The thousand years is the clear, defined period of Christ's Kingdom rule that separates the resurrection of believers from the resurrection of the lost.
Revelation 20 says those who have part in the first resurrection live and reign with Christ a thousand years, while the rest of the dead do not live again until the thousand years are finished. Les Feldick sees this as the millennial Kingdom, and he points out that the great white throne comes after the thousand years, when the rest of the dead are raised.
Revelation 20:4 — Reveals that believers live and reign with Christ for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:5 — Shows that the rest of the dead do not live again until the thousand years are finished, making this the first resurrection.
Revelation 20:6 — Declares those in the first resurrection blessed and says the second death has no power over them as they reign with Christ a thousand years.
Revelation 20:4 says, "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Verse 5 continues, "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." Verse 6 adds, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." Verse 7 then says, "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison." Daniel 2:44 also describes a kingdom God will set up "which shall never be destroyed," and Revelation 11:15 declares that Christ "shall reign for ever and ever."
Les Feldick teaches that the thousand years is the clear, defined period of Christ's Kingdom rule on earth, and it is where we get the term "millennium" (Clip 2). He stresses that there are only two groups of people—the lost and the saved—and the thousand years separates the resurrection of these two groups. The believers, from Adam clear down to the end of the Tribulation, are raised first and reign with Christ for the thousand years; the rest of the dead, the lost, remain in their original state until the thousand years are finished, when the great white throne takes place (Clips 0 and 1). Les also says that even though Revelation gives a thousand-year time element for the Kingdom, Old Testament prophecies use "forever, forever, eternally," so the thousand-year Kingdom is just the introduction to the eternal state. When the new heaven and new earth come, even eternity will be based on the physical attributes and activity of the thousand-year reign of Christ (Clips 6 and 7). At the end of the thousand years, Les explains, Satan is released to test the final population of the Kingdom, because the new generations born during Christ's reign still have the Adamic nature and must make a choice (Clips 4 and 5).
Revelation 20:5 plainly says the rest of the dead do not live again until the thousand years are finished. Les Feldick says this is plain English: since the saved are already resurrected and in the Lord's presence, the rest of the dead can only be the lost. They stay in their original state throughout the thousand years of the Kingdom rule, and their resurrection does not occur until the thousand years are over (Clips 0 and 1).
Les Feldick explains that even though Revelation specifies a thousand years, the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Kingdom use the terminology forever, forever, eternally. He therefore views the thousand-year Kingdom as just an introduction to the eternal state. It will be interrupted by a new heaven and new earth, but even eternity will be based on the physical attributes and activity of the thousand-year reign of Christ (Clips 6 and 7).
Revelation 20:7 says that when the thousand years are expired, Satan is loosed out of his prison. Les teaches that he is released in order to test the final population of that thousand-year time. The generations born during the Kingdom still have the Adamic nature, and even though everything has been glorious, they have to make a choice (Clips 4 and 5).
Revelation 20:4 describes those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or received his mark; they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Les Feldick says the first resurrection includes all the believers from Adam clear down to the end of the Tribulation, and on them the second death has no power (Clips 0 and 1).
The First Resurrection and the Rest of the Dead
Les shows that the thousand years is a defined period separating the resurrection of all believers from the rest of the dead, who remain in their state until the thousand years are finished.
The Great White Throne After the Thousand Years
Les connects the completion of the thousand years to the great white throne and says the first resurrection includes all believers from Adam to the end of the Tribulation; the second death has no power over them.
The Thousand Years as the Millennium
Les explains that Revelation attaches a time element of one thousand years to the Kingdom, and this is where the term millennium comes from.
Daniel's Vision of 4 Beasts & the Antichrist Explained
He will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. Now, you want to remember, the book of Revelation puts a time element on the kingdom. How long? A thousand years. Consequently, we get the term, the millennium. And even the world likes the year.
The End of the Thousand Years Brings Testing
Les says that when the thousand years expire, the Kingdom age ends with a time of testing because the new generations still have the Adamic nature and need to make a choice.
Satan Released to Test the Final Population
Les teaches that after being confined for the thousand years, Satan is released to test the final population of the Kingdom, and those who reign with Christ do so for a thousand years.
The Thousand-Year Kingdom as Introduction to Eternity
Les compares Revelation's thousand years with the Old Testament's forever language and says the millennial Kingdom is just the introduction to the eternal state.
The Thousand-Year Reign Sliding Into Eternity
Les reinforces that the thousand-year reign of Christ is simply the introduction to the eternal state; when it runs its course, this earth will be destroyed and replaced.
Revelation 20:4: And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
This verse places the thousand years at the beginning of Christ's reign with those raised from the dead.
Revelation 20:5: But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
This verse shows the thousand years is the interval between the resurrection of the saved and the rest of the dead.
Revelation 20:6: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
This verse defines the blessing of the first resurrection and repeats the thousand-year reign.
Revelation 20:7: And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
This verse marks the end of the thousand-year period and the release of Satan.
Daniel 2:44: And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Les references this Old Testament prophecy to show the Kingdom is also spoken of as never destroyed and forever.
Revelation 11:15: And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Les uses this verse to show that the Kingdom is also described as an everlasting reign, not just a thousand years.
Revelation 20 states that believers reign with Christ a thousand years, and that the rest of the dead do not live again until the thousand years are finished. Les Feldick says this thousand-year rule is where we get the term millennium.
Les Feldick teaches that the first resurrection includes all believers from Adam clear down to the end of the Tribulation. Scripture says those who have part in it are blessed and holy, and the second death has no power over them.
Scripture says Satan is loosed out of his prison when the thousand years are expired. Les explains that he is released to test the final population of the Kingdom, since the generations born during it still have the Adamic nature and must choose. Les also ties the completion of the thousand years to the great white throne.
No. Les teaches that Revelation's thousand years is just the introduction to the eternal state; Old Testament prophecies speak of the Kingdom as forever. The millennial reign will be followed by a new heaven and new earth.
Watch the Teaching: The Millennium Explained: What Revelation 20 Really Teaches