Millennium: This Latin word means “thousand years.” It is used for the thousand-year reign of Christ spoken of in Rev 20:1-6, in which prophecies like Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:6-9; and Rom 8:19-23 will be fulfilled.

Revelation 20:1 - Introduces the glorious reign of Christ known as the Millennium.

These are the characteristics of that reign:

•Satan is bound in the abyss, i.e., “bottomless pit” (vv. 2, 3);

•Glorified saints will reign along with Christ (v. 4);

•The curse of sin upon the earth is removed (cf. Isaiah 2:1-5; 11:1-9; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Joel 3:17-21; Amos 9:11-15; Micah 4:1-5; Luke 1:31-33; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28).

The purposes of this kingdom age may be summarized as follows:

1.The fulfillment of both Old and New Testament prophecies which refer to His earthly reign.

2.The demonstration of the blessings of God when the conditions of His Word are met.

3.An illustration of the innate sinfulness of the human heart. As Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden men will sin living under the utopian conditions of Satan himself being bound will rebel against God.

The nature of the millennium:

What will the thousand-year reign of Christ be like? Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come, pp. 487-490, has compiled the following extended and impressive facts:

1.Peace. The cessation of war through the unification of the kingdoms of the world under the reign of Christ, together with the resultant economic prosperity (since nations need not devote vast proportions of their expenditure on munitions) is a major theme of the prophets. National and individual peace is the fruit of Messiah’s reign

υ(Isaiah 2:4; 9:4-7; 11:6-9; 32:17, 18; 33:5, 6; 54:13; 55:12; 60:18; 65:25; 66:12; Ezekiel 28:26; 34:25, 28; Hosea 2:18; Micah 4:2, 3; Zechariah 9:10).

2.Joy. The fullness of joy will be a distinctive mark of the age

υ(Isaiah. 9:3, 4; 12:3-6; 14:7, 8; 25:8, 9; 30:29; 42:1, 10-12; 52:9; 60:15; 61:7, 10; 65:18, 19; 66:10-14; Jeremiah. 30:18, 19; 31:13, 14; Zephaniah 3:14-17; Zechariah 8:18, 19; 10:6, 7).

3.Holiness. The theocratic kingdom will be a holy kingdom, in which holiness is manifested through the King and the King’s subjects. The land will be holy, the city holy, the temple holy, and the subjects holy unto the Lord

υ(Isaiah 1:26, 27; 4:3, 4; 29:18-23; 31:6, 7; 35:8, 9; 52:1; 60:21; 61:10; Jeremiah 31:23; Ezekiel 36:24-31; 37:23, 24; 43:7-12; 45:1; Joel 3:21; Zephaniah 3:11, 13; Zechariah 8:3; 13:1, 2; 14:20, 21).

4.Glory. The kingdom will be a glorious kingdom, in which the glory of God will find full manifestation

υ(Isaiah 4:2; 24:23; 35:2; 40:5; 60:1-9).

5.Comfort. The King will personally minister to every need, so that there will be the fullness’ of comfort in that day

υ(Isaiah 12:1, 2; 29:22, 23; 30:26; 40:1, 2; 49:13; 51:3; 61:3-7; 66:13, 14; Jeremiah. 31:23-25; Zephaniah 3:18-20; Zechariah 9:11, 12; Revelation 21:4).

6.Justice. There will be the administration of perfect justice to every individual

υ(Isaiah 9:7; 11:5; 32:16; 42:1-4; 65:21-23; Jeremiah 23:5; 31:23, 29, 30).

7.Full knowledge. The ministry of the King will bring the subjects of his kingdom into full knowledge. Doubtless there will be an unparalleled teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit

υ(Isaiah 11:1, 2, 9; 41:19, 20; 54:13; Habakkuk 2:14).

8.Instruction. This knowledge will come about through the instruction that issues from the King

υ(Isaiah 2:2, 3; 12:3-6; 25:9; 29:17-24; 30:20, 21; 32:3, 4; 49:10; 52:8; Jeremiah 3:14, 15; 23:1-4; Micah 4:2).

9.The removal of the curse. The original curse placed upon creation (Genesis 3:17-19) will be removed, so that there will be abundant productivity to the earth. Animal creation will be changed so as to lose its venom and ferocity

υ(Isaiah 11:6-9; 35:9; 65:25).

10.Sickness removed. The ministry of the King as a healer will be seen throughout the age, so that sickness and even death, except as a penal measure in dealing with overt sin, will be removed

υ(Isaiah 33:24; Jeremiah 30:17; Ezekiel 34:16).

11.Healing of the deformed. Accompanying this ministry will be the healing of all deformity at the inception of the millennium

υ(Isaiah 29:17-19; 35:3-6; 61:1, 2; Jeremiah 31:8; Micah 4:6, 7; Zephaniah 3:19).

12.Protection. There will be a supernatural work of preservation of life in the millennial age through the King

υ(Isaiah 41:8-14; 62:8, 9; Jeremiah 32:27; 23:6; Ezekiel 34:27; Joel 3:16, 17; Amos 9:15; Zechariah 8:14, 15; 9:8; 14:10, 11).

13.Freedom from oppression. There will be no social, political or religious oppression in that day

υ(Isaiah 14:3-6; 42:6, 7; 49:8, 9; Zechariah 9:11, 12).

14.No immaturity. The suggestion seems to be that there will not be the tragedies of feeble-mindedness nor of dwarfed bodies in that day (Isaiah 65:20).

υLongevity will be restored.

15.Reproduction by the living peoples. The living saints who go into the millennium in their natural bodies will beget children throughout the age. The earth’s population will soar. These born in the age will not be born without a sin nature, so salvation will be required

υ(Jeremiah 30:20; 31:29; Ezekiel 47:22; Zechariah 10:8).

16.Labor. The period will not be characterized by idleness, but there will be a perfect economic system, in which the needs of men are abundantly provided for by labor in that system, under the guidance of the King. There will be a fully developed industrialized society, providing for the needs of the King’s subjects

υ(Isaiah 62:8, 9; 65:21-23; Jeremiah 31:5; Ezekiel 48:18, 19).

υAgriculture as well as manufacturing will provide employment.

17.Economic prosperity. The perfect labor situation will produce economic abundance, so that there will be no want

υ(Isaiah 4:1; 30:23-25; 35:1, 2, 7; 62:8, 9; 65:21-23; Jeremiah 31:5, 12; Ezekiel 34:26; 36:29, 30; Joel 2:21-27; Amos 9:13, 14; Micah 4:1, 4; Zechariah 8:11, 12; 9:16, 17).

18.Increase of light. There will be an increase of solar and lunar light in the age. This increased light probably is a major cause in the increased productivity of the earth

υ(Isaiah 4:5; 30:26; 60:19, 20; Zechariah 2:5).

19.Unified language. The language barriers will be removed so that there can be free social interchange (Zephaniah 3:9).

20.Unified Worship. All the world will unite in the worship of God and God’s Messiah

υ(Isaiah 45:23; 52:1, 7-10; 66:17-23; Zephaniah 3:9; Zechariah 8:23; 9:7; 13:2; 14:16; Mal. 1:11; Revelation 5:9-14).

21.The manifest presence of God. God’s presence will be fully recognized and fellowship with God will be experienced to an unprecedented degree

υ(Ezekiel 37:27, 28; Zechariah 2:2, 10-13; Revelation 21:3).

22.The fullness of the Spirit. Divine presence and enablement will be the experience of all who are in subjection to the authority of the King

υ(Isaiah 32:13-15; 41:1; 44:3; 59:19, 21; 61:1; Ezekiel 11:19, 20; 36:26, 27; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28, 29).

23.The perpetuity of the millennial state. That which characterizes the millennial age is not viewed as temporary, but eternal

υ(Isaiah 51:6-8; 55:3, 13; 56:5; 60:19, 20; 61:8; Jeremiah 32:40; Ezekiel 16:60; 37:26-28; 43:7-9; Dan. 9:24; Hosea 2:19-23; Joel 3:20; Amos 9:15).