Re-Thinking The Millennium
By Bill Somers
 
  To correctly understand the prophetic scriptures, we have to drop our assumption that the Millennium begins after the Second Coming of Christ. So what exactly is the Millennium? In the book of Revelation we find mention of the thousand-year reign of Jesus with his saints at the very end. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
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.
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 when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. (Rev. 20:1-7) All this happens after Jesus returns and fights the battle of Armageddon. This passage clearly illustrates that Satan is bound for a thousand years, and that the saints live and reign with Christ for a thousand years. Since there is a definite point when Satan is bound, it seems that the thousand years begin at this point, just after Jesus' return.

What I'm suggesting is that God is speaking in generalities here. That is, the thousand years do not begin exactly at this point but approximately at this point. And that Jesus' reign on the earth does not begin exactly at this point but approximately at this point. What could make us modify our understanding of the thousand years? How can we best understand the Millennium?

First Principles

To see this you have to understand the first principles. Hebrews Chapter 5 makes reference to "the first principles of the oracles of God" which say, in effect, that to be skillful in understanding the Word you must know these first principles. The writer of Hebrews does not directly state these principles. He does indicate two levels of understanding. The unskillful is compared to a babe taking milk, the skillful, to one of full age who partakes of strong meat. This is to contrast the immature with the mature and the natural with the spiritual. The deep things of God are spiritual, and must be discerned by the spirit. That is the word is to be understood in its spiritual meaning. Therefore there is potentially a spiritual meaning to the most ordinary things. Another key principle is found is 1 Corinthians: "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." (1 Cor.10:11). Briefly, this tells us that there is an 'end-time' application to be found throughout scripture. Specifically, it tells us that what we consider ordinary things might be best understood in the context of the end times. Many Bible teachers stress what they call "The Law of Literal Interpretation". I believe that scripture is actually telling us that there is a law of spiritual interpretation. We are to seek the Holy Spirit for a spiritual interpretation of whatever we read in His Holy Word. And in these end times, when The Spirit opens our understanding of His Word, the interpretation will have end time application.

God's Prophetic Week

Now what is God's week, and what does it have to do with the end times? Simply stated, God's week is the notion that God's timeline, since the creation of Adam, is divided into seven one thousand-year periods. (See Ps. 90:4; 2 Pet. 3:8) Each of these one thousand-year periods can correspond to a day in a week. Thus from Adam to Abraham are two "days", from Abraham to Jesus are two "days", from Jesus till now are two "days", and the coming Millennium will be the last "day." It will be the seventh or Sabbath day of God's week.

What is the purpose of the prophetic week and why should we accept it as a valid tool.

The idea is that God has used the idea of the prophetic week to give seemingly ordinary passages in His Word a double meaning. In some cases multiple meaning. So that in speaking of the seventh day there is first a literal historic meaning in the context. And then there is an allegorical, prophetic meaning taking it out of context.

Look at this verse from Exodus.

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11) Literally it speaks of the 7 days of creation and how the Lord blessed the 7th day and rested in it. Prophetically it speaks of the 7 thousand year periods, millennia. And tells us that the 7th is to be a time of peace (rest) and blessing.

The simplest, most obvious connection to make is to identify the seventh prophetic day as the thousand-year reign of Christ we read about in Revelation 20.

The catch is that while there many prophecies that speak of things which must happen on the seventh day, most of these things take place before The Second Coming.

What I'm suggesting is the thousand years do not begin exactly at this point but approximately at this point. And that Jesus' reign on the earth does not begin exactly at this point but slightly before. [We can find this illustrated in scripture.]

If the seventh day of the prophetic week is indeed the thousand-year period referred to in Revelation 20, we will see that this chapter [Rev 20] does speak in generalities. And there is more to be learned by considering it together with other scriptures.

Synonymous Terms

We will find many synonymous terms for the seventh day in the Bible. Here are some:

The Third Day and The Seventh Day

So how can the phrase 'the third day' and the phrase 'the seventh day' mean the same thing? The term "last days" or "latter days" is sometimes taken to mean the time period from the day of Pentecost till today; that is the so-called "Church Age." Sometimes it can mean the interval just before the Second Coming of the Lord. Looking at the first definition, you can see that the last days would then mean the last three days of God's week. And that the third day would be the last day. In other words, the third day is the last of the last days, making it equal to the seventh day if you looked at the whole week. That is to say, when we are speaking in context of the last days, the 'third day' is the millennium! Thus the 'third day' is the 'seventh day'. To confirm this you can find several references in scripture that link the "third day" with the "seventh day." For example: "He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean." (Num 19:12 KJV) (See also Num. 19:19; 31:19) Our conclusion then is that references to the third day in scripture will very often have a prophetic meaning that speaks of the seventh or last day. And this point is important to note since there are quite a few examples that use the third day metaphor.

Third Day Examples

Here are some examples:

"And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai." (Ex. 19:11 KJV) The end time interpretation of this is that it refers to the Second Coming when "every eye shall see him." This verse is saying that Jesus' Second Coming will happen on the third day or last day, and not before then. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. (Exodus 19:16) This verse from the same chapter in Exodus speaks of God's judgments coming and fear falling on the people. It happens in the morning of the third day; or at the beginning of the Millennium. "After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight." (Hosea 6:2 KJV) The end time interpretation of this is a) that it speaks of end time revival. This revival is to happen after two days. In other words it happens during the millennium. b) It refers to the resurrection, when the dead in Christ shall be raised up. This also happens "in the third day" and not before it. "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage." (John 2:1-2 KJV) This can be seen as a reference to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. It takes place during the Millennium no matter how you interpret it, but it's a good example of how God uses the phrase "third day" prophetically. Note that the bridegroom and bride are not mentioned or named but that Jesus and his disciples, the Church, are. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the third day. (Gen 1: 9-13) Here is probably the earliest passage in the Bible with end time implications. It says that God commanded the earth to bring forth its fruit on the third day. Prophetically this speaks of the harvest of the earth. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; fortheharvest of the earth is ripe. (Revelation 14:15) Again this happens on the third day, and takes place before Jesus returns.

In second Kings we read:

And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day? (2 Kings 20:8) What does it mean to be healed and to "go up into the house of the Lord on the third day?" The healing and the third day are mentioned in Hosea 6. Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.After two days will he revive us : in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:1-3) The latter rain is what brings the harvest! House of the Lord is His Church. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2-3) In this case Isaiah is saying the temple or Church will be built in the last days. And combining these two passages gives us several conclusions. The healing and raising up is the restoration of the Church. The going up into the house of the Lord is the establishment of the Church. The coming of the latter rain brings the harvest to the Church. All this takes place on the "third day" and before the Lord's return.

This verse from Luke mentions the third day as a day of perfection.

And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Luke 13:32 Prophetically this speaks of the perfection to come upon the Body of Christ, during the third day. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27 Seventh Day Examples Judges 14:17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. In this passage, Samson's wife is a type of the church. Her telling the riddle to her people speaks of the church fulfilling the great commission and taking the gospel to all the nations [gentiles]. This seventh day event also must happen before Jesus returns. Joshua 6:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. The fall of Jericho on the seventh day speaks of the fall of Satan's kingdoms. 1 Kings 20:29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day. Here we read of another great victory for the children of Israel [a type of the Church] happening on the seventh day.

The Sabbath, or Day of Rest

The idea of the day of rest is first found in Genesis 2.

And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. (Genesis 2:2)

For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:11)

 We need to link this to the idea of a place of rest. And then we need to see that the Lord comes to His place of rest on his day of rest. The place of rest is mentioned in Psalm 132, Isaiah 66,and in other verses of Scripture. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. (Ps. 65:1) Psalm 65:1 is a prayer telling the Lord that praise is waiting for Him in Zion [the Church]. The implication is that He, the Lord, must come to Zion where it awaits Him. And a further result is that when He comes to Zion He will find not only praise but also an obedient people. This is because it speaks of the vow being performed, which is to say, His Word being obeyed.

Psalm 132:8 is a prayer for the Lord to come. That is, for Him to come to His place of rest. And the place of rest is shown to be the temple, or the Church in verses 13 and 14.

Psalm 132:
8 Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.
13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. Several other verses speak of God's resting place being his dwelling place, the temple or the church. Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? (Isaiah 66:1)

In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. (Psalm 76:2)

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10)

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

 From all this we get the picture of God coming to the Church to dwell at a certain point in time. And this time naturally must be on His day of rest. So the day of rest begins with the Lord coming to His temple. And He will do so before His actual return to the earth. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:1) Though we have always understood the Church to be the Lords dwelling, there is a certain sense in which the Lord is yet to come to the temple. When He does, He will do so in a big way. It will be The Revelation of Jesus Christ!

Kingdom Examples

Let's state something that should be obvious. The Kingdom of God is wherever God is King. If Jesus is on the throne of your heart, and you are truly obedient to your King in all things, then the Kingdom of God is within you. When Jesus is truly enthroned in His church, and she is truly obedient in all things, then the Kingdom of God has come to this earth. This is what God has intended. And He has given us some illustrations in his Word to show us the pattern.

So to help us understand how it is that the millennial kingdom begins just before Jesus returns, lets look at examples of the Kingdom in scripture.

  1. One parallel to the millennium in scripture is the reign of King Solomon. His kingdom was established during a time of Civil War in Israel. Peace came later. Adonijah proclaimed himself king and led certain elements of Israel into rebellion. He seems to be a figure for antichrist. At the same time, prior to his death, David anointed his son as King. Solomon took the throne and spent several years purging his kingdom of offenders. Likewise Jesus' Kingdom is going to be established during a time of Civil War in the Church, and peace will come after his return.
  2. In 2 Kings, Chapter 11, read the story of queen Athaliah, a clear type of Satan. She ruled the land for six years, and in the seventh year she was overthrown. The seventh year speaks of the Millennium. In this particular case, the true king of Israel was crowned in the temple, and those in the temple rejoiced greatly. All the while, the usurper, Queen Athaliah, still ruled in the city outside.
Likewise, Jesus will build and occupy his temple, the Church, at the beginning of the seventh day [Millennium], and then physically return to overthrow Satan.

The Day of Thy Power

Psalm 110: (A Psalm of David)
1. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
4. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
6. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
7. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head. My brief commentary on Ps. 110 is as follows: The Day of Power is mentioned again in Revelation: And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Rev. 12:10) Here, we have another verse that speaks of both beginnings of the Kingdom and the day of power before Jesus' return.

The Day of the Lord Examples

Early on in the Book of Revelation we read:

Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet, The writer is saying He was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day. This can have several interpretations, all correct.
  1. Being in the Spirit can mean a trance like state in which the prophet gets his revelations, this being on the day of the week known as the Lord's Day.
  2. It can mean being led of the spirit as opposed to led by the flesh. In this case the prophet is a type of the church which will be led by the Spirit and dead to the flesh in the Day of the Lord
  3. It can mean being in a Spiritual state to receive visions, and while in that state to be on or living during the Day of the Lord. In this case you can say that everything depicted in the Book of Revelation takes place on the Day of the Lord. Most of this happens before the Second Coming which isn't till chapter 19!
Now there is a problem with using examples that mention The Day Of The Lord, multiple meanings again. The Day of the Lord can mean:

1. The entire seventh millennium, or
2. The portion of that millennium leading up to and including the Second Coming, or
3. The severe judgments during the portion leading up to and including the Second Coming, or
4. The days of the final judgments leading up to and including the Second Coming, or
5. The actual day(s) of the Second Coming

In the Book of Revelation, the time covered fits definition 2.

Here in Acts 2 it seems to be definition 5.

Acts 2:20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before that great and notable Day of the Lord come. Here is a selection of scriptures on The Day Of The Lord, most fitting definitions 3, 4, or 5. 2 Peter 3:10 But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, 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.

Isaiah 2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up" and he shall be brought low"

Isaiah 13:6 ¶ Howl ye, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

Isaiah 34:8 For it is the day of the LORD's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.

Isaiah 63:4 For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come.

Jeremiah 46:10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries. And the sword shall devour, and it shall be sated and made drunk with their blood; for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the River Euphrates.

Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Amos 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day," saith the Lord GOD, "that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day.

Zephaniah 2:2 before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come upon you!

Malachi 4:5 "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.

 What exactly happens on the 7th day before the Second Coming?

The beginnings of the kingdom
The preaching of repentance
A series of judgments on the church and the world
Beginning of persecution of the church as part of the judgments
Redemption of the church while judgments increase on the world
Full establishment of the Kingdom of God in His Church
Great end time harvest while judgments increase on the world
Final persecution of the church
Still further judgments on the world leading to the Second Coming.

In my article, End Time Outline, I have broken these into 5 phases. These are considered from the viewpoint of what happens to the church. Kingdom, Judgment, Redemption, Harvest, and the Finale. All of this is part of the prophesied Millennium, The Day of the Lord.

This is the Day the Lord has made, we will be glad and rejoice in it!

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