By Dr. David Jeremiah
The beloved Christmas carol, “Joy to the World” is based on Isaac Watts’ interpretation of Psalm 98, and the words don’t refer to the birth of Christ at all.
The statements in this song reference His Second Coming and the glorious Millennium that will occur when He returns. Now I don’t intend to stop singing “Joy to the World” at Christmas, but as I sing the words, I’ll be looking forward to His return and to the era of peace He will establish on earth. I’m eager for the day when earth will receive her King; when every heart will prepare Him room; when thorns stop infesting the ground; and when Christ will rule the world with truth and graced. That is what will happen during the thousand-year reign of Christ, which comes after His Second Coming. Only then will the words to “Joy to the World” be truly fulfilled.
We ofter refer to this period of time by a certain title – the Millennium. The word millennium doesn’t actually occur in most of our English Bibles, yet this topic is one of the Bible’s premier subjects; and it is astonishing to notice how many chapters and verses describe this golden age of Christ, which will last for a thousand years on this planet.
What is the Millennium?
Four Purposes of the Millennium
- To reward the people of God
- To respond to the prophets’ predictions
- To receive the answer to the diciples’ prayer
- To reemphasize man’s depravity and the necessity of Christ’s death
Five Profiles of the Millennium
- It will be a time of peace
- It will be a time of prosperity
- It will be a time of purity
- It will be a time of prolonged life
- It will be a time of personal joy
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