The Millennium, the 1000 years of Revelation 20...

[Checkpoint]

This thread stems from the following exchange between myself and Pinseeker:

PinSeeker wrote:

The millennium of Revelation 20 is not a future event. It was when Jeremiah prophesied, obviously, but is not anymore. Or, to be more exacting, it's no longer merely a future event.

Checkpoint asked:

Then why do so many believers think of it as yet future only?

Pinseeker explained:

For at least two reasons, I think:

1. A basic misunderstanding of Revelation as a whole, and the Millennium of chapter 20 included.

2. Many believers (primarily western believers) have bought into the heresy of the "rapture," which came about in the early 19th century. It's not that they are heretics, it's just that that's all they've ever been exposed to.

That's one take from one school of thought.

Your take may be similar or be completely different.

Please share it here, and tell us why you hold that position.

[myth-one.com]

The thousand years of Revelation 20 extend from the first coming of Christ to just before his Second Coming, when Satan will be loosed for a short time. This position on the thousand years of Revelation 20 implies that Christians who are now living are enjoying the benefits of this millennium since Satan has been bound for the duration of this period. That Satan is now bound does not mean that he is not active in the world today but that during this period he cannot deceive the nations — that is, cannot prevent the spread of the gospel. The binding of Satan during this era, in other words, makes missions and evangelism possible. This should certainly be a source of encouragement to the church on earth.

Satan is bound?

That's funny.

One sign of the end times is that the gospel must first be preached in the entire world before the end of this age, the age of man, can occur:

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)

In fact, the "Great Commission" in Matthew 28:19-20 commands Christians to accomplish this very prophecy:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)

However, even with our wonderful worldwide communication systems of today, will we ever achieve this great accomplishment? No! God has to send an angel shortly before the Second Coming to fulfill this prophecy so that the age of man can end:

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. (Revelation 14:6)

If God has to send an angel to fulfill this prophesy, then the Church failed to do so!

Why?

Because Satan successfully sealed the scriptures from mankind's understanding in the first three or four pages of the Bible. When they read in Genesis that man was created a living "soul," and then Satan states, "Ye shall not surely die," they believed a part of them would live forever.

Therefore, the second death cannot mean death at all. It means eternal punishment. When John 3:16 states that nonbelievers will perish, they know that it cannot mean perish because their "soul" lives forever!

Perish must be re-interpreted to mean something other than death. So it means spiritual death. But spirits can't die either. So it means eternal separation from God. But God is omnipresent. So it means . . . . etc, etc.

Therefore, Satan's lie and man's ignorance combine to keep the Bible sealed. When will it be unsealed? In the end times:

And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. (Daniel 12:9)

Christians typically proclaim they spend eternity in heaven while all others endure some type of severe everlasting conscious condemnation in hell.

If that message was successfully preached to every person in every nation, the end could still not occur -- because that is not the Good News!

The good news is that those who believe in Jesus will have everlasting life and all others will quickly perish.

[Checkpoint]

Peace to you,


Just a quick interjection if I may:

In other words, using first and second as to their time sequence (now and later).

That is correct for "second death" and incorrect for "first resurrection".

The word translated "first" has the primary meaning of "chief, most important, and similar.

From Strong's Concordance

prótos: first, chief
Original Word: π�ῶτος, η, ον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: prótos
Phonetic Spelling: (pro'-tos)
Definition: first, chief
Usage: first, before, principal, most important.

HELPS Word-studies

4413 prṓtos (an adjective, derived from 4253 /pró, "before, forward") – first (foremost). 4413 /prṓtos ("first, foremost") is the superlative form of 4253 /pró ("before") meaning "what comes first" (is "number one")

I'm not sure you're interpreting that quite right.

Outline of biblical usage for protos, from blueletterbible:



I - first in time or place

. A- in any succession of things or persons

II - first in rank

. A- influence, honour

. B- chief

. C- principal

III - first, at the first


***

pro'-tos; contracted superlative of G4253; foremost (in time, place, order or importance):—before, beginning, best, chief(-est), first (of all), former.


https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/le ... 4413&t=KJV


If you continue scrolling down on the page that I linked, you will see examples of its usage in the bible, and you will find many uses of each of the two meanings (first in time or place, a succession - OR - first as in rank). The language itself shows that 'first' can indeed be used in the "first resurrection" as 'time, first in sequence'.

Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

Hi Tam,

Ok, let's look at it that way, as being first in sequence, for, on reflection, I now favor that usage, that interpretation!

To be first in sequence there must be a second to follow at a later time.

The term "second resurrection" is not found anywhere in scripture, for a very good reason, there is none.

Yes, I know it is widely believed today that there is one, but it is not what the Bible tells us.

That belief comes from how Revelation 20 is being interpreted rather than from the consistent teaching of the rest of scripture.

There are plenty of examples I could cite, but this one will suffice for now:

Acts 24:

14 I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,

15 and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

Not two resurrections but one, " a resurrection of both".

What, therefore, is the time sequence of our passage; what is "first" and what is "second"?

Grace and peace.

[myth-one.com]

[Replying to post 22 by Checkpoint]

There is also significance in that each of the two separated resurrections are limited to a subset of humanity.

Christianity divides humanity into two obvious groups -- believers and nonbelievers.

What is called the "first resurrection" is restricted to believers only:

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (I Corinthians 15:22-23)

Only dead Christians will be resurrected.

All others, or the rest of the dead will be resurrected after the millennium:

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:4-5)

And this will serve a purpose. The believers will be resurrected to everlasting life and spent the 1000-years with Christ.

They will be preparing for duties involving the unbelievers -- judgment, preaching the gospel to them, etc.

The purpose for each event (resurrection) being different also seems to point to there being two separate resurrections.

That is, there is no reason to raise the nonbelievers until the believers and their Savior are prepared to receive them.

Thus two resurrections.

I don't think it's "a resurrection of both," but a resurrection of each.

Acts 24:

14 I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,

15 and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

That is, there were not any righteous and wicked resurrected at the same time.

All righteous were resurrected together, and all wicked were resurrected together a 1000 years later.

Really, whether all were resurrected in one resurrection or two (or even more) resurrections, there was a "resurrection of both" remains a true statement either way.

The important thing is that the wicked have an informed clear choice path to everlasting life or everlasting death after being resurrected and hearing the true gospel message preached to them for probably the first time.

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to post 18 by myth-one.com]

[quote]The second resurrection is equally important![/ quote]

There is no such thing as a "second resurrection", in terminology or in future actuality.

It is not anywhere in scripture, which always speaks of one resurrection, of both believers and unbelievers, in connection with the Judgment that takes place when Jesus returns.

No interpretation of Revelation 20 can override what the whole of scripture plainly teaches time and again.

[myth-one.com]

[Replying to post 18 by myth-one.com]

The second resurrection is equally important!

There is no such thing as a "second resurrection", in terminology or in future actuality.

It is not anywhere in scripture, which always speaks of one resurrection, of both believers and unbelievers, in connection with the Judgment that takes place when Jesus returns.

No interpretation of Revelation 20 can override what the whole of scripture plainly teaches time and again.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (I Corinthians 15:22)

All humans who ever lived will be made alive again, or resurrected. All includes both believers and nonbelievers! However, all will not be resurrected at the same time. There will be an order to the resurrections:

But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (I Corinthians 15:23)

So Jesus will be resurrected first, and that has already occurred. The resurrection which we presently await is the one at which "they that are Christ's" will be resurrected. "They that are Christ's" refers to Christians. This resurrection for all Christians occurs at the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth, or "at his coming."

Gee, why does the resurrection at the Second Coming not include any that are not Christ's?

When might they be resurrected?

Also, no one resurrected in the first resurrection will face judgment. They become priests!

Where do you get your information?

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to post 22 by Checkpoint]

There is also significance in that each of the two separated resurrections are limited to a subset of humanity.

Christianity divides humanity into two obvious groups -- believers and nonbelievers.

What is called the "first resurrection" is restricted to believers only:

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. (I Corinthians 15:22-23)

Only dead Christians will be resurrected.

All others, or the rest of the dead will be resurrected after the millennium:

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:4-5)

And this will serve a purpose. The believers will be resurrected to everlasting life and spent the 1000-years with Christ.

They will be preparing for duties involving the unbelievers -- judgment, preaching the gospel to them, etc.

The purpose for each event (resurrection) being different also seems to point to there being two separate resurrections.

That is, there is no reason to raise the nonbelievers until the believers and their Savior are prepared to receive them.

Thus two resurrections.

I don't think it's "a resurrection of both," but a resurrection of each.

Acts 24:

14 I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,

15 and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

That is, there were not any righteous and wicked resurrected at the same time.

All righteous were resurrected together, and all wicked were resurrected together a 1000 years later.

Really, whether all were resurrected in one resurrection or two (or even more) resurrections, there was a "resurrection of both" remains a true statement either way.

There is only one bodily resurrection, not two or more.

Paul said, and meant, both, not each.

The first resurrection is not physical but spiritual, of believers in this life who walk by faith and not yet by sight.

Ephesians 2:6
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus

John 5:

25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28 Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice
29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

The important thing is that the wicked have an informed clear choice path to everlasting life or everlasting death after being resurrected and hearing the true gospel message preached to them for probably the first time.

God has never promised "an informed clear choice" for all of "the wicked".

[JehovahsWitness]

... Satan successfully sealed the scriptures from mankind's understanding in the first three or four pages of the Bible. .

If Satan has sealed the scriptures from being understood, how do you know you have correctly understood Revelation?

Go to other posts related to...


THE DEATH, RESURRECTION and ...THE BOOK OF REVELATION

[tam]

Peace to you,

[Replying to post 11 by tam]


Continuing from the previous post (post 11)...


Verses 4-6


I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.




This - the first resurrection - occurs at the start of the thousand years (and the "thousand years" has not yet begun, as established by verses 1-3).


We can also see from Paul's words that the first resurrection has not yet occurred. Paul states here that resurrection does not occur until Christ comes:

"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him..." 1 Corinthians 15:20-23




Referring again to the first resurrection, Paul states again that this resurrection occurs upon Christ's return:


"According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thess 4:15-17



This has not yet happened. Everyone can see for themselves that this has not yet happened.



**

In addition to the descriptions of the first resurrection, a second (later) resurrection is implied in the words and verse: the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. That is referring to the resurrection of the dead as described at Rev 20, verses 11-15.


**



The first resurrection is for those who reign with Christ as kings and priests for a thousand years (the Bride). The second death has no power over them, because there is no judgment for them.

The second resurrection is for non-Christians who have died from the beginning. These ones are judged according to their deeds as written in their scrolls. Some will be resurrected to life (using the same criteria as the sheep, from the sheep and the goats parable; Matt 25:31-46), and some are resurrected to judgment and the second (and eternal) death.


God may of course have mercy upon whomever He chooses.




Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[myth-one.com]

There is only one bodily resurrection, not two or more.

Paul said, and meant, both, not each.

The first resurrection is not physical but spiritual, of believers in this life who walk by faith and not yet by sight.

Yes, believers will be resurrected with spiritual bodies!

That's one bodily resurrection.

A 1000 years later, nonbelievers will be resurrected with physical bodies.

That's a second bodily resurrection.

There are a total of two bodily resurrections -- spiritual bodies and physical bodies.

Here is what Paul writes giving a comparison of Christian bodies buried and resurrected:

So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. (I Corinthians 15:42-45)

The Christian body that is sown is corruptible, dishonored, weak, and a natural body. This is the physical body which is buried like a seed, or sown, when we die.

At the resurrection, Christians are raised up as incorruptible, glorified, powerful, spiritual bodies.

We are born again of the Spirit as spiritual bodied beings.

God has never promised "an informed clear choice" for all of "the wicked".

God is just and true:

Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. (Revelation 15:3)

All we have to do is accept or reject this gift of eternal life:

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (Deuteronomy 30:19)

If the consequences and possible choices are not clearly set out before the wicked, is that just and true?

That's why the good news must be communicated to all humans who have ever lived.

Otherwise, God is not just & true as advertised.

[PinSeeker]

Peace to you,

[Replying to post 11 by tam]


Continuing from the previous post (post 11)...


Verses 4-6


I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.




This - the first resurrection - occurs at the start of the thousand years (and the "thousand years" has not yet begun, as established by verses 1-3).


We can also see from Paul's words that the first resurrection has not yet occurred. Paul states here that resurrection does not occur until Christ comes:

"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him..." 1 Corinthians 15:20-23




Referring again to the first resurrection, Paul states again that this resurrection occurs upon Christ's return:


"According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thess 4:15-17



This has not yet happened. Everyone can see for themselves that this has not yet happened.



**

In addition to the descriptions of the first resurrection, a second (later) resurrection is implied in the words and verse: the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. That is referring to the resurrection of the dead as described at Rev 20, verses 11-15.


**



The first resurrection is for those who reign with Christ as kings and priests for a thousand years (the Bride). The second death has no power over them, because there is no judgment for them.

The second resurrection is for non-Christians who have died from the beginning. These ones are judged according to their deeds as written in their scrolls. Some will be resurrected to life (using the same criteria as the sheep, from the sheep and the goats parable; Matt 25:31-46), and some are resurrected to judgment and the second (and eternal) death.


God may of course have mercy upon whomever He chooses.




Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

Hey, tam, grace and peace to you in the name of Christ.

The Revelation passage you cite above (chapter 20)...

• I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

... specifically the part you bolded, should be read to say that those coming to life spiritually and reigning with Christ is happening over the thousand-year period. And again, it's not literally a thousand years, but the entire church age (as 1000 is a number symbolizing completeness). In other words, the dead came to life... were spiritually reborn... over the thousand-year period -- each one at some particular point during the thousand-year period -- and reigned with Christ during that time -- each one from the point that he/she came to life to the end of the thousand-year period; this is a direct reference to the point at which sinners were born again and became believers in Christ. This is what Paul describes in Ephesians 2:4-6...

• "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus..."

The first resurrection is spiritual in nature -- we become alive in Christ -- and the second resurrection is physical -- the physical rejoins the spiritual at the time of Christ's return. This is exactly what Paul is saying in the 1st Thessalonians 4 passage you cite above; he's reassuring the Thessalonicans that if they are still alive at the time of Christ's return, they will not physically die but rather be caught up along with those who have been physically resurrected and will be with the Lord Jesus forever.

Finally, the second resurrection is a general one; everyone is included... this is what that parenthetical expression in the Revelation passage you cited above -- "The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended" -- is saying. Yes, it can be confusing if one misreads it; John is talking about the first resurrection in what you bolded above, but in that parenthetical expression in between, he refers to the second resurrection.

At any rate, then comes the Judgment, where the wheat is separated from the tares, or the sheep from the goats, and, in the words of Jesus in Matthew 25, He says to the ones on His right (the wheat; His sheep; believers):

• "Well done, good and faithful servant..." and "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world..."

And then to the ones on His left (the tares; goats; unbelievers):

• "You wicked, lazy servant..." and "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels..."