Evergreen48
Senior Member
I don't believe it was a literal thousand years either. The following is my personal opinion on the matter. (For what its worth.
)
Just as the forty years that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness 'perfected' them, by making them entirely dependant on God for their physical life's sustenance, thereby humbling them, teaching them to rely on God and making them ready and glad to recieve the promised land, or the land of rest, so did the approximate 40 years of teaching and preaching; feeding of His lambs do for those, in a spiritual way, who became Christians during that time span.
Ephesians 4: (10.) 'He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
(11.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(12.) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
(13.) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:'
Ephesians 5: (26.) 'That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
(27.) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.'
And a few scriptures to think about in relation to this:
Matthew 19:28 ' I solemnly tell you," replied Jesus, "that in the New Creation, when the Son of Man has taken His seat on His glorious throne, all of you who have followed me shall also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.'
Luke 22: (29) and I covenant to give you, as my Father has covenanted to give me, a Kingdom - (30) so that you shall eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on thrones as judges over the twelve tribes of Israel.
Revelation 20: (1) 'Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and upon his arm he carried a great chain.
(2) He laid hold of the Dragon - the ancient serpent - who is the Devil and the Adversary, and bound him for a thousand years, and hurled him into the bottomless pit.
(3) He closed the entrance and put a seal upon him in order that he might be unable to lead the nations astray any more until the thousand years were at an end. Afterwards he is to be set at liberty for a short time.
(4) And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them, and the souls of those who have been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus, and because of the word of God, and who did not bow before the beast, nor his image, and did not receive the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand, and they did live and reign with Christ the thousand years;'
(5) *but the rest of the dead did not live again till the thousand years may be finished*; this is the first resurrection..
*A foot note in the Emphatic Greek Diaglot that I have says that the words ' But the rest ot the dead did not live till the thousand years may be finished' is not found in the Vat. MS. or the Syriac. And in my opinion the whole of it makes more sense without these words.
Also another note on this particular passage suggests that 'the first resurrection probably means first in dignity or importance. And I tend to agree with this for then Matthew 19:29-30 would fall into place quite nicely:
29. ' And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
30. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.'
)Just as the forty years that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness 'perfected' them, by making them entirely dependant on God for their physical life's sustenance, thereby humbling them, teaching them to rely on God and making them ready and glad to recieve the promised land, or the land of rest, so did the approximate 40 years of teaching and preaching; feeding of His lambs do for those, in a spiritual way, who became Christians during that time span.
Ephesians 4: (10.) 'He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
(11.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(12.) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
(13.) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:'
Ephesians 5: (26.) 'That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
(27.) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.'
And a few scriptures to think about in relation to this:
Matthew 19:28 ' I solemnly tell you," replied Jesus, "that in the New Creation, when the Son of Man has taken His seat on His glorious throne, all of you who have followed me shall also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.'
Luke 22: (29) and I covenant to give you, as my Father has covenanted to give me, a Kingdom - (30) so that you shall eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on thrones as judges over the twelve tribes of Israel.
Revelation 20: (1) 'Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and upon his arm he carried a great chain.
(2) He laid hold of the Dragon - the ancient serpent - who is the Devil and the Adversary, and bound him for a thousand years, and hurled him into the bottomless pit.
(3) He closed the entrance and put a seal upon him in order that he might be unable to lead the nations astray any more until the thousand years were at an end. Afterwards he is to be set at liberty for a short time.
(4) And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them, and the souls of those who have been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus, and because of the word of God, and who did not bow before the beast, nor his image, and did not receive the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand, and they did live and reign with Christ the thousand years;'
(5) *but the rest of the dead did not live again till the thousand years may be finished*; this is the first resurrection..
*A foot note in the Emphatic Greek Diaglot that I have says that the words ' But the rest ot the dead did not live till the thousand years may be finished' is not found in the Vat. MS. or the Syriac. And in my opinion the whole of it makes more sense without these words.
Also another note on this particular passage suggests that 'the first resurrection probably means first in dignity or importance. And I tend to agree with this for then Matthew 19:29-30 would fall into place quite nicely:
29. ' And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
30. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.'
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