Long Live the King!
The day of the Lord is a period which includes the Tribulation, the return of Christ to the earth, and the millennium. From the Latin word that means “thousand years,” the millennium refers to the 1000-year direct reign of Christ on earth. This is why the term millennium is often used interchangeably with millennial kingdom. The clearest biblical expression of the millennium is found in Revelation 20:1-7, but there are many other passages about it spread throughout the Old and New Testaments. Some of these passages are identifiable by the use of the expression the day of the Lord, others through the expression in that day, and still others because they describe radically different conditions on earth from anything that could be accomplished by mere political change. These passages include Isaiah 11, the end of Isaiah 19, Ezekiel 40:4-8 and several references in the Minor Prophets.
Taking the King at His word
Central to our understanding of the millennium is the concept of literal Bible interpretation. This is the rule of interpretation which says that we should interpret the Bible literally unless the Bible itself gives us reason to adopt a figurative interpretation. Events, prophecies, individuals, and even lengths of time should be taken at face value. Literal interpretation certainly allows for figures of speech, but these are clear from the context.
If we adopt literal Bible interpretation, we need to accept that there will be a literal 1000-year reign of Christ on earth since the Bible clearly teaches this in Revelation 20, where “a thousand years” is mentioned six times. Indeed, the millennium is a touchstone for determining if someone is consistently holding to literal Bible interpretation. Some will claim to hold to literal Bible interpretation but will pull back when it comes to Revelation 20. But to adopt a figurative interpretation in Revelation 20 means that all other millennial passages must also be interpreted figuratively, too. So, for example, the person who denies a literal 1000-year reign of Christ must also believe that Ezekiel 40–48 describe events that have never come to pass and will never come to pass, thus rendering a good chunk of the Bible meaningless.
Critics of literal interpretation would suggest that it leads to a wooden understanding of the Bible and that it ignores the spiritual character of the Bible. But nothing could be further from the truth! Literal interpretation pushes us to consider the Bible as a whole, rather than as a series of unrelated spiritual vignettes. With literal interpretation, we are able to come up with a systematic view of biblical prophecy that includes all of the spiritual truth that God has given us. Without literal interpretation of the Bible, we are likely to fall prey to fantastic notions and the tendency to warp the Bible into saying whatever we want it to say. Again, the millennium is a central concept for understanding whether or not a Bible teacher or commentary follows the responsible principles of literal Bible interpretation. If we do not follow literal interpretation, the millennium becomes some sort of generic feel-good event that could really be talking about almost anything. But if we follow literal Bible interpretation and confess an actual 1000-year rule of Christ on earth, then we have a foundation from which the whole system of pre-tribulational and pre-millennial theology can be developed.
What will the millennium be like?
Given that major sections of the Bible describe the millennium, it is natural to wonder what characteristics the millennium will have. We learn a great deal from the three passages mentioned previously: Isaiah 11, the end of Isaiah 19, and Ezekiel 40-48.
Isaiah 11 starts with a description of the millennial ruler. We read that “a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,” which poetically establishes Christ’s royal lineage. And then in verse 2, we read of His personal characteristics as one who possesses the sevenfold Spirit. These are qualities that we would want every ruler to possess, but qualities which are so often lacking in those who would seek to lead us. But unlike mere human rulers, this One is also fully divine, and so we are reassured, “He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear.” There are three natural divisions of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. As the God who is omniscient and omnipresent, the Lord Jesus is able to fulfill each of these (Isa. 33:22). In particular, the poor shall receive fair and righteous justice. In verses 6-9, we read about peaceable natural conditions. Instead of warring against the natural world, harmony will exist. Then from verse 10 to the end of the chapter we read about what this will mean for the nation of Israel. The Jewish people will be reunited from the four corners of the world, their internal politics will finally be united, and they will possess the full dimensions of the land (v. 14).
Isaiah 19, from verse 16 onward, speaks of events in the millennium which touch the heart of every person who is grieved by the continuous strife in the Middle East. From as far back as recorded history presents, we see warfare in the Middle East. This continues to the present day. Many well-meaning people agitate for peace or push for “land for peace” deals. But the Scripture is clear that strife will continue until Messiah puts an end to it. From the time of Moses, three thousand years ago, Egypt has been synonymous with opposition to the people of God. But in Isaiah 19, we read that whole cities within Egypt will turn to the Lord. There will be an altar in Egypt and offerings and sacrifices will be made. Those who claim that the God of the Old Testament is a minor regional deity should read Isaiah 19 and see how the Egyptians will have a champion who will deliver them from their oppressors (v. 20), they will be steadfast in their worship of the Lord (v. 21), and they will receive healing from Him (v. 22). But verses 24-25 are the most fantastic: “In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, ‘Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.’” All those who love peace look forward to the millennial kingdom and Messiah’s rule of peace.
In Ezekiel 40-48, we read the description of the millennial temple. For chapter after chapter, we read of the structure of the building, the altar, and the offerings. We also read of the priestly and Levitical ministries, the Prince, water flowing from the temple (geologically impossible for the original temple), and the division of the land according to tribe and ministry. But, as previously mentioned, this temple never existed in the past and, without a literal millennial kingdom, will not exist in the future. If merely symbolic, we have nine chapters of precise detail that never needed to be precise—nine chapters of Holy Scripture which are completely extraneous. God forbid that we should think such a thing! If these chapters aren’t literal, what possible meaning could those intricate details have?
The Bible can only be rightly understood when we acknowledge a literal 1000-year rule of Christ on earth. In addition to making the Bible understandable, this is in keeping with a systematic dispensational understanding of Scripture. Christ’s direct rule eliminates man’s final excuses for dispensational failure and is the final unveiling of the perfections of Christ. But finally, the millennium brings joy to the heart of the believer because we see the Lord Jesus Christ at last exercising His righteous rule.