ONE THOUSAND YEAR MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST

Have you ever wondered what the purpose is of the1000 year millennial reign of Christ? And why would Satan be loosed for a time at the end of 1000 years?

Here are some thoughts to consider. Because Satan is bound for a thousand years it implies a complete cessation of his influence on mankind. At the end of that 1000 years Satan must be loosed for a short time in order that all of those living at that time must be given a chance to choose to put their faith in Christ or reject Him as their Lord.

If you remember, in Revelation 2:27 it says, “The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations; AND HE (believer) SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE SHATTERED, as I have also received authority from My Father” (emphasis added). Those who live and are born during the millennium will have no choice but to obey those who rule over them. Because God is a just God He will give them a choice at the end of the 1000 years to either accept or reject Him. I've heard it said that those who obey only because they have no choice would never be happy in heaven.

There is one more reason that I would suggest for Satan being released for a short time, and I believe this to be the main reason. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse” (Rom1:20,BSB, emphasis added). Before the creation of mankind God created the heavens, the earth, and everything in them to remove the excuse of any man saying he didn't know there was a God.

Because of the perfect rule of Jesus during the millennium there won’t be anyone who will be able to claim that if their circumstances had been different they wouldn’t have ended up in hell. Under Christ’ rule it will be almost like heaven on earth. Most scholars believe Isaiah 65:19-25 was speaking of the 1000 year millennium:

“I will rejoice over Jerusalem

and take delight in my people;

the sound of weeping and of crying

will be heard in it no more.

“Never again will there be in it

an infant who lives but a few days,

or an old man who does not live out his years;

the one who dies at a hundred

will be thought a mere child;

the one who fails to reach a hundred

will be considered accursed.

They will build houses and dwell in them;

they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

No longer will they build houses and others live in them,

or plant and others eat.

For as the days of a tree,

so will be the days of my people;

my chosen ones will long enjoy

the work of their hands.

They will not labor in vain,

nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune;

for they will be a people blessed by the Lord,

they and their descendants with them.

Before they call I will answer;

while they are still speaking I will hear.

The wolf and the lamb will feed together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox,

and dust will be the serpent’s food.

They will neither harm nor destroy

on all my holy mountain,”

says the Lord.”

(See also: Zechariah 14; Revelation 20:1-10)

There won’t be anyone in hell who will be able to claim that they just didn’t know they were doing wrong. “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14, NIV).

Finally, those who live during the millennium who haven't already been glorified will have an even greater advantage, and less of an excuse, than Adam and Eve did. Satan was present in the garden but Satan will not be present anywhere in the world during the millennium. There won’t be anyone in hell who will be able to claim the devil made them do it. Satan won’t be present to tempt them. “…but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed” (James 1:14, ASV).

When people in hell who didn’t live during the millennium try to make excuses God will point them to the record of the millennium as proof that there are no excuses. Everyone in hell will know that they deserve to be there.