Where Will The Saints Be During The Millenium???

Michael · Seventh-day Adventist Joined: 14 May 2004 Posts: 19

According to Revelation 20:4,6, the saints will "reign" with Jesus for 1000 years. Yet, contrary to popular opinion, Revelation 20 DOES NOT SAY the saints will rule on earth at that time.

This is easily proven in the Bible over and over!!! Let's do a simple review and seewhere the saints will be during the millenium.

When Jesus Christ returns at the end of the seventh plague on the earth (Revelation 16:17), a gigantic earthquake occurs (Revelation 16:18), the cities of the nations fall (Revelation 16:19), every mountain sinks, all islands disappear (Revelation 16:20), and all the unsaved are destroyed (1 Thessalonians 5:2,3; 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9). Planet Earth will then be depopulated, just like it was in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39; Luke 17:26-30; Jeremiah 4:23-26; 25:30-33,37, 38). THESE TEXTS ARE UNBEATABLE IF ONE LOOKS AT THEM HONESTLY!!! Thus there will be no "second chance", or "first chance" (as some speciously word it) for the lost during this time!!!

What about the saved? Where will they be? The Bible has the answer. Jesus Christ is now in heaven preparing mansions for His children (John 14:1,2). When He returns, He will take us to Himself, "that where I am, there you shall be also" (vs. 3). Thus, when He comes, Jesus will take us to the place where He is now. Where is that? In heaven, in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12; 21:10,24). Similarly, 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 tells us that when Jesus Christ returns at the end of the world that we shall be "caught up." Thus we are going UP to glory. In perfect agreement with this is Revelation 19:1,2, which tells us that immediately after the destruction of Babylon (Revelation 18:8-24), John saw all the saved IN HEAVEN with Jesus Christ.

Here‘s the proof: "After these things I heard the voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are His judgments: for he has judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants at her hand" (Revelation 19:1,2). Thus, after the final judgment of Babylon (which occurs during the 7th plague - Revelation 16:17-19; 18:8-24), John saw the saints IN HEAVEN praising God for His justice against a cruel organization which had formerly persecuted His people.

According to Revelation 20:4,6, the saints will "reign" with Jesus for 1000 years. Yet, contrary to popular opinion, Revelation 20 DOES NOT SAY the saints will rule on earth at that time. This wouldn’t make sense anyway, for why would Jesus and the saints rule over a devastated and ruined world covered with dead bodies? No. The Bible says that we are going UP when Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 4:17), that Christ will take us to the NEW JERUSALEM (John 14:1-3), and that we will all be IN HEAVEN praising God after Babylon is destroyed (Revelation 19:1,2).

Some people ask, but how can we "reign" for 1000 years, if we are in heaven? Don’t we have to be on earth to "reign" over others during this time? No, it is not necessary that we reign over people on earth during the 1000 years. The Bible says plainly that the saints will "reign forever and ever" (Revelation 22:5). Will we reign over others throughout eternity? No. Thus to "reign" does not necessarily mean that we will rule over anyone.

If planet Earth is depopulated with no survivors (except Satan and his angels), and the saints are in heaven, then what is the purpose of the 1000 years? There are a number of possibilities:

1) It gives the universe (including the saved) an opportunity to see the final and terrible results of Satan’s rule, as in the depopulation of the entire earth (Jeremiah 4:23-26). There can be no other time for this prophecy to be fulfilled but during that time, and all who oppose this logical conclusion fail to say when else this would happen.

2) It gives the saints in heaven an opportunity to (with all good reason) go through heaven’s records and to have all their questions answered about why some of their loved ones are there and some are not.

3) It also gives the saints a period of time to prepare mentally for the events at the end of the 1000 years, at which time New Jerudsalem descends to earth with God and the saints, and many of their loved ones will be resurrected, judged, and sentenced to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:5a, 11-15). Yes, God's people will need some time to prepare for this!

By the way, it is after the 1000 years that the Messiah's feet (in his glory) will touch the earth at probably the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14) when the Holy city descends. Why? His second coming will see us meeting Him in the air (if we are faithful), but after the millenium we shall return as the Bible clearly says in Rev. 20. It should be borne in mind that much of the prophetic scenario in Zech. 14 was conditional to the Jewish nation accepting the Messiah 2000 years ago, and fulfilling their true role on the earth. Alas, they have failed, and the scenario has changed somewhat. That is why I say "probably" God's feet will then touch the Mount of Olives after the millenium since no one can be sure.

But, to wrap up, and conclude, let me repeat that during the 1000 years all the saved will be UP with Jesus Christ IN HEAVEN, will have all their questions answered, and will thus be prepared to understand and accept the mercy, goodness, and justice of God in His actions toward Satan and the lost at the end of the millennium; and of course it gives them time to prepare to spend the rest of eternity on earth, since the earth was ORIGINALLY created for man's habitation (AND NOT HEAVEN).
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