We are continuing our meditation from yesterday on the thousand-year reign of Christ. Let me be clear regarding the difference between heaven and the Millennium. Although the Millennium will be a time when we experience God's kingdom on earth, there is more to come! At the end of the Millennium, the New Jerusalem will come, and there will be no more death:
1Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4).
The theme of the whole of Scripture is the picture of redemption. When Jesus died for sin, He did not just cancel the penalty of sin. He paid for it in full. Since Divine justice was satisfied, God has every right to restore things to their intended purpose, their intended glory. When Christ comes to reign, He will set things in their proper place, and we will see the full deliverance of the earth. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord (Habakkuk 2:14).
Many nations will come to Jerusalem, the capital city of all the earth, to seek the Lord and worship Him. No longer will there be different religions. All men will finally realize that religion was one of the strategies Satan used to divide and conquer. All will understand that there is only one God, and His knowledge will be universal. The city of Jerusalem itself, will be changed for the Lord Himself will be there:
2In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 3Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore (Isaiah 2:2-4).
Imagine living on planet Earth with the Lord Jesus Christ reigning on His throne in Jerusalem. There will be no economic need for tanks, guns, and weapons of war; it will be a time of great economic prosperity because man will not train for war anymore (Isaiah 2:4). Christ Jesus will set up His government on Earth composed of those who have been redeemed. Every nation will be at peace with one another with King Jesus sitting on His throne. Those who are reigning over nations, territories, states, cities, and towns are those who have been counted worthy because of their faithfulness in resisting evil and caring for God's people.
King Jesus will teach us of His ways and settle any remaining disputes between nations. The Scriptures tell us that the New Jerusalem does not come down to Earth from above until the 1000 years are over (Revelation 21:1-2). Until that point, the throne of King Jesus is in Jerusalem, where many peoples will come to praise and worship the Lord (Isaiah 2:2-3). Isaiah the prophet says, “Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar” (Isaiah 33:17). As wonderful as that is, our passage at the top says that He Himself will wipe away every tear from the eyes of all the hurting. Can you imagine sitting at the feet of Jesus while He teaches us His ways? “He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths” (Isaiah 2:3). Heaven on earth at last! The Lord fulfilling the prayer He gave us, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Keith Thomas
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Taken from the series Insights into Eternity. Click on study five or this link: The Millennium
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