The Millenium – Pre-millenial view

THE MILLENIUM: We believe in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to set up His millennial reign on
this earth – Zech 14:5; Dan 7:22; Rev 5:9-10;
Psa 96:10-13; Psa 11; Rev 20:1-10.

Introduction.

The actual word millenium is not found in the Bible. It comes from the Latin word meaning 1000 years.
However the references to a period of one thousand years are found six times in Revelation 20 and it is from
these references that we base this study of the millennium. Because scriptural references to this 1000 year
period are limited, it is important that we don’t overly speculate or try to fit obscure passages into describing
this period.

I        WHAT IS THE MILLENIUM?


    1. A period when Satan is bound for 1000 years. 20:2, “He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old,
who is the Devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand years.”

      2. A period when Christ will rule over the earth for 1000 years. 20:6b, ” … They shall be priests of
God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

        3. It begins with the imprisonment of Satan and ends with:
His release

1. Rev 20:7-8a, “Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and
will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth.”

2. The final confrontation of good and evil Revelation 20:9, “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.”

3. The destruction of this world. Rev 21:1, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and
the first earth had passed away.”

II.        THE RULE OF CHRIST OVER THE EARTH.

1. It was prophesied by Daniel that Christ’s rule over the earth would be the last worldwide
kingdom that will last forever.

Dan 2:44, “And in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be
destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break into pieces and consume all
these kingdoms and it shall stand forever.”

2. This kingdom is to be set up on the earth where all peoples and nations should serve Him.

Daniel 7:14, “Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and
languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away and His
kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.”

III. THE REIGN OF THE SAINTS.

(Note: In lesson 16, we studied that the saints are taken up to heaven before the millennium. Therefore to
reign on the earth during the millennium, they have to return.)

1. The Lord returns to earth at the beginning of the millennium with all the saints.

Zech 14:5b, Thus the Lord my God will come and all the saints with Him.”

Zech 14:9, “And the Lord shall be king over all the earth. In that day it shall be – The Lord is one and His
name one.”

2. The saints will have thrones to sit on and be able to pronounce judgements from those thrones.

Rev 20:4a, “And I saw thrones and they sat on them, and judgement was committed to them.”

3. The reign of the saints lasts throughout the millennium.

Rev 20:6b, “They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

Rev 2:26, “And he who overcomes and keeps My words until the end, to him I will give power over the
nations.”

Conclusion.

From the limited number of scriptures we cover, it seems that the millennium will be a time when the world will
finally function in the way God had intended. Peace, justice, and prosperity will be hallmarks of this age. What
a joy it will be for us to rule and reign with Christ over the earth during this time. It is a privilege reserved only
for the faithful servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we serve Him now, we will live to reign with Him later.

Teaching Copyright (C) 1999 John Iuliano (M.A. Min). All rights reserved. Published here with permission.