Question:
What does God say about the millennium?
Answer:
The word “millennium” comes from the Latin word “mille,” and means “thousand” (Merriam Webster’s Dictionary). It goes on then to give the definition, “a period of one thousand years; a one thousandth anniversary or celebration; the thousand years mentioned in Revelation 20 during which holiness is to prevail and Christ is to reign on earth.”
If you are asking if the Bible says anything about the millennium change to the year 2,000, then that would be the part of the definition that says, “a one thousandth anniversary or celebration.” And the answer to that would be “No.” The Bible does not say anything about the year 2,000 being significant in God’s time table.
The fact of the matter is that God has plainly told us that we will not know specific dates in His plan for this earth, as to when things are going to take place. Matthew 24:36-44 says, “BUT OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, NO, NOT THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN, BUT MY FATHER ONLY. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. WATCH THEREFORE: FOR YE KNOW NOT WHAT HOUR YOUR LORD DOTH COME. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. THEREFORE BE YE ALSO READY: FOR IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YE THINK NOT THE SON OF MAN COMETH.”
Some have been trying to say that Y2K problems will be the time of the Lord’s return, and then the takeover of the antichrist. But the Bible is very plain that no man knows the hour of the Lord’s return. He will come when people do not expect Him, so He tells us to be ready — NOW. II Corinthians 6:1,2 says, “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”
The Bible does talk about the Millennium in regard to the one thousand year reign of Christ upon earth.
Revelation 20:1-3 says, “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”
During the one thousand year reign of Christ, Satan will be bound. He will not be able to deceive people, or to hinder Christians in their service for the Lord. But when the Millennium is fulfilled, he will be loosed again. What is both interesting and sad, is that after people have lived under the rule and reign of Christ for all of those years (because long life will be restored again like before the flood — see Isaiah 65:20-25), many will still reject Him, and will follow Satan in his rebellion.
Revelation 20:7-10 says, “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: THE NUMBER OF WHOM IS AS THE SAND OF THE SEA. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Those who reject the Lord are those who will be born during the Millennium. They will grow up as children of saved parents, but they will reject the Lord. Just like now many young people grow up in Christian homes, and yet they do not receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Have you received Him? It is a personal decision which no one can make for you.
Matthew 16:13-17 says, “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, BUT WHOM SAY YE THAT I AM? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”