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Evidence of the confusion which surrounds the subject of the millennium is evident from the various divisions of eschatology (study of last things). Many religious groups consciously and unconsciously are defined or categorized by their views on the millennium.
First, there is Pre-millennialism, which means that the millennium occurs before Christ returns. In this view, Christ removes the righteous from the world via a rapture from the earth before the 1000 years begins. The wicked are "left behind" according to the writings of Tim LaHaye and others of that view.
This doctrine originated in the mid 19th century and holds a very pessimistic view of the future. Following the end of the millennium, Christ fights the battle of Armageddon, defeats all of his enemies and then ushers in the New Heavens and the New Earth.
A key feature of this doctrine is that Christ will return to Jerusalem and reign on earth seated upon David's throne during the 1000 years. How he manages all this coming and going is a mystery. He comes to get the righteous and take them back to heaven, then he comes back to reign on earth a thousand years all at the same time, then leaves again and comes again to wrap it all up. It is the most convoluted teaching one can imagine.
However, for political reasons, it is adopted by many claiming for themselves a superiority in the millennium as those who have power over the nations. This would make those in the millennium a superior race, much as that imagined by Hitler.
Mistaken Notions of Premillennialilsm
Evidence for this doctrine is not found in the Bible. There are several major contradictions found in this view that merit its disapproval. First, it is exegetically incorrect. The millennium, believed to be a literal 1000 years, is not a reference to time, but to an event. 1000, is used in scripture both literally and figuratively. The first needs no explanation. However, there are several passages where the word 1000 is used to denote perfection or completion.
For example, the Bible teaches that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, Psalm 50:10. Well, who owns the rest of the cattle in the flat lands and the hills exceeding one thousand? Further, God says he keeps merch for thousands, (Exodus 34:7). So what of the millions and billions who need His mercy? Those who study numerology, (an excellent resource is "E. W. Bullinger's" >Figures of Speech Used in the Bible), the number 1000 is a multiple of 10 X 10 X 10, the number of perfection or completion.
In Revelation, John is describing events which were shortly to come to pass and for which the time was at hand, (Revelation 1:1-3). Inasmuch as the millennium involved the defeat and destruction of Satan, Paul wrote to the Roman church saying that God would crush Satan under their feet shortly, (16:20). Further, in Revelation 12:12, even the devil himself knew that he had but a "short time." Yet, premillennnialists make this a "long time" with their literalism. Here is a case where opting for the devil's view may be the lesser of two evils.
The Parable of the Wheat and Tares
As to the mistaken notion that a Rapture will occur before the final return of Christ at some time in our future, Premil-rapture theorists are wrong again. The Lord makes clear in his teachings that no intermediate coming to separate the wicked and the righteous occurs before the harvest. There is no doubt that the harvest is a major them of the Revelation. See chapter 14:14-20.
More particularly in the parable of the tares and wheat, the servants asked the Lord who had sown the tares among the wheat. He replied, "An enemy has done this, referring to Satan." They, wanting to be helpful, offered their service of going to the fields to root up the tares. The master's response is catastrophic to the premillennial theory. He said, "No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let them both grow together until the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles and burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." (Matthew 13:28-30) emp. mine, whb.
Now if ever a plain direct contradiction were taught in scripture, it is here. It is the tares, (wicked) which are removed first, with the righteous left behind. None are removed until the harvest at the end of the age, (13:39-40).
Pre-Millennialism Turned Inside Out
Another problem with the premillennial teaching is that it reverses the order of the millennium. This docrtrine holds that in the millennium Christ reigns on earth for a 1000 years, but after his Second Coming he returns to heaven to reign forever. This is 180 degrees from what is taught in the word of God.
According to the Scriptures, in the millennium Christ reigns from heaven, not on earth. However, following the millennium, he returns to earth, but neither is a literal reign upon a literal throne on earth. How do we know this to be true?
First, Christ is a priest upon his throne, Zechariah 6:12-13. According to Hebrews, Christ could not be a priest on earth as long as the Levitical priesthood existed with their temple, offerings and sacrifices offered according to the Law, Hebrews 8:3-4. Having been raised from the dead and ascended into the heavens to sit upon David's throne, He reigns until all enemies are put under his feet. See Acts 2:29-35, 1 Cor. 15:25-26. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. Thus, Christ's millennial reign in heaven at the right hand of the Father would not end until the defeat of death.
However, in Revelation, two things are affirmed for those who reign with Christ. First, they were to hold fast, until he returned, at which time he would give them power over the nations to rule them with a rod of iron, (Revelation 2:25-26). But, if all the wicked are destroyed in the Battle of Armageddon, where are the nations following Christ's return over which the saints must rule?
Secondly, it is after his return that the saints reign on earth. "And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth, (Rev. 5:10)." This follows the millennium, being the fulfillment of the promise mentioned in above in 2:25-26. Why, because that coming is associated with the saints overcoming and keeping his works unto the end. The promise follows that they would have power over the nations.
Further, that equates with the blessing promised to the church at Ephesus that they would eat of the tree of life, (Revelation 2:7), and to that of Smyrna, (2:11), who would not be hurt of the second death. Laodicea is promised to sit down with Christ upon his throne at the end of the millennium, (Rev. 3:21). These all being the same, follow upon the end of the millennium where Satan, the beast and the false prophet have been cast into the lake of fire.
The Millennium Ended in 70 AD
The millennium is fulfilled when the law and the prophets were fulfilled. Christ affirmed all this occurred during the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, Luke 21:20-22, and all before that first century generation passed. This means the millennium properly falls between the resurrection and ascension of Christ and his return to destroy the Jewish nation. Since that time, all in Christ reign with him on earth in his eternal kingdom.
Much more can be said on this topic, but time and space does not permit. These ideas are currently being developed in more detail in a book to be published later this year according to current plans.
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