What is the Millennium / Millennial Kingdom?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The millennial kingdom is a future thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. The millennium fulfills God’s promises to Israel and establishes His justice and peace (Revelation 20:4-6). Jesus will rule from Jerusalem, bringing harmony among nations and allowing believers to worship Him freely (Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:6-9). Those resurrected in Christ will have glorified bodies, while mortal believers who survived the tribulation will live, marry, and have children They will have the opportunity to turn to Christ for salvation. At the end of the millennium, Satan will be released to deceive unbelievers, but he and his followers will be defeated and cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10). Finally, the old creation will be destroyed, and God will establish a new heaven and new earth where believers will dwell with Him forever (Revelation 21-22). While we wait for Christ’s future rule and reign, we are called to live surrendered to Him, with His kingdom values in our homes and communities.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• God made a promise to Abraham that He would make him into a “great nation”; that promise was fulfilled in the nation of Israel and, later, in the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles.The millennial kingdom also fulfills the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-3). During the millennium, Israel will take control of the promised geographical borders, fulfilling the Palestinian covenant (Deuteronomy 30:1-10), and they will experience forgiveness and a renewed relationship with God, fulfilling the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:10-13).
• The millennial kingdom will give us a taste of what life would have been if Adam and Eve had not sinned. Jesus will be the King and Judge (Isaiah 2:4; 11:3-4). Animals will live in peace with each other and with humans (Isaiah 11:6-9), and believers will worship God at the new Temple (Isaiah 2:2-3; Ezekiel 40:1-46:24).
• Under Jesus' leadership, the world will still be divided into nations. Jews will be drawn back to Israel, which will finally have its promised borders (Genesis 17:7-8; Isaiah 11:10-13). The Gentiles will be divided into nations with Jesus as their benevolent king (Psalm 2:8; Isaiah 42:1; Daniel 7:14, 27). Jews and Gentiles will all live in peace (Isaiah 2:4).
• In the beginning of the millennium, the kingdom will be inhabited only by those who follow Christ. Those who have died will be given glorified bodies and sealed against sin. But those who survived the tribulation will enter the kingdom as mortals—long-lived, but able to marry and have children (Isaiah 33:24, 35:5-6, 61:1-2).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• After the rapture of the church, the seven-year long tribulation, the war of Armageddon, and the resurrection of the saints, Jesus will rule on the earth for one thousand years (Revelation 20:4-6).
• The purpose of the millennial kingdom is to establish Christ as King in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33) and to fulfill the promises God has made to Israel.
• During the millennial kingdom, Jesus will reign, and the disciples (Matthew 19:28) and the martyrs of the Tribulation (Revelation 20:4) will rule over the nations.
• The end of the millennium will be the setting for the final judgment over the earth. Despite the examples of those around them, the peace in the kingdom, and the presence of Christ, not all of the people will choose to follow Christ. At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be released from the Abyss. He will deceive the unbelievers and gather an army to march against Jesus and Israel. The ensuing battle will be short-lived. Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and his human army killed (Revelation 20:7-10). All unbelievers will stand before the Great White Throne of judgment and be thrown into the lake of fire for eternity (John 5:22, 26-29; Revelation 20:11-15). Finally, the heavens and earth will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:10; Matthew 24:35; Revelation 20:11) and remade (Revelation 21-22; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58), and the believers will live on the New Earth for eternity.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

In the millennial kingdom, Jesus will come to rule and reign in peace, without the presence of Satan and without sin, at least in the beginning. Yet just as Jesus will reign in perfect justice and peace, we are called to submit to His rule in our daily lives now. When we face workplace injustices, broken relationships, or societal conflicts, we can trust that Christ’s future kingdom is a model for how we should pursue righteousness today—seeking peace, showing mercy, and standing for truth. That some will still reject Jesus even in a perfect world urges us to share the gospel, knowing that true transformation comes through Him alone. And just as the nations will one day live under Christ’s reign, we can strive to bring His kingdom values into our homes, communities, and decisions, preparing our hearts for the day when He will reign fully and forever.

UNDERSTAND

• The millennial kingdom is Christ’s future thousand-year reign on earth.
• The millennial kingdom will fulfill God’s promises to Israel.
• The millennial kingdom will give everyone an opportunity to turn to Christ without Satan’s influence.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that Christ will one day rule in perfect justice and peace affect how you handle injustice today?
• What areas of your life do you struggle to fully surrender to Christ’s rule, and how can you grow in submission to Him?
• What does the reality that some will still reject Christ even in a perfect world reveal to you about humanity?

ENGAGE

• What does the millennial kingdom reveal about God’s faithfulness to His promises throughout history?
• How should the coming reign of Christ shape the way we approach leadership, justice, and peace in our communities today?
• How can we reflect the values of Christ’s future kingdom in our lives today?