photo #7986412

CHRISTIANS IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOMWhat role will Christians play in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ?II Timothy 2:12 says, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him . . .” This is echoed by John in Revelation 20:4-6: “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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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.”Clearly, the indication in these passages is that believers in Christ will reign with Christ throughout the Millennial Kingdom. Christians from the church age will be appointed positions of authority under Christ’s rule in the Kingdom (Luke 19:16-19; Mat. 19:28). We will be in our new resurrection bodies, of course, which means we will be “as the angels” (Mat. 22:30). Revelation 5:10 states that when we reign with Christ we will hold the offices of “kings and priests.”The average Christian has trouble comprehending life in the Millennial Kingdom because the average Christian considers escaping hell fire to be the fullness of the Christian life. Anything more is beyond his comprehension. But God has a lot more in store for His faithful than just escaping damnation. Historically, Psalm 72 was written to Solomon, but it also offers us a small glimpse into the coming Millennial Kingdom of Christ:(1) It will be a righteous kingdom (vss. 1-2). It will not be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. This is a time when God’s will is established on earth “as it is in heaven” (Mat. 6:10). The leadership will be Christ and His saints, so the foolish ordinances of sinful men will be abolished and replaced with righteous laws.(2) Psalm 72:3 tells us that the Millennial Kingdom will be a peaceful kingdom. The Biblical formula is for righteousness to first come, then peace. Isaiah 2:2-4 says that people will not learn war anymore, and this will be because the “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6) will be ruling from Jerusalem, the city of peace.(3) It will also be a very blessed kingdom (vss. 4, 6, 11-14). That is, people will be very happy to be a part of the Lord’s kingdom. Gifts will be brought to the King and praise will be offered to Him (vs. 15). Today, the wicked bear rule while the righteous long for a better day. All will be reversed in the Millennial Kingdom.(4) Christ will also rule over a universal kingdom (vss. 8, 11). For 6,000 years men have ruled the earth, and they have fought constantly to determine who gets to rule the larger part of it. But no one has ever ruled all the earth. Christ will do just that for 1,000 years. The fourteenth chapter if Zechariah, verses nine, sixteen, and seventeen, offer the reader a look at how Christ will maintain power over His universal kingdom.(5) The Millennial Kingdom will be a prosperous kingdom (Psa. 72:7, 16). The kingdom will not be a Marxist social democracy where poverty and sorrow is spread around for everyone. It will be a society where people are free to “flourish” and make the most of themselves. There will be no government agencies to regulate our freedoms away. Individual liberty and private property rights will be respected (I Kgs. 4:25; Mic. 4:4), so people will have incentives to work and prosper.(6) Christ kingdom will also be a victorious kingdom (vs. 9). Unlike present governments that are constantly changing hands due to war, elections, and people being manipulated by a biased media, Christ's government will not change hands even once. Those who suffer for Christ today will reign with Him tomorrow (II Tim. 2:12; Rev. 5:9-10). No one can change that. We will enjoy victory over all.(7) Finally, it will be an everlasting kingdom (vs. 17). Best I can tell, Christ will rule the earth for 1,000 years, and then His rule expands throughout the universe. All enemies are destroyed and then the Millennial Kingdom becomes as Eternal Kingdom that has “no end” (Isa. 9:7; II Pet. 3:13).