Millennial Reign of Christ
- Michael E.B. Maher
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
1 The millennial reign of Christ
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.
(Revelation 20:4)
After the battle of Armageddon, the Lord Jesus will begin His millennial reign upon the earth, ruling from the temple in the city of Jerusalem. It is at this point—as noted earlier—that the temple will be cleansed of the Abomination of Desolation, and the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) will finally be fulfilled (Daniel 8:14).
The passage above also reveals that the saints will reign with Him during this time, for the church will return to the earth with the Lord Jesus at His second coming. Thus, our Lord’s prophetic words to Jerusalem will at last be fulfilled: “I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Luke 13:35).
When Jesus entered Jerusalem the first time—humble and riding on a donkey—it was the saints who proclaimed, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38). In the same manner, when He enters Jerusalem the second time, now as King of kings riding on a white horse, it will again be the saints who welcome Him with that same declaration.
1.1 Saint’s reigning in the Millennium
And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations-- 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'-- as I also have received from My Father;
(Revelation 2:26-27)
It is important to note that not all of the Lord’s saints will return with Him for His millennial reign on the earth. In our Lord’s letters to the churches in the book of Revelation, there is one particular reward He mentions that carries a condition. Unlike rewards that are freely given to all the Lord’s saints, this reward is granted only to those who meet that condition. In other words, it is a reward that must be earned. The reward referred to in the passage above is authority to rule over the nations.
What, then, is the condition attached to this reward? The saints must not only overcome, but they must also keep the Lord’s works until the end. What does the Lord mean by keeping His works to the end? Simply put, the saints must be willing to give their lives for Him—or, as Scripture declares, “they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11).
Only a select few of the Lord’s saints will be counted worthy to give their lives for Him. It is therefore these saints who can expect to receive the reward of ruling over the nations.
"And to the pastor of the church in Smyrna write, 'these things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: "I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
(Revelation 2:8-10)
In the passage referenced above, the Lord gives us the example of the saints in Smyrna, who will be counted worthy to rule over the nations during the millennium because they proved faithful to Him unto death.
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
(Revelation 6:9-11)
We also know that the Lord’s martyrs are treated differently in the kingdom of God. In the passage cited above, we see that they are kept beneath the altar of God, separated from the rest of the saints. It is noteworthy that these martyrs are waiting for the Lord to judge and avenge their blood upon those who dwell on the earth.
In other words, they are not concerned with unbelievers who have already died, knowing that such are being tormented in Hades. Rather, their concern is with the unbelievers still alive on the earth, for it is over these unbelievers that they will reign with a rod of iron during the millennium.
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.
(Revelation 20:4)
Although this passage specifically mentions those martyred during the reign of the Antichrist as reigning with the Lord during the millennium, it is reasonable to conclude that all of the Lord’s martyrs will be counted worthy on that day to rule over the nations with a rod of iron.
"I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.
(Daniel 7:9-10)
This leads us to ask: how many of the Lord’s saints have been martyred? In addressing this question, we previously discussed the above passage estimating the total number of saints at approximately 100 million. This same passage refers to “a thousand thousands” ministering to the Lord—a figure equating to one million, or one percent of 100 million. It is therefore quite possible that this number represents the martyrs beneath God’s altar.
An Old Testament type and shadow of this concept can be found in the Levites, whom the Lord separated from the nation of Israel to minister before Him as priests. Biblical records indicate that the Levites comprised approximately two percent of the nation. In a similar manner, it is plausible that the Lord’s martyrs constitute approximately one percent of the total number of saints.
Why is it important to approximate the number of saints who will return with the Lord to reign during the millennium? As we will see, the scriptural accounts make it impossible for all 100 million saints to return with Him at that time. However, an estimated number of approximately one million saints—namely, the martyrs—returning with the Lord renders those accounts far more feasible.
Michael E.B. Maher
Comments