Millennium

The Bible teaches that Jesus is coming soon. But what happens next? Where do the saved (righteous) people go? What about the lost (unrighteous) people? And what happens to the earth? Many Bible students have asked these questions and a variety of different answers have been posed. In Revelation 20 a time period of 1,000 years is described from which we get the word "millennium". Immediately after Jesus comes the Bible tells us Satan is "bound ... for a thousand years" (v. 2). During this time the righteous are in heaven and at the end of the millennium the Holy City will descend to this earth. Let's look at what the Bible says will happen at the beginning of, during, and after the millennium.

Beginning of the Millennium Revelation 19 and 20 flow together as a single unit. In Revelation 19:11—21 Christ comes to the earth. In graphic language the wicked are destroyed (see also 2 Thessalonians 1:7—8). In Revelation 20:4—6 there is clear reference to a first resurrection of the righteous at the coming of Christ. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16—18 Paul also describes this glorious day when we are caught up in the air to be with the Lord. Jesus tells us He will come back to earth and take us to be where He is (John 14:1—3). During this time Satan is bound for a thousand years. He is cast into a bottomless pit and remains there until the end of the millennium. The earth has already been ruined by the seven last plagues, but it is now completely desolate of people (Revelation 20:5). We find an Old Testament description of this time where the earth is "without form and void" (Jeremiah 4:23), which is the same language describing the earth before anything was created (Genesis 1:2).

During the Millennium While Satan is bound to this earth, the righteous are in heaven with Jesus. Revelation 20:4 speaks of "thrones" and "judgment" and "reigning with Christ." Even though the wicked are slain at the coming of Christ, God's compassion and justice is to strong that the righteous will be able to review all the records of every person in the universe. A period of time is given for the saints to review the cases, especially of the lost people and fallen angels. Paul says, "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?" (1 Corinthians 6:2). Jude 6 describes how even angels will be judged: "And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day." Satan and his evil angels will be bound to this desolate earth for 1,000 years with nothing to do but reflect on their sinful acts.

After the Millennium The Bible says, "Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison" (Revelation 20:7). He goes out to deceive the nations, which means the wicked will be raised back to life. This resurrection is described by Jesus when He speaks of "the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:29). Revelation 20:5 describes these as "the rest of the dead" who "did not live again until the thousand years were finished." As Satan once more deceives the wicked, he gathers them to unite and attack the "camp of the saints and the beloved city" (v. 9). But they are destroyed. This destruction comes in conjunction with the "great white throne" judgment (v. 11) which demonstrates once and for all the justice and mercy of God, even in the final destruction of sin. This destruction is described as happening with "fire and brimstone" (v. 10) and its results are eternal. Though some interpret this hellfire as never ending, the Bible shows that the nature of this "forever" fire is to last as long as it takes to do its job (see Malachi 4:1—3). This consuming fire is spoken of also in Jude 7, 2 Peter 2:6 and Isaiah 47:14.

While some believe that the millennium happens after 1,000 years of human progress (postmillennial) and others think the millennium is symbolic of the whole Christian Era (amillennial), the Bible describes it as a literal 1,000 years after the second coming of Christ (premillennial). Following the destruction of the wicked, Satan, his evil angels, and all sin, the earth will be cleansed with fire. John then describes what he saw next: "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away" (Revelation 21:1). What a glorious time that will be!