Millennial Rule.

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blessedhope

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And Bible speaks powerfully to other aspects of the millennial earth. Tragically, the Church through history has often ignored or denied the promise of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. The early church until Augustine almost universally believed in an earthly, historical reign of Jesus, initiated by His return. Tyconius (in the late 300's) was the first to influentially champion a spiritualized interpretation, saying that this Millennium is now (amillennialism) and must be understood as a spiritual reign of Jesus, not a literal reign. His view was adopted by Augustine, the Roman Catholic Church and most Reformation theologians.

ii. Growing out of amillennialism is the doctrine of postmillennialsim, saying the millennium will happen in this age, before Jesus' return - but that the church will bring it to pass. Yet the clear teaching of the Bible isn't amillennialism or postmillennialism, but what is called premillennialism - the teaching that Jesus Christ will return to this earth before the millennial earth, and He will establish and govern it directly.

iii. There is no need to say that Satan is only bound in a spiritual sense, and Jesus only rules in a spiritual sense. When we consider the rest of the Scriptures, the earthly reign of Christ and His people on this earth is plainly taught in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, we see it in Psalm 72, Isaiah 2:2-4, Isaiah 11:4-9, Jeremiah 23:5-6, and in many, many more passages. In the New Testament we see it in Luke 1:32-33, Matthew 5:18, Luke 19:12-27, among other passages. All in all, there are more than 400 verses in more than 20 different passages in the Old Testament which deal with this time when Jesus Christ will rule and reign personally over planet earth.

iv. Who will be on the earth in the Millennium? Even after the rapture and the vast judgments of the Great Tribulation, there will be many people left on earth. After Jesus returns in glory, He will judge those who survive the Great Tribulation in the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-46). This is not a judgment unto salvation, but a judgment of moral worthiness, and entrance into the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus. The unworthy will be sent into eternal damnation, and the worthy will be allowed in Jesus' Millennial Kingdom.

d. Till the thousand years were finished: Some of what we know of the Millennium from other passages of Scripture.

i. During the Millennium, Israel will be the superpower of the world, the leading nation in all the earth, and the center of Israel will be the mountain of the Lord's house - the temple mount, which will be the "capital" of the government of the Messiah. All nations shall flow to the "capital" of Jesus' government (Isaiah 2:1-3, Ezekiel 17:22-24).

ii. During the Millennium, the citizens of earth will acknowledge and submit to the Lordship of Jesus. It will be a time of perfectly administrated enforced righteousness on this earth (Isaiah 2:1-5).

iii. During the Millennium, there will be no more war. There will still be conflicts between nations and individuals, but they will be justly and decisively resolved by the Messiah and those who reign with Him (Isaiah 2:1-5). It isn't the reign of the Messiah itself that will change the heart of man. Citizens of earth will still need to trust in Jesus and in His work on their behalf for their personal salvation during the millennium. But war and armed conflict will not be tolerated.

iv. During the Millennium, the way animals relate to each other and to humans will be transformed. A little child will be safe and able to lead a wolf or a leopard or a young lion or a bear. Even the danger of predators like cobras and vipers will be gone. In Genesis 9:2-3, the Lord gave Noah, and all mankind after him, the permission to eat meat. At the same time, the Lord put the dread of man in animals so they would not be effortless prey for humans. Now, in the reign of the Messiah, that is reversed. For this reason, many think that in the reign of the Messiah (the Millennium) humans will return to being vegetarians, as it seems they were before Genesis 9:2-3 (Isaiah 11:6-9).

v. During the Millennium, King David will have a prominent place in the millennial earth, ruling over Israel (Isaiah 55:3-5, Jeremiah 30:4-11, Ezekiel 34:23-31, Ezekiel 37:21-28, Hosea 3:5).

vi. During the Millennium, there will be blessing and security for national Israel (Amos 9:11-15).

vii. The Millennium will be a time of purity and devotion to God (Zechariah 13:1-9).

viii. During the Millennium, there will be a rebuilt temple and restored temple service on the earth as a memorial of God's work in the past. (Ezekiel 40-48, Ezekiel 37:26-28, Amos 9:11, Ezekiel 20:39-44).

ix. During the Millennium, saints in their resurrected state will be given responsibility in the Millennial Earth according to their faithful service (Luke 19:11-27, Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 2:26-28; 3:12,22, 1 Corinthians 6:2-3).

e. Thousand years: Is it a literal 1,000 years? We should take a number literally unless there is clear reason or evidence to do otherwise. We should take this thousand years literally, because God has an important work to accomplish during the Millennium.

i. The Millennium is important because it will demonstrate Jesus' victory and worthiness to rule the nations.

ii. The Millennium is important because it will reveal the depths of man's rebellious nature in a perfect environment. Some people seem to believe that man is basically good, and deep down he really wants God's righteous rule. Many believe that man is really innocent, and corrupted only by a bad environment. The Millennium will answer these questions before the great judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).

iii. The Millennium is important because it will display the eternal depravity of Satan, who continues his evil as soon as he is released from his incarceration.

iv. The Millennium is important because it will show the invulnerability of the city of God and God's new order.

v. "Let us rejoice that Scripture is so clear and so explicit upon this great doctrine of the future triumph of Christ over the whole world . . . We believe that the Jews will be converted, and that they will be restored to their own land. We believe that Jerusalem will be the central metropolis of Christ's kingdom; we also believe that all the nations shall walk in the light of the glorious city which shall be built at Jerusalem. We expect that the glory which shall have its center there, shall spread over the whole world, covering it as with a sea of holiness, happiness, and delight. For this we look with joyful expectation." (Spurgeon)
 

Retrobyter

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blessedhope said:
And [the] Bible speaks powerfully to other aspects of the millennial earth. Tragically, the Church through history has often ignored or denied the promise of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ. The early church until Augustine almost universally believed in an earthly, historical reign of Jesus, initiated by His return. Tyconius (in the late 300's) was the first to influentially champion a spiritualized interpretation, saying that this Millennium is now (amillennialism) and must be understood as a spiritual reign of Jesus, not a literal reign. His view was adopted by Augustine, the Roman Catholic Church and most Reformation theologians.

ii. Growing out of amillennialism is the doctrine of postmillennialsim, saying the millennium will happen in this age, before Jesus' return - but that the church will bring it to pass. Yet the clear teaching of the Bible isn't amillennialism or postmillennialism, but what is called premillennialism - the teaching that Jesus Christ will return to this earth before the millennial earth, and He will establish and govern it directly.

iii. There is no need to say that Satan is only bound in a spiritual sense, and Jesus only rules in a spiritual sense. When we consider the rest of the Scriptures, the earthly reign of Christ and His people on this earth is plainly taught in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, we see it in Psalm 72, Isaiah 2:2-4, Isaiah 11:4-9, Jeremiah 23:5-6, and in many, many more passages. In the New Testament we see it in Luke 1:32-33, Matthew 5:18, Luke 19:12-27, among other passages. All in all, there are more than 400 verses in more than 20 different passages in the Old Testament which deal with this time when Jesus Christ will rule and reign personally over planet earth.

iv. Who will be on the earth in the Millennium? Even after the rapture and the vast judgments of the Great Tribulation, there will be many people left on earth. After Jesus returns in glory, He will judge those who survive the Great Tribulation in the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-46). This is not a judgment unto salvation, but a judgment of moral worthiness, and entrance into the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus. The unworthy will be sent into eternal damnation, and the worthy will be allowed in Jesus' Millennial Kingdom.

d. Till the thousand years were finished: Some of what we know of the Millennium from other passages of Scripture.

i. During the Millennium, Israel will be the superpower of the world, the leading nation in all the earth, and the center of Israel will be the mountain of the Lord's house - the temple mount, which will be the "capital" of the government of the Messiah. All nations shall flow to the "capital" of Jesus' government (Isaiah 2:1-3, Ezekiel 17:22-24).

ii. During the Millennium, the citizens of earth will acknowledge and submit to the Lordship of Jesus. It will be a time of perfectly administrated enforced righteousness on this earth (Isaiah 2:1-5).

iii. During the Millennium, there will be no more war. There will still be conflicts between nations and individuals, but they will be justly and decisively resolved by the Messiah and those who reign with Him (Isaiah 2:1-5). It isn't the reign of the Messiah itself that will change the heart of man. Citizens of earth will still need to trust in Jesus and in His work on their behalf for their personal salvation during the millennium. But war and armed conflict will not be tolerated.

iv. During the Millennium, the way animals relate to each other and to humans will be transformed. A little child will be safe and able to lead a wolf or a leopard or a young lion or a bear. Even the danger of predators like cobras and vipers will be gone. In Genesis 9:2-3, the Lord gave Noah, and all mankind after him, the permission to eat meat. At the same time, the Lord put the dread of man in animals so they would not be effortless prey for humans. Now, in the reign of the Messiah, that is reversed. For this reason, many think that in the reign of the Messiah (the Millennium) humans will return to being vegetarians, as it seems they were before Genesis 9:2-3 (Isaiah 11:6-9).

v. During the Millennium, King David will have a prominent place in the millennial earth, ruling over Israel (Isaiah 55:3-5, Jeremiah 30:4-11, Ezekiel 34:23-31, Ezekiel 37:21-28, Hosea 3:5).

vi. During the Millennium, there will be blessing and security for national Israel (Amos 9:11-15).

vii. The Millennium will be a time of purity and devotion to God (Zechariah 13:1-9).

viii. During the Millennium, there will be a rebuilt temple and restored temple service on the earth as a memorial of God's work in the past. (Ezekiel 40-48, Ezekiel 37:26-28, Amos 9:11, Ezekiel 20:39-44).

ix. During the Millennium, saints in their resurrected state will be given responsibility in the Millennial Earth according to their faithful service (Luke 19:11-27, Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 2:26-28; 3:12,22, 1 Corinthians 6:2-3).

e. Thousand years: Is it a literal 1,000 years? We should take a number literally unless there is clear reason or evidence to do otherwise. We should take this thousand years literally, because God has an important work to accomplish during the Millennium.

i. The Millennium is important because it will demonstrate Jesus' victory and worthiness to rule the nations.

ii. The Millennium is important because it will reveal the depths of man's rebellious nature in a perfect environment. Some people seem to believe that man is basically good, and deep down he really wants God's righteous rule. Many believe that man is really innocent, and corrupted only by a bad environment. The Millennium will answer these questions before the great judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).

iii. The Millennium is important because it will display the eternal depravity of Satan, who continues his evil as soon as he is released from his incarceration.

iv. The Millennium is important because it will show the invulnerability of the city of God and God's new order.

v. "Let us rejoice that Scripture is so clear and so explicit upon this great doctrine of the future triumph of Christ over the whole world . . . We believe that the Jews will be converted, and that they will be restored to their own land. We believe that Jerusalem will be the central metropolis of Christ's kingdom; we also believe that all the nations shall walk in the light of the glorious city which shall be built at Jerusalem. We expect that the glory which shall have its center there, shall spread over the whole world, covering it as with a sea of holiness, happiness, and delight. For this we look with joyful expectation." (Spurgeon)
Shalom, blessedhope.

Yes, well said; I agree with all that you've said so far. However, you also need to look at the dark side of the Millennium. The good that you've noticed in the Millennium is offset by the evil that will still be present. It will be a time of ENFORCED peace, as you've said.

Here's one example of rebellion in the hearts of men. I'm going to provide quotation marks for the nested quotes in the passage, as well as some different punctuation. I will also add color - green for the words of the narrator, blue for the words of the rulers, red for the words of the Messiah, the Anointed One (notice the closing quote), and two shades of purple for the words of God the Father:

Psalm 2:1-12
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his Anointed, saying,
3 "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us!"
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: 'the LORD hath said unto me, <<Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.>>'
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."
KJV

So, here we have what I think will be a last-ditch effort by the U.N. to have a "secret" meeting against the "tyranny" of the Melekh Yisra'el, the King of Israel. Right in the middle of the meeting (or at the beginning), they suddenly hear cynical laughter! And, in a pouting, high-pitched voice, they hear, "Let's break their bands asunder and cast their cords from us! Waah! Waah! Waah!" and, more laughter! Then, the voice gets serious and menacing, "Yet have I set MY King upon MY holy mountain!"

The voice of the unseen God YHWH quotes the decree, quoted by His Son, Yeshua`, the Messiah, pointing out the phrases, "Thou shalt BREAK them with a rod of iron! Thou shalt DASH them to pieces like a potter's vessel!"

Then, He warns them in no uncertain terms: "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings! Be instructed, O ye judges of the earth! Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the road, when His wrath is kindled just a little! Blessed (or happy) are all they who put their trust in HIM!"

Now, you (and/or Spurgeon) and I see Matthew 25:31-46 pretty much the same way. It is a WAR TRIBUNAL that the Messiah will hold against the nations surrounding Israel that came to battle on Israeli soil, soon after the Messiah is named Israel's Melekh or King. Furthermore, it is a separation of the sheep NATIONS from the goat NATIONS. That is, it is not the final judgment of those nations' people, but it will be a terrible pronouncement on those nations, making it hard for the individuals in those nations to come to the Messiah! Each nation turned away as a "goat nation," is collectively consigned to the Lake of Fire, but its people are not yet thrown into the Fire.

Another description of the Millennium is found in the Resurrection Chapter, 1 Corinthians 15:

1 Corinthians 15:20-28
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: (0) Christ the firstfruits; afterward (1) they that are Christ's at his coming.
24 Then (2) cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
KJV


The "zeroeth" Resurrection was Yeshua`s PERSONAL Resurrection in the first century, the "Firstfruits." The "first" Resurrection is the Resurrection of the Just, those who are the Messiah's at His coming at the beginning of the Millennium, and the "second" Resurrection is the Resurrection of everyone else at the end of the Millennium. Therefore, throughout that 1,000-year period, Yeshua` the Messiah of God, the King of Israel, will be subduing all of His enemies! That tells us two things: First, He will still HAVE enemies; and second, He will continually subdue them, until He has no opposition left!\

At the end of the Millennium, we also learn that the last enemy He destroys is Death itself, and this harmonizes with Revelation 20:11-15:

Revelation 20:11-15
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that 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, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
KJV


We get one more thing from the Resurrection Chapter. When the Millennium is over and the whole world has been subdued, then the Son shall be subject to His Father, that GOD may be all in all! After Yeshua` has become the World Emperor (the King of kings), then He abdicates the throne in preference to His Father and goes back to being the King of Israel alone, because we also have the prophecy of Gavri'el (Gabriel) to Miryam:

Luke 1:30-33
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS (Greek: Ieesous, a transliteration of the Hebrew: Yeeshuwa`).
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
KJV


We also have the parables about the Kingdom that Yeshua` spoke to His disciples in the presence of the crowds. These parables are often mistaken to be talking about the now of the "church," but really they are talking about His literal, earthly Kingdom in the FUTURE!

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
...
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
KJV

So, Yeshua` gave His disciples some elements of the parable that we can substitute into the parable:

He who sows the good seed = the Son of man
The field = the world
the good seed = the children of the kingdom
the tares = the children of the wicked one
The enemy = the devil
the harvest = the end of the age (Greek: kosmos)
the reapers = the angels.

Thus, all we need do is re-read the parable told to all, with these substitutions:

24 ... The kingdom of heaven is likened unto the Son of man who sowed the children of the Kingdom in his world:
25 But while men slept, the devil came and sowed children of the wicked one among the children of the Kingdom, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the children of the wicked one also.
27 So the algels came and said unto the Son of man, Sir, didst not thou sow children of the Kingdom in thy world? from whence then hath it children of the wicked one?
28 He said unto them, The devil hath done this. The algels said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the children of the wicked one, ye root up also the children of the Kingdom with them.
30 Let both grow together until the end of the age: and in the time of the end of the age, I will say to the angels, Gather ye together first the children of the wicked one, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the children of the Kingdom into my barn.

Then, add to this the additional information provided in the explanation:

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire (the Lake of Fire and Sulfur, or the Lake of Burning Sulfur): there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

So, again, there will be hidden conflict within the Messiah's Kingdom that must be resolved at the Great White Throne Judgment.

All the happy-happy things like "tears wiped away" and "no more death" and "no more pain" all happens AFTER the Millennium and AFTER the earth has been made anew, when the New Jerusalem descends to the New Earth and becomes the capitol city of the New Earth.