The Millennium

The Millennium

by Elliott Nesch

In sum, there are three classic views to interpreting the millennium. Pre-millennialists, a historical view of the church held by many church fathers, believe that Jesus returns before the Millennium. Post-millenialists believe that the millennium comes prior to the second coming of Jesus when the majority of the world will have become Christians. Amillennialists believe the Millennium is figurative for the church age at the end of which Jesus will return.

Depending on our view of the Millennium, our understanding of much of the Old Testament prophetic writings is determined. Along with going through Revelation chapter 20 (the only place in the Bible which mentions a thousand year reign of Jesus) verse by verse, we will look at many of the Old Testament prophecies which many scholars apply to the Millennium. Depending on how we interpret these prophecies, we will reach a conclusive rendering of the relevant verses in the New Testament, including those of the book of Revelation.

This author prefers the Amillennial interpretation, which views the millennium and many of the Old Testament prophets language as figurative. The Premillennial view, more popular today, is more of a literal interpretation of Revelation chapter 20 along with all of the prophecies applied to this period of a thousand years in the Old Testament. But the New Testament writers under inspiration of the Holy Spirit applied and quoted many of the Old Testament passages (which many thought to have alluded a future Millenium) as fulfilled in the church age. It is crucial for western-minded readers to understand the use of symbols, figures and non-literal language in apocalyptic style literature such as the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament book of Revelation.

I. Revelation Chapter 20

While the main critique of the Amillennial view is that it does not interpret Revelation 20 and the Old Testament prophets literally, there are also several points of critique on the surface of the premillennial argument. Many premillennialists view the Millennium as a future Sabbath beginning at the second coming of Jesus around the year 2000. This would make approximately 4000 years in the Old Testament and the 2000 years in the New Testament equivalent to 6000 years followed by the seventh thousand years being the Millennium. This is more of a philosophical argument than Scriptural, but their biblical basis for this idea comes this verse: "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). However, Peter was not speaking in the context of a future Millennium, but was trying to convey that God was not slow concerning His promises as some Christians didn't realize their reckoning of time was different than God's.

While the premillennialists claim to interpret everything literally, they take for granted certain symbols in the book of Revelation, even chapter 20, taking them non-literally. For example, Satan is called both a dragon and an old serpent (Revelation 20:2) when he can't be both. Satan cannot be literally bound on a literal chain in a literal pit (Revelation 20:2,3) because the devil is a spiritual being, not physical. The angel cannot have a literal key to the bottomless pit for the same reasons (Revelation 20:1). The bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1) cannot exist on earth because it is a sphere with a bottom.

If many of the elements within the chapter should be understood figuratively, then why not the rest of the chapter? For instance, the thousand years can be taken literal, but it's not necessary. Though most of the Bible is not nearly as symbolic as the book of Revelation, 1,000 years is never used literally in the rest of the Bible. But it is used to describe a very long time from our point of view, but not from God's: "For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night" (Psalm 90:4); "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8).

Also, the number 1,000 is commonly used in the Bible to describe a very large number, not an exact statistical value, "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face" (Deuteronomy 7:9,10); "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills" (Psalm 50:10); " For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness" (Psalm 84:10); "Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand" (Daniel 5:1). Furthermore, if the book of Revelation wanted to communicate specific time frames, then it is unlikely that Satan's release would be referred to as "a little season" (Revelation 20:3).

There is much within Revelation chapter 20 that compels us to understand the 1,000 years symbolically. The chronology of the chapter is as follows: the binding of Satan (vv. 1-3), 1,000 years (vv. 4-6), a short season (vv. 7-9), and afterwards (vv. 9-15).

a. Two Resurrections?

One point worthy of mention is that of the resurrection (which is closely linked with the second coming of Jesus and the judgment) mentioned in Revelation 20:4-6, of which the saints participate that reign with Jesus for a thousand years, after which is another resurrection in Revelation 20:12-15. "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years," and after the Millennium, "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. 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. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

To Premillennialists, there will be two resurrections, one including the saints before the Millennium at the second coming of Jesus, and another resurrection after the Millennium at the judgment. A Premillennialist might quote these Scriptures to back up their position of there being two resurrections, "And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:14); "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:29).

But there are problems with that Premillennial view of being one resurrection at the second coming and another at the end of a future thousand year reign. If Jesus' following parable were applying to His second coming, then "the same day" must refer to 1,000 years later, "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed" (Luke 17:27-30). While reading Peter's reference to His coming, we must assume beforehand that Jesus is not going to destroy the earth at His return but 1,000 years later, "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" (2 Peter 3:7-12). Furthermore, premillenialiallists must assume that Jesus is going to catch away His people at the Rapture only to put them back on the earth for a thousand year reign but the Bible doesn't imply any such idea, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17). Premillennialists also argue that Jesus will judge all of the nations 1,000 years after He comes, but Jesus said, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world . . . Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels . . . And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:31-34,41,46). Thus, the premillenialists, in order to stay true to a literal and chronological rendering of Revelation 20, must suggest that there are two comings of Jesus (one coming to Rapture the church and set up His millennial kingdom and another to destroy the earth) and two resurrections (one at the beginning of the Millennium and another at the end in the judgment). While the amillennialists stay true to the chronological rendering of the chapter, the meaning is figurative, not literal.

Even when John spoke about the resurrection unto life and the resurrection of damnation (John 5:29), he wasn't speaking of two separate resurrections occurring at the start and finish of a Millennium but one single resurrection in one hour, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28,29). Notice, Jesus did not correct the Sadducees when they asked him about the resurrection, but confirmed that the resurrection is a singular event, "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Matthew 22:30). Additionally, Martha said to Jesus, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day" (John 11:24), and He did not correct her, also confirming that there is not two resurrections as premillennialists teach, but one resurrection at the last day. Thus, the rendering apocalyptic and symbolic passages like Revelation 20 should be interpreted through the lens of more simple and plain New Testament passages, not the other way around.

So what do we make of the apparent contradiction of two resurrections in Revelation 20 as opposed to the one resurrection spoken of elsewhere by Jesus? Since there is only mention of one event known as the resurrection (which occurs when Jesus returns and destroys the earth followed by the judgment), then the "first resurrection" (Revelation 20:5) must refer to a spiritual resurrection (being born again in this life) and the second resurrection prior to the judgment at the end of the church age (Revelation 20:12-15) must be the general resurrection from the dead and judgment of which Jesus and the New Testament writers spoke. Therefore, those of the "first resurrection" (Revelation 20:5) that live and reign with Christ for a thousand years are Christians in the church age. Thus, the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5) would be in view here of Jesus' words: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. " (John 5:24-27), and the second resurrection (Revelation 20:12-15) would be the general resurrection at the second coming and judgment when Jesus continued, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29). With the amillennial understanding, the Christian who has been born again or born a second time (John 3:4-7) has partook in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5). "And you hath he quickened," or made alive, "who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). The rest of Scripture indicates a general resurrection of the dead all at the second coming corresponding to the Revelation 20:13 judgment occurring at the end of the Millennium. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in" (Matthew 25:31-35). The rest of the New Testament places the end of the world, general resurrection and general judgment spoken of in Revelation 20:9-15 at the same time (at the second coming of Jesus).

There is also mention in Revelation 20:6 of a second death, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6). Thus, the first resurrection or being born again (John 3:4-7) is mutually exclusive with the second death. Therefore, the second death must be seen as judgment upon those after physical death (the first death). "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:4,5). In the same way that the first resurrection was a different kind than the second, this is a different kind of death than physical death and will only be experienced by those not written in the book of life, i.e. people outside of God's church (Revelation 3:5).

b. The Second Coming of Jesus

First of all, when compared with other New Testament passages, Revelation 20:9-15 are likely to be events which occur at the second coming of Jesus. Notice what Paul said about the second coming, "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9); "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:8,9). Additionally, Peter said, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:10-13). If true, that the Revelation 20:9-15 events (which occur last in chronological order of the Millennium) are identical to the second coming of Jesus, then the events that happen before that must take place prior to the second coming of our Lord and must be understood symbolically.

Both Paul and Peter spoke of the the Day of the Lord in which Jesus would come as a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Peter 3:10) and there would be sudden destruction of the earth. We cannot assume that Paul and Peter are referring to two separate comings of Jesus that commence and conclude the Millennium but only one second coming in which, "the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10) and "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 1:7,8). With no more earth at Jesus' second coming, there can be no thousand year reign on the earth and the Millennium must be taken figuratively as the church age. The end of the church age (or Millennium) fits the description of the second coming of Jesus, "And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 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" (Revelation 20:9-11).

c. The Binding of Satan

If there is no future thousand year period but the millennial reign is now in the church, then the binding of Satan (Revelation 20:2) can be understood symbolically by amillennialists as Jesus limiting Satan's freedom. In speaking of the binding of Satan, Jesus said, "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house" (Matthew 12:28,29). Jesus is plundering Satan's house by casting out demons and He had to first bind him which be directly related to Revelation 20:2, "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years." This does not imply that Satan cannot do anything or is inactive because he is still "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2) and the "prince of this world" (John 12:31). The binding of Satan simply means that through Jesus the devil is incapable of resistance. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:14,15). The Greek word for "destroy" is "katargeo" which means to render entirely idle or useless. Paul said the powers of darkness are now fighting without weapons implying that Satan's defeat and binding was something which happened past tense (not in a future thousand year reign), "having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15). "And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season" (Revelation 20:3). Only the nation of Israel had the light of God before Jesus, but now Satan no longer has the power to deceive all the nations. "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith" (Romans 16:26).

d. 1000 Year Reign

Premillennialists believe this thousand year reign (Revelation 20:4,5) will be on earth, but this comes from the assumption that chapter 20 chronologically follows chapter 19, the second coming of Christ, rather than retelling events from another perspective. Since we already established that the binding of Satan (Revelation 20:1,2) and first resurrection (Revelation 20:5) are events before the second coming, it follows that the thousand year reign is also speaking figuratively of something before Jesus returns. Premillennialists assume that a future thousand year reign will take place on earth but Peter and Paul said that Jesus will destroy the earth when He returns at His second coming (2 Peter 3:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). It seems more likely that when John saw, "the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus" (Revelation 20:4), he saw them in heaven and not on earth just as the souls of the martyrs in heaven at the opening of the fifth seal (Revelation 6:9). This thousand year reign must symbolically refer to a time before the second coming of Jesus meaning that these people are enthroned with Jesus in heaven. "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:5,6).

Furthermore, the those in the Millennium shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (Revelation 20:6). This does not seem to be speaking of a future thousand year period but the church age in which we currently live, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5).

Some premillennialists say that the Millennium is necessary for God to be fair in giving many a second chance to repent. This is merely philosophical insight because the Bible says, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

II. Old Testament Prophets

Next, we will examine several of the verses from the Old Testament that have been applied to a future Millennium. We will consider the Premillennial view, the most popular view, which is easy to interpret requiring a literal interpretation of the Old Testament prophets and Revelation chapter 20. Premillennialism requires a literal future fulfillment to the promises of the nation of Israel complete with literal future temple, sacrificial system, Levitical priesthood, reign of Messiah and literal Jerusalem. We will also consider the Amillennial view which, this author believes, is the view strengthened by the New Testament writers' understanding of the Old Testament prophets.

"But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves" (Isaiah 61:6).

PART FOUR: CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 20

Revelation 20:1-3

[1] And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

[2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

[3] And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Chapter 20 of Revelation is the only place in the Bible that speaks of this 1,000 year reign of the saints with Jesus. Also known as the Millennium, the view of the Millennium affects much of how one would interpret a bulk of Old Testament prophecies.

The angel (v. 1) is probably Jesus. Michael the archangel is the most powerful angel in the Bible yet, "when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee" (Jude 9). Jesus, on the other hand, is the only one with power to bind Satan. The word "angel" or "aggelos" in Greek simply means a messenger of God or one who is sent which could just as easily apply to Jesus as in, "the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 3:1). Furthermore, since Jesus has the keys of hell and death (Revelation 1:18), it would be safe to assume that He also possesses the key of the bottomless pit (v. 1).

While the premillennialists claim to interpret everything literally, they take for granted certain symbols in the book of Revelation, even chapter 20, taking them non-literally. For example, Satan is called both a dragon and an old serpent (v. 2) but he can't be both. Satan cannot be literally bound on a literal chain in a literal pit (vv. 2,3) because the devil is a spiritual being, not physical. Using similar language, New Testament writers spoke, "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment" (2 Peter 2:4), "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day" (Jude 6).

Amillennialists understand the binding of Satan (v. 2) symbolically as Jesus limiting Satan's freedom. If there is no future thousand year period but the millennial reign is now in the church, then the binding of Satan (v. 2) can be understood symbolically by amillennialists as Jesus limiting Satan's freedom. In speaking of the binding of Satan, Jesus said, "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house" (Matthew 12:28,29). Jesus is plundering Satan's house by casting out demons and He had to first bind him which be directly related to Revelation 20:2, "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years." This does not imply that Satan cannot do anything or is inactive because he is still "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2) and the "prince of this world" (John 12:31). The binding of Satan simply means that through Jesus the devil is incapable of resistance. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:14,15). The Greek word for "destroy" is "katargeo" which means to render entirely idle or useless. Paul said the powers of darkness are now fighting without weapons implying that Satan's defeat and binding was something which happened past tense (not in a future thousand year reign), "having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15). Now, in the church age, Satan can no longer deceive the nations (v. 3). Only the nation of Israel had the light of God before Jesus, but now Satan no longer has the power to deceive all the nations. "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith" (Romans 16:26).

The thousand years (v. 3) can be taken literally, but it's not necessary. Though most of the Bible is not nearly as symbolic as the book of Revelation, 1,000 years is never used literally in the rest of the Bible. But it is used to describe a very long time from our point of view, but not from God's: "For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night" (Psalm 90:4); "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:8). Also, the number 1,000 is commonly used in the Bible to describe a very large number, not an exact statistical value, "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face" (Deuteronomy 7:9,10); "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills" (Psalm 50:10); " For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness" (Psalm 84:10); "Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand" (Daniel 5:1). Furthermore, if the book of Revelation wanted to communicate specific and exact time frames, then it is unlikely that Satan's release would be referred to as "a little season" (v. 3) unless the book is figurative.

In order to communicate the idea of Satan being bound as a prisoner being shut up in the bottomless pit with a seal upon him (v. 3), there is a similar custom seen here as we read about concerning the imprisonment of Daniel, "Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel" (Daniel 6:16,17).

Revelation 20:4-6

[4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

[5] But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

[6] Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

This could be divided into the second section of chapter 20 of which the chronology of the chapter is as follows: the binding of Satan (Revelation 20:1-3), 1,000 years (vv. 4-6), a short season (Revelation 20:7-9), and afterwards (Revelation 20:9-15).

One point worthy of mention is that of the resurrection (vv. 4-6), of which the saints participate that reign with Jesus for a thousand years, after which is another resurrection in Revelation 20:12-15, "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. 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. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

To premillennialists, there will be two resurrections, one including the saints before the Millennium at the second coming of Jesus (vv. 4-6), and another resurrection after the Millennium at the judgment (Revelation 20:12-15). A Premillennialist might quote these Scriptures to back up their position of there being two resurrections, "And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:14); "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:29).

But there are problems with that premillennial view of being one resurrection at the second coming and another at the end of a future thousand year reign. If Jesus' following parable were applying to His second coming, then "the same day" must refer to 1,000 years later, "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed" (Luke 17:27-30). While reading Peter's reference to His coming, we must assume beforehand that Jesus is not going to destroy the earth at His return but 1,000 years later, "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" (2 Peter 3:7-12). Furthermore, premillenialiallists must assume that Jesus is going to catch away His people at the Rapture only to put them back on the earth for a thousand year reign but the Bible doesn't imply any such idea, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17). Premillennialists also argue that Jesus will judge all of the nations 1,000 years after He comes, but Jesus said, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world . . . Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels . . . And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:31-34,41,46). Thus, the premillenialists, in order to stay true to a literal and chronological rendering of Revelation 20, must suggest that there are two comings of Jesus (one coming to Rapture the church and commence His millennial kingdom and another to destroy the earth after the Millennium) and two resurrections (one at the beginning of the Millennium and another at the end in the judgment). While the amillennialists stay true to the chronological rendering of the chapter, the meaning of the Millennium is figurative, not literal.

So what do we make of the apparent contradiction of two resurrections in Revelation 20:12-15 and verses 4-6 as opposed to the one resurrection spoken of throughout the New Testament? Since there is only mention of one event known as the resurrection, then the "first resurrection" (v. 5) must refer to a spiritual resurrection (being born again in this life) and the second resurrection prior to the judgment at the end of the church age (Revelation 20:12-15) must be the general resurrection from the dead and judgment of which Jesus and the New Testament writers spoke. Therefore, those of the "first resurrection" (v. 5) that live and reign with Christ for a thousand years are Christians in the church age. Thus, the first resurrection (v. 5) would be in view here of Jesus' words: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. " (John 5:24-27), and the second resurrection (Revelation 20:12-15) would be the general resurrection in view at the second coming and judgment when Jesus continued, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29). With the amillennial understanding, the Christian who has been born again or born a second time (John 3:4-7) has partook in the first resurrection (v. 5). "And you hath he quickened," or made alive, "who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus speaks of the judgment occurring in the event of His second coming which must correspond with the Revelation 20:13 judgment which occurs at the end of the Millennium, but Jesus does not indicate a thousand year gap, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in" (Matthew 25:31-35). The rest of the New Testament places the end of the world, general resurrection and general judgment spoken of in Revelation 20:9-15 at the same time (at the second coming of Jesus).

Premillennialists believe this thousand year reign (vv. 4-5) will be on earth, but this comes from the assumption that chapter 20 chronologically follows chapter 19, the second coming of Christ, rather than retelling events from another perspective. Since we already established that the binding of Satan (Revelation 20:1,2) and first resurrection (v. 5) are events before the second coming, it follows that the thousand year reign is also speaking figuratively of something before Jesus returns. Premillennialists assume that a future thousand year reign will take place on earth but Peter and Paul said that Jesus will destroy the earth when He returns at His second coming (2 Peter 3:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). It seems more likely that when John saw, "the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus" (v. 4), he saw them in heaven and not on earth just as the souls of the martyrs in heaven at the opening of the fifth seal (Revelation 6:9). This thousand year reign must symbolically refer to a time before the second coming of Jesus meaning that these people are enthroned with Jesus in heaven. "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:5,6).

Furthermore, the those in the Millennium shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (v. 6). This does not seem to be speaking of a future thousand year period but the church age in which we currently live, "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ . . . But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:5,9). The Lamb has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth (Revelation 1:6; 5:10). What this author believes to be speaking of the church age, Isaiah prophesied, "But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves" (Isaiah 61:6).

Quotes from Jesus in favor of the premillennial view of thrones (v. 4) are, "That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28); "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:29,30). Paul also said, "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?" (1 Corinthians 6:2,3).

There is also mention in of a second death (v. 6). The first resurrection or being born again (John 3:4-7) is mutually exclusive with the second death. Therefore, the second death must be seen as judgment upon those after physical death (the first death). In the same way that the first resurrection was a different kind than the second, this is a different kind of death than physical death and will only be experienced by those not written in the book of life (vv. 4,5), i.e. people outside of God's church (Revelation 3:5). "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (Revelation 2:11). The second death is defined as, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8); "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death" (Revelation 20:14).

Revelation 20:7,8

[7] And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

[8] And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

This could be divided into the third section of chapter 20 of which the chronology of the chapter is as follows: the binding of Satan (Revelation 20:1-3), 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6), a short season (vv. 7-9), and afterwards (Revelation 20:9-15).

This short season in which Satan shall be loosed out of his prison (v. 7) has obvious reference back to the battle of Gog and Magog of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 and is identified by some as the same battle of Armageddon spoken of in Revelation, "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon" (Revelation 16:14-16).

Ezekiel 38

[1] And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

[2] Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

[3] And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

[4] And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

[5] Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:

[6] Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

[7] Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

[8] After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

[9] Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.

[10] Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:

[11] And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,

[12] To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

[13] Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

[14] Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

[15] And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:

[16] And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.

[17] Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?

[18] And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.

[19] For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;

[20] So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.

[21] And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.

[22] And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.

[23] Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 39

[1] Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

[2] And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:

[3] And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.

[4] Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.

[5] Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

[6] And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

[7] So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

[8] Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.

[9] And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years:

[10] So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD.

[11] And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamon-gog.

[12] And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.

[13] Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord GOD.

[14] And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.

[15] And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog.

[16] And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.

[17] And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.

[18] Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.

[19] And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.

[20] Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.

[21] And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.

[22] So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.

[23] And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.

[24] According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.

[25] Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;

[26] After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.

[27] When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;

[28] Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which cause them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there.

[29] Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

Revelation 20:9-15

[9] And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

[10] And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

[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.

There is much within Revelation chapter 20 that compels us to understand the 1,000 years symbolically. The chronology of the chapter is as follows: the binding of Satan (Revelation 20:1-3), 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6), a short season (Revelation 20:7-9), and afterwards (vv. 9-15).

Included in this division of the chapter is another mention of resurrection (vv. 12-13). Previously said was speaking of those resurrected ones who reigned with Jesus in the Millennium, "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4-6).

When compared with other New Testament passages, these passages (vv. 9-15) are likely to be events which occur at the second coming of Jesus. Notice what Paul said about the second coming, "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power" (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9); "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:8,9). Additionally, Peter said, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:10-13). If true, that the events (vv. 9-15), which occur last in chronological order of the Millennium, are identical to the second coming of Jesus, then the events that happen before that must take place prior to the second coming of our Lord and must be understood symbolically.

The devil was cast into the lake of fire and brimestone where the beast and false prophet are (v. 10) as we read earlier, "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Revelation 19:20). The Bible also says, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb" (Revelation 14:9,10).

When John spoke of the judgment occurring at the end of the Millennium, he said, "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" (v. 11). The heaven and earth fleeing away is the same event spoken of by Paul (1 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:7,8) and Peter (2 Peter 3:7-13) placed at the second coming of Jesus when He will return as a thief, not 1,000 years after His second coming. Again, the Millennium must be symbolic of the reigning with Jesus in the church age. After which John saw, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea" (Revelation 21:1). The mention of no place being found for the heaven and earth as a reference back to Daniel's imagery concerning the kingdom of God which conquers the Gentile world powers, "Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth" (Daniel 2:35).

Again, the premillenialist must believe in two resurrections, one mentioned in Revelation 20:4-6, of which the saints participate that reign with Jesus for a thousand years, after which is another resurrection mentioned here (vv. 12-15). But there are problems with that premillennial view of being one resurrection at the second coming and another at the end of a future thousand year reign. If Jesus' following parable were applying to His second coming, then "the same day" must refer to 1,000 years later, "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed" (Luke 17:27-30). While reading Peter's reference to His coming, we must assume beforehand that Jesus is not going to destroy the earth at His return but 1,000 years later, "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" (2 Peter 3:7-12). Furthermore, premillenialiallists must assume that Jesus is going to catch away His people at the Rapture only to put them back on the earth for a thousand year reign but the Bible doesn't imply any such idea, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17). Premillennialists also argue that Jesus will judge all of the nations 1,000 years after He comes, but Jesus said, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world . . . Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels . . . And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal" (Matthew 25:31-34,41,46). Thus, the premillennialists, in order to stay true to the literal and chronological rendering of Revelation 20, must suggest that there are two comings of Jesus (one coming to Rapture the church and set up His millennial kingdom and another to destroy the earth) and two resurrections (one at the beginning of the Millennium and another at the end in the judgment). Amillennialism suggests a more symbolic meaning which is consistent with the other New Testament writers.

Since there is only mention of one event known as the resurrection (which occurs when Jesus returns and destroys the earth followed by the judgment), then the "first resurrection" (Revelation 20:5) must refer to a spiritual resurrection (being born again in this life) and the second resurrection prior to the judgment at the end of the church age (vv. 12-15) must be the general resurrection from the dead and judgment of which Jesus and the New Testament writers spoke. Therefore, those of the "first resurrection" (Revelation 20:5) that live and reign with Christ for a thousand years are Christians in the church age. Thus, the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5) would be in view here of Jesus' words: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. " (John 5:24-27), and the second resurrection (vv. 12-15) would be the general resurrection at the second coming and judgment when Jesus continued, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29). With the amillennial understanding, the Christian who has been born again or born a second time (John 3:4-7) has partook in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:5). "And you hath he quickened," or made alive, "who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). The rest of Scripture indicates a general resurrection of the dead all at the second coming corresponding to the Revelation 20:13 judgment occurring at the end of the Millennium. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in" (Matthew 25:31-35). The rest of the New Testament places the end of the world, general resurrection and general judgment (vv. 9-15) at the same time (at the second coming of Jesus).

Of the judgment (v. 12), the Bible elsewhere says, "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened" (Daniel 7:9,10). "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Hebrews 9:27,28).

They are said to be judged according to their works (vv. 12,13) as Jeremiah spoke, "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:10); "Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 32:19). "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds" (Romans 2:4-6). Jesus said of Himself, "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works" (Matthew 16:27). Jesus also warned the church, "And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works" (Revelation 2:23). Even though humankind will be judged by their works, those that escape the judgment will do so by the works of another: Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (John 6:29). Though we are saved by grace and not by works, we are God's workmanship created for good works, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The books (v. 12) must be a record of some sort of the actions of men and women for which they will be judged while the book of life (v. 12) is a record of the righteous that have eternal life by Jesus. King David said of his enemies, "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous" (Psalm 69:28). Another possible reference is found in the book of Daniel, "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book" (Daniel 12:1). Paul also said, "And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life" (Philippians 4:3). Jesus promised, "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels" (Revelation 3:5).

The second death is defined here as death and hell being cast into the lake of fire (v. 14). The second death is also defined later, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8). This is the end, as Paul stated in a mysterious passage, "Then 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. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 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. 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" (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). The first resurrection or being born again (John 3:4-7) is mutually exclusive with the second death. Therefore, the second death (v. 14) must be seen as judgment upon those after physical death (the first death). In the same way that the first resurrection was a different kind than the second, this is a different kind of death than physical death and will only be experienced by those not written in the book of life (Revelation 20:4,5), i.e. people outside of God's church (Revelation 3:5). "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (Revelation 2:11).