“In Hell there is democracy.
In Heaven there is a KINGDOM.”
— John of Kronstadt
The nature of the Kingdom of God and timing of the Millenium is one of monumental importance to the Gospel message. It is one that is prominent, if not central, to the Gospel preaching of John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, Stephen, and most significantly, Jesus Christ. To not understand this issue is to not understand the kingship of Christ, His reign over the nations, and His eternal dominion. Unfortunately, this too is an issue which the modern Church has largely departed from their historic and Biblical roots on.
Amongst the many enigmatic passages of The Revelation of Jesus Christ (or Apocalypsis), Chapter 20 has sparked more debate than perhaps any other throughout the last two millennia of Christian theology. The interpretation of this period and its symbolic or literal nature has evolved significantly over time, with early Christian interpretations of the Millennium varying. Some notable early Church fathers, such as Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, held a premillennial view, anticipating a literal reign of Christ on Earth. The timing indicators given throughout Revelation — such as chapter 1, verse 1 (“things which must shortly come to pass”), or verse 3 (“the time is at hand”) — made this interpretative framework increasingly untenable as that physical Kingdom did not materialize in the centuries following Pentecost.
As time wore on and Christians reconsidered their notion of what the Kingdom of God entailed, premillennial eschatology largely died out within Christian thought. Titans such as Origen and Augustine helped cement a spreading theological realization amongst Christendom, primarily viewing the Millennium in a spiritual context. The thousand years were viewed symbolically, a precedent we see in Psalm 50:10, one that is universally understood to simply represent a large amount and not a literal thousand hills. Instead, the Millennium, and therefore the Kingdom, began to represent the present age of Christ's spiritual reign and victory over death. In this eschatological framework, the binding of Satan (alluded to in Mark 3:23-27) is represented through the preaching of The Gospel.
This perspective was termed amillennialism by its detractors (literally meaning no millennium), a viewpoint which largely gained its predominance in the post-Nicaean era. Other views, such as postmillennialism or historicism, saw surges in popularity in the post-Reformation era. In the beginnings of the 19th century, premillennialism was revivified — primarily through the dispensationalist heresy popularized by John Nelson Darby and Cyrus I. Scofield. (My series of essays on Christian Zionism and dispensationalism, The Wolves Within, explores the genesis and claims of this theology.)
— The Angel Binding Satan, ill. by Philippe-Jacques de Loutherbourg.
As such, few topics within Christian theology have driven as much discussion or had as much ink devoted to them as the timing of the Millennium, and therefore, the Kingdom of Christ. Despite this, the only chapter in the entirety of the Holy Bible which explicitly discusses this one-thousand year time period is Revelation 20. At the heart of this chapter lies the concept of the “Millennium”: in much of the prevailing eschatology of our era, we are told this will be a literal thousand-year period before the end of time in which Satan is bound and Christ will rule a physical, Earthly kingdom seated upon the physical Throne of David.
The only verses which specifically mentions the thousand years in relation to Christ are verse 4 and 6 (all emphasis below is mine):
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years…
6 Blessed and holy is he 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.
— Apocalypsis 20:4, 6 KJV
In fact, most of the references to the thousand years refer to Satan’s binding, not the kingdom. While this time period is often erroneously referred to as the “Millennial” reign of Christ, verse 4 and 6 instead state it is the saints which will reign for a thousand years “with Christ”.
Quite frankly, the idea of a “Millenial” (and therefore finite) reign of Christ is not only erroneous by modern expositors, it is damnable heresy. Numerous Messianic prophecies, such as Isaiah’s, explicitly state that Christ’s kingdom is one which will last “for ever”:
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
— The Book of Isaiah 9:6-7 KJV
This is affirmed by the Prophet Daniel as well:
34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces….
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
— The Book of Daniel 2:34, 44 KJV
That stone that is cut without hands, the stone which became the head cornerstone, the foundation of a Kingdom without end: that stone is Christ:
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
— The Gospel of Matthew 21:42-44 KJV
Indeed, in order to understand the Millennium, one must first understand the true nature of the Kingdom of God.
“17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and JOY in the Holy Ghost.”
— Epistle to the Romans 14:17 KJV
Throughout the ministry of Christ, His preaching and parables centered around this coming kingdom:
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
— The Gospel of Matthew 9:35 KJV
This message of repentance and faith is seen in throughout the four Gospel narratives, sometimes simply being called “the gospel” (Matthew 11:5). This is the same Gospel mentioned by Christ in Matthew 24:14 that must be preached to “all the nations” of the Roman Empire before the destruction of Jerusalem was to come.
The timing and nature of the Kingdom is something that Christ preached on significantly. The timing of His kingdom is continually spoken of in an imminent tone, for instance:
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
— The Gospel of Matthew 10:7 KJV
The Greek word for “at hand” also denotes something incipient or near:
G1448 eggizΓ³: to make near, refl. to come near
Original Word: αΌΞ³Ξ³Ξ―ΞΆΟ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: eggizΓ³
Phonetic Spelling: (eng-id'-zo)
Definition: to make near, to come near
Usage: trans: I bring near; intrans: I come near, approach.
Later in the Gospel narrative, we are explicitly told that this kingdom “cometh not with observation”:
20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
— The Gospel of Luke 17:20-21 KJV
The Kingdom of God is not a physical kingdom, but one which we must be “born again” in the Spirit in order to enter into (John 3:3-5). Amongst the scarce words spoken by Jesus at His trial, Christ explicitly states His kingdom was “not of this world”:
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
— The Gospel of John 18:36 KJV
The descriptions of this coming Kingdom throughout the New Testament are consistently ones' of a spiritual and internal nature, not a carnal one.
Furthermore, Christ tells His Apostles that some of them will see “the son of man” and His kingdom before they “taste of death”:
27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
— The Gospel of Matthew 16:27-28 KJV
1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
— The Gospel of Mark 9:1 KJV
27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
— The Gospel of Luke 9:27 KJV
The significance of this proclamation and its repetition in triplicate is something that should give any serious student of Scripture pause; clearly something of great import is being communicated by the Holy Spirit here. Take note of the phrase “son of man”, a term which appears over 80 times in the New Testament and which Christ uses to allude to the Messianic prophecies concerning Himself by the Prophet Daniel. Even more explicitly, we are told the following by Christ:
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
— The Gospel of Matthew 12:28 KJV
This statement is echoed in Luke’s account as well (Luke 11:20).
Throughout the New Testament, its divinely inspired writers routinely use language in which the Kingdom is referred to in a present light, for example:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
— Epistle to the Colossians 1:13 KJV
Paul’s language here is one that is past tense, for to be translated into something must necessarily mean that thing is in existence. The Apostle John on Patmos says as much in the opening chapter of Revelation:
9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ
— Apocalypsis 1:9 KJV
John states he is in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, a statement which clearly contradicts the idea of an unrealized kingdom, or one in which Christ is not reigning.
As someone who was taught and had only ever considered this time period in a future light growing up, it is verses like these that slowly started opening my eyes to the realization that Christ’s eternal reign has now been realized.
— The Triumph Of Christianity Over Paganism (1899), ill. by Gustave DorΓ©
After the Crucifixion, Christ states that the rulers of Israel shall see Him “on the right hand of power” (Mark 14:62), i.e. seated at the right hand of the Father:
64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
— The Gospel of Matthew 26:64 KJV
It is no less than the Apostle Peter who directly ties Christ’s placement on David’s throne with His Resurrection:
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
— Acts of the Apostles 2:29-36 KJV
The prophecy of the Messiah inheriting the throne of David is seen throughout the Bible (Psalms 132:11, Psalm 89:3-4, II Samuel 7:12-13, Luke 1:31-32), many of which are clearly tied into the concept of this eternal Kingdom. In Mark 11:10, this is recognized by the crowd at Jerusalem, who fete Christ upon his coronal precession and celebrate the coming of “the kingdom of our father David”.
Directly preceding the martyrdom of Stephen by the Judeans, he too attests to Christ’s place at the right hand of God:
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
— Acts of the Apostles 7:55-56 KJV
The term “the son of man” is a phrase used by Daniel in his prophecies of the coming Messianic kingdom. Stephen’s divinely inspired vision, one where he is so filled with the Holy Ghost that he is said to appear like an angel (Acts 6:15), is one which nearly perfectly aligns with Daniel’s prophetic utterances concerning that same Son of Man:
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
— Book of Daniel 7:13-14 KJV
Through the pen of John, Christ issues the final clarification on this matter in Scripture, stating that His place is upon His Father’s throne:
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
— Apocalypsis 3:21 KJV
I will note once again that the regency of Christ is inescapably tied into His Crucifixion and Resurrection, themes which we will see repeated in John’s vision.
“1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things ABOVE, not on things on the earth.”
— Epistle to the Colossians 3:1-2 KJV
One of the particular hang ups of futurist expositors is their dogged insistence that Scripture tells us the Throne of David will be a literal, physical throne reigning over the rebuilt, physical Kingdom of Israel. We are confidently told that David’s throne and the LORD’s throne are different things, yet Holy Scripture interchangeably refers to the Throne of David (I Kings 2:12) as the Throne of the Lord (I Chronicles 29:23). Samuel also prophesied that David shall “sleep with thy fathers” while the Kingdom of this promised seed will be established “for ever” (II Samuel 7:12-16). It is impossible for this to occur during a future Millenium, since David will not be physically dead during an earthly Millenium. That tabernacle which the LORD pitched, the Tabernacle of David (Amos 9:11) is not the Davidic Kingdom — according to the Apostle James, it is the Church (Acts 15:13-18).
These are hardly the only Scriptural hurdles facing a futurist interpretation of a physical and future kingdom. Additionally, Jeremiah the Prophet tells us that “no man of [Jeconiah’s] seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.” (Jeremiah 22:28-30). This poses a serious problem for those who hold that the promised throne of David is going to be a physical one for a physical Kingdom, since Christ is a descendant of Jeconiah through Zerubbabel (Luke 3:27, Matthew 1:12). From a logical standpoint alone, if His kingdom were indeed an Earthly one, this definitionally can not be eternal, as the current Heavens and Earth “shall pass away” (II Peter 3:10). It appears rather clear, to me at least, that Scripture expressly precludes the possibility of a physical Davidic throne.
While many futurists, particularly dispensationalists, teach that the Jews rejected Christ as their King, this too contradicts Scripture:
15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
— The Gospel of John 6:15 KJV
The people were more than willing to make him king of Judea, but we are told He rejected that earthly title — not the other way around. We are also told by the Prophets that Christ will be a priest after the Order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4), one who will sit on Throne of the LORD (Zechariah 6:12-13). The author of Hebrews expounds for us why this is impossible if Christ were to reign on Earth:
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
— Epistle to the Hebrews 8:1-4 KJV
Under the Old Covenant, the office of priest and king were separate responsibilities for separate tribes. Since Christ is not of the tribe of Levi, he could not have been both Israel’s king and high priest under that Old Covenant.
The Judeans did not reject an earthly King during Christ’s ministry, they rejected their Heavenly one.
— Archangel Michael Binding the Devil, ill. by Benjamin West.
Part and parcel of this teaching is either an implicit or explicit rejection of Christ’s authority over creation, i.e. Heaven and Earth. Admittedly, Satan is called the little-g “god of this world” by Paul in II Corinthians 4:4, but this has been carried to an extreme in modern Satanology. In much of the Church, we are told that it is Satan that has total authority on Earth, not Christ. I must admit, it was an error I too was deceived by in my early days of writing this publication.
But, Holy Scripture is exceedingly clear on who holds ultimate power on this plane — and it is not the Deceiver:
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
— The Gospel of Matthew 28:18 KJV
I checked the Greek, and yup, all power means all power. As Paul writes to the Church at Ephesus, Christ is far above (both literally and metaphorically) all powers and principalities:
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
— Epistle to the Ephesians 1:19-23 KJV
This passage heavily pulls from both Psalm 2 and Psalm 110, Messianic Psalms which state that Christ will reign in the midst of His enemies at the right hand of God.
Importantly, in Psalm 2, perhaps one of the most well-known Messianic Psalms, we are told that the Son of God will rule the nations with a rod of iron:
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
— The Book of Psalms 2:6-9 KJV
This is the precise language used by John the Revelator in Revelation 12 as he describes “The War in Heaven”:
5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
— Apocalypsis 12:5-10 KJV
The man child being caught up, ruling the nations, and salvation coming with the inception of His kingdom: these are all things Scripture tells us have been fulfilled by Christ upon His Crucifixion.
I find it no small coincidence that John also records for us when Christ states parts of these events occurred:
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
— The Gospel of John 12:31-33 KJV
The Crucifixion is clearly tied into the casting out of Satan by none other than Christ. Throughout John’s Gospel account, He refers to “the prince of this world” in reference to the forces of Satan working through the Roman and Judean authorities. We find equally prophetic imagery used by Christ after His disciples come to Him upon casting out demons in His Name:
17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
— The Gospel of Luke 10:17-18 KJV
This imagery hearkens back to Isaiah 14, a chapter in which the downfall of Lucifer is prophesied, including this prophetic recitation:
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
— The Book of Isaiah 14:12 KJV
Forever banished from Heaven, no longer does Satan bring railing accusations against the people of God — Christ alone is our sole mediator before the Father (I Timothy 2:5).
“The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our VISION.”
— Archbishop Oscar Romero
Like many overeager prophecy students, my first real, personal study of the Bible began with the book of Revelation. Coming from a futurist understanding, it’s inscrutable texts stumped me and I ultimately gave it up in my youth, relegating the book to the unknowable mysteries of God. Throughout the last decade of my intense studies, I began to explore the history of Christian thought on eschatology once again. During this time period, the inexorable link between eschatology and the Kingdom continued to grow ever more apparent to me.
When I first started coming to the realization that the Kingdom of Christ was not a future Jewish kingdom, but rather, a present reality, I was exceedingly tentative in even acknowledging this growing feeling within me. At first I thought I was in error (and some will surely say that is still the case); and yet, like Josiah’s reading of the forgotten scroll of the Law, I could not deny that what I continued to see throughout the New Testament rang true. Everywhere I turned within the Gospels, this kingdom was jumping out at me now. I would come to find out that this belief was hardly outside of the norm of Christian thought; instead, it is the eschatological crazes that have infested the modern Church which are the true aberration in her annals.
As I came to learn, this theological system is called amillennialism, and it’s largely what the Church had taught until Scofield-fueled futurism took hold upon her. Now to be frank, I hate that proponents of this eschatological framework still use that term to describe it, as they (nor I) believe that there is “no millennium”. Additionally, while the conflation between the Millennium and the Kingdom of Christ is understandable, it too fails to truly capture the eternal aspect of His reign.
The prefix aeterno- means never-ending in Latin, and that is why I find the term aeternomillennial better captures the unending & eternal nature of His reign.
— Kingdom Come, digital art, 2024.
In my series of essays on the Judaizing heresy of dispensationalism, The Wolves Within, I thoroughly expose how Satan’s forces worked tirelessly to infiltrate the church, wielding futurism as the firebrand through which they incinerated over a millenia of tradition. Now, not all premillennialists are dispensationalists, and Historic Premillennialism rejects many of the excesses of the latter. But any honest futurist must admit that their eschatology only began its resurgence amidst the pulpits after the advent of Darby.
So my brothers and sisters, I can certainly understand how so many within the flock today have been led astray on a topic of such fundamental import as this — I was once among them. That said, it is simply put, a question which Scripture truly leaves little room for interpretation:
The Kingdom is not yet to come — the Kingdom has come.
For the better part of the last 2,000 years the Church has largely understood that Christ’s kingdom would reign eternal and victorious. Misunderstanding our role in His kingdom, or whether we understand that He is even ruling one at all, carries tremendous implications. Upon my exploration of the issue of the Millennium and the Kingdom of Christ, it is my firm conviction that these aeternomillenial truths have been denigrated, suborned to a misguided vision of a yet unfulfilled Kingdom.
Among them, that our sovereign God, the LORD Jesus Christ, rules ALL the nations of Earth and ALL the principalities of the Heavens; and that Satan, the Accuser, the one time prince of this world, has been cast out of Heaven, having been bound in the Abyss through the name of Jesus Christ and the preaching of His Gospel.
“15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and believe the gospel.”
— The Gospel of Mark 1:15 KJV
