My View Of The End Times 7
The Millennium
The Millennium is a one thousand year period between the war of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16) and the coming of the New Heaven and New Earth (Rev. 21:1). During that time, the earth will be restored, as Acts 3:21 says, and Jesus will rule over all the nations with the saints. The following is a brief flow of events –
- Jesus defeats the Beast and his armies at Armageddon (Rev. 19:11-21).
- The Beast and the False Prophet are thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:20).
- The Devil is bound for one thousand years – the Millennium period (Rev. 20:1-3).
- Jesus and the saints reign during the Millennium (Rev. 20:4).
- The Devil is released and raises up armies but fire from heaven devours them (Rev. 20:7-9).
- The Devil is thrown into the lake of fire with the Beast and False Prophet (Rev. 20:10).
- The New Heaven and New Earth come (Rev. 21).
So, the Millennium is a one thousand year period after Armageddon during which Jesus and the saints rule the earth. Some Christians don’t believe in the Millennium but there are many Scriptures which only fit such a setting. For example, Rev. 19:15 and Rev. 2:26-27 say that Jesus and the saints will rule the nations with an iron scepter. This can only be talking about a yet-to-come period because the saints have never ruled the nations and it’s ridiculous to say that they will rule heaven with an iron scepter.
Other Scriptures, such as Isa 65:17-25 and Isa. 11:1-9, only make sense in a Millennium setting. In these passages it says that the lion, leopard and wolf will live with lambs and goats and a child will lead them. This can’t be referring to our final heavenly state because death still exists as Isa. 65:20 tells us, “… he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.” This scene only fits a restored, Eden-like earth.
Who then populates the earth during the Millennium? Zech. 12-14 tell us that, when all the nations surround Jerusalem, Jesus will destroy them during the war of Armageddon and pour out His Spirit on all Israel. After that, Zech. 14:16 tells us, “Then the survivors from all the nations [Gentiles] that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.” So, the Jews and Gentiles who make it through these times will enter the Millennium. Israel will be the leading nation (Isa. 60) and the Gentile nations will go up to Jerusalem each year to worship the Lord. This gives further proof of the Millennium as the nations have never gone up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish feasts.
Few people will survive Armageddon. Zech. 13:8 says that only one third of the Jews will survive and, regarding the Gentiles, Isa 24:6 tells us, “Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.”
It’s not 100% clear why God has chosen to have a Millennium period. Perhaps it is to fulfill all His promises to Israel. They have not received all the land promised in Genesis 15:18-21 nor have they been head of the nations as Isa. 60-65 says. Or maybe God will be using that time to show mankind that the Devil is not to blame for their sinfulness because sin will still exist even with the Devil bound. And, despite the fact that righteousness has ruled for 1000 years, when released the devil will again deceive the nations and gather them to rebel against God, only to be devoured by fire (Rev. 20:7-9).
[Both Isa. 65:17 and Rev. 21:1 talk about a New Heaven and New Earth but they cannot be talking about the same thing as Isa. 65:20 speaks of people dying while Rev. 21:4 says there will be no more death. Obviously, Rev. 21:1 is talking about our final heavenly state. This means that Isa 65:17 can only be talking about the present heaven and earth being restored to an Eden-like state for the Millennium, as mentioned in verses such as Rom. 8:19-21, Acts 3:21 and Isa. 11.]
The next article will be on the Rapture timing. Amen.
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Mick Alexander
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Video of My View Of The End Times 7
