The official LCMS position is amillennialism—the belief that there is no literal thousand-year reign of Christ on earth before the final judgment and resurrection. Rather, the 'thousand years' of Revelation 20 is understood symbolically as the current church age (from Christ's resurrection to his second coming), in which Christ reigns through his Word and Spirit in the hearts of believers and the church.

Under amillennialism, the binding of Satan (Revelation 20:2-3) refers to his defeat at Christ's cross and resurrection, which limits his ability to deceive the nations but does not entirely prevent his activity in the world. The 'first resurrection' is understood as spiritual rebirth through faith, while the 'second resurrection' refers to the literal bodily resurrection of all people at the last day.

However, the LCMS permits individual pastors and theologians to hold a premillennial position (the belief in a literal thousand-year reign of Christ on earth before the final judgment), provided they do not teach it as binding doctrine or divisive of the church. Some LCMS members and leaders have held historic premillennialism, though it is not the official confessional position. The LCMS does not affirm a pretribulational rapture or a special end-times role for ethnic Israel as a nation.