Kingdom Report

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Week of 4 October 2025

Kingdom Now vrs 1000 Year Millennium One Day A Biblical Defense

For home cell Bible study groups I give you study notes this week to help you out of "end times rapture and Dispensational Zionism". and ground your faith in 'Kingdom has come theology."

As charismatic evangelical I was discouraged to see the many comments on Facebook in total certainty that they also heard the Lord spoke to them "Rapture on 24 September". The sincerity and certitude was very sad. So many "visions". "prophecies". "conformations". I sympathize. I remember my early years of participation in similar "end times" movements. Except in those days we really did have some scary Apocalyptic world events.

So let me give you a different framework for understanding the Kingdom prophecies to get you out of the dead end of Dispensationalism. The reality that the Kingdom has already come!

Teaching concerning the Millennium centers on interpreting Revelation 20:1-10, specifically the timing of Christ’s return relative to the 1,000 years mentioned therein. Three primary views exist:
1) Pre-millennialism - Christ returns before the 1,000 years and then establishes His Kingdom on Earth
2) Postmillennialism (Christ returns after a literal 1,000 years, following a golden age achieved by the Church - no clear teaching on what or how this literal 1000 years is started)
3) Amillennialism or Kingdom Now - It is important to note that the term "Amillennialism" is widely disliked by its proponents because the prefix ‘-a’ suggests a denial of any millennium. We hold that the millennium is a present reality, leading to preferred alternative names such as "Kingdom Now" The use of this positive terminology ensures that the discussion centers on when the kingdom reign is occurring (now), rather than forcing a debate on if the promises are fulfilled. The core tenet affirmed is that the 1,000 years in Revelation 20 is a figurative description of the entire period between Christ’s exaltation and His Second Coming. Meaning the Kingdom of God came on earth when all power in heaven and earth was given to Christ and His Church.

Foundational Teaching of Kingdom Now

The Amillennial framework rests upon a specific way for interpreting prophetic scripture and the Book of Revelation. Unlike interpretive systems that insist on a strictly chronological reading, the Amillennial view understands Revelation 20 as recapitulating or re-presenting the events described in Revelation 1- 19, rather than following in strict chronological succession. This reading is necessary because the New Testament consistently teaches that the consummation of history—the general resurrection, the final judgment, and the ushering in of the eternal state—occurs as a single, cataclysmic event at the Second Coming. Interpreting Revelation 20 as a chronological gap of 1,000 years placed after Christ’s visible return would necessitate two separate returns or two judgments, creating a conflict with the unified eschatology presented by Paul and Christ Himself.

Furthermore, Amillennialism is anchored in the conviction that the covenantal promises made to Israel, David, and Abraham in the Old Testament are fulfilled spiritually and presently by Jesus Christ and the Church during this current age.Since Christ, as the substance, has fulfilled the shadows of the old covenant, no future political or geographical re-fulfilment is required on the earthly stage.

The central interpretive key to this position is the concept of "Kingdom Now Eschatology," often summarized as the "Already/Not Yet" structure. This framework teaches that the realities of the last days (the eschaton) have already begun through Christ's first coming, life, death, resurrection, and ascension, but the complete, final fulfilment awaits His second coming. This includes the New Creation itself: the new covenant inaugurated through Christ’s blood is an “already/not yet” reality, where the newness is visible now, though the full consummation awaits the final return. By recognizing this tension, the view reflects the apostolic teaching that Christ reigns now, and His final victory will be revealed in the new heavens and new earth.

Table 1: Scriptural Pillars of the Kingdom Now Position


Argument 1: Christ's Kingship Commenced at His Resurrection and Exaltation

The New Testament evidence strongly suggests that Christ’s reign began immediately upon His resurrection and ascension, placing His kingship in the present age, not in a postponed future.

A. The Resurrection as Royal Inauguration and Conquest

The connection between Jesus's resurrection and kingship is paramount. Humanity was created to reign over creation (Psalm 8), yet this mandate was frustrated by sin and death (Hebrews 2:5-8). Christ’s resurrection is understood as the decisive conquest of sin and death. By defeating the "King of Death," Jesus initiated the New Creation. Revelation 1:18 confirms this: Jesus, the living one who died, is alive forevermore and possesses the "keys of Death and Hades," signifying universal dominion achieved through the conquering of the grave. This authority is the necessary prerequisite for cosmic and eternal reign.

B. Exegesis of Acts 2: The Fulfilment of the Davidic Covenant (Psalm 110)

Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost is the definitive New Testament interpretation of Christ’s enthronement. In Acts 2:30-36, Peter interprets the resurrection, ascension, and seating of Christ at the right hand of God as the direct fulfilment of God's oath to David regarding the perpetuity of his throne. Peter explicitly quotes Psalm 110:1, confirming that Jesus is currently enthroned as the Messiah in heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Father "until I make Your enemies Your footstool".

This passage places the fulfilment of the Davidic covenant—the promised seat of God's authority—in the heavenly realm now. Consequently, requiring Christ to descend and occupy a literal, terrestrial throne in Jerusalem for 1,000 years becomes exegetically unnecessary and structurally redundant. The argument is that if the Davidic throne is definitively located in heaven, as stated in Acts 2, seeking a subsequent, less glorious, earthly re-fulfilment runs counter to the pattern of progressive revelation, where the New Testament reality transcends the Old Testament shadow. The conclusion of Peter's sermon, "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36), declares His Lordship (Kingship) as an immediate, present reality inaugurated at the resurrection, not a future one postponed until the Parousia.

C. The Supremacy and Enthronement of Christ over Creation (Ephesians and Colossians)

Pauline theology reinforces the present nature of Christ’s reign. Ephesians 1:19-23 emphasizes that the power of God, demonstrated in raising and seating Christ at His right hand, resulted in ultimate lordship over all things, particularly for the sake of the church. This enthronement is a "dominant factor" defining the basis of salvation and the nature of the eschatology presented. Furthermore, Colossians 1:18 highlights Christ as "the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence". This reign is not distant or abstract; it is active, immediate, and the source from which all the blessings of salvation flow to the believer. The present kingship provides the operational power necessary for the current age.

Argument 2: The Kingdom of God is a Present, Inaugurated Reality

The framework of Realized Millennialism recognizes that the Kingdom of God is already operational, having been initiated by Christ’s first coming.

A. Jesus’ Proclamation: The Kingdom is "At Hand"

Jesus’s inaugural message established the immediacy of the Kingdom. Mark 1:15 states, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel". This signifies that the Kingdom authority has drawn near and is presently operational through Christ’s ministry. Jesus confirmed that this Kingdom was a spiritual reality existing "in your midst" (Luke 17:21), contrasting sharply with expectations of an immediate, terrestrial political overhaul.

B. The Present Transfer of Dominion (Colossians 1:13-14)

The reality of the present Kingdom is most evident in the believer's salvation. Paul assures the Colossians that God "has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son". The use of completed verb tenses (aorist) demonstrates a finished, historical action. Believers are subjects of the King right now. This transfer highlights a crucial theological point: the current existence of the Kingdom is a necessary component of Kingdom Now. If the Kingdom were purely future, believers could not logically be "transferred" into it. The immediate effectiveness of Christ’s salvation results in present dominion over the believer’s life, manifesting not as physical territory, but as "righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17).

C. The "Already/Not Yet" Tension

Kingdom Now maintains that the Kingdom of God exists in a state of tension: it is both present (Rom. 14:17; Col. 1:13-14) and future (1 Cor. 6:9; Eph. 5:5). We live in the tension where the Kingdom days have begun, yet we still anticipate the full consummation. The Church, encompassing people from "every tribe and tongue and people and nation" (Rev. 5:9) , represents the global spiritual realization of the Abrahamic promise (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:7-9). This definition of the global, spiritual Kingdom eliminates the necessity for a narrow, ethnically-focused eschatology requiring a future political Jewish kingdom centered geographically in Jerusalem. The Kingdom's full realization awaits the Second Coming, immediately followed by the New Heavens and New Earth.

Argument 3: The First Resurrection has already happened

A. The Resurrection of the Saints as Christ's Firstfruits

The Bible records a literal, physical resurrection of saints that occurred in conjunction with Christ’s death and resurrection, demonstrating that the age of resurrection had already begun. Matthew 27:52 states: "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose". Coming out of the tombs after Jesus's resurrection, these saints went into the holy city and appeared to many (Matt. 27:53). This event serves as the firstfruits of the general resurrection, providing a "foretaste" of Christ’s ultimate victory and confirming that the first physical resurrection of the saints is tied directly to Christ's initial triumph, not to a postponed 1,000-year earthly reign.

B. The Context of Revelation 20: The Reign of the Martyrs

Revelation 20:4 depicts souls sitting on thrones, living and reigning with Christ for a figurative "thousand years". This passage describes the present reign of deceased believers with Christ in heaven. The specific context focuses on those who were martyred and refused to worship the beast, confirming the heavenly location and spiritual nature of the subjects. The 1,000-year period represents the duration of this spiritual reign, spanning the entire church age.

C. Exegesis of the "First Resurrection" (Revelation 20:5-6)

But Kingdom Now assert that the "first resurrection" refers primarily to the spiritual regeneration of believers, meaning they are "made alive" in Christ. This interpretation draws its strength from , particularly Jesus’s own words in John 5. In John 5:24-25, Christ contrasts the spiritual resurrection that is now occurring ("The hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live") with the physical resurrection that is future ("all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out," John 5:28-29). Revelation 20 is understood to mirror this two-stage reality: the spiritual resurrection (first) followed by the physical resurrection (second, Rev. 20:12-13). Crucially, those who participate in this spiritual resurrection are guaranteed to escape the condemnation and the "second death" (Rev. 20:6). This emphasis on the consequence of the first resurrection strongly suggests a spiritual, regenerative act that transfers the believer from spiritual death to life and eventual reign. The function of this resurrection is that it sets the believer apart from the unsaved, who await the final judgment and second death.

Table 3: The Two Resurrections in John 5 and Revelation 20 and 1 Corinthians 15 we only have two resurrections. The first which has taken place and the last.



You cannot fit in a Rapture and Resurrection before the Millennium and then another at the end of the Millennium. That would be 3 resurrections. Dispensationalism is confusing people and contradicting scriptures. I don't believe either Paul or the Thessalonians or Corinthian church Paul wrote to would understand any of the strange convolutions of today's prophetic maps. Irrefutable scriptural fact: There are only 2 resurrections. Dispensationalism requires 3.

Argument 4: Satan is Presently Bound, Restrained from Deceiving the Nations

Revelation 20:1-3 describes a strategic binding of Satan for the 1,000 years, preventing him from deceiving the nations. This binding is understood not as the total cessation of his evil activity, but as a strategic limitation that defines the current age.

A. The Purpose of the Binding: Global Evangelism

The restraint is specifically implemented "so that he might not deceive the nations any longer". Before Christ, the Gentiles were largely held captive by widespread deception (idolatry and polytheism). The binding does not mean Satan is completely inactive; he is still described as a "roaring lion" (1 Peter 5:8) who opposes God’s people (Eph. 6:11-13). However, his comprehensive, governmental authority to enslave entire nations through spiritual darkness is restrained by the sovereign authority of the risen Christ as King. This restraint is the theological guarantee for the Great Commission. The binding of Satan is what makes global missions and evangelism possible, allowing the gospel message to penetrate the Gentile world. The subsequent success of the Church in reaching every tribe and nation is itself strong evidence that the binding is presently in effect.

B. The Timing of the Binding (Matthew 12:29)

The binding described in Revelation 20 refers back to the victory secured during Christ’s first coming. Jesus indicated that His ministry of casting out demons required Him to first "bind the strong man" (Satan) before He could "plunder his house" (saving the lost) (Matt. 12:29). Colossians 2:15 confirms that Christ, through the cross, "disarmed principalities and powers, triumphing over them." Thus, the binding of Satan is an accomplished fact achieved by Christ’s work and secured by His resurrection.

C. The Paradox of Active Evil and Divine Restraint

The paradox of the present age is that Satan is actively engaged in tempting and accusing, yet he is rendered "powerless" (Hebrews 2:15) in his ultimate destructive potential. This established restraint remains in force throughout the church age. The temporary loosing of Satan shortly before the Second Coming (Rev. 20:7) signals a final, intense resurgence of evil, apostasy, and persecution, This short-lived rebellion serves to demonstrate that even without Satan’s binding deception, the unregenerate human heart remains inherently deceitful and ripe for ultimate evil.

Argument 5: The Church is Now Victorious and Triumphant

The Kingdom Now perspective asserts that the Church is presently triumphant because its victory is rooted in Christ's accomplished work, not in a future earthly political dominance.

A. The Accomplished Victory of the Cross

Christ achieved decisive, historical victory over the forces of darkness. Colossians 2:15 declares that Christ "disarmed the principalities and powers, triumphing over them in it" (the cross). This victory is complete. Although the Church experiences suffering and tribulation, believers are reminded that their "Captain has already conquered sin and death". The trials experienced are viewed as perfecting faith (1 Peter 1:6–9), guaranteeing that Christ’s strategies will never fail and that all His soldiers will ultimately triumph.

B. The Believer's Present Co-Reign (The Already Realized Victory)

The New Testament provides overwhelming evidence that believers are already participating in Christ's royal reign. Ephesians 2:5-6 confirms that God "raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus". This means believers are drawn into Christ's exaltation and participate in His enthronement now.

This participation is not limited to heavenly status; it includes spiritual dominion on earth. Romans 5:17 teaches that those who receive grace "will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ," conquering the internal dominion of sin. This realization strengthens the interpretation of the reign described in Revelation 20:4-6 as the current spiritual state of all believers (whether alive on earth or reigning with Christ in heaven), not merely a future physical event reserved for martyrs. Since all believers are "a kingdom and priests" (Rev. 1:6) the current age is defined by this co-reign.

C. Victory in Tribulation

Kingdom Now expects the Church to experience victory (spiritual growth, gospel spread) and suffering (tribulation, persecution) simultaneously until the final return. This tension is not a sign of failure but a characteristic of the current age. The growth and influence of the Church, symbolized by the parables of Matthew 13 and guaranteed by Messianic Psalm 2 ("I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession") , assures the success of the Great Commission. The certainty of this realized victory motivates the Church to faithful service and active engagement, pressing the advance of the Kingdom now, secure in the knowledge that the victory is already won.

Conclusion : A. The Unification of the End-Time Events

The cumulative biblical argument demonstrates that Christ’s resurrection initiated the eschatological period, fulfilling Old Testament promises spiritually and inaugurating the Kingdom of God on earth. The 1,000 years of Revelation 20 is interpreted figuratively as the current age, characterized by Christ reigning from heaven, the saints reigning spiritually and inaugurated physically, and Satan being restrained from globally deceiving the nations. This framework mandates a unified eschatological conclusion: Christ's visible, bodily return (the Parousia) will be a single, final event. This event, which Paul calls "the end" in 1 Corinthians 15:24, is when Christ delivers the kingdom to the Father after putting down all rule and authority and power. There is no gap of 1,000 years between Christ’s return and the eternal state.

The Second Coming will occur concurrently with the following terminal events:
1)The Rapture: Believers who are alive shall suddenly be transformed and glorified, meeting Christ in the air. This occurs "at the last trumpet" (1 Cor. 15:52), coinciding with the "coming" of Christ and "the end," when death, the last enemy, is finally overcome.
2)The Final General Resurrection: The bodily resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. All those who have not been participants of the "1st resurrection" through the born again experience who are now already in paradise in their heavenly bodies.
3)Judgment: The Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15).
4)The Eternal State: The immediate ushering in of the New Heavens and New Earth. While the New Covenant is an inaugurated reality, the complete realization of the New Heavens and New Earth as the perfect eternal dwelling place follows immediately after the Final Judgment.

The argument that the Millennium is not a future 1,000-year reign on earth is supported by the comprehensive teaching of the New Testament. By aligning Revelation 20 with the teachings of Acts, Romans, Colossians, and John, the framework avoids the complexity of multiple resurrections and separate judgments. This view provides profound pastoral encouragement by stressing that the decisive victory has been won, the King is currently enthroned, Satan’s global efforts are restrained, and the Church is actively advancing the Kingdom toward its promised, glorious consummation. The certainty of Christ's present, heavenly reign forms the foundation for enduring hope in the midst of present tribulation.

The Strategy for the Church - Implications of Kingdom Now

I have not bothered in these study notes to discuss the many other prophetic issues such as no 7 year Great tribulation or Replacement Theology or Antichrist or Rapture.

Once you see that the Kingdom has come and will continue to grow to fill the earth then we can act accordingly by planning generationally for the long term victory over Satan and the liberation of the earth.

As the earth is therefore our home and property and we are not being rescued out of here but occupying until He comes we can then do long term planning. Generational planning means that all issues that effect planet earth and its governance must conform to God's Kingdom reality. All nations must flow to the Mountain of the Lord's house eventually to admit Jesus us Lord and ask us to teach them the ways of the Lord.

If my fellow Charismatic evangelicals had this grounding in Kingdom Now theology they would have not been so easily deceived into "end times" dead ends of scriptural disinformtion.

I trust these study notes can be used for some home cell groups for discussion and study.

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