The Millennium is an era of time during which the world as we know it will be peaceful, prosperous, and under the power and authority of Jesus Christ. It’s the bridge between Christ’s Second Coming and the eternal enclaves of the new heaven, the new earth, and the everlasting capital of New Jerusalem.
Of course, this raises a good question. Why did God plan it like this? In place of beginning the eternal state at the moment of Christ’s return, why have a Millennium at all?
To Reward the People of God
There are scores of promises scattered throughout the Bible, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, guaranteeing God's people that they will receive rewards for faithful service (Matthew 16:27; Matthew 25:34; Revelation 22:12). And part of our heavenly reward will be to reign and rule with Christ upon this earth during the Millennium. Each of us will have opportunities to serve the Lord based on our faithfulness in serving Him right now.
To Respond to the Prophets’ Predictions
Many of the promises God made to Israel through the Old Testament prophets have yet to be fulfilled, but they will be—during the Millennium.
The coming Golden Age is the appointed time when King Jesus will rule over the earth with His saints as co-regents with Him, just as it is predicted in Psalm 72:11 and Isaiah 9:7. Perhaps the greatest prediction has to do with the factual promise that a descendant of David will sit on Israel’s throne, in keeping with the covenant God made with David in 2 Samuel 7:16.
Without the Millennium, none of those prophecies could be fulfilled.
Many of the promises God made to Israel through the Old Testament prophets have yet to be fulfilled, but they will be—during the Millennium.
To Receive an Answer to the Disciples' Prayer
Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Every day, millions of Christians utter that prayer.
God can answer this prayer in intermediate ways now; but the ultimate fulfillment awaits the Millennium. That’s when the kingdom will come in its fullness, and His will will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.
To Reemphasize the Necessity of Christ's Death
During the Millennium, those faithful servants who survive the Tribulation will bear children in whom the sin nature will reside because the fallen human nature of man will not be eliminated until eternity begins at the end of the millennial kingdom. At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be released, and he will stir up a final rebellion against God just as he did in the Garden of Eden (Revelation 20:1-3, 7-8). That's right—even though Christ is ruling and reigning on the earth during the Millennium, some will yet be deceived. This demonstrates just how deeply man needs a Savior. Man can never achieve righteousness apart from God.
Satan’s final rebellion against God demonstrates just how deeply man needs a Savior.
To Redeem Creation
Genesis 3 describes the horrors of a world cursed by God because of sin, while Romans 8 describes a coming time when that curse will be lifted. The Millennium is the only period in history where such a lifting of the curse can be found.
Scripture gives us a glimpse of the peace creation will enjoy in the Millennium—our return to Eden:
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:6-9, ESV).
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