for their sin, even as there will be a multitude as numerous as the sand of the sea, that shall be devoured by fire that

comes down from God out of heaven at the close (Rev. 20:8,9). Gog and Magog must have been ready; it only took

`a little season' to gather them. We must look to the `eighth day' beyond the Millennial Sabbath for the perfect

kingdom. The subject before us is of sufficient consequence to call for a summing up before examining some most

extraordinary items that await us in Revelation 20.

Positive teaching concerning the Millennium is limited to ten verses in Revelation 20. All else is a matter of

inference, legitimate possibly, but to be treated with necessary reserve.

The term `the Millennium' is not a Scriptural title for the period covered by Revelation 20:1-10, for the word

is simply Latin for 1,000 years and that is the number of years covered by this prophecy, and expressed six

times over, in verses 2,3,4,5,6 and 7.  The term however must not be invested with meanings and

characteristics that belie or ignore what is written in Revelation 20.

It is correct to speak of this period as a `kingdom', for the overcomers not only `live' but `reign' with Christ a

thousand years (Rev. 20:4,6). The Greek word for kingdom is basileia, the Greek word for reign is basileuo.

(See article KINGDOM in An Alphabetical Analysis, part 2, p. 227).

Strictly speaking the overcomer (Rev. 2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21; 12:11; 15:2 and 21:7) is the thread that links

all the prodigious events of this Prophecy together, and unites both passages under Revelation 3:21 thus:

`To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also

overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne' (Rev. 3:21).

`And I saw thrones, and they sat

`And I saw as it were a

upon them, and judgment was

sea of glass mingled with

given unto them: and I saw the

fire: and them that had

souls of them that were beheaded

gotten the victory over the

for the witness of Jesus, and for the

BEAST,  and  over  his

word of God, and which had not

IMAGE,  and  over  his

worshipped the BEAST, neither his

MARK,  and  over  the

IMAGE, neither had received his

NUMBER of his NAME,

MARK upon their foreheads, or in

stand on the sea of glass,

their hands; and they lived and

having the harps of God'

reigned with Christ a thousand

(Rev. 15:2).

years' (Rev. 20:4).

The words of Revelation 20:4 `for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God', form a link with the opening

statement of Revelation 1:9,10 when John was taken in spirit to the day of the Lord from the isle called Patmos

where he shared the tribulation of these overcomers, before their time `for the word of God, and for the witness of

`The Millennial kingdom' seems to have been used by writers on prophecy as a convenient period in which to

place passages that are somewhat difficult to fit into the overall scheme, and this has blunted the edge of the

testimony of Revelation 20, which places as a pre-eminent feature, the reward for the Overcomer, and hardly refers

to any other company, people or calling. Regarding the statement `This is the first resurrection', it cannot mean the

first that ever was, but the former of two. The reference to the beloved city brings with it the numerous passages of

Old Testament prophecy which speak in glowing terms of the restoration of Israel and Jerusalem. Isaiah 54:6-17

reveals a city of jewelled splendour, echoing the glories on earth of this heavenly Jerusalem itself. Even so, the

chapter ends with a reference to those who will gather together against Jerusalem, with the comforting words:

`No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper',