In this series we are searching the scriptures in order to find out exactly when the Thousand Year Reign with Christ on the earth begins. Has it already begun or is it yet in the future? In the last three blogs we laid out evidence for when the first death and when the first resurrection occurred. When Jesus Christ rose from the dead He brought the Kingdom of Heaven to the earth, and deposed the reign of Satan on the earth. This is when the Reign of Christ on the earth began.
When Jesus Christ began His reign on the earth, He provided the only way for mankind to be reconciled to God, their Creator. If a human being repents of his sins and accepts Jesus Christ as the blood sacrifice - payment - for his sins, he will become born again...John 3:3. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new...II Cor. 5:17.
Is the born again experience the first resurrection for human beings? Does he begin his Reign with Christ on the earth the moment he is born again? For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ...Rom. 5:17.
When Adam sinned, death reigned through him to all human beings, but those who receive the gift of righteousness - forgiveness - through Jesus Christ, they will reign in life through Him. When a human being receives the gift of righteousness he has been...called out of darkness into His marvelous light...I Peter 2:9. He is no longer dead in trespasses and sins, but has been resurrected from death to life - first resurrection. Resurrection means: standing up again.
Now we know that scripture explains very clearly when the Reign with Christ on the earth begins for a human being - it is when he is born again. Your next question should be, "How does the word thousand qualify the Reign of Christ on the earth?"
...and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years...Rev. 20:4 - the last sentence. We must determine the definition of the word thousand. This particular word in the original Greek language is chiloi meaning: uncertain; an indefinite period of time. It can also mean continual or uninterrupted, depending on the context in which it is used.
If the word thousand in this text was meant as a numerical calculation, the Greek word would have been chilias. There is a big difference in the definition of these two Greek words. At the time this vision was given, John had no larger word in the vocabulary of his day to describe a long indefinite period of time, than thousand. The words million, billion or trillion had not been conceived.
In order to describe a long indefinite period of time, John could have qualified the word thousand by saying one thousand years, but this would put a limit to the amount of years for the fulfillment of the prophecy. John also could have said ten thousands of years, indicating unending - but he didn't mean unending.
The thousand year reign of Christ on the earth describes an indefinite period of time, because the opportunity to reign with Christ - become born again - must be offered to all generations of people until God says it is over - that time period cannot be calculated by men. So the Greek word chiloi was used by the translator to convey to the saints of God, there will be an eventual ending to the reign with Christ on the earth, but no human being knows when that will be.
We can glean more insight on the meaning of the word thousand from the Apostle Peter. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, a thousand years as one day...II peter 3:8. The word thousand in this text is from the same Greek word as above - chiloi - an indefinite or uncertain period of time.
The Apostle Peter explains that one day is as a thousand years - one and the same - a continuum in the spirit realm. Time on the earth has a beginning and an end. In the spirit realm there is no time - eternal life is continual, an uninterrupted existence. Time in the spirit realm is always now. This is why God told Moses that His name is I AM...Ex. 3:14.
Does Jesus tell us when the Thousand Year Reign with Christ on the earth ends? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrine of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
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