I. CHILIASM, MILLENNIALISM, and PRETERISM
A. Chiliasm and Millennialism are the belief that Christ will literally reign on the earth for 1,000 years.
1. The Greek word for 1,000 is “chilioi” or “chilias.”
2. A millennium is 1,000 years.
B. What is a “thousand”?
1. Out of the 395 times that the word “thousand” appears in the KJB; 42 of these are in the New Testament.
2. In the NT, the English word “thousand” is sometimes a translation from a Greek word which is a large number like “five thousand” (Mt 14:21) or “four thousand” (Mt 16:10)
a. In these cases, the suffix is the Greek word chileoi (thousand)
3. Twenty three times in the KJB, the Greek word chilias is translated “thousand”
a. Like Acts 4:4 – about 5,000 believed
b. Or I Cor 10:8 – in one day fell three and twenty thousand
c. It is always a literal quantity of 1,000 of something
4. In Revelation 20, the word “thousand” appears six times, each is from the same Greek word found in places like Acts 4:4: cilioi – chilioi – khil'-ee-oy. (Strong’s 5507).
5. While we have little regard for other corrupt versions of the Bible, for the sake of argument we will consider how they translate this word (Strong’s # 5507).
a. NKJV - thousand
b. NLT - thousand
c. NIV - thousand
d. ESV - thousand
e. NASV - thousand
f. RSV - thousand
6. We have examined countless Greek lexicons, and find none that say that Strong’s 5507 can be translated to be a word other than “thousand.”
7. THOUSAND MEANS THOUSAND – a quantity, number, or count.
C. Why does it matter what “a thousand” means?
1. In 1878, a man named James Stuart Russell, wrote a defense of what is known as “the Preterist view.”
a. It is pure heresy!
b. It considers the second coming, and concludes that Christ returned in AD 70.
2. As early as the 1600's, and before, men were writing an attack on the idea of a “literal thousand year reign of Christ on the earth.”
3. Those who believe in the literal thousand year reign of Christ like we do are called by the names “Chiliast” or “Milllennialist.”
4. The term “Millennium” comes from a Latin word for 1,000.
D. If the word “thousand” literally means “thousand” and the word “years” means literal “years”, then Rev 20:4 declares that Christ will reign with the saints for 1,000 years.
E. If the return of Christ to the earth is documented in Revelation 19, then this reign will take place on the literal earth. Why would His return be literal and His reign be figurative?
1. Note that all the events in prior chapters were focused on the earth
a. Rev 16:1 – wrath upon the earth
b. Rev 17 – the woman is “on the earth”
c. Rev 18:24 – “upon the earth” (earth mentioned 6 times in chapter 18)
d. Rev 19:19 – the battle is upon the earth
e. Rev 20:8, 9, 11 – “the earth”
2. It makes no sense to say that Christ will reign in heaven for 1,000 years. He already reigns in heaven (Matt 6:10).
F. To deal with (confront) “Preterism” and those who oppose the doctrine of a literal one thousand year reign of Christ on earth . . .
1. They are impossible to talk to: their mind is made up and no scripture or logic will change it.
2. Avoid them and don’t waste time talking to people who hold this opinion.
3. Remember James, Peter, Paul, and John were all waiting for the coming of the Lord.
4. Don’t believe the foolish idea that awaiting His literal return is a recent idea.
II. REVELATION 20 – THE THOUSAND YEAR REIGN & WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT
A. The literal thousand year reign of Christ (Rev 20:1-10)
1. Satan is bound for “a thousand years” (Rev 20:2-3). His names:
a. The dragon – Psalm 91:13 prophesied that Christ would “trample the dragon.”
b. The serpent of Genesis 3 will no longer be able to beguile (until the end)
c. The devil – The phrase “the devil” appears only in the NT – 44 times. He is first mentioned in Matthew 4 when he tempts the Lord.
d. Satan – Job was accused by Satan who finds himself bound in a bottomless pit.
2. The bottomless pit is mentioned seven times, always in The Revelation.
a. In Revelation 9, it was opened and allowed locusts to torment the earth
b. The bottomless pit is the source of “the beast.”(Rev 11:7)
c. This could be hell, but the Bible never says so.
3. Were it not for Satan, man would not be deceived into sinning against God.
4. Satan’s binding changes the course of the Lord’s 1,000 year reign, allowing Christ to rule without Satanic opposition.
a. Satan will always oppose God, until he is bound or destroyed.
b. When he is loose, men will be deceived by him.
5. During the thousand years:
a. Those who refused to worship the beast are resurrected (first resurrection) and reign with Christ. (4)
b. Those who worshiped the beast remain dead. (5)
c. This proves the time line: the millennium is after the tribulation.
6. The Old Testament prophets are the exclusive source of details about the thousand year reign of Christ 1.
a. An era of peace (Isaiah 2:4, 9:7, 11:6-10, etc.)
b. An era of righteousness (Isaiah 1:26,27, 4:2-4, 35:8-10, etc.)
c. An era of joy (Isaiah 9:3,4, 12:3-6, 14:7-8, etc.)
d. An era of God’s manifest glory (Isaiah 4:2, 35:2, 60:1-9)
e. An era of justice (Is 9:7, 42:4, Jer 23:5)
f. An era of knowledge of the Lord (Is 11:1-3,9, 54:13, Habakkuk 2:14)
g. An era of instruction, blessing, worship, and freedom
7. At the end of the thousand years, Satan is let loose (7-10) and deceives the nations
a. The nations gather to battle Jerusalem with numberless hoards, and are instantly devoured by fire from heaven. (9)
b. Then, the devil is cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. (10)
B. The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11-15)
1. This is not a judgment of those who are born again, but of those who are lost – those who are dead (12)
2. This is a judgment according to works (13) – Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us
3. The deciding factor is, a name written in the book of life. Without that name, those who are judged are cast into a lake of fire (15)
a. Php 4:3 says that Paul’s fellowlaborers had their names written in the book of life
b. Except for Philippians, the book of life is only mentioned by name in The Revelation, but:
(1) Moses mentioned this book (Ex 32:32)
(2) Daniel 12:1 refers to this book
III. REVELATION 21 – THE NEW HEAVEN, EARTH, AND CITY
A. The new heaven and new earth (21:1-8)
1. Exclusions (things not there)
a. No more sea (1)
b. No more death (5), sorrow, crying, or pain
c. No more temple (22), sun (23), moon (23), night (5), Curse (22:3)
2. New things (things created new and done differently)
a. Heaven, earth, all things (5)
b. God will now dwell with men (3)
3. All wickedness and wicked men will inhabit the lake of fire forever (8)
B. The new Jerusalem (21:9-27)
Size of the New Jerusalem1. The New Jerusalem is a city that descends from heaven (10)
a. Shining like a precious stone
b. Surrounded by a wall
c. Gates are named in honor of the twelve tribes of Israel (not the church). (12)
d. Foundations are named in honor of the apostles. (14)
e. Dimensions of approximately 1,500 miles square (L, W, and H) (16)
(1) This is 3.4 billion cubic miles.
(2) If the population were 6 billion, this is about half a cubic mile per person – that is a space of 60,000 square feet with a 20 foot ceiling for each person. Of course, this includes streets, public spaces, etc.
f. Its gates never shut. (25)
g. Nations are living outside. (24, 26)
h. Inhabitants are those written in the Lamb’s book of life. (27)
IV. REVELATION 22 – THE NEW JERUSALEM, AND THE CONCLUSION
A. Inside the new Jerusalem (22:1-5)
1. A pure river comes from the Lamb’s throne (1)
2. Streets on both sides of the river
3. The tree of life bearing different fruit each month (there will still be months, and time) (2)
4. The throne and presence of the Lord and the sight of His face will be seen (4)
5. We will serve Him
B. Conclusion (22:6-16)
1. This is the truth: it will happen (6)
2. The Lord will come quickly (7)
3. The promised blessing to those who keep these sayings is repeated (7)
4. The witness certifies his testimony – I saw these things, says John (8)
5. The command is given – Worship God (9)
6. Unlike Daniel, John is commanded not to seal the sayings of the prophecy (10) (see Daniel 9:24 and 12:4)
7. Let men be who they are, wicked and righteous, but the Lord is coming quickly (11-12) and cannot be stopped: He will reward all men according to their work (12).
C. The last invitation in the Bible (Rev 22:17)
D. The warning of curses upon those who add to or take away from this book (Rev 22:18-19)
1. Modern versions rely on a Greek text that has changed 8 out of every ten verses in the Revelation.
2. There are five changes to Rev 22:19 found in the Greek text used in the NIV, which include the removal and addition of words to this verse.
3. There are about 90 words missing in The Revelation in the critical Greek text.
E. Final endorsement (22:20-21)
V. CONCLUSION
A. Since Cain and Abel, God has been dealing with two groups of people – the wicked and the righteous.
B. The righteous are “born again.” They are God’s family – His children.
1. If you think you are born again, but are not righteous, you are lost.
2. When you get saved, you get changed. You don’t become perfect, but you get better.
C. The wicked are “unbelievers.”
1. They are of their father the devil.
2. They have rejected Christ and the wrath of God abides on them.
3. John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
D. The Revelation of Jesus Christ – the last book of the Bible – deals with every single open issue regarding these two groups.
1. For the righteous:
a. God vindicates (gains vengeance) them by punishing all those who have persecuted and tormented them.
b. God rewards them both by allowing them to see His judgment on the wicked, and by giving them rewards and giving them a new place to live forever
c. God honors them for what they have done in His name
2. For the wicked:
a. God pours his wrath out upon them for their stubborn refusal to accept His Son
b. God deals with those who rejected Christ in Israel, and during the tribulation (Daniel’s 70th Week) God finally gets National Israel’s attention.
c. God condemns the wicked, and the devil who deceive them, to hell for all eternity.
E. At the end of The Revelation – all is good, once again, just as it was in the garden before sin entered the world. And, it will be that way for all eternity.