to the saints:"... thou shalt bruise his heel." This war
with its sufferings for the people of God continues to the very end of time at
Christ's return, for Romans 16:20 promises the apostolic church that "the
God of peace shallbruise Satanunder your feetshortly." Crushed principally
at the cross, Satanis, nevertheless, notcrushed finally until the Lord returns
to casthim into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10). In the meantime, he bruises the
heel of Christ's body in the world without any letup.
Psalm2 teaches that the kings of the earth foolishly setthemselves against
Jehovahand His Christ until the Christ breaks them with a rod of iron.
Revelation19:11ff. makes clearthat the destruction of these raging foes with a
rod of iron will occurat Jesus Christ's secondcoming. That Revelation
19:11ff. refers to the secondcoming is evident from the opening of heaven
(v.11) and from the fact that at that time Antichrist and his false prophet are
castinto hell (v.20). Until the personal return of Christ, the nations under the
government of the kings of the earth make war againstHim as He is present
in His church by His Word.
The climax of this war againstthe seedof the woman by the seedof the
Serpent will be the persecutionof the church by the Antichrist.

This is future with regardto the church at the end of the 20th century. In
Revelation13, John prophesied the world-kingdom of the beastthat would
make war with the saints. In Revelation19, the apostle tells us that this beast,
with his false prophet, appears in history immediately before the second
coming of Christ. At His coming, Christ casts the beastand the false prophet
into the lake of fire (v.20).
This is the clear, irrefutable teaching of II Thessalonians 2. Thatindividual
who is "that man of sin," "the son of perdition," and "that Wicked" will be
on the scene whenthe Lord Jesus comes again, forthe Lord will "consume
(him) with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy (him) with the brightness
of his coming" (v.8). Inasmuch as he will oppose and exalt himself above all
that is calledGod, or that is worshipped, and will claim to be God himself, he
is Antichrist (v.4). He will oppose Christ (who is the revelation of God), and he
will present himself as Christ's vicar, or substitute. Opposing Christ, he will
necessarilyoppose Christ's church. This will be greattribulation for the
church.
Reformed Christians may differ as to the identity of the Antichrist, whether
he will be a certain pope of the Roman Catholic Church or a political figure
who will have the backing of the false church headedby Rome. There may be
no disagreementamong us, that the Antichrist and his assaultupon the
church are future.
This view of the future is in harmony with the testimony of the Scriptures
everywhere that persecutionwill be the lot of the believers always. "Blessed
are ye," said Christ, "when men shall revile you, and persecute you ... for my
sake" (Matt. 5:11). "In the world ye shall have tribulation," He said to the
church at His leaving (John 16:33). In every age, God's electconfess, "Forthy
sake we are killed all the day long; we are accountedas sheepfor the
slaughter" (Rom. 8:36). In II Timothy 3, the apostle expresslydescribes the

"lastdays," that is, the present age betweenChrist's ascensionand His return,
as the time in which "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution" (v.12).
Scripture contradicts postmillennialism's dream of the earthly victory of the
church in the future.
The True Church BecomesSmaller
Leading up to the final, furious fight of Satan's minions under Satan's man
againstChrist's church is the greatapostasy. This is a wholesale falling away
from the truth by many who once confessedthe faith. Either they truly
confessedthe faith in their forebears, or they insincerelyconfessedit
personally.
The future is not bright with the prospectof mass conversions, much less the
conversionto Christ of a majority of mankind, as is the dream of
postmillennialism. On the contrary, the future is dark with the certainty of
departure from Christ on the part of many who once professedHim. This is
the clear, conclusive doctrine of the apostle in II Thessalonians 2:3:"Let no
man deceive you by any means:for that day shall not come, exceptthere come
a falling awayfirst, and that man of sin be revealed." The day of Christ, that
is, the day of His personal, visible coming, is precededby the sign of
Antichrist. Antichrist is precededand produced by apostasy. An outstanding
sign of the end in the day of Christ is departure from the truth of the gospel.
What this apostasyconsistsofand how it occurs are suggestedin verses 9-12.
The falling awaybegan already in the apostles'time as their struggle with
legalism, gnosticism, and antinomism shows. It picked up intensity in the
development of RomanCatholicism. Almost at once after the Reformation,
Protestantismbeganto fall awayin Arminianism, liberalism, and the
mysticism representedtoday in the charismatic movement.

To those who have eyes to see the biblical signs, the present condition of the
churches manifests plainly the truth of Reformed amillennialism.
The tactic by which postmillennialism tries to escape the force of the biblical
passagesthat forecastapostasyand persecutionin the lastdays is both
desperate and deadly dangerous. It consists ofreferring all of these passages
to an event in the past. This event is the destruction of Jerusalemin A. D. 70.
Whateverin the New Testament, and in the Old as well, predicts tribulation
for the people of God has already been completely fulfilled. Nothing of this
applies to the church any longer. Thus, huge chunks of Holy Scripture are
made irrelevant to the church, including most of the book of Revelation.
Gary DeMar, who has boastedof postmillennialism's powerful exegesis,
interprets II Thessalonians 2 in such a way that nothing in the chapter is
future. The man of sin was a "contemporary" of the apostle Paul. The day of
the Lord was the day of the destructionof Jerusalem. The apostasywas the
falling awayof the Jews after the ascensionof Christ. The coming of Christ
was Jesus'coming in judgment upon Jerusalem(see DeMar, LastDays
Madness:Obsessionofthe Modern Church, American Vision, 1994, pp. 311-
350).
Fundamental to this twisting of the Word of God in the interests of the carnal
kingdom is the postmillennial understanding of Matthew 24, Jesus'great
eschatologicaldiscourse.

Revelation20
The name by which the distinctively Reformeddoctrine of the last things is
known is "amillennialism." This name derives from the 20th chapterof
Revelation. Six times in verses 1-7 is mentioned a period of "a thousand
years." An angelbinds Satan for "a thousand years" (vv. 1, 2). The result is
that Satancannot deceive the nations for "a thousand years" (v.3). John sees
certain souls living and reigning with Christ "a thousand years" (vv. 4, 6).
The rest of the dead lived not againuntil the "thousand years" were finished
(v. 5). When the "thousand years" expire, Satan is loosed, deceivesthe
nations, and makes war againstthe saints (vv. 7-9).
The term "millennium," of Latin origin, means "thousand years."
"Amillennialism," therefore, is the teaching about the thousand year period of
Revelation20 that denies that this period is a literal one thousand year period
of history during which Christ will establishan earthly kingdom in the world.
Positively, amillennialism holds that the thousand year period of Revelation
20 is a figurative description of the entire period from Christ's exaltationuntil
shortly before His secondcoming. During this period two important events
take place. One occurs in the abyss:Satan is bound. The other happens in
heaven: the martyrs live and reign with Christ.
Millennial Error
The matter of the millennium, mentioned only in Revelation20, has come to
require more attention in eschatology(the church's doctrine of the last things)
than Scripture would suggest. The thousandyear period is just one more
feature of the revelation of the end in the book of Revelation. The reasonwhy
the subjectreceives so much attention, and must receive so much attention, is
that serious doctrinal errors have attachedthemselves to the millennium of
Revelation20.
On the one hand, there is the grievous heresythat bewitches multitudes of
supposedevangelicals andfundamentalists so that they expecta carnal

kingdom of the Jews in Palestine, precededby a secret"rapture" of the
church. This bizarre teaching involves denial of the oneness of Old Testament
Israeland the New Testamentchurch, rejectionof the unity of the covenantof
grace,
opposition to infant baptism, and embrace of the dread doctrine and practice
of antinomism (lawlessnessoflife with appeal to "grace").
On the other hand, there is the serious error tolerated, if not promoted, by
Reformed and Presbyterian churches, that finds in Revelation20 the basis for
expecting a carnal kingdom of Christ that will be victorious according to
earthly standards. Not only does this error, known as postmillennialism (since
it postpones Christ's coming to the end of the future earthly goldenage), find
in Revelation20 the basis of a carnal kingdom, but it also finds in this chapter
a mandate to the church to getbusy to "Christianize" this world. Any church
that declines this mandate is severelycriticized, if it is not heartily damned.
The effectof this interpretation of Revelation20 is the radical, total
reconstructionof Reformed eschatology. No longerare there signs of the
return of Christ; no longerdoes the earthly future hold abounding
lawlessness;no longerare we to anticipate greatapostasy;no longerare the
saints to prepare for Antichrist; no longer are we to brace ourselves for a
greattribulation.
Especiallybecause ofthese millennial errors, Reformedand Presbyterian
people must be clearas to the meaning of Revelation20.
The Meaning of Revelation20
"A thousand years" is a figurative, or symbolical, description of the entire age
of the new covenant. The number 1,000 is a symbolical number, made up as it
is of the number 10. In the Bible, 10 is the number of completeness.The
symbolical nature of the thousand year period is in harmony with the
symbolical characterofthe book of Revelation, e.g., the depiction of Satanas
a greatred dragon ( Rev. 12). It is also in harmony with the obviously
figurative characterof the binding of the spirit, Satan, with a greatchain. In

addition, Revelation20 is a vision ("and I saw," vv. 1, 4), not historical
observation.
The binding of Satanrepresents the sovereigncontroland restraint of the
devil by the Lord Jesus that prevents him from deceiving the nations. During
the presentage, Satancannot unite the nations under Antichrist. This
restraint is related to the "withholding" and "letting," or restraining, of II
Thessalonians 2:6, 7 that assures thatthe man of sin, "that Wicked" (v.8), will
be revealedin his proper, God-appointed time (v.6).
Throughout this same age, the martyrs - those who were beheadedon account
of the witness of Jesus and on accountof the Word of God - live and reign in
heaven with Christ. The vision of the thrones in Revelation20:4-6 refers to
what theologycalls "the intermediate state," that is, the life and glory of elect
saints at death and until the secondcoming of Jesus.
This is plain.
John sees "souls"sitting on the thrones. Earlier, in Revelation6:9, the apostle
spoke of the souls of the martyrs under the altar in heaven. Those souls in
heaven were distinguished from humans dwelling on earth (v.10). The "souls"
of Revelation20:4-6 are those men and women who had been beheaded for
their faithful confessionof Christ in time of antichristian persecution
throughout the presentage.
At the instant of death, the martyred saint is takenup in his soul to be with
Christ in heaven, and there he lives and reigns with Christ.
Living with Christ in heaven in the soul at the instant of physical death is the
"first resurrection" (v. 5). The postmillennialists argue that the living and
reigning with Christ cannotrefer to the intermediate state because the life of
the soulat death is not resurrection. J. Marcellus Kik, whose commentary on
Revelation20 has been very influential among modern postmillennialists,
wrote: "The very factthat RevelationTwenty deals with a resurrection
eliminates the interpretation that the Chapter is speaking of the intermediate
state of the soul" (An EschatologyofVictory, Presbyterianand Reformed,
p.230). The "Christian Reconstructionist" DavidChilton has written:

We candispose of the Amillennial position right away, by pointing out the
obvious: this is a resurrection, a rising againfrom the dead.
Dying and going to heavenis wonderful, but, for all its benefits, it is not a
resurrection. This passagecannotbe a description of the state of disembodied
saints in heaven(Paradise Restored:A Biblical Theologyof Dominion,
ReconstructionPress,p.196).
The postmillennialists are wrong.
The taking up to heaven of the soul of the believer at death is, indeed,
resurrection. There is an actof the risen Christ upon the soul at the instant of
death purifying it from all sin and transforming it from a soul adapted to
earthly life into a soul adapted to heavenly life. There must be this
resurrectionof the soul by Christ if the soul is to be with Christ in heaven.
Souls do not automatically fly awayto heavenat death. Souls of believers do
not naturally fly to heaven. The Heidelberg Catechismindicates Christ's
raising of the soul of the believer at death in Question57: "my soulafter this
life shall be ... takenup to Christ its head."
The saint goes to heaven by resurrection, and only by resurrection. There are
two stages. The first is the resurrectionof the soul. This is the resurrectionof
Revelation20:5. The secondis the resurrection of the body. This is the second
resurrection, implied by the first resurrectionof Revelation20:5.
Accordingly, the first death of the reprobate ungodly is the suffering of God's
wrath in his soul at the moment of physical death. The seconddeath will be
his suffering of God's wrath in hell in soul and body after the final judgment
(see Rev. 20:6, 14).
At the end of the thousand years, Satanwill be loosedfor a short time (vv. 3,
7). The one who "letteth," or restrains, will be taken out of the way (II Thess.
2:7). This enables Satan to establishhis world-kingdom under Antichrist. The
result is the final, all-out assaultupon the true church and her living, faithful
members (vv. 8, 9). The "belovedcity" represents the church. The "saints"
are all those whom the Spirit of Christ has sanctifiedthrough faith in Christ.

After a short time of intense persecutionof the church - the "great
tribulation" of Matthew 24:21 and the "time of trouble" of Daniel 12:1- fire
from God will devour the ungodly in the secondcoming of Christ (cf. II Thess.
1:6-10).
Then follow at once the final judgment and the eternal state, heavenand hell
(Rev. 20:1 1ff.).
The Explanation by Postmillennialism
The postmillennial explanation of the passage in the interests of the physical
victory of an earthly kingdom of Christ in history is mistaken. The
explanation by J. Marcellus Kik, adopted in the main by the "Christian
Reconstructionists,"is an example of this mistakeninterpretation.
The reign of the saints is locatedon earth, as though the apostle never spoke
of "souls," indeed, of "souls" who had been "beheaded." Beheadedsouls do
not live and reign on earth. B. B. Warfield, himself a postmillennialist,
recognizedthat "disembodiedsouls" do not rule in Christ's kingdom on
earth. Correctly, he concluded that Revelation20:4 gives us "the picture of
the 'intermediate state"'("The Millennium and the Apocalypse," in Biblical
Doctrines, Bannerof Truth, pp. 648, 649).
The postmillennialist interpretation supposes that Christ's taking of the soul
of the Christian to heaven at death is not resurrection when, in fact, only
resurrectioncan translate a sinful earthly soul to a holy, heavenly life. The
postmillennialist denies that the intermediate state involves resurrectionin the
face of the explicit testimony of Revelation20 that the living in heaven of souls
that had been beheadedis the first resurrection.
The Kikkian/"ChristianReconstructionist" postmillennialists are even wrong
in their explanation of the binding of Satan. Kik explains the binding as
restraining Satanfrom having "complete controlover the nations of the
world" (Eschatology, pp. 203-208). ButSatan does have "complete control
over the nations of the world." Of course, he is not the almighty sovereign.
The triune God is sovereign. But Satancontrols the nations of the world as to
their spiritual condition. Scripture calls him the "godof this world." History

proves that for the past 1900 odd years now, Satanhas governednations as to
their spiritual and moral life.
The binding of Satanis the restraint of him in this one respect:he cannot
establishthe kingdom of Antichrist. This is unacceptable to postmillennialism
since it has decided that Antichrist is a thing of the past, having been fulfilled
in the Roman empire from about A. D. 65 to about A. D. 313.
Kik is also in error when he explains that Satanis bound by the actionof the
church. The church has the greatchain. She could almost completely
"restrainhis influence over the nations." It is the fault of the church that the
devil has so much influence in the world. If only the church would heed the
"Christian Reconstructionists"and exert herself to get and wield dominion on
earth, Satanwould be bound (see Eschatology, p.196).
This is obviously false. The angelwho binds Satan is not the church, but the
servant of the ascendedLord Jesus Christ. Christ has bound Satan. Kik's
explanation is a denial that Satan is actually bound. Since the church has not
yet exertedherself to get dominion, Satanis not yet bound. But the text says
that he has been bound: "... and bound him a thousand years" (v.2).
Revelation20 againstthe Postmillennialists
Revelation20 is no support to postmillennialism, but rather a refutation of
that error. The saints do not gain earthly victory in the world; rather, they
suffer and are beheaded. History does not come to its end with the earthly
triumph of the church; rather, Satanis loosed, and the hordes of the ungodly
attack the church and the saints. The hope held before the people of God is
not a carnalkingdom on earth; rather, it is our living and reigning with
Christ in heavenat death.
This hope, with its accompanying hope of bodily resurrectionin the Dayof
Christ, does not render the Reformedamillennialist passive on earth. On the
contrary. Exactly because we are assuredthat the worstthat the foe can do is
usher us into heaven and onto our thrones, we are encouragedto be faithful
and diligent in our confessionofthe Word of God. This is the calling of the
church in the world.

And this is preparation for the "little season" thatis before the church, the
loosing of Satan.
The Fifth Beatitude in Revelation, part I
Today’s beatitude occurs within the most contestedpassage ofthe entire bible.
In fact, the very interpretation of it causes sharpdisagreementamong bible
scholars, ministers, and laypersons. Before I expand upon the beatitude itself,
I want to point out that my previous postfocusedon the blessing of
participating in the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation19:6-10, ESV).
Now, it is time to dive headlong into the deep end of the pool. These are the
words of God:
“Blessedand holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such
the seconddeathhas no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ,
and they will reign with him for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6, ESV).
Regardlessofwhere anyone lands with respectto the meaning of this verse, it
is crucial to allow these words to marinate in one’s heart and soul. I want to
highlight a couple of things about this beatitude before delving into the more
controversialaspectsofit. First, the blessing is an exclusive one, or it is
restrictedto a specific group, namely those who participate in the first
resurrection. Second, those who share in this first resurrectionserve and
reign as priest-kings alongside Godthe Father, and Christ, the Son. There is
much more to sayon that topic, but I want to emphasize one more point. It is
vital to remember that this beatitude comes from the Lord. He is the one who
declares the promise, and he is the one who brings it to pass (2 Corinthians
1:20-22;2 Peter1:3-4, ESV).
When anyone reads the preceding verses to Rev. 20:6, there are several
questions that pop up: what does the phrase the first resurrection mean; what
do the thousand years represent;what is meant by the seconddeath; and

when do these things take place? The answers that I will give to these
questions form the crux of the controversy. Theywill revealthe
eschatologicalpositionthat I embrace. I realize that I statedin my
introductory post to this series that I would avoid the controversy
surrounding the interpretation of the book of Revelation. It appears that I
was a little naive, so forgive me. Now it is time to focus on the preceding
context to Rev. 20:6 in order to help us answerthose questions. I stated
earlier in this postthat this beatitude applies to a specific group. The apostle
John defines its participants with two, if not three, traits depending upon how
one reads the passage.
In the vision of Rev. 20:4-6, John sees people (those)seatedon thrones; he sees
the souls of those who had been beheadedfor the testimony of Jesus and for
the word of God; and he sees those who had not worshiped the beastor allied
themselves to him (Rev. 20:4, ESV). The last two descriptions portray
followers of Christ martyred for their faith in him. These Christian souls
obeyed their saviorunto death, so their reward is the first resurrectionthat
leads to their thousand year reign. The reasonfor highlighting the martyrs is
to demonstrate God’s answerto their plea earlierin the book of Revelation
(Rev. 6:9-11, ESV). Their vindication occurs ata specific time in redemptive
history: the first resurrection and the thousand years. One other thing bears
mentioning at this point. The identity of those seatedonthe thrones is not
encompassedfully by the martyrs. Let me explain what I mean.
Basedon my reading of the text, the martyrs are in the spotlight; however, I
do not believe that they exhaust the full identity of those seatedon the thrones.
It seems to me that the pronoun “those” in Rev. 20:4a refers back to the
armies following Christ in Rev. 19:14. My reasoning is a grammaticalone.
For any pronoun to make sense, it must have an antecedent, whichis a noun
replacedby the pronoun. Of course, this begs the question as to the nearest
noun for the pronoun those. Here is the point that I want to convey. To
determine the identity of the pronoun those in Rev. 20:4a, one must look
backwardrather than forward in the text for its identification. The nearest
antecedentthat makes any sense for the pronoun those is the plural noun
armies in Rev. 19:14; therefore, the Messianic army contains not only
Christian martyrs, but believers throughout all ages. This means that it is the

redeemedwho participate in the first resurrectionand the blessings appended
to it such as the thousand yearreign and the avoidance of the seconddeath.
BecauseI see a grammatical link betweenthe pronoun those in Rev. 20:4a and
its antecedentarmies in Rev. 19:14, then it goes without saying that I view the
thousand years as subsequent to Christ’s secondcoming. Another textual clue
that suggestsa connectionbetweenRevelationchapters nineteen and twenty
has to do with the clause “then I saw” or “and I saw.” This clause occurs six
times betweenRev. 19:11 – 20:15. Eachoccurrence revealsa vision, which
follows the one before it (Rev. 19:11, 17, 19; 20:1, 4, & 11, ESV). From my
point-of-view, the six uses of “then I saw” or“and I saw” presenta strong case
for a sequentialreading of Revelationchapters nineteen and twenty. There
are bible-believing men and women who disagree with this interpretation.
These brothers and sisters in Christ assertthat the relationship between
Revelationchapters nineteen and twenty is one of recapitulation rather than
sequence.
Someone might ask, whatdoes recapitulation mean? **Whenit comes to the
book of Revelation, recapitulationis the view that the visions contained in this
book coverthe same period in history from different vantage points. Those
who espouse this view are amillennialists and postmillennialists**. For
example, both camps argue that the nineteenth and twentieth chapters of
Revelationconclude with the same event: the final battle (Rev. 19:17-21 &
20:7-10, ESV). Both the amillennialist and the postmillennialist view Christ’s
return as subsequent to the thousand years;however, they differ on the
nature of the millennial age. Amillennialists fall into one of two camps
regarding the millennium: the minority view sees it as the rule and reign of
Christ in the hearts of his people through the church betweenthe two comings
of Christ; and the dominant view sees the millennial reign of the saints with
Christ as occurring in heaven until his secondcoming. In either case, the
amillennialist denies two things: 1.) an earthly manifestation of the millennial
kingdom either before or after Christ’s second advent; and 2.) a literal
rendering of the number 1000.

When it comes to postmillennialists, many agree with the amillennialists that
the number 1000 symbolizes the time period betweenthe two comings of
Christ. In the past, some postmillennialists interpreted the number 1000 in
literal years, but not anymore. All post-mill advocates side with the
amillennialist in believing that the thousand years occurbefore Christ’s
secondcoming; however, where these two camps part ways is that the former
believes in an earthly manifestation of the millennial kingdom at some point
during the present, church age. Forthe postmillennial Christian, the
preaching of the gospelby the Holy Spirit is the only way to establishthe
thousand year reign of righteousness andpeace upon the earth. The post-mill
view enjoyed a storied history betweenthe 17th and 19thcenturies; however,
it fell on hard times in the 20th century due to World War I and II. There are
still vocaladvocates ofpostmillennialism in our day, but they remain a
minority.
In the next entry, I will explore the nature and meaning of the first
resurrectionand the seconddeath.
** There are past and present advocates ofpremillennialism who do see some
of the visions in Revelationas either cyclical, parallelto eachother, or
covering the same events from different angles. There are other
premillennialists who reject this outright. Here are a few examples of
premillennialists who see some recapitulation (or repetition) going on in
Revelation:
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** Past:A. R. Fausset;this 19th century pastor-scholarco-wroteandco-
published the well respectedcommentary commonly referred to as Jamieson
(Robert Jamieson), Brown(David Brown), & Fausset. Faussetwrote the
commentary on the book of Revelationand interprets it from a premillennial
standpoint.
** Present:Thomas Schreiner and James Hamilton; these two men are
colleaguesatThe Southern Baptist TheologicalSeminaryin Louisville,

Kentucky. Schreinerand Hamilton advocate what is known as classic or
historic premillennialism. Both men preachedthrough the book of Revelation
severalyears ago. I’ve provided links to their sermon podcasts.
https://matthewjabate.wordpress.com/2014/10/08/the-fifth-beatitude-in-
revelation-part-i/
THE 1000 YEAR MILLENNIUM
The word 'Millennium' doesn't appear in the Bible, although it is used
throughout the world to describe the 1000 yearmillennial reign after the
secondcoming of Christ, which we find in Revelation20.
Revelation20:2-7 ...'And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is
the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and casthim into the
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a sealupon him, that he should
deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and
after that he must be looseda little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat
upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them
that were beheadedfor 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, orin their hands; and they lived and reigned
with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the
thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessedand holy is
he that hath part in the first resurrection:on such the seconddeath hath no
power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him
a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satanshall be
loosedout of his prison.'
So there is no mistaking that this time period is going to be a 1000 years. But
when does it start? The popular mainstream teaching is that after the church
is "raptured", the saints spend 7 years in heavenwith Jesus while the great
tribulation happens on earth (which we have PROVED in this website to be

false). Then after the 7 years, they believe the church comes back to earth
with Jesus where He will reign from Israelfor a 1000 years. The rapture
teaching is false. The sevenyear tribulation teaching is false and of course,
this teaching of Jesus reigning on earth for 1000 years while the wicked
continue to live is also false, because the following verses show that the wicked
will be KILLED when Jesus returns:
Luke 17:26-30 ...'And as it was in the days of Noe, so shallit be also in the
days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they
were given in marriage, until the day that Noahentered into the ark, and the
flood came, and destroyedthem all ... Likewise also as it was in the days of
Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they
builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodomit rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyedthem all. Even thus shall it be in the
day when the Sonof man is revealed.'
Luke 17:36-37 ...'Two menshall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the
other left. And they answeredand said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said
unto them, Wheresoeverthe body is, thither will the eaglesbe gathered
together.'[The one 'taken'is the one who is the 'body where the eagles or
VULTURES are gathered'. So in other words a DEAD body!]
Revelation19:11-...'And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse;and
he that sat upon him was calledFaithful and True, and in righteousness he
doth judge and make war ... And the armies which were in heavenfollowed
him upon white horses ... And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name
written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords. And I saw an angelstanding in
the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the
midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves togetherunto the supper of the
greatGod ... And the remnant were slain with the swordof him that sat upon
the horse, which swordproceededout of his mouth: and all the fowls were
filled with their flesh.'
How can there be a '7 year tribulation' or 1000 millennial 'reign on earth',
when the wickedare KILLED when Jesus returns? It makes no sense and
clearly is a false teaching. So what is the truth? Let's find out.

STARTING POINT FOR THE 1000 YEAR MILLENNIUM
Revelation20:6 ...'Blessedandholy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection:on such the seconddeath hath no power, but they shall be
priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.'
So first of all, we need to find the starting point of the thousand year
millennium. Can we geta starting point from the above scripture? Yes! We
can see from this verse that the first resurrection starts the thousand year
millennium. Let's have a look at a couple more verses from the Bible with
regards to the first resurrection.
Matthew 24:30-31 ...'And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in
heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the
Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with powerand greatglory. And
he shall send his angels with a greatsound of a trumpet, and they shall gather
togetherhis electfrom the four winds, from one end of heavento the other.'
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ...'Forthe Lord himself shall descendfrom 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 togetherwith them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord.'
So we have the secondcoming of Christ Jesus in the above scripture, where
He sends out His angels to gatherthe saved. The dead in Christ rise first and
then those who are Christ's and still alive at His coming, they are 'caught up'
with those who have been resurrectedand they meet Christ in the air. A vital
point to remember about the secondcoming of Christ, is that He does not
touch the ground when He returns, we meet Him in the air. So we can clearly
see this is the first resurrectionabove, and is the starting point of the 1000
year millennium.
Please Note:In Revelation20:5 it says that 'the rest of the dead lived not again
until the thousand years were finished'. The rest of the dead are those who are
lost (the wicked), that were either killed at the secondcoming, or were already

dead at Christ's coming. And just to back up with scripture that the lostliving
at the secondcoming ARE killed, take a look at the following verses:
Luke 17:26-30 ...'And as it was in the days of Noe, so shallit be also in the
days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they
were given in marriage, until the day that Noahentered into the ark, and the
flood came, and destroyedthem all ... Likewise also as it was in the days of
Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they
builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodomit rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyedthem all. Even thus shall it be in the
day when the Sonof man is revealed.'
As you can clearlysee, when Jesus Christ returns, the lostwill be destroyed.
Just like in the flood and the fire judgment of Sodom, ALL the lost were
destroyedand only the righteous were left alive. And when does Revelation
say the lost are resurrected? AFTER the 1000 years.
HOW MANY RESURRECTIONSARE THERE?
There will be two resurrections. It says in verse 6 of Revelation20 that they
are blessedwho have part in the first resurrection. So if there is a first
resurrection, then there must also be a secondresurrection, as it says in
Revelation20:5 ...'But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand
years were finished.'
The lostwere destroyedor already dead at the secondcoming, and it says
above that they lived not againuntil the thousand years were finished. Now
logically, they need to be resurrectedto live again. So this would be the second
resurrectionat the end of the one thousand yearmillennium. Notice what it
says in the following scripture:
Revelation20:7-8 ...'And when the thousand years are expired, Satanshall be
loosedout of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in
the four quarters of the earth.'
For satanto be loosedout of his prison and deceive the nations of the earth,
the restof the dead (the lost) must have been resurrected. This is the second
resurrectionat the end of the thousand years.

WHERE WILL SATAN BE DURING THE 1000 YEAR MILLENNIUM?
Although it says in Revelation20 that Satan is bound and castinto the
bottomless pit, it isn't going to be a literal pit wrapped in chains where he
can't move. There are many prophetic symbols in end time Bible prophecy,
and the bottomless pit and being bound are symbolic also. Let's take a look at
the bottomless pit.
Revelation11:7 ...'And when they shall have finished their testimony, the
beastthat ascendethout of the bottomless pit shall make war againstthem,
and shall overcome them, and kill them.'
A beastin prophecy is a symbol of a nation/kingdom of this world, which we
know from the prophecy of Daniel7. So if this beastis a nation, from where
does a nation rise up out of? THE EARTH!. So the bottomless pit is a
prophetic symbol of the earth. So when it says that satanis 'castinto the
bottomless pit' and 'bound in a pit', it basicallymeans he is bound to the earth
with no one to tempt or deceive, because the saints have been takento heaven
during the secondcoming and the wickedhave been destroyed.
So Satan is bound by circumstances. And the circumstance is the fact that he
is already bound to this earth, ie. he cannot get into heaven. The savedhave
gone to heaven, because theyhave met Jesus "in the air" and then ascended
up into heaven with Him for the thousand years, and the lost are dead.
Therefore, satanis left roaming the earth for one thousand years with no one
to tempt. This is how satanis bound, until the thousand years have expired
and the lost are resurrectedand then he cango and deceive them. Which is
the meaning of Satanbeing "loosedout of his prison".
WHAT WILL THE EARTH BE LIKE DURING THE 1000 YEARS?
The mainstream teaching out there contends that during the 1000 years after
Jesus returns at the secondcoming, He will rule the earth, ON EARTH, and
there will be peace amongstthe nations as Jesus rules from Jerusalem. But
there is a BIG problem with this teaching. Take a look at the following verses
describing what the earth will be like after the secondcoming of Christ ...

Isaiah13:13 ...'Therefore Iwill shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove
out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his
fierce anger.'
Isaiah24:1 ...'Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and makethit
waste, and turneth it upsidedown, and scatterethabroadthe inhabitants
thereof.'
Jeremiah4:23-26 ...'I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void;
and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they
trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man,
and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place
was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were brokendown at the presence
of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.'
Verse 27 of Jeremiah4 says that the whole land is desolate, but God will not
make a complete end. This matches with the truth that the earth will be 'made
new', and we will inhabit this 'earth made new' after the 1000 years. So God is
not going to totally destroythis world. His is going to 'burn up' all things in it
(2 Peter3:10) and then renew it (2 Peter3:13).
Jeremiah25:33 ...'And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one
end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be
lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.'
The wickedare destroyed at Jesus'secondcoming. The saints go to heaven
with Jesus and as we canclearly see above, the earth will lay desolate for the
1000 years. You see, this is what the earth will be like during the thousand
year millennium. It won't be a happy, peacefulplace where Jesus reigns the
nations, it will be desolate, laidwaste and empty! And to Satanit will be a
"bottomless pit" to which he is bound to for the thousand years.
WHAT WILL THE SAINTS DO DURING THE 1000 YEARS?
We've discoveredthat the lostare dead, and Satan is bound to a desolate,
empty earth. But what about the savedwho have gone to heaven with Jesus.
What will they be doing? By the way, we know that the savedwill be with

Jesus in heaven and not on earth, because Jesussaidit Himself in the
following verses:
John 14:1-3 ...'Letnot your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also
in me. In my Father's house are many mansions:if it were not so, I would
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there
ye may be also.'
We know that we will spend eternity living on the new earth. So for us to be
with Jesus in heaven, we would need to be there during the 1000 year
millennium, which is why Jesus said"I will come again and receive you unto
Myself, that where I AM there ye may be". But what will we do while in
heaven for the thousand years? Take a look at this Bible prophecy verse from
the book of Revelation:
Revelation20:6 ...'Blessedandholy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection:on such the seconddeath hath no power, but they shall be
priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.'
So we will be priests. But what is the purpose of us being priests during the
thousand years? We will take part in the greatjudgment of the lost, and
during this process, Godwill reveal to us why certain people who we knew
and loved did not get into the heavenly kingdom. During this time, God will
revealto us more fully His judgments.
1 Corinthians 6:3 ...'Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more
things that pertain to this life?'
This verse also confirms that we will not only take part in the judgment of the
lost. We will even take part in judging the wickedangels.
AFTER THE MILLENNIUM
So at the end of the thousand year millennium, Satanwill be releasedfrom his
prison. Now remember what it meant by Satanbeing in prison? The fact that
he was on earth alone, with no one to deceive or tempt. So for him to be

Jesus was to reign a thousand years vol 2

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