NATIONS … AS THE SAND OF THE SEA

‘Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end’, Isa. 9. 7. The millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ will be the greatest time in the history of the world. It is called: ‘the regeneration’, Matt. 19. 28; ‘the world to come’, Heb. 2. 9; ‘the times of refreshing’, Acts 3. 19; ‘the times of restitution of all things’, Acts 3. 21; and, ‘the dispensation of the fulness of times’, Eph. 1. 10. If we knew no more about the period referred to than that which may be gleaned from these descriptions, we should know that it is a most blessed time.

Its first characteristic in this chapter is that for a period of one thousand years Satan will be bound and banished. From the beginning of his history on earth, he has been the cause of more sin and suffering than can be measured, but Messiah’s mani­fested kingdom will be marked by his absence. Though he is given his full title in verse 2, with all that those descriptions imply in terms of strength, craftiness, hatred and enmity, he is no match for the angel who has authority over the abyss. He is cast into that place for the time stated though he will be released at its end as he still has work to do.

Secondly, a King shall reign in righteousness and His kingdom will be under the administration of the saints. The enthroned elders are seen now not, as in chapter 4, in connection with the worship of heaven, but in respect of the administration of earth. Saints who in the early part of the tribulation were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus as to His coming and to His word are now also reigning, as are those saints who had not bowed to the beast’s image or shared his interests. How different will this rule be from all the administrations of fallen men!

All those who enter the millennial kingdom will be saved but those who are subsequently born will still be sons of Adam’s fallen race. The condition of the human heart, as being deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, is seen in that even though the earth is ideally ruled, Satan, now loosed from his prison, is able to raise a rebellion against the Lord on such a scale that those involved are numbered as the sand of the sea. Man is truly incorrigible and needs God’s salvation!