When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

Part 1

Christians have always had the hope of the coming of Jesus Christ and being with him in a more advanced revelation of intimacy with him. As the days in which we live are getting darker we need to be as well informed as possible concerning these events.

This study will touch some events concerning the days of the man of sin and mark of the beast. Not in an exhaustive sense but more as it leads up to the topic of the 1000 year reign of Christ on Earth.

There will soon come a world power that will rule much of the world and force a system where in order to buy or sell people will have to take a mark of some sort on their right hand or forehead. If one refuses this mark they will not be able to buy or sell.

How soon will this happen? It could be later on or it could be sooner than we think. It will usher in the greatest time of persecution for Christians ever and of great tribulation for the world in general.

Do you feel prepared to face such a time? Our strategy should be to believe Gods word. Grow in faith and love. Spend precious time alone with Jesus. Teach our families the same. Fellowship with believers who love and practice the apostles doctrine.

Our faith will get us into a place where we can be led by the Spirit to find deliverance from much of the evil to come. It can also make us strong to be ready and willing to offer up our lives to the death in devotion to Jesus.

If we do these things on a daily basis we will be prepared when darkness falls on the world and the end times arrive.

Having said these things I will present how I see the coming of the greatest revelation of the kingdom of God that we have ever known.

Re: When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

Part 2

After the great tribulation of 3.5 years Jesus will return to gather together his saints dead and living. Also to stop the holocaust on the Earth lest no flesh would be saved.

Rev. 19:11-16
The greatest battle in history will be fought as the beast gathers armies from around the world to try to stop this heavenly invasion.

What happens?

Rev. 19 19:21
Jesus first deals with the beast and false prophet. Then by his word kills the entire army that has gathered against him. One last mop up operation will end the battle.

Rev 20:1-3
The devil who was the driving force in Earths fall and corruption is at last brought into captivity! He is "chained" and cast into a bottomless pit for 1000 years. He will have no more power to deceive mankind for a full millenium!

Now Christ begins the establishment of his literal kingdom on Earth!

Rev. 20
The saints of God are given thrones which designates power to rule. Special focus is on those who were martyred in the mark of the beast tribulation. It will be a terrible time but keep the faith! When the battles over we shall wear a crown as the old song said.

It is said they LIVED and reigned with Christ a thousand years! How glorious it is that the dead in Christ will be raised from the dead! I have read the Greek says the dead "came to life". Quite appropriate in that they were actually dead. They were not alive in Heaven until this time but were asleep in Jesus as Paul describes in 1 Thess 4:14

The resurrection means something! For millions of believers in Christ to come back alive some after thousands of years will be the greatest miracle since creation!

Take note that this resurrection is the FIRST RESURRECTION. There were no resurrections unto eternal life before this one from the time when Jesus rose from the dead. This is proof beyond doubt there will be no pre tribulation resurrection and rapture . THIS RESURRECTION WITH ITS FOLLOWING CATCHING UP OR RAPTURE is called the "first" resurrection.

And it also states they REIGNED WITH CHRIST a thousand years. So then will be the dawning of a new and glorious day! The overcoming saints will be made kings and priests!

It will be as if God is starting over with his original plan in the days of Adam and Eve. He will have a earthly paradise populated by men and women. He will have this time saints who have lived for him and learned how to be rulers and helpers in this new creation!

Re: When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

Part 3

So the time is coming where the Lord Jesus Christ will literally in great violence overthrow the kingdoms of this world and reign over them.

Rev 11:15-17
So in the end the nations will not be converted by the preaching of the gospel. Rather they will be overthrown by the power of God. The judgments of the seals, trumpets, and vials. The prophetic disasters brought by the two witnesses.

Christ and the angels coming down from heaven in flaming fire defeating mans final armies!

At that point Jesus will decree his saints as kings and priests and under his headship begin the work of making a new earth!

One might ask do the scriptures speak of such things as this taking place? Christ along with his people re creating civilization? Bringing forth a NEW AGE of peace and righteousness?

We shall see.

The prophet Daniel foresaw that after the time of the man of sin and the coming of Christ this very thing happening.

Dan 7:21-22

Verse 26-27
The prophet Zechariah saw this also in the context of the end times and coming of the Lord.

Zechariah 14:1

The apostles of Jesus taught the day of the Lord was synonomous to the coming of Jesus.

1 Thess 5:2

So the things Zechariah sees are end time events.

Zechariah 14:2-4
Remember Jesus ascended up into heaven from the mount of olives in Acts 1. An angel told the disciples he would come again in like manner. Zechariah saw the Lord coming and standing on that very mountain!

Verse 5

So the context is settled. It is like Revelation and Daniel. The coming of Jesus.

Here is in part what will follow.

Verse 9

At that time Jesus Christ will assume the kingship of the nations.
It is clear that at the coming of Jesus there will be people left alive after he defeats all their armies. There will be Jews who have fled as in the days of the earthquake. There will be people left in the nations that were not part of the armies that attacked Jerusalem.

They will be allowed to live at least for a while.

Daniel 7:
Again Daniel in context of the destruction of the beast's kingdom gives us the truth that some will be spared from the nations. Their power to rule themselves is taken away. Christ and the saints assume that power.

Yet they are allowed to live. They are not "saved" in the sense of being born again. Yet a new age is being created by Christ that will obviously include mortal beings.

Perhaps they are young people who did not have the mark of the beast. Nonetheless it is a fact mortals will be in the thousand year reign of Christ and the saints. They will be trained in Gods righteousness as he sees fit. They will at least keep the feast of Tabernacles as seen in verses 16-19 of Zechariah. If they refuse to obey God will bring judgments upon them such as no rain.

It seems with the devil bound for 1000 years it will be easier for mankind to obey.

Re: When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

Did the early Church believe in this doctrine?

Apparently so.

Jesus taught:

Jesus knew the teachings of Daniel and Zechariah the prophets that he and the saints would rule the world. He says that according to our faithfulness in THIS life we will be given authority in the next.

To rule cities there must be people. Mortal people that will be living in the 1000 year reign.

Paul knew this truth.

1 Corinthians 6:1-3

Paul knew we would act as judges in the new world to come even as the judges of Israel ministered such as Gideon, Samson, Samuel, ect. He seems to have thought the Corinthians would have known it too!

Surely he knew what the prophets taught as well as having heard Christs parabolic teaching from his friend Luke in chapter 19.

Did Peter know the earth would one day be made new in righteousness?

Yes Peter taught of the reality of a coming new earth where righteousness would dwell.

Did John mention the saints ruling with Christ anywhere before Rev. 20?

Revelation 2:25-27

Yes! It looks as if the idea of saints ruling over the nations in obedience and servanthood to Christ was known by the children of light in the first century!

There will be nations with people. The Church under Christ will be ruling them as kings and priests. We will train them in the things of God!

Re: When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

Take note that this resurrection is the FIRST RESURRECTION. There were no resurrections unto eternal life before this one from the time when Jesus rose from the dead. This is proof beyond doubt there will be no pre tribulation resurrection and rapture . THIS RESURRECTION WITH ITS FOLLOWING CATCHING UP OR RAPTURE is called the "first" resurrection.

What do you believe this event was?

Matthew 27:50-53 KJVS
[50] Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
[51] And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
[52] And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
[53] And came out of the graves after his resurrection[COLOR="Red"][/COLOR], and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

What was that about?

It will be as if God is starting over with his original plan in the days of Adam and Eve. He will have a earthly paradise populated by men and women

The Mormons and JW’s believe exactly this. Why does God have to start over? Do you believe as some Jewish people do, is Jesus Christ a failed Messiah?


**If I could get the permission of someone on this forum concerning one of his messages I have. If I sent it to you would you listen to it? It’s called “First Fruit Resurrection”.

Re: When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

So the world will know its longest time of peace and unity with God and man. With the devil bound the nations for the most part will come to know God and his ways.

If one would sin they would be judged as seen by the fact Christ says we will rule with an iron rod. The Earth will flourish during this time. It will be as was meant from the garden of Eden but greatly multiplied!

But when the thousand years runs out trouble arises.

The devil is set free and immediately goes to Gog and Magog and finds followers. We are not given to know in what way he deceives them. Yet in his well polished role as the deceiver and the tempter he will.

There are various interpretations of who Gog and Magog are. Interestingly my Lamsa version of the Aramaic text says it this way, "even to China and Mongolia". That could mean simply that he will find followers to the extent of the earth.

Verse
The adversary will lead his followers against the beloved city in one last attempt to defeat Jesus and his now glorified/immortal saints and also those mortals who stayed true to God in this satanic revolt.


This rebellion is called in verse 3 a "little season". What is a little season compared to the 1000 years itself? We can only speculate but long enough to test those who have been brought up at the saints feet their entire lives.

The mortals on Earth may live very long lives. No doubt they will marry and have children. They will live in a time greater than mortals thought possible.

Yet the devil will deceive many.
They surround the camp of the saints but GOD puts a final end to satan and his group. They are burned up in the fire of God that comes from Heaven.

The devil himself is now cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet "are" or "were". The word "are" is not in the Greek but was inserted by the translator.

Next would appear to be the end of that golden era of 1000 years of Christs reign.

Now all men are judged who have not already been judged. Anyone not judged at the first resurrection as well as mortals who lived on earth during the 1000 years.

They will be judged by their works. The wicked are cast into the lake of fire. We wont be seeing them again.

Altho this phase of Gods plan will have ended we know his work still goes on. His new heavens and new earth will be brought to perfection!

Re: When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

If they believe this good for them. So do MOST of the Oneness Pentecostals!
No Jesus did not fail. Its all prophesied. He knows the end from the beginning.

Re: When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

It was a supernatual resurrection of many saints who had died around Jerusalem. They lived again but then evidently died again. Thats why I stressed that none have been resurrected into ETERNAL LIFE except Jesus.

How do we know this is true?

1 Tim. 6:13-16

13I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 14That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting.

Note Paul taught ONLY.......Jesus has IMMORTALITY.

That means those who rose after Jesus death did NOT inherit immortality at that time.

So they later on died again as they were still mortals.

Re: When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

Do the old testament saints arise at the first resurrection?

If so, how can that be proven?

If not, how can THAT be proven?

Re: When Christ Reigns A Thousand Years
 

Yes.

Matthew 8:11-12.

Unless you have a more reasonable view?