Symbolism of the Number 1,000
Webster’s Dictionary defines the number thousands or thousand in the following manner.
“plural thousands or thousand
1: a number equal to 10 times 100 see Table of Numbers
2: a very large number as in “thousands of ants” See https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thousand”
The number 1,000, as used in Revelation 20:1-8 means “an immense number of years.”
God intentionally used 1,000 in Revelation 20:3-8, an imprecise number, because He did not want to divulge the date of the second coming of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
Acts 1:7 says, “Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.” (Acts 1:7).
In Mark 13:32 our Lord said, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Below please find our edited quotation of an anonymous author’s excellent presentation of the use of the number 1,000 in the Bible.
“The number one thousand (1,000) symbolizes “immensity,” “fullness of quantity” or “a multitude.” The number stands for a very long time according to most Bible passages. Scripture uses it to specify an indefinite quantity.”
“Many early Church fathers saw in the number 1,000, “the totality of the generations and the perfection of the life.” God sometimes uses the number in reference to paradise and everlasting happiness.”
“THE USE OF THE NUMBER ONE THOUSAND IN SCRIPTURE.
“Below are some Bible passages from the King James Version of the Bible that include the number 1,000:
“In Revelation 20:1 Jesus binds the devil in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years.
“In Revelation 20:4 the saints reign with Christ 1,000 years.
“In Revelation 20:7 God frees Satan from the Abyss after the 1,000 years.
“In Mathew 5:41 Jesus requires Christians to walk two miles if compelled to walk a mile. It is interesting to note that a Roman “mile” consisted of 1,000 paces (mille possum) or steps (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers).
“In Amos 5:3, for its punishment, a city of 1,000 men would become 100 men.
“In Isaiah 60:22 during the prophesied Messianic time there will be an increase from 1 to 1,000. “A little one shall become one thousand.”
“Song of Songs 8:11 – The fruit of the vineyard of Solomon would cost 1,000 shekels of silver.
“Psalm 84:10 – A Day in the courts of the Lord is better than 1,000 days anywhere else.
“Psalm 105:8 – The covenant that God concludes with Abraham was valid for 1,000 generations.
“1 Kings 3:4 – On the altar of Gibeon Solomon offered 1,000 “burnt offerings” to God asking Him for wisdom and understanding.
“1 Samuel 18:13 – King Saul set up David to be the chief of 1,000 men.
“Judges 9:49 – 1,000 persons perished in the citadel of Shechem.
“Judges 15:16 – Samson killed 1,000 men with the jawbone of a donkey.
“Genesis 20:16 – Abimelech gave Abraham 1,000 pieces of silver in compensation for acting inappropriately towards Abraham’s wife, Sarah.
“1,000 IN REFERENCE TO TIME, PEOPLE OR THINGS
“When referring to time Scripture always uses one thousand symbolically. It stands for any large and predetermined time that God chooses.
“In other cases, it is symbolic for many people or things.
“For example, in Psalm 50:10 we read – “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.”
“Now do you think there are more than a thousand hills on earth. Is the passage implying that God does not own the cattle on hill one thousand and one? Of course not. What the Holy Spirit says is that Yahweh owns all the cattle on all the hills, not just on a thousand hills. Likewise, nobody can honestly interpret the following “thousands” as literal:
“SCRIPTURES IN WHICH NO ONE CAN INTERPRET ONE THOUSAND LITERALLY.
“Job 9:3 (KJV) – “If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.”
“Ecclesiastes 7:28 (KJV) – “…one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.”
“Song of Solomon 4:4 (KJV) – “…whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.”
“Daniel 5:1 (KJV) – “Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousand.”
“Daniel 7:10 (KJV) – “Thousands upon thousands attended Him, and myriads upon myriads stood before Him.”
“1,000 IN REFERENCE TO TIME, DAYS, YEARS, AND GENERATIONS
“Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV) – “…which keeps covenant and mercy with them that…keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”
“1 Chronicles 16:15 (KJV) – “Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.”
“Psalm 84:10 (KJV) – “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand.”
“Psalm 90:4 (KJV) – “For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past,”
“Psalm 105:8 (KJV) – “He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.”
“Ecclesiastes 6:6 (KJV) – “Yea, though he lives a thousand years twice told, yet has he seen no good: do not all go to one place?”
“It should be obvious from the above that every occurrence of the word “thousand,” by itself, is not literal but symbolic. It stands for a large number or an extended period.
“Then, why is it that when we go to the book of Revelation (the most symbolic book of them all), many godly Christians interpret these thousand years as if they were literal? Not only that, but in Revelation chapter 20 there is no Scriptural warrant for doing so.
“1,000 YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST?
“So where does the phrase “1,000 Year Reign of Christ” appear in scripture? The answer is it does not appear in scripture. Neither will you find the word “millennium.” At least not in the King James Version of the Bible. Does this surprise you? Revelation 20:3-8 is the only passage in scripture that anyone can point to as referring to a “1,000-year reign.” What endless variations of concocted fables have resulted! Clearly it does not contain the detail that some godly Christians attribute to it.
“First, we must point out that scripture does not speak of “the thousand-year reign of Christ.” Revelation 20:4 says,
“And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God … and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
“Notice that it is not Christ that reigns 1,000 years! It is those that the Romans killed for Jesus’ sake who reign with Christ 1,000 years. There are nineteen (19) Bible verses that declare that Christ’s reign is forever. Revelation 11:15 is one of the nineteen: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
“To illustrate, consider the phrase, “Jane Doe served with the governor for one year.” Does this mean the governor served for only one year? No, it does not. The governor could serve for many years. The point is not how long the governor served but how long Jane served with the governor.
“The governor is not the subject; it is speaking about how long Jane serves with him. Likewise, Revelation 20:4 is not about how long Jesus will reign, but how long others will reign with Jesus. There is a big difference.
“So, what do the scriptures reveal about the number 1,000? It is a number that typically signifies the idea of “immensity,” “fullness of quantity,” or “multitude.” The number can stand for a large number or extended time. This general interpretation applies both to the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.”
“Conclude that Revelation chapter 20 conveys truths that are occurring now, during the Church Age. There is no Biblical warrant for inventing a one-thousand-year reign of Christ as some postulate.
“It is not a new dispensation, taught only in Revelation 20. Revelation chapter 20 is the beginning of the last cycle of the seven cycles of the book of Revelation. This one begins with the ascension, enthronement, and binding of Satan by our Lord Jesus Christ. It ends with the eternal reward of the murderers of the Christian martyrs in the Lake of Fire.
The timeline begins with:
The ascension of Christ, at which He binds Satan so that he cannot deceive those who died with Christ at the cross.
Please consult our complete scriptural timeline of the future by clicking the link below: https://www.williamrandolphpublishing.com/prophecy/new-testament-timelines
