In that scripture it is said that Satan is to be bound and shut up for a thousand
years, and that the saints live and reign with Christ a thousand years. "But the
rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This
[living of the saints] is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part
in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall
be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
By these words we know that the event that marks the beginning of the
millennium is "the first resurrection,"–the resurrection of the "blessed and holy,"–
the resurrection of "the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of
Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither
his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands."
And this resurrection of the saints, this "first resurrection," is at the coming of the
Lord in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; for it is written: "For this
we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto
the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord
himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4:15-17.
And again: "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall
all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed." 1 Cor. 15:51, 52.
And again: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are
Christ's at his coming." Verses 22, 23.
There are many other scriptures to the same purpose, but these are enough
to settle it as the truth of God that the second coming of Christ marks the
beginning of the millennium, because the second coming of Christ brings the
resurrection of the just, of the blessed and holy; and this resurrection, the first
one, marks the beginning of the thousand years–the millennium.
Here, then, at the beginning of the millennium, is the resurrection of all the
righteous dead; the translation of all the righteous living; and these all are caught
away from the earth. They meet the Lord, not on the earth, but "in the air;" and as
all the resurrected and translated ones hitherto have done, they ascend to
heaven with Christ their Lord, where they reign with him upon the thrones of
judgment for a thousand years. Thus the righteous.
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What, then, of the wicked at the beginning of the thousand years, and during
the thousand years? What occurs to them at the coming of the Lord? Read: "And
to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from
heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess.
1:7, 8. They call for the mountains and rocks to fall on them and hide them "from
the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the
great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Rev. 6:14-17.
