THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST
ISAIAH 11
Christ will reign supreme over the earth during one thousand years (Psa.2:6-8, 72:1-19, Isa.9:6-7, 11:1-5, 16:5, Jer.23:5-6, 33:14-17, Dan.7:13-14, Zech.14:9, Luke1:30-33), and all the saints (Old Testament, Church and Tribulation believers) with Him (Rev.20:4-6.). They will all be in their glorified bodies.
His whole kingdom will consist of two separate areas:
Israel, ruled by King David (Jer.30:9, Eze.34:23-24, 37:24-25, Hos.3:5.). This will be divided into the twelve tribes under the authority of the twelve apostles (Matt.19:28, Luke22:30.). There will be princes (Isa.32:1, Eze.45:8, Hag.2:20-23.), and judges (Isa.1:26), in their natural bodies and Israel will be the leader among all nations (Deut.15:6, 28:13, Isa.14:1-2).
The gentile nations, ruled by:
- members of the church (Psa.149:6-9, Dan. 7:9,18,27, Rom. 8:17, 1 Cor.6:2-4, 2Tim.2:12, Heb.12:28, Rev.1:6, 2:26-27, 3:21, 5:10, 12:5, 20:4.) sitting on thrones - the authority of each one will have been apportioned before the Judgment Seat of Christ after the Rapture, according to their faithfulness in their service during their Christian life on earth (Luke19:12-17).
- the tribulation saints (Rev.20:4,6).
- there will also be kings in their natural bodies (Psa.72:10-11).
The Seat of Government will be the new temple which Christ will have built in Jerusalem (Isa.2:2-4, Eze.43:7,48, Dan.2:44-45, 7:13-27, Zech.6:12-13,14, Rev.11:15).
All the territory where Jerusalem is found at present will be raised, forming a huge mountain, which will then be the highest on earth. The city and the temple will be rebuilt over a vast plateau (around 30 square miles) on its summit (Isa.2:2-4, Mic.4:1-2, Eze.17:22-24, 20:40-41, 40:1-4, 45:1-8, 48:8-20), and all the survivors of the people of Israel will be brought together to live in their own land (Isa.43:5-7, Jer.31:7-10, Eze.11:14-18, 47:13-48:35).
There will be priests and Levites serving in the new temple, with symbolic rituals (Isa.66:19-24, Eze.43:19-27, 44:9-31, Zech.14:16-21), and feasts will be celebrated, including the Passover (Eze.45:21, Matt.26:29).
A river will flow from under the temple towards the south, and divide into two branches: one running west into the Mediterranean, the other east into the Dead Sea, which will be revived so that fishes will abound there (Eze.47 and Zech.6:12-13).
All nations will send representatives to Jerusalem each year, to worship the Lord (Zech.14:16-21, Isa.2:1-4, 35:3-9), and laws will be issued in Jerusalem for all nations (Isa.2:2-4.): the Sermon on the Mount provides a sample (Matt.5,6).
There will be more natural light, for the light of the moon will be greater than the present light of the sun, and the light of the sun will increase sevenfold (Isa.30:26, 60:18-22). The deserts will blossom as a rose (Isa.35:1-10, 55:12-13, Eze.36:8-12, Joel2:18-27, 3:17-21, Amos9:13-15). Ferocious wild animals will become peaceful herbivores (Isa.11:6-8, 65:17-25, Rom.8:18-23). There will be great highways covering the earth (Isa.11:16, 19:23-25, 35:7-8).
Earth's inhabitants will not die throughout the millennium, except for those who are rebellious: these will die before they are one hundred years old (Isa.65:20-25, Zech.8:4); the population will increase normally (Isa.9:6-7, 59:20, Jer.30:19, 33:22 and Hos.1:10).
Everyone will enjoy peace, prosperity and justice (Isa.2:4, 9:6-7, 11:3-5, 65:20-25, 66:1-2, Mic.4:3-5, Mal.1:11, Matt.5:1 - 7:29.).
The Reign of Jesse's Offspring
1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
3 His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
6 "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den.
9 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.
10 "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious."
11 It shall come to pass in that day That the LORD shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea.
12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth.
13 Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, And the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west; Together they shall plunder the people of the East; They shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; And the people of Ammon shall obey them.
15 The LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt; With His mighty wind He will shake His fist over the River, And strike it in the seven streams, And make men cross over dry-shod.
16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people Who will be left from Assyria, As it was for Israel In the day that he came up from the land of Egypt.
Isaiah 11:1-16 (NKJV)