Revelation 20

M. The millennial reign of Christ ch. 20

John recorded his vision of Jesus Christ’s reign on the earth for 1,000 years to inform his readers of what would take place after He returns to the earth.

"Few verses in the Bible are more crucial to the interpretation of the Bible as a whole than the opening verses in Revelation 20." [Note: John F. Walvoord, "The Theological Significance of Revelation 20:1-6," in Essays in Honor of J. Dwight Pentecost, p. 227.]

Many other passages in Scripture indicate that a reign of peace and righteousness on earth will follow the Second Coming (Psalms 2; Psalms 24; Psalms 72; Psalms 96; Isaiah 2; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 11-12; Isaiah 63:1-6; Isaiah 65-66; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Jeremiah 30:8-11; Daniel 2:44; Daniel 7:13-14; Hosea 3:4-5; Amos 9:11-15; Micah 4:1-8; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Zechariah 8:1-8; Zechariah 14:1-9; Matthew 19:28; Matthew 25:31-46; Acts 15:16-18; Romans 11:25-27; Judges 1:14-15; Revelation 2:25-28). Therefore it seems clear that chapter 20 describes what will follow chapter 19 in chronological sequence. [Note: See Harold W. Hoehner, "Evidence from Revelation 20," in A Case for Premillennialism: A New Consensus, pp. 235-62; Charles E. Powell, "Progression versus Recapitulation in Revelation 20:1-6," Bibliotheca Sacra 163:649 (January-March 2006):94-109.] Many amillennialists view Revelation 20:1-10 as a recapitulation of Revelation 19:11-21. [Note: E.g., R. Fowler White, "Reexamining the Evidence for Recapitulation in Revelation 20:1-10," Westminster Theological Journal 51 (1989):319-44; idem, "Making Sense of Revelation 20:1-10? Harold Hoehner Versus Recapitulation," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 37:4 (December 1994):539-51; and Dave Mathewson, "A Re-examination of the Millennium in Revelation 20:1-6: Consummation and Recapitulation," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 44:2 (June 2001)237-51..] Most amillennialists believe Revelation 20:1-6 describes the course of the church age. [Note: E.g., Beale, p. 972.]

Evidently Jesus Christ will begin to reign almost immediately after He returns to the earth.

". . . we may note that the ancient church down to the time of Augustine (354-430) (though not without minor exceptions) unquestionably held to the teaching of an earthly, historical reign of peace that was to follow the defeat of Antichrist and the physical resurrection of the saints but precede both the judgment and the new creation . . ." [Note: Johnson, p. 578. See Mounce, pp. 358-59; Erdman, pp. 154-62; and especially Jean Daniélou, The Theology of Jewish Christianity, for much evidence to support this statement.]

Mounce, who believed that the Millennium will be an earthly reign of Christ following His second coming, held an unusual view of this period.

"The millennium is not, for John, the messianic age foretold by the prophets of the OT, but a special reward for those who have paid with their lives the price of faithful opposition to the idolatrous claims of Antichrist. . . .

"In short, John taught a literal millennium, but its essential meaning may be realized in something other than a temporal fulfillment." [Note: Mounce, p. 359.]