Part 20 THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST REVELATION 20

TEXT- REVELATION 20:1-6

INTRODUCTION

IN CHAPTER 20 WE FIND A DEFINITE CHANGE IN THE TIME ELEMENT.

THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION THE TIME ELEMENT HAS DEALT MOSTLY WITH THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.

YET NOW WE ARE DEALING WITH A PERIOD OF TIME KNOWN AS THE MILLENNIUM.

THE WORD "MILLENNIUM" IS A COMBINATION OF TWO WORDS IN THE LATIN LANGUAGE WHICH MEAN, "THOUSAND YEARS".

THE GREEK WORD FOR "THOUSAND YEARS" IS USED SIX TIMES IN THIS CHAPTER.

WHEN DEALING WITH THE DOCTRINE OF THE MILLENNIUM, THERE ARE THREE THEORIES HELD.

THE FIRST ONE IS CALLED THE A-MILLENNIAL THEORY, A, THIS THEORY IS HELD BY THOSE WHO TEACH THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE 1000 YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST.

THE SECOND THEORY IS CALLED THE POST-MILLENNIAL THEORY.

THOSE WHO HOLD TO THIS THEORY TEACH THAT THE WORLD WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE RIGHTEOUS AS THE YEARS GO ON, AND WILL BECOME SO GOOD THAT THIS WILL BRING ABOUT A PERIOD OF 1000 YEARS OF PEACE ON EARTH.

THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS GOING TO RETURN TO THE EARTH THE SECOND TIME AFTER THIS 1000 YEARS IS COMPLETED.

THE THIRD THEORY IS CALLED THE PRE-MILLENNIAL THEORY. A, THIS IS WHAT THIS CHURCH TEACHES. B. WE BELIEVE IN THE LITERAL 1000 YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST HERE ON EARTH.

WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS WILL RETURN TO EARTH BEFORE THE MILLENNIUM BEGINS AND HE ALONE WILL BRING IT ABOUT.

DURING THE MILLENNIAL AGE THERE WILL BE GREAT CHANGES THAT WILL TAKE PLACE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES AND WHAT WILL BE SOME OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST UPON THE EARTH?