Millennium – comes from the Latin word mille for thousand and Latin word annum for year. Millennium is a thousand year period.
Historical
Premillenalism
At the end of the present age there will be great tribulation, followed by the second
coming of Jesus Christ. When He comes, the Antichrist will be judged, the
righteous resurrected, Satan bound & then will follow a thousand year
reign. At the end of the millennium Satan will be released for a short time in
which he leads a rebellion against our Lord before been destroyed. The
unrighteous will now be raised for judgment followed then by the New Heavens
& Earth.
Dispensational
Premillenalism (DPM)
This is by far the most complex of the four views, furthermore it is also
radically diff from HPM since it teaches that Israel (always separate from the
Church) are the recipients of the blessing of the Millennium, not the Church of
Christ. They teach that the eschatological watch stopped for the age of Israel
at the end of the 69th week at the death of Christ & therefore the
rejection of the Messiah & His Kingdom.
There is now a eschatological gap between the 69th & the 70th week (Dan 9)
. The clock has stopped ticking for Israel & will not continue to tick
again until the last week begins which will be ushered in by a political leader
making a covenant with Israel.
Thereafter, the Saints are raptured as Christ's returns in the clouds (not
second coming) for His people. In the middle of the seventh week (31/2 years
into the 7 year tribulation) the political leader will cease sacrifices in the
rebuilt temple & the great tribulation will end with the battle of
Armageddon, which will see Christ destroy His enemies.
Now the nations who supported Israel will be gathered into the Millennium
Kingdom, those who did not will be cast into the Hades to await the last the
last judgment. Christ will reign from His throne in Jerusalem, the Temple will
be re built, sacrifices (memorial) re instituted & Israel shall be exalted
amongst the nations.
At the end of the 1000 years Satan will be released, unbelievers will be
marshalled & the rebellion against Christ will begin. It will be quickly
destroyed. Then there will be the last judgment & finally the eternal state
ushered in.
Post Millennialism
(PM)
PM like AM believe the Millennium is that time between the first & second
coming of Christ. They teach that there will be a golden age when the gospel
will draw men to Christ in unprecedented numbers, ethnic Israel will be
gathered in to receive her Messiah & the nations will be Christinised.
There is an expectation of the whole nations being converted. At the end of
such a golden age, there will be a brief rebellion, which will be destroyed.
Christ
then returns & ushers in the eternal state.
A Millennialism (AM)
Like PM, AM believes that the 1000 tears are symbolic of the time of the last
days (from first to second coming). AM expect a parallel growth of both good
& evil, side by side. At the end of the Last days there will be great evil
& tribulation followed by the second coming, general resurrection, last
judgment & the introduction of the eternal state of the new heavens &
earth.