The Kingdom: Earthly or Heavenly?

[Guest shilou]

One Accord

I had always pictured us doing the cleaning and rebuilding but not the same kind of structures that make the landscape ugly. I mean we have the most reknowned carpenter as a teacher. Heres my reasoning for this. We were built to be busy, not to spend our time in idleness. When I was a kid growing up in the country the best memories I have are of when everyone got together to build a barn, or a garage for a neighbor or relative. I see us all working side by side without selfish motives and all of us happy and filled with joy to be doing it for the Lord. I see us doing things not to get ahead but just happy to be spending the time together, the kind of work that creates contentment and fulfillment. Good clean happy people doing happy work. I also see us spending our time exploring the mysteries of God's universe and learning all there is to know about it as he reveals it to us. I have absolutely nothing to base this on but a dream, a wish, a hope. God will do His part with the environment, but we will build his cities. And we will celebrate His festivals. There will be children running and laughter will fill the land. The animal will become our friend and their romping and playing and communion with us will be our delight and joy. There will no longer be competition between kings and rulers, and all will know without a doubt to whom they owe their loyalty. No more squabbles about what is true or not because we will all be of like mind on what is right and wrong and we will all be in agreement on how best to serve our king. Christ himself will appoint each of us to our tasks and it will be what fits us perfectly. We will live in a true garden of Eden in the environment, the spirit, body and soul. Christ will minister to us through love, he will not be a ruler that is unapproachable, or unaccountable but one of justice and devine authority. When we end the day and rest it will not be the sounds of traffic or blaring TV's or phones that we hear but the sounds of Gods world filling our ears and soothing our bodies. We are still people and God created us for a purpose. The first purpose is to love Him with all our hearts. But I often wonder like you what I will be doing in this new kingdom of His and as I said this is only my imagination taking flight, but then again my imagination was given to me by the one who knows all. But beyond all that One Accord the real trick is to not know everything but to rest in the absolute trust that no matter how it all comes down it will be spectacular and perfectly what you need.

In Yeshua's love

Shilou

[OneAccord]

Beautiful post, shilou. Thank you, you are always inspiring to read, the Lord really shines through you, sister.

I guess another question comes to mind as I try to imagine the millenial kingdom. In Revelation we are told that heaven and earth will pass away and a a new heaven and a new earth will be created. So why all the rebuilding and restoration if it's just going to be destroyed by fire as in II Peter?

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OneAccord

Does one build a building for the sake of the building or the people who are to live in it ? What value is there in a Building? Is it not its ability to shelter us? And if we no longer need that building then is that building not worthless?

When God, at the end of the 1000 years, brings down a perfect new home for us on earth that will make the houses we built obsolete and therefore worthless.

I'm not saying that what we build during the 1000 years will be worthless because it will be worthwhile as long as we need it. But when the New Jerusalem comes it will make what we have built obsolete.

Think of today the world values oil for it is essential to fuel our transport industry, but in the future if someone where to develop a water driven engine then what would happen to the price of oil ? It would become worthless. But its worthlessness would not change the fact that it once had worth.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

[Guest idolsmasher]

Came late on this so I'm starting at the beginning and

Is the millenenial kingdom different from the eternal kingdom?

Yes it is.

Is there an earthly kingdom for 1000 years and then an eternal heavenly kingdom after the millenium?

Yes but they kind of co-exist during the Millenium. The saved will be governing and ruling the earth but will be a part of the eternal kingdom.

Does everyone get resurrected to live in the millenial kingdom or are we waiting for the eternal kingdom?

The saved will either be translated at rapture or resurrected, depending on your state of being at the time. You will then be a part of the eternal kingdom. The people living on the earth will be those who lived through the tribulation, wrath of God, and armegeddon, and their descendants. They will be the ones who will also clean up the earth after everything that happens and it takes awhile.

Where does the 'rapture' fit into this? If the church is raptured out, are they then brought back to earth for the millenial kingdom?

I believe the saved will be transformed into our heavenly bodies which will be much like Christ's resurrected body and that we will have supernatural power to rule and reign the earth by God's will. We will be able to appear and disappear etc. So we will be living in both worlds in a sense, the eternal and the earthly.

Is the passing away of the old earth by fire before the millenial kindgom or after the 1000 years? In other words, is the millenial kingdom on the new earth?

The earth gets burned up at the end of the millenium and then there will be a new earth.

Maybe more later.

[OneAccord]

Interesting responses, everyone. Next question:

Are the verses in the Old Testament that are about the new or restored Jerusalem all about the millenial kingdom? Or are some about the millenial kingdom and some about the eternal kingdom and we have to try to sort them out?

Or is the eternal kingdom a mystery in the same way that the church was a mystery until it's revealing through Christ's first coming and the NT saints?

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Interesting responses, everyone. Next question:

Are the verses in the Old Testament that are about the new or restored Jerusalem all about the millenial kingdom? Or are some about the millenial kingdom and some about the eternal kingdom and we have to try to sort them out?

Well that

[Guest shadow2b]

OneAccord

Does one build a building for the sake of the building or the people who are to live in it ? What value is there in a Building? Is it not its ability to shelter us? And if we no longer need that building then is that building not worthless?

When God, at the end of the 1000 years, brings down a perfect new home for us on earth that will make the houses we built obsolete and therefore worthless.

I'm not saying that what we build during the 1000 years will be worthless because it will be worthwhile as long as we need it. But when the New Jerusalem comes it will make what we have built obsolete.

Think of today the world values oil for it is essential to fuel our transport industry, but in the future if someone where to develop a water driven engine then what would happen to the price of oil ? It would become worthless. But its worthlessness would not change the fact that it once had worth.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

What makes you think "WE" will be building houses in the 1,000 yr. reign of JESUS-YESHUA & HIS saints ruling with HIM?????? man-o-man That really CONfuses me????--interesting concept tho-----

----Gary------ :upsided: :il:

[OneAccord]

No I do not think the eternal kingdom is a mystery it is shown clearly in the end of Revelation what it will be like.

All Praise The Ancient Of Days

I guess I meant was the eternal kingdom a mystery in the OT the same way the church was a mystery in the OT. Revelation is part of the NT where the mystery of the church has already been revealed.

Shadow:

I believe it is thought we will be building houses because of Isaiah 65:21 They shall buid houses and inhabit them....

What I'm not so sure about is whether this means Israel or all of us gentile saints too.

[Guest yod]

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[OneAccord]

Thanks yod, you have reassured me that these are not stupid questions but are actually very difficult.

Isaiah Chapter 6, when Isaiah is called to be a prophet, gives us a glimpse of the throne that matches up with images in Revelation 4&5.

Also in Isaiah 65:17 and a few passages elsewhere, like 66:22, it speaks of the news heavens and the new earth, a nd the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. I assume this corresponds to Rev. 21 and 2Peter 3:10.

So do we see the new heaven and the new earth BEFORE the millenium? Is Rev 21 speaking of eternity then, or the millenial reign?

I find this VERY confusing, folks, and wonder how many of us truly get this????