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/mnt'>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
"Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth."
"The son of man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all hindrances, and whoever practices iniquity,
"In solemn truth I tell you," Jesus answered, "that in the New Creation, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, you also who have followed me shall sit on twelve thrones, to govern the twelve tribes of Israel.
"None of you know what you are asking," said Jesus. "Can you drink the cup which I am about to drink?" "We can," they replied. My cup you indeed shall drink," he answered, "but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever, for my sake and the gospel's, loses his life will save it.
"And he summoned ten slaves of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, "'Trade with these until I come.'
"And upon his return after he had secured the royal power, he ordered the slaves to whom he had given the money to be called in, so that he might know what they had gained by trading.
"And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'
"Then he said to him also, 'You shall be over five cities.'
"but those who are counted worthy to reach that world and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage.
"Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God is come."
"I shall not talk with you much more, for the Prince of this world is coming.
So, when they came together, they began to ask him, "Master, are you at this time about to restore the kingdom of Israel?" He answered. "It is not for you to know times and occasions which the Father has fixed in his own authority; read more. "yet you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you are to be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth."
"Brothers, listen to me. Symeon has told how God first looked graciously upon the Gentiles, to take out from among them a people to be called by his name.
But if the Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus from dead is dwelling in you, He who raised up Jesus from the dead is dwelling in you, He who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also make your dying bodily self live by his indwelling Spirit in your lives.
For I count as nothing what we now suffer, in comparison with the glory which will soon be unveiled to us. All nature even is waiting with eager longing for the unveiling of the vision of God's sons. read more. For nature was subjected to imperfection, not by its own will, but by the will of Him who thus made it subject??21 yet not without the hope that some day nature itself also will be freed from the thralldom of decay, into the freedom which belongs to the glory of the children of God.
For we know that all nature has been groaning and travailing together until this hour. And not only that, we ourselves, although we are grasping the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves are inwardly groaning, while we are waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.
Now if their stumbling enriches the world, and their loss enriches the Gentiles, how much more must their fulness do!
For if their casting out is the reconciliation of the world to God, what will their restoration be but life out of death?
But you, forsooth, are already full, are you? You are already rich? Without us you are already reigning? Yes, and I would that you did reign, so that we also might reign with you.
Lo, I tell you a secret truth. we shall not all be sleeping, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised, incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
in which you passed your lives after the way of this world, under the sway of the Prince of the Powers of the Air, the spirit who is now working among the sons of disobedience.
I long to know him in the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, by sharing the likeness of his death;
When Christ, who is our life, appears, then will you also appear with him in glory.
If we endure suffering, we shall also reign with him. If we disown him, he too will disown us.
Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for noble, some for ignoble uses. If then a man keeps himself clear of these latter, he will be a vessel for honor, consecrated, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
It is not to angels that God subjected the age to be, of which we are speaking.
So even the Christ was not raised to the high glory of the priesthood by himself, but on the contrary by Him who said to him. Thou art my Son; this day have I become thy Father;
For we were not following cunningly devised fables, when we told you of the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eye-witnesses of his Majesty. For he did receive honor and glory from God the Father, when there was borne such a voice to him from the Majestic Glory, This is my Son, my Beloved, in whom I delight; read more. and this voice we ourselves heard, borne to us out of heaven, when we were with him on the holy hill.
But the heavens and earth that now are, by the same word of God, have been reserved for fire, and are being kept for the Day of Judgment, and for the destruction of ungodly men.
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; and on that Day the heavens will vanish with a crash, the heavenly bodies will melt with fervent heat, and the earth and all its works will be burned up. Now since all things are in the process of dissolution, what kind of men ought you to be, in all holy living and piety; read more. while you look for and hasten the coming of the Day of God. At its coming the heavens, being on fire, will be dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt with fervent heat. But according to his promise, we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness makes her dwelling.
We know that we are of God, and the whole world is lying in the Evil One.
and has made us to be a kingdom of priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever, Amen.
To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit down with me on my throne, as I myself have overcome and have taken my seat with my Father on his throne.
Thou hast made them kings and priests unto our God, And they shall reign on earth."
Thou hast made them kings and priests unto our God, And they shall reign on earth."
For this they are now before the throne of God, and are serving him day and night in his temple. "And He who sits on the throne Will spread his tabernacle over them.
And the seventh angel blew his trumpet; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said, "THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD ARE BECOME THE KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND OF HIS CHRIST, AND HE WILL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER."
Blessed and holy is he who has a part in the first resurrection; on such the second death has no power, but they will be God's priests, and Christ's; and will reign with him for a thousand years.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and the sea is no more.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and the sea is no more.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and the sea is no more. And I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband. read more. And I heard a loud voice out of the throne, crying. "Behold, God's tent is with men, And he will tent with them, And they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them, And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more, Nor will there be mourning, Nor crying, nor pain any more. Because the first things have passed away."
And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more, Nor will there be mourning, Nor crying, nor pain any more. Because the first things have passed away." And He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said to me, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and genuine." read more. He also said: "It has now come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the End. To him who thirsts I will freely give Of the spring of the Water of life. He who overcomes will inherit these, And I will be his God, And he shall be my son. But as for the cowards, the faithless, the abominable, And for the murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, Idolaters, and all liars, Their part will be in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. "This is the second death." And there came to me one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the last plagues, and he spoke to me, saying. "Come hither! I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain, huge and high; and he showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain, huge and high; and he showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. It had the glory of God. Its light was like some precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal;
It had the glory of God. Its light was like some precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal; with a wall great and high, and twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written thereon, the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
with a wall great and high, and twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written thereon, the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. On the east were three gates; and on the north, three gates; and on the south, three gates; and on the west, three gates.
On the east were three gates; and on the north, three gates; and on the south, three gates; and on the west, three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who spoke had a golden reed, as a measure, to measure the city and its gates and walls.
And he who spoke had a golden reed, as a measure, to measure the city and its gates and walls. And the city lies foursquare; the length of it is as great as the breadth. Then he measured the city with the reed, fifteen hundred miles; the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
And the city lies foursquare; the length of it is as great as the breadth. Then he measured the city with the reed, fifteen hundred miles; the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured its wall, two hundred and sixteen feet, man's measure, which is an angel's.
And he measured its wall, two hundred and sixteen feet, man's measure, which is an angel's. And its wall is made of jasper; but the city is of pure gold, like pure glass.
And its wall is made of jasper; but the city is of pure gold, like pure glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kings of precious stones. The first foundation-stone was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kings of precious stones. The first foundation-stone was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.
the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each gate of one pearl. And the broad street of the city was of pure gold, transparent like glass.
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each gate of one pearl. And the broad street of the city was of pure gold, transparent like glass. And I saw no temple in the city; For the temple is the Lord God, the Almighty, And the Lamb.
And I saw no temple in the city; For the temple is the Lord God, the Almighty, And the Lamb. And the city has no need of the sun, Nor of the moon, to shine upon it; For the glory of God has lightened it, And its lamp is the Lamb.
And the city has no need of the sun, Nor of the moon, to shine upon it; For the glory of God has lightened it, And its lamp is the Lamb. And the nations will walk by its light. And into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory;
And the nations will walk by its light. And into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory;