The Joys of the Millennial Kingdom

The Joys of the Kingdom—the Times of Refreshing (Acts 3:19-21)

The Millennial Kingdom (Rev. 20:1-7) is not the final consummate Eternal State of absolute perfection (Rev. 21-22; the New Heavens & the New Earth)--but it does constitute a glorious contrast to "this present evil age" (Gal. 1:4)!

1. Prosperity; Eden-like conditions.

Isa. 32:15b: “And the wilderness becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is considered as a forest.”

Isa 35:1-2 ESV The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; (2) it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God.

Isa 35:6b-7 For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

 

2. Peace (Isa. 9:6)…

Micah 4:3: And He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war.

 

3. Amazing, Antediluvian-like longevity… but death still present…

Isa 65:20 ESV No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.

 

4. Health.

Isa 35:5-6 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.

 

5. Animal life restored to its original benevolence.

Isa 11:6-9 ESV The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. (7) The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. (8) The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. (9) They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

Isa 65:25 ESV The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain," says the LORD.

 

6. Perfect Government! The justice of Messiah! Isa. 32:1a: "Behold, a king will reign righteously..." 

Isa 11:4 “…but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth…”

Ps. 72:1-4: Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!

Jer. 33:14-15:  “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

 

Dr. Whitcomb:

At last, a perfect government, for the whole world, for a thousand years – the Millennium! And, glorious beyond description, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Jesus the Christ. In Him, will reside all three branches of government – the Supreme Court, the Congress, and the Executive Branch – “For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, the LORD is our King. He will save us” (Isaiah 33:22).

 

What a marvelous world that will be – (1) a perfect religion centered in the Temple in the Holy Land; (2) a perfect education system; (3) perfect health; (4) perfect protection from harmful creatures; and (5) total protection from Satan and demons!

7. Everything will be Holy unto the Lord; no sacred/secular dichotomy.

Zech. 14:20-21: And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the LORD.” And the pots in the house of the LORD shall be as the bowls before the altar. And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day.

 

This is the standard believers should be fulfilling today!

1 Cor. 10:31: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.