Today, we pick up in Mark 13 with Jesus teaching his disciples about the end times. Last week, we studied his second coming, which takes place before his millennial reign. Now, we will look to the book of Revelation to learn more about the time of his 1,000-year reign.

Revelation 20:1–6 (ESV) — 1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. 4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

The Character of the Millennium

This chapter has caused no small controversy throughout the life of the church. My view is that the received position of the early church was that all this would happen quite literally and visibly and Jesus would one day return and reign on earth for a thousand years. It wasn't until a few centuries later theologians began to wonder if the thousand years were figurative and if the reign of Christ was invisible or spiritual. But, over and over again -- six times! -- Revelation says Jesus will reign for a thousand years (Revelation 20:2, 3, 5, 6, 7). I take this to mean -- wait for it -- that Jesus will reign for a thousand years after he returns. But what is the purpose of Jesus reigning on this earth for a thousand years? Why not graduate us to the new heavens and new earth right away? Why wait? What will happen during those thousand years? Why will they be so special? The answers lie in the pages of the Old Testament. From the beginning, God had made promise after promise about a coming age of glory, peace, prosperity, righteousness, and justice. He had promised to reign over a golden age of human existence, one where mankind is devoted to God. And many of those Old Testament promises must still come to pass. They will, during the millennial reign of Jesus after his return. Let me show you six amazing things that will happen during this future time.

1. Christ Will Visibly Reign

The first element of the millennium is that Jesus Christ will visibly reign. Many people will survive the tribulation -- it is the armies of the nations and the beast that are killed or judged -- and Jesus will rule over remaining humanity. From Jerusalem, often called Zion in the Bible, Jesus will lead. And people will love his leadership! Consider Isaiah 2:3–4 (ESV):

3 Many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Isaiah's description is of an age of total peace, where Christ judges the nations. On that day, Zechariah says, "The LORD will be king over all the earth" (Zechariah 14:9). David was promised a descendant to sit on the throne forever, and Jesus is that descendant (Jeremiah 23:5). So the first element of the millennium is that Christ will visibly reign.

2. The Church Will Reign with Him

The second element of the millennium is that the church will reign with Jesus. Believers today will be with Christ tomorrow, leading and living in the golden millennial age. Consider these statements from Paul:

1 Corinthians 6:2 (ESV) — 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? 2 Timothy 2:12 (ESV) — 12 If we endure, we will also reign with him... This idea is pictured in Revelation 20, the passage we began with. Not only does Christ reign, but John also "saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed" (Revelation 20:4). They will reign with him for a thousand years (Revelation 20:6). Every summer, my family goes to Tahoe City on the lake's northwest side. The word is that the actress Helen Mirren has a house on the coastline there. I've never seen her. But the running joke in our home is that I am trying to do a good job as a pastor so Jesus will make me mayor of Tahoe City in the millennium. And maybe he'll give me Helen Mirren's house. Ridiculous, I know, but there are plenty of passages about the thrones and crowns and rewards Jesus will dole out to his people -- people saved only by his precious blood and not by their works -- and I believe many of these might be positions of responsibility in his kingdom. I don't know about you, but I'm hoping for a promotion. So, the second element is that we will rule with Jesus.

3. Spiritual Life Will Come to Israel

The third element of the millennium is that spiritual life will arise in Israel. Jeremiah spoke of a day when the law would be written on Israelite hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). Ezekiel saw a day when the dry bones of Israel were raised to life and given the breath of God's Spirit (Ezekiel 37:1-4). Zechariah described a future day when Israel would have a spirit of grace and prayer for mercy, mourning over Jesus (Zechariah 12:10). He went on to say:

Zechariah 13:1 (ESV) — 1 “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness." With this renewal and vigor for God, Israel will rise to prominence, partly because Jesus will reign from Jerusalem. As Paul said, a partial hardening has come upon Israel during our current church age (Romans 11:25). One day, however, God will revive Israel. This revival seems to start in the tribulation and come to full completion during Christ's millennial reign. Next week, we will look at the remaining three things that will happen during Christ’s millennial reign.