The twentieth chapter of Revelation is the passage millennialists and dispensationalists run to as a basis for their imaginary millennial kingdom. Since the expression "live and reign with Christ a thousand years" is found in that passage, they take it to be a literal thousand year reign here on earth. They make several miscalculations about the passage.

There is nothing in the passage to indicate an earthly reign of a thousand years. It simply refers to a reign without designating whether it is heaven or earth. There is nothing in the passage to indicate that all saints will reign with Christ. The passage specifies those "beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and the word of God." There is nothing to indicate that the number 1,000 is to be regarded as a literal time period.

Here are pertinent facts about Revelation 20:

1.There is nothing in this chapter that is not taught elsewhere in the Bible. If so, what is it?

2.The context shows that the main idea is the conquest of Satan - not the thousand year reign with Christ.

3.If the number 1,000 is considered here as a literal time period, - it is the only place in Revelation where a number denoting a period of time is used literally. There is no exception to this. Let the millennialists show otherwise.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 5, p. 133
March 3, 1983