THE MILLENIUM

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A Research Paper
Submitted to
Dr. Brian K. Moulton
Liberty University

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In Partial Fulfillment for
Bible Course 450 – Book of Revelation

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By
Bennie L. Martin
May 11, 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….…1
The Rapture…………………………………………………………………………….……1-2 What is meant by the term “Rapture?”
The Tribulation………………………………………………………………………….…..2-4
The Outpouring of the Saints………………………………………………………………..4-5 Seven seals and seven trumpets
The Millennium, Revelation 20:1-6…………………………………………………….…..5-11 The Millennial Kingdom Satan Bound Christ reigns on Earth
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………..11
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………...12

The 1000 Years of Revelation;
The Millennium

Introduction The millennium refers to 1000 years of Christ’s future reign on earth which will immediately precede eternity. The focus of the millennium is not on Satan as some would think. The central focus, however, is on the savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ will bind Satan for 1000 years so that He can deal with sin perpetrated on the earth among the inhabitants of the earth. Then Satan will be “turned loose for a little while” and he will deceive the hearts of many believers who will turn to him rather than God. The war of all wars will be fought and the rapture will come. Then, “after these things” Christ will leave heaven and come to earth a second time to judge sin and save the lost. He will bring with Him those who have been beheaded and those that persevered in Him to help judge the world.
The Rapture: Rapture is a term in Christian eschatology which refers to “being caught up” discussed in 1 Thes. 4:17, “When the ‘dead in Christ’ and ‘we who are alive and remain’ will be ‘caught up in the clouds’ to meet ‘“the Lord in the air.’” Matthew 21-22 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, nor ever will.” “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short” (NASB).
What is meant by the term “Rapture” Bible prophets spoke of a terrible “time of trouble” just before the “end of the age.” Many Christians believe that before this last period of “tribulation” begins, Christ will return for his church, He will not come all the way down to earth, but will meet his saints in mid-air and they shall be “caught up” and translated from this world to be with Christ in heaven. This is called the “Rapture,” which will last three-and-a-half years. The “Great Rapture” takes up the second half of the one seven of Daniels 70 weeks prophecy. There are three world views of the Tribulation. The pretribulation, midtribulation and post tribulartion. We will concern ourselves only with the pretribulation view which is the most popular of these views.
Dr. LaHaye, a pretribulationist says that “Christ will come and rapture His church up to heaven to be with Him before the Tribulation begins, thus saving believers from “‘the hour of trial which shall come upon the earth”’ (LaHaye 2001). Those who are “left behind” will have seven years of testing and trouble before Christ returns in glory (with his saints who were raptured) to rule on earth for a thousand years. At the end of the “church age” Christ will remove His “heavenly people” from this world, and resume His dealing with Israel. The 70th week (7 years) of Daniel’s prophecy begins when the church (the Holy Spirit) is removed from the world to heaven. After the church is “raptured” to heaven, the Antichrist comes to power. He deceives the Jewish people for the first half of the 7 years then becomes a dictator who demands worship during the last half of the 7 years - called the “Great Tribulation,” or the “time of trouble.” God punishes those who have persecuted His people (the Jews) by pouring out great plagues. Finally, at the end of the 7 years, Christ returns to set up His earthly kingdom, when He will reign in peace for 1000 years.
The Tribulation: The second coming of Christ is preceded by a number of events that must occur before Christ returns. When do these events begin? The Tribulation, as taught by most Bible scholars, encompasses a future seven year period when God will complete his discipline of Israel and final judgment upon the unbelieving citizens of the world. It is a time when God pours out His judgment upon the earth for the rejection of His son. Those who accept a Pre-Tribulation Rapture theory believe that Christians who have trusted Christ as Lord and Savior will escape the Tribulation. Jeremiah 30:7 calls it “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” Daniel 12:1 calls it “a time of trouble.” Connecting Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks to the length of time the Tribulation will last, the Angel gave Daniel this word of a prophecy to be fulfilled. “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate” (Dan. 9:27 NASB). The context of this verse reveals that one week is seven years. So the full length of the Great Tribulation then will be seven years. This is also known as the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy. The Biblical principle is that God will not judge the righteous with the unrighteous. He did it with Noah, he took Lot out of Sodom, and He will do it for us. In 1 Thess.5:4 Paul writes, “ the Church is removed before the day of darkness so that the Day of the Lord will not overtake them like a thief in the night.” Since it initiates the judgment, God will remove the Church from the darkness not keep them through it. Premillennialism assumes a somewhat literal reading of the Bible and attempts to reconcile all of its scattered eschatological passages. Dispensationalism has assumed that the next event in God's plan for humankind is the rapture, the events described in I Thessalonians 4:13–18. Christ will return to earth and take all living believers to meet him in the air. Following the rapture will be a seven-year period of tribulation (Matthew 24:21–22) in which those left behind will have a chance to come to faith. Of particular importance during the rapture will be the role of the Jewish nation and the end of Gentile times. Dr. Walvoord points out there will be three time periods between the Rapture and the second coming of Christ: In a study of all the passages that relate to the end time, it becomes clear that there are three major time periods between the rapture and the second coming. The first is a period of preparation, a relatively short period, in which the ten nation kingdom emerges. Its leader rises to conquer first three and then all ten kingdoms. When this leader becomes powerful, because of his backing of the ten kingdoms, he is able to make the covenant with Israel for seven years described in Daniel 9:27. This introduces the second period of time which covers the first half of the seven years mentioned in the covenant. In the middle of the seven years, however, a dramatic change takes place, and the ruler of the ten kingdoms becomes a world dictator, apparently without a war. This sets the stage for the third period. The last three-and-a-half years leading up to the second coming of Christ. Accordingly, there is first a period of preparation leading up to the seven year period. Then there will be three-and-the-half years of peace, the second period, and this will be followed by the third of great trouble and tribulation. The third period will be followed immediately by the second coming (Walvoord 2007).

The Outpouring of God’s Wrath upon the Earth:
Seven Seals and Seven Trumpets: “On three occasions in Revelation, there are sets of seven: seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls. In each case, the first four come together, the next two are different, and the last one is the final cataclysmic judgment. The first four are descriptive of judgments that are taking place at this time. The fifth and sixth ones are about the spiritual realities of what is going on, and the seventh one is all about the final Day of Judgment (Briscoe 2013).” The seals and trumpets occur during the first half of the tribulation, the bowls during the second half. Christ the Lamb sets in motion events that will bring about the end of human history. When the seven seals are opened destruction and judgment is brought about upon the earth such as never seen before by man. Seven trumpets held by seven angels when sounded will signal the coming of God’s wrath upon the earth. Hindson says, “The process of God’s judgments upon the world is unleashed by the opening of the seven seals. These results in a series of catastrophic events that express the “‘wrath of the Lamb”’ (Hinson 2002). This is only six of the seven seals. The first six trumpet blasts of new and terrible destruction do not move the wicked to repent. The opening of the seventh seal was delayed until Christ could make sure his people were identified. “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads” Rev. 7:3. God’s seal is placed on the foreheads of His servants. This seal is the exact opposite of the mark of the beast explained in Rev. 13:16. These two marks place the people in two distinct categories – those owned by God and those owned by Satan.
The Millennium: Revelation 20:1-6 The 1000 years are often referred to as the millennium ( Latin for 1000). Just how and when this 1000 Years takes Place is understood differently among Christian scholars. The three major positions of this issue are called, by Bible scholars are postmillennialism, premillennialism, and amillennialism. Each view acknowledge what is most crucial of Christianity; Christ will return, defeat Satan, and reign forever. Christians hold two basic views concerning this first resurrection. (1) some believe that the first resurrection is spiritual (in our hearts at salvation), and that the millennium is our spiritual reign with Christ between his first and second coming; during this time we are priests of God because Christ reigns in our hearts. In this view, the second resurrection is a bodily resurrection of all people for judgment. (2) Others believe that the first resurrection occurs after Satan has been set aside and is a physical resurrection of believers who then reign with Christ on the earth for a literal 1000 years. The second resurrection occurs at the end of this millennium in order to judge unbelievers who have died. The second death is a spiritual depth which is everlasting separation from God.
The Millennial Kingdom: “There can be no true kingdom without a king. God has always chosen human representatives to mediate His kingdom on earth. The rule of God through such mediators is called a theocratic kingdom (Hinson 2002). But the true kingdom, the kingdom of God gives authority of the kingdom and earth to the Lamb, the Christ. When we look at Daniel 9:24-27, we can see that the first and second coming of Christ is within this period, as well as the Tribulation.
With the first part of the Tribulation now completed (three-and-a-half years) and Christ has removed His saints from the earth so they won’t have to go through the second half of what is now called the “Great Tribulation.” Christ will now deal with Satan by putting him away for a 1000 years.
Satan Bound: Rev. 20:1-4. “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2.And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3.and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were complete; after these things he must be released for a short time.
The angel in v.20 comes from heaven with a key to the abyss in his hand. Normally Christ holds the key to the abyss (Rev 1:17-18;19:20) but now the key is in the hands of an angel descending from heaven with the purpose of locking and sealing Satan in the abyss (bottomless pit) for a thousand years. The key being in the hands of the angel rather than the hands of our Lord shows that God is in control of time and eternity. Mounce says “the intention of the passage is not to represent Satan as merely restricted but as rendered completely inactive during the thousand year millennial period following the second-advent” (Mounce 1997). Walvoord and Hindson agree. Why did God want Satan locked and sealed? Mounce says, “The purpose of his confinement is not to punish but to prevent him from deceiving the nations” (Mounce 1997).
V.3 “After these things he must be released for a little while.” John does not say why once again God sets Satan free, but it is part of God’s plan for judging the world. Perhaps it is to expose those who rebel against God in their hearts and confirm those who are truly faithful to God. Whatever the reason, Satan’s release will result in the final destruction of all evil (Rev. 20:
12-15).
V.4. Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. John’s vision in chapter four the heavens open up, he is told to “come up here,” and I will show you what must take place after these things (4:1). He is shown God’s throne room of twenty four thrones and twenty four elders. He also sees those who had been beheaded, the Tribulation martyrs, who in (6:9) had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. At the opening of the fifth seal, John saw the twenty four elders underneath the alter saying “how long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on earth” (6:4-5). The martyrs are eager for God to bring justice to the earth, but they are told to wait. God is not waiting for a special number to be reached, but he is promising that those who suffer and died for their faith will not be forgotten. Rather, they will be singled out by God for special honor. In Revelation 20:4, are these then the same Martyrs who has been faithful to the word of God, and had not accepted the mark of the beast that will come with Christ to judge the world? What about the apostles? Jesus had promised them (the twelve) a position on the throne of judgment. Hindson notes, While it is possible that these are the thrones of the twenty-four elders, they are not specified as such (cf. Rev. 4:4; 5:8-10; 7:13; 11:15). Since Jesus promised the twelve apostles they would sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (cf. Matt. 19:28; Luke 22:30), it seems likely that would be in view here during the earthly kingdom. The total picture is much greater. The Bride (Church) has returned from heaven with Christ in chapter 19. Now The “Tribulation saints” (believers) are resurrected to rule with them. This is called the “first resurrection” (20:5) to distinguish it from the second resurrection in which the dead are brought to judgment after the thousand years (20:11-15). The martyrs are described as those who “had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark (20:4). The unsaved dead remain dead for the entire thousand years. But the martyrs are resurrected to rule with Christ during the Millennial Kingdom. This privilege is the reward for their faithfulness to Christ in the face of unprecedented persecution. During this time, the damage of the Tribulation period will be reversed, and the earth will prosper under the personal reign of Christ on the throne of David (cf. Zech. 12:10; Is. 9:6-7). Without such a rule, the return of Christ would be only a “walk among the ruins” after the Battle of Armageddon (Hinson 2002).

The mark of the beast is designed to mock the seal that God places on his followers (7:2-3). Just as God marks his people to save them, so Satan’s beast marks his people to save them from the persecution that Satan will inflict upon God’s followers. Identifying this particular mark is not as important as identifying the purpose of the mark. Those who accept it show their allegiance to Satan, their willingness to operate within the economic system he promotes, and their rebellion against God. To refuse the mark means to commit oneself entirely to God, preferring death to compromising one’s faith in Christ. The mark of the beast is the infamous 666. Who is this beast spoken of in v.4? Revelation Chapter 13 tells us the beast symbolizes the antichrist-not Satan, but someone under Satan’s power and control. Lahaye makes an interesting observation about the beast that gives more detail about who the beast is: Whenever the Bible uses the term “beast” symbolically (as in the description of a beast with seven heads, ten horns, and a mouth speaking blasphemy), it is referring to a government. An example is found in Daniel Chapter 7 and 8. Most governments are repressive and persecute the common people; they usually hate God and try to keep people from worshiping Him. The Caesars and the past Communist dictators are obvious examples of this. The “beast” pictured in Revelation 13 is obviously the head of the coming world government because he so definitely takes on the functions of a person. In fact, he is joined in this Chapter by a “false prophet” who is also human. We know that he will be in power during all seven years of the Tribulation, but Revelation 13 deals primarily with the last half, when the antichrist will have almost total control of the people living on earth, which is why our Lord in Matthew 24:21 referred to that time period as the “great Tribulation” (LaHaye 2001).

Rev. 20:5. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Note: “The rest of the dead would be those who did not come to life until the end of the thousand years would be all the faithful except the martyrs, plus the entire body of believers” (Mounce 1997). The martyred saints will be raised at the end of the Tribulation and will enter into the blessing of the millennium and reign with Jesus. “It is at this time they will receive their resurrection bodies” (LaHaye 2001). So it is the saved ones who will receive a new resurrection body in contrast to the unsaved who will be eternally separated from God. The saved are born twice; physically and spiritually. The unsaved are born once, physically. The saved die only once, physically. The unsaved die twice, physically and spiritually. The saved will live forever in God’s eternal kingdom in glory. The unsaved when they die, they are dead forever and remain in torment for eternity. Revelation 20:6. Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with his for a thousand years. The second resurrection occurs at the end of the Millennium in order to judge unbelievers who have died. Those of the first resurrection have gone to heaven and will return to earth with Christ to help judge those of the second resurrection. Munson states, All other people who have died, from Adam’s day to the last day, who did not have a part in the first resurrection, will not be resurrected until the thousand years are finished. This vast multitude of peoples will not experience their resurrection until all ranks of the wicked of all time have been completely filled. Many in this group, I’m sorry to say, will die during the reign of Christ on Earth. This entire group’s resurrection is called, by default, the second resurrection or the resurrection of the damned. It will consist exclusively of wicked human beings from all of human history. (Herbert Melville Munson 2013).

Christ Reigns on Earth: When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10). He was
Specifically referring to His second coming earthly reign; His 1000 year reign in the Millennial Kingdom. Now that Christ is finished with removing sin from the earth and securely locking Satan away, He will come all the way to the earth this time (His second coming) to the city of David where He will set up His holy kingdom and rule the world peacefully for the next 1000 years.
Conclusion:
In the Millennium Christ will leave heaven and come to earth (His second coming) to judge sin and save the lost, we can be certain of this. Prior to His coming, Satan, the “father of all lies,” the one who will deceive the hearts of many believers, must be dealt with. Therefore he must be locked and sealed in the abyss for a thousand years while Christ comes to earth, set up His kingdom and rule the earth, and the earth will enjoy a thousand years of peace.

Bibliography
Bible. NASB. Grand Rapids, Mi: Zondervan, 2000.
Briscoe, Stuart. Telling the Truth, Experiencing Life . 2013. Internet. Available:http://www.tellingthetruth.org/hot-topics/revelation/seven-seals.aspx (accessed May 8, 2014).
Herbert Melville Munson, Jr. Strangework; A Commentary on Revelation.p.328. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2013.
Hinson, Edward. The Book of Revelation; Unlocking the Future. p.75,199,203. Chattanooga, Tn: Amg Publishers, 2002.
LaHaye, Tim. Understanding Bible Prophecy for Yourself. p.64,77,391. Eugene Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2001.
Mounce, Robert H. The Book of Revelation Revised p.361,362,370. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdman Publishing Company, 1997.
Walvoord, John F. "Major Events Preceeding the Second Coming of Christ." What we Believe Article Series Article 166, 2007.

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[ 1 ]. Premillennialism is the belief that the Second Coming of Jesus will immediately precede the millennium.
[ 2 ]. Dispensationalism is an evangelical, futurist, Biblical interpretation that understands God to have related to human beings in different ways under different Biblical covenants in a series of "dispensations," or periods in history.
[ 3 ]. Postmillennialism looks for a literal 1000 year period of peace on earth ushered in by the church. At the end of the 1000 years, Satan will be unleashed once more, bur then Christ will return to defeat him and reign forever. Christ’s second coming will not occur until after the 1000 year period. (NASB 2000 commentary).
[ 4 ]. Premillennialism also view the 1000 years as a literal time period, but holds that Christ’s second coming initiates his 1000 year reign and that this reign occurs before the final removal of Satan. (NASB 2000 commentary).
[ 5 ]. Amillennialism understands the 1000 year period to be symbolic of the time between Christ’s ascension and his return. This millennium is the reign of Christ in the hearts of believers and in his church; thus it is another way of referring to the church age. This period will end with the second coming of Christ. (NASB 2000 commentary).
[ 6 ]. Theocratic Kingdom: a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, the God's or deity's laws being interpreted by the ecclesiastical authorities. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/theocratic