Jesus Reign & Rule For 1,000 Years With The Saints

Dear Saints:

In the last study, we saw Satan bound and cast into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (the Millennium). Someone asked, are these literal 1,000 years? Yes, I believe they are. In chapter 19 of Revelation, Christ returned to earth with the raptured saints (with immortal/glorified bodies). He will now reign on earth for a  thousand years with the saints of all era since creation. 

Note that every unbeliever in Christ were separated from believers who survived the tribulation (see the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46); and would not enter Christ's kingdom of the 1,000 years. The unbelievers were killed upon Christ’s return (Revelation 19:18-20).

What would life look like in the Millennium? Many passages in the Bible talk about the 1,000 years when Christ will rule and reign? Please check out Isaiah 11 and 65 and more. “The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.” Isaiah 11:8. During the Millennium, God will restore the world to Adam and Eve’s world before they sinned and rebelled against God.

Here's the sequence of events recorded in Revelation 20:

1. Satan is bound and cast into the bottomless pit.  2. The believers who were not raptured and were killed during the Great tribulation rise from the dead (wearing immortal bodies).The Old Testament saints probably would be raised from dead the same time and given immortal bodies. 

3. All risen saints join Jesus to rule and reign for a thousand years. 4. Those who believed in Jesus after the rapture and survived the Great Tribulation will enter the Millennium in their mortal bodies. 5. After a thousand years, Satan will be released for a while (we don't know how long) for the final rebellion and a chance for people with mortal bodies (born in the Millennium) to willingly accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. 

6. Satan engineers a brief war, but fire from heaven devours Satan’s allies and all who rebelled against Christ. 7. Satan is again thrown into the lake of fire forever and ever for the final time. 8 The present earth and heavens disappear and no longer exist. There will be a new heaven and earth ( wait till Revelation 21).

9. Then comes the resurrection of the unbelieving in Christ and their final judgment.  10. Anyone not found in the Book of Life was cast into the same place as Satan, the lake of fire or hell. 

Now let us read Revelation 20:1-9:

Satan Bound 1,000 Years

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. ² He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; ³ and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

The Saints Reign with Christ 1,000 Years

⁴ And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 

⁵ But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Satanic Rebellion Crushed

⁷ Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 

⁹ They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰ The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

If the saints will reign with Christ, who do we reign over? Keep in mind that for a thousand years, those in our present mortal bodies who enter the millennium would be having babies and procreate rapidly since sickness and disease would not exist. There would still be nations but no politicians and Presidents. 

Christ rules and reigns all over the world from Jerusalem. We the saints would assist him depending on the job we are given. Our stewardship in the present life before the rapture, I believe would be considered in our assignment during the Millennium. If you are faithful now, you will given greater spheres to oversea (see Luke 16:10).

We must accept that the book of Revelation did not give us too much detail about the 1,000 years of Christ reign. We will surely find out when we enter the Millennium. 

Next week, we will focus on the Great white Throne judgment of all unbelievers in Christ who sent themselves to hell (see John 3:16-18).

Why would someone rebel against God and Jesus, that was born into a perfect world during the Millennium?  Revelation 20:7 says, “Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth.”  Everyone will be given a chance to exercise their free will and experience the deception of Satan. There is a choice to be made. There is no excuse not to choose Christ as Lord and Savior. People will not use the present sufferings as an excuse for rejecting Christ’s salvation.  

Are you looking forward to the return of Christ? First is the rapture, which can happen any moment from now. After the rapture and seven years of Tribulation, Christ returns to earth to rule and reign.

I am excited! Are you? Let’s help others have the hope of salvation. Tell someone the Gospel and Satan’s deception today. 

Repent and believe in Jesus today if you have never done so. You do not want to stand on your own records to be judged by God. Stand in Christ’s righteousness. May the Lord help us all. Amen.

JESUS IS COMING BACK FOR THE RAPTURE VERY SOON. ARE YOU READY?