Bible Question:
What will the earth be like in the millennial kingdom?
Bible Answer:
Christ will rule the earth from Jerusalem.
And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one. Zechariah 14:9 (NASB)
This is a great verse because it states that the Lord will be the one and only king over all the earth. Joel 3:17 adds that Jerusalem will be His capitol city.
Then you will know that I am the LORD your God,
Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain.
So Jerusalem will be holy . . .
Joel 3:17 (NASB)
Both Micah 4:1-2 and Zechariah 14:16-17 provide even more information, They say that the nations will come to Jerusalem to visit Christ. The Word of God will be taught from Jerusalem.
It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Micah 4:1-2 (NASB)
Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. Zechariah 14:16-17 (NASB)
Micah 4:3-4 teaches us that the LORD will be the judge of the earth and there will be universal peace. Who is the LORD? Isaiah 9:6 is a prophecy about Jesus Christ and it indicates that Christ is the “Mighty God, Eternal Father, [and the] Prince of Peace.” That is, Christ is the LORD in the above passages. He is the Prince of Peace. Then Isaiah 9:7 adds that the Messiah will have a government. He will sit on the throne of David.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:7 (NASB)
When Christ rules as king over the world, He will shepherd Israel and it will be a time of peace (Ezekiel 34:23-25).
Isaiah 35:1-10 is another prophecy about the millennial kingdom in which we are told the road leading to the city of Jerusalem is called the Highway of Holiness (v. 8). Verse 9 adds that only the redeemed will walk on this road. That is, only believers will be allowed to go up to Jerusalem.
A highway will be there, a roadway,
And it will be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean will not travel on it,
But it will be for him who walks that way,
And fools will not wander on it.
No lion will be there,
Nor will any vicious beast go up on it;
These will not be found there.
But the redeemed will walk there,
Isaiah 35:8-9 (NASB)
Therefore, what will the earth be like in the millennial kingdom? The earth will be ruled by our God, Jesus Christ. It will be a time of peace, righteousness, and real justice.
Animals will be at peace and with people.
The peace mentioned in Ezekiel 34:23-25 will extend to the animal kingdom. First, Isaiah 11:6-7 states the animals will be at peace with each other.
And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;And a little boy will lead them.
Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together,
And the lion will eat straw like the ox.
Isaiah 11:6-7 (NASB)
Isaiah 65:24-25 repeats the same message. It is amazing that once carnivorous animals will not eat each other. They will be eating straw!
Second, peace will also exist between animals and people. Both Isaiah 11:6, 8 prophesy that a little boy will be able to lead these animals and play with snakes without harm.
. . . And a little boy will lead them.
Isaiah 11:6 d (NASB)The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
Isaiah 11:8 (NASB)
The peace between the animals and mankind will exist in the cities and into the wilderness in peace (Ezekiel 34:28). People will even sleep in the wilderness without fear. The animal kingdom will return to conditions that existed before the flood. Genesis 9:2 states that after the worldwide flood, the animals would fear people. Verse 5 states that animals might eat people. But this will not be true in the millennial kingdom. The earth will return to the conditions that previously existed upon the earth.
All the earth will know God.
Isaiah 11:9 continues the thought of Isaiah 11:8. It says the reason for this peace is that the entire earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD.
They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11:9 (NASB)
Notice the wonderful statement that the knowledge of the LORD will be like the waters in the sea. The entire world will know about God. Habakkuk 2:14 echoes the same truth. These verses may imply that the animals will have knowledge of the LORD
Vegetation will flourish.
The conditions in the millennial kingdom will extend to the vegetation. Ezekiel 34:26b-27a prophesies that God will send rain showers, and the trees will produce fruit.
And I will cause showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of blessing. Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its increase . . . Ezekiel 34:26b-27a (NASB)
Joel 3:18 adds that the vineyards will be so productive that the mountains will drip with sweet wine. Milk will flow and the streams will overflow with water. That is, famine will not exist. Consequently, the plant kingdom will flourish, including food crops.
And in that day
The mountains will drip with sweet wine,
And the hills will flow with milk,
And all the brooks of Judah will flow with water;
And a spring will go out from the house of the LORD
To water the valley of Shittim.
Joel 3:18 (NASB)
Other passages in Isaiah and Jeremiah echo the same promises, adding that there will be plenty of food (Isaiah 30:23-25; 35:1-7; Jeremiah 31:2-14).
People will live for hundreds of years.
Another remarkable condition that will exist is that people will live for hundreds of years, just as they did before the worldwide flood. Isaiah 65:19-20 prophesies,
I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.
No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days,
Or an old man who does not live out 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.
Isaiah 65:19-20 (NASB)
Isaiah 65:2 is more precise. It says the lifespan of people will be like that of the trees.
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. Isaiah 65:22 (NASB)
Before Noah’s flood (Genesis 7:1-8:19), the shortest life span recorded was that of Enoch (Genesis 5:23). He lived three hundred and sixty-five years. The longest was Methuselah (Genesis 5:27). He lived nine hundred and sixty-nine years. The same conditions will exist in the millennial kingdom.
Sickness, deformity, and miscarriages cease.
During the millennial kingdom, sickness, disease and miscarriages will no longer occur.
In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book,
and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.
Isaiah 29:18 (NASB)They will not labor in vain,
Or bear children for calamity;
For they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD
Isaiah 65:23 (NASB)
In addition, the prophet Isaiah says that death, sorrow, and mourning will cease (Isaiah 25:8; 60:20). In contrast, Isaiah 65:13-15 and Zechariah 14:16-19 reveal that some nations will choose to sin and not celebrate the Feast of Booths annually. Those nations that refuse, will be punished. This reveals that the blessings of no sickness, disease, miscarriages, death, sorrow, and mourning are limited to the saints, both Jew and Gentile, in the nations that worship and follow the Lord.
Conclusion:
The millennial kingdom will be a time of unknown and incredible blessing. Scripture teaches us that only the saints of all the ages will initially be allowed into the millennial kingdom. Those saints or believers who were dead before the millennial kingdom is established will enter with immortal bodies. Those believers who are alive on the earth at the time the kingdom is established will have with mortal bodies. Then during the kingdom, the mortal believers will have children. These new children born during the kingdom will need to make a decision to believe in Christ as their Savior just as their parents did or face an eternity in hell. But while they remain on earth, they can still sin. Those who sin will be punished (Isaiah 66:24; Zechariah 14:16-19).
Suggested Links:
God’s Timeline For The FutureWhat happens to those with mortal bodies who are in the millennium?
Day of the Lord
The Judgment of the Nations — Sheep and Goat judgment
Twelve Signs of the End Times, part 1
Twelve Signs of the End Times, part 2
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream — Meaning of the Fourth Kingdom
How many kingdoms are there in the Bible?