There has been quite a bit of debate on this forum and elsewhere about the 1000 year reign.
So I thought I might start a discussion on it in a thread devoted (hopefully) to that area of interest.
Where specifically does the notion of a millennial Kingdom come from?
Here is a paste of Rev 20 from the Nkjv.
Firstly I want to point out that the Earth comes to a timely end with the opening of the sixth seal back in Rev 6. So anything we are going to read in latter chapters was revealed, though not necessarily detailed by John as each of those seals was opened. Remember that the scroll had writing on both sides suggesting that it contained very detailed information about the events revealed as it was opened. This point has not been considered in discussions about the various seals as far as I can recall.
And so we come to the case in point. The 1000 year reign.
In Rev 20:4,5 we are told 2 very revealing truths...these should not be overlooked IMNSHO.
First: in Rev 20:4 the saints "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them". Compare this to 1 Cor 6:3 Yes, the context is about other things, but the object lesson is using the fact of a future judicial role of the saints. This clearly takes place after the first resurrection.
Next consider v4b, "and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands" Not only those who had been executed, but those who had not worshiped the beast are seen there....that covers all saints from A to Z. There are to be no 'saints' left behind bodily on Earth to rule the masses.
Next in Rev 20:5 we are told that this is the first resurrection, there are only two resurrections;
the resurrection of the righteous, (of which Christ Jesus was the first fruit) and the resurrection of the unrighteous.
Now we come to V7 and onward. But first, a very careful read of Ezekiel ch 38 will explain many things about the events of Rev V7 onward. Gog is the 'prince' of Magog and tubal. The important thing here is that 'Gog' refers to an archangel or at least to a princely angelic personage, not a human person.
Remember that all that is happening here was revealed (not to us) with the opening of the sixth seal. How long the 1000 year reign actually takes is not knowable, is not important, but these things are likely certain:
Those who the devil gathers are those who did not qualify for the first resurrection, they are the unsaved who are raised at the second resurrection V7. We can not be overly certain of the exact theater of this final conflict, be it Jerusalem or be it in the air, though not heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:16,17
The evidence points to it being a battle of a spiritual, rather than a physical one because at that time there are no un-resurrected people left.
Blessings,
calvin
So I thought I might start a discussion on it in a thread devoted (hopefully) to that area of interest.
Where specifically does the notion of a millennial Kingdom come from?
Here is a paste of Rev 20 from the Nkjv.
1Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3and 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.
4And 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. 5But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is 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.
7Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8and 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. 9They 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. 10The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11Then 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. 12And 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. 13The 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. 14Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Firstly I want to point out that the Earth comes to a timely end with the opening of the sixth seal back in Rev 6. So anything we are going to read in latter chapters was revealed, though not necessarily detailed by John as each of those seals was opened. Remember that the scroll had writing on both sides suggesting that it contained very detailed information about the events revealed as it was opened. This point has not been considered in discussions about the various seals as far as I can recall.
And so we come to the case in point. The 1000 year reign.
In Rev 20:4,5 we are told 2 very revealing truths...these should not be overlooked IMNSHO.
First: in Rev 20:4 the saints "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them". Compare this to 1 Cor 6:3 Yes, the context is about other things, but the object lesson is using the fact of a future judicial role of the saints. This clearly takes place after the first resurrection.
Next consider v4b, "and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands" Not only those who had been executed, but those who had not worshiped the beast are seen there....that covers all saints from A to Z. There are to be no 'saints' left behind bodily on Earth to rule the masses.
Next in Rev 20:5 we are told that this is the first resurrection, there are only two resurrections;
the resurrection of the righteous, (of which Christ Jesus was the first fruit) and the resurrection of the unrighteous.
Now we come to V7 and onward. But first, a very careful read of Ezekiel ch 38 will explain many things about the events of Rev V7 onward. Gog is the 'prince' of Magog and tubal. The important thing here is that 'Gog' refers to an archangel or at least to a princely angelic personage, not a human person.
Remember that all that is happening here was revealed (not to us) with the opening of the sixth seal. How long the 1000 year reign actually takes is not knowable, is not important, but these things are likely certain:
Those who the devil gathers are those who did not qualify for the first resurrection, they are the unsaved who are raised at the second resurrection V7. We can not be overly certain of the exact theater of this final conflict, be it Jerusalem or be it in the air, though not heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:16,17
The evidence points to it being a battle of a spiritual, rather than a physical one because at that time there are no un-resurrected people left.
Blessings,
calvin