From Chaos to Peace

The beginning of the Millennium is almost like the antithesis of the earth after the Rapture – the world goes from chaos to peace. This time, all those who have not accepted Christ as their Savior are removed. After the Rapture, the earth and its inhabitants endured all sorts of natural disasters and plagues. In the Millennium, the earth and its inhabitants will have a wonderful environment and almost pure bliss. All has been made right again. All evil has been vanquished – at least for a time. Satan has been placed in the Abyss – locked up for one-thousand years so he can have no influence on mankind (Rv 20:1-3). All those who had come through the Tribulation and still not accepted Christ by faith have also been removed. The earth is full of only those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, the King of Righteousness. For the first time the earth is at peace – true peace.

There are two groups who enter the Millennium. One group is composed of those who were alive at the time of Christ’s return and who had accepted Him as their Savior. They enter the Millennium in their current human bodies. The other group is composed of those who are part of the first resurrection and enter the Millennium in glorified bodies. These consists of the following:

1. Those who returned with Christ when He came to destroy the Antichrist and bind Satan (Rv 19:14). These are considered the church, i.e., those from Christ’s resurrection until the Rapture who put their faith in Him.

2. Those who put their faith in the Messiah prior to his resurrection (Dn 12:1-2). These are resurrected after Christ’s return and before the start of His reign (Rv 20:4).

3. Those martyred for their faith during the Tribulation period. These also are resurrected after Christ’s return and before the start of His reign (Rv 20:4).

These will be like Christ in the sense that they will have their resurrected, glorified, bodies. They will be different from those who survived the Tribulation. Those who survived the Tribulation will still have human bodies like ours today. These who returned with Christ have what are called “glorified” bodies (1Jn 3:2). They already have the bodies they will possess in the Eternal State and know they will forever be with their Lord. The “New Testament saints” are considered the Bride of Christ (2Co 11:2; Ep 5:25-27; Rv 19:5-9) and the “Old Testament saints” are their attendants (Mt 25:1, 10). Both have a major part to play in Christ’s Kingdom. Future posts will explore this further. I hope you join us.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens