Views on the Millennium

Work in progress

By Mark Farquharson

February 2017

Please note I am covering the different views on the millennium, not what occurs during the millennium.

There is what is commonly called the “millennium reign” in Revelation 20:1-10.

Revelation 20:1-10 {CLV}

1 And I perceived a messenger descending out of heaven, having the key of the submerged chaos and a large chain in his hand.

2 And he lays hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Adversary and Satan, and binds him a thousand years.

3 And he casts him into the submerged chaos and locks it, and seals it over him (lest he should still be deceiving the nations) until the thousand years should be finished. After these things he must be loosed a little time.

4 And I perceived thrones, and they are seated on them, and judgment was granted to them. And the souls of those executed because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who do not worship the wild beast or its image, and did not get the emblem on their forehead and on their hand- they also live and reign with Christ a thousand years.

5 (The rest of the dead do not live until the thousand years should be finished.) This is the former resurrection.

6 Happy and holy is he who is having part in the former resurrection! Over these the second death has no jurisdiction, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will be reigning with Him the thousand years.

7 And whenever the thousand years should be finished, Satan will be loosed out of his jail."

8 And he will be coming out to deceive all the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to be mobilizing them for battle, their number being as the sand of the sea."

9 And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and surround the citadel of the saints and the beloved city. And fire descended from God out of heaven and devoured them."

10 And the Adversary who is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the wild beast and where the false prophet are also. And they shall be tormented day and night for the eons of the eons."

Word Meaning:

Before even getting into this topic, I want to explain one of the words. The Greek word "chilia" which is translated above as “thousand.” It is actual a plural, but that does not mean when translating that word it should always be plural. The rules of Greek grammar are different. With Greek grammar the adjective has to agree with the noun it explains. For instance in “thousand years,” the noun “years” is plural, which means the adjective has to be plural “thousands.”

For instance 2 Peter 3:8 reads “Now of this one thing you are not to be oblivious, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand {chilia} years and a thousand years as one day.” You have the same in Revelation 11:3 which reads “and they will be prophesying a thousand {chilia} two hundred sixty days.” Also the tribes in Revelation 7 that each number twelve thousand for a total of a hundred forty-four thousand {chilia}. In theses cases the proper English translation is “thousand” singular. When translating form Greek to English the same rules of grammar should not be used. Because of that chilia is translated singular and not plural. Thus one could assume that it should always be a singular when translated to the English.

However that is not the case at all. Certainly the Greek grammar insists that “thousands” is plural when “years“ is plural. But the word “chilia” is plural, which means that it can be used as a plural. A writer of the Greek, can use “chilia” to mean “thousands” plural. One should not insist that it should always be translated “thousand,” for the writer might mean “thousands.” Thus in Revelation 20, it can be translated “thousands of years.”

The point is, we should not insist that it is a thousand. So how long is the period, please read the article to find out. I will be using the term “millennium” or referring to a 1000 year reign in the article for easy understand, and because most people view it this way. Also the terms people use to describe the different views, are in terms of a millennium.

The Four Views:

1 Millennium is Figurative: There is no actual millennium reign.

2 Premillennialism: The view that the church will bring in the millennium before Christ returns.

3 Amillennialism: A period between Jesus Christ ascending to heaven and his return at the end of the eon.

4 Postmillennialism: The view that after Jesus Christ returns, post his return, the millennium reign will begin on this earth and last 1000 years.

Each view will be covered in more detail.

The Millennium is Figurative: Is there a millennium?

Some people argue that the millennium is figurative or spiritual, and does not actually exist. It is also believed by some that the whole book of Revelation is figurative or spiritual. Nothing in the book of Revelation is going to actually happen. The problem with that, is you rule out Jesus Christ’s actual return, that Jesus himself said would happen.

Matthew 24:26-27 If, then, they should say to you, 'Lo! in the wilderness is he!' you may not be coming out' 'Lo! in the storerooms!' you should not be believing it." For even as the lightning is coming out from the east and is appearing as far as the west, thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind." {CLV}

This being one of the numerous passages. Some of course rule out his actual return.

Revelation 19:11 And I perceived heaven open, and lo! a white horse. And He {Christ} Who is sitting on it is called "Faithful and True, and in righteousness is He judging and battling." {CLV}

Here in Revelation Jesus Christ returns from heaven, just as Jesus said He would, but does he? Or is this all just figurative?

Jesus Christ will actually return:

Acts 1:9-11 And saying these things, while they are looking, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him up from their eyes." And as they were looking intently into heaven at His going, lo ! two men stand beside them in white attire, who say also, "Men! Galileans! Why do you stand, looking into heaven? This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven." {CLV}

Jesus Christ is lifted up and taken to heaven. As the Galileans look into heaven, two men tell the Galileans that Jesus is going to come back, in the manner in which he lift. Jesus Christ physically lift the earth, and these two men tell the Galileans that he is going to physically return. Unless you rule out that Jesus actually went to heaven.

Hebrews 9:26-28 yet now, once, at the conclusion of the eons, for the repudiation of sin through His sacrifice, is He manifest." And, in as much as it is reserved to the men to be dying once, yet after this a judging, thus Christ also, being offered once for the bearing of the sins of many, will be seen a second time, by those awaiting Him, apart from sin, for salvation, through faith." {CLV}

“Christ also, being offered once for the bearing of the sins of many, will be seen a second time,” that’s right, it says a second time. It is talking about his first coming when he was sacrificed on the Cross and his second physical coming. Unless you do not believe that he even come the first time.

However it is not going to happen the way it is described in Revelation 19:11, I do not believe Jesus will actually be riding a actual white horse. Jesus did not ride one when he ascended to heaven, Jesus will not ride one on the way back.

This shows that the events in Revelation are prophecy. The book of Revelation in the bible is a prophecy, with any prophecy in the bible, symbols are used. When a king has a dream about a statue in the old testament, he needs someone to tell him what the dream means. The dream is a prophecy of future events. He is told the different metals that make up the statue represent four actual kingdoms.

In the book of Revelation, we also have symbols, for instance beasts with numerous heads. Clearly these are not real, there is going to be no literal multiple-headed beast. The beast represents something that was going to happen in the future, at the time the prophecy was given. The problem is unlike the dream the king had, we have no explanation of the book of Revelation.

That still leaves us with the question, is there a millennium?

It should be noted that the only place in the bible that mentions this 1000 years is Revelation 20, it is nowhere else in the whole bible. For such an important future event, it is not mention by anyone else, but John and this is in a vision. John does not tell us what any of the book of Revelation actually means. And even thou it is only in one place, loads has been written about. It seems those who believe in a future millennium know all about what is going to happen during that time. Christians have linked all sorts of over passages to it, even thou, these passage do not even mention the millennium.

Jesus Christ does actually return which is cover just before in Revelation 19, however not on a white horse, this tells us that the events in Revelation are representative of actual events. However while it all represents actual events, it does not tell us what most of these events are, the events are represent by symbols, that means we do not know what the events actual are. Thus there is an actual millennium period, but when is it, and what is the actual reign? The view that it is all figurative is wrong.

Premillennialism

In this view there is a 1000 years of peace and safety which is brought in by the church, before the return of Jesus Christ. I do not see this happening, it has been nearly 2000 years, and the church is not anywhere close to ruling the earth. The church is more divided than ever before. There seems to no way to bring the many different sides together to agree on the smallest details, how are they to bring in a millennium?

People are believing that, there is no God at all, that everything just happened, somehow, by chance. There are a lot of different religions out there that do not believe in Christ at all. There is no indication of this changing anytime soon. Of course this could all change very rapidly. However those mention in Revelation as being on the thrones during this period are the ones resurrected, those who have died. These will be resurrected at Christ's return, not before his return, refer 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. This rules out the millennium being before his return. That said I am not saying those are the only ones on the thrones, because it is those who are alive when he returns that are transformed as well.

Some may think that the saints will bring in the millennium, that saints will take over the ruling of the earth, without Jesus Christ. Instead of the whole church, just those who truly believe in Christ will bring it in. This is also incorrect, it is not the role of the chosen to bring in the millennium, before Christ returns.

There is another Premillennialism view, this is the belief that, the chosen or a certain portion of the church will be transformed, and become immortal, 1000 years before the Lord Jesus Christ returns. These immortal humans will establish, or help to establish the kingdom on the earth, before His return.

While the chosen will be transform and become immortal, this will not happen 1000 years, or a millennium before the Lord actual returns from heaven. The chosen will be transformed when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.

Colossians 3:4 'Whenever Christ, our Life, should be manifested, then you

also shall be manifested together with Him in glory.' {CLV}

When Christ is manifested, that is when He returns in glory, then the chosen will be manifested at the same time.

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it was not as yet manifested what we shall be. We are aware that, if He should be manifested, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him according as He is. And everyone who has this expectation in Him is purifying himself, according as He is pure. {CLV}

If Jesus Christ should be manifested, the brethren shall be like Him. This is the expectation of the chosen, that is the chosen have an expectation to be like Christ, but that will not happen until He is manifested.

Philippians 3:8-12 But, to be sure, I am also deeming all to be a forfeit because of the superiority of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, because of Whom I forfeited all, and am deeming it to be refuse, that I should be gaining Christ, and may be found in Him, not having my righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God for faith:" to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, conforming to His death, if somehow I should be attaining to the resurrection that is out from among the dead. Not that I already obtained, or am already perfected. Yet I am pursuing, if I may be grasping also that for which I was grasped also by Christ Jesus." {CLV}

Paul what to know Christ Jesus and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. Then Paul clearly states that he had NOT already obtained the power of Christ’s resurrection, that is immortally. Paul also states that he was not already perfected, he had not obtained perfection. If Paul did not obtain perfection, what makes some believe that they can obtain perfection before the manifestation of the Lord?

No where in the bible does it teach that a portion of the chosen will obtain the expectation, before the manifestation of Christ Jesus.

Amillennialism: Does it refer to the church age?

The view that the millennium is a period of time between Jesus Christ’s ascension to heaven and his return. A different view is that it start after the war in 66-70 AD. There are different views as to how to apply this reign of Christ. One view is that it refers to Jesus Christ’s reigning in the hearts of believers. Another view is that it is a specific period in the history of the church, still another view is that believers are spiritually reigning with Christ, who is actually reigning.

In this view the millennium is thought of as starting when Jesus went to Heaven or after the war. However it has now been almost 2000 years since that time, not just the 1000 years. Therefore one may think that it refers to a specific 1000 year period in church history, as opposed to the whole period of church time of almost 2000 years. As I stated at the beginning of the article, the word translated “a thousand” can mean 2000 or many more thousands. However since this is generally unknown, most view it as a 1000 year period. Some think it refers to the whole Christian movement. All the things that have happened in the churches over the last almost 2000 years.

It can not and does not refer to the church age and what has happened in the churches. The ones on the thrones are those that have been resurrected from death and those alive when He returns, thus it does no refer to the Christian movement or the history of the church.

The problem with this view is that one is ruling out the seventh day, that is six days of work, then there was the day of rest. The millennium is the coming day of rest, before the eighth day comes. How can you have an eighth day if you rule out the seventh day. This view does not rule out the coming Kingdom, as one can view the Kingdom as only being on the new Earth.

Postmillennialism:

This view is held by those people who think that Jesus Christ will return and there will be a 1000 year reign on this earth. I have already covered the fact that Jesus will return, at which point the millennium will start. There is an actual seventh day, which is the millennium. It has not already start, and it is not spiritual. Jesus made it clear there would be no mistaking his return. This was to happen after the time of the Gentiles or the nations {Luke 21:20-24}. At his return those of the faithful would be transformed along with those faithful who had died, these ones being on the thrones.

Wrong thinking on Post millennialism:

There is the view that most of the events in the book of Revelation refer to the war in the first century AD with Jesus returning at that time. Thus the millennium would have started back then under this view and since he returned that is when the dead in Christ conclude have been resurrected from their graves. I do not rule out that Jesus could have returned at that time, in fact he could have returned many times. For we know in the book of Acts that he show himself to Saul who became know as Paul, this of course could have just be a vision. After Jesus' resurrection he appeared to the disciples a number of times, before going to Heaven just before Pentecost. He was not on the earth this whole time for soon after being resurrected He ascended to Heaven. However when Jesus mentioned his return he was referring to the future time of the Day of the Lord. During the destruction that was to come to Jerusalem during the war, they were to flee, not to wait for rescue by the Lord.

Matthew 24:15-16 Whenever, then, you may be perceiving the abomination of desolation, which is declared through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him who is reading apprehend!);" then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. {CLV}

Luke 21:20-24 Now whenever you may be perceiving Jerusalem surrounded by encampments, then know that her desolation is near." Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains, and let those in her midst be coming out into the country, and let not those in the country be entering into her, for days of vengeance are these, to fulfill all that is written." Yet woe to those who are pregnant, and to those suckling in those days; for there will be great necessity in the land and indignation on this people." And they shall be falling by the edge of the sword and shall be led into captivity into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trodden by the nations, until the eras of the nations may be fulfilled." {CLV}

He was not to come at that time to rescue them, they had to flee. And still he was not to come until the eras of the nations had be fulfilled. This era of the nations is still going and will finish when he returns.

Appendix: lengthening the days:

2Peter 3:8 Now of this one thing you are not to be oblivious, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." {CLV}

We know that a day can represent 1000 years.

Hosea 5:15-6:3 For I will go and return to My place till they are pleading guilty, and they seek My face. In their distress they will seek Me early, saying:" Go, and we will return to Yahweh, our Elohim, for He tore to pieces, and He will heal us: He was smiting, and He will bind us up." He will make us alive after two days: In the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live before Him." And we shall know--we shall pursue to know Yahweh; as the dawn is prepared we shall find Him, and He will come to us as a downpour, as the latter rain and the former rain of the land." {CLV}

Does the two days represent 2000 years, possibly. When God spoke to him, Hosea had a different local interpretation in mind. However with prophecy there can be multiple fulfilments.

Exodus 19:10 Then Yahweh said to Moses: Go to the people, and you will hallow them today and tomorrow; let them rinse their garment. 11 and come to be prepared for the third day; for on the third day Yahweh shall descend on Mount Sinai before the eyes of all the people. {CLV}

Two days of washing and cleansing, followed by the return of Yahweh. Two days, 2000 years followed by the return of the Lord?

How does 1000 become 2000?

Note there is no need to increase the length as the correct understand is most likely thousands, not “a thousand”. However the following sentences show how one can length time periods.

The question is, is there anything in the bible, which would suggest that the 1000 years should be increased?

Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, do not forget my law, And let your heart preserve my instructions;" For length of days and years of life And peace shall they add to you. {CLV}

Does this verse apply, which would mean that the one day has been lengthen?

Joshua10:12-13 Then speaks Joshua to Yahweh in the day of Yahweh's giving up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said, before the eyes of Israel, `Sun--in Gibeon stand still; and moon--in the valley of Ajalon;. and the sun stands still, and the moon has stood--till the nation takes vengeance [on] its enemies; is it not written on the Book of the Upright, `and the sun stands in the midst of the heavens, and has not hasted to go in--as a perfect day?. {CLV}

In Joshua a day was lengthen to two days. If we apply Joshua to the millennium, we see that the millennium can be length to 2000 years represent by 2 days.

Note: Material used from the article "When is the Millennium."

Copyright © Mark J Farquharson 2017

Articles