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Missing the Millennium?

by Robert Staniford  
9/17/2012 / Prophecy

The view that many Christians have is that Christ will return in judgment and then there'll be a new Heaven and a new Earth and that's all there is to it. This element of amillennial teaching misses much. They use the scripture from Peter (2 Peter 3) but miss the whole scenario given in Revelation. Revelation leads up to the same scenario described by Peter but clearly states that the Lord will set up His millennial kingdom on earth prior to the fulfillment of Peter's prophecy.

Revelation 20

New King James Version (NKJV)

Satan Bound 1,000 Years

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

The Saints Reign with Christ 1,000 Years

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holyis he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Satanic Rebellion Crushed

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophetare. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The Great White Throne Judgment

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

This passage states clearly that the Lord will set up a physical kingdom on earth, that the dead in Christ will rise first and those still living will be caught up into the air to meet Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) and will not suffer the second death, and that there will be a second resurrection for those souls destined to judgment.

Amillennialists will argue that the thousand year reign is a metaphor for what they call the "Church Age". There are many problems with this view. Not the least of these is that the "Church Age" has gone on for two millennia and that, if Satan is bound and prevented from deceiving the nations (Revelation 20:3), there is a counterfeit at large who is doing a pretty good job. Zechariah chapter 14 also gives a very detailed and graphic description of the second advent - to establish His kingdom, physically, on earth.

We have the blessed hope of His appearing, whether through the rapture or the first resurrection, and a promise that we won't be missing the millennium. Waiting for us is also the promise of that new heaven and new earth, and that, if we are in Christ, we will be the New Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:1-5

New King James Version (NKJV)

All Things Made New

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Robert Staniford is an author and poet who writes Christian themes, primarily aimed at the secular market. In addition to this, he writes for Faith in the South, a site offering Christian resources to the South of England

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