INTRODUCTION TO THE MILLENNIUM
REVELATION 20:1-6
The millennium described in the Bible is a period of one thousand years when Christ will reign over the world in which we live. It has been described many times in the prophecies of the Old Testament, and was also frequently referred to by the Lord Jesus as his kingdom.
It is the stone which broke the statue in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan.2:44). It is also called the dispensation of the fullness of the times (Eph.1:10) , the day of the Lord and that day (for example, Isa. 2:11, Eze. 39:22), the kingdom of Christ and of God (Eph.5:5, 2Tim.4:1, Rev.11:15, Mark 14:25, Luke 19:11), the regeneration (Matt.19:28), the times of refreshing and of restoration of all things (Acts 3:19-21), the end of days (Hos.3:5). The Book of Revelation only adds information as to the length of this period (one thousand years).
We shall take recourse to some of these prophecies in order to arrive at a brief outline of this blessed period of time. So much detail is found in the Old Testament, that it would, of itself, merit a series of studies.
THE PREPARATION
After the victory of Christ, on His return, over the forces of the beast and his allies, there will be a short interval of 75 days, during which seven important events will take place:
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The beast and the false prophet are seized and cast into the lake of fire.
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The rest of the armies of the beast are killed.
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Satan is made prisoner by an angel; most probably this is the one described as a star after the sounding of the fifth trumpet (Rev.9:1-2.).
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The judgment by the Lord Jesus of the gentiles surviving the tribulation. He will separate the righteous from the unrighteous: the first will be allowed into his kingdom, and the latter are banished into everlasting punishment. The test will be the manner in which they treated the Jews during the Tribulation (Joel 3:1-3 and Matt.25:31-46).
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The destruction of the abomination of desolation in the temple at Jerusalem, a month after the return of Christ (Dan.12:11).
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The resurrection of the saints of the Old Testament (Isa. 26:19, Dan.12:2).
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The resurrection of the saints of the tribulation period.
This brings the first resurrection to completion; there will be no more dead among the righteous during the millennium: the second resurrection is for the unrighteous, who will be judged according to their works.
Satan Bound 1000 Years
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
The Saints Reign with Christ 1000 Years
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Rev 20:1-6 (NKJV)