I think that the book of Revelation is the first place in Scripture we should turn to for the study of God’s plan for the ages. John received these prophecies through a series of vivid visions containing symbolic images and numbers that echo those found in the prophetic books of the Old Testament. John records these visions in the chronological order in which he received them, many of them are pictures of the same events from different perspectives. He does not, however, provide a chronological order in which certain historical events are to occur. I think this is part of what makes the Book of Revelation somewhat difficult to study.
Twice in the book of Revelation we are told that the door to heaven will be opened. It is first opened to receive the church into heaven at the time of the Rapture: “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this’” Rev.4:1. The door swings open a second time for Christ and His church to proceed from heaven on their militant march back to earth Rev.19:11. The first opening is for the Rapture of the saints; the second is for the return of Christ!
When Jesus arrives on earth the second time, His landing will dramatically herald the purpose of His coming. The moment His feet touch the Mount of Olives, the mountain will split apart, creating a broad passageway from Jerusalem to Jericho. As you can imagine, this will be an unprecedented geological cataclysm.
Let’s look briefly at the Bible’s description of the glory and majesty Christ will display at His second coming. Very few Christians have a biblical understanding of what will take place when Christ establishes His Kingdom, and ushers in the Millennium.
It is certain that Christ will return to establish a literal Messianic Kingdom. The Old Testament promises a kingdom This same promise was reiterated in the New Testament and by Christ Himself. There is never even the slightest indication in the Scriptures that this kingdom will be anything other than a literal kingdom. Christ will return prior to the Millennium to establish His reign.
The Messianic Kingdom is eternal. Dispensationalists have historically labeled the first 1,000 years as the Millennial Kingdom. However, the Eternal State is simply a continuation of the Kingdom of Christ. The Eternal State will be located in the new heavens and new earth, but it will be a part of the same Kingdom ushered in by Christ at the Second Coming. Therefore, it is more accurate to refer to the Messianic Kingdom with its two distinct phases: the millennial phase and the eternal phase.
So after the Second Coming of Christ, the Millennium begins. The end of the Millennium is not the end of the Kingdom. After the final judgment, the Kingdom of Christ will continue on in the Eternal State.
