Please explain the millennium mentioned in Revelation 20.
There are some controversial teachings fostered by Christians, but of all of them, the teaching on the Millennium is possibly the easiest to sort out. Why? Because of Revelation chapter 20.
From this chapter, we get a clear, straightforward understanding of what happens when Jesus returns, what happens during the millennium, and what happens after it’s over. Let’s begin by looking at what the Bible says in Revelation 20:
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 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.” Revelation 20:1–6
Here is a basic outline of the events we just read:
- When Jesus returns, the devil is bound for 1,000 years on a desolate planet Earth. This is the Millennium (from Latin mille “thousand” + annus “year”)
- The nations will not be deceived by the devil during this time because all the saved are with Christ in Heaven and all the wicked are dead, slain by Christ at His return (Revelation 19:20–21)
- The saved will live and reign with Christ in the New Jerusalem in Heaven for 1,000 years
- The saved will also sit on thrones, passing judgment with Christ on the fallen angels and the lost (1 Corinthians 6:2–3).
- The lost will be resurrected at the end of the 1,000 years, when Christ returns with the saints in the New Jerusalem to execute the judgment that was decided during the 1,000 years (Jude 14–15; Revelation 21:1–2).
This is such a clear and simple explanation of the events of the 1,000 years. At the Second Coming of Christ, the lost are destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming. The earth will be left desolate with the devil and his fallen angels left to behold their handiwork for 1,000 years (Jeremiah 4:23–27). The saved go to Heaven to live and reign there with Christ for 1,000 years. During those years, all of the saved have the opportunity to have all their questions answered. They can ask questions about God’s love, and why people suffered for so long under the curse of sin. They will have access to the exact records of Earth’s history. This happens for us in Heaven during the 1,000 years so that any misunderstandings about God’s Name or His character will be cleared up. By the end of the 1,000 years, God’s Name will be fully vindicated among His people.
Then, at the close of the Millennium, God and His people, along with the New Jerusalem city, will return to planet Earth. The lost will be resurrected by God and, incited by the devil, who again deceives them, they will surround the New Jerusalem city.
“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 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. 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. 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.” Revelation 20:7–10
So after the 1,000 years, a second resurrection takes place for all those who have rejected God’s love and grace. Once again, there are people for the devil to tempt, and it is in this sense that the devil is released out of his prison. Before the second resurrection, there was no living person left on Earth to tempt. All humans were either dead, or in Heaven with Christ. This was the prison house of the devil. But now, after the second resurrection, the devil is free to go out again to deceive the nations. In other words, the devil’s prison time is the 1,000 years when he has no one to tempt. But after the 1,000 years, he is freed up to again deceive for a little time, because the lost have just been resurrected.
“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. And 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. 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. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11–15
These verses highlight the judgment of the lost, as well as the devil and his fallen angels, that was set by Jesus and the saved during the 1,000 years. Heavenly record books are opened that reveal the evil, sin, and wickedness of the lost who were inspired by fallen angels. They resisted God’s loving entreaties, and practiced iniquity, sowing the fruit of unrighteousness. No place is found for those who have rejected God’s love and mercy. Everyone is judged—not arbitrarily, but according to their works. They are judged according to the things that Heaven has recorded in the books. Then there is a final end to sin and unrepentant sinners.
Summary
So here is a basic summary of the Millennium, or 1,000 years mentioned in Revelation 20:
- Jesus returns to take to Heaven all who truly believe in Him as their Savior—both the dead in Christ and those who are alive when He returns.
- The lost are slain by the brightness of Christ’s Second Coming, leaving no humans alive on Earth during the Millennium.
- The saved go to Heaven, where they reign with Christ for the Millennium, while the devil and his fallen angels are left on Earth, their prison house, since they have one to tempt or harass.
- During the Millennium, all our questions about God, sin, suffering, and those who are not in Heaven will be answered, and a sentence will be set for each lost person.
- At the close of the Millennium, Christ returns to Earth with His saints and the New Jerusalem city. The lost are resurrected to receive the final judgment and sentence to be executed against them for their crimes against God and humanity.
- Then the devil again goes forth to deceive the resurrected wicked, encouraging them to surround the New Jerusalem city.
- As this vast host of the lost surrounds the city, heavenly books of record are opened before them and they see that they have rejected Christ and deserve the sentence pronounced against them. Fire comes down from God out of Heaven and destroys them in the lake of fire. This is the second death, from which there is no resurrection.
God recognizes that we may still have questions about His character in relation to sin and suffering. All of those questions will be fully answered during the Millennium. Today God asks us to believe His Word by faith. All those who choose to do this will be delivered from the deceptive lies of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. They will live for all eternity and reign with Christ. May each of us be among that number is our prayer. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.