Messiah's Coming Millennial Reign

The Oxford Dictionary defines the word 'millennium' as the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth... a period of great happiness and prosperity for everyone.

No one will doubt, but that the world desperately needs peace, happiness and prosperity. For six thousand years man has tried to govern himself and has miserably failed. Every style of government has been tried, not to mention the countless human laws that have been formulated in the process. All have proved incapable of bringing peace, prosperity and happiness to the human race. Look about you and take note of the misery in the world. Man's problems are totally out of control. We are all well able to recognize the world's problems, but no leader, group of leaders or government is able to cure them. Anarchy now faces many nations. Scores of political systems and thousands of laws have come and gone. All are impotent. All have miserably failed. But this will all change when the millennium starts. For the first time in human history the world will see a successful world government.

Bible prophecy tells us that the Messiah's millennial reign is near. It is about to begin. We have seen Israel re-gathered to the Promised Land. We now see world hostility against Israel rising by the week. Zechariah tells us in chapter 14 of his book that all nations will gather against Jerusalem to battle and the city will be captured. The Gentiles will then brutally dominate Jerusalem for three and a half years. We are nearing that time. Zechariah's prophecy goes on to say that Israel's Messiah, the Son of God, will then come and liberate Jerusalem from Gentile rule. He will then begin His world-wide reign from that city. Jerusalem's liberation will mark the start of the millennium - the Messiah's 1000 year Reign of Peace.

The first fact we need to know about the millennium is that it is a 'reign.' A reign involves a King, territory, peoples, laws, judges, administrators and officials of all kinds. Think for a moment of the sophisticated machinery of government in the tiny United Kingdom of about 55 million people. Then try to imagine what a 1000 year world government involving billions of people will be like. That will need some organization! The prophet Daniel tells us (Daniel 2:44) that when the Messiah comes, every earthly government will be swept away; because all have proved themselves totally inadequate. Like the metal and clay empires in Nebuchadnezzar's dream they will all be swept away like worthless chaff from a summer threshing floor!

Daniel 2:35  Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

Revelation.11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.


Who will Reign with Christ?
The Bible tells us that the martyrs who died for Jesus Christ and God's law during the rule of the Antichrist will rise from their graves to reign with Christ for a thousand years. Along with prominent saints of ages past, these martyrs will form the new world government of the King of Kings. His government will not be elected by the people, but by God Himself. The Greek model of democracy will then be a thing of the past.

Revelation. 20:4  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… 6: 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.

Where will the millennium be spent?
The Bible teaches that the millennium will be spent on earth.

Revelation 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Many Bible prophecies tell of the Messiah's reign over all nations. Read these Psalms to get the picture. Psalm 2, Psalm 47, Psalm 93, Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, Psalm 99, Psalm 110, Psalm 126.


Messiah's Power Over the Nations
When He returns to earth the Savior will exercise absolute authority over all nations. He will administer the very law He gave through Moses many years ago; the law the nations of the world have rejected for generations. His absolute authority and power is figuratively described as a 'rod of iron.' No enemy will dare defy the Son of God and His government at that time; and it will not be long before the peoples of the world realize that He is indeed the Prince of Peace! These facts are clearly taught in the following Scriptures:

Revelation 2:26  And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27: And He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Revelation 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron…

Revelation 19:15  And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16: And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Y'SHUAH the Messiah's rule over all nations is prophesied in scores of Bible passages. Indeed that is what the Disciples and most of Israel expected when Jesus came to earth the first time. They expected Him to overthrow their Roman rulers and establish the Kingdom in their life time. Little did they realize that His first task was to pay the price of sin by dying on the stake. But those kingdom-prophecies have still to be fulfilled; and they will be at the soon-coming millennium.


Individual Authority
In the millennium certain believers will be promoted to positions of high rank. Those who have made good use of their time and talents during this age, will be given great authority. Their power will extend over entire cities to a degree not seen in this present age.

Revelation 3:21  To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne.

Psalms 47:2  For the LORD most high is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth. 3: He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.

Luke 19:17  And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 18: And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. 19: And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

Revelation 2:26  And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27: And He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.


God's Law Will Be Taught to The Entire World
During the millennium, God's law will be obeyed by all nations. As mentioned previously, that is the Messiah's ultimate objective; to save mankind from sin and to re-establish God's law in the minds of men.

Micah 4:1  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2: And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3: And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more…7: And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever..

Isaiah 42:4  He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law… 21: The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will magnify the law, and make it honorable

Isaiah 51:4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

Zechariah chapter 14 introduces the millennial age. The chapter tells of the liberation of Jerusalem and how the Messiah will be king over the whole earth. The chapter ends with all nations keeping the laws of the Most High. The Feast of Tabernacles - that great feast which symbolizes the very presence of Y'SHUAH the Messiah (He is the very 'Tabernacle of God'), will be kept by all the nations of the world. The prophet tells us that fearsome punishments and plagues will be meted out on nations that refuse to send delegates to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles.

Zechariah 14:9  And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and His name one…11: And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. 12: And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth…16: And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. 17: And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18: And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 19: This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

In view of these prophecies concerning the end time, it is utter folly to dismiss the Feasts of the Most High, especially the Feast of Tabernacles, as being inapplicable to Gentile nations.


Peace at Last
Implementation of God's law throughout the world will have unprecedented results. Indeed, trying to imagine that utopia is difficult enough, how much less can we describe it. Very briefly I list just four of the many improvements the millennial reign of the Messiah will bring. With Satan's evil influence out of the way and every governmental post filled by a believer of absolute integrity and great ability:

1. World-wide peace will be experienced for the first time ever.

2. The crime rate of all nations will collapse virtually to zero as the penal code recorded in the Bible is implemented by an all-knowing King and His trusted officials. The results will astound all nations.

3. Unemployment will be a thing of the past as millions of people will be required to restore our shattered and polluted planet.

4. Proper housing and health care for all peoples will then become a reality; and the gift of healing will be widely used. 

We could write at length on this subject, but the Bible tells us that the reality will go far beyond anything we can imagine.


Preparation for the Millennium
Preparation for the millennium should begin right away. It is dangerous to neglect salvation and to put off for tomorrow something that can be done today. A new government is about to take over the earth. Are you preparing for that event? We realize that the very idea may appear farcical to many; but the Scriptures abound with proof of it.

* The first step in preparing for the millennium is to have Faith in Yahweh (GOD) and to accept His offer of salvation through His Son Y'SHUAH (Jesus). This is the most well known part of the Everlasting Gospel; and is taught by virtually every Christian denomination. Billions of Gospel tracts and books have been published about this vital step. 

* The second step is also important: begin to obey God's law. Those who profess faith but refuse to obey the commandments of the Most High are on extremely dangerous ground. They could find in the coming judgment that they have lost everything - all because they refused to forsake sin. Keeping the Festivals of the Most High, especially the Feast of Tabernacles is an extremely powerful declaration of faith in the Holy One of Israel. Zechariah 14 spells out this fact in the most dramatic way. Study that chapter. Also study Revelation chapters 1 to 3. These passages identify over-comers as the ones who will rule the nations of the world during the soon-coming millennium. Aim to overcome sin, selfishness, pride, greed, hatred, bitterness, jealousy, slander, doubt, ingratitude, impatience, deception etc. How successful you are in overcoming these traits and in using your time and talents to further the Everlasting Gospel in this age will determine your position under Christ during His millennial reign. Is that not a sobering and challenging prospect? 

When our earth was created it was perfect in every way. There was no sorrow, no sickness, no war and no death. All was perfect happiness, health, harmony and peace.

Genesis. 1: 31 And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good...

But that state of perfection soon vanished. Satan and his brain-child (sin) arrived on the scene and, as Yahweh had correctly predicted, there followed doubt, sin, separation, sickness, hatred, violence and death. Man was given six thousand years to go his own way, to find out for himself if what God had said was true or false. After all, God did not want to be accused by man or angel of wiping out opponents without allowing them a chance to prove themselves. But the six thousand years of man's self-rule have been an unprecedented disaster and are almost over. Nothing worked as man had expected: no ideology, no ism, no political system, no law (and thousands have been tried) has been able to bring peace and prosperity to earth's millions. Man has miserably failed in every important department of life.

The coming millennial rule of Y'SHUAH the King will change all that. It will be a reign of peace for all mankind. During the millennium (the Sabbatical, seventh thousandth year) Jesus Christ will demonstrate how God's government and His laws really do work for the benefit of mankind. God's sacred commandments, despised for nearly six thousand years by multiplied billions of people, will at last be honored by all the nations of the world. Then every tongue in the vast universe will confess that Yahweh was right all along; that He is holy, just and good; that His commandments are not a barbaric code at all, but a 'law of liberty,' a transcript of His own holy character, a perfect constitution designed to protect life for all time.

James 1:25  But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
In short, to 'Fear God and keep His commandments' (Ecc.12:13) is the only way to prepare for the millennium. Any other course of action, however appealing it may appear to be, is courting disaster.


The Day of Judgment That You Can Not Escape By Death
After the millennium the second general resurrection will take place and then will come the appointed Day of Judgment! (Rev.20:7-15) In the diary of the Almighty the Great Day of Judgment has already been appointed. The dictionary describes an 'appointment' as an arrangement to meet or visit at a particular date and time. And that is exactly how the Almighty makes His appointments. They all relate to particular dates and times in His calendar - the sacred calendar. Of course we do not know the exact year of the Judgment, but God knows. Not only has He appointed the date, He has also appointed the Judge.


The Appointed Day of Judgment and He Who Will Judge
Acts 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men every where to repent: 31: Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.

Revelation 20:11  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. 12: 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. 13: 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. 14: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.


The New Earth
After the Great Day of Judgment, the next event in the Diary of the Almighty is the Creation of the new universe.

Revelation 21:1 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. 2: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3: 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. 4: 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. 5: 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. 6: 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. 7: He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8: 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 burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

It is not possible to imagine, far less describe, the glory and bliss of the earth made new. The finest scenes on this planet and our happiest moments are as nothing when compared to the paradise to come. The new earth will be a wonder to behold and a glory to live on. No one can afford to miss it. You must make sure you and your loved ones are there. Your invitation to that eternal paradise has all the guarantees of the Word of God! Yahweh sent His only begotten Son to die for your sins, so that you might accept His offer of everlasting life in that new universe. Accept His offer before it is eternally too late! The apostle Paul summarizes in 1 Cor.2:9 the prospect of living in paradise for all time with these wonderful words:
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."