What Is the MILLENNIUM?
The so-called “millennium” is about the “thousand years” mentioned only in Revelation 20. Premillennialists think that there will be a literal thousand-year period in which Christ has returned in his original earthly body (“a five-foot-five Jewish man”) to rule the world from a literal throne in a literal rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. Because of Christ’s iron-rod rule, the millennium will be a time of utopia on earth.
Among numerous errors of this view is that it makes the same mistake that the first-century Jews made―an expectation of a political kingdom of Messiah. But Jesus told us that his kingdom is not of this world (Luke 17:20-21; John 18:36). His kingdom is spiritual. He is already reigning from heaven at the right hand of God (Acts 2:29-36; Ephesians 1:20-22).
The text of Revelation 20 never says that Christ would return to earth to rule in a political kingdom. It only says that the saints would reign with Him a thousand years. Earlier in Revelation 6:9-11 we see the same martyrs under the alter, crying out for justice. That justice came in AD 70 (Matthew 23:29-39). Revelation 20:4 is a spiritual triumph of the persecuted church, not a physical one.
And the premillennial view over-literalizes apocalyptic language. Like much of Revelation, it was not meant to be understood literally. Some Christians (namely amillennialists) see the millennium as a metaphoric long period of time. A more biblical view is that the millennial period was a metaphoric short period of time between the cross and final dissolution of the Old Covenant order. The purpose of the millennium was to give the Jews time to accept Christ before God’s judgment on them in AD 70 (Matthew 21:33-45; 22:1-14; 23:29-39; Luke 21:5-33; John 5:22; Acts 6:14).
I am persuaded that the millennium was a figurative period of time between the cross and Parousia. It was about 40 years culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70, when Jesus “came” in judgment against Old Covenant Israel. This is a remarkable parallel to the 40-year period of the Exodus, before the Hebrews entered the LITERAL promised land after leaving Egypt. In the first century, there was a 40-year period of trials and tribulation until entering the SPIRITUAL promise land — the New Heavens and New Earth — when Old Covenant Judaism came to a final end in AD 70. So, the millennium was a second exodus.
QUESTION: How could the thousand years of Revelation 20 actually be only 40 years? ANSWER: Numbers in the Bible are often hyperbolic. For example, the offspring of Abraham were to equal the number of the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5; 22:17; 26:4). The number of Israelite fighting men leaving Egypt is chronicled to be 600,000 (Exodus 12:37; Numbers 1:46), not counting family, animals, tents, and other supplies―which compares to an estimated number of Egyptian soldiers of 20,000. Or, in Revelation 20:8 we are told of an army whose number is like the sand of the seashore, which is estimated to be 10.8 trillion. The number of Philistines that Samson killed with the jawbone of a donkey was 1,000 (Judges 1:15-16.) And, the number of mounted troops in John’s vision (Revelation 9:16) was 200 million. These numbers are certainly not literal, as they are exagerated for emphasis.
The Greek word translated “thousand” in Revelation is chilioi (Strong’s 5507). According to the online Blue Letter Bible, the primary meaning of the word chilioi is “plural of uncertain affinity.” So, there is room for interpretation depending on the context. If a literal 1,000 years was in view, John would have used the word chilias (Strong’s 5505).
WHEN DID THE MILLENNIUM BEGIN?
The millennium began with Christ’s ministry on earth. Satan was bound at the beginning of the millennium, that he might not deceive the nations any longer (20:2). This clearly indicates that certain limitations were placed on Satan at the beginning of the millennium—that is, during Christ’s ministry. This is consistent with numerous passages such as Matthew 12:22-29; Mark 16:17; Luke 10:17-19; 11:20-22; John 12:31; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14, and 1 John 3:8—where the demons became subject to Christ during the time of his first coming. These passages along with Revelation 20:2 confirm that the beginning of the millennium was at that time. This disqualifies the premillennial and post millennial views since these views say that the millennium has not even begun yet.
How could this be correct when there is so much evil in the world. Answer: We don’t need Satan for there to be evil. Evil comes from the human heart per such passages as Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:20-23; James 1:14-15.
WHEN DID THE MILLENNIUM END?
There is strong evidence that the millennium came to a close in AD 70:
1. There are over 30 time-statements in Revelation insisting that the fulfillment of its prophecies was about to happen, must shortly take place, would be soon, and the time was near (Revelation 1:1-3; 22:6-20; etc.). Revelation was written before AD 70 and the destruction of the temple―during the reign of Nero, the sixth emperor of Rome and is mostly about the first-century events (Revelation 1:9; 11:1; 17:10; etc.).
2. The close of millennium was a short time away (“a little longer” per Revelation 6:11), not a long period—ending in AD 70 in the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 2:13-16; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2).
3. The Great White Throne judgment of Revelation 20:11-15 happened AFTER the thousand years (Revelation 20:1-10). This judgment was comprehensive, including judgment of the dead, but also the judgment of Old Covenant Israel (“Babylon” the Great City, i.e. Jerusalem per Revelation 11:8; 18:10) in AD 70.
4. More evidence that the GWT Judgment was fulfilled in AD 70 is the further correlation with Matthew 16:27-28 which reads, “For the Son of Man is about to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then HE WILL REPAY EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO WHAT HE HAS DONE. Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” Revelation 20:12 says, “. . . And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY HAD DONE.”
5. The General Resurrection of the dead, i.e. the second resurrection implied in Revelation 20, was ABOUT TO HAPPEN when Paul was witnessing and writing (Acts 24:15; 2 Timothy 4:1 Young’s Literal Translation, etc.). This would be fulfilled at the “time of the end” with the destruction of the temple in AD 70 (Daniel 12).
6. The New Heaven and New Earth of Revelation 21 was already in effect as the thousand years of Revelation 20 came to a close. The New Heaven and New Earth is the new covenant order, which came to its fullest expression when the old covenant order was ushered out in AD 70 (Hebrews 8:13).
7. The New Jerusalem of Revelation 21 is symbolically the church (built on the foundation of the apostles, 21:14), and was already in effect (Hebrews 12:22).
8. Jesus’ Parousia (“Second Coming”) happened during the lifetimes of those in first century coincident with the destruction of the temple (Matthew 10:23; 16:27-28; 24:29-34; 26:64; Hebrews 10:37; Revelation 22:10-12; etc.).
9. Satan was defeated at the end of the millennium (20:10). Paul (Romans 16:20) and John (Revelation 12:12) both anticipated that the final crushing of Satan was near to them in time (“soon/time is short”). Therefore, the end of the millennium was near. At the Second Coming and judgment in AD 70, Christ fully implemented his power and reign (verses 10-15), fulfilling these prophecies. Satan was indeed crushed (“thrown into the lake of fire,” verse 20:10). Note: That Satan was loosed for a little while (20:3) may refer to the period of intense persecution of Christians under Nero in AD 64-68.
10. Peter declared that the END OF ALL THINGS and the judgment was AT HAND when he was writing (1 Peter 4:7, 17).
11. According to research done by Edward E. Stevens, some Jewish rabbis thought that what corresponds to the Christian millennium would be 40 years in duration. (Available from Mr. Stevens at preterist1@preterist.org.)
12. The wedding feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7; 21:9) was fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 per Matthew 22:1-14.
We do not wait for a millennial kingdom of Christ. Christ’s kingdom was delivered to believers in the first century (Colossians 1:13). There is no need for Jesus to physically be on earth to reign. Jesus is reigning now, his reign has no end, and does not begin or end with a literal future millennium (2 Samuel 7:13; 1 Chronicles 17:11-12; Isaiah 9:7; Ezekiel 37:26; Daniel 2:44; 4:3, 34, 7:14, 18, 27; Luke 1:31-33; Ephesians 1:21; 2:7; 3:21; Colossians 1:13-20; Hebrews 1:1-12; 5:6; 6:20; 7:16-28; Revelation 1:5; 11:15). The New Covenant is eternal (Hebrews 13:20) and does not begin or end with a literal future millennium. The gospel is eternal (Revelation 5:13; 14:6) and does not begin or end with a literal future millennium.
To dig deeper into the millennium, see my article Making Sense of Revelation 20.
This article will help: Cruickshank on the Millennium
Check out this insightful article 1000 Year Reign of Christ???
Here’s a helpful video on this topic: Alex Polyak on the Millennium