14/09/2022 Wednesday
BIBLE BASICS
Future: The Tribulation Review
Future: The Millennium
What does the Bible say about the coming Millennium?
The Millennium Described
▰ Many men have dreamed and worked toward developing a perfect society or a utopia. As we look around, it is obvious that their efforts have all
failed.
▰ The Bible however tells us of a future time of peace on earth when Satan will be bound and Christ will reign as King, which will last for 1,000 years
(Rev 20:1-6). We call it the Millennium.
The Millennium Described
▰ “This theocratic kingdom [kingdom ruled by God] will be characterized by harmony not only among men but also in nature. Its successful reign of
peace lasting one thousand years is accomplished because it is the kingdom of God, and Christ himself will sit on the throne as King. The millennial
reign of Christ differs from other utopian proposals in that it is the accomplishment of God, not the fulfilment of a man’s goals and ambitions. As
such, where men have failed in the past, God will succeed in the future.” Towns, Elmer, What the Faith is All About, theWord edition.
The Millennium and the Kingdom
▰ The Millennium is also called the Kingdom. This has caused some confusion since the “kingdom” has several meanings in the Bible. Dr. Rick
Flanders explains, “The Bible concept of the Kingdom of God has four aspects:
▻ The Kingdom of God as His eternal rule over all things (God is King of all things, Psa 103:19).
▻ The Kingdom of God as His spiritual rule in the lives of His redeemed people is a continual reality even today. When we are born again, we enter this aspect of
the Kingdom. See John 3:1-3.
The Millennium and the Kingdom
▻ The Kingdom of God (or of heaven) as a mystery exists during the Age of Grace (between the rejection of the political kingdomat Christ’s first coming and its
establishment with His second coming) in a “mystery” form (Mat 13:10-12, 24).
The Millennium and the Kingdom
▻ The Kingdom of God as a political, physical reality on earth was attempted first in Adam, but failed, then in human government after the flood, but failed, then in
the judges of Israel, but failed, and then in the kings of Israel and Judah, but failed. Human rulers appointed to govern for and under God have all failed to do so.
Then, Jesus, the Christ, came and offered the Kingdom to Israel, but they rejected Him. The Kingdom of God as a political reality among men will only succeed
when Christ comes again and establishes His rule by force.” Flanders, Richard, Adult Sunday School Notes, Juniata Baptist Church, Vassar, Michigan.
The Time of the Millennium
▰ “At the time of the war in Israel [at the end of the Tribulation], Jesus Christ will return to earth with the saints He took up at the Rapture. Associated
with His return will be the regathering of converted Jews to the Holy Land, the destruction and damnation of Christ’s enemies, the judgment of the
nations, the resurrection of saints who died in the Tribulation, and the establishment of Christ’s earthly Kingdom. See Isa 35, Zec 12:1-14:21, Mt
25:31-46, Ac 1:6-11, and Re 19:10-20:4.” Flanders, Ibid.
The Time of the Millennium
▰ Those who believe that Christ will rapture believers before the Millennium are called Pre-Millennialists. We are both Pre-Tribulationists and Pre-
Millennialists. Post-Millennialists believe that the world will get better and better and at the end of the Millennium Christ will return. A-Millennialists
(“a” meaning “no”) are those who do not believe that Christ will literally reign on earth for 1,000 years. “A-Millennialists say that there is no future for
the Jew – that all the Old Testament promises and prophecies given to them have been taken over by the Church.” Lockyer, Herbert, All the Doctrines of the Bible, Grand Rapids,
Zondervan, 1964, p. 284
The People of the Millennium
▰ There will be three types of people on earth during the Millennium.
▻ Believers that are taken up in the rapture will return with glorified bodies to reign with Christ (2Ti 2:12; Re 5:10).
▻ Jew and Gentile believers who died before the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and believers who will die during the Tribulation will be resurrected with glorified
bodies to reign with Christ (Re 20:4). The first resurrection takes place in stages (Christ, Church Age saints, Old Testament saints, Tribulation saints). Basically,
it refers to the resurrection of believers to eternal life and the second resurrection refers to the resurrection of unbelievers to face dooming judgment.
The People of the Millennium
▻ After the Tribulation at the Judgment of the Living Nations (Mat 25:31-46), Christ will separate the goats (all living unbelievers) and cast them into hell and the
sheep (living believers saved during the Tribulation, both Jews and Gentiles) will enter His Kingdom. These will be the only people who have mortal bodies and
bear children during the Kingdom.
The Purpose of the Millennium
▰ “One of the things done in the millennium will be the rebuilding of the temple. The Old Testament prophets wrote, “After this I will return, and will
build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up” (Act 15:16). Several chapters in
Ezekiel deal specifically with the rebuilding of the millennial temple and the conducting of memorial sacrifices (Ezek. 40-48).
The Purpose of the Millennium
▰ The Lord is a covenant God and has on several occasions made covenants with Israel. Three important covenants will be fulfilled in the millennium.
▻ The Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1-3) promised that Israel would be a great nation and possess the Promised Land.
▻ The Davidic Covenant (2Ch 13:5; 2Sa 7:12-16) promised the seed of David (Christ) would rule forever on the throne of David.
▻ The New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34) promised a spiritual rebirth for the nation Israel. These things will be accomplished in the thousand-year reign of Christ.” Towns,
Elmer, What the Faith is All About, theWord edition.
Changes During the Millennium
Herbert Lockyer p.285
▰ Longevity of life, Isa 65:20, 22
▰ Petitions answered immediately, Isa 65:24
▰ Injustice removed, Isa 65:20, 23
▰ No sickness, Isa 35:5-6
▰ Joy, thanksgiving, peace and righteousness, Isa 12:1-6; 25:9
▰ Christ will rule, Ps 18:44; Mic 5:8-10; He 10:13
▰ Animals tame, Isa 11:6, 8; 65:25
▰ Satan bound for the 1,000 years, Re 20:1-3
Future: The Millennium Review
What is another name for the Millennium?
The 1000 year Kingdom
Rick Flanders described these four aspects of the Kingdom (1) Eternal rule, (2) Spiritual our King, (3) Mystery during Age of Grace, (4) Political reality on earth for 1000
years. Do you have questions on this?
Who will be the mortals that enter the Millennial Kingdom?
The “sheep”, living Tribulation believers
Where will Christ and Satan be during the Millennium?
Christ on earth as King, Satan in the bottomless pit in chains
Let’s Get Practical
▰ What do you think immortal saints will do as they reign with Christ during the Kingdom?