The Millennium, yet future.

[37818]

Revelation 20:1-3, ". . . And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: . . ."

 

[KenH]

"In connection with this ‘thousand year reign’ of verses 4-6 we shall answer three questions.

First, where does it take place? According to the passage which we are considering it takes place in three places.

(i) The thousand year reign occurs where the thrones are, for we read: ‘And I saw thrones and they sat upon them. ’ Now, according to the entire book of Revelation, the throne of Christ and of His people is invariably in heaven (Rev. 1:4; 3:21; 4:2 if.; etc.).

(ii) The thousand year reign also occurs where the disembodied souls of the martyrs are, for we read: ‘And I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus. ’ John sees souls, not bodies. He is thinking of souls without bodies, for we read: ‘of them that had been beheaded’. In this entire passage there is not a single word about a resurrection of bodies. The distinction between soul and body is even emphasized: ‘the souls of them that had been beheaded’. True, the term ‘souls' at times means ‘people’ (e. g. Gn. 46:27). But in that case you can substitute the term ‘people’ for ‘souls’.

Here in Revelation 20 you cannot do so. The souls reign during this entire present dispensation until Christ’s second coming. Afterwards, it is no longer the souls that reign, for then body and soul are together again. Then the saints reign, not for a limited though lengthy period—a thousand years—but ‘for ever and ever’ (22:5).

(iii) The thousand year reign also occurs where Jesus lives, for we read ‘And they lived and reigned with Christ....’The question is, where, according to the Apocalypse, is the place from which the exalted Mediator rules the universe? Where does Jesus live? Clearly, it is in heaven. It is in heaven that the Lamb is represented as taking the scroll out of the hand of Him that sat on the throne (Rev. 5). Revelation 12 clearly states that Christ was ‘caught up to God and to his throne... Therefore, rejoice O heavens, and ye that dwell therein’.

We may safely say, therefore, that the thousand year reign takes place in heaven."

- from William Hendriksen's More Than Conquerors

 

[KenH]

"In close harmony with all these scriptural passages—and our exegesis must always be based upon the analogy of Scripture— we conclude that here also in Revelation 20:1-3 the binding of Satan and the fact that he is hurled into the abyss to remain there for a thousand years indicates that throughout this present gospel age the devil’s influence on earth is curtailed. He is unable to prevent the extension of the Church among the nations by means of an active missionary programme. During this entire period he is prevented from causing the nations—the world in general—to destroy the Church as a mighty, missionary institution. By means of the preaching of the Word as applied by the Holy Spirit, the elect, from all parts of the world, are brought from darkness to light. In that sense the Church conquers the nations, and the nations do not conquer the Church. Throughout this entire period churches are established. Not only individuals but institutions and ordinances are affected more or less by the gospel of God’s grace. In regions where the devil had been allowed to exercise almost unlimited authority, during Old Testament times, he is now compelled to see the servants of Christ gaining territory little by little. Within a comparatively brief period Christianity spreads throughout southern Europe. Soon it conquers the entire continent. During the centuries which follow it is proclaimed everywhere so that the ends of the earth hear the gospel of the crucified One and many bend the knee before Him. ...

Do not misunderstand our interpretation. We are not stating that the world is becoming better and better and that by and by nearly everyone will join the ranks of Christ’s army. Many will hear the gospel, but will not heed it. Moreover, God’s trumpets of judgment will not convert a world which is hardening itself in unbelief. The majority will always be on the side of the evil one. We most emphatically reject the dream of a man-made era of peace, prosperity, and universal righteousness on earth preceding the second coming of Christ. Just as definitely do we repudiate the related idea according to which the almighty ‘law of evolution’ will bring about an ever-upward trend in the course of civilization. We are not closing our eyes to the evils which surround us; nor are we ignorant of the fact that present-day humanism, masquerading under the guise of a new and better interpretation of Christianity, is in reality the rat that is gnawing at the roots of the tree of true religion. Nevertheless, although we are fully aware of all these symptoms of evil and harbingers of woe, the facts which we have set out above remain true, and no amount of argument can cancel them. The Church, indeed, exerts a tremendous influence for good upon almost the entire complex of human life. In that sense—not in every sense—the devil is bound."

- from William Hendriksen's More Than Conquerors

 

[37818]

. . . our exegesis must always be based upon the analogy of Scripture . . . .

I believe William Hendriksen is totally wrong on this point. Exegesis always starts with what a text says.

 

[KenH]

I believe William Hendriksen is totally wrong on this point. Exegesis always starts with what a text says.

1) William Hendriksen is correct on this point. I think his is the best commentary on the book of Revelation and I heartily and unreservedly recommend it.

2) I oppose using Revelation 20:1-6 as a theological Polaris(as a kind of micro-theology) to then go back and use it to interpret or re-interpret everything said in the Bible prior to that passage.

3) William Hendriksen does a fine job of Biblically based exegesis throughout his commentary.

4) I oppose pre-millennialism(both historic and dispensational) and post millennialism as being false eschatologies.

 

[KenH]

By the way, William Hendriksen's commentary is available for free online: Hendricksen-W-More_Than_Conquerors_-1940.pdf (tn-biblecollege.edu)

 

[37818]

Biblical exegesis always starts with what God's word actually says.

Revelation 20:1-3, ". . . And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: . . ."

Revelation 22:19, ". . . And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the *book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. . . ." * tree

 

[KenH]

Biblical exegesis always starts with what God's word actually says.

Amen!