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THE MILLENNIUM
 
 

Before beginning this study please read the following texts: Isa 65:17-25; Jer. 31:33-34; Ezek. 36:25-31.
 
 

Eusebius tells of a feast at the end of the Nicean Council as being really special. (He was an early church historian. The council was in A.D. 325)
 
 

"It felt as if we were imagining a picture of the Kingdom of Christ, and that what was happening was no reality, but a dream."
 
 

I think that we can draw from this that the Eusebius was not Amillennial, and that he viewed the kingdom as yet future and literal.
 
 

I would suggest a couple of items that we did not cover previously concerning the fact that the Lord was offering a kingdom while here the first time around.
 
 

Jn 1 41, "...We have found the Messias which is, being interpreted, the Christ." Andrew viewed the Lord as the Messiah.
 
 

Jn 1 49, "Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel."
 
 

They viewed the Lord in more than a friendly way!!!
 
 

It is not easy to tell how much of the gospels we can relate to the kingdom. It would seem that much of the information would directly relate to the kingdom, in that the Lord was offering it, and preparing people for it.
 
 

Will there be healing in the kingdom? The healing and miracles were a sign of the Messiah's having come, so may not be. Yet, Luke 8:1-3 mention that the Lord was "...shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God...." The context mentions some that had been healed, and they were ministering to the Lord in a material manner. This may be a part of the millennial form of things.
 
 

The kingdom is yet future, due to the fact that the Lord has never returned to set it up. We certainly are not in a kingdom ruled by Christ now!
 
 

When He instituted the Lord's table, He mentioned that He would not partake of it until the kingdom (Lu 22 18). He is not partaking at present to my knowledge.
 
 

Lu 24 30 is of interest. It shows the Lord with the folks on the road to Emmmaus, and as they fellowshipped together He broke bread with them, but did not share of the cup.
 
 

Let us just list some topics of the mill. and their basis.
 
 

This is a brief look at things. The verses listed are only a sampling of many many more that you could use in preparing lessons, and sermons.
 
 

CHILDREN WILL BE BORN:
 
 

Jer. 30 20, "Their children...."
 
 

Isa 65 20 mentions children's death.
 
 

The children born to these godly parents will have opportunity to follow the God of their Fathers, yet it is evident that some will not. Indeed, the indications are that many will not.
 
 

CHRIST WILL RULE:
 
 

Isa 2 4 mentions judging
 
 

Isa 11 3-4 mention that He will judge righteously.
 
 

Jer. 23 5-6 tell that He will be king. His name will be "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
 
 

Ps 72 6-11 mentions that all the kings of the earth will bow before Him.
 
 

He will be here, and in control of all that is going on. He evidently will have help in ruling, which we will see later.
 
 

DAVID WILL RULE:
 
 

Isa 55 3-4 indicates it.
 
 

Jer. 30 9 states it. "But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them."
 
 

Hos. 3 5, "...and seek the Lord their God, and David their king...."
 
 

Ezek. 37 24-25 This text mentions David as their prince, and also shows him as the servant of God.
 
 

Let us set our progress aside for a moment and consider this problem of both Christ and David ruling.
 
 

Some have suggested that "David" is equal to, or

the same as Christ. Since Christ came from the line of David and there was a promise of a Davidic king, then Christ was the fulfillment of that.
 
 

Some see the branch coming from David in the prophets as a literal son of David's line that will be born in the end time. There is no real proof of this thinking. That would add to the confusion, for the texts state David will reign and now we would add a son of David along with Christ and David himself.
 
 

The easiest, most literal interpretation, would fall along these lines. Christ will rule for it is His kingdom, yet David will rule. In Biblical times it was not uncommon for co-regents to exist. One being the actual king in office and name and the other in practice of ruling under the guidance of the king. Christ may use David as a ruling regent. Ezek. 37 24-25 may indicate this in that David is shown as the servant of God, and the Prince of the people.
 
 

It might also be suggested that Christ will reign over all the earth from the heavenly sphere, or possibly the New Jerusalem, while David is over Judah proper.
 
 

I don't think that it would hinder prophecy one bit to limit David to ruling over Israel, while having Christ ruling over the whole earth.
 
 

DEATH:
 
 

Isa 65:20, "...for the child shall die an hundred years old...."
 
 

Though there is death in the kingdom, there is indication in this same verse of long life. This long life will lead to a quick population growth, which would allow for many rejectors at the end of the kingdom.
 
 

EVIL DOERS WILL BE CUT OFF:
 
 

Ps 37 9-11 shows the evil doers will be cut off and the context seems to be similar to the beatitudes. "...the meek shall inherit the earth...." (vs 11)
 
 

HEALING IS INDICATED:
 
 

Isa 35 3-6, "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing...."
 
 

Ezek. 34 16 mentions, "...will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick...."
 
 

HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE FOR EVERYONE:
 
 

Joel 2 28-32, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh...." (28a)
 
 

Though the kingdom will have many aspects in which it is similar to the OT way of things, there seems to be some new parts as well.
 
 

It would be an interesting study to see if the cross wasn't the difference between the OT saints not having the Holy Spirit and the church/kingdom believers having Him indwell them. It certainly seems logical.
 
 

JERUSALEM WILL BE A CENTER OF HOLINESS:
 
 

Zech. 14 21, "Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts...." The same verse goes on to say there will be no Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts, indicating there will only be Jews.
 
 

The Jew of Christ's day saw Jerusalem as the center of the earth, but now in the millennium this will be fact. All roads will lead to Jerusalem, so to speak.
 
 

JERUSALEM WILL BE THE CENTER OF GOVERNMENT:
 
 

Isa 2 2-4 states this.
 
 

JOY:
 
 

Isa 9 3-4, "...they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil."
 
 

Isa 12 3-6
 
 

Indeed, anywhere the Lord is there certainly should be joy!
 
 

There will be many attributes of Christ that will rub off on the kingdom. The joy, the love, the glory, the peace etc.
 
 

LAND:
 
 

Ezek. in the later chapters goes into great detail as to the divisions of the land.
 
 

Ps 69 35-36 indicates a continuing possession of the land.
 
 

LANGUAGE:
 
 

Zeph. 3 9 indicates a universal language, "For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent.
 
 

That should reduce culture shock for missionaries. HA!
 
 

LONG LIFE:
 
 

Isa 65:20
 
 
 
 

OFFERINGS:
 
 

Ezek. 42 13
 
 

We don't know what the significance of these offerings will be. They may just be symbolic in some manner, or they may be a memorial to things of the OT.
 
 
 
 

PEACE:
 
 

Isa 2 4, "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: 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 any more."
 
 

The Sermon on the Mount - (The Beatitudes) would indicate the life in the kingdom will be very peaceful.
 
 

Isa 65 25, "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock...."
 
 

PRIESTS:
 
 

Ezek. 42 14
 
 

RULE WILL BE WITH A ROD:
 
 

Isa 11 4, "...and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." This is the context of Him being the judge.
 
 

Ps 2 9, "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."
 
 

SACRIFICES WILL BE OFFERED:
 
 

Ezek. 42 13
 
 

SAFETY FOR JERUSALEM:
 
 

Jer. 33 16, "In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely...."
 
 

SAINTS ONLY:
 
 

At the beginning. It seems there will be offspring due to the fact there are lost at the end when things are coming to a close.
 
 

Matt.18 3, "...Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
 
 

Jn. 3 3, "...Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
 
 

Jer. 31 33-34;
 
 

Some feel there may be some gentile believers from the tribulation that enter into the Mill. We have no text to show this, yet there is that possibility. Many feel that the gentile believers will be martyred in the Trib. and come with the church at the second advent.
 
 

Since the Mill is primarily an Old Testament concept and the gentiles of the Trib. would be in the Old Testament concept this might be a possibility. This might well account for the nations that seem to be present in the Mill.
 
 

SAINTS WILL REIGN:
 
 

II Tim 2 12, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him...."
 
 

Rev 5 10 also.
 
 

Some suggest that the apostles (Matt 19 28) and the church (I Cor. 6 2-3) will reign and rule in the Mill. This may be so, however these texts show them judging and angels are involved in the Cor. text, thus it would seem better to say they will judge in some manner.
 
 

Whether this judging is in the Great White Throne, ruling, or some area that we aren't aware of we don't know.
 
 

I would personally assume that we will be judging in some manner. This may be in the area of reigning with the Lord, in the idea that as we see wrong we will take care of it.
 
 

SATAN BOUND:
 
 

Rev 20 1-3 HAVE SOMEONE READ IT.
 
 

SIN:
 
 

It exists: Zech. 14 17-19
 
 

It will be judged quickly: Zech. 14 17-19
 
 

It will be judged justly: Isa 11 4, "But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smit the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked."
 
 

TEMPLE:
 
 

Ezek. 41ff
 
 

Zeck. 14:20 mentions the pots of the Lord's house.
 
 

THE EARTH'S TOPOGRAPHY WILL CHANGE:
 
 

Zech. 14 4-10 shows some major changes. There will be fresh water going out from Jerusalem. Indeed, it is indicated they will flow into the Dead Sea. ("hinder sea")
 
 

Ezek. 47 9-10 show that the Dead sea will once again live.
 
 

Engedi in verse ten is near the Dead sea and fishermen will be there.
 
 

UNIVERSAL WORSHIP OF GOD:
 
 

Zeph. 3 9, "...that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent."
 
 

This would not include those that will not be converted, though it would indicate they may outwardly worship until the end of the Mill when they rise up in rebellion.
 
 

WAR WILL NOT EXIST:
 
 

Isa. 2 4 speaks of the beating of swords into plowes.
 
 

IT SHOULD BE A GREAT TIME!
 
 

Miscellaneous Millennial texts: Ps. 24:7-10; Hos. 6:1-3 seems to indicate that the Lord would have set up the kingdom immediately upon Israel's turning, after their rejection. The turning has never been forthcoming so this prophecy still awaits its final fulfillment.