The Millennium is the present Church Age
The Millennium refers to the 1,000 reign of Christ mentioned in Revelation 20. Some who interpret Revelation as a literal, linear timeline posit that this happens after the return of Christ (pre-millennial). Others suggest that this 1,000 years happens prior to Christ's return (post-millennial). I believe that these views are founded on an assumption that this 1,000 years is a sort of utopia. Rather, when reading Revelation 20 in light of the rest of Scripture (How to Interpret Revelation) we find that the described Millennium aligns with Scripture's description of the entire church age, from Christ's death to His return (Parousia).
Defining Features of the Millennium
Setup (before and for the thousand years):
- An angel comes down from heaven with a key to the Abyss and a great chain (20:1).
- He seizes the dragon (the ancient serpent, the devil, Satan - fourfold identification) and binds him for a thousand years, throws him into the Abyss, shuts it, and seals it over him (20:2-3a).
- Satan is bound so he might not deceive the nations until the thousand years are completed (20:3a).
- After the thousand years he must be released for a little while (20:3b).
During the thousand years:
- Thrones appear and those seated on them are given authority to judge (20:4a).
- The souls of those beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received the mark on their foreheads or hands, come to life and reign with Christ for a thousand years (20:4b).
- The rest of the dead do not come to life until the thousand years are ended (20:5a).
- "This is the first resurrection" (20:5b).
- Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection; over such the second death has no power (20:6a).
- They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years (20:6b).
The Church Age Reflects the Millennium's Distinctions
Far from some utopia, we must define the Millennium as Revelation 20 already has. The Millennium shows that "Satan is bound" and can no longer "deceive the nations," that the saints who are alive are "priest kings" reigning with Christ while those slain are alive and also "reign with Christ" as the "first resurrection". Each of these distinctions are a present reality in the church age.
Satan Bound
2. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,
3. and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
- Jesus Himself frames His ministry as the "strong man being bound so his can be plundered" in Matt 12:29.
- John 12:31-32: "Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world (Satan - 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2) be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
- Colossians 2:15: "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."
- Hebrews 2:14: "Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil"
So, if Satan is bound, what is included in this "binding"? The binding is for the explicit purpose of that he "might not deceive the nations any longer".
- "Nations" (ethnē) in Revelation is commonly used to refer to kingdoms (Rev 5:9; 7:9; 15:4).
- This "binding" prevents a nation from wholly blockading the gospel.
- Yes, individuals can still be deceived (2 Cor 4:4), spiritual warfare is still real (Eph 6:11-12), but Satan is bound from blocking God's global mission.
- Note: We see this is nations where Christianity is banned yet still thrives underground.
The Millennium is not defined by a wholly bound Satan in the sense that there is not satanic activity. Revelation does not promise that, it only promises that Satan's ability to deceive whole nations has been bound. This was achieved at the cross of Jesus Christ.
Saints Identity = Priest-Kings
4. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
6. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
- The people of God are identified as those who have kingly "authority to judge," reign with Christ in resurrection life, and are "priests of God and of Christ".
- God's people in Revelation 20 hold the same titles the church is given in 1 Peter 2: a "chosen race," "royal priesthood," (priests) and "holy nation" (kings).
- Those who reign with Christ in the 1,000 years are priest-kings, just as the church are priest-kings.
What about the "first resurrection"? The saints reigning with Christ were resurrected.
- Colossians 3:1-3: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
- John 5:4: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."
Salvation gives real resurrection-life now. We have passed from death to life, and place in Christ, where we rule and reign.
5. even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (FIRST RESURRECTION) - by grace you have been saved -
6. and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (REIGNING WITH CHRIST),
- The final resurrection, therefore, is when Christ returns.
The Millennium is ruled over by Christ and the saints who are resurrected.
The church is portrayed as those who are "made alive" and "seated with (Christ) in heavenly places".
Conclusion
The Millennium of Revelation 20 is not a future utopian age but the symbolic depiction of Christ's present reign through His Church. Satan is bound from deceiving the nations, the saints reign with Christ as priest-kings, and resurrection life is already ours through union with Him.
Therefore, this age between the cross and the return of Christ is the Millennium and is a time of gospel advance, spiritual victory, and patient endurance until the final resurrection and judgment complete His kingdom.