Living in the New Millennium and Beyond Chapter 1

Chapter 1

What Will Life Be Like in the New Millennium?

Are you ready to spend 1000 years with Christ in the New Millennium? As a Christian, you may know about the antichrist, tribulation period and the rapture, but are you aware of what happens when all of that is over? Did you know that Jesus Christ has a plan for governing and administering the world after he returns and it includes you? As believers in Christ we are now closer than ever before in history to the rapture. If we want to serve Jesus Christ for all eternity, then it is imperative that we begin preparing for what our lives will be like after the rapture of the church right now, before we leave. We are going on a journey and everyone who takes long a trip must first prepare for the journey by doing some research on where they will be going and what they will be doing. We know that very soon we will be traveling through the clouds to be with Christ in the rapture, but most of us don't quite understand our destination, and what we will be expected to do after we arrive. What we are doing now (or should be doing) has a direct impact our future roles in heaven and in earth after Christ returns to take his rightful position as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Surprisingly, the bible has a great deal to say about what happens after Christ returns to rule the earth in the Old and New Testaments. The scriptures tell us that there will be people left on the earth who are not Christians and that their lives will be very different from the saints who return with Christ. The saints of God from all ages will return to reign with Christ and will be given positions of power and authority on earth and in heaven. In the New Millennium, you may just find yourself living and working beside Abraham, Noah or Matthew so you better get ready friend! We will begin by looking at some of the first things we can expect after our return to earth with Christ.

The New Millennium defined

The world Millennium defined by Merriam-Webster's dictionary actually means the one thousand year period mentioned in Revelation 20 in which holiness is to prevail and Christ is to reign on earth. This period of time will be represented by one thousand year of peace occurring immediately after Jesus Christ returns to rule the earth and destroys the antichrist and the false prophet after the great tribulation. Specifically, the Millennium period is defined in Revelation 20:4-7:

"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. (5) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (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. (7) And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison," Revelation 20:4-7

Wow! These verses definitely say a lot. First, we are told that those who were killed for refusing to take the mark of the beast will come back alive to live and rule the earth with Christ for 1000 years. This is the first resurrection, or what we commonly call the rapture (or snatching away that the saints who are dead and those who are alive will be taken up to heaven to dwell with the Lord until he returns back to the earth. The rest of the dead who have not lived righteously will not come back to life until again until the one thousand year period is up on the Day of Judgment. After the one thousand year period is over, Satan will be set free from his prison to roam the earth again. Next, we will look at the 1000 year period that begins after Jesus Christ and the saints return to rule the earth.

The state of the world when Christ Returns

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Revelation 1:7