Earth's Golden Age

Earth’s Golden Age lies ahead. It will not be ushered in by humanitarian efforts but by divine intervention. Jesus will return triumphantly to earth, rescue the planet from a moral tailspin, destroy the wicked, and establish a kingdom of righteousness and peace (Revelation 19:11—20:6; Isaiah 2:1–4). Jerusalem will mark the center of Jesus’ kingdom reign (Zechariah 14:17), and Earth will undergo a dramatic renewal program.

• Deserts and wasteland will blossom profusely. Forests will spring up, and grasslands will cover the land (Isaiah 35:1, 2, 7).
• The blind will see; the deaf will hear; the lame will leap; and the mute will shout for joy (verses 5, 6)
• Water shortage will be a thing of the past (verse 7a).
• Gladness and joy will be replace sorrow and sighing (verse 10).
• The Dead Sea will become a fresh-water fisherman’s paradise (Ezekiel 47:9b, 10).
• Longevity and good health will prevail (Isaiah 65:20; Revelation 22:2).
• There will be no power outages (Isaiah 60:19, 20).
• The infant mortality rate will be zero (Isaiah 65:20).
• Everyone will eat well and live securely (Isaiah 65:21, 22).
• Property rights will be respected (Micah 4:4).
• Violence will cease, and prisons will be empty (Isa. 60:18).
• The streets will be safe for children (Zechariah 8:5).
• Children will be safe even around snakes (Isaiah 11:8).
• Wild animals will abandon their savagery. Former predators and prey will live in harmony (Isaiah 11:6, 7a).
• Previously carnivorous animals will be herbivorous (Isaiah 11:7b).
• Universal peace will prevail (Isaiah 9:7).
• Jesus will judge righteously, justly, and decisively (Isa. 11:3, 4).
• Israel will be exalted among the nations (Zechariah 14:16).
• Knowledge of the Lord will pervade the earth (Isaiah 11:9).
• Righteousness and holiness will be reflected in even the most unexpected places (Zechariah 14:20, 21).

What a pleasant place earth will be when Jesus is King over all the earth! Color codes signifying levels of terror alerts will fade into obsolescence. We will never face an outbreak of flu or any other epidemic. Hospices will no longer be needed. Burials will be extremely rare. We will not have to lock our doors or carry homeowners insurance. Amber alerts will be things of the past. Sex offenders will not live in Jesus’ kingdom. If sports venues exist, they will be free of violence and cussing. The newspapers and TV networks will have only good news to broadcast. No one will have to worry about Social Security going bankrupt or CEOs stealing company funds or hoodwinking stockholders. We will not have to wonder how our political leaders might respond to nuclear buildups in unfriendly nations. A natural disaster will not occur anywhere in the world. Peace will prevail among individuals, nations, and the forces of nature.
So don’t look around you and feel hopeless, thinking the world is about to end. Instead, look above you to the Lord of heaven and earth and anticipate a better day for Planet Earth.

—Adapted from All Good People Go to Heaven and Other Religious Lore by Jim Dyet (Honor Books). © 2006 by Jim Dyet