(The rest
of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is
the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first
resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests
of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation
20:5-6
There are different views of what
the thousand years or millennium means.
1. It’s seen as Christ’s spiritual reign
on earth now, ruling (despite opposition), in the hearts of believers.
2. Some see it as a Christ’s physically
present reign of a thousand years on earth after the tribulation.
3. It’s viewed as time of peace and
prosperity when Jesus rules on earth before his return.
In the Bible, “thousand”
is used to mean a lot.
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate
and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving
wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he
punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the
third and fourth generation.” Exodus 34:6-8
…for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. Psalm 50:10
When Jesus fed the 5,000, was it
exactly 5,000? Hard to believe that
number was exact but an approximate number to show size.