The Millennium and Earth's Rebirth | TheLastDays
With all the intense speculation about the Rapture, one could easily suppose that rising to “meet the Lord in the air” will be the high point of the Last Days. Not on your life! He is coming down with us, not going up! The whole point and purpose of the End Times is to bring an end to humanity’s reign on earth—the kingdoms of fallen man—so that His own glorious kingdom can come. Jesus will be with us on the earth reigning as King, unhindered by Satan for one thousand years. What a strange and wonderful time that will be. Despite the destruction of the earth during the Last Days, something wonderful will be taking place behind the scenes. The Birth Pains and the trauma of Tribulation are for ushering in the “one new man” and a “born again” earth for the dwelling place.[1] The Millennium will nurture the earth’s rebirth.
Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. Isaiah 32:15-18
All scripture citations are from the English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise noted.
Chief Characteristics
Whole books are written about most of these crucial components. These characteristics are summaries of what is grounded in scripture, not fabricated through speculation.[2] Speculation is trying to “see” more than we are being shown. What we see by Biblical revelation is real enough, but a fuller view will only come as these still distant components draw nearer.
Writing about the Last Days, Peter reminded us that a day with the Lord is like a thousand years. Just as the Lord worked during the six days of creation, then rested, so now after 6000 years of redemption’s work, Jesus will finally rest for that great day we call the Millennium Reign. Oh, He won’t be sitting on His Hands. There will be an earth to restore from the devastating effects of the final judgments. There will also be whole new societies and social structures to create.[3] But compared to battling Satan for the rescue of even one benighted soul, it will seem like child’s play. Perhaps that’s why He’ll let us help Him with it. The glorious liberty we’ll be experiencing won’t want to stay on the sidelines!
However, before the Lord can enter His rest—the thousand-year “rest” of the Millennium Reign—the Enemy must be entirely removed. It was the captivity of humanity to Satan and his dark kingdom that kept Jesus and our Father “working” throughout the six thousand years between Adam’s fall and Jesus’ Return.[4] Our fall into temptation and sin interrupted God’s rest after creation, forcing Him to go back to work.
With the Tempter imprisoned for a thousand years, sin will be removed from the face of the earth. Also, the visible, enthroned presence of the Righteous One, King Jesus, will keep any wayward tendencies in check during the Millennium. Humanity will at last be free from the sin and failure cycle that has crippled our development. What will we do with our newfound freedom? Rebuild and restore!
One Hidden Cost of Our Fall
Not just Adam’s children, but the entire earth bore the weight of Adam’s sin.[5] Throughout our fallen history, the natural order has suffered corruption and cataclysmic destruction because of us. In Romans, Paul tells us that “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”[6] Jesus warned us that in the Last Days all humanity would be going through what He called “The Birth Pains.”[7] What often gets overlooked is that the entire earth will be going through those same birthing pains with us. The groaning of creation under the massive burdens of our sins and God’s judgments will be intense to say the least. As lawlessness increases, the earth will react by “vomiting out” its inhabitants.[8]
The Last Days will prove disastrous, not just for unrepentant humanity, but for our innocent planet. Natural cataclysms of all kinds will devastate the earth—earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, meteor strikes, droughts, floods, fires, and pestilence. To this will be added untold devastation due to wars and civil unrest. Upon His return, Jesus will begin reigning in the midst of unprecedented worldwide destruction. Although He could simply wave His Hand and instantly restore the entire earth to pristine conditions it is highly unlikely that He would do so. If that were His MO, He would have done the same for each of us following our spiritual rebirth.[9] Instead, our growth out of the wreckage of our previous captivity to self and Satan has been an arduous process in which we co-labor with the Holy Spirit. Expect it to be so with the earth’s restoration. It may well take the whole Millennium.
Pre-Figured in Scripture
Every crucial component of the Last Days has already “appeared” in the Biblical prophetic narrative in the past, somewhat like a dress rehearsal for the final drama. These foreshadows are called “types” because they precede their ultimate expression (the “antitype”).[10] As shadows of the future reality, however, they cast a revealing light of their own.
1. The Garden of Eden
This poor earth has taken a beating over the centuries yet survived with remarkable resilience. There is so much of God’s grace in nature that even atheists love to seek peace in beautiful, secluded parks or wilderness areas.[11] That’s saying a lot for a natural order that (as we saw previously) has been “groaning” under the weight of corruption ever since humanity’s fall from our original high point of grace. If we look ahead, it is easy to see how the Last Days will intensify the earth’s groaning. Just for a moment, let’s look backward and try to imagine why the earth has been groaning “until now.”[12]
Our first step is to take an analogy from ourselves. We seem in pretty good shape as a species (apart from sin) yet Adam and Eve lived far longer than we do and had abilities far more than our own. Adam apparently knew the animals (likely at a depth we don’t) and named all of them with ease. We sometimes struggle to find the right names just for our pets or children! Even our scientists tell us that we presently use only a fraction of our brain’s capacity. Nevertheless, we don’t miss what we have never experienced. In a similar way, the earth is likely operating at far lower levels now than it did in the beginning. We can only guess at what those higher levels of functioning may have been like—for ourselves and for the earth.
Our second step is to take seriously the Biblical revelation that God made the earth entirely good. Much of what we see in nature can be attributed to the fall. For instance, are we to believe that God made mosquitoes to suck our blood? Doesn’t that seem, instead, like a devilish addition to the natural order? Into that whole category go pestilential creatures or creaturely activities of all kinds. While we are at it, the order of plants is continually under attack from fungus, mold, and other pests, just as the whole animal order is “red in tooth and claw.” Surely these are signs of the earth’s corruption, not God’s original created perfection. Won’t these somehow be made to cease and desist once the Lord of creation returns to reign? Jesus would at least want to restore the earth to how He created it. Remember, that original plan called for Adam and Eve to inhabit a Garden and then extend it to cover the earth.[13] Imagine, then, the Garden in pristine form—with all the intervening corruptions (that we accept as normal) removed.
And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden. Genesis 2:8-10a
2. Solomon’s Orderly Reign of Peace
Solomon’s peaceful reign gives us a picture of the Millennium to come. David, his father, was the king whose great prowess in battle forged the kingdom over which his son would reign. Ironically, David did his work of warfare so successfully that the Lord wouldn’t allow him to build the Temple. He said that David was too much “a man of blood.” So, although David was handpicked for the task he pursued, although his lineage would carry the promised Messiah, although he himself was a shepherd king, even so, God withheld the Temple from him.
David said to Solomon, "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. 1 Chronicles 22:7-8
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, 30 so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 1 Kings 4:29-30
Just as David had to clear the enemies of Israel out of the way, his greater son, Messiah will do the same on a far grander scale. Then, as David’s son, Solomon, ruled with unprecedented wisdom over a well-ordered, peaceful kingdom, so the One whom Solomon pre-figured will reign over the most amazing kingdom our world has ever seen. It takes both David and Solomon to pre-figure the King who is to come, but He isn’t all that is coming. Once the Lord Jesus’ wisdom has prepared the way, not just heaven’s Temple, but the One who inhabits it will descend to dwell among us. If the Queen of Sheba was astounded by Solomon’s reign, imagine how we will feel as we see this Kingdom spread its wings in our midst! People will be streaming in from all over the planet to see the true “Solomon” (man of peace) reigning in Jerusalem.
And she [the Queen of Sheba] said to the king, "The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 2 Kings 10:6-7
3. The Millennial Kingdom in Prophecy
These verses on the Millennium only tell us that it takes place and who will take part in it. Curiously, they don’t tell us at all what it will be like. We’ll have to go outside John’s vision to get a good look. Perhaps, the Lord foresaw that in the latter days the church would prefer to read only the New Testament, thinking that the Old was passé. He knew many of us would want to “cut to the chase” and expect that the last book would tell us all we need to know, Or, perhaps He just likes leading us on a merry chase through all the books He’s written. For whatever reason, one simply can’t read the Book of Revelation without thumbing back through the whole of scripture to figure out what’s going on.
As it happens there is so much in the Hebrew Scriptures about the Millennium Reign that a separate article has been added to provide that fuller description. For now, we’ll stick to the image Isaiah gives us. During the coming reign of peace “in the latter days” Jerusalem will ascend to such a height that it will become “the highest of the mountains.” This certainly conveys the crucial position the holy city will occupy as foremost of the mountains of culture (religion, family, government, education, business, arts, and media). Many believe that a literal ascent is intended as well, due perhaps, to the convulsions wracking the earth in the Last Days. However, since raising Mount Zion above the present height of the Himalayas would throw the citizens and visitors into an atmosphere both oxygen-deprived and sub-zero, such a “promotion” could hardly be received as a blessing.
Unquestionably, there will be visitors—a steady stream of them. This will not be the kind of tourism as many parts of the world enjoy in our day. Due to the presence of the King—Jesus—ruling in her midst, Jerusalem will become the political, legal, and judicial capital of the kingdom. Not only “the law” but “the word of the Lord” will go out from there. Hence, the nations will stream in both to be taught the ways of the Lord and to submit their “disputes” to His justice. A consolidated reign under a supremely just and merciful Sovereign will bring such harmony and peace as the world has never known. Accordingly, all nations will not only disarm, they will no longer even “learn war” through study or experience. The peace of Jesus’ reign will even extend to the animal kingdom (see the “Isaiah’s Peace Kingdom” at the end of this article).
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Isaiah 2:2-4
4. The Restoration of the Earth
If Isaiah is right, all our biology books will have to be rewritten. This remarkable prophet was shown a coming age when the natural order would be miraculously transformed. All manner of creatures that had been hostile towards each other and towards humanity, will be thoroughly tamed. Even the snake, which was first to be corrupted and used by Satan against the innocence of Adam and Eve, will one day be a playmate of innocent, defenseless children. This means that the animal order will no longer feed upon its own members. It will revert to feeding upon the plant kingdom. Recall that it was only after the Flood, that the Lord gave permission to Noah and his family to eat from the animal order.[14] At the same time, He placed “the dread” of man upon birds, beasts, and fish. Through Isaiah we see a time coming when the fear of us will be removed, thus restoring our lost ease and intimacy of communion with the animal order. This will make all living creatures into something like pets. But it will likely also remove them from our diet.
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:6-9
Revealed by Scripture
The Bible exposes the secret plans and deceptive operations of the dark kingdom, even as it unveils the glorious realities of what our God is doing. The truths of scripture are, therefore, our rock-solid building blocks for interpreting the times we are entering. Nevertheless, for biblical information to become true revelation both prayer and the Holy Spirit are needed.
The very little we have on the Millennium in the Book of Revelation comes in Chapter 20. The previous chapter gave us the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the Return of the King, and Armageddon. It closed with a crescendo of unparalleled violence. A great “sword that came from the mouth” of the Lord annihilated the entire army that the beast and the false prophet had gathered. Those two partners in crime had already been captured and “thrown alive into the lake of fire.” Their capture and disposal appeared to be as swift as it will be irreversible. With these twin events—the destruction of both the soldiers and their leaders—the great battle of Armageddon ended.
This final conflict culminates with ignominious extermination for the defeated and a glorious, complete conquest for the Victor. Nevertheless, all is not yet over. There is a nefarious henchman behind the scenes whose evil machinations brought the world to this appalling moment. Now, his moment has come—and it’s not the exaltation that he vainly supposed would be his just reward. His prophesied doom arrives at last.
"How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15
1. The Imprisonment of Satan
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. Revelation 20:1
In the previous verse, John saw a vast army instantaneously slain by the sword slashing forth from the Lord’s mouth and lingered over the battlefield long enough to see birds being “gorged with their flesh.” One wonders how John can keep watching. At what point does looking at the destruction of human beings become too much for anyone to bear? And these unrepented soldiers had been human once. By the time of the battle they were so thoroughly “at one” with the beast that they had lost all desire or ability to repent, even when seeing God’s glorious Son heading their way. Yet, hope-filled mothers had once held them in their arms.
It is this dreadful, grisly sight that John’s eye is turned from: “Then I saw an angel.” It is literally a shift from hellishness on earth to the holiness of heaven for he sees the angel “coming down” from that unsullied realm. Immediately, curiosity combined with divinely conveyed knowing turns his inward focus from the battle’s aftermath. This angel is holding something extraordinary, or rather two somethings. The first is “the key to the bottomless pit” which he could only know by the inner prompting of the Spirit for the angel remains silent throughout. The last time we saw an angel with a key to this same pit, it was used to release fallen creatures from imprisonment in the underworld.[15] That swarm of locusts wreaked unbridled havoc upon the earth. This time will be radically different. This time the angel brings “a great chain” with him.
And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years… Revelation 20:2
The angel “seized the dragon.” Lest we are wondering, John wants us to know for certain just who this evil creature is. It is none other than the “ancient serpent”—the one who first appeared at the very beginning of the Biblical record. This is the Tempter who brought Adam and Eve to ruin in the Garden. The earth that they had been divinely commissioned to tend has now been all but destroyed through the cycle of judgments that brought his own evil empire to ruin. But long before this end came, the serpent grew in size and power by feasting on the souls he corrupted, usurping their wills to empower his. He became the dragon through what we gave him—our allegiance and obedience. Nevertheless, though he has been a perfect “devil” to humanity, his will has ever been to be “Satan”—the one who opposes God.
Pause a moment. This is the Evil One whose every word and deed has sown the horror of sin and its consequences throughout the earth and the second heavens. This creature proved himself unstoppable (by us) and ineradicable up to this point. His power over the earth and over the forces of darkness he assembled was unrivaled by any of his peers. Weren’t we expecting the Grande Army of the Lord to take him down? If we were, we would be surprised and perhaps a bit disappointed. In the end, all it requires to take out the Evil One is this unnamed, unheralded angel. Seemingly without resistance, this puffed-up dragon is “bound” with the angel’s chain. The chain is heaven forged. It will hold him fast for “a thousand years.” It turns out he was nowhere near as mighty as he appeared to us, or to himself.
Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?' All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb; but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot. Isaiah 14:16-19
...and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Revelation 20:3
Without the slightest ceremony or judicial review, the angel throws Satan “into the pit.” How that must have hurt and enraged his pride! To be so ingloriously treated, as if he were a common criminal. Worse, to be “thrown in,” not escorted into the bowels of the earth’s hidden dungeon. Just how deep into the bottomless pit he’s been cast we have no way of gauging. Yet, it is certainly so deep that it is beyond his ability to touch the world, even with his mesmerizing, accusing voice.
This is solitary confinement devised for a spiritual being who can project his thoughts to others. The angel “shut” the pit and “sealed it over him.” Every precaution has been taken so that he “might not deceive the nations any longer.” Not only is he confined, chained, and unable to escape. He is being held in such a way that he will be entirely unable to communicate with the outside world. That alone will ensure that “the thousand years” will be peace-filled.
Now comes a sentence that should make us all pause, scratch our heads, and say, “What?!” John tells us rather matter-of-factly, as if it’s the most obvious thing, “After that he must be released for a little while.” What? We have the most notorious criminal in the universe locked up for good. We, therefore, get to enjoy unbroken peace for one thousand years—something we have never known. We are at long last living free of all the thoroughly wicked things this evil being is capable of instigating. And we’re going to set him free? That’s going to take some explaining!
No explanation is given to us, but one is hinted at in the previous sentence. The Tempter is being sealed in a dungeon of profound silence so that he “might not” have an opportunity to “deceive the nations.” Those nations include many who, as we have seen, resisted the beast with his mark, yet never gave their lives to the Lord through faith-conversion. They will need to be converted and discipled. They also will have children. Those children will need to grow in the nurture and knowledge of the Lord.
All of this will take place under ideal conditions. Jesus Himself will be ruling over the rebuilding of the earth. They will live under the most perfect leadership of the most loving and sensible societies imaginable. But their allegiance will one day have to be tested, just as ours was (and still is even to this writing). Improbably, perversely, many of them will reject the Lord and His ways. When the devil is released, they will side with him. This seems almost impossible, but scripture says it will happen. That part of the story will arrive later in this chapter. For now, we’ll consider the thousand-year interlude.
2. The Thousand-Year Reign
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Revelation 20:4a
John’s attention and ours are abruptly turned from viewing Satan’s incarceration to this scene of judgment. Since John sees multiple “thrones” assembled here, we are not to suppose that this judgment will take place by God alone. Indeed, John sees “those” who are already “seated” on the thrones and they are either redeemed people like us, or they are a panel of angelic beings. At this as yet undesignated place in heaven there is no mention of God Almighty or of His throne being present. Always John has been quick to honor the Holy One whenever He is present. It is too much to suppose he would pass over God’s presence in silence. Neither is there mention yet of Jesus being present. What are we to make of this?
Our God evidently loves to delegate the operations of His kingdom to His servants and His “sons” both human and divine.[16] We see this every day on earth which we have been given to steward, but it seems surprising to find it here in heaven, especially at such a level. This unnumbered group of people has been given “authority to judge.”[17] Judging is an operation of our God which we have been commanded to leave to Him alone.[18] That at least is the command for us prior to the return of Jesus. Nevertheless, Paul told us that a day would come when the redeemed would be committed with the task of judging both people and angels.
Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 1 Corinthians 6:2-3
It is absurd to imagine that under the prevailing conditions of this life, where we have no visible contact with angels (with rare exceptions), that we could be in any position to judge them. This revelation given to Paul must be pointed towards that time beyond our present age when the unseen realm will be both visible and assessable to us. Also, we should note that at that time we will have been delivered of the sin nature, the voice of the Accuser will have been silenced and we will be as fully in Christ as He is in us.[19] All these soul-liberating factors will make it possible for us to “judge with righteous judgment,” something our present nature renders both difficult and rare for us to achieve.[20]
Having noted all this, it must also be recognized that the silence of the text is not proof that either God or Jesus is absent: “proof from silence is only proof of silence.”[21] This is the Book of Revelation. Nothing happening here is going to go as we might suppose! There are mind-numbing twists and turns leading to unforeseen revelations on every page. So, it may be here. The text we are given points us clearly towards recognizing the unexpected role that the redeemed will have in judging both “the world” of people and divine beings in the heavenly realm. Yet another text, that of Matthew’s gospel, points us to the presence of Christ very likely at this same scene of judgment.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.” Matthew 25:31-33
Jesus told us that He would “sit on his glorious throne” once He comes to reign. Not only that but his disciple would reign with him.[22] This is that moment. In the timeline we are following, He arrived victorious at the Last Battle and crushed all opposition. Even the devil is now incarcerated in chains in the bottomless pit. Now, Jesus is seated on His throne and is gathering “all the nations” before Him for judgment. What John sees immediately after these same events are thrones and those upon them—the disciples/apostles—committed to judging all who will be brought before them. So, now we have two views of judgments which will take place at about the same time. But are they of the same scene of judgment?
Completely unassisted, Jesus will be judging “the nations” and separating “the sheep from the goats.” By His judgment alone the sheep will hear the glad words, “Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”[23] The goats, on the other hand, will hear Jesus say, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."[24] This is a judgment between righteous and unrighteous, between sinner and saint, and the immediate verdict is either eternal punishment or eternal life.[25] There is nothing here of weighing out rewards, or of assignments such as we see taking place in the judgment scene John is privy to. Let’s return to that now.
Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 20:4b
John now is shown a multitude of the redeemed who seem at first glance to be a single company, but actually come from two sources. First, he mentions those who have been “beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God.” In the context of this passage, these would be the martyrs who die during the Great Tribulation, since John will also mention the beast and the mark in this same sentence. That these martyrs died “for the testimony of Jesus” clearly points to genuine Christian believers. That they also are said to have died “for the word of God” may indicate that some of this group are Jewish martyrs. There will be intense persecution against both Christians and Jews in the Last Days.
The qualification of beheading raises several questions. Does it mean that this group of martyrs does not include those who died for the faith in times past or even those who die in the future by some other means than beheading? John has nothing to say about such possibilities. Other souls may have been present, but John is quite specific in describing this first group as only those who have been beheaded. As a side note, beheading appears to be the primary means of execution during the Great Tribulation. Because it was so visually gruesome, most Western nations outlawed it. Nevertheless, it will evidently return in the future to be used by the antichrist’s empire which will likely be run from some European capital. Though it may seem like small comfort, beheading is at least instantaneous with an exceedingly brief period from its execution to final death. There are far worse deaths that martyrs have been subjected to in the past.
Are all those whom John sees martyrs? This cannot be answered with certainty based on this text alone. John may be saying that this entire group had all 1) been beheaded and 2) had “not worshipped the beast or its image” and 3) had “not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.” In that case, this is only a group of martyrs. On the other hand, he may be saying (as the ESV implies with the comma) that there is a second group here. First, the group of martyrs that we have discussed. Then, comes the comma and the “and those” which could signify another group of faithful believers who resisted both the beast and its image and refused to take the mark.
Somehow, this possible second group survived the persecution, either by hiding out or in some way by fighting back. Naturally enough many of us would like to be in that second group! This theory seems to be dashed, however, by the next phrase which gives us additional information. This group “came to life.” That can only mean that they died first. How did they die? By being martyred. Specifically, by being beheaded. Their reward is as certain as their death by martyrdom: they will reign with Christ “for a thousand years.”
Let each of us weigh in our hearts how crucial it is that we remain faithful under the coming persecution. The punishment for denying the Lord, worshipping the beast, and taking the mark is eternal torment. The reward is not only eternal life but reigning with Jesus on a restored earth—for a thousand years.
The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Revelation 20:5
This next verse is a puzzler. Here, “the first resurrection” is described and it is narrowly limited. Only some of the dead will come to life before the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennium when all “the rest of the dead” will be raised to face God’s verdict on their life. We saw these raised souls of the first resurrection in verse 4 and it only included “those who had been beheaded” during the Great Tribulation. Trying to clarify that point took several paragraphs because it is so important. One would think that all those who died in the faith, whether they were martyrs or not, would be raised to reign with Christ through this “first resurrection.” But that is not what this passage is saying.
To be sure, the martyrs of the Great Tribulation will not be the only ones reigning with Christ during the Millennium. Those who walk faithfully through that terrible time of testing and persecution will also reign for a thousand years. Many will unavoidably die as martyrs. Others, however, will survive as overcomers of everything the devil and the antichrist throw at them. They will not need to go through the first resurrection for they will not have died. In the letters to the churches of Revelation Jesus promised a crown for the martyrs and a crown for the overcomers. A crown signifies the right to reign. Clearly both these groups who prove themselves faithful to Jesus and to the word of God will reign during the Millennium.
Nevertheless, Jesus told us (in Matthew 24) and Paul repeated it that the dead would be raised first, then we who are still alive will be joined with them. Then, we would all come to earth to be with the Lord forever.[26] According to that scenario, it would seem that all those who have died faithfully in Christ throughout the last two thousand years will be raised to join the overcomers and reign with Jesus. Yet, this passage seems to limit the group which joins the overcomers to being only the tribulation martyrs.
Jesus warned us that the coming Great Tribulation will be the worst the world has ever seen.[27] It may be that the special reward for those who remain faithful during it—whether as overcomers or as martyrs—will be the honor of reigning with Him while the earth is being restored. Then, all “the rest of the dead” who were nevertheless faithful in their lifetime would also enter the joy of their Lord on the renewed earth. Of course, “the rest of the dead” who were unfaithful would also be raised but they would go to a radically different “reward.” (See The Great White Throne.)
Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:6
We hardly need to be told that the one “who shares in” this first resurrection is “blessed.” Anyone in their right mind can see that this is a wonderful place to be—at Jesus' side and reigning with Him during the Millennium. Not only would you be alive, gloriously alive, but you would be taking part in the greatest un-attacked adventure the world has ever seen. All other adventures of faith have been subject to ferocious attacks by the enemy and his dark kingdom. With the evil ones taken out of the way, even difficult tasks will feel like child’s play. Working with Jesus on the restoration of the earth will be akin to assisting Him during the creation of the worlds. That work was reserved for angels. This has been reserved for us!
Yet, we are not only blessed if we share in this great venture, we are “holy.” Holy signifies purity of heart and singleness of desire where devotion to the Lord is concerned. The wordplay in English implies that the one who is holy is “wholly” devoted, wholly consecrated to the Lord. Such a one—the pure in heart—will see God.[28] We know from John’s first letter, that when we see Him, we become like Him.[29] Hence, genuine holiness leads to a union of His nature with ours. This desirable state is something we only get foretastes of now or may experience steadily but at a much lower level than that which is to come.
This first resurrection brings a guarantee to those who experience it: The “second death has no power” over them. The Great White Throne judgment is not for them. They have already been judged worthy of being raised. Never again will they have reason to fear death. Never again will death be able to boast that its “sting” can harm them.[30] This setting free is one tremendous aspect of the “glorious liberty” coming to God’s children.[31] We can all participate in it now to the degree that our faith sustains us, because it is Jesus’ death and resurrection that opens this door to all who believe. Nevertheless, unless faith radically grows during the tribulation (and very likely it will!) it is safe to say that the present condition of many believers is fear, not glorious freedom, whenever the specter of death looms large. All that will change, in a moment, “in the twinkling of an eye.”[32]
For the third time, it is affirmed that these faithful followers of Jesus “will reign with him for a thousand years.” When scripture repeats a truth, it is evidence of its importance, just as it was when our parents tried to emphasize points to us when we were young. Usually, truths like the two great commandments, the disciple’s cross, or casting our cares on the Lord are scattered about. However, this truth is repeated three times in a row! We need have no doubt that this truth will prove true. We only need to be sure that we prove to be true in the testing. Hanging on to this truth by faith and prayer will help us survive a ton of adversity and still consider it a “light momentary affliction” which cannot be compared to the glory to be revealed to us.[33]
We are also informed that these blessed believers of the Millennium will be “priests of God and of Christ.” Certainly, Jesus, the High Priest is residing in all His genuine, reborn believers. His presence alone is what makes all of us prophets, priests, and kings. Even in this life, we are prophets when we speak for Him, kings when we exercise God-given authority, and priests when we apply the Blood of His sacrifice through intercession for others. Is there a special—a Millennium role—as priests that lie before us? As mentioned earlier, there will be a multitude of people usually called the resisters who successfully resisted the beast, but who also resisted conversion. These will need to be introduced to and trained in the ways of the Lord. That’s a priestly calling.
Other Scriptures to Study
1. Solomon’s Orderly Reign of Peace
20 Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy. 21 Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life... 29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, 30 so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt… 34 And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. 1 Kings 4:20-21, 29-30, 34
1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more breath in her. 6 And she said to the king, "The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness." 10 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 11 Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the LORD and for the king's house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day. 13 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants. 2 Kings 10:1-13
2. Isaiah’s Peaceful Kingdom
1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. 9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:1-9
10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious. 11 In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. 12 He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. 13 The jealousy of Ephraim shall depart, and those who harass Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah, and Judah shall not harass Ephraim. 14 But they shall swoop down on the shoulder of the Philistines in the west, and together they shall plunder the people of the east. They shall put out their hand against Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites shall obey them. 15 And the LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, and will wave his hand over the River with his scorching breath, and strike it into seven channels, and he will lead people across in sandals. 16 And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt. Isaiah 11:10-16
"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the LORD, and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain," says the LORD. Isaiah 65:17-25
3. Paul’s Vision of Earth’s Restoration
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:18-23
Next Crucial Component
The Two Last Judgments Just as we have two Last Battles, so we also have two Last Judgments. It’s no wonder that the Last Days are so confusing. It’s typically very hard for the average person to keep these dual events straight, much less sort out all the other mysteries. Here is a rule of thumb: The Judgment Seat of Christ is the First Last Judgment. It comes right before the Millennium. Jesus does the judging and this one is primarily for believers. The Final Last Judgment is The Great White Throne judgment. It comes right after the Millennium. Father God does the judging for that one and it is primarily for non-believers. Got it? Good because from here on in there are complications and exceptions too numerous to mention! Mercifully, we don’t have to know the details in advance. We just need to be on good terms with the “Judge of all the earth.”
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Endnotes
[1] The “one new man” is a joining together of both Jews and Gentiles into God’s family: For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. Ephesians 2:14-16
[2] Cambridge Dictionary defines speculation as “the act of guessing possible answers to a question without having enough information to be certain.” It derives from the Latin word “speculari” which means “to look at, view, observe” and originally indicated “close observation and intelligent contemplation.” By the late 1500s it gained the disparaging sense it carries today of “mere conjecture.” See etymonline.com.
[3] "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed”. Daniel 7:13-14
[4] But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." John 5:17
[5] For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:20-21
[6] Romans 8:22
[7] For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These things are the beginning of the birth pangs [the intolerable anguish and suffering]. Mark 13:8 AMP
[8] "Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. Leviticus 18:24-25
[9] “MO” is short for “modus operandi” or mode of operation.
[10] Adam is the type; Jesus, the “second Adam” is the antitype: Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. Romans 5:14
[11] Naturally, it never occurs to them that it’s God’s peace and presence which are refreshing them.
[12] For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. Romans 8:22
[13] And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Genesis 1:28
[14] The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered.
Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. Genesis 9:2-3
[15] He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Revelation 9:2
[16] There are two things about “God’s sons” that we should keep in mind. First, at the human level and speaking in the Biblical language, all who are redeemed have been brought into Christ, the only eternal and perfect Son of God. This makes all of us “sons”—both men and women—since we are being saved through our union with Jesus. At the heavenly level, God created many beings to populate the unseen realm with Him long before He created us. Some of those beings are what we commonly think of as angels (messengers). Some are throne room guardians like the seraphim, cherubim and the four creatures which surround God’s throne. At the highest level, some of these beings are the divine “sons of God”—not at all on the same level with Jesus—but participants in God’s celestial counsel as trusted servants.
[17] Due to the quote from Paul coming up next, I weigh in on the side of this panel of judges being human, not angelic. But the words of Jesus are the clincher: Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:27-28
[18] "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2; Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4
[19] For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12; Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2
[20] Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." John 7:24
[21] Follow this link to a Wikipedia article on “The Argument from Silence” to read a fuller treatment of this maxim.
[22] Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:27-28
[23] Matthew 25:34
[24] Matthew 25:41
[25] And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:46
[26] For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
[27] For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Matthew 24:21-22
[28] "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
[29] Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2
[30] "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 1 Corinthians 15:55-56
[31] For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:19-21
[32] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:52-53
[33] For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. 2 Corinthians 4:17; For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18