Views of the Millennium

Views on the Millennium - Study Resources

Always Remember Acts 17:11 NIV: Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

1. What is the basis for the Millennium in Question? Note: According to Webster’s Dictionary, Millennium means “a period of 1000 years.” It is sometimes called Chiliasm (KILL lee AZ um) from the Greek word for "thousand."

When Christians discuss their millennial views, they are speaking of their interpretation of the much-debated passages in Revelation 20:1-10 — NIV. Please realize that though these views differ significantly on the topic at hand, the Christians who disagree on these matters nevertheless agree with each other on probably ninety percent of the rest of the Christian life. 

Each holds that every individual is to receive a resurrection body, that all Christians are to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, that the righteous are to be rewarded in heaven, and that the wicked are to be punished in hell or the equivalent. Each of the systems is, therefore, consistently evangelical, and each has been held by many able and sincere men. For these reasons, I personally classify this discussion to be a “disputable matter.” (Romans 14:1 NIV Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.)

Someone please read out loud Revelation 20:1-10

2. Why do we question the term Millennium?

The Millennium question arises because, historically, various groups have interpreted the 1st 10 verses of Revelation 20 differently. Two basic perspectives exist regarding how the Millennium will be governed.

A. Some see the Millennium as a future earthly theocracy by which Christ will rule over the nations in person for a thousand years.

B. Others see it as a time during which Christ will rule the earth from heaven through the life-changing power of the Gospel. Because one generally interprets Scripture-based his or her understanding of other passages in the Bible, a variety of views emerge. However, they can be divided into four perspectives.  These would be, (1) Dispensational premillennialism, (2) Historical premillennialism (3) Postmillennialism, and (4) Amillennialism.

3. The First View: Dispensational Premillennialism (DP)

DP tends to be most prevalent in Baptist, Charismatic, Evangelical, and non-denominational churches.

Definition: Dispensational premillennialists hold that Christ’s invisible return is imminent.  This has always been the belief of early Christians because Jesus said no one knows the day or hour of his return. (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32)  This would not be the case if the Tribulation had to happen before he returned. So it must be that he will come before (pre) the final tribulation period of seven years, to take His church (living and dead) into heaven. (Revelation 3:10; Daniel 9:27; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9; )  The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian believers that at the rapture of the church “we shall all be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51). The resurrection of the dead and the transformation (or “translation”) of the living at the rapture (15:42) will impact “all” Christian believers.

At the rapture, Christ is coming back to “receive” (John 14:3) those who have believed (14:1). Those who will be resurrected at the rapture will be the “dead in Christ” (1 Thessalonians 4:16), and those who will be translated will be those living at that time who “believe that Jesus died and rose again” (4:14). At this time, all Christians will receive their Glorified bodies.  In Revelation 19:7-9 we are told that it is time for the marriage supper of the Lamb with the raised Christians.

Following the Rapture, the Christian Saints will be judged in heaven for their works done in this life. This is not a salvation judgment; it is a rewards judgment called the Bema seat or Judgement seat (trans. Bema seat) of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1Corinthians 3:12-15) 

During this time on earth there will be three-and-a-half years of world peace under an Antichrist figure (Revelation 13:1-8; 2Thessalonians 2:1-12) who will establish a world-church followed by three-and-a-half years of intense suffering known as the tribulation period of divine wrath (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1-5). The world-church referred to is called Babylon the Great. (Revelation 17:1-15) Some speculate that this is a changed Roman Catholic Church that will have become religiously pluralistic being made up of all false religions existing during the tribulation period. A more inclusive Roman Catholic Church is being discussed by Church leaders even today.

It is to be noted that DP Christians distinguish between Israel and the Christian church. After the Christians have been raptured, Israel’s veil will be lifted from their eyes (Romans 11:25-31). They will become the object of the Antichrist’s hatred and he will make an all-out effort to destroy them (Ezekiel 38-39).

In Israel’s defense, Christ will return to the earth (Revelation 19:11-21) and commence Armageddon to destroy all Israel’s enemies. He will then bind Satan for one thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3), and begin the Sheep and Goat judgement of the surviving Gentile nations (Matthew 25:31).

The “sheep” judged worthy will enter into the 1,000-year reign in “un-glorified” bodies and will be able to have children. (Matthew 24:29-31) The impression is given that when Christ returns, all Israel who survives the tribulation will likewise trust in Jesus (Romans 11:25-26). They, too, will not receive glorified bodies, thus allowing them to also produce children during the millennial kingdom. This may include the 144,000 Jews who were “sealed” as being Witnesses for Jesus during the tribulation period. (Revelation 7:4)

This is followed by the raising of the tribulation saints from the dead (Revelation 20:4). The Bible is less clear about when the Old Testament saints will be resurrected. A popular view is that Old Testament believers will also be resurrected at the end of the tribulation period when Jesus returns to earth to set up His millennial kingdom (Daniel 12:1-2). Both of these two groups will have glorified bodies and will reign on earth with King Jesus.

Jesus will rule from the throne of David (Luke 1:32) located in the holy city Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3) on earth over the surviving earthly nations for one thousand years. Throughout His reign, there will be no war (Isaiah 2:4) and even animals will dwell in harmony (Isaiah 11:6-9). Israel will be given the place of honor among the nations again, and the temple will be rebuilt with temple sacrifices reinstituted as memorial sacrifices. (Ezekiel 40 – 48)

After the thousand years have ended, Satan, who was bound up during Christ's earthly reign, will be loosed to deceive the nations, gather an army of the deceived, and take up arms to battle against Jesus and his followers. Those participating in this rebellion are probably taken from among those children born during the Millennium. (Revelation 20:7-12) Fire will come down from heaven and devour them. This is followed by the Second resurrection of unrighteous dead and their judgment at the Great White Throne. (Revelation 20:11-15) After this is the beginning of the New Heavens and New Earth. (Revelation 21:1)

Link to Illustrated Video: https://player.vimeo.com/video/10464802?portrait=0

4. Second View: Historical Premillennialism (HP)

Definition: HP places the return of Christ just before (pre) the millennium and just after a time of great apostasy and tribulation.  They do not hold that Christ’s return is imminent because the antichrist and tribulation have to occur before Christ returns. Christians will go through the tribulation period but will be protected by God. (John 17:15)

Generally, all premillennialist beliefs teach that the tribulation is followed by 1,000 years of peace when all will live under the authority of Christ.  This will be a time of peace and happiness for all believers alive at the time of his return, along with all believers of past eras who are resurrected and glorified at this time.

HP teaches that the Kingdom of God has been historically present through the Spirit since Pentecost - to be finally experienced by sight during the millennium after Christ's return. This view was widespread in the early church and variations of it predominated among the early church fathers up to the time of Augustine. As a result, HP has good support in the Protestant community.

If you ask a Historic Premillennialist if he or she believes in the rapture, they will say “Yes, there will be a ‘catching up’ of believers at the second coming of Christ, ‘but’ no, there is not a secret removal of Christians from the earth. ‘Christ will only return one time’.” They teach that they will all be caught up in the clouds to meet the descending Lord, which implies that after this meeting they will turn around and come back with him to the earth. (1 Thessalonians. 4:17) Their views of the “resurrections,” with some variations, are about the same as the DP’s except that the Seat of Christ’s judgment for Christians will be after the tribulation “in a twinkling of an eye.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

HP rejects the belief that the Bible teaches a sharp distinction between Israel and the Church. All believers from all the ages are part of the one spiritual “Israel of God” (Galatians 3:29; 6:16; Romans 6-8). They do not believe the Scriptures teach that God will remove the Church before the tribulation so that He can resume a unique saving work among the Jews. The Jewish nation, while being perfectly able to join the church in the belief of true faith in Christ, has no distinct redemptive plan as they would in the dispensational perspective. The duration of the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:1-6) is unsure: it could be literal or figurative.

After the millennium, Satan will be loosed and Gog and Magog will rise against the kingdom of God. The defeat of Satan’s forces will be immediately followed by the final judgment.  The HP's view interprets some prophecy in Scripture as having literal fulfillment while others demand a semi-symbolic fulfillment. As a case in point, the seal judgments (Revelation 6) are viewed as having fulfillment throughout history (rather than in future events) by which God works out his redemptive and judicial purposes leading up to the end. The New Heavens will follow the Great White throne judgment (Revelation 20-21),

5. Third View: Postmillennialism (PM)

Definition: The PM teaches that the millennium is an era (not a literal thousand years) during which Christ will reign over the earth, not from a literal earthly throne, but a heavenly one. (Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:32,33)  PM see the millennial-age as commencing at some point during the present age, and as a period in which the kingdom of God triumphs over the kingdoms of this world. (Daniel 2:44)

This will be a unique period during which there will be a special binding of Satan resulting in an expansion of Christianity on a scale never yet achieved. It will be through the gradual increase in the spreading of the Gospel message and its power to change lives. Though evil will not be totally eliminated during the millennium, it will be reduced to a minimum as the moral and spiritual influence of Christians is increased.  Christ will return after this process is complete and immediately usher the church into their eternal state after judging the wicked. There will be one resurrection of both the good and the bad. (John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:11-15) This is called PM because, by its view, Christ will return after the millennium. They also believe that Israel will be converted to Christianity and be grafted back into the people of God at that time.

The PM sees the millennial kingdom as the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham that he would become "a great nation" and that "all peoples on earth would be blessed" through him (Genesis 12:2-3). This holy reign will come about via gradual conversion through the spread of the Gospel — this incremental progress is drawn from many pictures found throughout Scripture (e.g., Deuteronomy 7:22 and Ezekiel 47:1-12). They believe that the Jews will be re-grafted back into the vine by becoming Messianic Jews and may have some national role to play in the future. (Romans 11:25-29)

Those who hold to postmillennialism use a non-literal method of interpreting unfulfilled prophecy, assigning their own meanings to words. With this in mind, PM optimism is nurtured through what they view as being many prophetic Psalms that apply before Jesus comes. The Psalms often speak of all nations to the ends of the earth fearing Him. (Psalm 2:1-12; Psalm 22:27; Psalm 67:2,7; Psalm 102:15; Psalm 110:1). Another passage that well feeds this earthly optimism is Isaiah 2:2-3 in which the nations will stream to the righteousness of God. Note that the United Nations was supposed to fulfill this prophecy found in “Isaiah 2:4 NIV He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

One of the outstanding facts about postmillennialism is that it was, before the wars of the 20th century, one of the most important and influential millennial theories. It was probably the dominant Protestant eschatology of the nineteenth century and was embraced by Unitarian, Arminian, and Calvinist alike.

6.  Amillennialism AM [ also termed nunc-millennialism [Nunk] or inaugurated millennialism ]

Definition: AMs believe that the Kingdom of God was inaugurated at Christ's resurrection (hence the term "inaugurated millennialism") at which point he gained victory over both Satan and the Curse of Adam. (1Corithians 15:22,23) Christ is even now reigning (hence the term "nunc-millennialism" — nunc means "now") at the right hand of the Father over His church. (Mark 16:19) 

AMs believe that the millennium is spiritual. The term AM literally means “no millennium,” since the prefix “a” (that is, "alpha" in Greek) negates the term that it precedes. Yet AMs don't adhere to the non-existence of a millennium, they just believe that it’s not a literal 1,000-year period.

They interpret the 1,000-year millennium figuratively, arguing that it refers to a long, undetermined amount of time. They point out that numbers throughout the book of Revelation are figurative and so to maintain a consistent interpretation, the number 1,000 that refers to the millennial period should be understood in the same manner. They further hold that Satan is currently bound in the world insofar as the hasn’t been allowed to wipe out Christianity. However, they do not believe Satan is immobile and powerless, but that he is restricted and limited.

 AM is by far the most dominant eschatological position in the history of Christianity. ("Eschatology" refers to the doctrine of "last things," meaning the end times.) The view is held by the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, and by a large segment of Protestantism.

An important note is the AMs view that the role of the church in this world is one of suffering. Christians will be hated by all, just as Christ was. (Matthew 10:22; John 15:20) Seeing this as the church's role on earth — to suffer as did Christ — the AMs can hold no hope for an earthly exaltation and long for the fulfillment of Jesus’ second coming. His coming is the final consummation of all the heavenly promises. The Christian will no longer see by faith alone, but by sight. All the shadowy things will pass away and our eternal reign with Christ will begin. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

AMs teach that from the ascension of Christ in the first century until His second coming, both good and evil will increase in the world as God’s kingdom parallels Satan’s kingdom. It is essentially a spiritualization of the kingdom prophecies.  AM does not believe the nation of Israel has a unique, future role to play, distinct from Gentiles. AMs therefore feel no need for positing an earthly millennium to provide for the fulfillment of prophecies relating to the Jews; they see such prophecies as pointing to the glorious eternal future which awaits all the people of God. Because Christ fulfills the promises given to Israel, AMs believe God is finished with Israel as a national entity.

At the end of the age there will emerge an intensified form of tribulation and apostasy as well as a personal antichrist which will be followed by Jesus Christ returning to destroy all his enemies. AMs do not believe in a literal Armageddon but believe that it is a prophetic symbolism for the whole world in its collective defeat and judgment by Christ at his second coming.  The resurrected dead believers and those believers who are then still alive shall suddenly be transformed and glorified. They are all caught up in the clouds to meet the descending Lord, implying that after this meeting they will turn around and go along with him to the earth. (1 Thessalonians. 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52) 

AM holds to one general resurrection of all the dead which includes the resurrections noted in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, Matthew 25:31-46, and 1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 20:11-15, and John 5:28,29.  They also hold to one all-inclusive judgement of the wicked and the Devil at about the same time period. When the Revelation speaks of the Lake of Fire, they say it symbolically means the second death resulting in everlasting punishment after the resurrection of the body.

After the judgments are completed, the final state is ushered in. Unbelievers and all those who have rejected Christ shall spend eternity in hell, whereas believers will enter into everlasting glory on the new earth. The concept of the new earth differs among some AMs. Many AM Christians think of themselves as spending eternity in some ethereal heaven while others believe that the Bible plainly teaches that there will be a new earth. They say that when the book of Revelation says that the holy city, the new Jerusalem, will come down from heaven to the new earth (21:2), that God will now have his dwelling with men (21:3) and that the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the new Jerusalem (22:3), it is teaching in figurative language that in the life to come heaven and earth will no longer be separated but will have merged. In the final state, therefore, glorified believers will be both in heaven and on the new earth, since the two shall then be one.

7.  Conclusions:  What should be concluded?

So what should we conclude from all of this? Before coming to a dogmatic millennial perspective, the lone fact that so many well-intentioned and intelligent Christians believe so variously when it comes to Revelation 20:1-10 must give us pause. The Book of Revelation itself is probably the most curious and oft-debated piece of the Biblical canon. This ought to place us in a position of caution when either accepting or dismissing another's interpretation.

I personally am a Panmillennialist, it will all Pan Out in the end.

One Final Thought:  Lets read Revelation 21:8; 22:15 and discuss what is meant.