A Morning Bible Study ── What Will God's Kingdom Be Like?

LAST MONTH we studied how our Lord Jesus Christ will rule His soon-coming kingdom. Truly, His righteous and glorious “New Jerusalem” will come down out of heaven (low earth orbit), “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” – Revelation 21:2. And, “New Jerusalem” will be so large that it will literally consume much of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the Red Sea! Also, as we are told in Revelation── “The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.” – Revelation 21:16. So, in rough estimates, the city will be about 1,377 square miles! And, in all likelihood, it will be shaped like a giant pyramid.

This magnificent city of God will have no “temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty [God the Father] and the Lamb [our Lord Jesus Christ] are its temple.” – vs. 22.

And, unlike the White House── “its [twelve] gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they [the physical nations of those who are saved] shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.” – vss. 25-26.

And── “he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God [God the Father] and of the Lamb [our Lord Jesus Christ] 2) In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was THE TREE OF LIFE, …” – Revelation 22:1, 2.

This “pure river of water of life” will spread from New Jerusalem to the entire world! Notice the Book of Zechariah also speaks of this──

“And in that day it shall be That living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, Half of them toward the easter sea [Sea of Galilee] And half of them toward the western sea [the Mediterranean Sea]; In both summer and winter it shall occur. 9) And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be ── ‘The LORD is one,’ And His name is one.” – Zechariah 14:8-9.

The apostle Paul speaks of this soon-coming establishment of our King's kingdom! Notice──

“’ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11) None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘know the LORD,’ FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12) For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’” – Hebrews 8:10-12.

As the world becomes re-educated in the Millennial reign of our King of kings and Lord of lords, people will begin to experience true blessings from trusting in and obeying the LORD God (the family of God).

As the prophet Isaiah wrote – under divine inspiration – that in that day “He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords [their implements of war] into plowshares [implements of peace and prosperity], And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.” – Isaiah 2:4.

Real-world peace will begin to reign.

The whole world will begin to properly understand God’s Master Plan – From the Beginning!

This “World Tomorrow” is pictured by the feast of the LORD – the Feast of Tabernacles. This God-ordained fall harvest Festival is to be a time of great rejoicing and thanksgiving for the LORD God’s abundant blessings! It pictures in the New Covenant the future ingathering of a great harvest of Spirit-begotten children of God into His glorious family during the Millennial reign of our Lord Jesus Christ.

By reading and studying God’s living word, let's see what this “World Tomorrow” will be like.

1) What does the LORD God prophesy regarding the end-time physical descendants of Jacob who will have been subjugated by foreign powers?

“’ For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all the countries, and bring you into your own land. 25) Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your IDOLS. 26) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27) I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. …

32) Not for your sake do I do this,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel.’

33) ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: 'On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. 34) The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. 35) So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36) Then the nations which are left all around you [like the nations of China, Russia; Gog and Magog] shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it’” - Ezekiel 36:24-27, 32-36.

This great and awesome prophecy has not been fulfilled by the Jews which has gone back to the nation called Israel in the Middle East. God has not given them a 'new heart and a new spirit.' The Lord GOD indeed has a Master Plan of salvation for all those who may feel lost.

Upon our Lord Jesus Christ’s glorious and powerful return, He will begin rebuilding a gravely destroyed world──caused by earthquakes, erupting volcanoes, asteroids, and war──and will gather together the subjugated descendants of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, resettling them in the land of Palestine.

2) Within this Milky Way galaxy──and upon this planet Earth──where will the Headquarters of the CREATORS of “all things” be located?

“’ Thus says the LORD: ‘I will return to Zion [the city of God in the new age], and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the LORD of hosts, The Holy Mountain.’” – Zechariah 8:3.

“’ At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.’” – Jeremiah 3:17.

Notice – it will be an example to all other nations!

“’ For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns. 2) The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the LORD will name.’” – Isaiah 62:1-2.

3) Will many of the devastated cities of the Holy Land be rebuilt?

“Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘On that day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. 34) The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. 35) So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36) Then the nations which are left all around [again, like the nations of China, Russia; Gog and Magog] you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.’” – Ezekiel 36:33-36.

In these rebuilt cities of the Holy Land will there be happiness and joy? Yes. Notice –

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place──of which you say, ‘It is desolate, without man and without beast’──in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 11) the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: ‘Praise the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His mercy endures forever’ ── …” – Jeremiah 33:10-11.

Within these 21st century sin-filled overpopulated cities of the world there is growing a “wickedness of man!” There is growing within the heart of man an evil that will eventually become ‘continual.’ – cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-7. In the glorious World Tomorrow──the LORD God will establish smaller cities, that will begin to promote healthy and happy families, with a proper balance of industries.

4) Eventually, within the Millennial Rule of our Lord Jesus, will the whole world come to understand the LORD God’s Way of real peace, happiness, healthy living, and the glorious Plan of salvation for all mankind?

Indeed! Notice –

“’ They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.’” – Isaiah 11:9.

“’ No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. …’” – Jeremiah 31:34.

5) In a type of “Green New Deal,” implemented by our Lord Jesus Christ and certainly executed by the resurrected King David──will the old desolate places be made fertile, and will beautiful and healthy forests spread during the Millennium?

“’ The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the LORD, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

18) I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry and springs of water. 19) I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree together, 20) That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the LORD has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it.’” – Isaiah 41:17-20.

Just like it was during the public works project dubbed the Green New Deal during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s tenure, people will be put to work beautifying the earth’s land surface. Beautiful healthy forests, agricultural areas, clear lakes, streams, and rivers filled with fish will be found all around the world. Dry deserts will become a beautiful oasis.

6) From the beginning the LORD God confused a “pure language” (cf. Genesis 1:1, 9) Can you imagine what a world with ONE PURE LANGUAGE would be like? Will the LORD God, once again, give all the world a “pure language”?

The living word of God teaches us──yes!

“’ For then I will RESTORE to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him with one accord.’” – Zephaniah 3:9.

7) Will the LORD God, in the Millennium, cause “Mother Nature” to function for the benefit of those who obey His Law?

Notice –

“’ I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts [i.e. bears, tigers, lions, wolves, etc.] to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in THE WOODS.’” – Ezekiel 34:25.

The very nature of animals will change in the LORD God’s Millennial reign – cf. Isaiah 11:6-9.

“’ I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.’” – vs. 26.

8) What about HEALTH in the World Tomorrow? Will the disabled people, and the Deaf, be miraculously healed?

Yes! –

“Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees. 4) Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.’

5) Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6) Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. …” – Isaiah 35:3-6. □

Scriptural Index:

Old Testament: Genesis 1:1, 9; Isaiah 2:4; 11:6-9; 35:3-6; 41:17-20; 62:1-2; Jeremiah 3:17; 31:34; 33:10-11; Ezekiel 32:36; 34:25, 26; 36:24-27; Zephaniah 3:9; Zechariah 8:3; 14:8-9.

New Testament: 2 Timothy 3:1-7; Hebrews 8:10-12; Revelation 21:2, 16, 22, 25-26; 22:1, 2.