Revelation 5:10

Revelation 5:10: “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

Now there is an encouraging statement! God has made us kings and priests, and we will reign on the earth. Notice that the verse uses the future tense: it says that we “shall” reign on the earth, not that we “have” reigned. It is speaking of our future destiny – of an event that has not yet taken place.

At this point in Revelation’s chronology the Church Age has ended, the Rapture has occurred, the Church is in Heaven, and the Tribulation is just beginning. The reigning that the verse speaks of takes place in the Millennial Kingdom, which does not begin until after the Tribulation is over. Therefore the reigning is indeed still in the future – but by this point it is in the near future. (The Tribulation is only seven years long.)

There are many people who don’t believe in the Millennium Kingdom. In fact, I would say that most Christians today reject the idea as utter nonsense. The Kingdom doesn’t get discussed a lot these days, and that is a real shame. It is one of the major themes of the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. Many of the prophets (both major and minor) discuss it. If you read through the book of Isaiah you will find many references to it.

People who are amillennial teach that we are reigning over the Earth now, but that is simply not true. Christians aren’t reigning over anything; instead we are persecuted, murdered, and hated. We are not kings; we are outcasts. But one day we will reign over the Earth. That day is still some distance off, but it is approaching and it cannot be stopped.

This is something that every Christian needs to remember: we have been made kings and priests, and we will reign on the earth. That is our destiny – not because we have earned it, but because Christ has redeemed us by His blood and has given this to us. This is His doing.