Living in the Millenium

by Robert L. Millet

The Savior taught through the Prophet Joseph Smith that the time will come when "he that liveth in righteousness shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and the earth shall pass away so as by fire" (Doctrine and Covenants 43:32).

What do we know about that day when Jesus Christ will come in glory to cleanse the earth? And what will life be like after He comes to reign?

In Living in the Millennium, the companion volume to Living in the Eleventh Hour, author Robert L. Millet opens the doors wide to show us what life will be like during and after the Millennium. Relying on the words of ancient and modern prophets, he shares what has been revealed about Christ's preliminary appearances, His return in majesty and power, and His millennial reign—a thousand years of goodness and peace.

Filled with insights, this timely book helps us to understand more fully such eternal doctrines as the resurrection of the just and the unjust, the Judgment, and the many mansions of glory.

Living in the Millennium inspires us to live today as if the Savior were coming tomorrow.

Genres: Lds, Religion, Nonfiction, Church, Inspirational

145 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Robert L. Millet, professor of ancient scripture and former dean of Religious Education at Brigham Young University, holds a master s degree in psychology from BYU and a Ph.D. in religious studies from Florida State University. He is a popular speaker and prolific writer whose other books include Lost and Found: Reflections on the Prodigal Son; Grace Works; and More Holiness Give Me. He and his wife, Shauna, have six children and live in Provo, Utah.

Reviews

[David Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, and it was informative in many ways. I really loved a quote near the end from Elder McConkie that talked about being on the path and continuing forward. I guess I just had to high of expectations. I have MANY books on the Last Days and the Millennium. I didn't feel like Brother Millet gave me anything that made me think. Perhaps I was just put off by his limited explanations of many aspects.

This work is definitely doctrinally based. There is no speculation or guess work, so for that it is good. I just didn't get as much from it as I hoped.

If you have done little reading on the Last days or millennial reign, this might be a great place to start, it just wasn't very beneficial for me.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

In speaking of the Savior's second coming and of life in the Millennium, President Hinckley declared "It will be a time of great and terrible fears, of cataclysmic upheavals of nature, of weeping and wailing, of repentance too late, and of crying out unto the Lord for mercy. But for those who in that judgement are found acceptable, it will be a day for thanksgiving, for the Lord will come with his angels, and the apostles who were with him in life, and those who have been resurrected. Further, the graves of the righteous shall be opened and they shall come forth. Then will begin the great Millennium, a period of a thousand years when Satan shall be bound and the Lord shall reign over his people. Can you imagine the wonder and the beauty of that era when the adversary shall have no influence? Think of his pull upon you now and reflect on the peace of that time when you will be free from such influence. There will be quiet and goodness where now there is contention and evil."

[Reedblackburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Such a fascinating topic, and one there are so many questions about.

I don't feel like I gained a ton from it though. I guess many of the questions I have about the millennium haven't been answered, perhaps I was hoping as I read this book that I would find some of those answers.

My big question is how many people will ultimately make it to the Celestial Kingdom and what part does our earth life play in that? It seems difficult to think our eternal Salvation/Exaltation all depends on our existence here on earth, especially considering the wide variety of circumstances people are born and live in. It breaks my heart to think of children who have no real shot at success in this life because of the way they are brought up or raised.

The separation of the wicked from the righteous and judgments come into play many times throughout our existence. Pre mortal, mortal, and post mortal. The judgment of who came to earth. 2/3 chose Christ 1/3 chose Satan. The judgment at death of spirit prison or spirit paradise. The judgment at the second coming, who will survive and who will be destroyed. The judgment during the millennium and the order of the resurrection. And at the end of the millennium the final judgment of who makes it to what kingdom.

Will people who did terrible things but were never taught correct knowledge or educated for the better be able to make it to the beginning of the millennium?

I have more of a universalist thought of who will make it in the end. I think a loving Father and Savior will do all they can to save as many as they can, including those who lived lives full of hate, selfishness, and sin. I don't think there's a timetable on this. As soon as I think people accept the Father, his Son's atonement, and live a life according to their knowledge they will be saved in the highest of Kingdoms, even the Celestial Kingdom. I think education is the key, and in many places very few people have correct education on moral behavior. I like to think they will receive this education in the next life (spirit world or millennium or even after the millennium) And I think if they had the right education here but messed up they'll get another shot. In fact I think they'll get an infinite amount of forgiveness granted because of an infinite atonement and when we finally decide to fully accept the Savior we will be fully accepted in the highest of kingdoms.

For example, I sometimes think what if I died at age 16 or 17 would I have made it to the Celestial Kingdom? I don't think I can say yes or no. I don't think I was living a Celestial life from ages 15-25. The sin of selfishness and laziness, and carelessness, and being unkind to those different than me were all part of my life, despite being taught by loving parents that these were wrong. I was educated, but wasn't living to what I knew. Would I be condemned for that if I would have passed at that time? I don't think so, I think the next life we continue to grow in education, and continue to have opportunities to live according to our knowledge.

What about my current age of 35? I still have struggles. I think I'm on the right path though and I think that's what matters to our Father.

Other questions I have. We are taught there is no sin in the millennium. How is that possible? I've heard that all who live during the millennium will make it to the Celestial Kingdom. I have heard that more people will be born during the millennium then during the combined 6000 years previous to the millennium, and thus God will save many of his children. I love the teaching in that it teaches a God who will save many of his children, and don't disagree with it. My question becomes where was the trial period for them? How do they learn, experience, and grow, all things we are taught are crucial to our mortal life in order to become like our Heavenly parents. What about children who pass before the age of 8? We are taught automatic Celestial Kingdom. Once again I love that, but how are they spared from the trials/experience and thereby the necessary growth to become like Heavenly Father? Does the pre-mortal life tie into it? Does their trial come in the spirit world or did it come before they were born? Where and how do they grow if they never face opposition, something we are taught was essential to the Fall and a part of the plan when Adam and Eve took the fruit. Something we are taught that without opposition we can not become. No evil, no good. No trials no growth. So again, how does that part of the plan happen for children who die before age of 8 or those born during the millennium?

All are questions that have no real answers and perhaps not necessary for me to know and hence reasons they haven't been revealed. I suppose I know what I need to do and Salvation is an independent path. The knowledge to those other questions may not need to be made known until the next life. In the meantime I will trust in my knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father who sent his most beloved and perfect Son Jesus Christ to this earth to suffer, die, and perform an atonement for us. The reasons? So that any of God's children who so choose will return to live with and become like Them.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the last year every time I read a book I just kept thinking about how I should be "reading from the best books", as entertaining as they are celebrity memoirs aren't it. I have had this desire to get back into in-depth gospel study but didn't really know where to start. Finally I sat down and did some quick research and picked a couple of books so start with, this was my first. Being a busy mom it is hard for me to find time to dig deep into the scriptures, this book kind of does it for me. He has found the scriptures and the prophetic quotes on the topics and put it all in this book for me and at just over 100 pages it didn't take too long to read but I got a lot out of it.

Living in the Millennium is a great introduction or review for who will inherit the different degrees of glory, what will happen before the Millennium and what life will be like during the Millennium. I highly recommend this book to anyone that doesn't consider themselves a scripture master, if you are, there likely isn't much new doctrine you will learn. However, even though I consider myself and my husband quite knowledgeable on these topics there were still doctrinal points we didn't know.

This book quotes President Heber C. Kimball, "To meet the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess this personal knowledge or witness will fall....The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within himself. If you do not have it, how can you stand?" Having two young children I have really let my spiritual study and growth go over the last few years because I've been too busy/distracted meeting the physical needs of others. This book begins what I hope to be me taking care of myself so I can take better care of my family and we can all learn and grow together.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, I like just about everything that Robert Millet writes. One of the things that I most appreciate about him is his absolute loyalty and faithfulness to the words of Apostles, ancient and modern. As one who believes that apostles and prophets have been given to the Church to (among other things) keep people from being blown about by every wind of doctrine (see Ephesians 4:11-14), it is good to know that Millet believes that he should strive to align his writings with what they have taught about key gospel subjects. Having said that, though, another insight from Millet that I liked in this book was his emphasis on things that are nice to know, things that we should know, and things that we must/need to know. I think that is a good insight for helping us determine what matters most in our belief and in our practice as members of the Church. Finally, one of my favorite aspects of this book is its tone of hope throughout. There is so much for us to look forward to with joy and anticipation in regards to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and His Millennial reign. There is no place for doom and gloom and fear mongering. The only shortcoming of the book in my mind was its lack of focus on the Millennium itself. That might be indicative of how little has actually been revealed through prophets and apostles and Millet's refusal to speculate fruitlessly. I haven't read the two previous books in this series. I read this one because a friend of mine wanted to discuss some questions about the Millennium. But there is really only chapter focused mostly on the Millennium. The rest of it is what happens before and after the Millennium. So this volume in the series may be somewhat misnamed. But it is still a must read for people who want good information on LDS eschatology.

[Jimlaudie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book. Well based in scripture and inspired me to go read the sections in D&C for what we know. I look forward to these days. Couple points:
1. We begin the millennium in a sense when we bind Satan’s influence in our lives
2. The scriptures about strait is the gate and narrow the way and few there be that find it. Seems kind of exclusive. But we know God to be a successful parent in saving and exalting His children. I’ve always felt that many who aren’t finding the gate in this life will when presented with the truth, free from distraction, and maybe a different time and place to pursue spiritual progress. But maybe bigger factors than that in terms of numbers of God’s children being exalted: number of children down through time who have died before reaching accountability and demographic trends that are now and will extend into the millennium. Those trends could have many more people living on the millennial earth than have lived in the entire history of the fallen earth. That was a fresh thought for me.

Some great insights in this book.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

It provided an excellent review of doctrines and teachings around the Millenium and he states clearly that he will not speculate. But honestly, I wanted some synthesis of ideas that formed more than just the clear and obvious things that have been taught. That's probably a fancy way of saying I wanted speculation. But speculation founded on teachings, doctrines, and statements with authority, so not just wild ideas. It was good and served its purpose, it just wasn't the purpose I had in mind.

[Apzmarshl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book. I wasn't interested in any anxiety inducing literature. But Robert Millet did a wonderful job of giving hopeful information in a way I found easy to digest. One of the most hopeful things I read was that "our God and Father is a successful parent".
Christ is the Savior of all of his creations. His Atonement and saving powers are for all of us. No one is meant to fail. That is incredibly hopeful.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

After my teenage son was taught some troubling misinformation at church, I went on a quest to take his questions and get him the best answers backed up by true doctrine and modern revelation from General Authorities. This book was monumental in helping me understand some important and often misinterpreted doctrine of our church. It pointed me to real answers from real sources. I highly recommend this book to latter-day saints looking for insight in this subject. 5 stars.

[Jacqueholst · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many things I knew I knew and so many things I wish I knew. This is a book full of answers, answered by way of quotes from General Authorities. Confidence to know the answers I needed and if I was right or wrong about the truths I knew. I wish I had had excess to it the years I taught Gospel Doctrine. Sometimes questions would come up and it would have been wonderful to know exactly where the Church stood and what The Prophet had said about it.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used this as a scriptural study guide, only reading small bits at a time. I read a lot of it with my teenage son who had many questions. It is well written; full of scriptures and prophetic quotes - with an extensive notes, definitions, and index. Although I used it over a 2 year period - I referenced it frequently.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books talks about life during the millennium. The type of people that will live during the millennium. The missionary and temple work that will be going on during this season of time. The New Jerusalem and Jerusalem and what will be going on at those locations. He also discusses the degrees of glory and who will be in each.

[Seth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book might be helpful who someone who doesn't know LDS teachings concerning the second coming and the millennium or for someone who is looking for scriptural references for all the teachings. But I feel like I gained very little.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the basic facts of this book. No speculation, just doctrine about what we know. No one knows the time or exactly what will happen in the millennium, but staying on the gospel path and looking forward with an eye of faith will lead us there.

[Ranette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of this book was taken from scripture about the Millennium.

[David Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short concise book about millennium. Easy to understand and not confusing.

[Elizabeth Ricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice compendium of the scriptures which relate to the Second Coming and Millennium.

[Mandi Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight I had never thought of before.

[Suzette Kunz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This shares a lot of doctrine about the purpose of the millennium and what it will be like. It really made me feel hopeful about a lot of things.

[Lauren Perotto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched, and well written. However, it is a bit dry. And I didn’t learn anything new.

[Heidi Eastman Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a lot to learn about the Millennium and it is important. It is essential to know that Christ is our Savior.

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert L. Millet takes a closer look at the Millennium, the thousand years when Christ will reign on the Earth. He has taken doctrinal material to put this book together. He made a point of stating that he was not putting his personal thoughts and opinions in the book, and he succeeded. At the end of the book there are several pages of sources and scriptural references.

Many of the thoughts expressed were not new to me. I liked the way in which the information was presented. I found myself pondering doctrine and gaining new understanding or looking at it with a different perspective.

The biggest lesson for me was a greater understanding of my mortality and a bigger sense of my purpose in God's eternal plan. I have a renewed sense of hope. Sometimes I feel that even though I am trying to live a good life everyday that I will never measure up. I needed the reassurance that God is loving and fair.

Next step for me is to read the first book Living in the Eleventh Hour: Preparing for the Glorious Return of the Savior.

[Shanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in the Millennium is a worthwhile read for anyone who is curious about what life during the Millennium will be like for humankind. The book isn’t long–107 pages of reading followed by Notes, Glossary (which is educational reading itself), Sources, Scripture Index, and Subject Index–but it contains an encompassing overview of revelation regarding the Millennium provided by the scriptures and prophets, both ancient and modern-day.

There are three main sections: Before the Millennium, The Millennium, and Beyond the Millennium. The Atonement, the Second Coming, the Resurrection, Eternal Life, and more are discussed, with several scriptures and quotes, including revelation given to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon regarding the degrees of glory.

I started out notating paragraphs of interest, but was soon pulled into the subject matter and forgot all about taking notes. I will definitely be reading it again to find those areas that provided both warning and hope to me. I think it is an excellent companion book to Living in the Eleventh Hour, and the more powerful of the two, at least for me personally.

Review originally published on LDS Women's Book Review -- www.ldswbr.com
FTC FYI: Received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, but I'm disappointed. My main complaint is this book wasn't what I expected. Like other reviewers, I really wanted to like it. I have liked many of Millet's other books. I have been reading lots of second coming books in the past few years. While some great scriptures and quotes were in here, I found myself skimming and intellectually bored. The first half was better than the end. However, even the interesting parts were nearly completely redundant with Millet's other books "Living in the Eleventh Hour" and "Making Sense of the Book of Revelation." I didn't feel like this Millennium book actually described living in the Millennium so much as basic Mormon doctrine about resurrection and the atonement. I am glad I read it. I did learn a few things. The glossary at the back was great.

If you haven't read many things about the second coming and Millennium, this would be a great read for you.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have been told to prepare for the coming of the Lord~

This book goes a step further and tells what life will be like AFTER the Lord has come.

Using scriptures and teachings from latter-day prophets, Robert L. Millet shares with us revelations about:

* Christ's appearance
* the thousand years of peace
* the final phase of gathering
* resurrection from the dead
* Judgment Day
* the many mansion of glory
* exaltation
* and more

Filled with insights and personal stories he then prepares us and guides us to be able to~

Live today as if the Savior were literally coming tomorrow

A PHENOMENAL BOOK!
And a great companion volume to Living in the Eleventh Hour

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. I've always enjoyed learning about the Plan of Salvation. This talked about some important events that will happen just before the Second Coming, and then lots of other fun information about after that. Once again, most everything was backed up with scriptures and quotes from Apostles and Prophets. There were a few rumors clarified. Only one small subject wasn't discussed that I wish was, but not a big deal. Interesting, informative, not too long or overwhelming. Good book.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this very much. Millet examined details of the Millennium in all of the scriptures and words of the prophets from Orson Pratt and others. What was excellent was the order in which things will happen. So many details I could picture what it would be like. Wonderful to read and the details in one place, in order. In the end Millet becomes a college professor defining all the terminology of salvation, exaltation, etc.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has greatly increased my understanding of what life will be like when Christ comes again and how great life will be during the Millennium. Sometimes I get caught up in "second coming predictions" from other people and this book reminded me that I just need to stick with what the scriptures and church leaders say.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. It had somethings that I had forgotten and some that I didn't know. Would have liked more detail from the scriptures. Well, it makes me want to go and get that detail for myself from the scriptures!

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short read. He sticks with basics. I don't think I learned anything I didn't already know but he seem to feel there are myths he was clearing up. Many of the quotes I would like to have Millet expand upon.