Category Millennium

Here is a basic outline of the big events of the second coming, the millennium, and the final rebellion of Satan. If you would like to see these details fleshed out, then check out my book, The Millennium Chronicles. (The verses included are not exhaustive).

When Jesus comes back the heavens (veil between heaven and earth [Ezek 1:1; Acts 7:56]) rolls up like a scroll [Isa 34:4, 64:1; 2Pet 3:10; Rev 6:14]  – then every eye will see him [Isa 40:5; Rev 1:7] and he will come in flaming fire [2Thess 1:7,8] – the elements will melt with fervent heat [2Pet 3:10]. His coming will be like a thief in the night [iThess 5:1-5; 2Pet 3:10] and all the nations of the earth will be completely startled [Hab 3:6]. Jesus will then defend Israel and fight against the A.C. and the armies of the world at the battle of Armageddon, which takes place in Jerusalem (by the way) [Zech 12:1-6, 10, 14:1-3; Rev 14:18-20]. When he is done the blood will be up to the horses’ bridles (because it is in new valley that will be created when his feet touch down. The angels will then invite the birds of carrion to come and have a feast because where the body is there the eagles (carrion) will gather [Mat 24:28; Rev 19:17-18]. Meanwhile the angels have gathered the elect (wheat) and the wicked (chaff) and brought them before Jesus [Mat 13:30; 24:29-31; Luke 3:17] . He will then judge them and separate them. The wicked (who have taken the mark) will then be sent to the lake of fire (remember Jesus/God have a river of fire flowing out from them) [Mat 25:31-44; Ezek 1:26-28; Dan 7:9-11].

The New Heavens and Earth come at this point (I don’t know the exact moment) [Isa 65:17; Rev 21:1; Rom 8:19-22; Matt 19:28] – they must come because the heavens have already been rolled up and the earth has fallen not to rise again, all the oceans have turned to blood, and all the islands and all the mountains have moved out of their places [Rev 6:14-17; 16:4, 20]. The earth is destroyed [Isa 24:19-21] – hence, a new earth is absolutely needed. Once the earth has been renewed, the New Jerusalem will descend like a bride. [Rev 21:2-9] Only those who have a new body can go in. [Rev 22:14, 15]

The question then, is what about the mortals? At this point we must speculate just a bit. There are clearly people who have been resurrected and or raptured and hence have their new glorified body [1Cor 15:51-52; 1Thess 4:16-17]. However, there will also be those who are mortal [Isa 65:17-23]. Where do the mortals come from? My speculation is that there will be a group of people during the time of Jacob’s trouble who have not taken the mark and yet have not fully put their trust in Jesus for whatever reason. They will begin the millennium as mortals and then have the opportunity to become immortal by partaking of the river of life and the tree of life [Zech 13:1; Ezek 47:12; Rev 22:1-2, 17]. When they have changed they will then be able to enter into the New Jerusalem (which is on the earth already) [Rev 22:14]. For those who are mortal they will need the millennial sacrifices as a protective measure against the fire of God [Ezek 43:18-27].

One of the biggest misconceptions is that the sacrifices were nothing more than symbolic or a preview of what Jesus would do. Actually, the Hebrew for “sacrifice” is “korban” which means to come near. Essentially, it is the object needed for the worshipper to come close to God. The thing that it does is “kaphar” or covers. I think the word “atonement” is an unfortunate translation – “cover” is more to the point. The blood of the animal covers the worshipper in the same way that a force field covers and protects a person. Force fields, by the way, are real. We have a massive force field protecting planet earth – it is called the Magnetosphere and without it life would not be possible.

Anyway, mortals need a covering because the covering that currently protects all of us, will be removed at the coming of Jesus – it will roll up like a scroll and pass away with a great noise. For one thousand years, mortal and immortal will dwell together and those who so choose will take of the water of life and the tree of life and be transformed so that they can enter into the New Jerusalem. However, there will be those who will strangely choose to not be transformed. Perhaps they are waiting for option “B”? In any event, Satan will be released after being imprisoned for one thousand years. He will go out and be the champion of those who want him [Rev 20:7-10]. It is hard to believe but there will be tons of people who prefer to throw their lot in with him rather than follow Jesus. They will then stage the biggest coup in the entire history of the cosmos and make a direct assault against the New Jerusalem (the beloved city) itself. But then fire will descend from God and consume them. The apparent reason for this is that the time that Satan will have one year to deceive the nations. We know that because in Daniel 7 it says that the rest of the beasts had their lived prolonged for a season and a time [Dan 7:12]. The word for time is “idan” which is the same as “a time, times, and half a time” which is 3 ½ years. Hence, one “idan” is one year. Thus Satan and the demons will have one year following their “season” of a thousand years in the abyss [Isa 24:21, 22]. During the thousand years, the feasts and sacrifices were being observed. When the thousand years end, the sacrifices will presumably end as well. Once they end, there will be no new yearly sacrifice on Yom Kippur and hence there will be no renew of the covering made for all of the mortals. Thus, when the year after the thousand years comes to an end, the power of the covering will completely vanish and then the fire of God will consume those who are not protected.

After this, those who were in the abyss prior to the return of Jesus will be brought before him to be judged. Satan and all of the demons will be cast into Tophet/Gehenna and the abyss and even death itself will be destroyed [Rev 20:11-15]. Jesus will then give the kingdom to the father so that he may be all in all [1Cor 15:24-28].

Then what? Well, life just goes on without death, without any mortals, without anyone who is not fully committed to God. There will only be immortals. At this point, I imagine that God will come down off this thrown and will walk over to Adam and Eve and ask them if they would like to go for a walk and that walk will then go on forever! I believe you will like my book, the Millennium Chronicles as I detail and show how the whole thing comes together.

1. Verses listed:
2. Ezek 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions[1] of God. NKJV (ES)
3. Acts 7:56 and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” NKJV (ES)
4. Isa 34:4 All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree. NKJV (ES)
5. Isa 34:17 He has cast the lot for them, And His hand has divided it among them with a measuring line. They shall possess it forever; From generation to generation they shall dwell in it.” NKJV (ES)
6. 2Pet 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.[3] NKJV (ES)
7. Rev 6:14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. NKJV (ES)
8. Isa 40:5 The glory of the LORD shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” NKJV (ES)
9. Rev 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. NKJV (ES)
10. 2Thess 1:7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, NKJV (ES)
11. 2Thess 1:8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. NKJV (ES)
12. 2Pet 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.[3] NKJV (ES)
13. 1Thess 5:1-5 1 The Day of the Lord The Day of the Lord But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. NKJV (ES)
14. 2Pet 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.[3] NKJV (ES)
    Hab 3:6 He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And the everlasting mountains were scattered, The perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting. NKJV (ES)
15. Zech 12:1-6 1 The Coming Deliverance of Judah Mourning for the Pierced Son The burden[1] of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: 2 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. 4 In that day,” says the LORD, “I will strike every horse with confusion, and its rider with madness; I will open My eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, “The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the LORD of hosts, their God.’ 6 In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place–Jerusalem. NKJV (ES)
16. Zech 12:10 “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. NKJV (ES)
17. Zech 12:1-3 1 The Coming Deliverance of Judah Mourning for the Pierced Son The burden[1] of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: 2 “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. 3 And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it. NKJV (ES)
18. Rev 14:18-20 18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. NKJV (ES)
19. Matt 24:28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. The Coming of the Son of Man (4) NKJV (ES)
20. Rev 19:17-18 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,[8] 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free[9] and slave, both small and great.” NKJV (ES)
21. Matt 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.””‘ The Parable of the Mustard Seed (4) NKJV (ES)
22. Matt 24:29-31 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. The Parable of the Fig Tree (5) NKJV (ES)
23. Luke 3:17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” NKJV (ES)
24. Matt 25:31-44 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy[3] angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer Him,[4] saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ NKJV (ES)
25. Ezek 1:26-28 26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking. NKJV (ES)
    Dan 7:9-11 9 “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; 10 A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court[2] was seated, And the books were opened. 11 “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. NKJV (ES)
26. Isa 65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. NKJV (ES)
27. Rev 21:1 All Things Made New The New Jerusalem Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. NKJV (ES)
28. Rom 8:19-22 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. NKJV (ES)
29. Matt 19:28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. NKJV (ES)
30. Rev 6:14-17 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders,[7] the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” NKJV (ES)
31. Rev 16:4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. NKJV (ES)
32. Rev 16:20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. NKJV (ES)
33. Isa 24:19-21 19 The earth is violently broken, The earth is split open, The earth is shaken exceedingly. 20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, And shall totter like a hut; Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, And it will fall, and not rise again. 21 It shall come to pass in that day That the LORD will punish on high the host of exalted ones, And on the earth the kings of the earth. NKJV (ES)
34. Rev 21:2-9 2 Then I, John,[1] saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me,[2] “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” 6 And He said to me, “It is done![3] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things,[4] and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving,[5] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” The New Jerusalem (1) 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me[6] and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”[7] NKJV (ES)
35. Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments,[7] that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. NKJV (ES)
    Rev 22:15 But[8] outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. NKJV (ES)
36. 1Cor 15:51-52 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. NKJV (ES)
37. 1Thess 4:16-17 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. NKJV (ES)
38. Isa 65:17-23 17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying. 20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD, And their offspring with them. NKJV (ES)
39. Zech 13:1 Idolatry Cut Off The Shepherd Savior “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. NKJV (ES)
40. Ezek 47:12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.” Borders of the Land (1) NKJV (ES)
41. Rev 22:1-2 1 The River of Life Jesus Is Coming Quickly And he showed me a pure[1] river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. NKJV (ES)
42. Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. A Warning NKJV (ES)
43. Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments,[7] that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. NKJV (ES)
44. Ezek 43:18-27 18 And He said to me, “Son of man, thus says the Lord GOD: “These are the ordinances for the altar on the day when it is made, for sacrificing burnt offerings on it, and for sprinkling blood on it. 19 You shall give a young bull for a sin offering to the priests, the Levites, who are of the seed of Zadok, who approach Me to minister to Me,’ says the Lord GOD. 20 You shall take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and on the rim around it; thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it. 21 Then you shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and burn it in the appointed place of the temple, outside the sanctuary. 22 On the second day you shall offer a kid of the goats without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they cleansed it with the bull. 23 When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without blemish, and a ram from the flock without blemish. 24 When you offer them before the LORD, the priests shall throw salt on them, and they will offer them up as a burnt offering to the LORD. 25 Every day for seven days you shall prepare a goat for a sin offering; they shall also prepare a young bull and a ram from the flock, both without blemish. 26 Seven days they shall make atonement for the altar and purify it, and so consecrate it. 27 When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar; and I will accept you,’ says the Lord GOD.” NKJV (ES)
45. Rev 20:7-10 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[2] the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. The Great White Throne Judgment NKJV (ES)
46. Dan 7:1-28 1 Vision of the Four Beasts Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts.[1] 2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. 5 “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: “Arise, devour much flesh!’ 6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8 I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. Vision of the Ancient of Days 9 “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; 10 A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court[2] was seated, And the books were opened. 11 “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. 13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. Daniel’s Visions Interpreted 15 “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 “Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings[3] which arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’ 19 “Then I wished to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its nails of bronze, which devoured, broke in pieces, and trampled the residue with its feet; 20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. 21 “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom. 23 “Thus he said: “The fourth beast shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in pieces. 24 The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. 25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute[4] the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. 26 “But the court shall be seated, And they shall take away his dominion, To consume and destroy it forever. 27 Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ 28 “This is the end of the account.[5] As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.” NKJV (ES)
47. Dan 7:12 As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. NKJV (ES)
48. Isa 24:21 It shall come to pass in that day That the LORD will punish on high the host of exalted ones, And on the earth the kings of the earth. NKJV (ES)
    Isa 24:22 They will be gathered together, As prisoners are gathered in the pit, And will be shut up in the prison; After many days they will be punished. NKJV (ES)
49. Rev 20:11-15 11 Then 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. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God,[3] 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. 13 The 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. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.[4] 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. NKJV (ES)
50. 1Cor 15:24-28 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.”[1] But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. Effects of Denying the Resurrection NKJV (ES)

The Debate over the End: Paul Viggiano and Douglas Hamp over how the world ends from Branch Of Hope Church on Vimeo.

The Debate over the End: Pastor Paul Viggiano and Pastor Douglas Hamp over how the World Ends, with Brian Godawa. (branchofhope.org)

The End of the World has been a fascinating area of biblical study for Millennia. Recorded live at the, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It Conference” at Branch of Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Torrance, CA, Pastor Paul Viggiano (Historic Post-Millennial) a Presbyterian and Pastor Douglas Hamp (Dispensational Pre-Millennial) of Calvary Chapel discuss in a rich and irenic fashion what the Bible says about how the world ends.

This is easily the most interesting debate of it’s kind in recent years and one of the most approachable for those seeking to understand this intensely interesting and confusing area of Christian concern.

Moderated by Brian Godawa before an audience of hundreds we’re sure you’ll enjoy this earnest discussion.

The Premillennialism vs Post-millennialism debate went very well! I enjoyed sparring with Pastor Paul Vaggiano. He was very kind and our debate was extremely civil and full of brotherly love. I could tell that the audience thoroughly enjoyed the event. Who won? Well, that is always a matter of perspective. I will let those who were there decide on that issue. Nevertheless, I believe that I offered a strong biblical case as to why numbers, days, and years ought to be interpreted literally. Furthermore, I demonstrated that there are many things such as the death of every living creature in the sea, every island and every mountain moving out of its place as things that clearly have not happened and certainly did not happen in 70 AD.

The video should be ready by approximately Feb 12th.

The men were all staring at the floor coming to grips with the implications of the evidence.

Many minutes passed.

“There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,” one of the men finally said breaking the silence. “There was nothing to attract us to him. He was even despised and rejected just as we are.”

“A man of sorrows,” Caleb’s mother added.

“Very familiar with suffering,” another interjected, “and just like we are, like one from whom people hide their faces.”

“Yes it’s true; we despised him,” Reu’el pined.

“And we did not value him,”[i] another said. Then there was silence for several minutes.

Caleb looked around and could see tears beginning to well up in the eyes of all the men as the truth began to set in.

“All these centuries,” Reu’el continued choking up a bit, “we turned our backs on him and looked the other way.”[ii] No one said a word as the gravity of the realization that the one they had rejected was the only one that could save them now fully sank in.

“Yet it was our weaknesses he carried!” they all mouthed the painful words that began bringing them healing and restoration. “It was our sorrowsthat weighed him down.”

“We wandered away like sheep!” yet another Knesset member admitted candidly. “We have left Adonai’s ways to follow our own. Yet Adonai laid on him all of our rebellion and treason.”[iii]

“We…we thought,” one of the elders stuttered over his words, “thought his troubles were a punishment from Adonai for his own evil!” He said while choking on his words, dumbstruck how Yeshua had been oppressed and treated harshly. “Like a lamb led to the slaughter he didn’t say anything as they led him away to his death.”[iv]

“True. But actually he was crushed for our evil,” Caleb’s father acknowledged. “He was beaten that we might have peace.”

“He was whipped,” Sha’ul said overcome with grief when he finally realized that Yeshua had given up his life-force for his and his people’s wrongdoing, suffering for their violations though he had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone, yet died like a criminal and was put in a rich man’s grave,[v] “– and yet we are healed!” They all looked around the room understanding the conclusion they had come to. They were overcome in a wave of emotion. Hot tears rolled down the cheeks of the men. The women too were crying as they also meditated on their stance toward their gentle deliverer.

“It is like a veil has been lifted from our eyes,” Reu’el said, “and now we can see that it was Adonai’s good plan to crush Yeshua and fill him with grief. Yet when Yeshua saw all that was accomplished by his anguish, he was satisfied, because of the joy set before him.”[vi] The gravity of having rejected the Promised One, the seed of the woman, overwhelmed them; for the first time the leadership of the Hebrews had acknowledged their offense of rejecting the one sent to deliver them.

A gentle wind suddenly blew a fragrance more delightful than roses into the room. “Yet even now,” they heard a faint, breathy whisper say, “Turn back to me with your whole heart. Turn back to me your King for I am gracious and compassionate, slow to become angry, overflowing in kindness.”[vii] Adonai was infusing them with the desire to seek his face with all of their hearts, to discover his great power so that they would petition him as they looked to him, the one whom they had pierced.

Caleb looked around the room. Everyone was weeping bitterly just like they would mourn at the death of an only child! Each person was lamenting alone in profound sorrow, terribly broken and agonizing over the centuries of rejecting their Promised One[viii] – the very one who loved them more than any other. Their hearts were broken with contrition[ix] as they desperately called out to the one they had despised. Their hearts were vexed realizing all the misery that might have been avoided if they had embraced him sooner. They realized that Adonai had consequently given Yeshua the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death, had been counted among those who were doers of wickedness and had born the wrongdoing of many and interceded for wrongdoers.[x] Their tears continued to flow for a very long time as they realized that the one that they had rejected was the one who was still waiting for them to welcome him back.

In Revelation 20:2-7, six times we are told that Satan will be bound and that Christ will reign for a thousand years. The question regarding the last years of earth’s history is, in a sense, very similar to that regarding earth’s first days: what do numbers and units of time in the Bible actually mean?  Are they merely figurative or are they to be taken literally?

Understanding this to be a literal period of thousand years or an allegory of an indefinite period of time has been an issue which has, generally speaking, created two camps of believers. There are those who call themselves premillenialists, believing that the Great Tribulation will occur before Jesus returns to set up His kingdom for a literal period of a thousand years in which He will reign physically from Jerusalem.  The amillenialists purport that the thousand years in Revelation should be taken figuratively, and that there will not be an actual, literal, physical reign of Christ nor a binding of Satan for a literal thousand years.  Again, we are faced with the question of whose view is right.  Is it really a matter of theological preference as to which view one holds or is there some key to unlock this enigma?

There are in essence two words that we need to study in order to determine the duration of time in Revelation 20.  We will first of all look at “years” to appreciate how the word is used in the Bible.  Once we have recognized what is the normal meaning we will explore what writers meant when stating “one thousand”, to see if the number has just a simple meaning of thousand or if as the amillenialists state, it should be understood as an indefinite period of time.

Years in the Bible

The word “year” (ἔτη ete) appears a total of 29 times in the New Testament.  In every occurrence the meaning of “year” (or “years”) is simply that of a real, literal period of a year, whenever a number precedes it.  For example we read in Mark 5:25, “Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years.” The text treats this as a real number of real years and why shouldn’t it?  What else could “years” mean?  In Luke 2:37, we read of the prophetess Anna: “and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years…”  In John 2:20, the Jewish leaders reply to Jesus’ claim, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?”  Furthermore, in Acts 13:20, we read “After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.”  In all of the examples, the word “years” (ἔτη ete) is referring to a real (specific) amount of time and is used in its literal sense.  The 450 years of the time of the judges is considered to be a real amount of time.  The fact is that “year”, when preceded by a cardinal number, is never used in any other way.  “Year” always refers to what we understand to be a year – that is, the completion of twelve months (with the exception of an occasional 13th month added every several years to balance out the calendar), once around the sun.  Similarly to “day” in the Old Testament, which when preceded by a number means only a real day, so too when the words “year” and “years” are preceded by a number, they always and only signify a definite period of time.

The Number “Thousand”

Since “year” (ἔτη ete) (and “years”) has only a literal and absolute meaning when preceded by a number, our next undertaking is to try to correctly understand “thousand”.  Is there something in the word which would lead us to conclude that “thousand” could mean something other than its literal and plain meaning?

“Thousand” (χίλια chilia) occurs in the New Testament eleven times, six of those being in the twentieth chapter of Revelation.  Twice it occurs in 2 Peter 3:8 “…that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”  The other three occasions are in the book of Revelation as well.  The number of verses with which we can compare the word “thousand” in the New Testament in order to correctly determine the meaning is somewhat limited since six of the eleven examples occur in Revelation 20.  Thus, we need to turn to the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament translated from the Hebrew in approximately 270 BC.

The word “thousand” appears 504 times in the Septuagint where it is translated from the Hebrew word אלף elef, which simply means thousand.  It never refers to any kind of imaginary number nor does it signify an indefinite quantity.  The Septuagint merely translates that word literally and it carries the same meaning.  There are cases where a text will say “thousands” in the plural and, of course, that by definition is indefinite.  But whenever a text refers to “one thousand” it is speaking in a literal sense.

So, you might ask, why doesn’t the word “one” appear before the word thousand?  Quite simply, Greek does not require the word “one” to appear before thousand for it to be understood that it means “one thousand”.  Many languages are parallel to Greek in this respect.  For example, in Hebrew, there is no need to say “one” echad before “thousand” elef.  In fact, it is impossible to say that and to do so would sound very foreign.  So too in Greek, when it is only one thousand then no other word is necessary to qualify the number.  Only when it is two thousand plus, does a number come in front of it.

The Definite Article

The phrase “thousand years” appears six times in the passage of Revelation 20:2-7.

He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 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. 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. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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.   Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison.  (Rev 20:2-7 emphasis mine)

Three times in the passage the author, John, states “…bound him [Satan] for a thousand years,” (20:2) “…And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” (20:4) “…and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” (20:6).  In all three of these passages the literal rendering of the text is that Satan is bound and the saints reign one thousand years (one is included in the word “thousand” in Greek).  The other three passages “…till the thousand years were finished.” (20:3) “again until the thousand years were finished.” (20:5) “…when the thousand years have expired…” (20:7) all refer to a specific time indicated by the use of the definite article “the”.  The word “the” is a limiter or a definer.  It tells us that something specific is indicated.  So too, the time frame is not something undefined but in fact it is very defined.  “The thousand years…” reinforces the fact that a literal amount of time is indicated.

A Final Objection

In Peter’s second letter, he writes to fellow believers who were suffering all kinds of trials and persecutions on account of their belief in Jesus.  His words are to comfort them and remind them that God’s perspective is different from ours.  He writes, “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8).  This verse has been used to supposedly prove that time and numbers in the Bible do not have concrete value and therefore the “days” in Genesis 1 could have lasted one thousand years or perhaps even one million, and likewise the “thousand years” in Revelation is not an actual period of one thousand years.  But is Peter really saying that one day is equal to one thousand years?  Looking at the verse again carefully we note that there are two important keys to a correct understanding.

The first key is “with the Lord”.  Peter here is describing God’s perspective to time and not man’s.  This cannot be overlooked.  Peter is not saying that one thousand years is equal to one day.  He is saying that, in God’s economy, time is radically different – when we think that the Lord is “slack” we should think again. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).   Peter wants to make clear that God’s timetable is different than ours.

The other important key is the little word “as” (ὡς hos).  Though small, it plays an important function in that it tells us that two things are similar but not exact in nature.  It is no different than when we make such statements as “Johnny is like his father” or “In Johnny’s eyes, his father is as Hercules”.  Both statements are merely stating that one is like or similar to another but not the same as the other.  So too, Peter is saying that in the eyes of God, a day is similar to one thousand years and vice versa, one thousand years is like a day.  Since God is outside of time, this simply confirms that time is irrelevant to God, though it is not irrelevant to us.  Peter gives us another example of the use of this little word in his first epistle (1 Peter 1:24) where he says, “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.”  Clearly, he is not saying we are actually grass growing on the field.  He merely says that we are in many ways similar to grass.  Just as it has a short life, so too are our lives short when compared with the eternal God, and our glory will fade away faster than we think.  Thus to God, a day or a thousand years is the same and our lives will pass by quickly.

This truth was first stated in the Old Testament, which Peter more than likely drew from.  Psalm 90:4 “For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night.”  Here too, the writer is simply stating things from God’s point of view – that is, time has no bearing on God.  He is outside of time and hence whether it is a day or one thousand years, it is the same to Him.  We are not to conclude however, that time is irrelevant for us.  Again and again, we see that people live real lives for a specific amount of time.  The Bible treats the lifespan of the lives of Adam (930 years), Noah (950 years), Abraham (175 years), Sarah (127 years), Jacob (147 years), and Moses (120 years) as all real and definite (See Genesis 5:5; 9:29; 25:7; 23:1; 47:28; and Deuteronomy 34:7, respectively).  Notice that Adam and Noah lived close to one thousand years. Their lifetime was like a single day in the eyes of the Lord, but nevertheless, they lived a specific number of years, and at least according to Jacob, those years didn’t pass by as if they were just a day:

And Jacob said to Pharaoh, ‘The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.’ (Genesis 47:9)

Conclusions about the Thousand Years in Revelation 20

In conclusion, we have seen that years and numbers in both the Old and New Testaments are taken as literal.  “Years” always refers to a literal amount of time.  “Year”, when used with a number, is never used to refer to anything more than once around the sun.  When the writer wished to indicate a longer period, then the exact number of years was mentioned.  We also saw that the number “thousand” is treated just like the other numbers in both Testaments.  The references to years in the New Testament are numerous and all of them are treated as real years including the one of 450 years.  Furthermore, the Greek word χίλια chilia meaning “one thousand”, is used hundreds of times in the Greek Septuagint and every time has a simple meaning of a literal number, that is “one thousand”!  And finally, we noted that the grammar in Revelation, by the use of the definite article, limits the use of what one thousand can mean.  It is not an indefinite period of time, but rather is very definite.

Thus we are left with the conclusion that the thousand years of Revelation should be understood to mean precisely that – one thousand literal years.  Having used Scripture to interpret Scripture, we see that any other interpretation is both grammatically unsound and inconsistent with the teaching of the Bible.