Does The Bible Say Jesus Will Reign A Thousand Years?

The Bible doesn’t say Jesus will reign a thousand years.

It says those who were killed for their belief in Jesus and those who were killed for not receiving the mark of the beast reigned with Christ for a thousand years (see Revelation 20:4-6).

The mark of the beast was identifying oneself with Nero and the Roman Empire by rejecting Jesus as the Christ and pledging allegiance to the Roman Empire.

This mark was promoted by unbelieving Israel in the first century (see Revelation 12-13).

All who were killed were killed physically, but they reigned spiritually with Christ.

Remember, Jesus said those who believe in him will never die, even though they die physically - John 11:25; John 5.

Christ’s reign is eternal, not just for a thousand years.

Jesus ascended into heaven and begin his reign from heaven (Revelation 12:5; Acts 2:29-33; see also Psalm 132:11; Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:32-33).

Those who were killed are those in Revelation 6:9-11 who were killed but lived and reigned spiritually with Jesus from heaven for a thousand years.

When they were killed, they were given white robes to wear, but they were told to wait until the completion of those being killed was over and judgement on their killers was imminent.

The martyred believers in the first century joined Christ for a thousand years in his eternal reign.

Thousand years designates a large volume of time in the Hebrew Bible.

In the Hebrew Bible…

…an hour equals a short period of time, not 60 minutes

…a day equals a period of time longer than an hour, not 24 hours

…a year equals a period of time longer than a day, not 360 days (on the Jewish calendar)

…a thousand years equals a period of time longer than a year.

The thousand years period of time was the long period of time between AD 34 and AD 70.

During this time, these first-century martyred believers reigned with Christ in heaven leading up to the final judgment on old covenant, Christ-rejecting and believer killing Israel.

The first martyred believer killed by unbelieving Israel who reigned with Jesus was Stephen - Acts 7.

At the time of judgment, the martyred believers put on their white robes and presided over the judgement on Israel with Jesus.

The judgment was the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70.

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