The Purpose for the Millennial Reign of Christ

Rev. 20:1-6;  II Pet. 3:7-8

Ever wonder what it would’ve been like to have lived in the garden of Eden?  Before sin?  A pristine earth before the curse!  Paradise!

That time is coming in the Millennium, before we enter the “eternal state”. 

God created the universe in 6 literal days, and rested on the 7^th…and now, 6 millennia later, perhaps the 7^th millennium will be that 1k yr. rest!?

II Pet. 3:7-8

        I’m not a date-setter, the Bible forbids that, and we don’t know the date of creation any closer than w/in 20-30 years at the very best.

What will the Millennium be like?  Some facts…

• Jesus will rule from Jerusalem…from the throne of David…it will be the capital of the world!
• No more war
• Nature no longer cursed
• Jews will realize Jesus is the Messiah
• The glory and knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth!

Hebrews 8:11
And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Believers have an endless hope!  [lost have a hopeless end!]

3 positions:

a-millennialism=no millennium

        say it is symbolic

We rejected this for 5 reasons:

1.A-millennialism contradicts consistent interpretation.

2.A-millennialism contradicts the Biblical doctrine of Satan.

3.A-millennialism contradicts the way we have been taught to pray.

4.A-millennialism contradicts scores of other verses which promise an earthly kingdom where Christ rules and reigns.

5.A-millennialism contradicts the clear promise of Jesus Christ to come back and establish an earthly kingdom.

Next…

Post-Millennialism=there WILL BE  a millennium, but Jesus will not return until the end of it.

        They believe Jesus won’t usher it in, but the church will.  That thru preaching the gospel the world will get better and better until we, the church, usher in the time of perfect peace. 

This was popular 100+ years ago when great revival was going on under the names of dl moody/billy Sunday/spurgeon…it looked to be a likely scenario…but after 2 world wars, global depression, rise of communism and the advent of nuclear weapons…well, that answered that…so, you don’t find many who hold to this today.

Also, it contradicts scripture:

We’re not getting better, but worse…things are winding down/coming apart at the seams.  De-volution.

We may feel like we’re in graduate school technologically, but never forget we’re in kindergarten morally as a society!

Post-M. is unrealistic/unscriptural…

So, what do we believe?

The Bible position is clearly pre-millennialism=taking Rev. 20 at face value, literally:  rapture/trib./2^nd coming/Armageddon/millennium

Now, what is the purpose of the Millennium…that’s the final focus before we’re done.

Why have 1,000 years of peace…what’s the purpose?

        This is not exhaustive, but here’s 3 good reasons:

1. To fulfil all of God’s promises to the nation of Israel

We call them God’s chosen people, but chosen to do what?

        God chose to reveal Himself thru them.  God always uses human instruments [didn’t write it in the sky], and so, the Bible was written by the Jews [40 men], and then, Messiah came thru them [why?  I don’t know!  But clearly, He did!!]

As His chosen people, God made them some unconditional promises:

• A time would come when they would not be persecuted

Jer. 23: 3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.

Why persecuted?  Because Satan knows they are God’s chosen people.  [has always tried to exterminate them…pharaoh/Haman in Esther/Nebuchadnezzar/Titus, the Roman General in ad 70/Hitler [just a Johnny-come-lately]/Iran/radical Islam…and Satan is behind the thinking of all of these!

Why not in millennium?  Satan bound!

• A time would come when they would possess all the land that God promised to Abraham

Countless treaties between Jews and Palestinians…always “land for peace”, but it never works, and never will…but in the millennium, they will own it all! [inc. Golan heights/Gaza strip/Jerusalem and temple mount!]

        They will possess from Mediterranean to Euphrates!

• A time would come when they would be respected and no longer looked down upon.

Zech. 8: 23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

• A time would come when they will finally live in peace

Isaiah 60:18
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

This is just 4 of many promises that God has to keep!

So, the 1^st purpose for the Millennium is that it is a fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.

2^nd:

It will be a worldwide display of the glory and honor Jesus Christ deserves.

        His Name won’t be taken in vain, and no rebels can rise or succeed!  He will rule w/ a rod of iron!

3^rd:

It will be a final demonstration of the inherent sinfulness/wickedness in the heart of man.

Rev. 20:7 -9    

2 types will live on the earth at this time: 

mortals and immortals [us]

The mortals which enter the M. from Armageddon include the believing Jews, and others not at Armageddon.  And now, the earth is free from the curse of nature and is like Eden again, so these mortals may live hundreds of years again!  [Adam lived to 930…prob. didn’t look a day over 800!]

They will live long, reproduce, and the Bible teaches many will OUTWARDLY conform to the righteous rule of Christ, but inwardly there will lurk a heart of rebellion.

        They will have no choice but to conform outwardly, but when Satan is loosed at the end of the millennium there will be many try to rise up in a final rebellion against Omnipotence.

So, what does this teach us?  Man’s sin nature!  No matter what environment he’s in, man is prone to sin! [Eden]

        People are not solely products of their environment…our heart is the problem!  Man has always sinned, from Eden [paradise] to the dispensation of conscience when there was no law given yet [let your conscience be your guide?  Not good…some don’t have one, many don’t listen to theirs!  Some have become seared!]  God had to destroy man w/ a flood!  Then later, Moses brought the written law in black and white, and man sinned all the more, even God’s own people.  Then the dispensation of Grace when Jesus came…and we all sin…and in the M. man will sin!…even w/ Jesus bodily, physically ruling and reigning/perfect conditions!

        That tells us that we have incurable wickedness within…our only hope is the new birth!