Whose Thousand -Year Reign?

A 1000-year reign is mentioned in Revelation 20:4-6: “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (5) But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (6) Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

This does not say Christ will reign 1000 years. Instead, it speaks about the reign of some people who were beheaded for Christ. Because of their faithfulness, they would be given a great honor: for 1000 years, they would join Christ in His reign.

A similar reward awaits every faithful Christian: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev. 3:21); “..His servants shall serve Him...the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 22:3, 5).

How long is the reign of Christ? In Acts 2, Peter announced, “...God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). He is now reigning over His kingdom, the church, and He will reign over it forever. His kingdom “...shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44); “...of His kingdom there will be no end” (Lk. 1:33).

At the end of the world, Christ will deliver His kingdom to God (1 Cor. 15:24). But that does not mean Christ will stop reigning. His kingdom is “...the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 1:11). He and God the Father will reign forever on “the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev.22:1, 3).