In this message we come to the millennial kingdom. In the Old Testament there are many verses concerning the millennial kingdom (Psa. 2:6, 8-9; Isa. 2:2-5; 11:1-10; 65:20-25; 30:26; Zech. 8:20-23; Psa. 72:1-17; Isa. 4:2-6; 9:7; 12:1-5; 16:5; 32:1-2; 40:9-11; 61:4-9; Zech. 14:16-21). The kingdom was the good news proclaimed to mankind through the prophets in the Old Testament.
Between the rapture of the overcomers and the beginning of the millennial kingdom, many things will take place. Immediately after the rapture of the man-child, a loud voice in heaven says, “Now is come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ” (12:10). Actually, however, the kingdom will not come at that time, for the three and a half years of the great tribulation are yet to come. Nevertheless, in the eyes of those who have been raptured to the heavens, the kingdom has already come. During the last three and a half years of this age, the following things will take place: the rapture of the majority of the saints; the destruction of religious Babylon, that is, the annihilation of Catholicism; the destruction of Judaism; and the fall of material Babylon. Following all this, there will be the war at Armageddon. The whole earth must be cleared up as a preparation for God’s kingdom to come. At the time of chapter twenty, nearly everything has been cleared up. Only one thing remains, and that is Satan, the source of all the problems. Therefore, the first item mentioned in chapter twenty, a chapter concerning the millennium, is the binding of Satan.
In Rev. 20:1-3 we see the imprisonment of Satan. Following the defeat of Antichrist is the binding and imprisonment of Satan to clear up the rebellious earth that the kingdom of Christ may come (Rev. 20:4-6). Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss, which is in the heart of the earth. Satan will be imprisoned there for a thousand years. After that, “he must be loosed for a little time” (v. 3). The Lord Jesus will cast Antichrist and the false prophet directly into the lake of fire because He has no further use for them. However, even after the war at Armageddon, Satan will still be somewhat useful to the Lord.
After the war at Armageddon, the Lord will establish His throne of glory in Jerusalem and gather before Him all the nations still on earth. He will then execute His judgment upon them. As we have pointed out, this will be Christ’s judgment of the living carried out according to the eternal gospel preached by an angel in mid-heaven (Rev. 14:6). The “goats” will go to the fire prepared for the Devil and his angels, and the “sheep” will enter into the millennial kingdom as citizens (Matt. 25:34). Although these “sheep” will be restored, they will not be regenerated. They will still have a rebellious nature within them, and thus they will need a further test a thousand years later. Because the Lord will use Satan to test them, He will not cast Satan into the lake of fire at the beginning of the millennium. Rather, Satan will be kept in the abyss for a thousand years. When the thousand years are over, the Lord will release Satan from the abyss and use him to test the citizens who have been on earth during the millennium. In the next message we shall see that Gog and Magog, the Russians, will not pass the test. Under Satan’s instigation, they will once more rebel against God. In this we can see that Satan is still useful in God’s hands to purge mankind.
Acts 3:21 refers to “the times of restoration of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Gk.). This restoration will affect not only man, but also the whole creation — the heavens, the earth, the animals, and even the trees. Everything that was cursed through the fall of man will be restored. Isaiah 30:26 says, “Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days.” Today the sun and the moon are not normal because they have been cursed through the rebellion of Satan and the fall of man. As Genesis 3:17 and 18 indicate, the earth has been cursed because of man’s fall. Thus, the earth today is not normal.
When the children of Israel were about to enter into the good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, Moses sent twelve spies to search out the land (Num. 13:1-2). These spies brought back a cluster of grapes so large that it took two men to carry it (Num. 13:23). In 1958 I visited that region and I purposely tried to learn what kind of grapes those were. The guide brought me a cluster of tiny grapes. When I asked why they were so small, I was told that there was no fertile soil and very little rain. Throughout the centuries, the wind has blown away all the topsoil. For this reason, hardly anything can grow there. According to the prophecies in Deuteronomy, this land has been cursed because of the sinfulness of the children of Israel. Therefore, the land has become abnormal. Likewise, the entire universe is abnormal. However, when the millennium comes, everything will be restored.
There are many prophecies in Isaiah, in Zechariah, and in the Psalms regarding the millennium. At the time of restoration, not only mankind but also all of creation will be restored to its original condition. The beasts and the cattle will be restored to such an extent that the “wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid” (Isa. 11:6). This will not be miraculous; rather, it will be normal and common. Isaiah 11:8 says, “And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the viper’s den” (Heb.). Even the troublesome mosquitoes will be included in the restoration. When a mosquito bites me, I am reminded that the mosquitoes need restoration. After they have been restored, they will make musical sounds, but they will not bite. Do not hate creatures such as mosquitoes, flies, and gophers. Instead, you must blame Adam, for his fall brought about the curse on the creation. But when Christ comes again, everything will be restored. The trees will flourish, and the flowers will blossom abundantly. Isaiah 35:1 and 2 say, “The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing.” Furthermore, “in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water” (Isa. 35:6-7). Also, “a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The Way of Holiness” (Isa. 35:8). The book of Isaiah is a full description of the millennium.
According to the prophecies of the Bible, the millennial kingdom is in two sections: the upper, heavenly, section and the lower, earthly, section. The upper section of the millennium is called the kingdom of the Father (Matt. 13:43), and the lower section is called the kingdom of the Son of Man (Matt. 13:41). The kingdom of the Messiah, or the Messianic kingdom, is another name for the lower section of the millennium.
In the millennial kingdom there will be three peoples. The first are the overcoming saints, including the overcoming saints of both the Old Testament and the New Testament. These overcoming saints will be co-kings of Christ. Christ is the highest King, and we shall be His sub-kings. Therefore, the upper section is the royal portion of the millennium.
The second group, found in the lower section, is the preserved and proper Jews, who will be saved at the time of the Lord’s coming back. According to Zechariah 12:10-14, these Jews will look on Him whom they have pierced, and then they will repent. These are the Jews who will be the third part who will pass through fire and be refined (Zech. 13:9). These saved Jews will enter into the millennium as priests and will teach the nations to seek God and to know Him. Isaiah 2:2-3 will be fulfilled at that time. Verse 3 says, “And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” The nations will learn of God through the instruction of the Jews, who will be priests. Isaiah 61:6 clearly says, “But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God.” This word will also be fulfilled during the millennium, when the nations will recognize the Jews as God’s priests.
Zechariah 8:23 says, “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.” This verse indicates that every Jew will be precious. At that time the number of the saved Jews will be so small that ten people out of one nation will take hold of a Jew and say, “Help us to know God. We want to be taught by you because we have heard that God has blessed you. We want to share your blessing. Tell us about God and teach us how to worship Him.” In those days the Jews will be warmly welcomed.
The third group of people in the millennial kingdom will be the “sheep” of Matthew 25. We have seen that these “sheep” will be transferred into the millennial kingdom to become the citizens there.
In the lower section of the millennium, called the kingdom of the Son of Man, Jesus as the seed of David will be King over the Jews and, through the Jews, over all the nations. He will be on the throne of David to be the King over all nations through the Jews. This is the kingdom of the Son of Man and the kingdom of the Messiah; it is also the tabernacle of David spoken of in Acts 15:16. The tabernacle of David has fallen. But when the millennium comes, Christ will again erect the tabernacle of David. The tabernacle of David is the kingdom of David. In 2 Samuel 7 God promised to establish David’s kingdom forever (v. 16). This everlasting kingdom will be the lower part of the millennium, the kingdom of the Son of Man and of the Messiah. The kingly overcomers will be in the upper part of the millennium, and the priestly Jews and the citizens will be in the lower part.
It is a great help to be clear about these matters. If you understand them, then as you read the Bible, you will know which verses refer to the upper part and which verses to the lower part. You will know which verses refer to the kings, which to the priests, and which to the nations.
Revelation 20:4 says, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them.” The word they refers to the overcomers. They are now sitting upon thrones, and authority to judge has been given to them. To have the authority to judge means to have the kingdom (cf. Dan. 7:10, 18, 22). Therefore, this verse indicates that the overcomers have received the kingdom and are enjoying it.
Verse 4 also says, “And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who did not worship the beast nor his image, and did not receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” Those who have been “beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God” are the martyrs throughout the church age, as mentioned in 6:9. Undoubtedly, Peter, Paul, James, Stephen, and the many others slain throughout the centuries will be included in this number. These saints, martyred for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, will be resurrected to be co-kings of Christ.
The martyrs in the great tribulation are those who do not worship the beast nor his image and do not receive the mark on their forehead or on their hand. After the rapture of the overcomers, many saints will be martyred because they refuse to worship Antichrist or to receive his mark on their forehead or on their hand. These martyred saints will also be resurrected to be co-kings in the millennial kingdom.
In principle, these co-kings must also include the raptured living overcomers. If those in the man-child will be among the co-kings, then certainly those making up the firstfruit will be also.
In both Matthew 25:21 and 23 the Lord said, “Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord.” These verses refer to the enjoyment of the overcomers in the millennial kingdom. To the diligent servant the Lord will say, “Well done! Come into the joy of your Lord. I have some things I want you to rule over.” This will be the enjoyment of the overcoming believers in the millennial kingdom.
The overcomers will enjoy the best resurrection. Verse 6 speaks of “the first resurrection.” The Greek word translated first is the same word translated best in Luke 15:22, where the father said in relation to the returned prodigal, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him.” Hence, the first resurrection in verse 6 may actually be translated “the best resurrection.” The overcomers will enjoy this resurrection.
The first resurrection is also the ex-resurrection, that is, the extraordinary resurrection which the apostle Paul sought for (Phil. 3:11). The Greek word may be translated as “the out-resurrection.” This means that it is the resurrection set apart from the common resurrection, the resurrection with honor, comparable to graduation with honors. This resurrection is a resurrection of kingship as a reward to the overcomers that they may reign as co-kings with Christ in the millennial kingdom. Hence, “Blessed is he who has part in the first resurrection” (20:6). Not only the resurrected overcomers, such as the man-child in 12:5 and the later martyrs in 15:2, but also the raptured living ones, such as the firstfruit in 14:1-5, have part in this resurrection.
When I was young, I thought that only believers would be resurrected and that unbelievers would not be resurrected. It seemed to me that resurrection was a special blessing granted to the believers. Eventually I learned that the unbelievers will also be resurrected. John 5:29 speaks of “the resurrection of life” and “the resurrection of judgment.” The resurrection of life is the resurrection of the saved believers before the millennium, and the resurrection of judgment is the resurrection of the unsaved after the millennium. The dead believers will be resurrected to enjoy eternal life at the coming back of the Lord Jesus. Hence, their resurrection is called the resurrection of life. But all the dead unbelievers will be resurrected after the thousand years to be judged at the great white throne (20:11-15). Hence, their resurrection is called the resurrection of judgment.
The first resurrection will also be the resurrection of reward. Luke 14:14 says, “And you will be blessed, because they do not have anything with which to repay you; for it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the righteous.” This resurrection is a resurrection with a reward.
Not all the dead saints will be resurrected at the same time. At least, the two witnesses in chapter eleven will be resurrected apart from the others. Three and a half days after their death, they will be resurrected (11:11). Moreover, the man-child, who will be raptured before the fifth trumpet, will be resurrected earlier than the majority of the believers, who will be resurrected at the seventh trumpet. We may use 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4 to speak of resurrection in a general way, telling people that the dead believers will be resurrected when the Lord comes back. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to know the details regarding the resurrection of the believers. For instance, the man-child will be resurrected before the great tribulation, and the majority of the dead saints will be resurrected toward the end of the great tribulation. Furthermore, the resurrection of the late overcomers who will stand on the glassy sea may be at still a different time. Certainly, they will not be resurrected with the man-child, for they will be martyred during the great tribulation. And it is doubtful that they will be resurrected along with the majority of the dead saints. Therefore, there will be three or four different resurrections of the believers: the resurrection of the man-child, the resurrection of the two witnesses, the resurrection of the late overcomers, and the resurrection of the majority of the dead believers. We should not be content merely to be in the general resurrection of the believers; rather, we should aspire to be in the best resurrection.
Verse 6 says, “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.” This must be the highest blessing — to inherit the kingdom manifested on earth and even to be the kings within it.
Concerning those who participate in the first resurrection, verse 6 says, “Over these the second death has no authority.” This is difficult to understand. The lake of fire is called the second death (20:14). Some may say, “The believers will be resurrected before the millennium and will never be put into the lake of fire, the second death.” The Bible is not that simple. We have seen that Satan is useful in the hand of God. Likewise, death is also somewhat useful to Him. All negative situations are related to death. Take the example of weakness. All weakness — physical, mental, and spiritual — belongs to death. Weakness is a visiting card of death. When death is about to visit a person, it does not come directly. Instead, it firstly comes in the form of weakness. Weakness is followed by sickness, and sickness is followed by death. Thus, both weakness and sickness belong to death. Moreover, all the troubles and hardships we face in life also belong to death. When the overcomers enter into the upper section of the millennium to be the co-kings of Christ, they will have no weakness, no sickness, no trouble, and no hardship. In other words, they will no longer be bothered by death.
The death before resurrection is the first death, and the death after resurrection is the second death. The second death, the lake of fire, refers to death after resurrection. In the first death the spirit and soul leave the body, the body is buried, and the spirit and soul go to Hades — the spirit and soul of the believer to the section of comfort in Hades, and the spirit and soul of the unbeliever to the section of torment. The Lord Jesus will determine who among the dead will be resurrected before the millennium and who will be left in the tomb for another thousand years to be resurrected after the millennium. After the unbelievers are resurrected, they will be judged at the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15). The dead unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire, the second death. This means that even after their resurrection, they will still suffer the second death.
Do not think, as many Christians do, that after your resurrection everything will necessarily be all right. After our resurrection, we shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). If there is no possibility that we might still have a problem, why then will we be judged after the resurrection? When we are standing before the judgment seat of Christ, we shall be fearful and trembling, wondering what the Lord Jesus will say concerning us. Yes, you are saved, and you are saved for eternity. With this there is no problem. We do not believe that a saved person can be lost again. John 10:28 and 29 indicate that once we have received eternal life, we can never perish. However, in 1 Corinthians 3:15 Paul says, “If anyone’s work shall be consumed, he shall suffer loss, but he shall be saved, yet so as through fire.” Although we are saved, we may still suffer a loss; that is, we may still have a problem. Do not think that after you have been resurrected and raptured, you will immediately go to heaven. No, you must first be examined. Do not expect to go directly into the millennial kingdom to be a co-king of Christ. You must firstly stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
As we stand before this judgment seat, “each one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12). Perhaps you will have to say, “Lord, after I was saved, I still drank and went to the movies. I was told that I should love You, but I simply didn’t have the heart to love You. I heard the messages about the kingdom, but I was just sloppy. Lord, please excuse me.” Although you may criticize others today, as you stand before the judgment seat, you will have to criticize yourself. The judgment at the judgment seat of Christ will determine whether we shall receive the reward to enter into His kingdom or receive some punishment. That punishment will be something related to the second death, just as weakness, sickness, trouble, and hardship are related to the first death.
Today God uses weakness, sickness, trouble, and hardship to discipline us and to chastise us that we may grow in life. If you die in your immaturity, do not think that you will suddenly become mature after your resurrection. No, you will be resurrected and raptured in an immature condition. You died in immaturity, and you will also be resurrected in immaturity. Take graduation from school as an example. If you leave school before you graduate and return some time later, you will still have to complete your schoolwork. You will have to continue your studies until you have finished your course for graduation.
We need to grow and mature quickly. Do not delay the process of growth and maturity. You must fear the prospect of dying in immaturity. If you die in your immaturity, after your resurrection you will stand in immaturity before the Lord’s judgment seat. There will be no need for the Lord to say anything. Rather, you will say, “Lord, I’m sorry. I died in immaturity, and I am still immature. Lord, have mercy on me and grant me more time to mature.” But the Lord may say, “The dispensation has changed. You must be put into a situation that will help you grow.” Be assured that this situation will not be very pleasant. Everyone in this situation will be dealt with by something related to the second death. This means that even after a believer’s resurrection, he may still be touched by something of the second death; that is, the second death may still have some authority over him. Only the over-comers, those who participate in the best resurrection, will not be subject to anything of the second death. They will have graduated from all weakness, sickness, trouble, hardship, and suffering. This is the proper understanding of verse 6.
Do not believe the inaccurate teachings which say that if you have been washed in the blood and regenerated by the Spirit, everything will be all right. Although you are saved for eternity, you still need to grow, to mature, and to be perfected so that you may be among the co-kings of Christ. If you do not mature, you will suffer loss. If you suffer loss before the resurrection, your loss will belong to the first death. But if you suffer loss after the resurrection, your loss will be related to the second death. Although you may be a resurrected believer, you will still be under the authority of the second death, and something of the second death will trouble you. This is the pure, enlightening, and sobering truth. Oh, we all need to be enlightened, sobered, and made serious!
What is your condition today? Are you still fleshly? Do you still love the world? Do you still fight with your wife or rebel against your husband? If this is your condition, what will you say to the Lord when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ after your resurrection? And what will He say to you? He will tell you that you need to suffer something in order to mature, that you need something of the second death to work on you. But praise the Lord for the overcomers who participate in the best resurrection and over whom the second death has no authority!
Verse 6 also says that the overcomers “shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” The overcomers will be priests to contact God and co-kings with Christ to reign over the nations in the millennium (Rev. 2:26-27; 12:5). As priests they will bring man in his need to God and minister God to man, and as kings they will bring God in His authority to man and represent God to shepherd man. This is a reward to them. The believers who are defeated in this age will forfeit this reward. However, after being dealt with by the Lord in the millennium, they will participate in the service of God and in the kingship in the new heaven and the new earth for eternity (Rev. 22:3-5).
Today the proper Christians bring man and man’s need to God and Christ, and they also minister God and Christ to man. Also, they bring God’s authority to man and represent God to man. As we share in the upper section of the millennium, we shall be both priests and kings. We shall meet the need of both God and man, bringing man to God and God to man. Through our priesthood and kingship both God and man will be fully satisfied. We shall be a priestly and kingly people, a people far beyond anything of the second death. In this realm, there will be no weakness, no sickness, no trouble, and no hardship. How wonderful this will be!
