STUDY No. 46 - THE MILLENIUM

Just as there are differences of opinion among Christian scholars regarding the TRIBULATION ('the Church will pass through it'; 'it will be caught up before it'; 'it will pass through part of it'; or 'part of the Church will be called and part remain'), so also there are different opinions regarding the MILLENNIUM.

The expression is taken from, and found only in, Revelation 20:1-10. It is a period of 1,000 years during which Satan is 'bound' and the Lord Jesus Christ reigns from Jerusalem.

It is interpreted in various ways - literal, figurative or of private interpretation.

THE MILLENNIUM

The actual word 'millennium' is from two Latin words -'mille' and 'annus'- and simply means 'a thousand years. Man in his wisdom (which some might question!) has added three prefixes: 'a-' meaning 'without', 'post-' meaning 'after' and 'pre-' signifying 'before'. Thus we have three different views, known as: A delightful sense of peace and rest (at last) is conveyed to the mind as we contemplate the possibility of Christ's personal reign on earth during the period of the Millennium, especially (as taught by some) following the period of the Great Tribulation.

EVENTS RELATED TO THE MILLENNIUM

We list here a few scriptures, which some consider are related to the Millennium, though others do not. Each scripture must be considered in relation to its context and prayerfully pondered over!
 
 Christ descends to the Mount of Olives  Zechariah 14:1-4;    Acts 1:11, 12
 Enemies of Israel destroyed  Zechariah 14:2;    Revelation 19:15
 Christ judges the nations  Matthew 25:31-33;    Joel 3:12
 Satan is bound in the Abyss  Revelation 20:2, 3
 Jesus begins His reign on Earth  Daniel 2:35;    Zechariah 14:9
 He reigns for 1,000 years  Revelation 20:4-6
 His seat of government is Jerusalem  Zechariah 14:17

PROPHESIED EVENTS DURING THE MILLENNIUM

There are well over a hundred prophecies concerning the FIRST coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Some were unlikely to have been fulfilled, yet each and every one WAS fulfilled PRECISELY as it was written.

Here are just a few more scriptures which indicate features (some people say) of the Millennial Reign of Christ:

 Ezekiel 34:23-31  What covenant will be made?
 Isaiah 11:1-9  What happens to the wicked?
 Ezekiel 11:17-21  What land do they dwell in?
 Isaiah 61:4-11  What will be rebuilt?
 Zechariah 14:16-19  What feasts will be observed?
There are many other prophecies of events that some believe will take place during the Millennial Reign of Christ. The classic chapters from which these are taken are Ezekiel 45 and 46.

We come now to briefly consider different views of the Millennium bearing in mind that these are only basic views to which some subscribe. The existence of variations within these views should give us cause to avoid dogmatism.

A-MILLENNIALISTS believe there will be no earthly Millennium or earthly reign of Christ as such, but that the promises to Israel are being fulfilled in the Church today. The amillennialist believes that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again in judgement, that both the righteous and the wicked dead will be raised at this time and that, following the judgement, there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

POST-MILLENNIALISTS believe there will be a Millennium brought in by the efforts of the Church. The reign of Christ will increase until the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord. It will not be until after the Millennium that Christ will come to reward His own, judge His enemies and set up a new heaven and a new earth.

PRE-MILLENNIALISTS believe there will be a Millennium, a literal 1,000 years reign of Christ upon the earth, but that before this happens He will call away the Church before or during the time of tribulation, before He comes with His saints to set up the Millennium.

One of the problems we encounter when discussing a subject like eschatology is that each viewpoint has its own extra-scriptural authority. If you are speaking to a premillennialist and ask him for a good book to set forth his position he will readily name one or two. But exactly the same thing will happen if you ask a postmillennialist or an amillennialist

Some have studied a particular view so closely that the whole programme of eschatological events is clearly in mind and they have been able to compile the most intricate and detailed chart - in full colour too! I have at least ten of them, but upon inspection they are clearly different! There is obviously a lesson here to be learnt! (Someone has said that if the Lord had wanted it that simple. He would have put a chart in the Bible for us. See Deuteronomy 29:29.)

Personally, I believe there are reasons for paradoxes, ambiguity, uncertainty, disputable details:


OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS COMING AGAIN!
EACH DAY BRINGS IT ONE DAY NEARER!

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