Kings, captains, men of power (mighty men), are all reduced to food for the buzzards and other birds.  What an end to those who once were so feared and respected by men of this earth!  Now they are reduced to nothing!

It is truly massive destruction for those who opposed God.

(Prov 13:13 NKJV)  He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.

(Rev 20 NKJV)  Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. {2} He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; {3} and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.

There are questions about the Millennium:

1)           When is it?

a.          Is it now?  Has it been going on since the church was established?

b.         Or, is it still to come?

2)           How long is it?  Is it a 1,000 years, or just a long time?

1)           When is it?

I believe it is yet to come.  Notice Peter’s words:

(1 Pet 5:8 NKJV)  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

This does not fit this description:

(Rev 20:3) “and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more.”

He continues to deceive the nations.

My conclusion:  the 1,000 years is yet to come.

Also, remember: “But after these things he must be released for a little while.”

I take that to be a dramatic change for the worse when he is released.  (We’ll note this in verse 7.) Again, reason to believe this hasn’t happened yet.

2)           How long is it?  Is it a 1,000 years, or just a long time?

I believe it to be approximately 1,000 years.

(2 Pet 3:8 NKJV)  But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Consider the calendar:

4,000 years of Old Testament History

2,000 years of New Testament History

1,000 years -- for the Reign of Christ. 

           7,000 years total

Divide by 1,000 years and you get 7 days!

The Reign of Christ would be day 7

That’s the Sabbath day.

(Heb 4:8-9 NIV)  For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. {9} There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;

It fits!

I don’t say that means that is exactly how it has to be, but I submit it for your consideration.

(Rev 20:4) And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

(Rev 20:4) And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them.

Who are “they”? – The antecedent is missing, or difficult to find.  We have to look to other scriptures that speak of who will sit in judgment.

(1 Cor 6:2 NKJV)  Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

(Mat 19:28 NIV)  Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

(Rev 6:9-11 NKJV)  When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. {10} And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" {11} Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Now things are coming together!  They will reign!

“And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

(Rev 20:5) But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

(Rev 20:6) Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

“shall reign with Him”--  That’s still future!  It does not describe what is happening now, and some would like for it to say!

(Rev 20:7)  Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison {8} and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.

(Rev 20:9)  They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. {10} The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

(Rev 20:11)  Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. {12} And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

(Rev 20:13) The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades [the grave] delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

The sea, Death and Hades [the grave]:

All the dead:  Those lost at sea, or buried at sea, those put in graves, those who may have died and not experiences the honor of being buried: Hades [the grave]   All are accounted for.

(Rev 20:14) Then Death and Hades [the grave] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. {15} And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

(Mat 13:41-43 NKJV)  "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, {42} "and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. {43} "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

My Study of Revelation  Lessons by Date Order