Before anything happens, Satan will be bound:
There will be "a new heaven and new earth" (Rev 21:1) and God's "Holy City, New Jerusalem" (Rev 21:2), where the "river of the water of life [flows] clear as crystal" (Rev 22:1), where the "tree of life" bears fruit (Rev 22:2) and the curse is forever gone (Rev 22:3).
It was "very good" in the beginning, and it will be "very good" again.
[Rev 20:1-3 LSB] Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. [2] And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; [3] and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were finished. After these things he must be released for a short time.
The Bride of Christ will dwell in the heavenly New Jerusalem in the presence of the Lamb, and the newly redeemed nation of Israel, those who survived the 70th week, will dwell on the new earth ruled over by their Messiah and king David.
[Rev 21:3-5 LSB] And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, [4] and He will WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away.” [5] And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
For the newly redeemed nation of Israel:
[Isa 65:17-25 LSB] “For behold, I am creating a new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come upon the heart. [18] “But be joyful and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing and her people for joy. [19] “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be joyful in My people; and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the voice of crying. [20] “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fulfill his days; For the youth will die at the age of one hundred, and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed. [21] “They will build houses and inhabit them; they will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. [22] “They will not build and another inhabit; they will not plant and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands. [23] “They will not labor in vain, Or bear children for terror; for they are the seed of those blessed by Yahweh, And their offspring with them. [24] “And it will be that before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. [25] “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain,” says Yahweh.
These are promises that will literally be fulfilled. I really have no idea how the amillennials can read this and claim the "millennium is spiritual - not literal".
Prince David
The former king of Israel will be resurrected. David will once again be given political authority over the nation of Israel (and only Israel). As the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed long ago, Jews in Israel will "serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I [the Lord] will raise up for them." (Jer 30:9).
[Eze 37:24 LSB] “And My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My judgments and keep My statutes and do them.
The governing chain of command is given earlier in Ezekial:
[Eze 34:23 LSB] “Then I will establish over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will shepherd them; he will shepherd them himself and be their shepherd. [24] “And I, Yahweh, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I, Yahweh, have spoken.
David will rule over Israel, under the authority of Yeshua, Who will rule supremely over all the earth from Mount Zion.
David will rule from earthly Jerusalem, which will be rebuilt:
[Jer 30:18 LSB] “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I will return the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwelling places; and the city will be rebuilt on its ruin, and the palace will sit on its just place.
Other Kings / Kingdoms
Scripture makes it clear that there will be other nations co-existing throughout the Millennium. Each will, presumably, have its own ruler and governmental organization. If so, they will obviously be submissive to Yeshua's rule.
[Rev 21:23-24 LSB] And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. [24] And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
The Psalmist also declared:
[Psa 72:8-13 LSB] May He also have dominion from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. [9] Let the desert creatures kneel before Him, and His enemies lick the dust. [10] Let the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands bring a present; The kings of Sheba and Seba offer tribute. [11] And let all kings bow down to Him, all nations serve Him. [12] For He will deliver the needy when he cries for help, the afflicted also, and him who has no helper. [13] He will have compassion on the poor and needy, and the lives of the needy He will save.
These "other" nations, rather than afflict Israel (per their usual), will now serve Israel.
[Isa 49:22-23 LSB] Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations and make high My standard to the peoples; and they will bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters will be lifted up on their shoulders. [23] “Kings will be your guardians, and their princesses your nurses. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth and lick the dust of your feet; and you will know that I am Yahweh; those who hope in Me will not be put to shame.
Where do these nations come from? These are those who, somehow, survived Daniel's 70th week.
[Mic 7:16-17 LSB] Nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will put their hand on their mouth; their ears will be deaf. [17] They will lick the dust like a serpent, like crawling things of the earth. They will come trembling out of their fortresses; to Yahweh our God they will come in dread, and they will be afraid before You.
These will be tried at the Sheep & Goat Judgment (Mat 25:31-46) on the first day of the Millennium.
First Day - Sheep & Goats
The Sheep & Goat Judgment will take place on earth from Yeshua's Throne. All the angels will be with Him (Mat 25:31) which suggests that they will play some role of this final Gentile Judgment. All surviving Gentile nations will be gathered before Him an undergo this Judgment (Mat 25:32).
Without being dogmatic, this judgment will only include those who have not taken the mark of the beast during Daniel's 70th week. I'm of the opinion that any who did take the mark, were killed during the judgments (Rev 14:9-10) and will be awaiting the second resurrection. Perhaps, not taking the mark is exactly how they survived the 70th week.
Without being dogmatic, this judgment will only include those who have not taken the mark of the beast during Daniel's 70th week. I'm of the opinion that any who did take the mark, were killed during the judgments (Rev 14:9-10) and will be awaiting the second resurrection. Perhaps, not taking the mark is exactly how they survived the 70th week.
The basis for their judgment will be their individual treatment of Israelites - "of these brothers of Mine" (Mat 25:40). The treatment of the Jews, who were in distress during the 70th week, will be considered the same as their treatment of Christ Himself (Mat 25:40, 45).
[Gen 12:2-3 LSB] And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; [3] and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
So, there will have been Gentiles who helped, and those who refused help. What about those who remained neutral?
[Mat 25:44-46 LSB] “Then they themselves also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ [45] “Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ [46] “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
New Heavens & Earth
More than 2,700 years ago the Lord proclaimed through Isaiah:
[Isa 65:17 LSB] “For behold, I am creating a new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come upon the heart.
Peter also reminds us:
[2Pe 3:13 LSB] But according to His promise we are looking for NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, in which righteousness dwells.
John was able to see it coming:
[Rev 21:1 LSB] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
The earth will be in a state of total devastation following God's Wrath.
Note that "there is no longer any sea" relates to the "first heaven and the first earth passed away" during the total destruction of God's wrath. The seas were turned to blood, the elements burnt up, when the "earth passed away", etc. This is not saying that the new heavens and new earth will have "no sea". Revelation 21:1 is stating the sea was also destroyed. Obviously, there are seas on the new earth - the Millennium era rivers will flow into the new seas.
Note that "there is no longer any sea" relates to the "first heaven and the first earth passed away" during the total destruction of God's wrath. The seas were turned to blood, the elements burnt up, when the "earth passed away", etc. This is not saying that the new heavens and new earth will have "no sea". Revelation 21:1 is stating the sea was also destroyed. Obviously, there are seas on the new earth - the Millennium era rivers will flow into the new seas.
[2Pe 3:10 LSB] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out.
This new "creation" will not be from out of nothing. The Greek term translated as "new" does not refer to something that never existed, but rather to the renewing of something that already exists.
In other words, the heavens and earth, so terribly corrupted by the fall and devastated by the Day of the Lord, will be remade and perfected by Yeshua into a new and uncorrupted form. Of which, "all creation awaits eagerly" (Rom 8:19). This is the time that Yeshua referred to as "the regeneration" (Mat 19:28).
Peter referred to it as:
[Act 3:19-21 LSB] “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; [20] and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, [21] whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.
I don't think we can comprehend how He will accomplish this. Will it be instantaneous? Will it occur gradually throughout the Millennium? I mean, there are still bodies being collected from the Battle of Armageddon seven months into the Millennium (Eze 39:14). I'm not sure how He'll do it... but, I am sure that He will do it.
[Rom 8:19-21 LSB] For the anxious longing of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. [20] For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope [21] that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
[Gen 1:31 LSB] And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
It was "very good" in the beginning, and it will be "very good" again.
The New Jerusalem
The New Jerusalem, the heavenly mansions prepared for His Bride, in all of it's unimaginable beauty, will descend from Heaven.
Some will claim that New Jerusalem does not come down at the beginning of the Millennium.
Here's are a few points that would challenge that notion from Revelation 21: the nations shall walk by it's light [the light emanating from the New Jerusalem], and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it [the New Jerusalem], and they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it, and nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it.
The New Jerusalem is the dwelling place of Christ's Bride. If the New Jerusalem were to remain in Heaven during the Millennium, while Yeshua is ruling on earth, then He and His Saints would be separated from each other for 1,000 years. This alone contradicts Scripture.
[Joh 14:1-3 LSB] “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. [2] “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. [3] “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
[1Th 4:17 LSB] Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
[Rev 21:3 LSB] And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
Wherever Yeshua is... we will be with Him.
Marriage Supper of the Lamb
Celebrating Passover with His disciples, Yeshua said:
[Mat 26:29 LSB] “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
What will it look like? Here's a small glimpse from Isaiah:
[Isa 25:6-8 LSB] And Yahweh of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain [Mount Zion]; a banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined, aged wine. [7] And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, even the veil which is stretched over all nations. [8] He will swallow up death for all time, and Lord Yahweh will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For Yahweh has spoken.
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