example, we were at first attracted by the teaching known as 'The Pre -

Millennial Kingdom' but before committing ourselves we took it to the Drawing

Board, in other words, looked at the overall picture of Gentile dominion in

Daniel 2.  We defy anyone to find a loophole for any such kingdom in verses

44,45, and so, in spite of the claims of friendship and sincere admiration,

that pleasant vision had to be set aside.  We hope that every one of our

readers will do the same with every suggestion made in this Analysis, for it

is, alas, only too possible that we have a clearer view of the errors of

others than of our own.

It is time we rubbed our eyes, took off the spectacles that prophetic

students have supplied, and exercised the Berean spirit, which is so highly

commended in the Word of God.  All that is positively stated in the

Scriptures on the subject will be found in Ten Verses of Revelation 20; all

other descriptions, promises, characteristics, are introduced into this

period by inference, rightly or wrongly, but by inference only.  Books on the

Millennium pay little attention to the actual wording of Revelation 20:1 -10,

but expatiate and enlarge upon peace and prosperity, with superlatives that

find no warrant in the key passage of Revelation 20.  We have moreover, by

continually speaking of 'The Millennial kingdom', unwittingly limited the

Reign of Christ to a thousand years; whereas a true statement would speak of

that period as 'the first thousand years of a kingdom, which, commencing with

the coming of Christ and the end of Gentile dominion, goes unbroken (it shall

never be destroyed, and shall never pass away, Dan. 2:44; 7:14,27) until the

Son having put all things under His feet (for He "must reign" until this is

accomplished 1 Cor. 15:25,26, which reaches to the Great White Throne

judgment and beyond), delivers up the kingdom to God, even the Father, that

God may be all in all'.  This is the reign of Christ, the Millennial reign

being but a portion of it, and possibly a small portion at that.  All that

the Scriptures Say in Revelation 20 about a Millennium are the words ta

chilia ete, 'the thousand years'.

These words are in themselves no more 'blessed' than the word

'Mesopotamia'.  They may be a thousand years of misery for all that this term

'Millennium' teaches.  Some of us have come to our conclusion as to the

character of this Millennial kingdom only by ignoring what is actually

written in the Apocalypse.  The prophetic clock does not automatically stop

at the end of the thousand years; what does come to an end is the reign of

the Overcomers.  'The King of kings' does not abdicate.  The day of the Lord

is to be succeeded by the day of God, just as the Davidic kingdom,

characterized by the presence of the enemy and of war, was succeeded by the

Solomonic kingdom of Peace.  Is it too much to ask the reader, with these

challenging statements before him, to lay aside for the time being at least,

whatever he may have held and taught, and approach this important subject

afresh?  We turn therefore to the key passage:

'And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the

bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  And he laid hold on the

dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him

a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him

up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no

more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he

must be loosed a little season.  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon