What is the teaching of the Holy Bible and sacred tradition regarding Millennialism?

First: St. Jerome. In his commentary on the Gospel of Matthew 19:29–30 he makes a distinction between the discourse of some of the Fathers on Millennialism and that of those who fell into false teachings on the matter. He says, “Of the early Fathers who supported this doctrine, none of them made any reference to the continuance of procreation during the messianic reign. In contrast, the view of the heretic Cerinthus was that the millennium would be a time of material pleasures in which procreation continues.”¹²¹⁵ Here we may pause to ponder: if the millennium is an encounter with the Lord Christ as a King who saves the righteous from the great tribulation, then many questions remain concerning our salvation through the crucified and risen Christ who ascended into the heavens, including the following:

• a. If the Lord Jesus Christ said to Pontus Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), will He return and reign with the believers on the earth?

• b. What could we say about the words of the apostle Paul: “if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom. 8:17)? How can those who are born and die during the thousand years and therefore never suffer with the Lord be glorified with the Lord forever?

• c. If the Lord Christ will reign on earth and preserve His faithful people, why did He say that for the sake of the elect He would shorten the days of the antichrist that they might not stray (Mark 13:20)?

St. Jerome discusses these issues and points out the error of this teaching more than fifty times, especially in his commentaries on the Prophets. He often draws a connection between Jews who supported a Messianic kingdom on earth and Christians who advocated this teaching.

1215 St. Jerome, Commentary on Matthew Introduction (FOTC 117:42).

Second: St. Augustine. In his book The City of God¹²¹⁶ he says that the period between the creation and the coming of the Lord Christ is about six thousand years; and since a thousand years with the Lord are as one day (2 Pet. 3:8), this period refers to the six days of creation, with the period from the resurrection of Christ to the general resurrection being the seventh day or the Lord’s Day. Thus, the thousand years is the period in which the faithful experience the resurrection in their inner lives. Accordingly, St. Augustine thinks of the present life of the righteous on earth as a token of eternity, since their souls enjoy the sweetness of the Resurrection. On this basis, he argues that those who see the millennium as a kingdom on earth are not thinking spiritually.

The second interpretation of Millennialism according to St. Augustine is that the Lord Christ promised that he who abandons everything will receive a hundredfold in return (Matt. 19:29). So, if the things a person owns are symbolized by the number 10, then having abandoned them, he will receive in return hundredfold, that is, 10 x 100, which is 1000. In this way, St. Augustine derives an interpretation of the number 1000 whereby it refers to all true believers who live in the expectation of heaven, are found in every generation, and receive the divine promise. In vain does the devil attempt to infiltrate their hearts.

St. Augustine also notes that Satan was cast out and bound for a thousand years. The seal set upon him [Rev. 20:3] indicates that during this time in which faithful experience the token of heaven, Satan has no authority over the striving children of God. His being cast into the bottomless pit and being shut up therein indicates that during the thousand years no one is able to know those who are with Satan and those who are with the Savior. If we see a fallen person, we should not judge him, for he may yet offer sincere repentance. Likewise, we may think a person is righteous and yet his life may end with him falling into sin. But God knows those who are His (2 Tim. 2:19).