The Millennium by J. O. Corliss

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 29, 1885

The Millennium.

By J. O. Corliss

A CORRESPONDENT writes: “In Bible Tract No. 1, entitled ‘Millennium,’ page 2, it states that the period (millennium) is bounded at each end with a resurrection. How is verse 8, chapter 20, to be harmonized with this theory? Are we to understand that these people are dead at the going forth of Satan?”

We presume that the writer of these questions had in mind the book of Revelation, as that contains the only chapter in all the Bible that locates the one thousand years, or the time popularly denominated the millennium. (Millennium signifies a thousand years.) This period has been generally supposed to mark an era in the world’s history prior to the close of probation and the advent of Christ, when all men will be at peace with each other, and all will know the Lord from the least to the greatest. Why this view has so generally obtained is not plain, logically considered; because, as before stated, all that may be learned concerning that time is confined to a few verses of the twentieth chapter of Revelation, and these in no way furnish material for the support of such a theory.

The data furnished by these few verses are, however, sufficient not only to definitely locate the millennium, but to determine the nature of the event. By reference to verse 4, we learn that a certain class of people live and reign with Christ a thousand years. But who are these? and whence came they? we ask.

The same verse answers: “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they [the class just described] lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” This class, all will admit, will be composed of those who had once been dead. Among them will be those who were beheaded for Christ’s sake; those who no doubt died ignoble deaths in various ways rather than worship the beast; these, with all who had died in Christ in all ages, will help to swell that privileged number.

This conclusion is strengthened by reference to the verse following: “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.” We call attention to some interesting points in this quotation. The words, “rest of the dead,” imply that those previously spoken of as reigning with Christ had also been dead. These, however, are released from death, while the others are held therein during the thousand years. But by what power did these who reign with Christ gain ascendancy over the others? The record informs us by saying: “This is the first resurrection.”

But the sixth verse confirms and establishes this position. “Blessed and holy is he,” saith the sacred writer, “that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” In the first case those who reign with Christ during the thousand years are represented to have been once dead. In this instance it is stated that those who are thus privileged, have part in the first resurrection; hence we must conclude that none participate in the joys of the thousand years until after the first resurrection.

We are next led to inquire, When does the first resurrection—in which the righteous have part—take place? This is concisely answered by Paul in the following words: “For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.

Two important facts are revealed in these words, relative to the subject under consideration. First we learn that the resurrection of the righteous takes place at the time of our Lord’s second personal appearing. This point established, we are forced to conclude that if the resurrection provides the subjects who reign with Christ during the thousand years, then that period so long looked for by the church must await the advent of Christ. We learn, secondly, from this scripture that when the Lord does raise the dead and change the righteous living, they are caught up in the clouds to meet him in the air. It is plain then that they leave this earth and mount to Heaven to reign that thousand years with Christ.

The reason for this is obvious. When we learn the condition of the earth during that time, we must conclude that it would not be a fit abode for the redeemed saints. Turning again to Revelation, chapter twenty, we learn from verse five that some are still dead during the entire millennium. On the other hand we learn that when the Lord appears, and, as we have seen, takes away the righteous, all the wicked who live upon the earth are slain (2 Thess. 1:7; Rev. 11:11-21), the earth then becomes one vast charnel house. In speaking of this time the prophet says: “And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.” Jer. 25:33.

That the prophet here introduces the close of the great controversy that has been going on for six thousand years, is evident by referring to verse thirty-one of the same chapter: “The Lord hath a controversy with the nations; he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.” The fact that this slaughter extends from one end of the earth to the other, and that the victims are not lamented, shows that all those left on the earth are involved in the account. There are none left to lament the terrible calamity.

But this is not all. When the Lord comes, the handiwork of man disappears; all that art and science could contrive for man’s comfort vanishes. The prophet speaks again upon this point: “I beheld, and lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger. For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.” Jer. 4:25-27. Certainly this is “destruction upon destruction,” which would totally unfit the earth for the abode of the saints during the millennium.

We are now prepared to examine briefly another portion of Revelation 20. Commencing with the first verse we read: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season.” We learn by this that Satan is bound during a thousand years. Is it the same period of time that the saints reign with Christ, and the wicked lie dead, between the two resurrections? Evidently it is. Please notice the phraseology of the second verse, where the subject is first introduced. It is there said that the angel binds Satan for a thousand years. The third verse affirms that he will deceive the nations no more till the thousand years are fulfilled. Both these statements must refer to the same period. Again in verses 4 and 5 the saints are shown to be with Christ a thousand years, having been raised from the dead, while the rest of the dead live not again till the thousand years are finished. These too are identical in point of time. Now the seventh verse introduces the loosing of Satan and says that it occurs when the thousand years are expired, showing that the previous mentions of a thousand year period, each covers the same time—that of Satan’s binding, or captivity.

It stands to reason that if the saints are in Heaven with Christ during that time, they are beyond the reach of Satan’s deceptions. If the others are all dead, they certainly cannot be influenced by him. His life-long occupation, then, has ceased as long as that period continues. He may wander up and down in the desolate earth, and behold the work of destruction he has wrought, but find no comfort in it. He is really a prisoner until the termination of the thousand years, or until the resurrection of those who were unworthy of a part in the first resurrection. His work may then be renewed for a brief season, only to end in the destruction that overtakes all the finally impenitent.

So far, the specifications of the chapter are met. We will, however, examine one more point of the subject. Satan’s prison house is said to be the bottomless pit. With the foregoing conclusions, one may ask, Do you then think that the desolated earth is referred to in that expression, “bottomless pit”? No one certainly could think the expression a literal one; for a bottomless pit would contain nothing, therefore could not become a prison for Satan or any other being. But for an answer to the question, let us together examine one point in a scripture already referred to. In Jer. 4:27, after speaking of the overthrow of the cities when the Lord comes, he says the whole land shall be desolate. The Lord does not make a full end of it; for after the thousand years it will be renewed. See 2 Pet. 3:12, 13; Rev. 21:1. But before its renewal the prophet says concerning its condition, “I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form and void.” Jer. 4:25.

This, it will be noticed, is the very same expression used in the first chapter of Genesis, verse 2, with reference to the earth in its chaotic state. “And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” Then when the earth is reduced to a state of desolation, as brought to view by Jeremiah, it assumes the chaotic condition in which it was before man was created upon the earth. But the inspired record describes that condition in one word: “Darkness was upon the face of the deep.” The original form of this word in the Septuagint (Old Testament in Greek) is the same as that translated “bottomless pit” in Rev. 20:1, 3. And when we consider that in the latter case the word is used in connection with events a portion of which transpire on the earth, the matter seems conclusive.

It is seen that at the end of the thousand years the resurrection of the wicked takes place. Unlike those who came up in the first resurrection, these remain on the earth, and Satan goes out to deceive them into an attack upon the beloved city of the saints. This city, the new Jerusalem, John saw coming down from God out of Heaven. The sight of the city and the saints fires Satan and his followers with frenzy, and while he and his host are engaged in attacking the city, fire comes down from God out of Heaven and devours them. These retributive fires purge the earth. Then “he that sat upon the throne said, Behold I make all things new,” and the earth becomes the final abode of the saved. Rev. 21:5-7.

J. O. CORLISS.