What to expect in the Millennium - The Curse is Lifted

For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.  Romans 8:20-23

We left off last week talking about what our glorified bodies will be like.  But what about the earth? Romans 8 indicates that the earth is right now groaning and travailing to be set free from its slavery to corruption. This corruption happened during the fall of man when God cursed the earth  (See Genesis 3) But after Jesus's return, that curse is lifted. So what will it be like? 

We know from descriptions of the Garden of Eden that the earth was lush, full of fruit-bearing trees and edible vegetation, waterfalls and lakes and rivers and animals that were friendly.  In other words, paradise.  

• Earthquakes and volcanoes will cease
• Weather pattens and climate will change
• Don't have to work to produce food. There won't be weeds or thorns
• Deserts turn green (under Sahara they found evidence of a once-lush jungle)
• All animals and birds and reptiles become vegetarians. Isaiah 11:6-9

And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatted domestic animal together; and a little child shall lead them.  And the cow and the bear shall feed side by side, their young shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

• No more premature deaths. Everyone will fulfill their days. A child will stop being a child at 100 years old. People will leave close to 1000 years  Isaiah 65:20
• In other words, people born during the time will be like Adam and Eve.. they can walk and talk with God in the gardens. Earth will be like God originally intended.

Changes in Israel
And in that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah will flow with water; And a spring will go out from the house of the Lord To water the valley of Shittim.  Joel 3:18

• Mount of Olives will be split from East to West forming a valley  Zechariah 14:4
• River flowing out of the house of God.. Joel 3.  All empty ravines will fill with water. Old dried up brooks will fill.
• Living waters will flow out from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, making the Dead Sea come to life again  Zechariah 14 :8 
• The Tree of Life will border this great river coming out of the temple, and it's leaves are used to heal sicknesses.

Through the middle of the broadway of the city; also, on either side of the river was the tree of life with its twelve varieties of fruit, yielding each month its fresh crop; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing and the restoration of the nations. Revelation 22:2

• Land around Jerusalem will become a lush plain  Zech 14:10
• Jesus will rule the eart out of Zion.  Zech 14:9
• Millennial temple - described and measured in Ezekiel 40
• Once a year all nations go up to Jerusalem to celebrate Feast of Tabernacles.  Zech 14:16 
• Those nations and people who don't go to the Feast will be punished with no rain.  What this says to me is that there will be people on the earth who will choose to not worship God. There will be people who do not want to follow God and resent His rulership. Which is one of the reasons we will be needed to help him rule throughout the earth

Yet everyone is given a choice. Tune in next week to discover the culmination of the Millennium and what happens when Satan is released.