Millennium: What will be its features?
Some people will immediately want to know what the “Millennium” is. It is the future thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ on a perfectly restored Earth. It is “restored” in the sense that it will regain all the wonderful attributes it had at the time when Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden before they sinned. This restoration occurs at what is called the Second Coming of Christ.
Revelation 20:2-5
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. [Emphasis added]
Again, the Millennium is a thousand-year period that begins right after what is typically called the Second Coming or the Second Advent of Christ. You’ll find both articles and videos on this website about this coming event—
Second Coming: Why has He still not returned?
Rapture: How is this different from the Second Coming?
#31 ~ The 2nd Coming of Christ
#32 ~ Our Last Words of the Apostle Peter – II Peter 3:15-18
It is when He comes back that there will be radical changes made to the Earth. It is then that it reverts to its condition before the first sins were committed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In what follows I’ll provide a list of things that will then be done.
There are many foolish people today who refuse to accept the clear words that are stated in Scripture about this coming event. There are at least three sets of beliefs about this. There are those called Amillennialists who don’t believe this thousand-year personal reign of Christ on Earth will ever occur. Then there are those who are called Postmillennialists who believe the time of “the Millenium” is already here. Lastly, there are Premillennialists, ones who believe the Second Coming of Christ is immediately followed by a thousand-year reign of Christ on a beautifully restored Earth. This study will be about Premillennialism because this is what the Bible actually teaches on this subject.
Some people will tell you that the reason they don’t believe in a Millennial reign of Christ on Earth is because it is only mentioned in the book of Revelation. While the thousand-year time frame aspect of this is only mentioned in Revelation, many other things are stated about it elsewhere in Scripture. It is only its thousand-year time frame that’s only mentioned in Revelation. But there’s no good reason at all that this makes it untrue. Almost all commentators agree that the Old Testament contains promises which the people of Israel believed would give them a long-lasting literal kingdom upon the Earth. In the remainder of this study, we’ll note the things we need to know about this coming promised kingdom on Earth.
1-Our Lord told His disciples to pray for its coming.
Matthew 6:9-10
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. [Emphasis added]
2-The kingdom will last for a thousand years.
Again, Revelation 20:2-5
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand [CHILIOI = thousand] years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. [Emphasis added]
3-Jesus Christ will rule on the throne of this kingdom.
Isaiah 24:23
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously. [Emphasis added]
Matthew 25:31
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: [Emphasis added]
4-Christ will rule with the assistance of His apostles.
Matthew 19:28
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. [Emphasis added]
5-Their rulership will extend over the entire Earth.
Daniel 7:27
27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. [Emphasis added]
6-Their rulership is both spiritual and literal.
Daniel 2:44
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. [Emphasis added]
7-Jerusalem is expanded as the seat of its government.
Isaiah 65:18-19
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. [Emphasis added]
8-Heaven & Earth are restored to Eden-like conditions.
Isaiah 65:17
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. [Emphasis added]
9-Resurrected and glorified saints will rule with Christ.
Matthew 25:23
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. [Emphasis added]
Revelation 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. [Emphasis added]
10-The curse on all nature is removed.
Isaiah 65:25
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent‘s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord. [Emphasis added]
11-All people will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
Psalm 67:6-7
6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him. [Emphasis added]
12-The region of Mt. Zion will be lifted up with a Temple.
Isaiah 2:2
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. [Emphasis added]
Isaiah 56:7
7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. [Emphasis added]
13-Jerusalem will be the focal point for Jesus’ reign.
Genesis 13:15
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. [Emphasis added]
14-All implements of war will be destroyed.
Isaiah 2:4
4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. [Emphasis added]
Isaiah 9:7
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. [Emphasis added]
Ezekiel 37:26
26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. [Emphasis added]
15-The sacrificial offerings will be resumed.
Isaiah 56:7
7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. [Emphasis added]
Malachi 3:3-4
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. [Emphasis added]
16-Satan will be bound and all demons imprisoned.
Revelation 20:3
3 And cast him [Satan] into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. [Emphasis added]
17-All nations will again speak the same language.
Zephaniah 3:9
9 For then will I turn to the people a pure [BARAR = clear] language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. [Emphasis added]
It is important that we realize that man will have no part at all in the establishment of this kingdom. It will be totally a work of God in which He will get all the praise and glory for it.
As wonderful as the blessings of the Millennial Kingdom will be, what we as believers in Christ who are said to now be united with Christ in His mystical body have to look forward to enjoying forever is life in Heaven. We won’t live in this kingdom OF Heaven, but in Heaven itself. It was at the point of our salvation that we gained citizenship there.
Philippians 3:20-21
20 For our conversation [POLITEUO = citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
It will be this wonderful place that will be our home forever. We will live there in a new body with all the wonderful features of Christ’s resurrection body.
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. [Emphasis added]
For more information about all this, please see my other articles about it—
Heaven: What do we need to know about it?
Heaven: Will we recognize others we’ve known?
Heaven: Will those called Israel’s little flock be there?
Calvinism: Who decides who is going to Heaven?
It is subjects like this that are not really about us that we still need to know. Among other things, it reminds us of God’s faithfulness. He always keeps His word. Just as the blessings of the Millennium have been promised to another people, we have those things God has promised to us. All this has been provided for our learning.
Romans 15:4
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. [Emphasis added]
It is things like this that round out our learning and our understanding of God and the things He has promised. As I often say, the whole Bible is FOR us, but it is not all TO us. But ALL Scripture is given for our edification.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect [ARTIOS = complete (brought to maturity)], thoroughly furnished unto all good works. [Emphasis added]
