Chapter 6
The Millennial Kingdom
of God—Changed
Conditions!
No illiteracy,
no famine or starvation, no war, civil wars, wars of any kind,
poverty rapidly diminishing, crime rapidly declining, human kindness,
happiness, peace and prosperity growing in leaps and bounds—the
abundant life for all who are willing to work for it. World
overpopulation solved, enough land for everyone to farm. Fish in the ocean so plentiful the fishermen’s
nets are constantly in danger of breaking. Sound like the impossible dream? For man, without God it has been impossible
since recorded history began.
What causes deserts? Have you ever wondered about that? Some say man has caused them, and in a few
instances that may be true. The
Sahara was much smaller than it is today. Roman
deforestation of North Africa caused this desert to massively expand
beyond what it had once been until it now covers a lot of North Africa. Let’s learn a little bit about geography, two
types in particular, mountain ranges and deserts. “Mountains have important effects upon climate,
population, economic life, and state of civilization of the regions
in which they occur. By intercepting
prevailing winds they cause precipitation; regions on the windward
side of a great [mountain] range thus have plentiful rainfall, while
those on its lee side are arid [i.e. creating the world’s major desert
regions]…The greatest mountain masses are the North and South American
cordillera in which the Andes, Rockies, Sierra Nevada and Coast ranges
of the U.S., Canada and Alaska are included, and the Eurasiatic mountain
belt, in which lie the Pyrenees, Atlas mountains, Alps, Balkans,
Caucasus, Hindu Cush, Himalayas and other ranges [like the Tien Shan
mountain system of Central Asia adjoining the large Gobi Desert]” (p.
1334, The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition). “Desert…It is estimated that deserts form about one fifth of the
land surface of the world [i.e. 20 percent]. The
largest desert regions of the world lie between 20 degrees and 30
degrees north and south of the equator, either where mountains [mountain
ranges] intercept the paths of the trade winds or where atmospheric
high-pressure areas cause descending air currents and lack of precipitation…second
only to the Sahara is the desert region of central and west Australia,
lying in a high-pressure belt and in the path of the trade winds
(which lose much of their moisture on the windward slopes of the
east-coast mountains). [Can
you imagine 60-to-70% of Australia that is now desert becoming filled
with lakes, rivers, streams and bubbling brooks of fresh water!?] South
America has deserts on the coast and interior of Chile and east of
the Andes in Argentina and Patagonia. In
North America deserts are found from north Mexico northward through
the southwest and western United States, about an 8th of
our U.S. landmass [culprit, Sierra Madre and Rocky Mountains]” (ibid.
p. 531).
If only 10 percent of the world’s landmass
is now arable and you add another 20% to that figure, that makes
30% of the world’s landmass that is now arable. Add
to that the land that once was mountain ranges and that is potentially
40% of the world’s landmass that’s now arable, 4 times what was once
available for farming! How
will this occur? We need to
go back to the 2nd coming of Jesus, Yeshua, at the time
of the 7th trumpet blast. Let’s look at some passages that relate to
this. Revelation 11:19, “Then
God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen
the ark of his covenant. And
there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an
earthquake and great hailstorm.” Revelation 16:17-21a, “The seventh angel poured
out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice
from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ Then
there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and
a severe earthquake, no earthquake like it has ever occurred since
man has been on the earth, so tremendous was the quake. The
great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations
collapsed. God remembered
Babylon the Great [cf. Revelation 17:3-5] and gave her the cup filled
with the wine of the fury of his wrath. [vs.
20] Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred
pounds each fell men.” I.e.
this is the same earthquake described in both these verses, Revelation
11:19 and 16:17-21a. It says “the
mountains could not be found.” Now
turn to Zechariah 14:4-5, “On that day his feet will stand on the
Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will
be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half
of the mountain moving north and half moving south. You
will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You
will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king
of Judah…” When Yeshua, Jesus
descends with the resurrected immortal saints and dismounts his white supernatural steed and steps onto the Mount of Olives—he will trigger an earthquake
of such magnitude that most if not all the rain-blocking mountain
ranges will drop flat as pancakes, creating arable farmland out of
the world’s desert regions, and yes, out of the area once occupied
by these mountain ranges themselves. Can
you imagine, all the mountains in Korea now arable farmland? And
all the other deserts regions disappear as well! Isaiah 40:4-5, “Every valley shall be raised
up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become
level, the rugged places plain. [When?] And the glory of the Lord will
be revealed, and all mankind will see it. For
the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” I.e.
this will occur at a time when the “glory of the Lord is revealed.” Isaiah 35:1-2, 6-7, “The desert and the parched
land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus it will burst into bloom; it
will rejoice greatly and shout for joy…the glory of Lebanon will
be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see
the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God…Then the lame will
leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in
the wilderness and streams in the desert. The
burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In
the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will
grow.” Those are water plants—in what once was deserts!
One time I was sent to San Jose to work on an engineering project. I was flying across the northern half of the
country from Boston to San Jose. We
were flying across the Rockies. Before
we came to them all the ground below (viewed from 31,000 feet) was
brown and arid. As we were flying over the Rockies I noticed
that one area on the eastern side (that was brown and arid) was lush
and green. A river which started near the top of one of
the mountains just happened to flow east. A
town could be seen in the valley below, amid this rich, lush green
landscape, surrounded with dry arid desert. Then
on the western side of the Rockies, all was lush and green. All the life-giving rain was being kept on
the western side of the Rockies, which effectively forced all the
moisture to drop on that side, leaving nothing for all the land on
the eastern side of them. I
witnessed this phenomenon personally, seeing what mountain ranges
do to block life-giving rain. The image is still vivid in my memory.
New River System for
Israel—A River That Will Heal the Seas and Oceans
Every
great nation or empire had or has at least one great river, maybe
two, sometimes more—Egypt, the Nile, Babylon, the Tigris and Euphrates,
the U.S., the Mississippi, China, the Yangsee, India, the Ganges. The land of Israel never had a significant
life-giving river (the Jordan river empties its contents into the “Dead” Sea,
where it evaporates). When
Jesus touches down on top of the Mount of Olives things change. Not only does this mountain crack in two, but
the headwaters of two major rivers gush forth immediately—one flowing
to the west into the Mediterranean Sea, the other flows to the east
emptying into the Dead Sea turning it into a fish-thriving inland
sea, which then overflows and empties downward into the Gulf of Aqaba
and the Red Sea (the effects, as you will read, will be felt in the
Indian Ocean, and then the Pacific). Let’s read what the Bible has to say about
this new river system Jesus creates for Israel at his 2nd coming. Zechariah
14:8, “On that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half
to the eastern sea [margin: that is, the Dead Sea] and the other half to the western sea [that is, the Mediterranean Sea], in summer and in winter [i.e. year round].”
Ezekiel 47:1-12 goes into more detail
about this special dual river system. Ezekiel
47:1-12, “The man brought me back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple
toward the east (for the temple faced east). The
water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south
of the altar. He then brought
me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the
outer gate facing east, and the water was flowing from the south
side: As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand,
he measured off a thousand cubits (that is, about 1,500 feet or 450
meters) and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand [another 1500
feet] and lead me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it
was a river that I could not cross [3,000 cubits or 4,500 feet, or
780 feet short of a mile from the temple where this river originates],
because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river
that no one could cross. He asked me, ‘Son of man, do you see this?’
Then he led me back to the bank of the
river. When I arrived there,
I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, ‘This water flows toward the
eastern region [Dead Sea region] and goes down into the Arabah, where
it enters the sea…” i.e. the Red Sea, and then into the Indian Ocean. I.e. it flows into the Jordan River Valley,
and then into the Dead Sea. It
will more than likely fill up the Dead Sea and whole Jordan River
Valley all the way up past Lake Galilee to what was once Lake Hula
ten miles north of Galilee, creating a vast inland sea on the back
side of the present land of Israel and the “West Bank”. This
inland sea will then overflow it’s banks flowing south through the
Arabah or Negev Desert to the Gulf of Aqaba and Red Sea. “…When
it empties into the sea [margin: Dead Sea] water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever
the river flows. There will
be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes
the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.” The
KJV doesn’t say “makes the waters fresh.” KJV, verse 9, “…and it shall come to pass,
that every thing that liveth, which moveth, withersoever the rivers
[Hebrew: two rivers] shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of
fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall
be healed; and every thing shall live wither the river cometh.” You have to be careful with the NIV. The King James Version is more accurate, the
NIV seems to take license sometimes. Salt
water won’t necessarily become fresh, but everywhere these waters
go, whatever they touch is healed of all pollution, and the fish
thrive and multiply. So whatever
these special waters mix with are healed in the process. Also
in verse 9 in the KJV where it says “rivers”, it notes in the margin
the Hebrew for rivers is “two rivers”, so this prophecy matches that
of Zechariah 14:8. Let’s continue
on with verses 10-12,
“Fishermen will stand along the shore; from Engedi to En Eglaim [no
one is sure where En Eglaim is anymore] there will be places for spreading
of nets. The fish will be of
many kinds—like the fish of the Great Sea [Mediterranean]. But the swamps and marshes will not become
fresh [KJV: “will not be healed; they will be given to salt.”]; they
will be left to salt. Fruit
trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their
leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, [KJV: “it shall
bring forth new fruit [margin: principal] according to his months”, i.e.
it appears it’s a different kind of fruit each month!] nor will their
fruit fail. Every month they
will bear, because of the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves
for healing [KJV: medicine].”
Isaiah 60:5b, “The abundance of the
sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall
come unto thee.” NIV “the
wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the
nations will come.”
World Famine Stopped, Replaced With Overflowing
Abundance: I know this may not mean that much to all of us in the wealthy western
democracies, but for those living in the 3rd world countries
which make up over 7/10ths of the world’s population, who often
go to bed hungry (living on two meals a day at best), this event
will be awesome. Also, Revelation 6:5-6 shows that worldwide
famine will strike during the time-period of the tribulation. Why? Read
William and Paul Paddock’s book “Famine 1975!” They predicted these events would start sporadically
at first, and now that’s what’s starting to occur in Africa. Now let’s see how this will all change for
the better during the Millennial Kingdom of God. We have seen why this will occur already, the
rain-blocking mountain ranges have been dropped, made into level
ground. Now let’s see the effects of this major geographic
“event.”
Amos 9:11-13, “In that day I will restore
David’s fallen tent. I will
repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used
to be, so that [margin] the remnant of men and all the nations that
bear my name may seek the Lord’
declares the Lord, who will do these things. ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘When the reaper will be overtaken
by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow
from the hills.’” Isaiah 2:4, “He 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.” Jesus
will convert all armaments industry into farm implements industries. Micah
4:3-4, “He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for
strong nations far and wide [so they won’t need to go to war anymore—result?—read
on]. 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. Every
man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one
will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken.”
Isaiah 30:19-24, “O people of Zion,
who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How
gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity
and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more;
with your own eyes you will see them. Whether
you turn to right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind
you, saying,
‘This is the way; walk in it.’ Then you will defile your idols overlaid with
silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like
a menstrual cloth and say to them, ‘Away with you!’ He will also send you rain for the seed you
sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich
and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad
meadows. The oxen and donkeys
that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with a fork and
shovel.” Not only will the land be reaping so plentifully
that “the plowman will overtake the reaper”—bumper to bumper crops year-round—but
here is a direct reference to us, now immortal—yes, when we chose, invisible,
making sure people stay on the right path, the path of life. How
exciting this part of our reward will be. And
although most of these prophecies are about Israel, the Lord is no respecter
of persons, what he does for one, he does for all. His
will be King of the earth. Most
of the believers that have lived and died during the whole “Church Age” are
Gentile, and they will be sent out as immortal kings to help rule over
all the Gentile nations, helping, leading and assisting them into peace,
and plentiful prosperity. There
is no race discrimination here, equality in law, equality in blessings
for all.
Isaiah
32:1-5 talks of this time, “See a king will reign in righteousness
and rulers will rule with justice. Each
man will be like a shelter from the storm, like streams of water
in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then
the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears
of those who hear will listen. The
mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue
will be fluent and clear. No
longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly
respected.” In verse 14 we
find the conditions of the tribulation just about to end, then something
exciting happens to the whole world, that happened in Acts 2:1-4. Let’s
read about it. Isaiah 32:14-20, “The fortress will be abandoned,
the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland
forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks, till the Spirit is poured
upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile
field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. Justice will dwell in the desert and righteousness
will live in the fertile field. The
fruit of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. My
people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in
undisturbed places of rest. Though hail flattens the forest and the city
is leveled completely [and this must be looking back to the unrighteous
cities of the past “age of man”], how blessed you will be, sowing
your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range
free.”
Even the nature of wild animals will be changed: Isaiah 11:6-9, “The wolf will
live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the
calf and the lion and the yearling [the lion will feed with the yearling]
together; and a little child will lead them. The
cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The
infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child
put his hand into the viper’s nest. They
will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth
will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the
sea.”
Good Health For All, All Sicknesses and Diseases
Healed: A large part of Jesus’ ministry
on earth during his physical lifetime was a healing ministry. Matthew 8:14-17, “When Jesus came into Peter’s
house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He
touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began
to wait on him. When evening
came, many who were demon-possessed where brought to him, and he
drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This
was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He
took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.’” Jesus’ ministry
on earth consisted of a huge amount of healing of the sick, restoring
sight to the blind, healing the lame, and healing lepers. (A lot of this is detailed in the expository
study on Mark on this site.) He
was doing in advance, what will also be done on a far larger scale
during, and especially at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom
of God. It is estimated that Jesus could have healed
upwards of 500,000 people as his reputation spread throughout Israel
like wildfire (which caused the sick to come to him in droves). A careful study of the gospels will prove this
out. Mark 2:8-12, “Immediately
Jesus knew in his spirit what they were thinking in their hearts,
and he said to them,
‘Why are you thinking these things? Which
is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to
say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk?’ But
that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive
sins….’ he said to the paralytic, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat
and go home.’ He got up, took
his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This
amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anyone
like this!’”
Isaiah 33:21-22,24, “There the Lord
will be our Mighty One. It
[Jerusalem] will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty
ship will sail them [obviously the two rivers coming out of Jerusalem]. For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our
lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us…No one
living in Zion will say,
‘I am ill’; and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.” Jeremiah 30:17, “But I will restore you to
health and heal your wounds,’ declares the Lord…” Isaiah 35:5-6, “Then will the eyes of the blind
be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the
mute tongue shout for joy.” 1
Peter 2:24,
“He bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins
and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” Jesus as future King of the earth, was merely
doing what he will yet do in the future when he returns to earth. We can also reflect this merciful aspect of
Jesus’ ministry by being a light to the world in how we reach out and
help the needy, destitute and afflicted. We
can do so individually and by supporting legitimate international Christian
care-giver organizations (Samaritan’s Purse is one such organization
with worldwide outreach capabilities.) Matthew
25:31-40 brings out how believers in Jesus would be living this kind
of lifestyle.
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