(2.3) THE MILLENNIUM

THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST

The millennial reign of Christ is interpreted differently by different Christians. Generally speaking, it is regarded as a timeframe/age/kingdom in which Jesus Christ reigns over the entire world (e.g., Revelation 19:11 – Revelation 20:6, Isaiah 9:6-7).

NOTE: There are many references to the millennial age/kingdom throughout the Bible. I might try to provide an exhaustive list at some point in the future.

PRE-MILLENNIALISM

The belief that Jesus Christ’s millennial reign will be a literal event on earth (see Revelation 20:1-6), and that it will take place at some point in the future. Given what’s said in Revelation 20:2-3, the millennium takes place after the Battle of Armageddon.

Pre-millennialists believe that the millennial reign will begin shortly after Jesus’ arrival at the second coming. The nations will be blessed (e.g., Habakkuk 2:14), and both Egypt and Assyria will have a special relationship with God.

“In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.’” (Isaiah 19:23-25, ESV)

These are but a few of the many circumstances that will accompany the millennial age.

AMILLENNIALISM

The belief that the millennial reign is not a literal timeframe or a physical kingdom on earth. Amillennialists interpret the millennial age as a metaphorical timeframe and a spiritual kingdom that commenced at Jesus’ first coming.

Objections

|| Amillennialists believe that the millennial reign is a current event and will continue until the second coming of Jesus Christ. However, this seems to be inconsistent with Scripture.

* In Revelation 20:2-3, it is said that Satan will be bound in the abyss during the millennial reign. Amillennialists say that Satan is currently bound as a result of Christ’s work on the cross. 1 Peter 5:8, James 4:7, 1 John 5:19, Ephesians 6:11, and Ephesians 6:16 were all written after Jesus’ work on the cross. Additionally, Revelation 12 seems to suggest that Satan is not currently bound.

* According to Revelation 19:19-20:3, Satan is bound and thrown into the abyss after the battle of Armageddon, not before. Thus, the binding of Satan and the millennial reign does not occur prior to the second coming.

“And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.” (Revelation 19:19-20:3, ESV)

POST-MILLENNIALISM

The belief that Jesus Christ will return at the end of the millennial age.

Post-millennialists believe that the millennial age is established through Christian presence, outreach, and missionary work—not the second coming of Christ. They believe that the second coming of Christ will occur only after the millennial age has been fully realized through human agency.

Interpretation 1: According to this interpretation, the millennial age commenced around the beginning of the Church age. The millennial kingdom will continue to expand through Christian outreach and missionary work. There will be a great rebellion/apostasy just prior to the return of Christ.

Objections

|| Some post-millennialists believe that Revelation 20:3 and Revelation 20:7-8 precede the second coming of Christ. They think that the rebellion described in those passages will be defeated by Jesus’ Second Advent. However, this timeline is incorrect.

* The millennial age begins after Jesus returns, not before. I believe that Jesus’ second coming begins in Revelation 6:15-17 (compare Revelation 6:12-17 to Matthew 24:29-30 and Revelation 6:16-17 to Matthew 26:64). The events of Revelation 6:15-17 take place prior to the events of Revelation 19:11-20:8.

Interpretation 2: According to this interpretation, the millennial age will commence only after a certain threshold of conversion is reached. Jesus Christ will return to a Christian earth, characterized by peace, prosperity, and righteousness—there will be no rebellion/apostasy just prior to the return of Christ.

Objections

|| The belief that Jesus will return to a Christian earth, characterized by peace, prosperity, and righteousness, is contrary to what the Bible teaches.

* According to the Bible, the world will be a dark place when Jesus returns (see Matthew 24:3-12). The Bible says that near the end of the age, there will be a large defection from Christianity (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3), and that Christians will be worn out and physically defeated by the Antichrist (see Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 13:6-7). Unless the days are cut short, no human will be saved (Matthew 24:21-22).

* The Bible says that Jesus will return to a world in opposition to Christianity (see Revelation 13, 14, and 19). In response to Jesus’ return, the world will anticipate wrath, not salvation (see Revelation 6:16-17)—for some, this may be due, in part, to a prior slaughter of Christians (see Revelation 6:9-11).

* The millennial age is initiated by Jesus, in a personal context, after He returns and defeats the Antichrist kingdom (e.g., Isaiah 63:1-6, Revelation 19:11-20:4).

“Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? ‘It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.’ Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? ‘I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come. I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me. I trampled down the peoples in my anger; I made them drunk in my wrath, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.’” (Isaiah 63:1-6, ESV)

NOTE (1): There are several different versions of post-millennialism. Originally, I considered post-millennialism to be a futurist position, and I will elaborate on that in the notes section—ADDITIONAL NOTES (1).

THE MILLENNIUM—CONCLUSION

I believe that PRE-MILLENNIALISM is the most biblical position in this category. I believe that the other two positions are incorrect.