The Thousand Year Reign of Christ on the Earth

[MrW]

Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 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: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 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.

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

[Jope]

yea, verily

 

[Marooncat79]

According to this view, do people sin after the millennium?

 

[Jope]

According to this view, do people sin after the millennium?

In both Amillennial and some Premillennial theology, sin still happens during the millennium. (Dispensational Premillennial) Arnold Fruchtenbaum's commentary on Isaiah 65:20 is especially pertinent at this point.

"Verse 20 is especially significant, for it discusses life and death in the Kingdom. This verse teaches several things. First: there will no longer be any infant mortality in the Millennium; everyone who is born in the Kingdom will reach a certain age. Second: the specific age at which one may die is the age of one hundred. With infant mortality removed, everyone born in the Millennium will live at least until his hundredth year of life. Because of the prolongation of life in the Millennium, those who die at the age of one hundred will be considered as having died young. Third: this verse limits the people dying at the age of one hundred to those who are sinners; namely, unbelievers, as only they would be considered accursed. So, then, death in the Kingdom will be for unbelievers only. Comparing this passage with what is stated about salvation in other passages, the entire concept of life and death in the Kingdom can be summarized as follows. When the Kingdom begins, all natural men, both Jews and Gentiles, will be believers. The Jews in their entirety will be saved just prior to the Second Coming of the Messiah. All unbelieving Gentiles (goats) will be killed during the seventy-five day interval between the Tribulation and the Millennium, and only believing Gentiles (sheep) will be able to enter the Kingdom. However, in the process of time, there will be birth in the Kingdom of both Jews and Gentiles. These newly born, natural people will continue to inherit the sin nature from their natural parents and will also be in need of regeneration. Although Satan is confined, thus reducing temptation, the sin nature is quite capable of rebelling against God apart from satanic activity. In time, there will be unsaved people living in the Kingdom in need of regeneration. As in the past, the means of salvation will be by grace through faith and the content of faith will be the death of Messiah for sin and His subsequent resurrection. Those born in the Kingdom will have until their hundredth year to believe. If they do not, they will die in their hundredth year. The unbeliever will not be able to live past his first century of life. However, if they do believe, they will live throughout the Millennium and never die. Thus, death in the Millennium will be for unbelievers only. This is why the Bible nowhere speaks of a resurrection of millennial saints. This is why the resurrection of the Tribulation saints is said to complete the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4-6). It is also clear from the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31-34 that there will be no Jewish unbelievers in the Kingdom; all Jews born during the Kingdom will accept the Messiah by their hundredth year. Unbelief will be among the Gentiles only and, therefore, death will exist only among the Gentiles."

- Arnold Fruchtenbaum, Premillennialism in the Old Testament, Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum

 

[Marooncat79]

So you are saying there is no difference in the here and now and the millennium?

What would be the difference?

 

[Marooncat79]

Interesting

Does not scripture teach that there is no Jew nor Gentile in Gods economy?

Why the distinction?

I see the reference to AF. Why him?

Trying to understand

I thought there would be no more sickness, death or sin?

 

[Dr. Bob]

Most pre-trib, pre-mil would roll their eyes at some nonsense above. Count me with that crowd.

Cliff-notes summary: After the return of Christ and the Armageddon campaign, we must remember that the redeemed saints are not the only ones left on earth for the 1000-year reign; some unredeemed who survived the Tribulation's 7-year hell will enter. Christ will rule with a rod of iron as King. It will NOT be perfect, but it will be a peaceable righteous earthly kingdom.

At the end, as Satan again is released and deceives the unregenerate, there will be a final cataclysmic destruction, then judgment, then a new heaven and earth and the mediatorial kingdom given by Christ to His Father as an eternal kingdom for the elect.

 

[MrW]

Interesting

Does not scripture teach that there is no Jew nor Gentile in Gods economy?

Why the distinction?

I see the reference to AF. Why him?

Trying to understand

I thought there would be no more sickness, death or sin?

There is no Jew nor Gentile in Christ.

Outside of Christ, the distinction remains.

 

[Jope]

Most pre-trib, pre-mil would roll their eyes at some nonsense above. Count me with that crowd.

I can intimidate with the bandwagon fallacy too: most pre-trib pre-mil would roll their eyes at this specific post.

I, however, want to ask what is your source for this claim (and why you think that this method of persuasion is effective)?

Cliff-notes summary: After the return of Christ and the Armageddon campaign, we must remember that the redeemed saints are not the only ones left on earth for the 1000-year reign; some unredeemed who survived the Tribulation's 7-year hell will enter.

Source/elaboration? Obadiah 1:15-17; Mt. 25:31-46; etc., mention that all of the Gentiles will be brought into judgment at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom.

 

[canadyjd]

Revelation 20 does not say Jesus reigns “On earth” for 1000 years. It states the saints that remained faithful during the great tribulation (no pre-trib rapture) would reign WITH Christ for 1000 years. Jesus reigns in heaven.

John does not write in chronological order, but in repeating themes. Just because he states Satan is bound for 1000 years and then let loose, and then the faithful saints reign with Christ for 1000 years, does not mean one follows immediately after the other.

And even if they did (they do not), it still does not say Jesus reigns “on earth” for 1000 years. It is not there.

Peace to you

 

[37818]

Revelation 20 does not say Jesus reigns “On earth” for 1000 years. It states the saints that remained faithful during the great tribulation (no pre-trib rapture) would reign WITH Christ for 1000 years. Jesus reigns in heaven.

John does not write in chronological order, but in repeating themes. Just because he states Satan is bound for 1000 years and then let loose, and then the faithful saints reign with Christ for 1000 years, does not mean one follows immediately after the other.

And even if they did (they do not), it still does not say Jesus reigns “on earth” for 1000 years. It is not there.

Peace to you

Revelation 20:2-5, . . . 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: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. . . .

Huh, I understand this to take place post trib on earth.

 

[canadyjd]

Revelation 20:2-5, . . . 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: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. . . .

Huh, I understand this to take place post trib on earth.

There is no “post trib on earth”. Matthew 25 is definitive. Jesus returns, the saints are collected, then comes the great throne judgment.

John does not write in chronological order, he writes in repeating themes.

Peace to you

 

[Jope]

There is no “post trib on earth”. Matthew 25 is definitive. Jesus returns, the saints are collected, then comes the great throne judgment.

Do you mean the great white throne judgment?

Matthew 25:31 is quite definitive, as you have stated, but to claim Mt 25:31 is speaking of the great white throne judgment of Rev 20:1ff is reading a lot into the text.

First of all, Mt 25:31 is talking about the judgment of Gentiles, and is mentioned a number of times in the Old Testament (Obadiah 1:15-16).

Mt 25 NIV
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Obadiah 1 NKJV
“For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you; Your reprisal shall return upon your own head. For as you drank on My holy mountain, So shall all the nations drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, And they shall be as though they had never been.

A few things to point out here.

1) Mt. 25:31 only mentions Jesus sitting on His throne when He returns. No specific mention of the great white throne judgment.

2) This is a passage about judgment of the Gentiles, because, a) verse 32 says so, b) Jesus says that the successful gentiles will inherit the kingdom prepared for them in Adam, who existed before Abraham and therefore, was not a Jew, c) Jesus says that the way the Gentiles have treated Him (ie, the Jews) will be the basis of this judgment. Who else could the party be, who the Gentiles treated bad (to receive judgment as a goat) or good (to receive judgment as a sheep)? Let's keep in mind that the Church is a future entity according to Jesus: "I will build my Church" (Mt. 16:18), and that He elsewhere claimed His ministry was to Israel, not the Gentiles (Mt. 10:5-7; 5:24; see also Romans 15:8).

3) OT prophecy has the Gentiles, after this judgment, being eternally changed by drinking a substance on the LORD's holy mountain (Obadiah 1:15-17). Other descriptions have retribution for wickedness described as a cup to drink for the wicked Gentiles (Jer. 25:15-33; Isaiah 51:17, 21-23; etc.). I wanted to point out also that this passage (Obadiah 1:15-16) is a precursor to Jesus' words in Mt. 25:31-46. Jesus often summed up OT scripture using parables, and Mt. 25:31-46 is no exception. A good method of studying scripture is to let the plain text interpret the parables.


I also wanted to ask, do you see a distinction between Jesus' throne and the Father's throne, as 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 and Rev. 3:21 describes?

1 Cor 15 NIV
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[c] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

Rev 3 NIV
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Also, do you believe that, while David reigned from his throne, Jehovah's throne was simultaneously in heaven (Psalm 47:8-9, etc.)?

 

[37818]

There is no “post trib on earth”.

Matthew 24:29, Immediately after the tribulation of those days . . .

 

[canadyjd]

Correct, immediately after the tribulation of those days, such as never been seen before or will again. Christ returns, saints are collected, great throne judgment which is in heaven

Additionally, any suggestion Matthew 25 is simply a judgment of gentiles cannot be supported by the context. Jesus is speaking to His disciples. Especially mentions the Jewish Temple being destroyed and the Hewish people being scattered.

No 1000 year reign of Christ on earth. No pre-trib rapture. No restoration of the Jewish Temple and sacrifices. No separate future for Jews and the Church.

Peace to you

 

[Jope]

Correct, immediately after the tribulation of those days, such as never been seen before or will again. Christ returns, saints are collected, great throne judgment which is in heaven

Additionally, any suggestion Matthew 25 is simply a judgment of gentiles cannot be supported by the context.

What a persuasive response!

Jesus is speaking to His disciples. Especially mentions the Jewish Temple being destroyed and the Hewish people being scattered.

No 1000 year reign of Christ on earth. No pre-trib rapture. No restoration of the Jewish Temple and sacrifices. No separate future for Jews and the Church.

Peace to you

Well it's a good thing you posted a rebuttle. If that's what you want to call it. I almost believed my own position, that Matthew 25 is speaking about the judgment of the nations on earth, just like Jesus says!

 

[Jope]

No pre-trib rapture. No restoration of the Jewish Temple and sacrifices.

Do you know what a red herring fallacy is?

 

[canadyjd]

Do you know what reading pre-conceived bias into scripture is?

Do you know what “context’ is?

Do you know what obvious contradiction is?

Do you know what historic understanding within the Christian church is?

Do you know what “focus on the text and do not make personal attacked” is?

Peace to you

 

[Jope]

Do you know what reading pre-conceived bias into scripture is?

Do you know what “context’ is?

Do you know what obvious contradiction is?

Do you know what historic understanding within the Christian church is?

Do you know what “focus on the text and do not make personal attacked” is?

Peace to you

Every single one of those loaded questions show me that you still don't know what a red herring fallacy is because every single one of those questions involved deliberate attempt to derail and was pulled out of thin air.

 

[Jope]

Additionally, any suggestion Matthew 25 is simply a judgment of gentiles cannot be supported by the context. Jesus is speaking to His disciples.

Jesus can't talk about the Gentiles to His disciples? Obadiah talked about the judgment of the Gentiles to his Jewish audience (Obad. 1:15-17).

Especially mentions the Jewish Temple being destroyed and the Hewish people being scattered.

Maybe you got the wrong chapter there bud.

In case you forgot how to look up scripture:

Mt. 25:32 NIV
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

I also highlighted this last time I quoted this passage in my previous post.