The Millennial Kingdom: Jesus' 1,000-year Reign on Earth
I. THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM: JESUS’ 1,000-YEAR REIGN ON EARTH
A. The Millennium is a literal 1,000 year period in which Jesus will rule the whole world from Jerusalem in righteousness
and peace. Millennium is from the Latin “mille” (a thousand).
4 I saw thrones, and they (saints) sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. I saw the souls of those
who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus (End-Time martyrs)…they lived and reigned with Christ
for 1000 years… 6 They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him 1000 years.
(Revelation 20:4-6)
B. At this time the Kingdom of God will be openly manifest worldwide affecting every sphere of life (political, social,
agricultural, economic, spiritual, educational, law enforcement, family, media, arts, technology, athletics, environment,
social institutions, etc).
C. The result will be a 1,000 year period of unprecedented blessing for the whole earth as Jesus establishes
righteousness and prosperity, and restores the agriculture, atmosphere, and animal life to some of the conditions that
were seen in the Garden of Eden (Revelation 20:1-6; Isaiah 2:1-4; 9:6-9; 11:1-16; 51:1-8; 60-62; 65:17-25; Psalm 2:6-12;
110:1-7; Deuteronomy 8; 28; Matthew 5:5; 6:10; 17:11; 19:28; 28:19; Acts 1:6; 3:21). This period of blessing will be
initiated by Jesus' Second Coming.
D. Jesus as King of Kings, will personally govern a worldwide Kingdom from Jerusalem in partnership with resurrected
saints who rule with Him (Revelation 2:26-27; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4-6; 22:5; Matthew 19:28; 20:21-23; 25:23; Luke 19:17-19;
22:29-30; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Romans 8:17).
17 Jerusalem shall be called the Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the
name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 3:17)
2 The Mountain of the Lord’s House...shall be exalted…all nations shall flow to it. 3…For out of Zion shall
go forth the law, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2-3)
E. Jesus’ core message was about the coming of the Kingdom of God. The foundational message of the Kingdom is
that Jesus as King will rule every sphere of society. The NT makes clear that the kingdom is ‘already here’ (in a limited
expression) but is ‘not yet’ fully here until Jesus returns.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
F. The Millennial Kingdom is one of the major revelations of Scripture. The Old Testament saints looked to God to
bring a whole new world order based on His Word (Deuteronomy 8; 28; Isaiah 2; 4; 9; 11; 60-66; Jeremiah 30-33;
Ezekiel 36-37; Daniel 7:13-14; Zechariah 14:4-21).
G. This is the time of the fulfillment of the OT prophecies of God establishing the Messiah on the Throne of David to
bless all the nations (2 Samuel 7:13, 16, 23:5; Isaiah 9:6-7; 55:3; Psalm 89:3-4; 34-37; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 30:8-9; 33:14-17,
20-21; Ezekiel 37:24-25; Hosea 3:4-5; Amos 9:11; Luke 1:31-33).
H. Daniel saw the heavenly coronation of Jesus as the eternal King over all the earth.
13 One like the Son of Man (Jesus)…came to the Ancient of Days (Father)…14 To Him (Jesus) was given…
a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him…27 His kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, and all dominions shall serve Him. (Daniel 7:13-14, 27)
I. Jesus will sit on a Throne as King and rule over all the other kings on the earth (Revelation 19:16).
31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory...then He will sit on the Throne of His glory. 32 All the nations
will be gathered before Him... (Matthew 25:31-32)
9 The Lord shall be King over all the earth. (Zechariah 14:9)
J. In the Millennium all the kings of the earth will be saved and worship Jesus (Psalm 72:11; 102:15; 138:4; 148:11;
Isaiah 62:2; Revelation 21:24) and base their national governments on God’s Word.
11 All kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him. (Psalm 72:11)
15 Nations shall fear the...LORD, all the kings of the earth Your glory. (Psalm 102:15)
II. CENTERPIECE OF GOD’S PURPOSE: BRINGING HEAVEN AND EARTH TOGETHER
9 Having made known to us the mystery (hidden plan) of His will…10 that He might gather together in one
ALL things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. (Ephesians 1:9-10)
A. The centerpiece of God’s eternal purpose is for Jesus to come back to establish His Kingdom over all the earth as
He joins the heavenly and earthly realms together. God’s purpose has always been for His people to live together with Him
in this way. This is the interpretive key to understanding the End-Times. Without this foundational revelation, confusion is
inevitable.
3 Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them… (Revelation 21:3)
B. God purposefully created the universe in two distinct realms. Heaven speaks of the supernatural spirit realm where
God’s power and presence is openly manifest. Earth speaks of the physical realm where human process, emotions and
physical sensation reach their fullest expression.
C. Heaven is the place believers have gone for the last 2,000 years (from the cross to the Second Coming) as a
“temporary holding pattern” before receiving a resurrected body. The saints do not need a resurrected body in heaven
to relate to its spiritual environment. However, when coming to earth, they will need a resurrected body to relate to the
earth’s physical environment. Jesus ate in His resurrected body to settle this issue that the resurrection was a spiritual
and material body.
D. Only as the spirit and the material realm come together can we express the fullness of God’s personality and
purposes or the fullness of God (Ephesians 1:22-23; 3:19; 4:13; Colossians 1:19-20; 2:9-10).
22 He (Father) put all things under His (Jesus’) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him (God) who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)
III. GET THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE (PARADIGM) ABOUT THE END-TIMES
A. The challenge in understanding the Second Coming and the Millennial Kingdom is in getting the right paradigm.
The necessary paradigm sees Jesus ruling the earth with the natural human processes not suspended, yet significantly
enhanced by the supernatural dimension of the Spirit. We see aspects of this when Jesus appeared with His resurrected
body (John 20-21; Acts 1).
B. The Millennial earth will consist of material dimensions (wood, steel, cement, animals, etc.) along with the
supernatural dimension (the New Jerusalem descending to it; Revelation 21:2, 10; 3:12).
C. As Gentile believers, our most natural paradigm is to think of worshipping Jesus as God in the supernatural
conditions of heaven. We emphasize Jesus’ deity as the Son of God. Whereas, the Jewish paradigm, thinks of reigning
with the Messianic King as a man in the natural conditions of the earth. They emphasize the Messiah’s humanity as t
Son of David. The full truth is only seen when these two paradigms are brought together.
IV. HEAVENLY JERUSALEM AND EARTHLY JERUSALEM BROUGHT TOGETHER
12 The New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. (Revelation 3:12)
A. When the New Jerusalem comes to earth, then heaven is literally on earth. The New Jerusalem is the place where
resurrected saints will live. Thus, our rewards are in heaven, since we live in the New Jerusalem forever. The earth (as
the place of our inheritance) will continue forever (Psalm 37:29; 78:69; 104:5; 105:10-11; 125:1-2; 1 Chronicles 23:25;
28:8; Isaiah 60:21; Ezekiel 37:25; Joel 3:20).
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
B. Heaven and earth come together as the New Jerusalem descends to the Millennial Jerusalem.
17 At that time (Millennial Jerusalem) Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the
nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 3:17)
3 The Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it (New Jerusalem). (Revelation 22:3)
C. The New Jerusalem will descend to a place above Millennial Jerusalem (Temple on Mt. Zion) creating a vast
“governmental complex” joined by a “Corridor of Glory.” It will be the governmental center of heaven and earth referred
to as Jesus’ Throne of glory (Matthew 19:28; 25:31).
31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the Throne
of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him… (Matthew 25:31-32)
D. Five reasons that the New Jerusalem is not resting on earth, yet close to it during the Millennium: 1). The kings
come in and out of the it (Revelation 21:24); 2). Its leaves heal the nations (Revelation 22:2); 3). The angels guard sinners
from entry (Revelation 21:12, 22:14-15). 4). It lights up the saved nations on the Millennial earth but not the unsaved
ones (Revelation 21:24; 20:7-9). 5). The size of the Millennial Jerusalem is approximately 10 square miles
(4,500 rods x 4,500 rods; Ezekiel 48:30-35; 45:6; 48:15-19) whereas, the New Jerusalem is 1,380 miles (Revelation 21:16).
V. THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE ARE ON EARTH WHEN JESUS APPEARS IN THE SKY
A. The redeemed will be raptured during Jesus’ worldwide procession across the sky.
B. The reprobate who took the mark of the Beast will be judged and then killed (some executed). At this time, there
may be up 1-3 billion of these people still alive. They will not just disappear.
C. The resistors are the unsaved survivors (Jews and Gentiles) of the Great Tribulation who refused to worship the
Antichrist. These resistors will stand against evil governments without regard to having faith in God. For example, in World
War II, many in the French Resistance army died as they fought the Nazis. They simply refused to submit to Hitler. The
Scripture refers to “those who are left” or “who remain.” These will have an opportunity to be saved after Jesus returns
and then populate the Millennial earth (Isaiah 4:3; 10:20; 11:11; 49:6; 65:8; 66:19; Jeremiah 31:2; Ezekiel 20:38-42;
36:36; Amos 9:9-10; Joel 2:32; Zechariah 12:14; 13:8; 14:16).
VI. THE NATURAL PROCESSES OF LIFE WILL CONTINUE ON EARTH FOR 1000 YEARS
A. Jesus will rule the Millennial earth that has both natural and supernatural dimensions.
20 No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for
the child shall die one hundred years old, but the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. 21
They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22…For as the days
of a tree, so shall be the days of My people…25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat
straw like the ox…they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain," Says the LORD. (Isaiah 65:20-25)
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the
young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall
play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. 9 They shall not hurt
nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters
cover the sea. (Isaiah 11:6-9)
B. The natural processes of life will continue in establishing the infrastructure for every sphere of life in every city and
village throughout the earth. This infrastructure will include replacing the governmental leaders from the Antichrist’s
worldwide government with new people at every level of public life in every city, life support systems (food, water,
electricity), building projects (buildings, highways, bridges, etc.), economic systems (currencies, banking, investments,
etc.), spiritual life (worship centers, Bible schools, etc.), education (from elementary to university levels), law enforcement;
agriculture (equipment, distribution), media and arts, technology, environment, social institutions, etc.
C. A process will be involved in war tribunals (court of justice to judge crimes) to judge the kings of the earth and then
execute many of them (as in the Nuremburg trials in 1945-46) (Matthew 25:31-32; Isaiah 2:4; 24:21-22; Psalm 110:6).
D. It may take many decades before all the lands and the governments of the earth are completely restored. After the
Great Tribulation, many of the cities of the earth will be desolate and in need of being rebuilt. The war torn cites of Europe
and Asia after World War II give insight into this. Even years after the war was over, many cities continued to lie in ruins. I
saiah prophesied of cities after the Great Tribulation being rebuilt.
4 They shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the
ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. (Isaiah 61:4)
E. There will be a progressive improvement in all areas of life.
1. There will be progressive social improvements or the healing of the Millennial nations. It will not be instantaneous.
The Tree of Life in the New Jerusalem will be ministered to the leaders of the nations in a way that will promote the healing
of their nation.
2 Tree of life...the leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2)
2. Jesus will set up training institutions to teach all nations His ways (political, economic, spiritual, educational,
agricultural, family, media, arts, technology, etc.)
3 Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the House of the
God of Jacob; He (Jesus) will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go
forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)
3. All will not be converted instantly and automatically. It will take time to convert people individually and then disciple
the nations.
4. All will not automatically obey God and all nations will not automatically be discipled. People living on the Millennial
earth will voluntarily choose to accept Jesus.
F. It will take 1,000 years to spread, mature and test the righteousness in every area of every nation.
VII. THE PROGRESSIVE INCREASE OF JESUS’ GOVERNMENT
A. Jesus’ government will progressively spread to all nations.
7 Of the increase of His government…there will be no end…over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with
judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. (Isaiah 9:7)
5 In mercy the Throne will be established; and One (Jesus) will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David,
judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness. (Isaiah 16:5)
5 The days are coming…that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness (Jesus); a King shall reign and
prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. (Jeremiah 23:5)
VIII. SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIAL REIGN:
A. Worldwide Justice (Isaiah 9:7; 11:3-5; 10:22; 28:17; 32:16; 42:1-4)
B. Peace (Isaiah 2:4; 9:4-7; 11:6-9; 32:17-18; 33:5-6; 65:25)
C. Fullness of Joy (Isaiah 9:3-4; 12:3-6; 14:7-8; 25:8-9; 61:7, 10)
D. Removal of the curse (Isaiah 11:6-9; 35:7-9; 65:25; Romans 8:19-23)
E. Satan bound (Revelation 20:1-7)
F. Healing (Isaiah 29:17-19; 35:3-6; 61:1-2; Jeremiah 31:8; Micah 4:6-7; Zephaniah 3:19)
G. Longevity of life (Isaiah 65:20, 22)
H. Population growth (Isaiah 65:20; Jeremiah 30:20; Ezekiel 47:22; Zechariah 10:8)
I. Labor (Isaiah 62:8-9; 65:21-23; Jeremiah 31:5; Ezekiel 48:18-19)
J. Rebuilt cities (Isaiah 61:4-6; Ezekiel 36:36-38)
K. Economic Prosperity (Isaiah 4:1; 35:1-2; 30:23-25; 62:8-9; 60:1-14; 65:21-23)
L. One world government (Zechariah 14:9; Ezekiel 37:13-28, Revelation 19:16)
M. Judges/Governors (Jeremiah 30:21; Isaiah 24:23, 32:1; Ezekiel 45:8-9; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; Luke 19:12-28)
N. Sin punished (Psalm 2:9, 72:9-11; Isaiah 11:4; 66:20, 24; Zechariah 14:16-19)
O. Israel exalted above all nations (Isaiah 2:1-4; 14:1-2; 49:22-23; 60:14-17)
P. Egypt and Assyria will work closely with Israel in worldwide governmental prominence
24 In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria-- a blessing in the midst of the land, 25 whom
he LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, "Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and
Israel My inheritance." (Isaiah 19:24-25)