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/ylt'>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
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they see not the land which I have sworn to their fathers, yea, none of those despising Me see it; and My servant Caleb, because there hath been another spirit with him, and he is fully after Me -- I have brought him in unto the land whither he hath entered, and his seed doth possess it.
In the Most High causing nations to inherit, In His separating sons of Adam -- He setteth up the borders of the peoples By the number of the sons of Israel.
And it cometh to pass, at the end of three days, that the authorities pass over into the midst of the camp,
and Moses sweareth in that day, saying, If not -- the land on which thy foot hath trodden, to thee it is for inheritance, and to thy sons -- to the age, for thou hast been fully after Jehovah my God.
Of Thee my praise is in the great assembly. My vows I complete before His fearers.
Thou sendest out Thy Spirit, they are created, And Thou renewest the face of the ground.
And gone have many peoples and said, 'Come, and we go up unto the mount of Jehovah, Unto the house of the God of Jacob, And He doth teach us of His ways, And we walk in His paths, For from Zion goeth forth a law, And a word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And He hath judged between the nations, And hath given a decision to many peoples, And they have beat their swords to ploughshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation doth not lift up sword unto nation, Nor do they learn any more -- war.
And it hath been, he who is left in Zion, And he who is remaining in Jerusalem, 'Holy' is said of him, Of every one who is written for life in Jerusalem.
And a wolf hath sojourned with a lamb, And a leopard with a kid doth lie down, And calf, and young lion, and fatling are together, And a little youth is leader over them. And cow and bear do feed, Together lie down their young ones, And a lion as an ox eateth straw. read more. And played hath a suckling by the hole of an asp, And on the den of a cockatrice Hath the weaned one put his hand. Evil they do not, nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For full hath been the earth with the knowledge of Jehovah, As the waters are covering the sea.
Evil they do not, nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For full hath been the earth with the knowledge of Jehovah, As the waters are covering the sea.
And they have hanged on him All the honour of the house of his father, The offspring and the issue, All vessels of small quality, From vessels of basins to all vessels of flagons.
And swallowed up hath He in this mountain The face of the wrapping that is wrapped over all the peoples, And of the covering that is spread over all the nations.
And a highway hath been there, and a way, And the 'way of holiness' is called to it, Not pass over it doth the unclean, And He Himself is by them, Whoso is going in the way -- even fools err not.
And the wicked are as the driven out sea, For to rest it is not able, And its waters cast out filth and mire.
The little one doth become a chief, And the small one a mighty nation, I, Jehovah, in its own time do hasten it!
The little one doth become a chief, And the small one a mighty nation, I, Jehovah, in its own time do hasten it!
There is not thence any more a suckling of days, And an aged man who doth not complete his days, For the youth a hundred years old dieth, And the sinner, a hundred years old, is lightly esteemed.
Wolf and lamb do feed as one, And a lion as an ox eateth straw, As to the serpent -- dust is its food, They do no evil, nor destroy, In all My holy mountain, said Jehovah!
At that time they cry to Jerusalem, 'O throne of Jehovah,' And gathered unto her hath been all the nations, For the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem, Nor do they go any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.
Answered hath Daniel and said, 'I was seeing in my vision by night, and lo, the four winds of the heavens are coming forth to the great sea; and four great beasts are coming up from the sea, diverse one from another.
and the kingdom, and the dominion, even the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens, is given to the people -- the saints of the Most High, His kingdom is a kingdom age-during, and all dominions do serve and obey Him.
And I have made to them a covenant in that day, with the beast of the field, And with the fowl of the heavens, And the creeping thing of the ground, And bow, and sword, and war I break from off the land, And have caused them to lie down confidently.
And the remnant of Jacob hath been in the midst of many peoples, As dew from Jehovah -- as showers on the herb, That waiteth not for man, nor stayeth for the sons of men.
Yea, he doth build the temple of Jehovah, And he doth bear away honour, And he hath sat and ruled on His throne, And hath been a priest on His throne, And a counsel of peace is between both.
And I have cut off the chariot from Ephraim, And the horse from Jerusalem, Yea, cut off hath been the bow of battle, And he hath spoken peace to nations, And his rule is from sea unto sea, And from the river unto the ends of earth.
And I have poured on the house of David, And on the inhabitant of Jerusalem, A spirit of grace and supplications, And they have looked unto Me whom they pierced, And they have mourned over it, Like a mourning over the only one, And they have been in bitterness for it, Like a bitterness over the first-born.
And Jehovah hath become king over all the land, In that day there is one Jehovah, and His name one.
And it hath come to pass, Every one who hath been left of all the nations, Who are coming in against Jerusalem, They have also gone up from year to year, To bow themselves to the King, Jehovah of Hosts, And to celebrate the feast of the booths. And it hath come to pass, That he who doth not go up of the families of the land unto Jerusalem, To bow himself to the King, Jehovah of Hosts, Even on them there is no shower. read more. And if the family of Egypt go not up, nor come in, Then not on them is the plague With which Jehovah doth plague the nations That go not up to celebrate the feast of booths. This is the punishment of the sin of Egypt, And the punishment of the sin of all the nations, That go not up to celebrate the feast of booths. In that day there is on bells of the horse, 'Holy to Jehovah,' And the pots in the house of Jehovah Have been as bowls before the altar. And every pot in Jerusalem, and in Judah, Have been holy to Jehovah of Hosts, And all those sacrificing have come in, And have taken of them, and boiled in them, And there is no merchant any more in the house of Jehovah of Hosts in that day!
And he hath sat, a refiner and purifier of silver, And he hath purified the sons of Levi, And hath refined them as gold and as silver, And they have been to Jehovah bringing nigh a present in righteousness.
Happy the meek -- because they shall inherit the land.
the Son of Man shall send forth his messengers, and they shall gather up out of his kingdom all the stumbling-blocks, and those doing the unlawlessness,
And Jesus said to them, 'Verily I say to you, that ye who did follow me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man may sit upon a throne of his glory, shall sit -- ye also -- upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel;
And Jesus answering said, 'Ye have not known what ye ask for yourselves; are ye able to drink of the cup that I am about to drink? and with the baptism that I am baptized with, to be baptized?' They say to him, 'We are able.' And he saith to them, 'Of my cup indeed ye shall drink, and with the baptism that I am baptized with ye shall be baptized; but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but -- to those for whom it hath been prepared by my father.'
for whoever may will to save his life shall lose it; and whoever may lose his life for my sake and for the good news' sake, he shall save it;
and having called ten servants of his own, he gave to them ten pounds, and said unto them, Do business -- till I come;
'And it came to pass, on his coming back, having taken the kingdom, that he commanded these servants to be called to him, to whom he gave the money, that he might know what any one had done in business.
and he said to him, Well done, good servant, because in a very little thou didst become faithful, be having authority over ten cities.
and he said also to this one, And thou, become thou over five cities.
but those accounted worthy to obtain that age, and the rising again that is out of the dead, neither marry, nor are they given in marriage;
for I say to you that I may not drink of the produce of the vine till the reign of God may come.'
I will no more talk much with you, for the ruler of this world doth come, and in me he hath nothing;
They, therefore, indeed, having come together, were questioning him, saying, 'Lord, dost thou at this time restore the reign to Israel?' and he said unto them, 'It is not yours to know times or seasons that the Father did appoint in His own authority; read more. but ye shall receive power at the coming of the Holy Spirit upon you, and ye shall be witnesses to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and unto the end of the earth.'
Simeon did declare how at first God did look after to take out of the nations a people for His name,
and if the Spirit of Him who did raise up Jesus out of the dead doth dwell in you, He who did raise up the Christ out of the dead shall quicken also your dying bodies, through His Spirit dwelling in you.
For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory about to be revealed in us; for the earnest looking out of the creation doth expect the revelation of the sons of God; read more. for to vanity was the creation made subject -- not of its will, but because of Him who did subject it -- in hope, that also the creation itself shall be set free from the servitude of the corruption to the liberty of the glory of the children of God; for we have known that all the creation doth groan together, and doth travail in pain together till now. And not only so, but also we ourselves, having the first-fruit of the Spirit, we also ourselves in ourselves do groan, adoption expecting -- the redemption of our body;
and if the fall of them is the riches of a world, and the diminution of them the riches of nations, how much more the fulness of them?
for if the casting away of them is a reconciliation of the world, what the reception -- if not life out of the dead?
Already ye are having been filled, already ye were rich, apart from us ye did reign, and I would also ye did reign, that we also with you may reign together,
lo, I tell you a secret; we indeed shall not all sleep, and we all shall be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, in the last trumpet, for it shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we -- we shall be changed:
in which once ye did walk according to the age of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience,
to know him, and the power of his rising again, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,
when the Christ -- our life -- may be manifested, then also we with him shall be manifested in glory.
if we do endure together -- we shall also reign together; if we deny him, he also shall deny us;
And in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour: if, then, any one may cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified and profitable to the master -- to every good work having been prepared,
For not to messengers did He subject the coming world, concerning which we speak,
there doth remain, then, a sabbatic rest to the people of God,
there doth remain, then, a sabbatic rest to the people of God,
so also the Christ did not glorify himself to become chief priest, but He who spake unto him: 'My Son thou art, I to-day have begotten thee;'
For, skilfully devised fables not having followed out, we did make known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but eye-witnesses having become of his majesty -- for having received from God the Father honour and glory, such a voice being borne to him by the excellent glory: 'This is My Son -- the beloved, in whom I was well pleased;' read more. and this voice we -- we did hear, out of heaven borne, being with him in the holy mount.
and the present heavens and the earth, by the same word are treasured, for fire being kept to a day of judgment and destruction of the impious men.
and it will come -- the day of the Lord -- as a thief in the night, in which the heavens with a rushing noise will pass away, and the elements with burning heat be dissolved, and earth and the works in it shall be burnt up. All these, then, being dissolved, what kind of persons doth it behove you to be in holy behaviours and pious acts? read more. waiting for and hasting to the presence of the day of God, by which the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements with burning heat shall melt; and for new heavens and a new earth according to His promise we do wait, in which righteousness doth dwell;
we have known that of God we are, and the whole world in the evil doth lie;
and did make us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him is the glory and the power to the ages of the ages! Amen.
He who is overcoming -- I will give to him to sit with me in my throne, as I also did overcome and did sit down with my Father in His throne.
and didst make us to our God kings and priests, and we shall reign upon the earth.'
and didst make us to our God kings and priests, and we shall reign upon the earth.'
because of this are they before the throne of God, and they do service to Him day and night in His sanctuary, and He who is sitting upon the throne shall tabernacle over them;
And the seventh messenger did sound, and there came great voices in the heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of the world did become those of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign to the ages of the ages!'
Happy and holy is he who is having part in the first rising again; over these the second death hath not authority, but they shall be priests of God and of the Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth did pass away, and the sea is not any more;
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth did pass away, and the sea is not any more;
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth did pass away, and the sea is not any more; and I, John, saw the holy city -- new Jerusalem -- coming down from God out of the heaven, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband; read more. and I heard a great voice out of the heaven, saying, 'Lo, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will tabernacle with them, and they shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall be with them -- their God, and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and the death shall not be any more, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor shall there be any more pain, because the first things did go away.'
and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and the death shall not be any more, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor shall there be any more pain, because the first things did go away.' And He who is sitting upon the throne said, 'Lo, new I make all things; and He saith to me, 'Write, because these words are true and stedfast;' read more. and He said to me, 'It hath been done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End; I, to him who is thirsting, will give of the fountain of the water of the life freely; he who is overcoming shall inherit all things, and I will be to him -- a God, and he shall be to me -- the son, and to fearful, and unstedfast, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all the liars, their part is in the lake that is burning with fire and brimstone, which is a second death.' And there came unto me one of the seven messengers, who have the seven vials that are full of the seven last plagues, and he spake with me, saying, 'Come, I will shew thee the bride of the Lamb -- the wife,' and he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and did shew to me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God,
and he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and did shew to me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, having the glory of God, and her light is like a stone most precious, as a jasper stone clear as crystal,
having the glory of God, and her light is like a stone most precious, as a jasper stone clear as crystal, having also a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve messengers, and names written thereon, which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel,
having also a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve messengers, and names written thereon, which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel, at the east three gates, at the north three gates, at the south three gates, at the west three gates;
at the east three gates, at the north three gates, at the south three gates, at the west three gates; and the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
and the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who is speaking with me had a golden reed, that he may measure the city, and its gates, and its wall;
And he who is speaking with me had a golden reed, that he may measure the city, and its gates, and its wall; and the city lieth square, and the length of it is as great as the breadth; and he did measure the city with the reed -- furlongs twelve thousand; the length, and the breadth, and the height, of it are equal;
and the city lieth square, and the length of it is as great as the breadth; and he did measure the city with the reed -- furlongs twelve thousand; the length, and the breadth, and the height, of it are equal; and he measured its wall, an hundred forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the messenger;
and he measured its wall, an hundred forty-four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the messenger; and the building of its wall was jasper, and the city is pure gold -- like to pure glass;
and the building of its wall was jasper, and the city is pure gold -- like to pure glass; and the foundations of the wall of the city with every precious stone have been adorned; the first foundation jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;
and the foundations of the wall of the city with every precious stone have been adorned; the first foundation 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, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.
the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each several one of the gates was of one pearl; and the broad-place of the city is pure gold -- as transparent glass.
And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each several one of the gates was of one pearl; and the broad-place of the city is pure gold -- as transparent glass. And a sanctuary I did not see in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, is its sanctuary, and the Lamb,
And a sanctuary I did not see in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, is its sanctuary, and the Lamb, and the city hath no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they may shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp of it is the Lamb;
and the city hath no need of the sun, nor of the moon, that they may shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp of it is the Lamb; and the nations of the saved in its light shall walk, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it,
and the nations of the saved in its light shall walk, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it,