During this era there will be a reinstatement of longer lifespans for humans, and it's important to keep in mind that these are humans who are still inhabiting mortal bodies at the return of Christ. If these events and these timelines seem confusing, they will be mostly cleared up when we arrive at the book of Revelation, although I must point out that some Christian scholars believe that some of these passages are meant to be taken more symbolically than literally, which is another subject we will discuss when we study the last days.
As we begin our study today we focus on the city of Jerusalem, which will be the capitol city of the world during the reign of Christ. The Lord says of that city: "Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child; the one who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed." (Isaiah 65:20) You will recall that early in the Old Testament there were people who lived hundreds of years. This appears to recur during the millennium, likely because the tempter is in prison and the "pollution" of the environment (caused by sin) is less prevalent.
"They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of My people; My chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain, nor will they bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them." (Isaiah 65:21-23) The references to "My people" and "My chosen ones" remind us that the Lord's message in the book of Isaiah is primarily to the nation of Israel. While it's true that there are passages in the book of Isaiah that reference the Redeemer (the Redeemer of all people), the majority of the book of Isaiah deals with the sins of the people of Isaiah's time and with their coming defeat and captivity. It also deals with the eventual return to the land and the far off future reestablishment of Israel as a sovereign nation in the world. Time and again we've found the Lord promising to restore the people to the land and to restore the land itself. With this in mind, it's natural for Isaiah to talk about what their conditions will be like during the millennial kingdom age.
The Israelites will behold the King of kings during the millennium, as He sits on the throne of David at Jerusalem. This will instill in them a reverence for the Lord like never before. In Revelation we learn that after the 1,000 years are over, Satan will be released for a time, and there will be some people from all nations who will forsake the Lord and fall into sin, but during the 1,000 years the people will look to the Lord and He will answer them. In Isaiah's day there were a lot of unanswered prayers because a majority of the people's hearts were far from the Lord, but during the millennium it appears that the majority of the people's hearts will reverence the Lord, for there won't be any unfulfilled needs. "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." (Isaiah 65:24)
Humans will be at peace with each other during the millennial kingdom. They will be at peace with the animal kingdom and the animals will be at peace with each other. "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, says the Lord." (Isaiah 65:25) It will be like the Garden of Eden. It will be a time of peace and prosperity. It will be an era in which all creatures will behold the face of the Creator. And yet many will turn against Him after the 1,000 years are over. Just as Adam and Eve sinned against the Lord in the Garden of Eden although they had everything they needed, so also will some of the people of earth sin against the Lord although they have everything they needed.
But that time is still far away in Isaiah's day. It may still be far away in our day, for all we know. So we will pause between Chapter 65 and Chapter 66 to discuss some things about the Eden-like state of earth and talk more tomorrow about the millennial kingdom and the eternal kingdom. We will talk about how the entire creation will be affected positively during those ages.
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