A new year offers a wonderful opportunity to start living the millennium, or at least to take this concept of the earth under Christ's rule out of a framework of time, confusion, and fear producing superstition.
The Second Epistle of Peter did more than assuage the disappointment of those early Christians who had thought none of them would die before Jesus personally returned. It opened up eternity to them. "Beloved," the letter urged, "be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." II Pet. 3:8. This inspired statement offers hope to all those who, time-tired and earth-weary, seek Spirit-filled days, spent "with the Lord."
The term "millennium" specifically refers to the thousand years mentioned in Revelation (20:4-6), when holiness is triumphant on the earth. Wide is the range of theological interpretation of this apocalyptic statement, including the views of those who see Christ as a visible form ruling in a theocracy. Some theories even include the martyred Christians returning as earth's governors. Figuratively, millennium has come to mean a time of great happiness on the earth, complete with good government and freedom from all wickedness.
