We have seen already that the Saviour will return to this earth to exercise the kingdom He will receive from His Father. For 1000 years He will reign with His saints in this earth. We have seen too that the earth will undergo significant natural change.
What will the spiritual condition of the earth be during the millennium? The earth will be populated by those who are glorified and by many people and nations of unsaved whose sin is restrained by Divine rule and virtue of the fact that the devil’s power is bound for that 1000 year period. There will however still be sin and sinners in the earth. Cp Rev 20:7-8, Is 65:20, Zech 14:17-19.
I THE WORSHIP OF GOD WILL BE THE FOCUS OF THE EARTH.
- Generally, all creation will worship God. Nature will sing and rejoice on God’s redeeming grace. Cp Rom 8:23, Is 55:8-13.
- A global priority. Cp Is 2:1-5. Nations/many peoples will come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. This will be the homage of the unsaved rather than the spiritual worship of the redeemed. There is a precedent for this, 2Chron 9:23. This is an important part of the meaning of Phil 2:9-11.
- The heavenly city. Cp Rev 21:24-27. The heavenly city will, during the millennial period, be as a satellite of the earth—like the moon. It too will be a focus of homage/worship for the nations of earth, though none but the redeemed will have right to enter it.
II A MODIFIED FORM OF LEVITICAL WORSHIP WILL BE IN PLACE.
- There will be a Temple in Jerusalem. Cp Is 2:3.
- Already in place before Christ returns. Cp 2Thess 2:2-4, Dan 9:27, Matt 24:15.
- To this Temple the Saviour will return in glory and never leave again. Cp Hag 2:6-9, Ezek 43:1-12.
- Highlights of millennial Temple worship, Ezekiel 43-46. The contents of these chapters are particularly drawn to our attention. Cp 40:4, 44:5. There are both present and future applications, 43:10, 44:6, 45:9.