The Kingdom of God: An Earth Transformed
Jesus Christ will restore God’s Kingdom over the territory of the entire earth. How will His righteous rule change the orb we call earth?
So, what will that Kingdom’s civic structure be like? What will happen to the earth itself?
The Bible reveals that, as part of Jesus Christ’s reign on earth, He and His subjects will rebuild and repair the earth, which will have been badly damaged by the wars and destruction of the 3½-year Great Tribulation (Isaiah 27:10; Micah 5:10-14). But not only will the earth be rebuilt and repaired, it will also experience a miraculous change of landscape, climate and ecology!
How civic life will change
Here are some highlights of what Bible prophecies reveal about the earth changing under the rule of the Kingdom of God:
- Cities will be blessed. “My [God’s] cities shall again spread out through prosperity” (Zechariah 1:17).
- Agriculture will gain prominence as a lifestyle. “They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them” (Amos 9:14).
Biblical prophecy is full of promises of a productive earth. Individuals and families will enjoy homes with property that will allow them to meet their needs (see Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10).
- A highway will ease travel to Jerusalem. “A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. ... No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; ... But the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing” (Isaiah 35:8-10).
This highway will serve to unite the world’s inhabitants (Isaiah 11:16) and likely will be used to make traveling to Jerusalem for the annual holy days easier (Zechariah 14:16).
Not only will the earth be rebuilt and repaired, it will also experience a miraculous change of landscape, climate and ecology!
How the earth’s land will change
Due to mankind’s selfish and shortsighted use of the land, warfare and the byproducts of industrial development, the earth itself will need serious repair. But God, in His limitless power, will not stop there.
Here are some of the changes we can look forward to:
- The topography of the earth will be changed. “Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth” (Isaiah 40:4).
Combined with other scriptures in the prophets, it appears that God will miraculously change the topography of the earth to remove natural barriers that have resulted in harsh landscapes and isolation. This may also be done to make a larger percentage of the world inhabitable—in order to provide room for a growing human population.
- The climate will shift to provide fruitfulness and other benefits. “Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; for the open pastures are springing up, and the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their strength. ... So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2:22, 25).
With the changes in topography, regions that have historically been barren will “blossom as the rose” (Isaiah 35:1; see also verses 6 and 7). Think about areas like the Sahara Desert receiving adequate water and producing vegetation. Currently the Sahara Desert occupies 3,320,000 square miles of North Africa. Imagine this land being healed and inhabited!
- The nature of wild animals will change. “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, … and a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11:6). God will change the nature and digestive system of carnivorous animals. Animals that formerly fed on flesh will feed on vegetation (Isaiah 65:25). Yes, there is a time coming when little children will safely be able to play with a lion or a bear like they would play with a small puppy!
- The earth will be healed of pollution and uncleanness. “This water [from Jerusalem] flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there” (Ezekiel 47:8-9).
The oceans, which now are contaminated with chemical byproducts from industrial mismanagement and floating trash, as well as the land whose pollution has brought death and disease to animal and plant life, will be healed by God’s miraculous power (Joel 3:18; Zechariah 14:8).
God’s Kingdom on earth will mean a reversal and, indeed, a brand-new land and civic structure that will provide physical blessings in abundance where there once was desolation.
This is the third in a four part series on The Kingdom of God. To read part 2, see “The Kingdom of God: Who Will Be In It?” To continue this series, read part 4 "The Kingdom of God: The Rule of Law."
To learn more, read “The Kingdom of God: The Best News You Could Hear!”
Date Posted: September 29, 2017
