4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

In a previous devotional we covered how the book of Revelation declares that after the end of the 7 year tribulation Jesus triumphantly returns to earth and reclaims His ownership.  The beast and the false prophet have convinced untold millions, even billions, to pledge their allegiance to the beast and have taken his mark on their wrist or forehead (the name of the beast equated to the number 666).  

Upon Jesus’ return He quickly captures and throws the beast and false prophet into the final hell, the lake of fire, where they will spend 1000 years alone in burning torment.  The beast and false prophet do not return, instead they are joined after 1000 years by Satan, his angels, and all unbelievers forever.  It is a gripping reality that should shake all of us to the core.

What ushers in the Millennial Kingdom, prior to the banishment of Satan to the lake of fire, is a time where the Saints possess and rule the Kingdom with Jesus.  We see in this period a perfectly designed and executed government, lead by our Lord Jesus Christ.  In addition to the spiritual blessings covered previously, great physical blessings will ensue as well:

  • The environment is greatly blessed – Isaiah 35:1-2 – The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God.
  • Rain and food will be plentiful – Isaiah 30:23-24 – “And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. In that day your livestock will graze in large pastures, and the oxen and the donkeys that work the ground will eat seasoned fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork.”
  • Animals and humans live in perfect harmony – Isaiah 11:6-7 – “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard 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”.
  • Humans will live extremely long lives, leading to enormous population growth (for the surviving tribulation saints and their offspring) – 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.”
  • Sickness will be non-existent – Isaiah 29:18; 33:24 – In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.   And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity.
  • All will be prosperous – Jeremiah 31:12-14 – “They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more. Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the LORD.”

Throughout the 1000 year millennium, and eternity to come, physical (and spiritual) blessings will abound.  Jesus has made us a part of His perfect plan.  We can barely understand how amazing it will be.

God bless,

Ron