The Millennium,
a New
Heaven
and New Earth
What is the millennium? A
millennium is a period of one thousand years. The
millennium of bible prophecy is the thousand year reign of
Jesus. There is allot of
controversy
on this subject because prophecy, especially the book of
Revelation, uses highly
symbolic
terms, and
figurative
language.
Is the thousand years a
figurative period or
is it
literal?
Since God is a Spirit, time does
not exist in His realm. ...for
one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and as a
thousand years as one day, 2
Peter 3: 8.
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Time only exists where
there is matter. Since we are matter, then we exist
in time.
Albert Einstein's
Theory of
Relativity
illustrated that if we could achieve the speed of
light (God speed) then
time
would cease to
exist and we would
cease to age.
So, is the thousand years God's time or our time?
Or, is the whole question
irrelevant
because time does not exist in a spiritual realm
anyway?
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I asked myself, "How could a figurative period
expire?"
Revelation 20: 7
...when the thousand years
are expired.
I am not sure, but I tend to think
that only real time expires.
Since I am no expert, I am
not absolutely certain whether the thousand
years is figurative or literal. However, I believe what the
bible says. If the bible says that Satan exists, then I
believe he exists. I am not one who assumes that he is only
a figurative character. For me, the question of whether the
thousand years is figurative or literal presents no dilemma.
Not a problem. Why? Because after many years of bible study,
I have learned that the bible is sometimes both figurative
and literal simultaneously!
For example, according to the story
of Jonah and the whale, Jonah survived in a whale's belly
for three days at which time he was spat out. That story is
figurative. It was a foreshadowing of Jesus death, burial
and resurrection on the third day. His spirit went to Hades
for three days, like being swallowed up in a belly, and then
it was delivered up on the third day.
Matthew 12:
40. Although the meaning is
figurative, the events really happened! The Jonah story is
both figurative and literal
at the same time.
Another example is the use of the
word "light" throughout the bible. I studied the subject of
light for months and what I found out was that is figurative
and literal at the same time. We walk in the light of Jesus,
Jesus is the light of the world. That is figurative, right?
Yes, but it is also literal. Jesus was physically
transfigured, he became illuminated - all lit up. He
really
IS light.
It is figurative AND literal
at the same time.
So, what do I think about the
millennium? I think that the thousand year reign is
figurative. I also think it may be literal at the
same time.
Why One and Not the Other?
I have heard preachers give
sermons about the great city of heaven as described in the
book of Revelation. They go through every detail, every
measurement, and every aspect of this beautiful city of God.
They believe it is a literal place. Yet they do not believe
what it says in the chapter preceding it. Why do some
preachers believe that the city of God is a
real place, with real jewels,
with real measurements, and real
gates, and then they choose to believe that the thousand
years is not
real? and
only figurative?
What about the
new
heaven and
new
earth?
Do I believe there will be a
new heaven and a new earth? Yes, because the bible describes
it. The following scriptures speak of the thousand years,
the new heaven, new earth, the resurrection, and the
judgment. Please read it for yourself and come to your own
conclusions.
Revelation 20
And I saw an angel
come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit
and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the
dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and
bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him,
that he should deceive the nations no more, till the
thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he
must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they
sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw
the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of
Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped
the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark
upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and
reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of
the dead lived not again until the thousand years were
finished.
This is the
first resurrection.
Blessed
and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on
such the second death hath no power, but they shall be
priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a
thousand years. And when the thousand years are
expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And
shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four
quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them
together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the
sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and
compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved
city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and
devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast
into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the
false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for
ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that
sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled
away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were
opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their
works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it;
and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them:
and they were judged every man according to their works. And
death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death.
And whosoever was not
found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of
fire.
Revelation 21
And I saw a
new
heaven and a
new
earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was
no more sea. And I John saw the
holy
city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared
as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great
voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is
with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his
people, and God himself shall be with them, and be
their God. And God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be
any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he
that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things
new. And he said unto
me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he
said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst
of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that
overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God,
and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving,
and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and
sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their
part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:
which is the second death. And there came unto me one of the
seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven
last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I
will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me
away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed
me that great
city, the holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having
the glory of God: and her
light
was like unto a stone
most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at
the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which
are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of
Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates;
on the south three gates; and on the west three gates And
the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the
names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked
with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates
thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth
foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and
he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand
furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it
are equal.And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and
forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man,
that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it
was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear
glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were
garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first
foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a
chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the
sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl;
the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh,
a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates
were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and
the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent
glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the
city had no need of the
sun, neither
of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the
nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of
it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and
honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all
by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall
bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there
shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth,
neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but
they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 22
And he shewed me a
pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of
the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there
the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits,
and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the
tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be
no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall
be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall
see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And
there shall be no night there; and they need no candle,
neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them
light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he
said unto me, These sayings are
faithful and
true: and the Lord
God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his
servants the things which must shortly be done.
Behold, I come
quickly: blessed is
he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had
heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of
the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto
me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of
thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the
sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me,
Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the
time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still:
and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that
is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is
holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly;
and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his
work shall be. I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the
last. Blessed are
they that do his commandments, that they may have right to
the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into
the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and
whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever
loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to
testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root
and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And
whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For I
testify unto every man that heareth the words of the
prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these
things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written
in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part
out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from
the things which are written in this book. He which
testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you all. Amen.
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