The Millennial Kingdom
Selected Passages
Big Idea: Jesus’ Millennial reign is God’s next stage of redemptive history. In the Millennial Kingdom we see a further demonstration of God’s good and gracious rule over creation.
What is God’s Kingdom?
God’s authority and ability to rule over any and all realms within the created order and beyond in order to _______________________ the blessings of his good and righteous kingdom to _______________________ subjects all to his glory.
Romans 8:18-25
“[Jesus’] mission, as well as his Messiahship, was a ‘mystery’; it was not to bring the evil Age to its end and inaugurate the Age to Come. It was rather to bring the powers of the future Age to men in the midst of the present evil Age…” George Eldon Ladd
What is the Millennial Kingdom?
God’s final demonstration of his goodness and glory to the nations through the __________________ and ________________ rule of the Resurrected Christ and his resurrected people for 1,000 years before the New Heavens and the New Earth.
If the incarnation of Christ (first coming) was a humble and subtle unveiling of the glory of God and the church is an extension of that subtlety, then the Millennial Kingdom is an extension of the glorious unveiling of Jesus Christ as conquering King in his second coming.
3 noteworthy events that indicate the time of the Millennial Kingdom is after the church age:
Christ Return is ______________________ at the End of the Church Age
Revelation 19:11-16
The first time that John saw heaven standing open was to admit him to the glorious sights and sounds of vision two (4:1). This time the gates are thrown wide so that Christ and the heavenly armies may leave and descend to earth.
Revelation 1:7 (ESV) — 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.
Mark 13:24–27 (ESV) — 24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
In the incarnation of Christ he came as a humble savior, in his return he will come as a conquering king.
Luke 17:22–24 (ESV) — 22 And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.
The return of Christ brings judgement upon his enemies.
Satan is _________________ _________________ before the Millennial Kingdom.
Revelation 19:19-20:3
What we see here is that at the end of the church age and the beginning of the thousand year reign of Christ (vs 2), the beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire and Satan is thrown into the bottomless pit.
Revelation 20:7 (ESV) — 7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison…
Revelation 20:10 (ESV) — 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Questions to Consider:
How does the hope of Christ return encourage you in the midst of this present evil age?
How are we to live in light of this future manifestation of God’s goodness and glory?
How might Christ’s return serve us as we seek to the spread the good news of Christ’s kingdom to those who are non-believing among us?
