Geological Changes in Israel and the World

During the Seventh Bowl Judgement, there are massive changes to the earth’s geology and therefore its geography.

“And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city (Jerusalem) was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.” Revelation 16:18-20

Israel’s Borders

The future western border of Israel is ‘the Great Sea (Mediterranean Sea)’, (Ezekiel 47.20). This must refer to the Millennial earth and not to the new earth since the new earth has no sea (Revelation 21.1).

Division of the Land of Israel to the Twelve Tribes

“Thus says the Lord God: “This is the boundary by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. And you shall divide equally what I swore to give to your fathers. This land shall fall to you as your inheritance. This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, and on to Zedad, Berothah, Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enan, which is on the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This shall be the north side. On the east side, the boundary shall run between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar. This shall be the east side. On the south side, it shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side. On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side.” Ezekiel 47:13-20

God says He will rebuild the ruined places and replant that which was made desolate when the wrath of God is poured out during the Trumpet (Revelation 8&9) and Bowl judgements (Revelation 16). God also says He will increase the people of Israel like a flock. There will be lots of babies born and there will be no infant mortality. He says the waste cities will be filled with people. I assume that the surviving nations will flourish as well but not to the same extent.

Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it. ” Ezekiel 36:36-38

“I will open rivers on the barren heights, and springs in the middle of the plains. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and dry land into springs of water. I will plant cedars in the desert, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees. I will put juniper trees in the desert, elms and cypress trees together, so that all may see and know, consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.” Isaiah 41:18-20

“On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.” Zechariah 14:8

‘Living waters’ flow from the new temple and wherever they flow they give life. Half of the waters flow east towards the ‘eastern sea’ (Zech. 14.8) and the map shows the latter to be the northern end of the Dead or Salt Sea. The effect is to remove the salt and enable ‘very many fish’ to live there – enabling fishermen to work from Engedi to Eneglaim.

“From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea.” Ezekiel 47:10

“But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:11-12

Why such detail if it is purely symbolic?

“The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s winepresses.” Zechariah 14:10

“In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit.“ Isaiah 27:6

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.” Isaiah 35:1-2

“For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;” Isaiah 35:6-8

Jerusalem

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills, and all the nations shall flow to it,

In the millennium, Jerusalem takes on the names of a redeemed city. It is called ‘The Holy City, ‘The City of Truth‘, and ‘The Lord is There‘, reflecting the presence of Christ and the dissemination of the law from Jerusalem. In fact, the name itself, Jerusalem, is likely from the root ‘shalom’, and so Jerusalem is ‘the City of Peace’.

“Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain.” Zechariah 8:3

“The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.” Ezekiel 48:35

The Gates of the City
“These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. On the east side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. On the south side, which is to be 4,500 cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. On the west side, which is to be 4,500 cubits, three gates, the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali.” Ezekiel 48:30-34

Jesus will control all aspects of nature

It is probable that imperfect aspects of nature, such as drought, locust, earthquake, and flood will be removed except when ordained as a judgement on a nation.

“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Romans 8:19-20

“He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” Isaiah 27:6

Once God’s Kingdom is established in Jerusalem among the people of Israel, Christ will ask representatives of all nations to come to Jerusalem to learn about His laws. He will summon them to Jerusalem to attend God’s annual Feast of Tabernacles:

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” Zechariah 14:16; see Leviticus 23:33-44

Scripture reveals that not all nations will immediately cooperate. Early in Christ’s reign, strong measures still will be necessary to convince most nations that He intends to enforce the laws of God.

“He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people” Isaiah 2:4

How will He make this clear, especially to nations who obstinately refuse to attend the Feast of Tabernacles? His means of communicating His message to them will be straightforward. He will simply demonstrate His control over the natural forces of the earth.

“And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain” Zechariah 14:17

The nations will quickly learn that their existence depends on God’s blessing. Good weather and bountiful crops are blessings from God. From this time forward only nations that obey God will reap those blessings. All others will not. Such a system will serve as a convincing argument. In time, all nations will respond.

Rewarding the saints

Jesus Christ has promised to reward people who through the ages have faithfully served Him (Revelation 11:18; Revelation 22:12). Notice their part in His Kingdom: 

“Blessed and holy is he who has a part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6

From the beginning of Christ’s millennial reign the faithful servants of God—including many who will have suffered severe persecution and martyrdom—will serve as the teachers and administrators of that wonderful world to come. They will assist Jesus in teaching the ways of peace and righteousness to the nations. This will fulfill Christ’s promise to His Church:

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” Revelation 3:21

The prophet Daniel foretold the same thing:

“Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him” Daniel 7:27

Christ does not plan to change the world single-handedly. At His coming, His faithful servants will be immediately transformed from flesh and blood into immortal spirit beings who can assist Him. Paul explained:

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:50-53

These transformed beings will sit with Jesus Christ on His throne. They will serve with Him as teachers and administrators during His millennial reign.

Since Christ will establish Jerusalem as His capital, the first people to experience the effects of His rule will be the restored kingdom of Israel. As their King, He will immediately establish a close working relationship with them:

“Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst…Indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” Ezekiel 37:26-28

The people of Israel will play a necessary role in helping other nations implement God’s ways. Once God has forgiven their sins, Jesus Christ will begin using a humbled and repentant Israel to spread the knowledge of God’s law to other nations. The whole world will gradually come under the administration of a unified code of law, the law of God. Jesus will coordinate this as He reigns over the nations from Jerusalem. The world will finally learn to obey God’s law.

Israel will help the nations learn God’s ways

Concerning the restored nation of Israel during Christ’s millennial reign, God says:

“Behold … I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return and will rebuild those places as at the first. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities … Then [Jerusalem] shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.” Jeremiah 33:6-9

As the people of Israel learn to follow God’s ways, their example will inspire other nations to seek the same way of life and to want to reap the same blessings:

“Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” Zechariah 8:22-23

Nations will see that keeping God’s law works. They will come to Jerusalem to learn how they can apply it in their own lands:

“Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem ” Micah 4:2

“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” Isaiah 11:9

The fruit of righteous knowledge

With Jesus Christ as King, Jerusalem will be the center of learning for the world. God’s Word, the Bible, will provide a solid foundation for the development of education and knowledge:

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth…It shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:11-13

Prosperity will increase while crime and corruption will cease:

“Instead of bronze, I will bring gold, instead of iron I will bring silver, instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. I will also make your officer’s peace and your magistrate’s righteousness. Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders.” Isaiah 60:17-18

It takes much more than mere knowledge, however, to produce lasting peace and cooperation. A spiritual change is also necessary. It will be that spiritual change in the people of Israel that will inspire other nations to admire their way of life and want to emulate it:

“O house of Israel,…for My holy name’s sake…I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36:22-27

The spiritual restoration of humanity is the most important transformation that will occur during this millennial period when the world is transformed. The Spirit of God will enable people to willingly and enthusiastically obey Him from the heart:

“But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10

God’s Spirit will phenomenally transform people. Obedience will be widespread; people will exhibit honorable leadership and enjoy a stable society:

“I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward, you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” Isaiah 1:26

The changes will be permanent, lasting throughout subsequent generations:

“Also your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever … that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.” Isaiah 60:21-22

Each new generation will carry on this tradition of righteousness:

“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” Isaiah 54:13

People the world over will notice and respect their example:

“Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the posterity whom the LORD has blessed.” Isaiah 61:9

Spirituality spreads

As people from other nations see what happens in Jerusalem and its environs, they too will want to serve the living God:

“Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant—even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer…For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:6-7

Finally, the barriers between Israel and other nations will fall. This will occur because all will eventually realize

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” Galatians 3:28

Physical blessings

As people the world over begin to obey God, first by getting their spiritual priorities straight, they will begin to experience unprecedented physical prosperity:

“‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it…They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.'” Amos 9:13-14

Isaiah compares this time to a perpetual feast with the best of everything:

“On this mountain, the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.” Isaiah 25:6

Notice this inspiring description of blessings yet to come:

“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the LORD—and their descendants as well. Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox … They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. ” Isaiah 65:21-25

This vision of the millennial reign of Christ is not an illusion but a promise of reality. Jesus Christ will return to earth to spiritually transform its people and establish utopia, a paradise on earth. The combination of removing Satan’s influence, giving humanity God’s Spirit and teaching the world the laws and ways of God will produce 1,000 years of peace and a society blessed beyond its wildest dreams.

But, incredible as this sounds, prophecy reveals that an even more amazing period awaits mankind, the new heaven and a new earth.