(Literalist-Luke;43321)
Then why does "1000 years" not mean "1000 years"?
(Elf;43375)
We both agree, throughout scripture there are those passages that are to be taken literally and those that are not to be taken literally. This teaching about the "1,000" years being literal, yes indeed did have its start in the period of the early Church. In fact in it's early stages Paul dealt with it: 1 Corinthians 15:12, Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?Satan was messing with mens senses to make them bury with the corpses the memory of resurrection. A little later on in Church history there came the "chiliasts" (
http://mikeblume.com/chiliasm.htm), who limited the reign of Christ to a thousand years.The number "One thousand" does not apply to the eternal blessedness of the church but only to the various disturbances that awaited the church, while still here on earth. All scripture proclaims that there will be no end to the blessedness of the elect or the punishment of the wicked Mathew 25:41,46. Doctrine must be something that is plain and explicit, and not amidst visionary elements of which some are clearly symbolic and others may not be. Who is to say which is which, without explicit discussion in teaching in the epistles?All those matters which far exceed the capacity of our minds must either be believed "from actual oracles of God" or be utterly cast away.
Here is a breakdown of Revelation 20:1-7 to help you understand my belief:
Rev20:1-2 An Angel binds Satan for "a thousand" years.
v:3 The result? Satan "cannot deceive the nations" any longer, until the thousand years are complete.
v:4-6 John sees certain souls living and reigning with Christ for "a thousand years"
v:7-9 When the "thousand years" expire, Satan is loosed, deceives the nations, and makes war against the saints.Notice Revelation 20:4-6,
4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and 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 completed. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.-----------------I'll break it down a little more:
4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."those who had not worshiped the beast or his image"
Had Not God's elect, faithful Christians. "had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand"Those who did not follow false religions and cults.and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.Came to life: after their lives here on earth.
5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.The rest of the dead: Those outside of Christ. Only the Christians take part in the: first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection: Christians who died while here on earth.over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. During this period two important events take place. One occurs in the abyss: Satan is bound. The other happens in heaven: the martyrs live and reign with Christ.