Top Bible Questions: Is the Millennium Literal or Figurative?

When we refer to the millennium, we are talking about a 1,000 year period mentioned in the book of Revelation. This millennium is found in Revelation 20. At the beginning, we see Satan is bound for a thousand years. He is not allowed to deceive the nations until the thousand years have ended. Then John sees the martyrs and those that had stayed faithful to Jesus and it says, “They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years”.  Much detail is not given about what this thousand years will be like other than the fact that they will be priests, meaning they will serve Jesus on behalf of people and that the second death (hell) has no power over them and they have life. To assume that this thousand years is an earthly kingdom is to assume something the biblical text does not say. 

With this passage having clear allusions to Daniel 7, it is safe to conclude that this is all taking place spiritually where Christ is seated at God’s right hand. 

The next question would be is this thousand years literal or figurative? Based on Revelation’s use of figurative language, I have always believed it to be a figurative number used to depict a certain amount of time. However, whether it is literal or not should not change our view on what John is telling us. The next question would be when does this millennium take place? This millennium is taking place right now during what some call the “church age”. It is the time between Christ’s death in which he “drove out the prince of this world”, and the time he will return and we are in that time now. Those that have conquered and remained faithful to Jesus throughout history are reigning with Christ right now in heaven. They have died physically and have been resurrected with Christ. When it is time, Satan will be “released” to gain as many followers as possible but when Christ comes, he will be banished forever. 

This millennium is not an earthly reign of Christ where all is peace on earth for 1,000 years. Rather it is a figurate number used to describe the time we are in currently. Those that are in Christ and have died are reigning with Christ until he comes again and we will all reign with him in the new heaven and new earth.