Reference: Thousand Years
Fausets
The millennium. The period of Christ's coming reign with His saints over this earth, delivered from Satan's presence. As Satan and His kingdom in successive stages sink, Christ and His kingdom rise (Revelation 19-20). Satan, having been foiled in his last desperate attempt to overthrow Christ's kingdom by Antichrist or the beast, shall by the just law of necessary retributive consequence be bound immediately afterward and imprisoned in the bottomless pit a thousand years. (See ANTICHRIST.) On the same just principle they who have suffered for Christ, and not worshipped the Godopposed world power, shall come to life again and reign with Christ (2Ti 2:12), at His coming, a thousand years. Their resurrection is "the first resurrection." (See RESURRECTION.) "The rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years are finished: blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years."
Ten, the "world number", raised to the third power, the "divine number", expresses the world pervaded by God. Possibly the "thousand" may extend much longer than the literal number. So also (Php 3:10.) Paul's ambition was to "attain the resurrection from out of the rest of the dead" (exanastasis). So our Lord declares (Lu 20:35), "they who shall be accounted worthy to obtain the resurrection from the dead cannot die any more, for they are equal unto the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection." Again, to the apostles (Lu 22:18), "ye are they who have continued with Me in My temptations, and I appoint unto you a kingdom as My Father hath appointed unto Me, that ye may eat and drink with Me at My table, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Again (Mt 19:28), "ye that have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
Those "beheaded (virtually or actually, literally, hatcheted) for Jesus and for the word of God" stand first; then they" who have not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands," i.e. did not treat the world's riches, ambitions, and pleasures as their portion. Jesus implies, in reply to the request of Zebedee's two sons, that there are places of peculiar honour reserved by the Father for those who drink Christ's bitter cup (Mt 20:22-23). Thus, "whosoever shall lose his life for Christ's sake (in will or deed) shall save it" (Mr 8:35). Satan thought to destroy God's people by persecutions (just as previously to destroy Christ, Revelation 12); but the church is not destroyed from the earth, but raised to rule over it; Satan himself is shut up for a thousand years in the "abyss" (" bottomless pit"), preparatory to the "lake of fire," his final doom. As before, by Christ's ascension, he ceased to be accuser of the brethren in heaven, so during the millennium he ceases to be seducer and persecutor on earth.
As long as he rules in the darkness of the world we live in an atmosphere tainted with evil physical and spiritual (Eph 2:2). Christ's coming will purify the world (Mal 3:3). Sin will not wholly cease, for men shall be still in the flesh, and therefore death will come, but at long intervals, life being vastly prolonged as in the days of the patriarchs (Isa 65:20); but sin will not be that almost universal power that it is now. Satan will no longer seduce the flesh, nor be the "god" and "prince of this world" (Joh 14:30; 2Co 4:4), which now "lieth in the wicked one" (1Jo 5:19). The flesh, untempted from without, shall become more and more subject to the spirit. Christ with His saints, in transfigured bodies, will reign over men in the flesh. The millennial nations will be prepared for a higher state, as Adam would have been in paradise, had he never fallen (Re 21:1-24,26).
This will be the manifestation of "the world ("age", aion) to come" already set up invisibly in the saints in "this world" (Heb 2:5; 5:5). As each seventh year was Israel's year of remission, so of the world's seven thousands the seventh shall be its sabbatism (Heb 4:9, margin). Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Cyprian, expected an earthly millennial kingdom; not until millennial views carnally confounded the state of the transfigured king-priests with that of the subject nations in the flesh, and the church itself sought a present visible kingdom with Rome as its center, instead of hoping for it only when Christ shall come, was the doctrine abandoned by the church and apostasy set in. Earth, not becoming transfigured until after the millennium, shall not be, during it, the meet home for the transfigured saints; but from heaven they with Christ rule the earth, the comparatively free communion between the heavenly and earthly churches being typified by Christ's communion at short intervals with His disciples during the 40 days between His resurrection and ascension.
Old Testament prophecy everywhere anticipates Christ's kingdom at Jerusalem: Jer 3:17; Isa 4:3; 11:9; 35:8; 22/type/juliasmith'>60:22,22; Ezekiel 37 to 48, etc., etc. He confirms His disciples' expectation of it, but corrects their impatience to know the time (Ac 1:6-8). The kingdom begins, not as the carnal Jews thought, from without, but from within, spiritually; then when Christ shall be manifested it shall be manifested outwardly (Col 3:4; 1Jo 3:2). The papacy blasphemously anticipates the visible headship which Christ shall then assume, "reigning as kings" without Christ (1Co 4:8).
When Christianity became a worldly power under Constantine, the future hope was weakened by joy over present success (Bengel); the church becoming a harlot ceased to be the bride going to meet her Bridegroom. The saints' future priesthood unto God and Christ "in His temple" (Re 1:6; 5:10; 7:15; 20:6) is the ground of their kingship toward men. Men will be willing subjects of the transfigured priest-kings whose power is the attraction that wins the heart, not counteracted by devil or beast. Church and state will be coextensive; and the church and the world no longer in mutual repulsion. The distinction between them shall cease, for the church will be co-extensive with the world. The veil shall be taken off Israel first, then off all people, and the kingdoms of this world shall be the kingdoms of Christ (Re 11:15; Isa 25:7). Christ's glorious appearing, the church's transfiguration, antichrist's destruction, and Satan's binding, will dispose the nations to embrace the gospel.
As a regeneration of elected individuals "taken out" from Jews and Gentiles (Ac 15:14) goes on now, so a regeneration of nations then. As the church begins at Christ's ascension, so the visible kingdom at His second advent. What the transfigured priest-kings shall be in heaven, that the Israelite priest-kings shall be on earth. A blessed chain of giving and receiving: God, Christ, the transfigured bride, i.e. the translated church, Israel, the world of nations. The outpouring of the Spirit on Israel (Zec 12:10) will usher in the new period of revelation, which has been silent so long as Israel, God's chosen mediator of revelations, and of establishing His manifested kingdom on earth, has been in the background. God from the first, in dividing to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, set their bounds "according to the number of the children, of Israel" (De 32:8). Now is the time of preaching; then shall be the time of liturgy of "the great congregation" (Ps 22:25; Ezekiel 40 to 48; Zec 14:16-21; Isa 2:3).
Art and music will be the handmaids to spiritual worship, instead of drawing off the soul to sensuousness. Society will be pervaded by the Spirit of Christ. Earthly and heavenly glories shall be united in the twofold election: elect Israel in the flesh shall stand at the head of the earthly nations; the elect spiritual church, in the heavenly kingdom, shall reign over both. These elections are for the good of those to whom they minister respectively; compare, as to Israel's mediating blessedness to the nations
See Verses Found in Dictionary
If they shall see the land which I sware to their fathers, and all despising me shall not see it And my servant Caleb, because another spirit was with him, and he will follow after me, and I brought him into the land which he went there; and his seed shall inherit it.
The Most High distributing the nations, In his dispersing the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the peoples According to the number of the sons of Israel.
And it will be from the end of three days and the scribes will pass through in the midst of the camp.
And Moses will sware in that day, saying, Shall not the land which thy foot trod upon it be to thee for inheritance, and to thy sons even to forever? for thou didst fill up after Jehovah my God.
Of thee my praise in the great convocation: I will complete my vows before them fearing him.
Thou wilt send forth thy spirit, they will be created: thou wilt renew the face of the earth.
And many people went and said, Come, and we will go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us from his ways, and we will go in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And he judged between the nations, and he will decide for many peoples: and they shall beat down their swords to plough-shares and their spears to pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and they shall no more learn war.
And it was he being left in Zion and he remaining in Jerusalem, he shall say to him holy, all being written for their life in Jerusalem.
The wolf dwelt with the lamb; and the panther will lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the falling together, and a little boy leading with them. And the heifer and the bear shall feed together, and their young shall lie down; and the lion shall eat straw as the ox. read more. And the suckling was delighted upon the hole of the asp, and upon the viper's deu the weaned directed his hand. They shall not do evil, and they shall not destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth full of the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters covering to the sea.
They shall not do evil, and they shall not destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth full of the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters covering to the sea.
And they hung upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the sprouts, all the vessels of smallness, from the vessels of lavers and even to all the vessels of flasks.
And he will swallow up in this mountain the face of the covering covered over all peoples, and the veil covered over all nations.
And a highway was there, and a way, and it shall be called to it, A way of holiness; the unclean one shall not pass through it; and it is for them; he going the way, and the foolish shall not err.
And the unjust as the tossed sea when it shall not be able to rest, and its waters will toss up mud and mire;
The little one shall be for a thousand, and the small for a strong nation: I Jehovah will hasten it in its time.
The little one shall be for a thousand, and the small for a strong nation: I Jehovah will hasten it in its time.
There shall be no more from thence a child of days, and an old man who shall not fill up his days: for the boy shall die the son of a hundred years and he sinning, the son of a hundred years, shall be cursed.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed as one, and the lion and the ox shall eat straw, and the serpent, dust his bread. They shall not do evil, and they shall not destroy in all my holy mountain, said Jehovah
In that time they shall call to Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all nations assembled together to her to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem: and they shall no more go after the stubbornness of their evil heart
Daniel answered and said, I was seeing in my vision by night, and lo, the four winds of the heavens rushing forth to the great sea. And four great beasts went up from the sea, different this from this.
And the kingdom and the power, and the greatness of the kingdom under All the heavens was given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High his kingdom an eternal kingdom, and all powers shall serve to him, and shall hear.
And I cut out for them a covenant in that day with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the earth: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the land, and I caused them to lie down confidently.
And the remnant of Jacob was in the midst of many peoples as the dew from Jehovah, as showers upon the green herb, which will not wait for man and will not delay for the sons of man.
And he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall lift up the majesty, and he sat and ruled upon his throne: and he was priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them two.
And I cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war was cut off: and he spake peace to the nations: and his dominion from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the end of the earth.
And I poured out upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplications: and they looked to me whom they pierced, and they mourned for him as mourning for the only begotten, and being embittered for him as being embittered for the first-born.
And Jehovah was for king over all the earth: in that day Jehovah shall be one, and his name one.
And every one being left of all the nations coming against Jerusalem, and they went up from year to year to worship to the king, Jehovah of armies, to keep a festival, the festival of booths. And it was who will not come up of the families of the earth to Jerusalem to worship to the king, Jehovah of armies, and upon them shall not be rain. read more. And if the family of Egypt shall not go up, and it not coming, and not upon them there shall be the smiting which Jehovah shall smite the nations which will not come up to keep the festival, the festival of booths. This shall be the sin of Egypt, and the sin of all the nations which will not come up to keep the festival, the festival of booths. In that day shall be upon the bells of the horse, Holiness to Jehovah; and it was the pots in the house of Jehovah as vases before the face of the altar. And every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah was holiness to Jehovah of armies: and all sacrificing came and took of them, and boiled in them: and the Canaanite shall be no more in the house of Jehovah in that day.
And he sat melting and cleansing silver: and he cleansed the sons of Levi, and he purified them as gold and as silver, and they were to Jehovah bringing near the sacrifice in justice.
Happy the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
The Son of man shall send forth his messengers, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and those doing iniquity;
And Jesus said to them, Verily I say to you, That ye having followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man should sit upon the throne of his glory, shall be seated ye also upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And Jesus having answered, said, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink the cup which I am about to drink, and be immersed with the immersion which I am immersed? They say to him, We can. And he says to them, Truly my cup shall ye drink, and with the immersion which I am immersed shall ye be immersed; but to sit on my right, and on my left, is not mine to give, but to those it was prepared for by my Father.
For whoever wills to save his life shall lose it; and whoever should lose his life for my sake and the good news, the same shall save it.
And having called his ten servants, he gave them ten coins, and said to them, Attend to business, till I come.
And it was in his coming back, having received the kingdom, and he spake to have these servants called to him, to whom he gave the silver, that he might know who had attended to any business.
And he said to him, Well, good servant: because thou west faithful in the least, be thou having power over ten cities.
And he said to him, And be thou over five cities.
And they having been deemed worthy to obtain that life, and the rising up of the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
For I say to you that I drink not of the fruit of the vine, till when the kingdom of God comes.
I will no more speak much with you: for the ruler of this world comes, and has nothing in me.
Truly they therefore having come together, asked him, saying, Lord, if in this time thou wilt restore the kingdom of Israel? And he said to them, It is not yours to know the times and occasions, which the Father fixed in his own power. read more. But ye shall receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses to me also in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the last of the earth.
Simeon related how God first reviewed to take from the nations a people for his name.
And if the Spirit of him having raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he having raised up Christ from the dead will make alive also your mortal bodies by his Spirit dwelling in you.
For I reckon that the sufferings of the time now not worthy of the glory about to be revealed in us. For the anxious expectation of the creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God. read more. For the creation was subject to vanity, not voluntarily, but by him having subjected in hope, That also the creation itself be freed from servitude of corruption to the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that all creation groans together and travails together until now. And not only, but also they having the first fruits of the Spirit, and we ourselves groan in ourselves, waiting for the adoption as a son, the redemption of our body.
And if their fall the riches of the world, and their disaster the riches of the nations; how much more their fulness?
For if their rejection the reconciliation of the world, what the reception, but life from the dead?
Already were ye satisfied, already were ye rich, without us ye reigned; and I would ye also reigned, that we also might reign together with you.
Behold, I speak to you a mystery; We truly shall not all be laid asleep, but we shall all be changed, In an atom, in the twinkling of the eye, in the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
In which when ye walked according to the life of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, of the spirit now energetic in the sons of disobedience:
To know him, and the power of his rising up, and the mutual participation of his sufferings, being rendered conformable to his death;
When Christ shall be manifested, our life, then also ye with him shall be made manifest in glory.
If we endure, we shall also reign together: if we deny, he will also deny us:
And in a great house there is not only gold and silver vessels, but also wood and earthen; and some truly for honour, and some for dishonour. If therefore any cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel for honour, consecrated, and useful for the master, prepared for every good work.
For not to the angels has he subjected the habitable globe about to be, of which we speak.
Therefore a celebration of a sabbath remains to the people of God.
Therefore a celebration of a sabbath remains to the people of God.
So also Christ honoured not himself, to become chief priest; but he having spoken to him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
For not having followed ingeniously contrived fictions, we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but having been spectators of his majesty. For having received from God the Father honour and glory, and such a voice brought to him from the magnificent glory, This is my dearly beloved Son, in whom I was contented. read more. And this voice brought from heaven we heard, being with him in the holy mountain.
And now the heavens and the earth, by the same word are stored up, being kept for fire to the day of judgment and of the perdition of irreligious men.
And the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a loud noise, and the elements, suffering from excessive heat, shall be dissolved, and the earth and the works in it shall be burned down. Therefore all these being dissolved, of what race ought ye to be in holy turning round and devotion, read more. Expecting and seeking earnestly the presence of the day of God, during which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements going to be burned are melted away? But we expect new heavens and a new earth, according to promise, in which dwells justice.
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in evil.
And he made us kings and priests to God and his Father; to him the glory and strength for the times of times.
He conquering, will I give to him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered, and sat down with my Father on his throne.
And madest us kings and priests to our God: and we shall reign upon the earth.
And madest us kings and priests to our God: and we shall reign upon the earth.
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he sitting upon the throne will dwell among them.
And the seventh angel sounded the trumpet; and great voices were in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world were our Lord's, and his Christ's; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Happy and holy he having a part in the first rising up: over these has the second death no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and first earth passed away; and the sea was no more.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and first earth passed away; and the sea was no more.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and first earth passed away; and the sea was no more. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. read more. And I heard a great voice from heaven saying, Behold the tent of God with men, and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, their God. And God shall wipe out every tear from their eyes; and death be no more, neither grief, neither crying, nor trouble shall be more: for the first things departed.
And God shall wipe out every tear from their eyes; and death be no more, neither grief, neither crying, nor trouble shall be more: for the first things departed. And he sitting upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he says to me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. read more. And he said to me, It has been. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him thirsting of the fountain of the water of life gratuitously. He conquering shall inherit all things; and I will be God to him, and he shall be son to me. But to the cowardly, and unbelieving, and to the abominable, and murderers, and to fornicators, and charmers, and to idolaters, and to all the lying, their part in the lake burning with fire and sulphur: which is the second death, And there came to me one of the seven angels having the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and he spake with me, saying, Come, I will show thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And he brought me away in the spirit upon a mountain great and high, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
And he brought me away in the spirit upon a mountain great and high, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her luminary like a most precious stone, as jasper stone, shining like crystal;
Having the glory of God: and her luminary like a most precious stone, as jasper stone, shining like crystal; And having a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and the names inscribed, which are of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel:
And having a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and the names inscribed, which are of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel: From the sunrising three gates; from the north three gates; from the south three gates; and from the sun-setting three gates.
From the sunrising three gates; from the north three gates; from the south three gates; and from the sun-setting three gates. And the wall of the city having twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve sent of the Lamb.
And the wall of the city having twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve sent of the Lamb. And he speaking with me had a golden reed that he might measure the city, and her gates, and her wall.
And he speaking with me had a golden reed that he might measure the city, and her gates, and her wall. And the city lies quadrangular, and her length is so large, such also the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, at twelve thousand stadia. Her length, breadth, and height are equal.
And the city lies quadrangular, and her length is so large, such also the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, at twelve thousand stadia. Her length, breadth, and height are equal. And he measured her wall, an hundred forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, which is the angel.
And he measured her wall, an hundred forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, which is the angel. And the interior construction of her wall was a jasper: and the city pure gold, like pure crystal.
And the interior construction of her wall was a jasper: and the city pure gold, like pure crystal. And the foundations of the wall of the city adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation a jasper; the second, a sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth an emerald:
And the foundations of the wall of the city adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation a jasper; the second, a sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth an emerald: The fifth, a sardonyx; the sixth, a sardius; the seventh, a chrysolyte; the eighth, a beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a hyacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
The fifth, a sardonyx; the sixth, a sardius; the seventh, a chrysolyte; the eighth, a beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a hyacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates twelve pearls; each one of the gates was of one pearl: and the broad way of the city pure gold, as transparent amber.
And the twelve gates twelve pearls; each one of the gates was of one pearl: and the broad way of the city pure gold, as transparent amber. And a temple saw I not in her: for the Lord God, the Omnipotent Ruler, is the temple and the Lamb
And a temple saw I not in her: for the Lord God, the Omnipotent Ruler, is the temple and the Lamb And the city has no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they shine in her: for the glory of God enlightened her, and her light the Lamb.
And the city has no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they shine in her: for the glory of God enlightened her, and her light the Lamb. And the nations of the saved shall walk about in her light: and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into her.
And the nations of the saved shall walk about in her light: and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into her.