Christ's Return

Millennialism

Our Bible study two weeks ago looked at Christ’s return and the meaning of Revelation 19, which talks about ‘the millennium’.

I’m a fairly convinced pre-millennialist, expecting the world to deteriorate until He returns, after which there is a literal rule of Christ on earth, and during which the lion will lay down with the lamb in a period of peace and prosperity.

Eloquently explaining the a-millennial view was PH, essentially arguing that the millennium is the gospel age in which we currently live; Satan is bound by the gospel but things will again get worse prior to Christ’s advent.

RJ ably explained the post-millennial view. I wrote this approach off a long time ago, it apparently being the preserve of charismatics claiming Pendle Hill for Jesus or Seventeenth Century Fifth Monarchists applying the book of Daniel to Cromwellian Britain. We had a discussion of the Jews’ conversion and the pattern of revivals throughout history and around the world, and I’m now less willing to discard this approach.

In truth, we know not the day or the hour, but we are told to watch. Whether He comes before the millennium, after it, or neither of the above, so be it.

Hebrews 9:28: So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Revelation 19:

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 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.

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 prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.