Overview
The millennium is a period of 1,000 years when Christ is on His throne in Jerusalem, ruling the world as King of all kings and Lord of all lords. It’s basically heaven on Earth (yes, this earth we are on right now…heaven…here).
This particular area of study (the End Times) is called eschatology. After decades of study in it now, I consider myself an eschatologist in training. But really, I’m just a disciple of Jesus.
One must approach these topics with humility. Not because the truth cannot be found; but because it cannot be easily and/or effectively communicated otherwise.
Eschatology has many pieces to it, just like a big jigsaw puzzle. If you don’t have all of the pieces before you, then you won’t be able to put them together correctly (if at all). That’s why it takes decades of study in the End Times just to have an opinion (it seems). You need as many of the facts as possible to see the big picture clearly.
And without the big picture in view, it’s hard to see the details correctly as well. For instance, you may think that you’re zooming in on one topic, when really the text is about something else.
Great care is needed at all times.
The Juicy Stuff
The millennium will be unlike any epoch before it. And there will not be another Earth epoch after it; Earth will be destroyed at the end of the thousand years. It is literally the last thousand years of this Earth’s 7,000-year total existence. (Look up young earth creationism and find a serious essay from a proponent.)
In this time, the Creator, Jesus, will sit upon His golden throne in Jerusalem, Israel (it’s called the Ark of the Covenant, and Mercy Seat). His holy angels are His army. The Jews will be His people. They will be the most important nation (of many) on Earth for the duration of His millennial rule. His throne room oversees the altar where His people burn their sacrifices to atone for their sins.
Let me explain that part.
In the book of Ezekiel, we read all about the temple in Jerusalem during the millennium.
Chapters 40 through 48 talk all about the dimensions and rites and other important facts about this amazing temple complex.
These surviving Jews were not His followers on earth during the apocalypse (the tribulation and God’s ensuing wrath). They are not His saints and may never be. They are mortal humans, just like we are now, who need to drink the water of life and eat the fruit of the tree of life for their bodies to live on indefinitely. He will rule over them and justice will be sweet but firm. A loving God ruling the world.
Jesus’ ruling body over Earth will be the saints. We will be His Judicial office in local situations. We will be His first responders (heal them on the spot?). Able to quell problems with the grace and mercy and wisdom of God. Incorruptible and invincible; rulers of The Nations (those many other countries in the world that are not Israel).
The Premillennial Judgment
Just before Jesus begins His 1,000-year reign, He will judge the survivors that remain on Earth. This is the separ-ation of the Sheep from the Goats.
The goats will be sent to the Lake of Fire if they worshipped the beast or took his mark. I’m not sure if they go to hell first or not. If they do go to hell, they will stay there for 1,000 years during the millennium. Anyone else not staying on Earth goes to hell.
The sheep, on the other hand, may continue to live on Earth, as subjects in the Kingdom of God. They are also mortal men, women, boys, and girls. They did not take the mark of the beast or worship his statue. They aren’t perfect, but then, they aren’t saints either. They, too, must drink and eat the elements of life that are provided to them.
The lucky (good, really) sheep will enjoy the best time of earth’s entire span. It will be heaven on earth, literally. I see it as a kind of dress rehearsal for the New Earth that is to follow.
Infant mortality will be unknown; anyone who dies at 100 years old will be considered to have died young. No war, or factions, or politics, or false religions, or devils, or mental illness, or anything else to make your life miserable. As a sheep, you will make your own house and grow your own food (if you want, city life is available too), your children will not leave you. Your family life will be rich and full of love and happiness. God will answer your prayers and be visible and active in your life. This is the life that everyone says that they want on earth.
The Bad Part
As good as the millennium will be, it won’t be perfect. There will still be sinful people living here. Even though they have been covered and led with an iron scepter, a superhuman government, and the most fearsome army ever assembled on Earth to serve and protect, they will still find a way to rebel against all of that when you-know-who is let out of the abyss. Yes, Satan will again be allowed to fool the people one last time.
When Satan is unleashed upon this utopian world, it won’t take him and his gang very long to get a lot of the world all riled up again, just like he’s been doing this whole time in our age today.
It’s coined “Gog and Magog” (by John in Revelation 20:8) to harken back to the end of the age of man’s rule and the battle of Armageddon 1,000 years earlier.
When this final rebellion is crushed, then the stage will be struck and a new era will soon begin. There’s just the matter of the final judgment to take place first.
(See the next leaflet for that.)
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.
(Revelation 20:6, NLT)
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