The 1,000 yrs ......
The teaching of the Church is that the 1,000 years of Revelation 20 (the only place in the Bible where the "millenium" is mentioned) is a period of
indefinite duration that began with Christ's First Advent and will conclude when the devil is released from bondage prior to the Second Coming.
In other words, the millenium is now.
The 1,000 years is not a literal 1,000 years but is figurative.
Look at Revelation 20.
What are the events surrounding the millenium?
First, Satan is bound.
That happened at the First Advent of our Lord (see Matthew 12:28-29; John 12:31-33; Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:15; Eph. 4:8; 1 John 3:Cool.
Next comes the "first resurrection."
What is that?
Is it not baptism?
"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1).
"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:4-6).
"In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of
Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven your trespasses . .
." (Col. 2:11-13).
"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God" (Col. 3:1).
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has
passed from death unto life" (John 5:24).
"And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your
members as instruments of righteousness to God" (Rom. 6:13).
Over those who experience the first resurrection, the "second death" (Rev. 20:6, 14-15) has no power.
They live and reign with Christ throughout the "millenium" (Rev. 20:6) as kings and priests.
What are Christians right now?
". . . To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and
dominion forever and ever. Amen (Rev. 1:5-6).
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood . . ." (1 Peter 2:9).
We reign in Christ right now.
Anyway, at the Council of Constantinople, in A.D. 381, the Church condemned chiliasm, the belief in a literal 1,000-year millenium. She reiterated
that condemnation at the Council of Ephesus in 431, calling chiliasm "superstition."
Thus any form of literal millenialism is not possible for Orthodox Christians.
BTW, I second Katherine's recommendation of T.L. Frazier's book, A Second Look at the Second Coming. It is the best thing I have ever read on the
subject.
The Elder Cleopa Ilie of Romania gave a very clear and concise summary of the Church's teaching on this subject in his extremely excellent book, The
Truth of Our Faith.
Both books are worth having, especially the last one, since it covers much more than just eschatology.
www.orthodoxchristianity.net...
also
www.orthodoxphotos.com...
quote:
Why shouldn't the 1,000 years be literal?
no.. you didnt ...
Jake what does this mean?
No..you didn't ....mean?
helen
entagon cheat,a kind of missile! 
