Premillennialism Pt. 5:

Will Christ Reign For 1,000 Years On Earth?

Prepared by Nathan L Morrison for Sunday October 19th, 2014

Text: Rev. 20:4

Intro

  1. Defining Premillennialism

  1. Premillennialism is defined as: “Pre” = before; and “millennium” = 1,000
  2. There are many varieties of Premillennialist teaching (Not all are alike)!
  3. There is a basic shell but the particulars vary from group to group.
  4. The basic doctrine:
  5. Jesus failed to establish His Kingdom when He came in the first century. The idea is that He could not establish His Kingdom by persuasion, but will do so by force. This is odd since Jesus said He could do so by force the first time (Mt. 26:53; cf. II Kings. 19:23: 1 angel killed 185,000 Assyrians!).
  6. The rapture will take place – believers taken from earth for seven years.
  7. Seven years of the Great Tribulation – Israel restored, temple rebuilt
  8. Battle of Armageddon fought – enemies of Christ defeated
  9. Christ returns to reign 1,000 years on earth from Jerusalem
  10. Judgment Day: Saints go to Heaven, and the wicked go to Hell.
  1. What do the Scriptures teach on Christ’s reign?(More on this in next lesson)
  2. The Kingdom was established in 1st century (Col. 1:13).
  3. Christ is King of kings (I Tim. 6:15).
  4. Christians are citizens of the Kingdom (I Pet. 2:9).
  5. The Kingdom will stand until the Judgment (I Cor. 15:23, 24).
  6. We can enter it now through the New Birth (Jn. 3:3-5; Col. 1:13).
  7. Despite these Scriptures (and many more) teaching Christ reigns now from Heaven in His spiritual kingdom, Premillennialists teach He will return to reign on earth for 1,000 years.
  8. As we study, the question is: Will Christ return to reign on earth for a thousand years?
  1. Premillennialists Teach Christ Will Reign on Earth for 1,000 Years
  1. Rev. 20:4: Only passage mentioning a 1,000 year reign!
  2. After the 7 years of Great Tribulation, Christ will return to end the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 20:1-4).
  3. Satan will be bound for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:2)
  4. Some groups use Rev. 20:7-10 to say the Battle of Armageddon will happen after the 1,000 year reign (Rev. 16:13-16).
  5. Others say it is the Battle of Armageddon that has Christ binding Satan for His 1,000 years reign on earth.
  6. Jesus will sit on a literal throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth for 1,000 years!
  7. Peace will ensue that will last till the Day of Judgment.
  8. At the end of the 1,000 years the wicked will be raised and judgment begins (Rev. 20:10-15)
  9. The essential details of this doctrine are missing from Rev. 20!
  10. Christ’s 2ndComing
  11. A reign on earth (No mention of earth at all!)
  12. Peace on earth
  13. Jerusalem
  14. A literal throne
  15. A bodily resurrection
  16. “All saints.” Rather, this passage applies to martyred saints (Beheaded – 20:4)
  17. When Premillennialists are pressed on this interpretation of Rev. 20 they insist that 20:4 be interpreted literally!
  18. But why should that verse be interpreted literally when so many other things in the chapter and ones before it are obviously used in a figurative sense?
  19. Here are some figurative things in Rev. 19-20 (They select what is figurative & literal):
  20. A white horse and rider – 19:11
  21. Jesus having eyes of flaming fire – 19:12
  22. Heavenly armies with horses going to war – 19:14-15
  23. Sword out of Jesus’ mouth – 19:15
  24. Jesus ruling with a rod of iron – 19:15
  25. Jesus treads the winepress – 19:15
  26. Birds eating the bodies of those slain – 19:17-18
  27. The Beast – 19:19
  28. Mark of the Beast – 19:20
  29. Abyss or bottomless pit – 20:1
  30. Key to pit – 20:1
  31. The great chain (can a spiritual being like Satan be bound by a literal chain?) – 20:1
  32. The dragon and serpent –(are we to understand Satan to be a literal dragon?) – 20:2
  33. 1,000 Years – 20:2
  34. The beheaded souls (are only those beheaded worthy to be with Christ during a literal reign on the earth?) – 20:4
  35. First resurrection – 20:5
  36. Second death – 20:6
  37. No one consistently interprets this passage literally; everyone interprets some element figuratively, though they pick and choose what is literal in a highly figurative text!
  38. If one is going to interpret the 1,000 years literally, then logically everything else must be literal too!
  1. Flaws of Premillennialism Teachings on Christ as an Earthly King
  1. It makes Jesus a king on an earthly throne!
  1. It contains the idea that Jesus will found a later kingdom
  1. Mt. 21:6-17:Yet the people welcomed Jesus into the city of Jerusalem!
  2. Mk. 11:9-10: The people went before Him shouting praise to God! (Lk. 19:35-41) – Welcoming Him into the city ushering in David’s kingdom!
  1. It ignores Jesus’ rejection of being made a king
  1. Jn. 6:15: He avoided the people trying to make Him a king!
  2. Jn. 18:36: Jesus’ kingdom is not a part of this world (Not physical)
  3. Weapons are not carnal (II Cor. 10:3-5)
  4. Spiritual battle (Eph. 6:12; I Tim. 6:12; Acts 26:18)
  1. It ignores God’s prophecy concerning Coniah, the last king of Israel – Jeremiah 22:28-30
  1. Jesus inherited the right to rule on David’s throne through Joseph, a descendent of Coniah (Jeconiah) – Mt. 1:12-16
  2. Jesus could not sit on the physical throne without violating Jeremiah’s prophecy!
  1. We are presently living in the reign of Christ! (Mt. 28:18; Acts 2:36; Eph. 1:20-23; Col. 1:13; I Tim. 6:15)
  1. The Book of Revelation
  1. As a whole, The Book of Revelation is by means of signs or visions (1:1: “Signified”– NKJ; 9:17: “Vision”)
  2. Consider the visions of Christ:
  3. Does He literally have a two-edged sword out of His mouth? – 1:16; 19:15
  4. Is He literally a slain lamb, having seven horns and seven eyes? – 5:6
  5. Consider other elements in visions throughout the book:
  6. Will a great star literally fall from heaven to the earth, without destroying it? – 8:10
  7. Will the terrible locusts be literal? (Hal Lindsey said they represent helicopters) – 9:3
  8. Will the beast of the sea be literal? (most say he will be a world ruler) – 13:1-2
  9. Will the 144,000 be literal men who are virgins? (JWs say the number is literal, but the description of only virgin men is not) –14:1-5
  10. Note also to whom the book is written, and what is said about the timing of its events:
  11. Written to seven churches in Asia –1:4-6
  12. About “things which must soon take place” –1:1; 22:6
  13. About things for which “the time is near” – 1:3
  14. About things not to be sealed, “for the time is near” –22:10
  15. The book of Revelation is filled with symbols and figurative language, written mostly to encourage the early Christians about things they were to soon face! (Rev. 2:10)
  1. The Context of Rev. 20
  1. The idea that the 1,000 year reign of Rev 20 is something that begins at least 2,000 years after the book is written is contrary to the very words of the book itself (1:1,3; 22:6,10)
  2. The idea that Christ’s kingdom has not yet been established, that it is to be a physical kingdom where Christ reigns from Jerusalem, is not taught in Rev. 20, and is contrary to the clear teaching elsewhere in the N.T. concerning His kingdom and the events of His second coming (I Cor. 15:20-28: He reigns till death is destroyed!)
  3. Like most of Revelation, chapter 20 is figurative:
  4. It was written to comfort Christians of the 1stcentury A.D.
  5. It provided hope to those who faced great tribulation when Satan deceived nations (likethe Roman empire) to persecute Christians (2:10)
  6. Despite such efforts, Satan’s power was limited, and He himself would be restrained for a long period of time (1,000 years, figuratively speaking) – 20:3
  7. Notice, it is only his ability to deceive whole nations that is limited.
  8. His ability to deceive individual people remains unchanged.
  9. During that time when Satan’s influence was weakened, those who suffered dearly would be privileged to join Christ in His kingly reign – 20:4-6 (2:26-27)
  10. It is reasonable to assume that this reign is in heaven – 3:21; 7:9-17; 15:2-4
  11. Of course, the passage does suggest a short period of tribulation when Satan is released where he can deceive the nations again, but which will be terminated by the power of Christ’s coming and the final judgment – 20:7-15
  12. They reigned for 1,000 years – 20:4
  13. The 1,000 years is used to describe the present reign of Christ in Heaven(Acts 2:30-33, 36; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 12:2).
  14. 1,000 is not literal but is used figuratively to refer to the completeness of Christ’s reign.
  15. The number 1,000 is often used figuratively in Scripture:
  16. Israelites were to keep the covenant for 1,000 generations (Deut. 7:9)
  17. Is it literal when God says that the cattle on 1,000 hills are His? (Ps. 50:10)
  18. God will remember His word for 1,000 generations – but no more? (Ps. 105:8) See Is. 40:8; Mt. 24:35; I Pet. 1:25!
  19. Thus a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth is simply not taught in the N.T.!

Conclusion

  1. What can be said about Revelation 20 (and other highly figurative chapters)?
  2. It is a figurative passage in a book that is highly symbolic!
  3. No one interprets the passage entirely literally; everyone spiritualizes some portion of the book, and even chapter 20!
  4. The passage should be interpreted in the context of the book overall and the rest of the N.T.
  5. It provided hope to those who experienced terrible persecution for the name of Christ!
  6. It should encourage us never to despair when facing tribulation for the cause of Christ today – Christ triumphs over Satan! (Good will win out over evil!)
  7. We can take heart, knowing that even now Jesus is “ruler over the kings of the earth” and we are also reigning with Him! (Rev. 1:5-6; Eph. 2:4-7)
  8. If not a Christian, you need to be! Repent and be baptized!
  9. If a Christian in error, don’t wait for “that one day” to come, but repent and seek forgiveness!
  10. Whatever your requests, let them be known NOW while we stand and sing!

Premillennialism Pt. 5: Will Christ Reign For 1,000 Years On Earth? 1 Some points from a lesson by Steven Deaton, Based on Then Comes The End, Lesson 17, by Mike Willis