The Thousand Years' ,Reign of Christ and the Saintsabrahamicfaith.org/...thousand_years_reign_of_christ_nd_the_saints.pdf · The Thousand Years',Reign of Christ and the Saints 1.The

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Lesson VI

The Thousand Years',Reign of Christ and the Saints

1. The Purpose of Christ's Reignis to Subdue "All enemies"

THE MISSIONof Christ's reign is to extirpate "all enem-ies" from the earth, which is now "subject to, vanity" <Rom.8.:20>'The specifications of evil here given as vanquished byhis reign are representative only:

(a) All human governments will be abolished <Isa.24:21-23; Rev. 19:11-20;Isa. 17:13,14; Psa. 2:4,5; 110:5,6; 1 Sam.~:10; Dan.2:44; 7:13,14; Psa.72; 74:20; Rev. 11:15).

(b) There will be but one kingdom "under the whole heav-en"; the kingdom of God (Psa.2:1-12; 72:8; Dan 2:44; 7:27;Num.24:17; Rev.11:15; Zech. 14:9; 9:10),

(c) There will be but one religion, the true one; the relig-Ion of Christ and his government <Isa.45:23-25;52:1,7-10;66:i7-23; Zech. 14:16; 8:23; 9:7; Rev. 5:9-14; Zeph. 3:9; Mal. 1:11).

72 Bible Lessons on First Principles

(d) All idols and idolators shall be destroyed (Isa. 2:18;42:17; Psa. 97:7; Zech. 13:2).

(e) War "shall cease to the ends of the earth" (Psa. 46:9;Isa. 2:4; 9:5; Hos. 2:18; Zech. 9:10; Ezek. 39:9,10; Rev. 20:1-3l.

(f) Premature death will exist, no more (Isa. 65:20-2:-1;Zech. 8:4,5l.

(g) The land of Israel will be transformed from barren-ness to fertility, being made beautiful, fruitful, and gloriousIsa. 35:1;' 41:18,19,20; Amos 9:13-15; Is'a. 60:13; 65:17-2:>;Zech. 8:3-8,12). '

,,(h) The city of Jerusalem will be built again, broadened,enlarged, and adorned by the "precious things" of all nations(Psa. 72:10; Isa. 26:15; Revised Version: Zech. 14:20. RevisedVersion; 1sa. 33:17, Revised Version; Jer. 31:33; Isa. 60:10-18; Hag. 2:6-9; Jer. 3:17l.

(i) The Jews and Israelites will become fast friends and 3

united nation, with whom the Gentiles will join to yield a na-tional and happy obedience to the King oCkings, Lord of host"and ruler' of the whole earth (Zech. 8:23; J r. 8:17,18; Rev.15:4; 1sa. 25:7,8; 2:2,3; 45: 14-25; Ezek. 37:21-24l.

(j) There will be a sevenfold increase of llght, both solo#and lunar Usa. 4:5; 30:26; 60:19; Zech. 2:5; 14:6,7; Rev. 21:11,18,22-26; 22:5).

(k) The earth and its, animal inhabitants, to a large ex-tent, will partake of the blessings of the tim s (lsn. 11:6-9;65:25'; Hos. 2:18; Ezek, 34:25,28;' Rom. 8:19-23: Rev: 22:3>.

II. The Reign of Christ a Transitional Period

, , The subjects of the kingdom of God, the, remnants of theJewish and Gentile nations who "find grace" (Jer. 31-2) andsurvive as "the left of. the nations" (Zech. 14;16) at th com-ing of Christ and the setting up of the kingdom of od, mulltiply rapidly with the pangs of child-birth mttlgat d. Theysoon develop into numerous and strong nation. orne of the

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IV. The Supremacy of Christ Ends:

God's Direct Supremacy Begins

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people are righteous, and some of them are wicked. Sin anddeath continue among both classes in a modified form duringfthe reign of Christ (Gen. 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:15; Ex. 1:19; Isa, 66:7-9; Lev. 23:10-20;1 Cor. 15:23-26;Mal. 3:18; Jas. 1:18; Rev.14:1; 5:10; Ezek. 44:22,25;Isa, 65:20; Zech. 8:4; Isa, 60:21>.

III. There is a "LitHe Season" of Judgment

After the Thousand Years ExpIre

During this "season" the just and the unjust of that age,including both the living and the dead, are judged. The right-eous are approved and immortalized; the wicked are rejectedand consigned to shame and the second death. Mortality hasnow been abolished by salvation and destruction, and death,"the last enemy," destroyed (Rev. 20; 21; 1 Cor. 15:24-28).

With the abolition of "all enemies" from the presence ofthe Lord and from the face of the earth, there comes achange in the administration of the kingdom of God. With ailthe wicked "cut off", none remain but the righteous, who areredeemed. glorified, and immortalized, and who inherit theearth forever. Christ's work as Prophet, Priest, Savior, andKing is now finished; and he presents a redeemed earth and aglorified people to his Father, who takes the kingdom into hisown hands and reveals himself without mediation (Matt. 5:8;1 Cor. 11:3; 15:23-28;Eph. 1-10,22; Heb. 2:5-9; Rev. 21:1-7;22:3).


SYNTHETIC REMARKSI. THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST'S REIGN

IS TO SUBDUE "ALL ENEMIES'"

THE KINGDOM of God is designed for gracious ends.Its establishment means the d.estruction of the wicked, thesalvation of the righteous, and the emancipation of the na-tions from the thraldom of sin. "All the foundations of theearth are out of course" (Psa, 82:5). The riches of theearth are "cornered" by the opulent and hoarded away inthe palaces of a surfeited few. In a world of plenty themasses of humanity, through "man's inhumanity to man,"misrule, and oppression, are forced to eke out a miserableexistence, weltering in poverty, ignorance, and squalor."The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof" (Psa. 24:1): but his liberality has been selfishly monopolized by thecoveteous and fraudulently squandered by the prodigal. Theearth is filled with a surplusage of God's goodness whichhe has lavished upon the sons of men (Psa. 33:5); but hisbounty has been rapaciously plundered by pirates and "foodsharks" and doled out at exorbitant prices to famishing mil-lions. We are sorely in need of a Savior, a Great One; andGod has provided him whom he will soon send to deliver us(lsa. 19:20; Acts 3:20). "Jesus is the One." When he comeshe will cure the world's ills by setting up the kingdom ofGod. It is through the kingdom of God and the reign ofChrist that "all rule and all authority and all power" aresubdued to God. "He must reign till he hath put all enem-ies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyedis death" (1 Cor. 15:24-26). So completely will all things be"gathered together in one in Christ" and put under his feetthat God alone is "excepted" from the otherwise universalsubjugation (Eph. 1:10; 1 Cor. 15:27). "All enemies" inelud-es evils as well as personal adversaries, which is apparent

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from the fact that "death" is catalogued as one of them,and is said to be the "last" one destroyed. All evil on earthis to he extirpated by the kingdom and reign of Christ.Ev-ils and enemies are literal, and they must be literally des-troyed or cured by a literal Judge and Redeemer. Theycannot be literalized into times' that are past, norspiritual-ized into the history of Christianity, nor celestialized intoheaven, nor 'allegorized into the perfect state after the mil-lennium, nor idealized into oriental abstractions. "All en-emies" comprehends more than can be computed; but therepresentative ones definitely specified 'in the lesson asamong 'the "vanquished" may be taken as an epitome ofthem all. Synthetic remarks upon them here would be su~perfluous.

II. THE REIGN OF 'CHRISTA TRANSITIONAL PERIOD

As the first coming of Christ was followed by the Chris-,tian dispensation,so his second coming will be followed bythe millennial age. When the' kingdom of God is inauguratedand the reign of- Christ is in process of administration; ade-quate machinery' will exist on earth for .the control andfinal extermination of evil. In the procedure of extirpatingevil from the earth; however, we must let God lead usev-ery step of.the way, and depend entirely upon what he hassaid in' lucid and perfect statements. When we read that"many people,""manynatiofis," and "strong nations afaroff," which were formerly "scattered"at Babel (Gen. 11:8),now become unifiedand "flow'.' to Jerusalem "like a rtver" (Isa. 66:12), to participate in national and internationalconcerts of prayer before the Lord in Mount Zion (Isa. 2:2;Micah 4: 2,3; Zech. 8::22;23; Jer. 3:17; Rev. 15:4; Isa, 25:7,8; 45: 14-25), we. must recall the fact that these peopleandmltionsare.raised upfrom a "~temnantwhieh was spar-ed in. the comhigratlonattending the coming of .Ghrist (Mi.cah 4:7; Zech. 8:6; Lesson 5). Magnificent, national, inter-


national, and millennial statements like "all nations shanserve him," "all nations shall call him blessed" (Psa, 72:11,17), must be aualified in harmony with antecedent ad-vent judgments.' They are so qualified in the same chapterwhere the statements are made. Blasts of judgments;storms, both terrific and destructive, attend the re-establish-merit of David's throne under Christ (Rev, 4:1-5). These des-troy the majority and discipline "the remnant." Psa. 72:fi,7records this element in the case clearly: "He shall comedown l'ke the ram uoon the mown grass: as showers thatwater the earth. In his day shall the righteous flourish; andabundance of peace so long as the moon endureth." "Surelythe people is grass" (Isa. 40:7). To mow down the grassmeans to mow down the people. Observe, then, that"the righteous" are to flourish, not sinners; and that themillennial rain descends "upon the mown grass." All thesons of Belial are "thrust away" like thorns when David'sson takes his throne (2 Sam. 23:6) Instead of the Sodomitesand others, "lewdfellows of the baser sort" (Acts.17:5),who have lived in 'the past, and who were so abominablymean' when they did live that God killed them for their in-iquity(Gen. 18:20: 13:12); instead of these; being raisedfrom the dead*and given " a chance" as subjects duringChrist's reign,' as Russellism teaches, the wicked who areliving at the time are mowed down like the grass, and castinto the oven (Matt. 6:30). At that time "the righteous," andthe rizhteous only, "flourish." It is after the grass is mownthat "he comes down like rain" to "strengthen the thingswhich remain, that are ready to die" (Rev. 3:2); it is afterthe storm of judgment at Christ's coming has passed overthat "the sun of righteousness'.' (Mal. 4:2) breaks throughthe dispersing clouds "like the light of the morning, whenthe sun riseth, even a morning without clouds, as the

*WHO are raised from .the dead, WHEN they are raised,for WHAT they are raised, and many other interesting ques-tions relating to the resurrection are discussed in Lessons V.IX, and X.


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tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining af-ter rain" (2 Sam. 23:4). The adults are "the grass" whichis mown: the children are the "tender grass which springsout of the earth," and which is nourished by the copiousrains and fructified by the "clear shining" sun after thestorms and clouds have disappeared. "He that remaineth,even he, shall be for our God" (Zech. 9: 7), and God shallbe for him (Zech. 13:9). Like the farmer, God saves a"seed," the fittest and the best, the children of the time,who have not yet formed any bad habits or imbibed anyfalse doctrines (Deut. 1:39); and by mitigating the pangs ;fchild-birth, like the type of Israel under Moses (Ex. 1:12,19).a people "shall be born," another "generation" shall beraised up in righteousness which speedily grow into nationsand kingdoms (Psa. 22:30,31,27,28). The "children shallcontinue (Psa. 102:28),be painlessly prolific (Isa. 66:7-9;60:9), enjoy longevity (Isa. 65:20-24), and multiply from a:"remnant" and "seed" into "many people" and "strongnations" with amazing alacrity. The reader is asked to notethis fact well; for it puts world-burners to shame and at thesame time pulls up Russellism by the roots. This scripturaltruth may be compared to a two-edged sword: with oneedge we slay world-burning, and with the other; Russelism."All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worshipbefore thee, 0 Lord, and shall glorify thy name" (Psa, 86:9). These nations are "made," and made in the way hereexplained.

The first thousand years after the establishment of thekingdom of God will blend the elements of perfection andimperfection, immortality and mortality. Immortality will


be displayed in Christ and the saints (Phil. 3:20,21; Luke20:36); mortality in the subject inhabitants. The millenniaireign is not a perfect state. It is during this time thatChrist puts down "all rule and all authority and all power,and all enemies" (1 Cor. 15:24,25); but if these "enemies"are to be subjugated then, it is surely evident to the readerthat they must exist for that which does not exist cannotbe "put down." There are "enemies," then, in the kingdomof God at first. All things that offend and those who do in.iquity are to be gathered out of the kingdom (Matt. 13:41).The reign of Christ is a transitional period intervening be--tween the pureJy animal age of now and the purely spirit-ual age of eternity. Some have overlooked the compositestate of the millennium, the admixture of good and evil, andhave reached the conclusion that although the subjects ofthe kingdom are mortal, yet if they are righteous they shall"live on" - meaning that they shall continue to live to theend of the thousand years, and are then immortalized with-out dying. The only death they can conceive of during thistime is for the wicked, and only for them in cases of con-tumacy. In contravention of this idea the saints are calledthe first fruits of God and the Lamb (Rev. 14:1-4). SinceChrist and the saints are both called "first fruits" (1 Cor.15:23; Lev. 23:10-20; Jas. 1:18), analogy requires us to findthe nature of the harvest in the first fruits - Christ andthe saints. They are "samples" of the harvest. Neither ofthem "lived on" until they were immortalized. On thecontrary, both were faithful and obedient unto death (Phil.2:8,9; Heb. 5:7; Rev. 2:10). If man's obedience to the gospelshould give him immunity from death, ungodly men wouldrush pell-mell into it from sinister motives - that of pres-.


ent gain and advantage. Probation necessitates a mixedcondition of good and evil to afford scope for the exerciseof faith. There must be no present visible benefit allottedto those who serve God which seemingly is withheld fromthose who serve him not. The difference between these twoclasses will be made conspicuous in the day of recompense(Mal. 3:18). "Without faith it is impossible to please God"in any age (Heb. 11-6). Conditions in the millennial age,therefore, must be such as to give room for faith, which is"the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of thingsnot seen" (vs. 1; 2 Cor. 5:7). Then the existence of sacri-fice in Christ's reign (Zech. 14:21; Mal. 3:4; Isa. 60:7)points to death as still 'in operation among those who offer.Again, the fact that the saints exercise the double office ofkings and priests also argues that sin and death still ex-ist (Rev. 5:10) Or those kingly and priestly functions wouldbe superflous. Boys, girls, the aged with staff in theirhands, and "old men who have filled their days" are allseparately and distinctly spoken of (Zech. 8:4,5; Isa. 65:20),showing that there is still the imperfection of birth, child-hood, old age, and the completion of natural life without tileidea of judicial infliction for contumacy. "The child shalldie an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundredyears old shall be accursed" (Isa. 65:20). The word "child"in this text is used in contrast to the word "sinner"; "die"is also opposed to "accursed." The passage means, then."The child (righteous) shall die," etc. - a positive asser-tion that natural death continues to prey upon the righteousof that age as well as upon the sinner (Ezek. 44:22,25,26).And Paul's declarations in 1 Cor. 15:23-26 confirm this con-

80 Bible Lessons on First Principlesr"'elusion. He says there is a "first," an "afterwards," and a"then" in the "order" of resurrection. According to his un-derstanding there is a resurrection at "the end," a necess-ity which grows out of the fact that the sunjects of thekingdom have been subject to death throughout the reign ofChrist. Paul is certain regarding the fact that the reign ofChrist results in putting down "ell enemies," including"death," which he says is "the last." Add to this the whole-sale infliction of death upon myriads at the close of the mil-lennium ('Rev. 20:8,9), and the conviction is irresistible thatdeath, "the last enemy," is of common occurance through-_out the millennium. In fact, calling death "the last enemy"implies that all other enemies are abolished before it, andthat therefore it lives longer than any of the rest, reachingclear down to "the end."

III. A "LITTLE SEASON" OF JUDGMENTAFTER THE THOUSAND YEARS

This proposition is a logical upshot from the previousthesis. The millennium ends, like all preceding dispensa-tions have ended, in judgment. The theory which requiresthe righteous to "live on" to the end of that age, and whichsummarily executes the wicked during the same time, reach-es the close of the thousand years with all the righteousalive and all the wicked dead. Such a consumation as thi~clashes with the divine record in many respects. It logicallyand practically nullifies all the following events, which Johnsays transpire during a "little season" after the thousandyears have ended (Rev. 20:7-15):

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Bible Lessons on Firat Principle~ al

(a) Satan is loosed out of his prison;

(b) He deceives the nations;(c) Under his leadership' war is revived, an army is or-

ganized, and Jerusalem, "the beloved city," is surrounded byan army as numerous as "the san,d of the sea"; .

(d) All the belligerents are "devoured" by a downpour offire from heaven; .

(e) The dead, both "small and great," the righteous andthe wicked, are raised out of the sea, death, and hell (thegrave) ;

(f) Both classes, the good and the bad, are judged "ac-cording to their' works"; .

(g) Those "written in the book of life" are given "the life"which "the book" promises them, namely, immortal life. Theyare the harvest of which Christ and the .saints are the firstfruits. The after-fruits' or harvest of "thein that sleep" mustcorrespond in kind -and .nature With the Immortalized Christand his brethren. This is just as certain as that law of naturewhich' causes the' after-fruits and the gatherings of any givencrop or harvest to always be exactly-of the same kind andnature as the first fruits; and

(h) "Whosoever was not found written in the book of lifewas cast into the lake of fire." The Wicked.perish forever inthis lake of destruction. They are completely blotted out ofJehovah's creation. They suffer an oblivion from which thereis no reclaim bv resurrection. With. these. perish the devil.death, and hell (the grave; see the margin in verse 13). Whenthe Wicked are no more (Psa: 104:35) there- cannot be foundupon earth a stain of sin, a foot-print of the devil, or .a trace.of death and the grave. Mortality is now extinct, .and .death,"the last enemy," is destroyed. ... .,. .'

IV THE SUPREMACY OF CHRIST ENDS:GOD'S DIRECT SUPREMACX BEGINS

During the millennium there are .three. classes of beingson earth: first, the immortal Christ and his glorified chur-

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ch; second, the Jews restored; and third, the Gentiles, bothstill in mortality. The relation of these three classes maybe compared to the' threefold division of the tabernacle,Which is declared to be typical in character (Heb. 9:8,9).Christ and his glorified bride represent the Holy of Holies,converted and restored Israel the Holy Place, and the Gen-tiles who are joined to Israel (Zech. 8:20-23), the Court ofthe Gentiles: In thlscomparlson the reader must rememberthat the veil of the Holiest is now rent asunder (Matt. 27:51), so that as the Christocracy triumphantly unfolds itselfall people and all lands are embraced in the light 'of God'sfavor.' The symbol of the divine presence - the cloud - wasat first confined within the ark. in the wilderness; .butwhen the temple of Solomon was dedicated it so filled thehouse that "the priests could not stand to minister by reas-on of the. cloud" (2 Chron .. 5.: 14); InIts final out-stretch itwill encompass the world with its glory, and then the wholeearth will become a Holy of Holies (Psa. 72:19). Distinctsteps are dearly marked in this march towards perfection.When Christ returns all the holy angels come with him(l\1:att.25.:31); to this "innumerable company of angels" the'.'church of the firstborn" are- added in perpetual ties oflove and fellowship (Reb. 12:22-24). After these angels andsaints have resided oil earth a thousand years (Rev. 20:9)"God himself'; takes up his abode on the earth, which is!flOW declared to be "the tabernacle of God" (Rev. 21:3).Pity the people who want to go to heaven! Instead of saintsgoing to heaven, the Father and Son and the holy angelsare all coming here! When Christ comes he "sets up" thekingdom; but a thousandyears afterwards he"deliv~s itup" to God (1 Cor. 15:24). "Of his kingdom there shall be..


no end" (Luke 1:33); but there is a change in its adminis-tration at the close of the millennium. Ohrist and the saintsshine like the sun and stars of 'the firmament (Matt. 13:43;Dan. 12:3); they are "the heavens" that rule during thistransitional period (Dan. 4:26; Isa. 1:2, 10). As the Lamb andBride they are called "the great city Jerusalem," a heaven-ly polity upon earth; but as fhe millennium passes into his-tory they are seen "descending out of heaven from God"(Rev. 21:10). As "the holy city, new Jerusalem," they "comedown from Cod out of heaven (vs, 2) because at that timethey vacate the thrones on which they have' reigned askings, priests, and judges on the earth (Rev. 20). "Then:'shall ,the Son also himself become subject unto him that putall things under him, that God may be all and in all" (1Cor. 15:28). This change in the headship of the kingdomfrom Christ to God may be understood and appreciated inthe light of Paul's statement, "The head of. Ohristis God"(1 Cor. 3:23; 11:3)*. Both Christ and his subordinate kings,the saints, now "descend" and "come down": they abdicatetheir thrones of absolute and direct sovereignty to makeroom for the more direct and visible headship of God, whois now "all and in all." Sin is now eradicated from toeearth, and "God himself" appears without mediation. "Thelast enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (1 Cor. 15:26).,All that are sinful, and therefore all that are deathful (Rom.5:12), are destroyed. Death and hell (the grave) are literallydestroyed with them, because there will then be none uponwhom either can prey. The earth will pass through many

•• In both the Old and New Testaments the word "head" isoften used, as here, to denote master, ruler, chief (Numbers17:3; 25:15; Deut. 28:13; Judges 10:18; 1 Sam. 15:17; Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Col. 2:10),

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convulsions before she reaches redemption; but sweet willbe her final deliverance, and grand the day of her consum-mate glory. The millennium, which is the bud of eternity.will then bloom in its glory never to fade, and celestialpeace and repose will settle upon the new earth never to bedisturbed. In the last words of God's revelation we are per-:mitted to gaze unveiled upon the earth when all the wickedare rooted out of it. We are shown the righteous, its solepossessors, immortal, enjoying forever the celestial bless-ings to which they had been called by "the glad tidings ofthe kingdom" (Luke 8:1), even "his kingdom and glory" (1Thess. 2:12) - both of which they shall enjoy forever inblessed partnership will} the redeemed and the Redeemer,the holy angels, and "God himself," as the following Scrip-tures graphically describe:

"As truly as 1 live, all the earth shall be filled with theglory of the LOrd" (Num. 14:21; Isa, 11:9; Hab. 2:14L

"The upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect manshall remain in it; but the wicked shall be cut off from theearth and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it" (Prov.2:21,22L

"And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of Godand of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall servehim: and they shall see his face; for his name shall be intheir foreheads" (Rev. 22:3,4).

", . . . God himself shall be with them, and be their God.And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and thereshall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neithershall there be any more pain: for the former things are pass-ed away" (Rev. 21:3).

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The Thousand Years' ,Reign of Christ and the Saintsabrahamicfaith.org/...thousand_years_reign_of_christ_nd_the_saints.pdf · The Thousand Years',Reign of Christ and the Saints 1.The