Facts
About Revelation 20
Revelation
chapter 20 is the only passage that mentions what
millennialists think is a thousand year reign of Christ here
on earth after His second coming. The words
“thousand years” appear only 9 times in the entire
Bible, and five of them are in the first 7 verses of
Revelation 20.
-
Rev. 20:2 -- The devil is
said to be bound a thousand years.
-
Rev. 20:3 -- Satan is
sealed to prevent him deceiving nations till the
thousand years are completed.
-
Rev. 20:4 -- The souls of
those beheaded for the witness of Jesus live and reign
with Jesus a thousand years.
-
Rev. 20:5 -- The remainder
of the dead live not till the thousand years were
completed.
-
Rev. 20:6 -- Those who
have part in the first resurrections are free from the
power of death, become priests and kings, and reign
with Christ a thousand years.
We
bid you look the passage over carefully. Where is this
thousand year reign to take place? If it says something
about earth, with Jesus taking residence in Jerusalem, I
missed it.
Since
the souls of those beheaded are said to reign in this
thousand year reign, how is it possible to include those not
beheaded for the witness of Christ? It seems that all who were not beheaded
for the witness of Jesus have to wait for the thousand years
to be completed.
Is
the number one thousand to be understood literally? I mean do we
understand this as a thousand 365 day segments of time? The Psalmist said,
“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle
upon a thousand hills” (Psa. 50:10). Is God limited to
cattle only on one thousand hills?
Consider these facts about the passage.
-
There is nothing in the
passage that is not taught elsewhere in the Bible. If
so, what do you think it is?
-
The context shows that the
main idea is the conquest of Satan -- not the thousand
years reigning with Jesus on earth.
-
If the number thousand is
to be understood as a literal time period, it is the
only place in the Apocalypse where a number indicating a
period of time is so used. Consider the
numbers ten days (Rev. 2:10), threescore days, (Rev.
11:3), 3 1/2 days (Rev. 11:9) five months (Rev. 9:5),
and 42 months (Rev. 11:2). It is impossible
to interpret these references as literal specific
portions of time.
-
Revelation 20 does not
teach that Jesus will return to earth, defeat a
coalition army put together by an “anti-Christ” set
up shop in Jerusalem and rule the world for thousand
years.
What do you think of the following
propositions for debate?
Resolved:
The Bible teaches that when Jesus comes back he will
establish his kingdom and rule from Jerusalem, sitting on
David’s throne for a literal thousand years..
Who
would be willing to affirm it in public debate? Who would be
willing to deny it? If that is not a fair proposition,
consider this one:
Resolved: The Bible teaches that when Jesus
comes back all the saints will live and reign with him here
on earth for a thousand years. Again, w ho would be willing
to affirm it in public debate? Who would be willing to deny it? -- DRS
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