Bible Study 102

Lesson 7: The Seventh Dispensation

The Millennial Reign of Christ

The Kingdom of this world, is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!." (Hallelujah Chorus from Handel)

For over 2000 years, the Jewish people have been looking for their king. They expect their king to come and establish a kingdom, according to promise. What the Jews missed, was seeing the church age or the sixth dispensation. The church age (6) put a gap between the coming of Christ and the establishment of the kingdom, but He has not forgotten. One day now, He will come and set up His throne and kingdom on this earth and that will institute the beginning of the seventh dispensation. (Revelation 20:4).

We are not told when this dispensation seven will start. It depends on when dispensation six ends and as noted previously we are still in dispensation six. We do know that the Bible gives various signs of the coming of Christ in the Rapture, as well as His Second Coming to usher in His millennial reign. All of the prophesies pointing to these comings are in place. Just to briefly recap, Christ's coming at the Rapture is secret. His feet will not touch the earth. Believers are called up by a trumpet to meet Him in the air before the terrrible days of the seven year tribulation begin. So, this could be at any time.

Let me stress - there is confusion concerning these two comings. Not everyone believes in His silent coming in the air for believers known as the Rapture.

While we might not know when the seventh dispensation will start, we do know how long it will last. The Bible tells us in Revelation 20:4 it will last for 1000 years. We're also given some information about the characteristics of this dispensation. We know Satan will be bound during this time, so it will start in judgment. We know that those people who made it through the final seven years of the sixth dispensation by not bowing down to and worshiping the antichrist will be the ones to enter into this kingdom. We are told this dispensation will also end in judgment.

At the end of the 1000 years, Christ will free Satan and allow him to go forth and tempt people yet again. For how long will Satan be allowed this freedom? The Bible does not tell us but once Satan has completed the time alloted him by God and remember Satan was originally an angel created by God, a final judgment is pronounced and Satan will then be cast into hell to remain forever throughout eternity. Well, how long is eternity? Ah! My friend, it is forever. It will never end. Never. Ever.

The theme of the twentieth chapter of Revelation is the Millennium, and has to do with the reign of Christ the King. Of all of the forms of government on earth, the right kind of theocratic government is the best kind, but we have yet to see a good theocratic government. It certainly will not be found in Iran or any other country past or present that exerts the rule of a pagan diety over the people.

The Millennium is God's answer to our prayer when we pray in the Lord's Prayer - "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matther 6:10). This is the kingdom which He is going to establish here on earth, and it is called the Millennium. It was promised to David (2 Samuel 7:12-17 and 23:5). Christ's kingdom is prophesied throughout the Psalms and in the prophetic books of the Bible.