Who will enter into the 1,000 rule with Jesus?

Only believers at first.

No one it is not literal

Traditional Christian Amillennialism posits that the 1,000 years mentioned in the Revelation does not refer to a future period of an earthly rule by Christ; but instead speaks of the heavenly rule of Christ over the world from His Ascension until His Parousia.

Thus we read that the saints rule with Christ in the thousand years; likewise we read that we are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, even right now. We already reign and rule with Christ by God's grace, not through the rule like the rules of the kingdoms of this world; but rather we reign through faith in Christ, and are equipped with weapons not for war, but for peace and for proclaiming the defeat of the devil, both by Christ's glorious and victorious resurrection and also when He comes again. Reminding the devil of his doom, his rage though seemingly great is absolutely nothing compared to the power of God's grace. Our Lord tells us what kind of kingdom He brings, and it is not a kingdom of earthly glory, it is not a kingdom of the politics and power and glory of this sinful and fallen age. His kingdom is the kingdom in which the least are greatest, where the greatest is a slave, where the last are first, and the King rules through servanthood.

Christ reigns in glory at the right hand of the Father: He is Jesus the Christ, the King-Messiah, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. God has exalted Him to the right hand of glory and in so doing fulfills the promise made so long ago that the throne of David would be forever and ever and also the vision of the Son of Man in Daniel, where the Son of Man is taken up in the clouds and brought before the Ancient of Days and given everlasting dominion and neverending kingdom. Just look to what Christ says in the Olivet Discourse that among those hearing His words, there would be those who see the Son of Man come into His kingdom.

It is through His Church that Christ reigns. Re-emphasizing that it is not the Church lording over anyone; but rather Christ through the Church, in and through us, serving the world. The Church is called the Body of Christ, Christ rules and reigns at the right hand of the Father, through His Church, ministering to us through Word and Sacrament, and through us and by the power of the Spirit ministering, serving the world. Preaching His Gospel, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, caring for the widow and the orphan, being a people of peace and civility, of love, compassion, kindness, mercy, long-suffering, etc. To be the discipels of Jesus, loving our neighbor.

The Day will come--glory be to God--that our Lord will return. And on that Day He comes as judge, the dead are raised, the books are opened. We know that in the promise of God to us in Jesus Christ that even as He raised Christ up from the dead, imperishable and immortal; so shall we who trust in Him also be raised up when Christ comes again. "If the Spirit of Him who raised Christ up from the dead dwells in you, then He who raised Christ up from the dead will likewise give life to your mortal bodies" (Romans 8:11). And then, as St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, that the Lord will return and deliver the kingdom over to the Father, and God will be all in all. And in the Revelation St. John echoes what was said long ago by Isaiah the Prophet, that God will renew all creation--a new heavens and a new earth. The Day will come when every sword will be beaten into a plowshare, every lion shall graze with the ox in the field, the leopard and lamb shall recline together; the Day will come when "the earth shall be covered with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the seas" (Habakkuk 2:14), on that Day it shall finally be accomplished where the Prophet Amos has written, "But let justice flow like a river, and righteousness an ever-flowing stream!" (Amos 5:24).

So in the meantime, like the Lord tells us in the Olivet Discourse, to not try and predict the day, hour, times, seasons; to not be alarmed by claims of signs--the day He returns will come when we do not know--but to be prepared like a faithful servant, not burying what we've been given and twiddling our thumbs waiting for the Master to return; not being like the foolish virgins who did not bring enough oil to last the night. But instead to be vigilant, to be faithful to His word and command; because the Day is coming when the King shall return, and He shall judge.

When He judges, He says, did we love the least of these? How did we treat the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the stranger, the sick, the imprisoned? How we treated them is how we treated Him.

And it is precisely through this loving of our neighbors, by feeding them, giving them drink, caring for them, bandaging up their wounds, loving them that Christ is reigning through us. This too is part of the Great Commission.

Who is with Christ in His kingdom? The entire company of the baptized, the whole host of saints both in heaven and here on earth blow; all the holy angels who serve and worship before His throne. The Church Militant and the Church Triumphant in the Communion of Saints. And through the preaching of the Gospel, the power of the Gospel goes out among the nations, men are converted and they are baptized and join the ranks of saints. So that through Word and Sacrament God is here ministering, ministering to us, and using us to minister to others.

-CryptoLutheran

DaveM said:

Is there any scripture that tells us clearly who will be in the 1,000 year rule?

will non believers with mortals bodies?

will believers with mortals bodies?

I am sure Jesus and his glorified saints will there? but who will they rule over?

thanks

Click to expand...

Dave, perhaps this commentary from one of my favorite authors will help you ~

During the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection the judgment of the wicked takes place. The apostle Paul points to this judgment as an event that follows the second advent. “Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” 1 Corinthians 4:5. Daniel declares that when the Ancient of Days came, “judgment was given to the saints of the Most High.” Daniel 7:22. At this time the righteous reign as kings and priests unto God. John in the Revelation says: “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.” “They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4, 6. It is at this time that, as foretold by Paul, “the saints shall judge the world.” 1 Corinthians 6:2. In union with Christ they judge the wicked, comparing their acts with the statute book, the Bible, and deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body. Then the portion which the wicked must suffer is meted out, according to their works; and it is recorded against their names in the book of death. { GC 660.4}

Satan also and evil angels are judged by Christ and His people. Says Paul: “Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” Verse 3. And Jude declares that “the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Jude 6. { GC 661.1}

At the close of the thousand years the second resurrection will take place. Then the wicked will be raised from the dead and appear before God for the execution of “the judgment written.” Thus the revelator, after describing the resurrection of the righteous, says: “The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” Revelation 20:5. And Isaiah declares, concerning the wicked: “They shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.” Isaiah 24:22. { GC 661.2}

The sheep & goat judgement tells us who will enter the 1000 year reign in physical bodies. So only the righteous enter at first. But death will occur during the 1000 years, so death isn't swallowed up yet - it is the last enemy destroyed at the end of the 1000 years when Satan is let out for a short time and there is a short rebellion (Gog and Magog). After that, death is cast into the lake of fire, where Satan is cast, where the antichrist and false prophet are, and where everyone who isn't in the Lambs Book of Life are cast. (the second death Rev 20)

DaveM said:

Is there any scripture that tells us clearly who will be in the 1,000 year rule?

will non believers with mortals bodies?

will believers with mortals bodies?

I am sure Jesus and his glorified saints will there? but who will they rule over?

thanks

Click to expand...

Yes - "all believers - all those alive saints also saints raised in the "first resurrection" which happens at the appearing of Christ described in Rev 19 - Rev 20:1-5

That resurrection is also described in 1 Thess 4:13-18

Rev 20:
4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Nothing but a "desolate Earth" left after the appearing of Christ

Saints reign with Christ for 1000 years

Saints are taken to heaven at the Rev 19 appearing of Christ