Turmoil in Israel Part 6 — The Hope of All Nations

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The book of Psalms has more about the trial of Israel during the tribulation and the glory of the Millennial kingdom than any other book. Its perspective is unique because it provides the feelings and attitudes of the people. Other prophetic books provide the events from a geopolitical point of view. 

First I want to notice that the term “Millennium,” meaning “one thousand years,” comes from the brief mention of this period in Revelation.

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 
Revelation 20:4.

Now, before we look at the details, I want to connect this blog to the theme that I have traced from the first failure of our parents following Satan’s temptation, “You shall be as God.” 

It is remarkable that Revelation only devotes one verse to this period. But following this, we see in verses 7 through 10 that in spite of a perfect government, prosperity beyond anything seen before, the devil incarcerated, that human will again rises to rebel against the One who is pure goodness and truth. 

And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 
Revelation 20:7–10. 

This brings to an end the trial of mankind as descended from Adam. The word of the Lord through Jeremiah is, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9.) So, the only hope is the Second Man who is also “the Last Adam.” (2 Cor. 15:45–47.) The fall of Adam and Eve to the temptation “You shall be as God” has had the fatal and final effect on all mankind of bringing outright rebellion against God, who blessed the earth with righteousness, justice, peace, and abundance beyond anything we can presently imagine. We will look briefly at this condition and then briefly notice what God will bring next. 

But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream. (Amos 5:24)

A very large number of passages in the Old Testament describe the blessings of the reign of Christ. It would be impossible to list them. Here are just a few. 

• Judgment: God will “destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11:18, NASB) 
  People cry out for peace. But there can be no peace without justice and righteousness. So, Revelation, amid the judgments described, has this reminder that the destructiveness of unrighteousness destroys not only people but also the earth.
• A striking rebirth of Israel as “a nation born in a day.” (Isa. 66:8) 
  Israel is a nation chosen by God to be a testimony for God to the world. This reminds us of the Lord’s words to Nicodemus, “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (Jn. 3:3) Israel will not be a failed nation as it was in the Old Testament. They will be “born again” and have the Lord Jesus Christ as King in Zion. 
• The King in Zion will rule with perfect righteousness. (Ps. 2:6; Ps. 48; Ps. 9:7–11; Ps. 37; Ps. 99:2; Ps. 102:16–22; Ps. 132:13; etc.) 
  So many passages tell of the glorious reign that I will leave these few samples to speak for themselves.
• There will be health and healing. (Ezek. 47:12) 
  It appears that diseases will be largely eliminated. 
• People will experience a long life. (Isa. 65:20) 
  It also appears that long life spans will be restored. 
• There will be prosperity (Zech. 3:10; Micah 4:4; Isa. 35:1; Isa. 32:15; Isa. 65:21) 
  The earth will produce abundantly, leading to great prosperity. 
• Knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth. (Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14) 
  The knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ will be universal. 
• Justice will finally prevail. (Psalms 101:8) 
  As mentioned, justice will emanate from the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ in Zion. 

One of the amazing passages describing the change that will occur at this time is Isaiah chapter 19; verses 16 to 25. Considering today’s animosity toward Israel, this change will be amazing to see. 

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.” 
Isaiah 19:23–25.

Still, the heart of man will not own his natural place as a creature even in the face of the manifest demonstration of a truly good God. The old temptation, “You shall be as god” again seduces mankind to rebel. The end of man’s arrogant self-will and rebellion is the summary judgment from heaven itself. (“fire came down from heaven” Rev. 20:9b.) 

Yet, there will be a New Heaven and a New Earth, and a New Jerusalem (Heavenly City). 

The apostle Paul wrote, “But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.” (1 Cor. 15:46) In this very concise statement we find that the present world is not the end, but the means to the end. God’s goal is very clearly reached in “a new heaven and a new earth.” (Rev. 21:1) 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” 
Revelation 21:3–5a.

 

The apostle Peter tells us that the heavens and the earth will be consumed and a new heaven and new earth will replace the present universe. Then, righteousness will not just “reign”, it will dwell because only the redeemed will inhabit it. (2 Pet. 3:10–13.)  

How was this accomplished? 

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (Jn. 12:24.) This was not an afterthought. Redemption through Christ was by the “predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23, NASB). 

Only through the death and resurrection of the Son of God who incarnate would die and rise again to be the “Last Adam”, the Head of a New Creation, could creatures be redeemed and live according to the very nature of God. (See 2 Pet. 1:4.) 

Though not directly related to the nation of Israel it is necessary to conclude these posts with a reminder that God is also just. The world today cries out for justice and that cry will be satisfied. All those who have rejected the grace of God in the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ will come before the bar of justice of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. For God has “given all judgment to the Son.” (Jn. 5:22.) We read prophetically of that bar, “books were opened…the dead were judged by what was written in the books…they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.” (Rev. 20:11-15.) But, there is no balance where good deeds are weighed against bad. “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:15.) 

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:2b.)