Reading the Scripture headings alone is a blessing, but for the reality of what is to come, take some time to read the promises.
The only Scripture that tells us how long the millennial reign of Christ will be is found in Revelation (Re. 20:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). Millennium simply means one thousand years or a period of one thousand years. It refers to the coming again of Jesus Christ to earth, some time in the future when He will be returning to reign over the nations and peoples of the earth.
Ø Here
Is a Quick Scripture Reference to Show What Is Meant.
V “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Da. 7:13–14).
Ø Peter
Definitely Said That the Millennium Was Coming and That It Referred to Some
Future Time.
V “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Ac. 3:19–21).
Although this is the only mention of one thousand years, the coming of Jesus Christ to rule this earth is mentioned many times in Scripture. Many more verses will be given below, but this gives a quick glimpse of what the Millennium means. The Millennium simply means the rule of Jesus Christ over this earth, over all the nations and peoples of this earth for one thousand years. So why is a Millennium necessary? Why does Jesus Christ not just end everything when He comes back to earth? Why is He coming back and ruling over this earth for one thousand years? There are at least three reasons.
1. THE
EARTH MUST BE RULED OVER BY CHRIST IN ITS PRESENT FORM. WHY?
Because the earth belongs to Christ, it belongs to Him by right. Jesus Christ created the world and man. But man gave the world to Satan. Man obeyed Satan instead of God. When he did, he brought evil to earth. Therefore, Jesus Christ has to reclaim the earth and bring righteousness to the earth, and He has to do it while the earth is in its present form. To destroy the earth would be giving up this earth and dooming it to destruction; it would mean that God failed with the present earth. But, of course, God cannot fail. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ must reclaim this earth and rule over it before He moves the world and believers into the perfect world.
2. WHY
IS THE MILLENNIUM NECESSARY?
Because God has to
fulfill all the promises to man that are in His Word. But why would God make
such promises that could not be fulfilled in sinful man? God knew that man
would fail and that the promises would not be able to be fulfilled. So why make
the promises? Because God loves man, and He wants to bless man. God would
rather create man and have a few who will believe in Him and bless them than
not to create man and have no one to bless.
THE POINT IS THIS: In order to bless the few believers upon earth, in order to fulfill God’s promises, Jesus Christ has to come back to this earth while it is in its present form. God made some wonderful and great promises all through the Scripture that have not yet been fulfilled, and they cannot be fulfilled without Christ Himself ruling and reigning and bringing them about. Therefore, He is coming back to complete the promises, coming back while the earth is still in its present form.
3. WHY
IS THE MILLENNIUM NECESSARY?
Because God is
love, and He wants to see more and more people saved despite the terrible evil
of past history and the horrible evil of the end time under the antichrist. God
is still merciful. Therefore, in the Millennium God is going to give man the
very presence of His Son in His majestic glory ruling and reigning from Jerusalem.
God is going to give man his utopia upon earth: peace and prosperity—give man
every opportunity in the world to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The
Millennium is necessary because of the love of God for man, a love that longs
for more and more people to be saved.
NOW, WHAT WILL THE MILLENNIUM BE LIKE? A good way to gain some understanding of the Millennium is to ask questions and then to answer the questions by giving Scriptural support. Any minister or lay believer can do the same study that we are doing. It is needed because of so many erroneous ideas going around about the Millennium. We give just a brief study so that the reader will have some idea of what the Millennium will be. Note four questions and points about the Millennium:
1. What Are Some Verses That Tell Us That Christ Is Coming Back in Glory to Rule and Reign Over the Earth?
Ø He
Will Rule Over and Govern the Nations.
V “And he shall judge among the nations, and
shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more” (Is. 2:4).
V “Of the increase of his government and peace there
shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order
it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for
ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Is. 9:7).
V “Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader
and commander to the people” (Is.
55:4).
V “For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and he is
the governor among the nations” (Ps.
22:28).
V “O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth” (Ps. 67:4).
Ø He
Will Rule and Judge the Ends of The Earth.
V “The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken
to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the
ends of the earth; and exalt the horn of his anointed” (1 S. 2:10).
V “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea,
and from the river unto the ends of the earth” (Ps. 72:8).
V “And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth” (Zec. 9:10).
Ø He
Is Coming to Rule the Earth.
V “Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he
cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the
people with his truth” (Ps. 96:13).
V “Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity” (Ps. 98:9).
Ø He
Will Be Made Higher Than the Kings of The Earth.
V “His name shall endure for ever: his name
shall be continued as long as the sun: and men
shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed” (Ps. 72:17).
V “Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity” (Ps. 98:9).
Ø All
Nations Will Come and See His Glory, and Every Knee Shall Bow.
V “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out
of my mouth in righteousness, and
shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear”
(Is. 45:23).
V “For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory” (Is. 66:18).
Ø He
Will Be Exalted Over All Rule and Authority in This World and In the World to
Come.
V “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (Ep. 1:21).
Ø God
Will Subject the World to Come to Christ.
V “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the Son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him” (He. 2:5–8).
Ø The
Kingdoms of The World Become the Kingdom of God.
V “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Re. 11:15).
Ø Christ,
The Stone Will Fill and Rule the Whole Earth.
V “Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Da. 2:35).
Ø Christ
Alone Has the Right to The Crown.
V “I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him” (Eze. 21:27).
Ø Kings
Will Bring Gifts to Him and Serve Him.
V “The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him” (Ps. 72:10–11).
Ø His
Enemies Will Be Made His Footstool.
V “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my
right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?” (Mt. 22:44).
V “Till I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Lu. 20:43).
V “But to which of the angels said he at any
time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?” (He. 1:13).
V “From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool” (He. 10:13).
Ø The
People Will Obey Him.
V “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Ge. 49:10).
Ø The
People Will Gather and Obey and Serve Him.
V “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor
a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Ge. 49:10).
V “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Da. 7:14).
Ø The
People Will Glorify and Fear Him.
V “Therefore, shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee” (Is. 25:3).
Ø He
Will Be Given the Throne of David.
V “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” (Lu. 1:32).
Ø He
Will Rule in Zion (Jerusalem) Upon His Throne.
V “Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of
Zion” (Ps. 2:6).
V “Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both” (Zec. 6:13).
Ø Jerusalem
Will Be the Place of The Lord’s
Throne.
V “At that time, they shall call Jerusalem the
throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name
of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the
imagination of their evil heart” (Je.
3:17).
V “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that
the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of
the corner. And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the
hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath” (Je. 31:38–39).
V “It was
round about eighteen thousand measures:
and the name of the city from that
day shall be, the Lord is there” (Eze. 48:35).
V “So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall
Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers [unbelievers] pass through her
any more” (Joel 3:17).
V “Thus, saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain” (Zec. 8:3).
Ø The
Kingdom of Israel Will Be the Lord’s.
V “And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s” (Obad. 21).
Ø The
Millennial Kingdom Will Be Centered in Jerusalem, and The Shekinah Glory Will
Dwell There.
V “And the Lord will create upon every dwelling
place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the
shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
And there shall be a tabernacle for a
shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a
covert from storm and from rain” (Is.
4:5–6).
V “At that time, they shall call Jerusalem the
throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name
of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the
imagination of their evil heart” (Je.
3:17).
V “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that
the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of
the corner. And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the
hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath” (Je. 31:38–39).
V “It was
round about eighteen thousand measures:
and the name of the city from that
day shall be, the Lord is there” (Eze. 48:35).
V “So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall
Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers [unbelievers] pass through her
any more” (Joel 3:17).
V “The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he
hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the
midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.… The Lord thy God in the midst
of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will
rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing” (Zep. 3:15, 17).
V “Thus, saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain” (Zec. 8:3).
Ø He
Will Bring Peace and Security to The World.
V “And he shall judge among the nations, and
shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and
their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more” (Is. 2:4).
V “Of the increase of his government and peace there
shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order
it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for
ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Is. 9:7).
V “And the streets of the city shall be full of
boys and girls playing in the streets thereof” (Zec. 8:5).
V “In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall
ye call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree” (Zec. 3:10).
V “And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Mic. 4:3).
Ø Christ
Will Begin to Reign Right After the Victory at Armageddon.
V “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth” (Re. 19:6–21).
Ø He,
The Seed of Abraham, Will Be Given the Land of Canaan Forever.
V “And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said,
Unto thy seed [Christ] will I give this land: and there builded he an altar
unto the Lord, who appeared unto him” (Ge. 12:7; see Ga. 3:16).
V “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will
I give it, and to thy seed [Christ] for ever” (Ge. 13:15).
V “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed
[Christ] after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of
Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Ge. 17:8).
V “The Lord God of heaven, which took me from
my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me,
and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall
send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence”
(Ge. 24:7).
V “Sojourn in this land, and I will be with
thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed [Christ], I will
give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto
Abraham thy father; and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of
heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall
all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Ge. 26:3–4).
V “And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to
thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou
art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.… And, behold, the Lord stood above
it, and said, I am the Lord God of
Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee
will I give it, and to thy seed [Christ]” (Ge. 28:4, 13; see Ga. 3:16).
V “And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac,
to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land” (Ge. 35:12).
V “And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession” (Ge. 48:4).
Ø The
Whole Earth Was Given to Israel’s
Seed [Christ] Forever.
V “Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and
his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee,
and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord
thy God giveth thee, for ever” (De.
4:40).
V “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world [the whole world], was not to Abraham, or to his seed [Christ], through the law, but through the righteousness of faith” (Ro. 4:13).
Ø The
Borders of Israel Will Be Enlarged.
V “Thus, saith the Lord God; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall
inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions. And ye shall
inherit it, one as well as another: concerning
the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land
shall fall unto you for inheritance. And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the
great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad; Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim,
which is between the border of
Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazar-hatticon, which is by the coast of
Hauran. And the border from the sea shall be Hazar-enan, the border of
Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side. And the east
side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from
the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side. And the south
side southward, from Tamar even to
the waters of strife in Kadesh, the
river to the great sea. And this is
the south side southward. The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over
against Hamath. This is the west
side. So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel”
(Eze. 47:13–21).
V “Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the
way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazar-enan, the border of Damascus
northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan. And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto
the west side, a portion for Asher.
And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali. And by the border
of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh. And by the border of Manasseh, from the east
side unto the west side, a portion for
Ephraim. And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west
side, a portion for Reuben. And by
the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah” (Eze. 48:1–7).
V “And for them, even for the priests, shall be this
holy oblation; toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward
the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand
in length: and the sanctuary of the Lord shall be in the midst thereof. It shall be for the priests that are
sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not
astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray. And
this oblation of the land that is
offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites. And
over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in
breadth: all the length shall be five
and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand. And they shall not sell of
it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the Lord” (Eze. 48:10–14).
V “All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city. And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof. Moreover, from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince’s, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince. As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin shall have a portion. And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall have a portion. And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion. And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a portion. And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion. And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea. This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord God” (Eze. 48:20–29).
Ø The
City of Jerusalem Will Be Laid Out by Very Exact Measurements.
V “And the five thousand, that are left in the
breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and
for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof. And these shall be the measures thereof; the north
side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five
hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side
four thousand and five hundred. And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the
north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and
toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and
fifty. And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward,
and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the
holy portion; and the increase
thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city. And they that serve
the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel” (Eze. 48:15–19).
V “And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures. And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there” (Eze. 48:30–35).
2. Who Is Going to Be in The Millennium? Only The Servants of The Lord, Those Who Truly Believe and Follow the Lord (Is. 65:13–16; Re. 20:4, Pt. 1; 20:7–10).
3. What Will Life Be Like in The Millennium?
A. Life In the Millennium Will Be Blessed.
Ø There
Will Be a Covenant or Treaty of World-Wide Peace and Security. Imagine One Thousand
Years of Peace and Security.
V “And I will give peace in the land, and ye
shall lie down, and none shall make you
afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go
through your land” (Le. 26:6).
V “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel
shall dwell safely: and this is his
name whereby he shall be called, the Lord our righteousness” (Je. 23:6).
V “And in that day will I make a covenant for
them with the beasts of the field, and with
the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will
break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them
to lie down safely” (Hos. 2:18).
V “And he shall judge among many people, and
rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a
sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit
every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord
of hosts hath spoken it” (Mic. 4:3–4).
V “For the mountains shall depart, and the
hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the
covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee” (Is. 54:10).
V “Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise” (Is. 60:18).
Ø There
Will Be No Evil Done by One Nation Against Another Nation.
V “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity,
nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for
they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid” (Zep.
3:13).
V “The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more” (Zep. 3:15).
Ø There
Will Be No Sickness.
V “And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he
shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the
midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy
land: the number of thy days I will fulfill” (Ex. 23:25–26).
V “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert” (Is. 35:5–6).
Ø There
Will Be a Fruitful Human Population: No More Barrenness or Miscarriages; or (Abortions).
V “There shall nothing cast their young, nor be
barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfill” (Ex. 23:26).
V “For I will have respect unto you, and make
you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you” (Le. 26:9).
V “Thou shalt be blessed above all people:
there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle” (De. 7:14).
V “Blessed shall
be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy
cattle, the increase of thy kine [oxen, livestock], and the flocks of thy
sheep.… And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy
body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the
land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee” (De. 28:4, 11).
V “Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil” (Is. 9:3).
Ø There
Will Be Bread and Water and The Necessities of Life for Everyone on Earth.
V “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that
the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that
soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall
melt. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they
shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them,
and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also
make gardens, and eat the fruit of them” (Am. 9:13–14).
V “And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he
shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the
midst of thee” (Ex. 23:25).
V “Blessed shall
be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt
thou be when thou comest in, and
blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.… The Lord shall
command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest
thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee.… The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to
give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine
hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow” (De. 28:5–6, 8, 12).
V “And the Lord thy God will make thee
plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the
fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will
again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers” (De. 30:9).
V “He shall come down like rain upon the mown
grass: as showers that water the
earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long
as the moon endureth.… There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the
top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like
grass of the earth” (Ps. 72:6–7,
16).
V “In that day shall the branch of the Lord be
beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel”
(Is. 4:2).
V “And I will make them and the places round
about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his
season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall
yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe
in their land, and shall know that I am
the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of
the hand of those that served themselves of them.… And I will raise up for them
a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land,
neither bear the shame of the heathen any more” (Eze. 34:26–27, 29).
V “And it shall come to pass in that day, I
will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the
earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they
shall hear Jezreel” (Hos. 2:21–22).
V “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new
wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall
flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and
shall water the valley of Shittim” (Joel
3:18).
V “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt” (Am. 9:13).
Ø There
Will Be Food and Rest for All and No Fear of Enemies or Criminals.
V “I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon
the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a
good fold, and in a fat pasture shall
they feed upon the mountains of Israel” (Eze. 34:14).
V “They shall feed and lie down, and none shall
make them afraid” (Zep. 3:13).
V “In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem,
Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not
thine hands be slack” (Zep. 3:16).
V “And it shall come to pass in the day that
the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the
hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve” (Is. 14:3).
V “In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror: for it shall not come near thee” (Is. 54:14).
Ø There
Will Be Long and Full Life Spans.
V “There shall nothing cast their young, nor be
barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfill” (Ex. 23:26).
V “He will swallow up death in victory; and the
Lord god will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people
shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it” (Is. 25:8).
V “There shall be no more thence an infant of
days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die a
hundred years old; but the sinner being
a hundred years old shall be accursed” (Is. 65:20).
V “Thus, saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age” (Zec. 8:4).
Ø It
Will Be a Day of No Tears, But of Joy and Praise.
V “He will swallow up death in victory; and the
Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people
shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it” (Is. 25:8).
V “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall
obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Is. 35:10).
V “Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall
return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall
obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow
and mourning shall flee away” (Is.
51:11).
V “Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel;
be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem” (Zep. 3:14).
V “Now unto him that is able to keep you from
falling, and to present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).
V “And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted” (Is. 12:4).
Ø Shame
And Guilt Will Be Removed.
V “In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for
all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take
away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no
more be haughty because of my holy mountain” (Zep. 3:11).
V “And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed” (Joel 2:26–27).
Ø There
Will Be Recognition and Honor and A Healthy Ego and Emotions.
V “Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord” (Zep. 3:19–20).
Ø Everyone
Will Be a Neighbor to Everyone Else.
V “In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree” (Zec. 3:10).
Ø There
Will No Longer Be Any Slavery.
V “For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his [the oppressor’s] yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him. But they shall serve the Lord their God, and [the descendent, the Lord Jesus Christ of] David their king, whom I will raise up unto them” (Je. 30:8–9).
Ø People
Will Be Able to Trust the Lord’s Strong Arm.
V “My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust” (Is. 51:5).
Ø It
Will Be a Day of Mercy.
V “And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness” (Is. 16:5).
Ø All
Things Will Be Restored.
V “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Ac. 3:21).
Ø Destroyed
Cities Will Be Rebuilt. (Remember: Most of The Major Cities of The World Will
Have Been Destroyed.)
V “And they shall build the old wastes, they
shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities,
the desolations of many generations” (Is. 61:4).
V “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards,
and eat the fruit of them” (Is.
65:21).
V “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them” (Am. 9:13–14).
Ø All
Animals Will Live in Peace. There Will Be No Savagery.
V “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord” (Is. 65:25).
Ø Israel
Will Be Established as A Nation Forever.
V “Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; the Lord of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus, saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord” (Je. 31:35–37).
Ø The
Gentiles Receive the Inheritance and Blessings of Israel.
V “And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an
inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall
beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country
among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the
tribes of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord God”
(Eze. 47:22–23).
V “The princes of the people [from all nations] are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shield of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted” (Ps. 47:9).
Ø The
Feast of Tabernacles Will Be Celebrated on A Yearly Basis.
V “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zec. 14:16; see Ex. 23:16. Jn. 7:37)
B. Life In the Millennium Will Be Governed by Righteousness.
Ø Christ
Is Going to Judge the Earth with Righteousness and Truth.
V “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel
spake to me, He that ruleth over men must
be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he
shall be as the light of the morning, when
the sun riseth, even a morning
without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear
shining after rain” (2 S. 23:3–4).
V “O let the nations be glad and sing for joy:
for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth”
(Ps. 67:4).
V “Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he
cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the
people with his truth” (Ps. 96:13).
V “Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the
earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity”
(Ps. 98:9).
V “And in mercy shall the throne be
established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David,
judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness” (Is. 16:5).
V “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that
I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper,
and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth” (Je. 23:5).
V “In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land” (Je. 33:15).
Ø Christ
Is Going to Appoint a Kingdom to The Apostles.
V “And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me” (Lu. 22:29).
Ø Christ
Will Prevent Evil from Being Done by One Nation to Another Nation.
V “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity,
nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for
they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid” (Zep.
3:13).
V “The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil [from any nation] any more” (Zep. 3:15).
Ø God’s
Commandments Will Be Kept by The Nations. There Will Be National Obedience.
V “But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me” (Je. 3:19).
Ø The
Citizens of Jerusalem Will Be Called Holy.
V “And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning” (Is. 4:3–4).
Ø Believers
Will Call God “My
Father.”
V “But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me” (Je. 3:19).
C. Life In the Millennium Will Be a Life of True Worship.
Ø All
Nations and Kings and People of The Earth Will Worship Christ.
V “All the ends of the world shall remember and
turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before
thee” (Ps. 22:27).
V “All the earth shall worship thee, and shall
sing unto thee; they shall sing to
thy name” (Ps. 66:4).
V “And he shall live, and to him shall be given
of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised” (Ps. 72:15).
V “All nations whom thou hast made shall come
and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name” (Ps. 86:9).
V “So, the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings of the earth thy glory.… To declare the name of the Lord in
Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; when the people are gathered together, and
the kingdoms, to serve the Lord” (Ps.
102:15, 21–22).
V “All the kings of the earth shall praise
thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in
the ways of the Lord: for great is
the glory of the Lord” (Ps.
138:4–5).
V “And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in
truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless
themselves in him, and in him shall they glory” (Je. 4:2).
V “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you” (Zec. 8:23).
Ø All
Nations Will Seek Instruction from Christ. Gentiles Will Become the Multiplied
Seed of David and Members of The Priesthood of God’s True People, The True Israel.
V “But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above
the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say,
Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God
of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for
the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Mic. 4:1–2).
V “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above
the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and
say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the
God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths:
for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem” (Is. 2:2–3).
V “Neither shall the priests the Levites [the
tribe of the priesthood] want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to
kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.… As the host of heaven
cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so, will I multiply
the seed of David my servant, and the Levites [the priests] that minister unto
me” (Je. 33:18, 22).
V “And I will also take of them [Gentiles] for priests and for Levites [the priesthood], saith the Lord” (Is. 66:21).
Ø There
Will Be a Covenant of Peace Between God and Israel, Even the Forgiveness of
Sin.
V “And so, all Israel shall be saved: as it is
written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away
ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take
away their sins” (Ro. 11:26–27).
V “I will seek that which was lost, and bring
again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but
I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment” (Eze. 34:16).
V “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee” (Is. 54:10).
Ø All
of God’s People
Will Be Purified.
V “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi [the priests], and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years” (Mal. 3:3–4).
Ø The
Nations Will Bless Christ and Glory in Him.
V “And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in
truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless
themselves in him, and in him shall they glory” (Je. 4:2).
V “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee” (Ps. 22:27).
4. What Are Some Verses That Show That Resurrected Believers Will Rule and Reign During the Millennium?
Ø The
Kingdom and Dominion of The World Will Be Given to Believers.
V “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him” (Da. 7:27).
Ø The
Apostles Will Rule and Reign Over the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
V “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto
you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man
shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mt. 19:28).
V “And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink
indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but
to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is
prepared of my Father” (Mt. 20:23).
V “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.… And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him” (Da. 7:9, 27).
Ø God’s People Will Be Heirs of
the World, of the Whole World or Universe.
V “And to make thee high above all nations
which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honor; and that thou mayest
be a holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken” (De. 26:19).
V “For the promise, that he should be heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith” (Ro. 4:13).
Ø God’s People Will Rule as
Princes.
V “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment” (Is. 32:1).
Ø All
Believers Will Rule and Reign with Christ.
V “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works
unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them
with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers:
even as I received of my Father” (Re.
2:26–27).
V “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit
with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father
in his throne” (Re. 3:21).
V “And hast made us unto our God kings and
priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Re. 5:10).
V “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them,
and judgment was given unto them: and I saw
the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word
of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had
received his mark upon their
foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand
years.… Blessed and holy is he that
hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power,
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a
thousand years” (Re. 20:4, 6).
V “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Ti. 2:12).
Ø The
Lord Will Set Up Shepherds (Leaders) Over His People.
V “And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord” (Je. 23:4).
Ø God’s People Will Judge or
Rule Over Angels. (This May Not Take Place Until the New Heavens and Earth Are
Created.)
V “Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” (1 Co. 6:3).
Ø God’s People Will Be Put in
Charge of All of Christ’s Possessions.
V “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that ye will make him ruler over all that he hath” (Lu. 12:43–44).
Ø Believers
Will Rule Over Unbelieving Jews.
V “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee” (Re. 3:9).
Remember: the believers will be in their resurrected bodies and people on earth in their earthly bodies. There will apparently be mingling among the two. What we must keep in mind is this: heaven and eternity are not like what most people think—a spirit floating around on a cloud playing a harp or else a spirit that appears as a ghost or gas-like substance. We will have bodies in heaven and eternity. In fact, we will have our present bodies with one difference: they will be perfected. This is the very purpose for the resurrection: to raise up the very elements of our bodies and perfect them to live eternally in the perfect environment of heaven and earth. Therefore, during the Millennium it will be just like it was when Christ fellowshipped with the disciples after His resurrection. He was in His resurrected body and the disciples were in their earthly bodies. During the Millennium, it will be a common thing for the resurrected Lord and resurrected believers to fellowship with people in their earthly bodies. All will have bodies, some earthly bodies and others heavenly, that is, perfected bodies. Remember: the Millennium will be a new age for the earth. Life upon earth will be entirely different from what it is now. As has been seen in the study above, when Jesus Christ returns to earth, His presence and power will change everything.[1]
Deeper Study # 1 Jesus Christ & the Millennial Reign (Isaiah 65:1–25)
[1] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 2005. Isaiah: Chapters
36–66. Vol. II. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible.
Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
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