Millennial Kingdom – Government & Laws
Government of Nations from Jerusalem
Jesus will rule from His throne in the inner court of the new Temple. Jesus will hold both the offices of king and priest, further cementing that the Messiah will fulfill the prophet’s words (Genesis 14:18; Hebrews. 5:10), a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honour and shall sit and rule on his throne.” Zechariah 6:12-13
“Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
As prophesied, the Lord will be King over all the earth, the government will rest on His shoulders, and He will rule the nations with a ‘rod of iron’ from Jerusalem. This indicates the curse has not been totally lifted off the earth as people still die and some nations and people need chastening.
“For to us a child is born, to us, a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.” Isaiah 9:6-7
And the Lord will be King over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one (Zechariah 14.9)
Life without Satan
Today, God allows Satan to operate in this world within the boundaries God has set for him. In that sense, Satan is still “ruler or god of this world” (Jn 12.31, 2 Cor 4.4, Eph 2.2). His influence affects the lives of individuals, world governments, philosophies, education, and commerce. The good news is that at the start of the millennial age Satan is prevented from influencing anyone!
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the abyss and a heavy chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent—that is, the Devil, or Satan—and chained him up for a thousand years.” Revelation 20.1-2
Life in the Millennium
So, in the absence of Satan, is millennial life perfect? No. The millennium is still a time of sin, death, rebellion, and harsh judgment. Its true character seems to fall between the present age (the “church age”) and the future sinless coexistence of the redeemed in the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21). With reference to death in the millennial age we read:
“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. Isaiah 65:20
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.” Zechariah 4:5
Life will not be prematurely cut off by pestilence and war, but man will live long: “for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” Isaiah 65:22b. The age of a hundred will be thought of as dying young; even the sinner, dying before his time as the penalty of his guilt, will live out 100 years. With this view, the effect of human sin will be reduced, but not eradicated. Death will still exist. Only in the New Earth will God finally wipe away all tears (Rev 21.4). Man’s sinful human nature will also result in national rebellion against Christ’s rule and will be firmly dealt with. Nations will serve the Lord or be punished severely. They will need to go up to Jerusalem and observe at least the Feast of Tabernacles or there will be no rain on their land.
“And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the Lord afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths.” Zechariah 14:17-19
Work will be a blessing, not a curse. Moreover, the wise use of technology will be expanded.
“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain or bear children for calamity, for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their descendants with them.” Isaiah 65:21-23
“Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favour, I have had mercy on you. Your gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut, that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve, you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.” Isaiah 60:10-12
Moses Temple Laws and Statutes
Ezekiel describes how Jewish life continues into the Millennium. The laws and statutes given by God to Moses will still be kept. Zadokites and Levites (caretakers) will still minister to the LORD in the temple.
“The Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me. And they shall stand before me to offer me the fat and the blood, declares the Lord God.” Ezekiel 44:15
God’s Sabbaths, Shemitah’s and Jubilees will be kept, as will God’s feasts like the Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of Tabernacles (Ezekiel 45.21, 25).
“In a dispute, they (Zadokite priests) shall act as judges, and they shall judge it according to my judgments. They shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts, and they shall keep my Sabbaths holy.” Ezekiel 44:24
Scripture infers Jesus appoints the resurrected King David as His prince over Israel.
One responsibility David has is to oversee the observance of the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.
“And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.” Ezekiel 34:23-24
“But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.” Jeremiah 30:9
Note the territory of David the prince is allocated on either side of the Temple.
Jesus will set His twelve disciples as shepherds over the twelve tribes of Israel.
“Jesus said to them, Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matthew 19:28
“You are those who have stayed with Me in My trials, and I assign to you, as My Father assigned to Me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke 22:28-30
“Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:3-4
Jesus and the Saints will rule with a rod of iron and the death penalty will be reinstituted.
There will be no more wars, disputes will be quickly resolved. Jesus and the Saints rule with a rod of iron. The wicked will be killed.
“For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore;” Micah 4:2-3
“He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness, He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall kill the wicked.” Isaiah 11:3-4
“She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron,” Revelation 12:5
“From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron.” Revelation 19:15a
The resurrected Saints are immortal and they no longer marry or have children and are considered priests of God who will reign with Him for the thousand years.
“And Jesus said to them, The sons of this age (Millennials) marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children since they are children of the resurrection.” Luke 20:34-36
“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6
“The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron,“ Revelation 2:26
“Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule with justice.” Isaiah 32:1
Unlike today, people will be full of sense and understanding, and respect and admiration will be reserved only for those who deserve it.
“Even the hotheads will be full of sense and understanding. Those who stammer will speak out plainly. In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes. Scoundrels will not be respected.” Isaiah 32:4-5 (NLT)
The offices of judge and counsellor will be reinstituted
“I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward, you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” Isaiah 1:26
“I will also make your officer’s peace and your magistrates righteousness. Isaiah 60:17
Feast Days
The Feast Days will be upheld and maintained by a resurrected King David note the penalty if nations do not come up to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths).
“And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the Lord afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths.” Zechariah 14:17-19
Sabbath, Shemitah and Jubilee
The lord created the Cosmos in six days and rested on the seventh day to set the pattern for man’s life on His planet. Six days we will work and the seventh is set aside as a holy day, the Lord’s Day, which will be a day of rest but also a day of worship of our Creator. In the Millennium, all nations will uphold the sabbath and the Saints assigned to each nation for observance of holy and feast days will ensure it is upheld. We know David will be given responsibility for observance of Holy and Feast Days so they will ultimately be responsible to Him.
God also gave Israel the Shemitah, a Sabbath year. It, like the Sabbath, was a Holy Year. There would be no working of the land. It was not only for the people but also for the land. The land itself would observe its Sabbath to the Lord. Note the poor had access to eat off the land. For the year the land, in effect, belonged to everyone.
“When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord… The Sabbath of the land shall provide food for you, for yourself and for your male and female slaves (treated like indentured workers) and for your hired worker and the sojourner who lives with you, and for your cattle and for the wild animals that are in your land: all its yield shall be for food.: Leviticus 25:1-7
Just as striking as to what happened to the land during the Sabbatical year is what happened to the people on the last day of that year Elul 29. On that day a sweeping transformation took place in the nation’s financial realm. Everyone who owed a debt was released. And every creditor had to release the debt owed. The nation’s financial accounts were in effect wiped clean.
“At the end of every seven years, you shall grant a release. And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbour. He shall not exact it of his neighbour, his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed. Of a foreigner, you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release. But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess— if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today.” Deuteronomy 15:1-5
The year of Shemitah would begin with the releasing of land and end with the day of Remission when the people themselves would be released of all debt.
The Jubilee laws in the Torah are found within the Holiness Code in the book of Leviticus.
The Jubilee had nothing to do with the redistribution of land and assets, or with the “cancellation” of large debts in the way modern politicians and activists often define these things. Israelite society was set up in the Torah to prevent the formation of an elite landed aristocracy. The Jubilee helped to preserve Israel as a unified coalition of independent tribal families, each with their own land and local government. God had allocated the land to each tribe and it was to be maintained. The jubilee is a recurring safety net to prevent any permanent alienation of land.
It was a means of preserving some equilibrium between the different tribes, so that individual farmers and families, rather than a handful of landowners or government bureaucrats, could maintain their independence and live with dignity off their own land, to the glory of God.
The Jubilee points more towards an agrarian ideal of “living off the land,” one characterized by decentralization of power, the absence of business monopolies, and the protection of both the individual and the land itself from oppressive commercial and economic practices.
The Jubilee did not result in debt being “cancelled” as if by a magic wand. The Jubilee was not aimed at obliterating “income inequality” or one person’s ability to gain more wealth than another. In terms of debt cancellation, what the Jubilee did was create a system whereby debts could be paid off by leasing one’s land to a temporary “purchaser,” so that by the time of the Jubilee the debt would be repaid to the purchaser/lender through the crops harvested from the land. This arrangement of debt repayment through land-lease agreements before the Jubilee is outlined in Leviticus 25:13–16:
Jubilee wasn’t about debt cancellation or debt forgiveness per se. It was an institution that allowed debts to be repaid without permanently separating a person (and their descendants) from their ancestral inheritance.
Certain laws in Deuteronomy 15 do appear to “cancel” some debts by requiring the lender to absorb the remaining costs in the seventh year. However, these were smaller debts held by the poorest of the poor (Deut. 15:1–8), which still had to be paid back to whatever extent possible. Overall, the Torah balances responsible debt repayment with charity towards the poor/indebted Israelite. One can be assured that this will be maintained in the Millennium.
Leviticus 25:29 says that properties bought within a “walled city” carried no “redemption rights” after one year and did “not revert in the jubilee,” meaning some people could acquire more properties within cities.
The Torah presupposes that people will enjoy what they produce, those different people will produce different amounts, and those different people will own different amounts of real estate. But it also presupposes care for the poor, and for those who have been forced into difficult life circumstances (e.g. debt, servitude, loss of property, etc.).
Cycles of rest, remission, and liberation are God’s ideal for His people and His entire creation.
If Israel failed to observe their Sabbath cycle of years, including the Jubilee, God promised in Leviticus 26:32-35 that they would be conquered and that their land would be given over to their enemies, in part, so that the land would have a chance to “enjoy its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, while you are in your enemies land; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths” (Lev. 26:34).
The natural Jubilee eventually evolved into a prophetic symbol of the holistic physical and spiritual freedom God’s people will experience when the Messiah arrives to establish His kingdom. In the Hebrew prophets, the Messianic Age is presented to us as the Age of Jubilee.