[(Omega)]

(11-30-2009 04:24 AM)proderick Wrote:  If we turn to the whole of Scripture, we will soon discover first that the number one thousand is often if not always used as a full number, to indicate something that is complete: "a thousand generations" (Deut 7:9; Ps 105:8) , "a thousand hills" (Ps 50:10), "a thousand days" (Ps 84: 10), "a thousand shields" (Song 4:4).

Second, we will find out that outside Revelation 20, there are only three texts that mention a thousand years. Ecclesiastes 6:6 says that a stillborn has more rest than man, "even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity". The obvious meaning is that an ungrateful man will be always restless, no matter how long he lives. Psalm 90:4 reads, "For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night". Finally, there is 2 Peter 3:8f, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance". In these three and only instances outside Revelation 20, the expression "a thousand years" is uniformly used of a very long period as reckoned by man’s standards. The latter two texts also say that it is actually a short time as measured by God’s standard. Given the use of the expression "a thousand years" outside Revelation, I can see no reason for assuming that John is talking about a precisely defined time span.

As the beginning of the thousand years is started by the binding of Satan, this long period finishes with his unleashing. As the binding implied a restraint of his freedom of action, the loosing means that this restraint is removed. The fact that Satan has to be unbound to wage war against the saints implies that he can perform his evil deeds only when and to the degree that God allows him to do so. We are not told who looses the Devil, nor exactly why he must be loosed; but this event indicates that the day of salvation approaches its end as the time of God’s patience draws to its close. All the "inhabitants of the earth" have had the opportunity of taking heed to the witness of the faithful overcomers. Now the consumation is quickly approaching, and evil must be definitively destroyed before the kingdom of God is made manifest in all its glory in the new heavens and the new earth.

So what you posted is just your opinion.

I would agree with everything the person on that website where you got your information (http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/eschat...years.html) wrote . . . right up until he says "I can see no reason for assuming that John is talking about a precisely defined time span". Simply put, this personal conclusion is not supported by the prior analysis. The fact that the number 1000 is sometimes used in a metaphorical way (four examples are given) does not mean that it is always used in that way. A quick check of any concordance will show that the vast majority of the time 1000 means 1000 in the Bible. The passages given are poetic language used in poetic passages, therefore that explains the metaphorical usage in the four examples given. But Revelation is prose, not poetry, and John goes out of its way to tell us when he is seeing "a sign" that is not to be taken literally, meaning that the burden of proof is upon those who would take anything else in Revelation as a mere metaphor. Generally speaking, the word more often used for an unlimited or large number is not 1000 but "ten thousand", or "myriad" in Greek. Moreover, John is not at all shy about saying "forever" -- why not say "forever" here, if that is what is meant?

One of the key pieces of evidence generally overlooked by those who have their doubts about the literal Millennium is that of the seven days of re-construction in Genesis and the parallel to them of the seven days of human history to follow. The seventh day of rest would invite us to conjecture a thousand year end to history under Christ's rule even if we did not have the testimony of Moses, Peter, and John. But of course we do, and nothing about the passages where this testimony is given suggests that they are not talking about a literal thousand years. What they say is clear. That's not an opinion -- unless believing what the Bible clearly and straightforwardly says is opinionated.

And if this person is saying is that the devil is currently "bound", nothing could be further from the truth. On the one hand, it would be very difficult to read the newspaper or listen to the news and see how quickly and rapidly human society is degenerating into gross evil not to understand as a Christian that the devil is very much at work in all this. On the other hand, Revelation 20:7 follows Revelation 20:6 where we are told that Christ has been ruling with His saints on earth. So regardless of how long this reign of glory lasts (even if a person wants to resist the truth of a literal Millennium), it is nevertheless very clearly the case that the release of Satan follows that period; it doesn't precede it. It certainly makes sense for the Son of God to remove the devil while He is removing all other stumbling blocks out of His kingdom, and that is certainly what scripture teaches. That day to come will be glorious beyond compare, but we have a long stretch of "bad road" between here and the Second Advent, and as bad as things are now, they will get worse once the Tribulation commences and the Restrainer ceases His ministry of restraint, allowing the evil one and his son the beast full rein during those dark seven years. Our part is to hold to the truth, not dismiss it, so that Jesus' question to us will receive a resounding affirmative reply on that day of days when He returns for us.

I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)

God Bless!