Rev. 20 The Millenium= Church Age?

[Josh]

Revelation 20 describes a millenial reign of Christ on the earth:

1And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

I believe this describes the time period between AD 70 and the present. In other words, I think we are currently in the millenium and that it should be seen as synonmyous with the Church age.

Since I don't have much time right now to explain this perspective (which is roughly identified with either the a-millenial or post-millenial positions), how about posting questions or attempting to poke holes in the perspective and then I can respond to them point by point?

[Josh]

yeshuafreak wrote:

the ressurection would be proof that the mellinium has come. also, Yeshua was to come before the mellinium. this is proved by scripture. how could Yeshua establish a kingdom if he has not yet come? he couldnt!!

shalom- john

This will be the first point I'll respond to when I get a chance.

[yeshuafreak]

okay- thank you.

[Josh]

the ressurection would be proof that the mellinium has come. also, Yeshua was to come before the mellinium. this is proved by scripture. how could Yeshua establish a kingdom if he has not yet come? he couldnt!!

shalom- john

OK, I would argue that Yeshua/ Jesus did come before the millenium- he came in the 1st Century and set up his kingdom without end, just as Daniel predicted (Daniel 7:13). He inaugurated it in his earthly ministry and finalized it in His destruction of the Temple in AD 70.

The above passage from Revelation 20 speaks of two resurrections, which is a bit odd because elsewhere in Scripture (Daniel 12:2, John 5:28-29, John 11:24 etc..) only one resurrection was spoken of- the simultaneous bodily resurrection of all the dead- both the righteous and the wicked, at the very end of all things.

So, why 2 resurrections in Revelation 20? Well, I think a good case can be made that the first resurrection (seen in verses 1-6) is a spiritual resurrection and the second one, the general bodily resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked, is seen in Rev. 20:11-15.

This is backed up by various arguments. Here's a sampling:

1) the phrase "came to life" in verse 4 can also be translated "lived on".

2) Pauls says elsewhere that Christ has already "raised us to life" (Colossians 2:12, 3:1, Ephesians 2:6). But he isn't talking about the physical resurrection we will experience at His second coming. Rather he is clearly speaking of a spiritual resurrection, being born again.

3) Doesn't it seem a bit farfetched to postulate that there will be people living in glorified bodies on earth alongside those who are still mortal and having children? That's one of the strange ramifications of pre-millenialism that finds no support in the Scripture apart from a misunderstanding of this text.

So, I see the first part of Revelation 20 as saying that after the great tribulation of AD 70 and of the beast (Nero/Rome), those martyrs who died are actually alive in Christ, reigning with him in His kingdom as it has spread throughout the world.

And not only them, but we his prophets, priests, and kings, who have been given authority to judge (Luke 22:29-30, Matthew 16:19, 18:18), who have also been already raised spritiually in Christ, are reigning with him in his millenial kingdom right now.

[Josh]

yeshuafreak- did you have more thoughts or questions on this?

[krhagan19]

I vote in favor of a 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth. What say you?

[Josh]

Well, I guess the real question is "now or later"?

[krhagan19]

Preferably when God wills it

[Josh]

Well, I think He has willed it, and it has already begun.

[krhagan19]

There shall be wars and rumors of wars and the end is not yet...

[Josh]

There were wars and rumors of wars before the end of Old Covenant/ the Destruction of the Temple.

And the millenium is not the end, it's the beginning.

These little snippet interchanges are an interesting way to discuss eschatology.

Kinda like it- bite sized nuggets.

[krhagan19]

I say the end will come at 11:11:11 on November 11, 11,111,111AD