Some interpreters do snatch at the thousand years, and have done since about the beginning of the 19th century – also before then, but in nothing like such serious numbers. They say, ‘This is a literal period of time. This is about a future period of time when Christ is going to establish his kingdom on earth.’ This is their attempt to reconcile the very obvious termination of all things at the end of the previous chapter with the continued unfolding of events on earth in this chapter. But it is an incomplete solution to the problem, for this is not the first time in the book that the day of judgment has come and the book has reverted unexpectedly back to a previous era. We should rather to see a pattern found throughout the book: seven scans of the time between Christ’s first and second coming. However unusual this repeating cycle of events, the data of the book forces this conclusion on us.
Furthermore, they are convinced that Christ must set-up an earthly kingdom, and that many Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah can only be fulfilled through a literal earthly kingdom. David’s throne which was promised to the Messiah will only ever be on earth, they insist. God’s primary purposes are with the nation of Israel and only a distinctly Jewish earthly kingdom will allow these predictions to come to pass. Was the prophecy about David’s future kingdom referring to a kingdom on earth at all? Peter answers these questions in Acts 2:29-36. He explains that the promises made to David about the future kingdom (2 Samuel 7:12-13) had already been fulfilled at the time he spoke. He says that David knew that the prophecy in 2 Samuel 7 referred to Christ, not simply to his immediate son, Solomon. It could not be said of Solomon that his kingdom would be established forever. David knew that God had promised that the Christ would sit on his throne. This is the very promise under discussion. In Peter’s mind the right hand of God is clearly the very same as the throne of David, for that is where the Father tells Christ to sit. If this is not the throne of David, then Peter has left undecided the matter of whether this part of David’s prophecy has been fulfilled. The evidence of Christ taking his throne is the sending of the Spirit. When Christ is given the title – the Son of David, it is because he was to fulfil the prophecies given to David. Another promise about David is given in Amos 9:11-12. The Dispensational Premillennialists have to say that it will not be fulfilled until the millennium. But James in Acts 15:14-16 teaches that it has already started to be fulfilled in his day, as evidenced by the conversion of Gentile Christians.
There is also confusion over the state of those who will live on earth during the millennium. According to Premillennialists, the kingdom is set up before the end of the world and is a kingdom for those who are left alive after the seven-year tribulation. It is therefore inhabited by unglorified saints, especially Jews who have finally recognised their Messiah. But Christ has been glorified and must return to earth in a glorified state. How can the glorified and the unglorified live together. We see the reaction of John upon seeing the glorified Christ at the beginning of this book. Must Christ hide his glory all over again when he comes to earth? According to Paul there will be no further concealment of his glory, ‘When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day’ (2 Thessalonians 1:10).
Again the question of the curse presents an overwhelming difficulty for Premillennialists. According to their view, the curse is not removed until the end of the millennium when the eternal kingdom has come in. So if Christ returns before then, he returns to a world still under the curse. Not until the curse is removed is death removed. The kingdom of Christ cannot come in its visible form without the curse being removed first. He cannot establish his glorious kingdom in a world which still shows traces of the fall and the consequent punishment of man. Peter tells the Jews that when Christ is sent from heaven, it will mark the restoration of all things, ‘And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began’ (Acts 3:20-21). But all things will not be restored while the curse is still in effect. The return of Jesus Christ must herald the end of the curse. But how can the curse be removed before Satan’s activity has been permanently terminated? Satan’s little season, must take place before the curse is removed. It must also take place before the Lord returns visibly. The reign of the saints with Christ for a thousand years must be a spiritual reign in which Christ is present by his Spirit. It is the reign of the saints during the gospel age as Christ works all things together for their good according to their prayers.