In this issue
Put on Christ
Being naked
When God created Adam and Eve, they did not need clothing because they were wrapped by His glory. However, when they disobeyed God and committed sin, they became sinners and became naked. "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." (Genesis 3:7) Why were Adam and Eve naked? Because they sinned. A sinner is like a naked person. For example, a very beautiful woman may look attractive to those who do not know her behavior, but if she is sleeping with a lot of men, serious people will stop thinking about even getting to know her. That is because her behavior is like being naked in front of people.
All naked
Every human being who has descended from Adam and Eve is naked before God. But because of their spiritual blindness, people do not know that they should be ashamed of themselves. The Lord Jesus advised the church in Laodicea, “I counsel you to buy from me ... white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (Revelation 3:18). The church in Laodicea is naked before Christ. Today, know that you are also naked before God.
When Adam and Eve were naked, they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths. But the leaves would last only a short time and would need to be sewn up again and again. So God took pity on them and made coats of animal skins for them and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21) Adam and Eve were naked in God’s sight and in their own sight. All their descendants were naked. Therefore, they wore clothes to cover their shame in the sight of men. They covered their shame with expensive clothes. But these clothes could only cover them in the sight of men, not in the sight of God. Man is naked spiritually in the sight of God.
Signs of nakedness
The reason why man does not know that he is naked is because he is in darkness and spiritually blind. Paul said, “The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Romans 13:11-14) As can be seen above, the signs of nakedness are revelries, drunkenness, immorality, strife, rivalry, lust of the flesh. If you have the urge to do these things, know that you are naked. It is shameful if you are naked. But you will not feel shameful if you are spiritually blind.
Put on (wear) the Lord Jesus
Just as God gave Adam and Eve the garment of skin, so has he given mankind the garment of the Lord Jesus to wear today. That is why Paul says, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” So how should we put on the Lord Jesus? All who are baptized into Christ have put on Jesus Christ. (Gal. 3:27) To be baptized into Christ means to be buried in Christ. Man was born of Adam. The Bible says that God has placed every man in Christ when he was crucified and buried them with Jesus in the tomb: “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:3-4) God has placed all mankind in Christ and crucified them. Then he is buried and raised to a new life. All of this is spiritual. The person who is buried and resurrected is the one who has put on Christ.
For the believer, Christ is the garment given by God. We need to wear it to protect ourselves. Clothing is a covering for the shame of the body. Everyone looks good during the day because they are beautifully dressed. Clothing not only makes a person beautiful, but also hides his shame. In the same way, the believer needs to wear the Lord Christ given by God. People often wear night clothes when they sleep at night. Because it is dark, they do not need to be beautiful, and they can stay naked. However, no sane person dares to be naked in the light of day. It is shameful if they do. Only fools would dare to do so. Just as people put on clothes when the morning dawns, the spiritual dawn is now approaching. Therefore, Paul says, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, for the night is almost gone and the day is almost here.”
Those who have received Christ often put off Christ and expose their nakedness. That is, after receiving Christ, people return to partying, drunkenness, sexual immorality, impurity, strife, rivalry, and lust for the flesh. This is a disgrace to God and a hindrance to nonbelievers from believing in Christ. Therefore, we need to always put on Christ.
How do you put on Christ? Putting on Christ means letting Christ rule in your life. In life, we must live according to Christ’s will. We must avoid things that Christ does not like and only do the things that Christ likes. Christ is the righteousness of those who believe - who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. (1 Cor. 1:30)
“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” (Revelation 16:15)
"Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy." (Revelation 3:4)
Christ desires to walk with those who put on Him. He does not desire to walk with naked persons.
May you all be beautiful and honorable by putting on Christ Jesus in your life.
Feasts of Israelites fulfilled
The Passover (Pesach)
The Passover is called Pesach in Hebrew. “On the tenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover” (Leviticus 23:5). The Passover was the final sign that the Lord performed when He brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. When they left slavery in Egypt, God had them calculate the calendar. Their first month was called Nisan. On the night of the 14th day of the month, as God commanded them, the Israelites had a lamb or a male goat slaughtered, and the blood was applied on the doorposts and on the lintel of the house, and they made the lamb roast in the house with unleavened bread and bitter vegetables. And while they were eating the lamb meat, the angel saw the blood that was brushed at the doorpost and passed over that house without entering inside. The Egyptians did not apply the blood on their doorposts because they did not know, so the angel killed the firstborn of their house and the firstborn of their animals. The angel passed over and spared the Israelites without being punished (Exodus 12)
The Lord commanded that the Passover be celebrated annually as a memorial. They celebrated it when they were faithful to God, but they did not celebrate it when they were worshipping other gods. The Passover was observed in the Old Testament only during the reigns of Kings Hezekiah and Josiah. However, after the return from Babylonian captivity, they celebrated it because they were zealous for God. Christ also participated in the Passover with his disciples. The Passover lamb typified Christ, and he was the final Passover lamb. Paul wrote: “For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Therefore, there is no need to celebrate another Passover. God has "passed over" our sins when he saw the blood of Christ, the Passover lamb (John 3:18). We must believe this. However, the Israelites still celebrate the Passover because they did not know what was accomplished in Christ. Some Christians do not know this and are still afraid of being judged. Hence, they don't have the courage to even dream of going to heaven.
The Unleavened Bread (Chag HaMatzot)
"The Festival of Unleavened Bread to the Lord is on the fifteenth day of the same month. For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. 7 On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly; you are not to do any daily work. 8 You are to present a fire offering to the Lord for seven days. On the seventh day there will be a sacred assembly; you must not do any daily work.”"(Leviticus 23:6-8).
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is celebrated for a week, beginning the day after the Passover. On the first and seventh days, there should be no work, but a solemn assembly. During the feast, only unleavened bread is eaten. This feast is a shadow. The substance is fulfilled in Christ Jesus (Matthew 5:17). Leaven represents sin. Jesus said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6). First beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. (Luke 12:1) Hypocrisy means forcing others to do what they do not want to do, cannot do, or cannot follow themselves. In other words, "Do As I Say, Not As I Do."
The leaven of the Sadducees is unbelief. The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, no angels, and no spirits (Acts 23:8). It is unbelievable that they say they believe in God, but they do not believe in such spiritual matters. Today, they are known as liberals. Even though they are preachers, the liberals rely on their human reasoning. They do not believe in the power of God but only in the power of men.
Christ said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” (Mark 8:15) The leaven of Herod is pride. Herod did not want Christ to reign. When he learned that Christ had been born, he sought to kill him. Therefore, everyone who does not want to accept Christ and does not believe in him has the leaven of Herod.
In short, the leaven of the Pharisees is hypocrisy, the leaven of the Sadducees is unbelief, and the leaven of Herod is pride, and everyone has one or a combination of these to some extent. All of these leavens can be summed up as sin. Paul labeled it as, “The old leaven, "the leaven of malice," and "foolishness” (1 Corinthians 5:7). The leaven, the sins of the people, was laid upon Christ by God, who had him die and be buried in the tomb. Therefore, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was fulfilled by Christ’s burial, so there is no need to celebrate it again.
The Feast of Firstfruits (Mashiach)
" He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. 12 On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect, 13 together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine." (Leviticus 23:11-13) God commanded the Israelites to offer their firstfruits. The day on which they were to offer them was also set. It was the 22nd day of the first month, Nisan, which is the day after the Sabbath. Today, we cannot set a specific date for the firstfruits. But why were they able to set a date? It is because the weather today is not perfect, but back then, the weather was perfect. The firstfruits were offered as a sheaf of myrrh, a young male lamb (not yet a year old), two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, and three hints of wine.
The firstfruits offering is a shadow, like the other feasts. The sheaf is the first fruit of the earth. Then the sheaves in the field are harvested. The firstfruits were fulfilled when the Lord Jesus was resurrected. In the Bible, Jesus cried out with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. And the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many. (Matthew 27:50-53) Why did many bodies of the saints rise from the tombs when the Lord Jesus died, but they did not come out of the tombs until after he rose? That is because the Lord Jesus is the firstfruits of those who are raised, whether in a glorified body or a spiritual body, and he is the firstfruits to God.
That is why Paul writes: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Cor. 15:20) There were people who were raised in the Old Testament. One was raised by the prophet Elijah, two by Elisha. The Lord Jesus himself raised Lazarus and two others. But they were not raised in a glorified body. They were raised in a mortal body. The firstfruit of those who were raised in a glorified body was the Lord Jesus. In this way he fulfilled the purpose of the firstfruits offering. James, the brother of Jesus, wrote about the spiritual birth of believers: “Of his own will he begat us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of creatures” (James 1:18). Creature means something created. This means that Christ is the firstborn of all creatures. The scripture said he begat us by the word of truth, that we should be like the Lord Jesus. The word “begat” means the second birth. The feast of the firstfruits has been fulfilled by the resurrection of Christ, so there is no need to celebrate it anymore.
The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (Shavuot)
"You are to count seven complete weeks starting from the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the presentation offering. 16 You are to count 50 days until the day after the seventh Sabbath and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. 17 Bring two loaves of bread from your settlements as a presentation offering, each of them made from four quarts of fine flour, baked with yeast, as firstfruits to the Lord. 18 You are to present with the bread seven unblemished male lambs a year old, one young bull, and two rams. They will be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offerings and drink offerings, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 19 You are also to prepare one male goat as a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a fellowship sacrifice. 20 The priest will wave the lambs with the bread of firstfruits as a presentation offering before the Lord; the bread and the two lambs will be holy to the Lord for the priest. " (Leviticus 23:15-20)
The above feast is called the Feast of Tabernacles. In the New Testament it is called the Feast of Pentecost. The word Pentecost means fifty, and it occurs only three times in the New Testament (Acts 2:1; 20:16; 1 Cor. 16:8). It was celebrated on the fiftieth day after the firstfruits were offered. During these days, the myrrh was harvested and bread was made from the new grain. Two loaves of leavened bread made from the new grain were offered, along with burnt offerings and sin offerings. The new grain was a shadow. The bread offered to God normally was not leavened, but the bread offered at this feast was leavened.
This feast was fulfilled in the New Testament when the feast of Pentecost was celebrated. The Bible says: "When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech." (Acts 2:1-4)
Even Christians often think that the Feast of Tabernacles begins in Acts 2. It is the fourth of the seven feasts that began with Moses. The apostles and 120 believers of Christ prayed on the day of Pentecost. At that time, as described above, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and the church was founded. That day is the birthday of the church. The church began with the first believers, who were like new wheat. The church was made up of saints, but like the leaven in the two loaves, there was still sin in those saints. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was given only to leaders such as kings, priests, judges, and those who were called by God to do special work. But in the New Testament era, the Holy Spirit was given to all believers. That is a unique thing, which is different from the old way. Through those believers, the purpose of the Pentecostal celebration was fulfilled.
The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashana)
"In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a day of complete rest, commemoration, and joyful shouting —a sacred assembly. 25 You must not do any daily work, but you must present a fire offering to the Lord." (Leviticus 23:24-25) The Feast of Trumpets is held in the seventh month, the month of Tabernacles. The trumpets are blown to gather the army for battle and a call to worship God. This feast is a shadow and has not yet been fulfilled in the New Testament. It is a feast that will soon be fulfilled. It will be fulfilled when the believers are raptured.
Paul writes about what's going to happen when Christ comes to gather the church (His body) into the air: “I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will all be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Paul says that Christ will come at the last trumpet. So the trumpet blast is a sign that Christ will come to take the church at the rapture. But for the Israelites it is a sign of the coming of great battle or the great tribulation. They have not yet accepted Jesus as Christ, so they will enter the great tribulation. They will only accept Christ when he returns after the great tribulation.
The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur)
"The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. You are to hold a sacred assembly and practice self-denial; you are to present a fire offering to the Lord. 28 On this particular day you are not to do any work, for it is a Day of Atonement to make atonement for yourselves before the Lord your God. 29 If any person does not practice self-denial on this particular day, he must be cut off from his people. 30 I will destroy among his people anyone who does any work on this same day. 31 You are not to do any work. This is a permanent statute throughout your generations wherever you live. "(Leviticus 23:27-31)
The Day of Atonement is described more fully in Leviticus 16. On that day alone the high priest entered the Most Holy Place and offered burnt offerings and sin offerings for himself, his family, and the congregation. It was to be offered annually. This was a shadow, and Christ, the High Priest, has fulfilled this for all men by entering the heavenly sanctuary and offering his own body and blood. The Bible says, “But the Messiah has appeared, high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), 12 He entered the most holy place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:11-12). And again, “By this will of God, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.” (Hebrews 10:10). Therefore, there is no longer any need for animal sacrifices for sin. Every believer is cleansed by the offering of the body and blood of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary.
On the Day of Atonement, in addition to the burnt offering and sin offering, the high priest entered the Most Holy Place and placed the sins of the congregation on the head of a live goat and sent them away into the wilderness. The Bible says: When he has finished purifying the most holy place, the tent of meeting, and the altar, he is to present the live male goat. 21 Aaron will lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the Israelites’ wrongdoings and rebellious acts—all their sins. He is to put them on the goat’s head and send it away into the wilderness by the man appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on it all their wrongdoings into a desolate land, and he will release it there. (Leviticus 16:20-22). The Bible also says that God has fulfilled this custom by placing the sins of the world on Christ, as it is written: “All we like sheep have gone astray; each one has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him (Christ) the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Again, “The next day John saw Jesus coming and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29).
The Israelites, who did not know that Christ took away their sins and that Christ, the High Priest, offered his body and blood in the heavenly sanctuary, still kept the Day of Atonement unnecessarily. Since there was no temple, they could not celebrate it as they did before. The atonement for them will be completed at the second coming of Christ. During the great tribulation, most of the Israelites will die, and the remnant will accept Christ as their long-awaited Savior and make a new covenant with him, and their sins will be forgiven. The Bible says: “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days: I, the Lord, will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not teach each other, each one his neighbor, and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord.’ For they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. Then I will forgive their sins. I will forgive their transgressions and their transgressions. The Lord says that he will remember their transgressions no more (Jeremiah 31:33-34, Hebrews 8:10-12).
For Christians, the atonement has been fulfilled through Christ, but for Israel it is still in the future. For nominal Christians, because they do not trust in Christ’s atonement, they will needlessly perish.
The Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)
"The Festival of Booths to the Lord begins on the fifteenth day of this seventh month and continues for seven days. 35 There is to be a sacred assembly on the first day; you are not to do any daily work. 36 You are to present a fire offering to the Lord for seven days. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred assembly and present a fire offering to the Lord. It is a solemn gathering; you are not to do any daily work." (Leviticus 23:35-36)
The Lord Jesus also participated in the Feast of Tabernacles: The Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 so His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea so Your disciples can see Your works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he’s seeking public recognition. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 (For not even His brothers believed in Him.) (John 7:2-5)
The Feast of Tabernacles was a feast held to remember the Israelites who lived in tents when they left Egypt and were fed by God in the wilderness for forty years. By celebrating this feast, we learn how powerful the Lord is and that man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that comes from God. The feast also describes the future rule of Christ over the entire world. This is still in the future and will be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ.
Today, the world is experiencing famine, disease, war, and various kinds of suffering due to race, politics, and religion. However, when Jesus Christ rules over the world, these social problems will no longer exist.
What will happen during the millennium?
Let’s now look at some facts about the Millennium.
1. The Lord will come down on the Mount of Olives
"Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations as He fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. The Mount of Olives will be split in half from east to west, forming a huge valley, so that half the mountain will move to the north and half to the south. 5 You will flee by My mountain valley, for the valley of the mountains will extend to Azal. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come and all the holy ones with Him."(Zech. 14:3-5) This is a picture of the mountain splitting in two when Christ descends on the Mount of Olives to reign as King for a thousand years.
2. They will go on a pilgrimage
"Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to celebrate the Festival of Booths. 17 Should any of the families of the earth not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, rain will not fall on them. 18 And if the people of Egypt will not go up and enter, then rain will not fall on them; this will be the plague the Lord inflicts on the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt and all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Booths." (Zech. 14:16-19). Now Muslims go to Mecca and Buddhists go to locations such as Bodh Gaya in India to worship. Christians don't go anywhere. That is because God is not yet in this world. When Christ rules the whole world from Jerusalem, every human being in the whole world will go to Jerusalem to worship God. The country that doesn't go will be punished with drought.
3. The Lord will be King
The Lord (Jesus) will be King over all the earth. In that day there will be one Lord and one name (Jesus). (Zech. 14:9) Christ is not yet king. He is now the high priest in heaven. He will be king at his second coming.
4. He will rule according to the law
"For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 The dominion will be vast,
and its prosperity will never end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Although this verse is often read at Christmas time, it is actually written about the millennial reign of Christ. Unlike the corrupt leaders of today, Christ will rule the world with justice. Therefore, there will be no injustice. No matter how hard people try now, they are unable to rule with justice. That time will come in the future.
5. Law will be taught
"In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. All nations will stream to it, 3 and many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:2-3). When Christ reigns in Jerusalem, everyone will go there to learn His law, just as people from all over the world came to see the wisdom and wealth of Solomon in the past.
6. No more wars
"He (Jesus) 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." (Isaiah 2:4). When Christ rules this world, there will be no more wars. There will be no more conscription, no more desertions. How peaceful and happy the world would be. We must look forward to that time. At this time, nations are crying out for peace, but they are producing weapons of war on a grand scale. During the great tribulation, the greatest wars in world history will be fought. To escape from that, one needs to be caught up in the rapture prior to the wars. When Christ rules, there will be no more division between great and small, and everyone will live in peace.
7. There will be Joy and Peace
"“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more." (Isaiah 65:17-19). The new heavens and the new earth do not mean eternity. They mean the thousand years of Christ’s reign. For as we read on, there will still be building, and planting, and marrying, and dying. But it will be completely different from the present. That coming kingdom will fulfill what Jesus taught, "May your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." During the reign of Christ there will be only joy and peace. Now everyone is worried. There is no joy because of wars, economic collapse, poor health, and various problems. At that time there will be only joy and peace.
8. Life expectancy will be extended
"Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit..... 23 They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them." (Isaiah 65:20, 22, 23) During Christ’s reign, the human lifespan will be extended to 1,000 years. A hundred years of age may seem very old now, but then they will be called a child. Everyone will live that long because they will be healthy.
9. They will be Healthy
"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; 4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert." (Isaiah 35:3-6). During Christ’s reign, as we see in the above verse, everyone will be healthy and there will be no crippled people.
When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11:2-6). Why did Christ answer John like this? It was because wherever he was there was no sick or lame person. Jesus was essentially telling John that he was the Messiah they had been waiting for. In the kingdom ruled by Christ, there would be no lame or sick person; everyone would be healthy and strong.
10. They will eat the fruit of their labor
They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. (Isaiah 65:21-22) Today, there are many people who cannot eat or use what they produce. This is especially true in countries ruled by dictators. During the reign of Christ, everyone will be content with what they labor with their own hands.
11. Prayer will be Fulfilled
Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24). Right now, when believers pray, God does not answer immediately. However, at that time, according to the above verse, He will answer before they call, and He will hear while they are still praying. How encouraging!
12. No more beasts
"The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain.” (Isaiah 65:25).
"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11:6-9). The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed above all livestock and all wild animals” (Genesis 3:14). Because Adam listened to the serpent, not only humans but also the animals suffered. One animal devoured another. During the thousand years, wild animals will be replaced by tamed animals.
13. The land will produce its fruit
The wilderness and the desert will rejoice, and the desert will blossom like the rose. 2 They will blossom abundantly and rejoice with singing. The land will be filled with the glory of Lebanon, the glory of Carmel and Sharon. The glory of the Lord will be revealed. And you will see the power of our God. For in the wilderness there will be springs, and streams in the desert. 7 The parched ground will become pools, and the parched land springs of water. Instead of the beds of jackals, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. (Isaiah 35:1, 2, 6, 7)
God said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken;
for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:17-19).
Therefore, the land does not produce as much as it should, and there is a shortage of food, drought, and heavy rain. In other words, chemicals can be used to increase production, but because of these chemicals, diseases and illnesses increase. During the reign of Christ, the world will be blessed with the abundance of food.
14. Man will walk with Him
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. (Isaiah 35:8-10). Some Bible translations say, "He shall be with them, and walk in the way (Isaiah 35:8)," meaning, "God shall lead and guide them, alluding to the bringing forth of Egypt."
Because man is sinful, God, who is sinless, cannot walk with man. During the thousand years, man will be able to walk with God. Enoch walked with God (Genesis 5:24). Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9). Doesn’t everyone feel happy and proud when they walk with important people and famous people? Not only that, how much more joy, pride, and happiness will it be to walk with God? Aren’t you looking forward to that day?
Peter wrote that we should live holy lives in anticipation of that day: "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat." (2 Peter 3:11-12)
15. A special day
"On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. 7 It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light. 8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter." (Zech. 14:6-8).
When Christ reigns, there will be a special day. "It is not day or night," so it cannot be fully understood by human reasoning. God is light, so it could be that the world will shine by his light. Those days are not that far off. Therefore, let us live for the life that is to come rather than for this life.
