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Bible Passage Revelation 20:4

Revelation 20:4-6 The Millennium

  • Tony Raker
Date preached January 22, 2023

In the last book of the Bible, we read of a time that is coming when our Lord Jesus Christ will reign on the earth for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:4: “Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who 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 for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”

  • Grammatical Usage: “reign” or in the Greek, “basileuó” meaning, “exercise dominion; influence.”
  • Literal Interpretation: “And I saw thrones, with appointed judges seated upon them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been executed for their witness to Jesus and for proclaiming the Word of God—those who never worshipped the animal or its statue, and had not accepted its mark upon their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over.) This is the first resurrection. Happy and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death cannot touch such men; they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall exercise dominion and influence with him for the thousand years.”
  • Contextual/Comparison: God keeps His Word: God continually uses His Word. What will the Millennium be like?
  1. It will be a time when Satan is bound and cast into the bottomless pit.

There can be no permanent peace and prosperity while Satan is at large (Rev. 20:1-2). Potentially he was defeated at Calvary (1 Jn. 3:8); but what relief and release will come when he, the archenemy of God and the enemy of mankind, is bound and cast into the bottomless pit! No longer a “a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8); no longer will he deceive men and appear to them as “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

  1. It will be a time during which the Lord Jesus will personally and visibly reign.

His kingdom now is a spiritual one, as He reigns in the hearts of His people (Luke 17:21), but then it will be a literal kingdom (Ps. 2:6; Is. 24:23; Jer. 23:5-6; Dan. 7:13,14; Zech. 9:10; 14). It will be a reign of righteousness (Is. 9:7; 11:1-5); there will be universal peace (Is. 2:4; 54:13; 55:12; 60:18; 65:25; 66:12; Hosea 2:18); there will be abundant joy (Is. 35:10) and prosperity (Is. 65:21-23; Micah 4:4; Amos 9:13).

  1. It will be a time when the saints will rule with Christ.

Look at Revelation 20:4; 3:21 compare Matthew 19:27-28. What an amazing privilege and responsibility this will be!

  1. It will be a time when sickness will practically disappear from the earth.

We learn this from Isaiah 33:24 and Zechariah 14.

  1. It will be a time when the power of death will be restrained and destroyed.

Compare Rev. 20:14 to Is. 65:18-20 and 1 Cor. 15:15. During the Millennium death will not be prevalent; indeed, it will be inflicted only judicially.

  1. It will be a time of blessing even for the animal creation.

Look up Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25.

  1. It will be a time when war and want will be abolished.

From Is. 2:2-5, Joel 3:10 and Micah 4:3 we learn that when the Lord Himself reigns there will be no more want and no more poverty.

  1. It will be a time of wonderful blessing for Israel and for the Gentile nations who have survived the battle of Armageddon.

Here we need to turn to Is. 27:6; Zech. 8:23; 12:10; 13:1; Rom. 11:26; Mt. 5:35.

  1. It will be a time when righteousness will be everywhere triumphant.

During the present age, God’s people are called upon to suffer for righteousness’ sake; but see how different it will be during Christ’s reign (Is. 1:16-18; Jer. 33:15; Hab. 2:14).

  1. It will be a time of unified worship.

All will unite in the worship of the Lord (Is. 45:23; 52:1,7-10; 66:17-23; Zep. 3:9; Mal. 1:11; Rev. 5:9-14).

  1. It will be a time when the curse is removed.

The original curse placed upon Creation will be removed (Gen. 3:17-19), so that God’s presence will be fully realized and fellowship with Him will be experienced to an unprecedented degree (Ez. 37:27-28; Zec. 2:10-13; Rev. 21:3).

  1. It will be a time which finally merges into eternity.

Although so blessed, the millennial state will not be one of perfection. Some will die and some may rebel against the authority of the King. After the 1000-year Golden Age, Satan will be loosed for a short time, before he goes to his final doom in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:7-10); the earth will be purged with purifying fires (2 Pt. 3:10), and it will then be glory and blessedness forever! Then will come to pass the complete fulfilment of those wonderful words in Phil. 2:9-11. This is the glorious prospect of every believer, of every Christian! Only those who belong to our Lord Jesus Christ, and own and honor Him as Lord and Savior, will share in the blessedness of being with Him throughout the endless ages of eternity.

  • Conclusion: Are you ready to enter God’s eternity? Now is the time of salvation.