♫ ☼ The City of God ☼ ♫

From Arthur & Rosalind Eedle
www.oxleigh.freeserve.co.uk

6th March 2008

You have come to Mount Zion, City of the Living God, heavenly Jerusalem.  Heb.12:22

Chapter 15.  No more curses (Part 3)

Thus far we have only considered the two curses placed on womankind. In this chapter we shall investigate the other curses listed in chapter 13.

The Lord said there would be no more curses. But what about the curses placed on Satan?  Surely these are not removed?  No, during the Millennial Kingdom, Satan is bound, and therefore he is unable to influence the progress on earth of the Kingdom Rule. But as far as the Paradise of God is concerned, even if Satan were still free, he would not be able to gain access to the Holy City, and therefore as far as the sons of resurrection are concerned, it matters not if Satan is still cursed.

In order to understand conditions during the Millennial Reign, it will be best to turn to the latter half of Isaiah 65, where the New Heavens and New Earth are described. Here it is, as best as I can read it from the Interlinear Hebrew, together with help from various translations.

"For behold, I create new heavens and new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come to mind.

You should rather rejoice and be glad forever in what I create,

For behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy;

And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and be glad in my people.

And there shall no more be heard in her the voice of weeping and the cry of distress,

Never again shall there be a baby who lives but a few days,

Or an old man who has not filled out his days.

If a man should die at a hundred years of age, he will still be a youth,

But being a sinner, he will be cursed by being severed from the land of the living.

They shall build houses and live in them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit;

They shall not build, then find another live in them, nor plant for others to eat.

For the days of my people shall be like the days of a tree,

And my elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth unto trouble,

For they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.

Before they call I will answer, while they are speaking I will hear.

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox,

And the serpent shall have dust for its food.

They shall not do evil or destroy in all my Holy Mountain, says the Lord."

Some commentators suggest that the New Heavens and New Earth represent the Eternal State. However, as I pointed out in chapter 1 of this series, there are too many verses of Scripture that indicate conditions far removed from perfection.  See the above passage. It begins with the new heavens and new earth, and finishes with God's Holy Mountain, but sandwiched in-between is the penalty falling on the one who defies God's Kingdom State.  It is better to place the prophecy in a Millennial context, and realise that two things are going alongside each other in the Millennium, namely, the Heavenly City, complete and operating, and a renewed earth. But the renewed earth will not be brought about in a day. It will take much time of restoration with Kingdom Rule operating until it reaches its fulness.

In this chapter we shall see from Isaiah's prophecy that certain curses have been dealt with, whilst no doubt others, unmentioned, have also been removed. The prophet gives us a peaceful scene to contemplate, where all kinds of wretchedness will exist only in one's memory. Human life span will have returned to its antediluvian measure of nearly a thousand years. We also learn that a century's old man will still be a youth. In other words, the process of physical maturing will be much slower than now. Before the Flood we read about the age of each patriarch at the birth of their firstborn. The earliest recorded is that of Mahalaleel, at 65 years, but several are well over the century, for example Methuselah at 187 years, and Lamech at 182 years. This suggests that men and women married on the average at about 100 years of age.

For this to come about, the Earth will need to be restored to its antediluvian condition. That suggests the removal of the "vanity" or purposelessness Paul spoke about in Romans 8.  Something quite dramatic will have to take place physically, something that only God can provide, tantamount to a reversal of the effect of the Flood of Noah's day. No wonder "the whole earth is at rest, and quiet, they break forth into singing." (Isa.14:7) The very thought of this great physical change taking place in days to come is enough to cause us to burst into song right now!

Another great change mentioned twice by Isaiah concerns earth's livestock. The above passage refers to some animals, but in chapter 11 he had expanded the subject. "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 fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.  The cow and the bear shall feed, their young ones shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea. . . . And His Rest shall be glorious." (Isa.11:6-10) Here again, the change is something that only God can bring about. Not only is the carnivorous nature of beasts like lions and leopards changed, but also the curse placed on man after the Flood is removed, so that little children can lead them about as pets. The "fear and dread" of man will have disappeared.

A change of heart will come about with many people as they witness these marvellous changes. Instead of shutting their ears to the proclamation of Biblical truths, they will say, "Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths,' for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isa.2:3)

But there is another side to this coin. Man's nature will not have changed, and the Lord will deal with it in a manner not observed in history. "The earth is defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed laws, changed ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant." (Isa.24:5) There will be a divine legislature operating, laws dispensed mainly through the resurrected sons, those who comprise the New Jerusalem, and penalties for non-compliance. Isaiah saw plainly what this would be like.  "He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."  (Isa.2:4) I think I'm right in saying that these words have been carved in the entrance to the United Nations building in New York. But what goes on inside that building today is a travesty of the words "peace" and "justice."  But in the Millennial scene a divine restraint will be placed on man's violent nature. Suppose he refuses to comply? What then?  The Psalmist had the answer. "Morning by morning will the workers of iniquity be cut off from the City of the Lord." (Ps.101:8 "Every morning  He will bring His judgment to light, He will not fail." (Zeph.3:5)  No waiting around, instant judgment and sentencing.

So terrifying will this judgment scene be to some, that "they will go into the caves of the earth" to hide from the "glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake terribly the earth." (Isa.2:19)  For this will be the Day of the Lord, and "it will be upon every one who is proud and haughty, and upon every one who is self-satisfied . . . and the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." (Isa.2:12-17)

But "in mercy, in lovingkindness, shall the Throne be established, and He shall sit upon it in truth in the Tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment and prompt in equity." (Isa.16:5) And "He will swallow up in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations."  (Isa.25:7)  Truth will emerge from the earth like daffodils in spring, when the Satanic vail is removed. No longer will there be any excuse for not knowing God, or giving Him the glory which is His rightful due. Truly, "when God's judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." (Isa.26:9)  "In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the scroll, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. The meek shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." (Isa.29:19)  Those who erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and those who murmured shall accept instruction." (Isa.29:24)

"Behold a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. . . . and the eyes of those who see shall not be dim, and the ears of those who hear shall hearken. The heart of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall speak plainly. The vile person shall no more be called noble, nor the covetous said to be bountiful. . . . but the noble man will devise noble things, and by noble things he will stand." (Isa.32:1-8)    "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."  (Isa.40:5)  And the Lord will say, "Remember not the former things, neither consider the things of old, for behold I will do a new thing, and now it shall spring forth. Shall you not know of it?"  (Isa.43:18)  And again He will say, "Look unto me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word has gone forth from my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me shall every knee bow, and every tongue shall swear." (Isa.45:22-23)

God is working His purpose out as year succeeds to year;
God is working his purpose out, and the time is drawing near;
Nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.

From utmost east to utmost west, where’er man’s foot hath trod,
By the mouth of many messengers goes forth the voice of God:
“Give ear to Me, ye continents, ye isles, give ear to Me,”
That the earth may be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.

What can we do to work God’s work, to prosper and increase
The brotherhood of all mankind, the reign of the Prince of Peace?
What can we do to hasten the time, the time that shall surely be,
When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.

March we forth in the strength of God, with the banner of Christ unfurled,
That the light of the glorious Gospel of truth may shine throughout the world;
Fight we the fight with sorrow and sin to set their captives free,
That the earth may be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.

All we can do is nothing worth unless God blesses the deed;
Vainly we hope for the harvest-tide till God gives life to the seed;
Yet near and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
When the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.

Hymn written in 1894 by Arthur C. Ainger (1841 - 1919) , based on Hab.2:14
Ainger was an assistant master at Eton College for 40 years