Introduction: In these days there is much confusion concerning the subject of the millennium. Many teach that the millennium is taking place today and that the church is fulfilling the kingdom promises that God made to Israel (Replacement Theology). These people generally teach that at the second coming of Christ there will be one general resurrection and one general judgment followed immediately by the eternal state. The following chart illustrates that if the Bible is interpreted literally (in its plain and normal sense), three distinct ages must be recognized which are quite different from each other. The kingdom age is not the same as our present age; the kingdom age is also quite different from the eternal state. Thus three distinct ages must be distinguished. God means what He says and says what He means. May we approach the prophetic Scriptures with much reverence and humbly take God at His Word.
| TOPIC | THIS PRESENT AGE (Our Present World) | THE AGE TO COME (The Millennium) | THE ETERNAL AGES (The Eternal State) |
| Duration | Unrevealed (Matthew 24:36) |
A Thousand Years (Revelation 20:2-7) |
Forever and ever (Rev. 22:5) |
| Preceding Event | Inaugurated by the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2) | Preceded by the great tribulation and the second coming of Christ (Matthew 24:21, 29-31) | Preceded by the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) |
| Termination Point | Terminated by the second coming of Christ (Matthew 24:3) | Terminated by the release of Satan from the abyss or bottomless pit (Rev. 20:7) | No termination point (Revelation 22:5) |
| The
Resurrection |
The resurrection is future (John 5:28—"the hour is coming") | Preceded by the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6) | Preceded by the second resurrection (Revelation 20:5, 13-15) |
| Death | Men are under the curse of physical death (Heb. 9:27). Death is the norm. | Men enjoy unusual longevity but there is occasional death (Isaiah 65:20,22). Death is the exception. | "There shall be no more death" (Revelation 21:4) |
| Animals | Animals are under the curse and bondage resulting from the fall of man (Rom. 8:20-21). Many animals are fierce, dangerous and carnivorous. | Animals are delivered from the curse and bondage which resulted from man's sin, and no animals are fierce and carnivorous (Hosea 2:18; Ezek. 34:25; Isaiah 11:6-8) | No mention of animals |
| The Sea (Ocean) |
The sea is in existence | The sea is in existence (Rev. 20:13; Ps. 72:8; Ezek. 47:8,15,17) | "There was no more sea" (Rev. 21:1) |
| Sun and rain | We enjoy both (Matthew 5:45) | In Christ's kingdom of peace both will exist (Isaiah 30:26; Zech. 14:17) | There will be no sun and no rain (Rev. 21:23) |
| TOPIC | THIS PRESENT AGE (Our Present World) | THE AGE TO COME (The Millennium) | THE ETERNAL AGES (The Eternal State) |
| Sickness | There is abundant sickness and disease (Matthew 24:7) | No sickness (Isaiah 33:24) unless divinely inflicted (Zech. 14:18; Isaiah 65:20) | No more sickness or pain (Revelation 21:4) |
| Evangelism | Evangelism needful and necessary (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:18-20; etc.) | Evangelism not necessary (see Jer. 31:34) but people will still need to choose for or against the God whom they know | Evangelism not necessary. Eternal destinies will be settled and fixed (Revelation 22:11) |
| Saved and Unsaved | Saved and unsaved will be mixed (Matthew 13:30) | At the beginning of the millennium all will be saved (Matt. 25:34; 13:41,49) but at the end there will be a great host of unsaved (Rev. 20:7-9) | Only the saved will be in the eternal city. The unsaved will be forever excluded (Rev. 21:8; 22:15). |
| Kind of Body | All inhabitants are in natural bodies because the resurrection is yet future | The resurrected saints will be in glorified bodies; the survivors of the tribulation and their offspring will be in natural bodies | All saved inhabitants will be in glorified bodies, bodies not subject to pain or death (Revelation 21:4) |
| 1 Corinthians chapter 15 | We are awaiting His coming (1 Cor. 15:23) | Christ reigns but there are still enemies and still death (1 Cor. 15:24-25) | No more enemies...the kingdom is delivered unto God (1 Cor. 15:26-28) |
| The Devil | Active, on the loose and walking about seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8) | Chained and bound in the abyss (temporary prison) (Revelation 20:1-7) |
In the lake of fire (permanent prison) (Revelation 20:10) |
| Religion | Many false religions—in and outside of "Christendom" | False religion is not tolerated by the King. True worship is strictly enforced (Zech. 14:16-19) | True worship only and forever (Revelation 22:3) |
| War and Peace | There will be wars to the end of the age (Matt. 24:6-7) until the "Prince of Peace" comes | There will be no war (Hosea 2:18; Micah 4:3-4; Isaiah 2:4) but the thousand years will end with a final rebellion (Rev. 20:7,9) | There will be no war and no more rebellion "for the former things are passed away" (Rev. 21:4) |
| Sacrifice | No animal sacrifices for the church. The Lord's Table is observed in remembrance of Him (1 Cor. 11:23-34). | Animal sacrifices will be offered in connection with millennial temple worship (Ezek. 43:27; 45:15,17; etc.). | No sacrificial system. Continual worship of the Lamb that was slain! |
| Temple | The church is God's temple today (1 Cor. 3:16-17) and there will be a tribulation temple at the end of the age (2 Thess. 2:4; Matthew 24:15) | A glorious millennial temple far surpassing that of Solomon's (Haggai 2:6-9; Ezek. 40-48) | No temple, just a glorious and great God (Revelation 21:22) |
| The Lord Jesus Christ | Our exalted Lord! (Philippians 2:9-11) |
The great millennial King! (Isaiah 33:22) |
The Lamb of eternity! (Revelation 21-22) |
*This article by George Zeller first appeared in The Voice (IFCA), July/August 1987. It has since been revised.
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