Eschatology: The Millennium - the Thousand Year Reign of Christ.

Notes from Willmington - the Doctrine of Prophecy.

1. The Fact of the Millennial Reign.

The word “millennium” is a Latin Term which signifies “one thousand years”.

Note Revelation

Rev 20:4  Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Willmington p.851

In the first seven verses of Rev.20 the Apostle John mentions ‘one thousand years’ period no less than six time. So think that since this number is found in only one NT Passage of the Bible, one cannot insist the the “one thousand year Reign” will really come to pass. They also mention  2Pe 3:8  But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. This same group that try to shrink the "one thousand years into one day”  they also expand the six days of Creation in thousands of years. One is tempted to ask, “Why can’t God mean what He says.”

Dr Rene Pache in “the Return of Christ”, writes:

“Let us notice this Fact: the teaching of the Old Testament concerning the Millennium is so complete that the Jews in the Talmud succeeded in developing it entirely themselves, without the gifts furnished later by the new testament. For example, they had indeed affirmed before the Apocalypse THAT THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM WOULD LAST ONE THOUSAND YEARS..One should not therefore claim that without the Passage in Rev. 20 :1-10 the doctrine of the Millennium would not exist. “The Return of Christ “p.380

Throughout Church History Christians have held to three major views concerning the Millennium.

1. Post-millennialism.

This theory says that through the preaching of the Gospel of Christ the worlds will eventually embrace Christianity and become a universal “society of saints”. At this point Christ will be invited to assume command and reign over man’s peaceful planet. Though they believe in the literal ‘one thousand year reign of Christ’, their position is False, for the Bible clearly teaches that the world situation will become worse and worse prior to the Second Coming of Christ -not better and better.

Note: 1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

1Ti 4:2  through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,

1Ti 4:3  who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

2Ti 3:1  But of this be assured: in the last days grievous times will set in.

2Ti 3:2  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, profane. They will be disobedient to parents, thankless, irreligious,

2Ti 3:3  destitute of natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers. They will have no self-control, but will be brutal, opposed to goodness,

2Ti 3:4  treacherous, headstrong, self-important. They will love pleasure instead of loving God,

2Ti 3:5  and will keep up a make-believe of piety and yet live in defiance of its power. Turn away from people of this sort.

Daniel Whitby (1638-1726) popularised this teaching which endured until the First World War. Finally it was laid to rest in the midst of Hitler’s gas ovens.

2. Amillennialism,

This view teaches that there will be no millennial reign of Christ at all, and that the NT Church inherits all the spiritual promises AND PROPHECIES of OT Israel.   In this view Isaiah’s beautiful prophecy of the bear and the cow lying down together and the lion eating straw like an ox simply doesn't mean what it says. Isa 11:7  Cows and bears will share the same pasture; their young will rest side by side. Lions and oxen will both eat straw. CEV

If the 11th chapter of Isaiah can be taken away why not the 53rd chapter as well. This allegorization of Scripture makes no sense.

3. Premillennialism

This view teaches that Christ will return just prior to the Millennium and will personally rule during the His Glorious One Thousand Year Reign. This Scriptural View is the only true one and is the oldest view of the Three. This was held by the Church Fathers. However as the Roman Catholic church began to grow she began to teach that she was the instrument that God would use to usher in the Millennial reign of Christ

Only in recent centuries has Premillennialism been restored to the Church through men such as Alford, Seiss, Darby and Scofield and many others.