Reigning With King Jesus Christ!

This article is a continuation of a previous post entitled "Christ Kingdom Will Come!" It begins exactly where the other left off. So this is actually part two of Revelation chapter twenty's exposition.

II. Saints Reign with Christ During the Millennial Age (Rev. 20:4-6).

All Saints Will Reign with Christ (Rev. 20:4-6)          

A.  THE PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM AGE (REV. 20:4-5).

   1.  Civil Rulers of The Kingdom.

        A.  The Bride of Christ: Believers from the Church Age.

The church age believers will share in this reign, as symbolized by the twenty-four elders (Rev. 5:10).

Rev. 2:26-28, And he that overcometh, and keepeth 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. [28] And I will give him the morning star.

Rev. 3:21,  To him that overcometh 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.

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

(See also 1Cor. 6:2-3;1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Tim. 2:12).

        B.  Tribulation Saints: Primarily Martyrs, but includes all believers from the Tribulation Period.

              1.  The Tribulation Martyrs Will Be Raised from the Dead and Given Glorious Thrones and Rewards

(Rev. 6:9; 18:24; 19:2).

                    A.  These who were executed because they rejected the mark of the beast (Rev. 13:16) will reign with King Christ.

                    B.  Tribulation believers who survived the Tribulation age will reign with Christ also during the 1,000 year kingdom. 2 Tim. 2:12, If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: . . . .

              2.  The 144,000 Jewish Servants will Also share in the glorious reign of Christ.

This could possibly be what is depicted in Rev. 14:1-5.

        C.  The First Resurrection Saints: Jewish Old Testament Believers.

              1.  The Old Testament saints will also be a part of this "first resurrection".

                   A.  Resurrected Jewish Believers will be a part of Christ’s Kingdom age.

Daniel 12:1-4,  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. [2] And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. [3] And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. [4] But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

        

                   B.  The Nation of Israel will be Saved and Restored to her Privileged Place.

Matthew 19:28,  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.   (See “Restitution” Acts 3:21; Rom 8:19-23)

                  C.  The Kingdom of God on Earth Will Include All Believers from All Ages.

Luke 13:28-29,  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. [29] And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

                          1.  QUOTE: “Unbelieving Israelites will see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God.  They themselves expected to be there, simply because they were related t Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but they will be thrust out.  Gentiles will travel to the brightness of Christ’s kingdom from all corners of the earth and enjoy its wonderful blessings.  Thus many Jews who were first in God’s plan for blessing will be rejected, while the Gentiles who were looked down upon as dogs will enjoy the blessings of Christ’s Millennial Reign.”   —William MacDonald

                           2.  QUOTE: “Jesus pictured them looking in the windows at the ancestors on whom they had depended for their salvation -- the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They will also see all the prophets, many of whom had been slain for speaking God's messages. Such people will be feasting in the Kingdom of God because they had loved and obeyed him. These men had not had the opportunity to see the Messiah, but

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they had loved God, believed his promises, and trusted that he would accomplish what he said. Thus, they received places in the kingdom. By contrast, many of these Jewish people, who did have the opportunity to eat and drink with and then listen to the teachings of the Messiah himself (13:26), subsequently rejected him. For such rejection they would be thrown out of the kingdom.    (See Luke 13:28-30).

God's kingdom will include people from every part of the world. Israel's rejection of Jesus as Messiah would not stop God's plan. . . .  Jesus promised that people will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast (see Isa 49:12).”  (See also Rom 4:16-25; Gal 3:6-9).  — The Life Application Commentary

                  D.  There Will Also Be Many Surprises in God's Kingdom.

                        1.  Some who are despised now will be greatly honored then; some influential people here will be left outside the gates.

                        2.  Many "great" people on this earth (in God's eyes) are virtually ignored by the rest of the world.

                        3.  What matters to God is not a person's earthly popularity, status, wealth, heritage, or power, but his or her commitment to Christ.

                        4.  How do your values match what the Bible tells you to value?

                        5.  Put God in first place, and you will join people from all over the world who will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of heaven.

                        6.  Be a First-Place Finishers

QUOTE: “If nations grow by war and conquest, God's kingdom grows slowly and quietly. If successful people fight to the top, successful Christians enjoy the bottom. Someday, all the strategies for greatness the world has devised will be dismantled as God's kingdom fully emerges. The poor, ordinary, faithful believer will be honored as first; the powerful pagan will be relegated to last. Don't be troubled by your ordinary life today. Faithfully follow Jesus. At history's finish line, you will be a champion.”  — (The Life Application Commentary)

              2.  The Phrase "General Resurrection" Is Not Found in the Bible.

On the contrary, the Bible teaches two resurrections:

                    A.  The first is of the saved and leads to blessing, the second is of all the lost and leads to judgment.  John 5:28-29,  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, [29] And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Daniel 12:2,  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

                    B.  These two resurrections will be separated by 1,000 years (Rev. 20:5,12-14).

               3.  The “First Resurrection” is Not an Event but a Series of Resurrections of the Redeemed (Rev. 20:5).

                    A.  The Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Cor. 15:23,  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

                    B.  The Church Ages Believers.

1 Thes. 4:16-17,  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

                    C.  The Resurrection of Tribulation Saints (Rev. 20:4).

                    D.  The Resurrection of Old Testament Saints (Dan. 12:2).

To these may be added the resurrection of Old Testament saints which apparently will also occur at this time, though it is not mentioned in this text (Ezek. 37:12-14; Dan. 12:2-3).

Isaiah 26:19-21,  Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. [20] Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. [21] For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

   2.  Citizens Residing in the Nations.

During the Millennium, the inhabitants of the earth will include not only glorified saints, but also citizens of the nations who bow in submission to Jesus Christ.

Matthew 8:11,  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 25:31-34,  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: [32] And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: [33] And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. [34] Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

         A.  Because of the earth's perfect conditions, people will live long lives (Isa 65:17-25, especially v. 20).

         B.  They will marry and have children who will outwardly conform to our Lord's righteous rule. But not all of them will be truly born again as the Millennium progresses. 

         C.  This explains why Satan will be able to gather a great army of rebels at the close of the Kingdom Age (Rev 20:8).

B.  THE PERIOD OF THE KINGDOM AGE (REV. 20:4B-5).

   1.  The Phrase "Thousand Years" Occurs Six Times in Rev 20:1-7.

        A.  This period in history is known as "the Millennium," from two Latin words, mille ("thousand") and annum ("year") - the 1,000-year kingdom of Christ on earth.

        B.  At last Christ and His church will reign over the nations of the earth, and Israel will enjoy the blessings promised by the prophets (see Isa 2:1-5; 4; 11:1-9; 12; 30:18-26; 35).

   2.  Is this a Literal Kingdom on Earth, or Should These Verses Be "Spiritualized" and Applied to the Church Age Today?

        A.  Some interpreters say that the term “a thousand years” is simply a number meaning “ultimate perfection” (10 x 10 x 10 = 1,000). They assert that it is a symbol of Christ’s victory and the church’s wonderful blessings now that Satan has been defeated and bound.

        B.  This view is known as amillennialism, which means “no millennium” - that is, no literal kingdom.

   3.  The Problem with this View Is That it Does Not Explain Why John Introduced the Period with a Resurrection of the Dead. (Rev. 20:5).

         A.  He was certainly not writing about a “spiritual” resurrection, because he even told how these people died!

         B.  And in Rev 20:5, John wrote of another literal resurrection.

         C.  If we are now in the 1,000-year kingdom of victory, when did this resurrection take place? It seems reasonable to assume that John wrote about a literal physical resurrection of the dead, and a literal kingdom on earth .

         D.  QUOTE: “Since other time designations in Revelation are literal (e.g., “42 months,” 11:2; 13:5; “1,260 days,” 11:3; 12:6) it is natural to take “a thousand years” literally also. If the term “a thousand years” designates a nonspecific but long period of time, the present Age between Christ’s two advents, as amillenarians hold, then one would expect John to say simply that Christ would reign “a long time,” in contrast to the “short time” of Satan’s release (20:3).

Events which precede the thousand years are (a) the second coming of Christ, (b) the beast and the false prophet thrown into the fiery lake, (c) the armies destroyed, (d) Satan bound and locked in the Abyss, (e) thrones of judgment introduced, and (f) the martyred dead of the Tribulation resurrected. These events revealed in their proper sequence make it clear that the thousand-year period follows all these events, including the second coming of Christ. The conclusion that the Second Coming is premillennial is clearly supported by a normal, literal interpretation of this text.”   — Walvoord, J. F.

C.  THE PROMISE OF THE KINGDOM AGE (REV. 20:6A).

Rev 20:6 describes the special blessings of those who share in the first resurrection.

      1.  They Will Be Blessed With the Privilege to Enter the Kingdom.

          A.  Blessed. Those who die in the Lord (Rev. 14:13) are blessed with the privilege of entering His kingdom (Rev. 1:3).  “Blessed” begins the fifth of seven beatitudes in Revelation. The other six (Rev. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 22:7, 14) all look forward to life with Christ beyond the first resurrection (Rev. 20:5).

          B.  Holy.  They did not earn these blessings; they are part of the believer's inheritance in Jesus Christ.  

      2.  They Will Live Free of Any Fear of the Second Death in the Lake of Fire.

          A.  These Resurrected Believers Will Share Christ's Glorious Life, reigning as kings and priests with Him, and never experience the "second death," the lake of fire (hell , Rev 20:14).

           B.  Second Death–The First Death Is Spiritual and Physical, the Second Is Eternal in the lake of fire, the final, eternal hell (Rev. 20:14). It could exist outside the created universe as we know it, outside of space and time, and be presently unoccupied (Rev. 19:20).

      3.  The Lord Will Assure the Hearts of These Believers of Eternal Security and Salvation.

           A.  We Need the Security of Being under Christ's Protection.

John 6:39,  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

                 1.  Jesus said he would not lose even one person whom the Father had given him. Thus anyone who makes a sincere commitment to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior is secure in God's promise of eternal life. 

                 2.  Christ will not let his people be overcome by sin and lose their salvation (see also Phil 1:6).

John 17:12, 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.

           B.  We Need the Security That Comes from Knowing We Have Eternal Life.

1 John 5:11-13,  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. [12] He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. [13] These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

                 1.  Whoever believes in God's Son has eternal life. He is all you need. You don't need to wait for eternal life, because it begins the moment you believe. You don't need to work for it, because it is already yours. You don't need to worry about it, because you have been given eternal life by God himself -- and it is guaranteed.

                 2.  Some people hope that they will receive eternal life. John says we can know we have it. Our certainty is based on God's promise that he has given us eternal life through his Son. This is true whether you feel close to God or far away from him. Eternal life is not based on feelings, but on facts. You can know that you have eternal life if you believe God's truth. If you aren't sure that you are a Christian, ask yourself, Have I honestly committed my life to Christ as my Savior and Lord by faith? If so, you know by faith that you are indeed a child of God.

D.  THE PURPOSE OF THE KINGDOM AGE (REV. 20:6B).  “Shall reign with him”

These believers will be priests of God and of Christ as they reign with him. Their reign, therefore, is their service of God and humanity.

   1.  What Is the Purpose of the Millennial Kingdom?

         A.  For One Thing, it Will Be the Fulfillment of God's Promises to Israel and to Christ (Ps 2).

Luke 1:30-33,  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. [31] And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. [32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: [33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

The kingdom age will fulfill the Abrahamic, Davidic and New Covenant of Israel.

                1.  God promised to bless Abraham and his nation and the entire world through his Seed (Ge. 12:1-3,7; 13:14-18; 15:1-21). Jesus Christ is Abraham's Son and inherits these blessings and bestows them upon those who believe (Mt. 1:1; Ga. 3:6-29). The national, physical aspects of Abraham's covenant will yet be fulfilled to the nation Israel (Je. 30-33).

                2.  The Davidic covenant is an extension of the covenant God made with Abraham (2 Sa. 7:12-17). In the Davidic covenant God reaffirmed and detailed the kingdom aspect of the Abrahamic covenant.  All of this is fulfilled through Jesus Christ, David's Son, who has inherited the throne of David (Mt. 1:1) and who will establish the Davidic kingdom at His return from Heaven (Is. 9:6-7).

                3.  The New Covenant is God's promise to give free blessing to men through Jesus Christ (Je. 31-33; He. 8:7-13; 10:9-22). It was given to the nation Israel (Je. 31-34), but Christians also share in the spiritual aspects of the New Covenant through Christ (He. 8:7-13). The New covenant with Israel promises that God will restore them to their promised land and give them a new heart to obey Him. This will happen when Jesus returns from Heaven (Ro. 11:25-27; Zec. 13-14).

         B.  Our Lord Reaffirmed These Promises to His Own Apostles.

Luke 22:29-30, And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; [30] That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

         C.  This Kingdom Will Be a Worldwide Display of Christ's Glory. 

Even all of nature will be set free from the bondage of sin and the curse (Rom 8:19-22).

               1.  It will be the answer to the prayers of the saints, “My kingdom come!”

               2.  It will also be God’s final demonstration of the sinfulness of sin and the wickedness of the human heart apart from God's grace, but more on this later.

   2.  To Fulfill Our Longing for A Perfect World.

For many centuries, man has dreamed of a "golden age," a "utopia" in which the human race will be free from war, sickness, pain, and even death. Men have tried to achieve this goal on their own and have failed. It is only when Jesus Christ reigns on David's throne that the kingdom will come and the earth be delivered from the oppression of Satan and sin.

Keep your eyes open for the next installment of this exposition of Revelation chapter twenty.