Millennial Questions & Answers

MILLENNIAL QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

12/4/2014

There are several assumptions that must be made concerning the millennium due to the lack of conclusive scriptural facts.

1.   Are earth people left alive after the plagues of God and the battle of Armegeddon have devastated the planet?

First, there is no actual battle of Armegeddon.  This is most likely symbolic of God’s divine plan to eliminate armies, weapons of war, and war in general.

The Revelation is not a map or playbook of some supposed seven year tribulation period.  It is a prophetic history of the Church and most has already been fulfilled.  Historically, we are now at the destruction of Mystery, Babylon.  The book was written in a symbolic and/or metaphoric manner.  

When the Bible (the little book) was finally printed in a vernacular language, the Reformation preachers discovered it to be a historical document although they did not completely understand it. 

The idea of a dispensational platform was first written by a Catholic priest to alter the Reformers understanding of the Pope as the beast.  Soon afterward, Darby expended the idea and delivered it to Cyrus Scofield.  It was then taken up by the Dallas Theological Seminary as a primary teaching point and now it is almost decreed doctrine in most American churches.

2.  Do the raptured dead and living return to the earth or stay in the heavenly realm?

There is no one in heaven other than God (the Christ, the Holy Spirit).  Transfigured entities such as angels can now enter the heaven of God and the ones receiving the first resurrection will also be able to enter heaven although they will primarily be on the earth as judges and administrators.

3.   All sea creatures are destroyed and most likely all land animals due to the non-drinkable water of the plagues as well as vegetation.  Is there a re-creation at the beginning of the millennium?

Most of that description is metaphoric and not completely literal, although many sea creatures and land animals are currently dying out with some becoming extinct.  The Millennial administrators could possibly re-create many past life forms through enhanced DNA methods.

4.  Will cities and towns be rebuilt such as Jerusalem or will the New Jerusalem descending from heaven at the end of the millennium be the center of life?

Although many areas of the world are currently being destroyed, it is assumed that life will continue as it is.  There should be major scientific breakthroughs and the quality of life will be greatly enhanced.  The New Jerusalem may be the center of life at some point after the Millennial kingdom is completed.

5.  Will Jesus rule with a rod of iron on an actual earth with an actual population for 1000 years?  If so, why will a rod of iron rule be necessary if everyone is a raptured believer with a transformed angelic body?

Only a certain number of the saints of the Lord God of Heaven (Daniel 7) will be resurrected prior to the beginning of the Kingdom of God (Millennium).  These saints/elect/overcomers will have a transformed body.  The remainder of the population alive at the time of the resurrection of the elect will remain as they are.  However, scientific and medical advances and developments will allow people to live much longer than the current average lifespan.

Jesus will not literally rule with an iron rod, however, earth’s inhabitants will be expected to obey the laws of God.

Premillennialism (Or Chiliasm)

Within the writings of the early Church fathers, one quickly learns that they believed that Christ will establish a temporal kingdom on earth after His return that will endure for one thousand years.  There are virtually no early church documents prior to AD 325 which support a different view.

The most striking point in the eschatology of the ante-Nicene age (prior to the council of Nicea) is the premillennial view, that is the belief of a visible reign of Christ in glory on earth with the risen saints for a thousand years, before the general resurrection and judgment.  The historical evidence indicates that the premillennial view, (as it is called today) was the predominant belief of the church for the first three centuries.  That is, the Millennial kingdom of Christ was the general doctrine of the Primitive Church, from the times of the Apostles to the Nicene Council.

Amillennialism

After the Nicene Council of AD 325 there was a prominent shift from the expectation of a millennial reign following the return of Christ to a spiritualized kingdom of unlimited duration before the return of the Lord.  This amillennial view holds that "at the second coming of Christ the resurrection and judgment will take place, followed by the eternal order of things".  This view sees the current church age as the millennium. 

There are two differing views within this camp concerning the believer's 1000-year reign with Christ spoken of in Revelation 20:4-6. One group sees this as speaking of the intermediate state of believers between death and resurrection. It refers to the reign of the souls of the blessed dead with Christ in the intermediate state. The second group holds that the entire church age, from the first coming of Christ until His second coming, is to be equated with the Millennium and that the active and aggressive church leaders on earth is now reigning with Christ.

This shift to what is now called amillennialism began slowly during the second and third centuries, and then picked up speed until by the middle of the sixth century there were only a few remaining pockets of belief in a literal thousand-year kingdom on earth. The dominance of amillennialism continued up to and beyond the Reformation, and only in the 19th century was the view of a literal thousand-year reign upon the earth revived. 

Postmillennialism

This view holds that the kingdom of God is a present reality which began with Jesus, and that its purpose is essentially to usher in the reign of Christ. It is expected that all nations will be converted to Christianity followed by approximately one thousand years of peace before Christ’s return.   It isn’t until after the thousand years of peace that there will be an outbreak of apostasy and rebellion against God and it will be during this time that the Antichrist will become active before he is vanquished by the return of Christ.

Two Prophecies Of The Millennium

There are a few expositors (maybe more) who have discerned there are two prophetic views concerning events after the non-existent Armageddon.  One describes earthly and human life as highly enhanced but still containing elements of normalcy such as:  birth, old age, death, eating, drinking, cohabitation, physical events, and work (manual labor).  This earth age will be the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ.  Life spans will be enhanced, crops will be abundant, water will be pure, animals will be docile grass eaters, and there will be no government agencies or any type.  There will be some burdens but only in limited forms.

The second and last age will be eternal.  The New Jerusalem will descend from God from the heavens and will be the eternal residence of all people who will be as the angels.  There will be no birth, old age, sin, sorrow, or death.  If there is any eating or drinking, it will be from the trees and waters of life.

In many prophetic instances, both of these ages are presented within the same passage of Scripture.  Such an interpretation recognizes that the writers of Scripture often arranged their materials in a topical rather than a chronological order.  That is, the eternal state may be addressed prior to the reign of Christ age.  Isaiah 65: 17-19 is describing the eternal state but then Isaiah 65: 20-25 breaks the chronological order expected in the chapter and interjects a related note about Jerusalem during the 1000 year millennium. 

Almost universally the early church believed Revelation 20:1–6 to represent a period of time as the 1000 year millennium or reign of Christ.  This period would  begin with a resurrection of the righteous dead in Christ and conclude  with a resurrection of all the dead.  At the end of this period (the 1000 year reign of Christ), Satan would be loosed for one last opportunity at opposing God before being finally and forever vanquished. 

1 The Eternal State:  Isaiah 65: 17-19

For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.  (18)  But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.  (19)  And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.  

2 The Millennial State:  Isaiah 65: 20-25

20)  There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.  (21)  And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.  (22)  They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.  (23)  They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.  (24)  And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.  (25)  The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

The Composite Beast

THE COMPOSITE BEAST

Editors Note:  This article, originally posted on 11/26/2014, has been edited and rewritten on 7/12/2018 to reflect my current views since I no longer accept the dispensational viewpoint, the unfulfilled 70th week of Daniel, and the Revelation as a roadmap of the so-called period of tribulation misunderstanding.

Introduction

Some of the information contained in this article is merely conjecture and opinion without any positive scriptural backing. The so-called end-times world leader basically known by many as the antichrist is not actually called the antichrist in the Bible. In the book of the Revelation he is often referred to as the beast from the sea.  Other places in Scripture he is referred to as “the man of sin”, “the son of perdition (ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal): - damnable)”, “the lawless one”, and in Daniel he is denoted as the “little horn” and the king. The word “antichrist” can be found in the letters of John depicting a person who is opposed to Christ or teaches divergent doctrines to those of Christ.

Jesus refers to Judas as the “son of perdition” in John 17:12 and Paul refers to some type of person as both the “son of perdition” and as the “man of sin” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.  Many have accepted this verse as proof of an end-times “antichrist”.

John 17:12 KJV While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Psalms 41:9 KJV Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

The Composite Beast Empire

Two instances in the Revelation and once in Daniel, a composite beast is introduced.  It may have multiple heads, multiple horns, and various animal type body parts.  On some occasions there will be crowns upon the heads.  The composite beast is always symbolic of several empires and it also may be symbolic of a king, ruler, or an entity of some type.  There are various interpretations of the heads and horns.

Revelation 12:3 KJV

Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

We will begin our study of the composite beast empire with the appearance of the dragon in Revelation 12:3.  This composite beast, which is later identified as a Satan-type entity, is representative of the empire instigated by Satan throughout the history of the Hebrew-Israelite people.  The purpose of this historical empire could possibly be to prevent the birth of the woman’s Son who will bruise (crush NIV, attack NET) the head of the serpent or Satan as prophesied in Genesis.  The main reason however, is that God placed Judah under judgment by placing them in subjugation to a series of empires.

Genesis 3:15 KJV And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise (crush, attack) thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

All authority will be subject to this child and He will rule and control the nations with a rod of iron (i.e. a metaphoric symbol for absolute authority).  The Son of Man / the Son of God will replace the “prince (king) of this world” who is generally considered to be Satan/devil.  This could explain why Satan has attempted to kill Him or His linage from the foundation of civilization.  This attack on the linage of Jesus included the children of Adam and Eve, with Abel as the initial victim, and the pre-flood disaster involving the mating of angelic entities with human women (Genesis 6) which is the foundation of the worldwide flood saving only Noah and seven others.

From a different perspective, aside from a judgment of God concerning the nation of Judah, it can be said the dragon, as described here, has seven heads with each head having a crown.  It is said that Satan has previously activated six historical empires for the purpose of destroying the Hebrew-Israelite people with the hope of destroying the seed of the woman thus preventing the birth of the Son, Jesus Christ.  The Bible, however, states that God raised up these empires to punish Israel and Judah.

The first was the Egyptian Empire, that was initially hosting the Hebrew people as refugees during the seven years of drought and famine.  Over time, with a change of rulers, the Hebrew people became a nuisance and were enslaved as farmers, hard manual labor, and construction workers.  Through Satan’s influence, the Pharaoh issued a decree to kill all male children of a certain age. However, God saved Moses, who later became the leader of the Hebrew exodus from Egypt.  The Satanically inspired pharaoh had to be decimated with plagues, the death of all first born sons, and his army drowned by the wrath of God before he would conclude his assault.

The second head was the Assyrians.  They destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel and deported all the inhabitants that could be found.  Their next assault was the southern kingdom of Judah, but the Assyrian army was decimated by an angel of the Lord before conceding and returning home.  The Babylonians as the third kingdom destroyed Judah and deported many of the Judeans.  With the Persian Empire as the fourth, there is the story in the book of Esther of Haman and his attempt to eradicate the Jews (Judeans).  After the fall of Babylon to the Persian king Cyrus the Great in 539 BCE, exiled Jews were allowed to return to the land of Judah

The fifth head, the Greek empire, begins with Alexander the Great.  At his entry into the area of Israel, Alexander was shown the prophecies in the book of Daniel speaking of the Greek empire.  This impressed him and he left Judea with no harm but after his death, the four generals who divided his empire among themselves, rendered the middle-east, along with Judea, a war zone.  Antiochus Epiphanes was so corrupt that God allowed him to die and the Judean people were given exactly 100 years of reprieve under the Hasmonean rulership.

The Roman Empire is head number six under Satan’s plan.  The Satanically inspired Edomite Herod copied the stratagem of the Pharaoh and ordered the death of all male children  two years and under, but the parents of Jesus had been warned and escaped to Egypt. 

Later, the Pharisees and the other religious leaders of Judea had Jesus crucified providing Satan the expectation he had finally succeeded.  He later discovered, that not only had he failed, but had inadvertently participated in his own downfall and destruction when Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven and the throne of God.

This leaves us with the seventh and future head which will be personified and described in Revelation chapters 13 and17.  Revelationcommentary.org claims that all 7 beast kingdoms existed in the past which they list as:  Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media, Persia, Greece, and Rome.  I disagree with them because the prophecies of Daniel always list Media and Persia as a combination of one empire.  The seventh Satanic beast kingdom could be considered as the “little horn” of Daniel 7.  The little horn is an extension of the Roman Empire was known as the Holy Roman Empire or the Roman Church ruled by the Papacy.

THE FOURTH BEAST OF DANIEL

Daniel 7:2-8 KJV  Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.  (3)  And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.  (4)  The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.  (5)  And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.  (6)  After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.  (7)  After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse (It refers to a difference that has become evident; to violate) from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.  (8)  I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up (It refers to tearing something out, destroying it, pulling it out by the roots. It is used figuratively of tearing out men or rulers) by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

[Highlighted areas above (and below) were taken from the Word Study Dictionary]

Prior to discussing the 7^th and final beast kingdom, first referenced in Revelation 13 and then chapter 17, we will look at the beast of Daniel 7 which has some common characteristics to the final beast.

The first three beasts listed in Daniel 7 had their dominion or ruling power taken away yet Daniel 7:12 indicates their existence was prolonged for a few years even after the beast in thrown into the lake of fire at the beginning of the Millennium.   

Daniel 7:11-12 KJV (11)  I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. (12)  As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

I considered the (10) horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots   (Daniel 7:8 KJV)

The beast arising from the sea is the same as the “little horn” of Daniel 7.  Daniel viewed four beasts arising from the sea.  These beasts correspond with the four sections of the statue within a dream by Nebuchadnezzar which are:  Babylon; Medo-Persia; Greece; and the Roman Empire.  The “little horn” arising from among the ten horns on the head of Daniel’s fourth beast represents an extension of the Roman Empire. 

When the civil western part of the Roman Empire expired, the Vatican with a hired army attacked and conquered three divisions of the ten divisions of the civil Empire and renamed itself the Holy Roman Empire, because it now had territory and could be considered an empire.  After Napoleon conquered the Holy Roman Empire and imprisoned the reining Pope, it then became the Roman Catholic Church.

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.   (Revelation 17:12-13 KJV)

Let’s now compare the first three beasts of Daniel 7 with the beast of Revelation 13.  Notice that the 1^st was like a lion, the 2^nd like a bear, and the 3^rd was like a leopard.

Daniel 7:3-6 KJV And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. 

Now, let’s have a look at the beast in Revelation 13 that rises from the sea.  It also has 10 horns (still intact) and was like a leopard, feet as a bear, and mouth as a lion.  In addition to 7 heads, it has 10 horns, and the appearance of a lion, bear, and leopard as did the beast of Daniel 7.  The conclusion:  it is basically the same beast.

Revelation 13:1-2 KJV And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Revelation chapter 12 has a description of a great red dragon which has been shown to be the kingdoms supposedly inspired by the devil or Satan.  This dragon has a similar appearance to the beast of Revelation 13 except the crowns are on the heads instead of the horns. 

Revelation 12:3 KJV And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 

Daniel 7:23-24 KJV  Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse (It refers to a difference that has become evident; to violate) from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.  (24)  And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue (It describes figuratively the bringing down or making humble the prideful person) three kings.

In Daniel 7:23 an angel gives Daniel more information concerning the fourth beast he has been allowed to view.  It will be diverse, meaning visually different and it will be a violation.  It will encompass the entire world (figuratively), violate the world (figuratively), and execute much destruction.  The little horn will also be diverse (visually different and a violation).  He will usurp the power and authority of three kings (Babylon, Persia, & Greece), but the kingdoms will remain.