Ever wonder what life will be like during the millennial kingdom? Did you know there are over 100 Bible verses or so about the Millennium? I am not going to give you all of them. What I did is group these Bible verses into nine points to summarize what life will be like (many of the Bible verses point to the same truths). So, here are nine points explaining what life will be like during the Millennium.
Point 1: Jesus will rule the government of the world.
The Bible says in Isaiah 9:6 that when Jesus comes “the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” That’s usually something we read at Christmas time, and while it does concern the birth of Jesus, it is also a reference to the Millennium. When Jesus comes the world’s government will rest upon Him. And the Bible says in Daniel 7:13-14 that when Jesus comes to set up His earthly kingdom all people, all nations, and all languages will serve Him.
Now, where will Jesus rule the government of the world from? Jerusalem. We know this because the angel Gabriel, when he went to visit Mary and inform her that God had chosen her to bring forth the Messiah in Luke 1:32, Gabriel said, speaking of Jesus, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of this father David”. Again, I know we read this at Christmas time and think it is concerning the birth of Jesus, but actually it is concerning the Millennium. Think about, during Jesus’ lifetime, did he ever sit on the throne of Jerusalem, which is the throne of David, as Gabriel said Jesus would? No. So was Gabriel lying? No. Gabriel was speaking of a time that would be ushered in by Jesus’ second coming – the Millennium.
By the way, when Jesus comes to set up His earthly kingdom it will be a kingdom that is never-ending. In Luke 1:33 the angel Gabriel said to Marry, “and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” The prophet Daniel, in Daniel 2:44, says similarly, “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever”. So when Jesus comes to defeat the Antichrist and to set up His kingdom, He will take His place on the throne of David, which is in Jerusalem, and reign over Israel, and indeed the world, forevermore.
Point 2: Christians will flourish during the Millennium.
The Bible says in Isaiah 35:8-9, “And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come upon it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.”
The highway in this passage is not meant to be literal. It’s meant to imply that only those who have been redeemed will be able to enter into the millennial kingdom. So what the prophet Isaiah is telling us is that not only will the righteous flourish, the only people allowed to enter into the millennial kingdom are believers. No unbelievers will be permitted in the millennial kingdom.
In fact, when Jesus comes again at the last conflict of Armageddon, all who did not believe in Jesus will have been killed. Perhaps you have heard this verse from Habakkuk 2:14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” It simply means that the earth will be filled with Christians. When Jesus comes again and the Millennium begins, there will be no unbelievers on this planet.
And because the righteous will be the only ones who enter into the age of the Millennium, and because Jesus will be King, holiness will abound. Dr. Herbert Carter said that, “Holy living will be the rule and not the exception” during the Millennium. I want to repeat that: during the Millennium holy living will be the rule, not the exception.
In the world we live in, holy living is the exception not the rule. The wicked thrive, the godless multiply, and the evildoer succeeds. But it will be the opposite in the Millennium. When Jesus comes to set up his earthly kingdom the unrighteous will be put to death, the redeemed will be permitted to enter into Jesus’ millennial kingdom, and holiness will be the standard of living. So if you don’t enjoy holy living, the Millennium will not be the place for you.
Point 3: Believers will rule with Jesus during the Millennium.
The Bible says in Daniel 7:27, “the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” What that means is when Jesus comes and defeats the Antichrist, the kingdoms of the world shall come under the authority of King Jesus, and Jesus shall turn the kingdoms of the world over to believers.
How will Jesus use those who belong to Him in the millennial kingdom? Revelation 20:6 says, “they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” That means we believers will be a part of his government, serving and assisting Jesus to rule and reign over the earth. And an interesting detail about this is that, according to Jeremiah 30:9, King David will be Jesus’ second in command.
Point 4: Not only will Believers rule with Jesus, we will work during the Millennium.
God says in Amos 9:13-14, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow from it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.” God also said in Isaiah 65:21, “They shall build houses and inhabit them, they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.” Both of these are referring to the Millennium.
Notice people will be working plowing their fields, planting gardens, rebuilding cities, rebuilding homes, and enjoying the fruits of their labor. You need to understand, life in many ways will be similar to today. We will still eat, drink, and there will be work during the Millennium.
Remember, part of the purpose of the Millennium is to reset the world and we, who have believed in Jesus, get to be a part of that wonderful process. We get to rebuild what was destroyed during the Tribulation from all the wars and famine. Now you may hear that and groan at the thought of having to work. But the work we do during the Millennium will not be like the work we do now. It will be joyful.
Point 5: We will worship Jesus in-person in Jerusalem during the Millennium.
The Bible tells us in Zechariah 14:16, “Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of host, and to keep the Feast of Booths.” So the standard practice of the Millennium is that once a year for seven days, which is the duration of the Feast of Booths, all believers throughout the world will gather together in Jerusalem to worship Jesus in person. Which really is keeping to the Biblical mandate that believers not neglect assembling together (Heb. 10:25).
Now, I think this is something to truly ponder, especially for those who do not wish to assemble together to worship Jesus. For those who do not make a practice of assembling with the church now, what will life be like for them during the Millennium when they are required to assemble in Jerusalem for seven days to worship Jesus each year? If someone doesn’t enjoy assembling together with the believers now and worshiping Jesus, the Millennium might not be such a great place. Our assembling as a church and our worship of Jesus doesn’t end when Jesus comes again. It continues into the Millennium and into Heaven.
Point 6: The Millennium will be a time of world peace.
When Jesus sets up his earthly kingdom Psalm 72:7 tells us, “In his days…peace abound”. Since the fall of man our world has never known peace. Our world has never known a time without hate, disagreement, frustration, and discord. It’s never known a time without crime, battles, and war. But it will when Jesus comes again to set up his earthly kingdom. In fact, the Bible describes what kind of peace there shall be.
Isaiah 11:6-8 tells us there will be peace between animals, and between animals and man: “the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopards shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.” Isn’t that fascinating? We’ll be able to walk with the wolf, the bear, the lion, and the snake, and not be harmed.
Furthermore, when Jesus sets up his earthly kingdom during the Millennium what the angels sang in Luke 2:14 will come to fruition: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” I know that is something we think refers to the birth of Jesus, but it doesn’t. It refers to the Millennium.
Think about it. When Jesus came the first time through the virgin Mary, did world peace come as a result? No. If it did, we would have world peace today. Your decision to follow Jesus will bring peace to your heart, but He did not bring peace to the world. Remember in Matthew 10:34 Jesus said, “Do not think I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”
What Jesus is saying there is that because of His coming there would be strife. There would be strife between a son and his dad, a daughter and her mother, and strife between in-laws, all because of a person’s decision to follow Jesus. As it is, if a person chooses to follow Jesus in some countries, they are kicked out of their families and their villages; indeed, their very lives are threatened. In many cases, the decision to follow Jesus even brings strife to the marriage. In other cases, it causes division in friendships. In truth, that kind of treatment will continue and worsen during the Tribulation for those who come to know Christ. And so, Jesus’ coming into the world through the virgin Mary didn’t bring world peace, it brought conflict.
So is there a contradiction between what the angels sang in Luke 2:14 and what Jesus said in Matthew 10:34? No. They are referring to different time periods. The strife and persecution that comes on those who follow Jesus today, prior to the Millennium, will cease when Jesus comes again and the Millennium begins. The world peace the angels sang about in Luke 2:14 will finally be fulfilled during the Millennium.
Point 7: The Millennium will be a time of economic prosperity.
God says in Ezekiel 36:29-30, “I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.” So when Jesus sets up his kingdom, no one will be without. There will be no poor. There will be no need for homeless shelters. There will be no need for food banks. Never again will this world know of famine. Never again will people know what it is to go hungry.
Point 8: The Millennium will be a time of great joy.
Isaiah 65:18-19 says, “But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.” Never before has our world not known a time of weeping and distress, but it will when Jesus comes and the Millennium begins.
An interesting fact I learned this week is that the popular song we sing at Christmas time “Joy To The World”, written by Isaac Watts, was not written to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It was written based on Psalms 98 in celebration of the Millennium following Jesus’ second coming. Because when Jesus comes again and the Millennium begins there will be neverending joy throughout the world.
Point 9: Lifespans will be longer during the Millennium.
The Bible says in Isaiah 65:20, “No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.”
Prior to the great flood of Noah’s day, people lived to be much older than 100 years of age. After the flood, God limited how old man can become. In fact, Psalm 90:10 tells us that the average lifespan of man is 70 to 80 years of age. However, when Jesus returns to set up his kingdom longevity will be restored.
Now, with that being said, Isaiah 65:20 infers that during the Millennium death will still be present, sin will be diminished but still present, and people will still rebel against Jesus. How can this be if only those who have believed in Jesus are allowed to enter into the Millennium? It’s because, in addition to those who have been glorified in the first resurrection, mortals will also live during the days of the Millennium, which you may have figured out by this point.
Have you ever wondered what happens to those people who believe in Jesus and live through the Tribulation when Jesus makes his Second Coming? This is what happens: they will enter into the Millennium with mortal, unglorified bodies. So during the Millennium there are two kinds of believers present: those who have spiritual, glorified bodies and those who have natural bodies.
Now, unlike those who have been glorified, those who have natural bodies will be permitted to marry. They will be able to have mortal babies, which means people will be born during the Millennium. Like ages past babies will be born into sin. That means they will have to make a decision about Jesus. And according to Isaiah 65:20, they will have 100 years to do so. That also means, during the Millennium, the gospel will still be preached.
So every mortal who lives during the Millennium will make it to 100 yrs old, which will be young for the Millennium. But if they die at 100, it’s only because they did not accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, which is why Isaiah says, “the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.” The sad truth is that the implication of Isaiah 65:20 is that the Millennium will not be short of those who are born during the Millennium, live under the earthly government of King Jesus, witness many glorified persons, and still die in their sin.
And let me be clear if they die, it’s not because they did not believe in Jesus. I told you that no unbelievers will be in the millennial kingdom; I still stand by that. These who die will not be able to deny the existence of Jesus, for he will be sitting on His throne in Jerusalem. So, it’s not that they die in their sin for a lack of belief. Rather, it’s because they chose not to surrender their life to Jesus and trust Jesus for their salvation. They will know Jesus but refuse to honor Jesus as Lord. Keep in mind demons believe in Jesus, Satan believes in Jesus, and yet they will be condemned to hell.
You may ask how that is? How can a person believe in Jesus yet be condemned? That’s because there’s a difference between a faith that saves and a faith that does not. There is the kind of faith that is purely historical. That kind of faith simply knows and comprehends the facts about Jesus. That’s the kind of faith demons and Satan have, it’s the kind of faith that will condemn so many today, and condoman many born during the Millennium.
However, then you have the kind of faith that saves; we call it saving faith. This kind of faith doesn’t just know and comprehends the facts about Jesus, but also trusts in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone for salvation. It’s a firm conviction that what Jesus did on the cross has atoned for sin. It’s the kind of faith that leads to joy, because it assures you of your salvation.
Those born during the Millennium who have this kind of saving faith know and comprehend the facts about Jesus, they are convinced of Jesus’ saving work on the cross, and they have joyfully trusted and received Jesus as their Lord and Savior during the Millennium. They will live past the 100 year old mark, they will go on to receive their glorified body, and they will reign with Jesus forever.
Some may hear that and think: I didn’t think there would be any death or sin in heaven. Remember, the Millennium is not eternity; it’s temporary, only lasting 1,000 years. The Millennium is simply a prelude to Heaven. The purpose of the Millennium is for Jesus to set up his earthly kingdom. What we think of as Heaven, and what the Bible describes as the New Heaven and New Earth, comes after the Millennium is over.
Now the all important question for which we shall end is this: what is the relevance of all this? How does this affect our lives now?
Let me answer both those questions with three answers: First, Jesus is coming. Secondly, because Jesus is coming, the millennial kingdom, for which Jesus will set up his earthly kingdom, is coming. And lastly, if you have not gone beyond comprehending mere facts about Jesus to fully trusting Jesus for your salvation you will not be permitted to enter into it.
My friends, now is the time to be preparing your hearts for this millennial kingdom. The Bible says that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16,17).
You need to know that in the sight of God we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Therefore, we all are in need of a Savior, and because God loves us He has provided us a Savior – His only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus came, he died, he was buried, and is risen from the dead by the Mighty Hand of God to save sinners from sin and sins consequence, the lake of fire. And if you are willing to repent of your sins and trust Jesus to save you, you shall be saved.