This passage in Romans 8 talks about the sufferings of believers in this life because our lives and this world spiritually are cursed or damaged by sin. This for the Christian or true child of God should make us weary of this world with all its brokeness and imperfection and cause us to long for a more perfect world. We also groan and the creation - the universe, the earth and all that is in it - the mountains, hills, waters, humans, animals and plants and ecosystems groan. This is because of the damage and brokenness that it still endured by the world and us in our bodies and minds due to God's curse on creation after the sin against God of Adam and Eve who had dominion over the earth and later by the world of the time of Noah. This sin of the people of Noah's time that compelled God to judge the world of Noah's time with a worldwide flood that also dramatically altered the earth's environment and life and corrupted it. The rebellion of Satan or Lucifer and his angels against God through pride before the rebellion of Adam and Eve could have also caused God's curse or brokenness on the universe such as some effect on radioactivity or making some planets like Mars more inhospitable and corrupted them. Although it won't be a totally new heavens and earth that will come later God through the Lord Jesus Christ will remove most of the curse from this Earth and its components and living things and perhaps in the heavens. This will result in better conditions for long healthy life in the Messianic Age as was the case before the flood of Noah when people often lived almost 1000 years.
For the Christian we groan because of our quickly aging and disease prone bodies for which we look for the resurrection bodies or the redemption of our bodies as God's solution. For Christians or believers of the present Church Age this will happen any time soon at the rapture of the Church.
God often in His Word sees and treats as polluted ground areas of Earth where there is much immorality, idolatry, deception, violence, pride, unbelief, covetousness or other sin. God would see His judgment of sin as a necessary step to the removal of the curse of sin from the physical environment of Earth or perhaps also of the Heavens due to the evil actions of the heavenly host - Satan and demons. This judgment of sin and some actions on the earth such as earthquakes in the tribulation will prepare for an environment more conducive to long, healthy and godly and peaceful life of people, animals and plants in the Messianic Age.
A woman has more and more severe and frequent labour pains as she approaches her time of giving birth. Similiarly there will be more and more natural in addition to moral and spiritual upheavels and instability in creation as the time of God's removing the curse caused by sin approaches. This will give birth to a creation freed from the ravages of sin and decay at the beginning and throughout the 1000 year Messianic Age. This will not be completely the case as in the eternal age when people and probably animals and plants will last forever however as people will still have sinful natures who populate or who are born in the Millennial Kingdom. Also in the Millennial Kingdom people and animals and plants will still die but after much longer lifetimes than at present or since the fall of man in the garden of Eden. Part of the reason people and animals and plants will live longer and more peacefully in the Messianic Age is that God through the Lord Jesus the Messiah(Christ) and his saints or believers of all ages will be ruling and reigning over all the earth. Also the devil and demons who cause so much violence, fear and destruction and sickness in this world since the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden will be bound and have no effect on people or things on Earth for the entire 1000 years of the Messianic Age. The scripture passage in Romans 8 of God's lifting the curse of sin on the Earth and all living things on Earth at the beginning of the Messianic Age is as follows:
At first the serpent was a beast which means it probably had legs and was more subtil or more beautiful than any other beast of the field. As some Bible teachers have said before there could still be some remains of that beauty in the vivid colours in the skin of some serpents or snakes. Although not very common there are other instances of the devil speaking through animals or people such as through the apostle Peter when he tried to prevent Jesus from going to the cross to die for our sins. Satan in this case in the Garden of Eden did first what he still likes to do with many people today is to get them to doubt God's word the Holy Bible but that at that time God's main commandment or word was for Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The woman, Eve, then said that God told her and Adam not to eat of this forbidden fruit. Satan through the serpent then tried to sow more doubt with Eve in getting her to doubt God's warning that she would die if she took part of this fruit and then Satan gave her a promise without sharing the consequences that if she took part of the forbidden fruit her eyes would be open and she would know good and evil. This would partly true and her eyes were opened more when she took part of it but then she got a fallen nature because she chose the evil and she was no more innocent as before she took of this fruit. Satan also implied that God was not looking after her or Adams' best interest and withholding something good from them which Eve believed and this was probably at least part of the reason she then took part of the forbidden fruit and didn't really consider the consequences about death when she took part of it. Besides the tree being considerd good to the eyes, and for food Eve was enticed that the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was to be desired to make one wise. This wisdom now includes much unbiblical wisdom especially of the occult or new age movement and non Judaeo-Christian religion including secularism including immorailty and pride or selfishness or destructiveness in business, science and technology or politics, the military or entertainment including through the mass media and public schools and universities or colleges based on non-biblical principles. Eve's husband Adam was given another of this fruit by his wife Eve and he ate of it deliberately and his eyes were also opened. This is what brought the curse on mankind and on the earth. The scripture reference from Genesis 3 about the temptation and fall of mankind through our first parents Adam and Eve in the devil through the serpent getting them to doubt God's word and entice them with more forbidden wisdom and deny the consequences of death through getting them to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is as follows:
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Genesis 3:1-7
After Adam and Eve, our first parents, took of the forbidden fruit and sinned against or disobeyed God they were afraid of him and no longer felt in fellowship with Him. Then God began with Adam since his deliberately taking the forbidden fruit is what really assured the fall of the human race and asked him where he was. God knew where he was but God wanted Adam to acknowledege God and God's knowledge of where he was. Even though Adam and Eve were both naked before the fall their then lacking the knowledge of good and evil meant they before were not ashamed when they were naked and they also before did not have a sin nature. Also they could have had an outward radiance that could have hid their nakedness before the fall but if they had that radiance before the fall it was lost when they took of the forbidden fruit and obtained a sinful nature and the knowledge of good and evil. God then after Adam confessed that he hid from God because he was naked asked Adam who told him he was naked. Again God knew the answer, that it was through Adam and Eve receiving the knowledge of good and evil through taking of the forbidden fruit that they realized they were naked, but He wanted Adam and Eve to confess their sin to God. God then also asked Adam if taking of the forbidden fruit was the cause of Adam realizing he was naked. Adam then shifts the blame to Eve who gave him the forbidden fruit and encouraged him to eat it after she had although he doesn't take responsibility that he could have refused that offer from Eve and then not have received a sinful state. God then asked Eve what she had done meaning about eating the forbidden fruit and offering it to her husband Adam. She further shifts the blame to the serpent (and Satan acting through the serpent) as what had caused her to sin in taking the forbidden fruit. Again it is true that she was enticed to do what she did but she had free will and could have refused the enticement by the serpent but she was deceived or beguiled. The scripture reference from Genesis 3 of God's interrogation of the guilty parties, Adam the first man, Eve the first woman and the serpent through which Satan brought about the fall of the human race and God getting Adam and Eve to confess their sins is as follows:
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Genesis 3:8-13
Because the serpent was used by Satan to tempt Eve to take of the fruit of good and evil it was cursed by God to slither on the ground while before it probably was a reptile with legs like a lizard as it is called a beast most of which have usually four legs. The serpent was also cursed with a more immediate aspect of many women detesting or being fearful of them in having enmity against the serpent. However a more long-range and ultimate meaning of this verse was that one of Satan's seed would put the Lord Jesus Christ the seed of the woman to death in bruising His heel and the seed of the woman the Lord Jesus Christ would bruise the heel of Satan when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross to enable liberty from Satan of all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and ultimately when the Lord Jesus comes to judge the world at His second coming and establish His Millennial or Messianic Kingdom and puts Satan in the bottomless pit and then in the lake of fire forever at the end of the Millennium according to Revelation 20. The part of the curse to women was that God would complicate conception of children likely referring to all the pain of childbirth and labour that somehow would not have been the case if Eve hadn't sinned by taking of the forbidden fruit. Another part of the curse for the woman was that in order in families that the husband would generally have authority over the wife due to Eve the first woman sinning and taking of the forbidden fruit first and enticing her husband to also take of it which he did. However as is mentioned in Ephesians 5 in the New Testament this authority of the man over the wife is with the understanding that the man be loving to his wife and not be harmful or overbearing to her. The part of the curse to Adam the first man was that the ground and likely more generally the Earth since Adam with Eve were already given dominion over it and God let a good part of the authority over this world at least for now be given to Satan the devil the god or prince of this world system at least until the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of Israel, Son of God and Saviour of the world. This is why we observe things not only like thorns and thistles but likely more likely weeds and poisonous spiders, snakes, parasites, bed bugs, roaches, flies and other pests that probably weren't in the uncursed creation at least not in their current undesirable forms. God also commanded man to have toil in earning a labour in contrast to the probably less burdensome task of keeping the garden of Eden before the fall and for him (and Eve) and people after that to eat mostly fruit and vegetables (herbs of the field and bread). However after the worldwide flood of Noah God allowed people to eat animals for food in Genesis 9:1-3. It is possible this part of the God's order and curse will be at least in part reversed in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom when Jesus the Messiah rules the Earth and Satan the devil and other demons are in the bottomless pit and won't then influence what goes on on earth as Isaiah 9:6-9 mentions about animals being in harmony with each other and with humans even children but Ezekiel 47 also about the Millennial Kingdom says that there will still be people eating fish allowed by God then however the priests of Israel functioning in the Millenial Kingdom Temple mentioned in Ezekiel will eat of some of the animal sacrifices. Although Adam and Eve made fig leaves to cover themselves after they sinned in taking of the forbidden fruit speaking of man's efforts to please God, God Himself provided them coats of skin speaking of an animal sacrifice and shedding of blood to make a covering or later to take away human beings' sins in the animal sacrifices and then the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God offered to take away our sins. The scripture reference about God's curse to the serpent, the first woman Eve and the first man Adam and to later females and males and the seed of the woman and seed of the Serpent from Genesis 3 is as follows:
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. Genesis 3:14-21
Thou are the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Ezekiel 28:14-17
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness; and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not hte house of his prisoners? Isaiah 14:12-17
Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints (angels); yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. Job 15:15
Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; the stars are not pure in his sight. Job 25:5
The setting of the worldwide flood of Noah was when there was quite a population boom with some of the daughters that were born evidently being quite pretty, enough that some of the sons of God, some of the demons or fallen angles coveted them and took some of them as wives and had children by them. Some people, including some true Christians, object to the possibility that angels even fallen angels could have sex with human women sometimes saying that it is impossible for angels to have physical relations with humans based on Matthew 22 where believers in Genesis are said to not marry or give in marriage but be like the angels in heaven in the life to come. Well first of all in Matthew 22 I am quite sure that Jesus is there talking about holy angels and not fallen angels or demons and I believe Jesus is not saying that angels can't have sexual relations with humans but that holy angels wouldn't do that in obedience to God. Also, although the term sons of God is often used for Christians in the New Testament, it is rarely used for humans believing in God in the Old Testament but is most often used of angels including Satan and other ones that became fallen angels or demons in Job 1:6, 2:1 and 38:7. God then gave a warning that He was losing patience with man and there could soon be judgment in saying that His Holy Spirit wouldn't always strive with or warn man to turn from evil. Verse 4 of this chapter is quite controversial but important in what it says about giants or fallen ones. I believe if we look at the beginning of that verse carefully it does say there were giants before the sons of God came into the daughters of men and these giants were probably already against God's will but this verse does also say and also after that I think saying that more giants were produced by the sexual relations of some of the demons with human women. That the offspring of the sons of God or demons with the human women are called mighty men which were of old and men of renown is consistent in saying that some of the giants were offspring of the demons or fallen angels (sons of God) that had sexual relations with human women. It was after the sons of God produced further giants with human women and had started to corrupt the human genetic line that God remarked that there was excessive wickedness and corruption on earth including in many of the thoughts of humans then. This caused God to regret that He had made mankind and resolve to destroy humans from the face of the earth and beasts and creeping things and fowls or birds and bats and other flying things as well. This flood is said to be over all the earth and despite the objections of many people that criticize the Bible there is much evidence that the flood of Noah was worldwide with 75% of all rocks on Earth being sedimentary rocks deposited out of water and great layers or rock at the same level through most of North America and probably other continents indicating a severe worldwide flood of water including the fountains of the deep being broken up leading to underwater volcanoes etc. However God found some righteous things in Noah worthy of His grace. This probably includes that Noah or his sons still had perfect human genetics or generations that had not been corrupted by sexual relations with demons as by that time probably many other people on earth had suffered or allowed. The earth is said to be corrupt in God's sight including that it was filled with violence that as mentioned previously in Ezekiel 28 violence was one of the effects of the corruption of the devil to a rebel against God and adversary to man after the devil fell from God's grace because of his and perhaps 1/3 of the angels in pride trying to overthrow God and His rule over the universe for their benefit. God also saw that part of this corruption was due to the corruption of the generations of not only humans but also some other flesh (animals etc.) due to cross-breeding between demons and humans and humans and some animals and probably demons and some animals. This could also give rise to later mythology about hybrid animals such as satyrs (goat-man hybrids), centaurs (horse-man hybrids), sphinxes (lion-man hybrids) or other hybrids mentioned in ancient literature. This corruption of the earth and life on earth compelled God to pronouce the judgment of the worldwide flood in the time of Noah on the Earth and its inhabitants. This flood of Noah led to a less productive environment on Earth afterward as well as the destruction of the waters around the firmanent that had probably moderated earth's climate and perhaps kept out more ultra-violet or other radiation from the sun or elsewhere in space and is probably some of the effects lasting to this day of the corrupted or degraded state of earth and that the earth will be delivered from after the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and beginning of His Millennial or Messsianic Kingdom according to Romans 8. The scripture reference from Genesis 6 of the corruption in violence and violation of genetic boundaries by man and the sons of God (demons) that brought about God's judgment of the worldwide flood of Noah and some lasting corruption or less habitability of Earth is as follows:
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Genesis 6:1-13
The devil and many demons although having been disowned as citizens of heaven when they rebelled against God probably between the creation and fall of man have still had fairly free access to heaven since then. This access will be totally withdrawn half way through the tribulation when God and His Son Jesus Christ gives power to the holy arch-angel Michael and the holy angels to get the victory over Satan and his angels (fallen angels or demons) by forcing them out of heaven for good to earth. This will cause the residents then in heaven including the holy angels, saved people Jews and Gentiles that trust in the true God the God of the Bible or that trust in God through His Son Jesus Christ and become part of God's chosen heavenly or spiritual people the Church of one body of people called out of all nations of the Gentiles and from the children of Israel through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the Redeemer of Israel and Saviour of the world that will be also all be in heaven by then. There will also be believers of all nations and the children of Israel that trust in Jesus after the rapture and are killed for their faith. The devil and the demons will then cause disruption on earth to those still dwelling on earth because he will know much better then that his time is short before he is further limited at the end of the tribulation at Jesus' second coming when Jesus the Son of God will cast the devil in the bottomless pit for the time of the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom. The devil will come totally indwell, empower, possess and guide the beast out of the sea, the antichrist or man of sin in the second half of the tribulation between when he is cast out of heaven to earth and until Jesus' second coming to judge the world and set up Jesus and God the Father's Kingdom on Earth.The scripture reference from Revelation 12 of war in heaven half way through the 7 year tribulation and Satan and his demons being cast out of heaven and heaven becoming freed from a major source of sin and rebellion for good first to the earth for the second half of the tribulation to possess the Antichrist is as follows:
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Revelation 12: 7-12
At the end of the tribulation there will be the judgment of the Antichrist, the False Prophet and all people physically alive then on earth who be that time have not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ and are still in their sins. In this passage a holy angel announces the imminent physical judgment of the people that join the Antichrist in the final rebellion of the tribulation against Jerusalem and against God's Son Jesus Christ then coming from heaven to judge the world and set up God's Kingdom on Earth. These people will be slain by the power of the word of God in the sense of a figurative sword coming from Jesus' mouth. These people then still unrighteous and in their sins will then have their bodies physically fed to the fowls or birds of the air such as vultures or eagles or hawks. After this as mentioned in the following passage in Matthew 13 the spirits of these people will be brought by holy angels to hell. The Lord Jesus Christ is the one on the leading horse in the armies come from heaven and Jesus' armies will be true Christians of the true Church who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ that He died for our sins on the cross and rose again to give us God's new life. The angels of Jesus could also include holy angels. The beast or the antichrist and the false prophet at this time will also be taken and cast alive into the lake of fire probably by a holy angel but perhaps by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. All these actions or removing the people still in their sins and their leaders the Antichrist and False Prophet at the end of the tribulation at Jesus' second coming will be another strong component of God through the Lord Jesus Christ and His holy angels establishing righteousness on earth and removing corruption from Earth at the start of the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom. The scripture reference from Revelation 19 of God through His Son Jesus Christ and some holy angels removing the Antichrist the Beast and the False Prophet and non-Christians who still follow them from Earth to make the Earth more uncorrupted for the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom rule of God through His Son Jesus Christ is as follows:
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:17-21
From the last part of Jesus' account of the parable of the wheat and the tares Jesus gives the final outcome of the tares or those who pretended to be believers or followers of God but that will also happen to all those who by the end of the tribulation trusted in the Lord Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour. Because the tares or anyone else who hasn't by then on earth trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ that He died for all our sins on the cross and taken them away if we trust in Him as our Lord and Saviour and given us eternal life through His rising from the dead will still have their iniquity or unrighteousness they will not be fit to continue to dwell on Earth during God the Father's and His Son Jesus Christ's reign in righteousness during the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom starting with His Second coming they will be removed from Earth to hell which is what all humans deserve for our sins but this will only happen to those including those living on earth at the end of the tribulation who haven't trusted in Jesus to pay for and take away all our sins by His death on the cross and resurrection. Then the righteous or the wheat especially the those who trusted in the Lord Jesus during the tribulation and received His righteousness but to some extent the righteous will include true believers in the true God the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ from all ages will shine forth for God when they can be less hindered by the world system including led by mostly unsaved people and the devil or demons. The scripture passage from Matthew 13 of the destiny of the wheat and the tares, those who become or don't become true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and obtain His righteousness and taking our iniquities away in the tribulation after the rapture of the Church but to some extent from previous to that ages including in this present Church Age is as follows:
He (Jesus) answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 13:37-43
At the end of the tribulation God will send from heaven a holy angel, perhaps an archangel such as Michael or Gabriel, to seize the devil and likely all the other demons and bring them down into the bottomless pit for a thousand years. The devil and the demons will then be in the bottomless pit for the whole duration of the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom and will not be able to influence people or anything else on Earth or in the heavens during the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom and this will be another key reason why there will be possible a rule in righteousness by God through His Son Jesus Christ and that Earth and the heavens will be much more freed from corruption that came from man's misbehaviour before the flood of Noah or of the corruption introduced into the heavens and earth by the devil and demons when they rebelled against God likely between the creation and fall of our first parents Adam and Eve. The scripture reference from Revelation 20 of God sending a holy angel to confine the devil and likely all other then still loose demons to the bottomless pit for the time of the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom and establish righteousness and relative freedom from corruption on Earth and perhaps the heavens is as follows:
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in this hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. Revelation 20:1-3
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Romans 8:18-25
Although all the people that enter the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom in their flesh or mortal bodies will be believers in God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ and have the new nature by the Spirit of God, they will still have the old nature as well as is also true of born again Christians in this current Church Age. Even though in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ there will be no ungodly and Satanic world system or influence from the devil or demons, a significant portion of the people born to the believers that enter into Jesus' earthly Kingdom or people born to their descendents will unfortunately only follow Jesus and God because of enforced righteousness by Jesus and believers of all ages that will in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom rule the world with (a rod (symbolizing power) of righteousness. I do personally believe that there will still be a majority of the people born during the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom will gladly accept the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father and His rule and become and act as genuine believers in Him and be part of His people for eternity. I do not believe when put to the test by Satan and perhaps other demons being loosed on people on earth during the Millennium or Messianic Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ that the people who are born then and voluntarily receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour will rebel against God and Jesus in this last rebellion at the end of the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom. However, as noted in verses 7 to 9 of Revelation 20 here, there will be a sizable portion of the mortal people born in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom that when they are given a chance whether to follow Satan or Jesus choose Satan and probably some of his fallen angels and try to attack some of the saints in the beloved city that is Jerusalem and other places on Earth where there may be a conentration of genuine believers (the camp of the saints). These people that do join Satan in attacking God's holy city and His genuine people will be physically destroyed by fire coming down from heaven by God. These people born in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom who show their true colours then will be spiritually brought to the last Great White Throne judgment and face Jesus for rejecting salvation through Him and be cast into the lake of fire forever and this will be part of God preparing the next heavens and earth to be free of unrighteousness, curse or corruption as also mentioned in 2 Peter 3. At the end of the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom Satan the devil and all the demons will also be cast into the lake of fire forever to be tormented there also consciously forever and thus also God will prepare for a new heavens and new earth free of unrighteousness, corruption or the curse. The scripture passage in Revelation 20 about God allowing but judging people born in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom that only outwardly follow Jesus and His people in those 1000 years but join the devil in the last rebellion he leads against God and His people (the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom saints) and God judging Satan and other demons all to prepare for the New Heavens, New Earth and New Jerusalem free of unrighteousness, corruption or the curse is as follows:
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:7-10
The day of the Lord is a term in the Bible that covers different aspects of the Last Days especially after God is finished with calling out His Church or heavenly chosen people with the rapture of the Church. The day of the Lord includes the tribulation, second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ or Y'Shua HaMashiach and the destruction of this present heavens and earth at the end of the Millennial Kingdom. This destruction and melting with fervent heat of this heavens and earth will either totally disassociate and take them away this heavens and earth as I and some Bible believers think or it could just mean that this heavens and earth will be dissociated and purged but not be removed but just be reestablished in a new way as some other Bible believers think. Either way all the unrighteousness, corruption and reasons for the curse from both fallen human beings and demons will be removed as well as Satan, all demons and all people that die in their sins without trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour and that therefore haven't been restored in relationship to the Creator God will also be removed to the lake of fire and not be present in the new heavens and new earth. This melting and dissociation of this heavens and earth will be at the end of the Millennium or Messianic Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ after the last rebellion led by Satan in Revelation 20:7-9 and he and other fallen angels could then still somewhat corrupt the heavens at that time or there might be some sense that corruption is not purged totally from the heavens and the earth in the substantial lifting of corruption at the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom as mentioned in Romans 8. According to the Believers' Bible Commentary by William McDonals in 2 Peter 3 the righteousness of God will reign through the enforcement by the Lord Jesus Christ visibly ruling on Earth then but in eternity in the New Heavens and New Earth all evil and the effects of evil will be forever removed and there will be no need to enforce righteousness because rightousness will dwell as then there will only be the new heavens, new earth and new Jerusalem the Divine Trinity, holy angels and believing humans of all ages only in the new righteous nature. So the destruction and melting of this heavens and earth and the removal to the lake of fire before that of all demons and people that die in their sins will also remove all the effects or corruption and the curse over the earth and heavens of the fall of the devil and fallen angels, the fall of man and the worldwide flood of Noah. Then God can make the eternal new heavens and earth wherein dwells righteousness and in which He will dwell partly and holy angels and probably the saved or made righteous human beings of all ages will be able to explore. The scripture reference from 2 Peter 3 of God at the end of the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom destroying this heavens and earth and the effects of corruption, unrighteousness and the curse on them and then making an eternal new heavens and new earth for Him and His holy angelic and redeemed human people to dwell forever is as follows:
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 2 Peter 3:10-13
John the Baptist said something like Isaiah 40:3 at Jesus the Messiah's first coming. However he was only in the spirit and power of Elijah who will come again himself in the tribulation to prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah's Second Coming in power and great glory at the end of the tribulation to set up God's Kingdom on Earth. Although some of the following verses might have happened spiritually or symbolically in Jesus' first coming they will happen also literally and physically leading up to Jesus' second coming and at His second coming. The effect of every valley being exalted and every mountain and hill brought low will be to make the rainfall more even over the land areas without mountains blocking the moisture from clouds or rainfall. Another effect would be to provide for flat or plains areas where agriculture would be more practical. This would also lead to more prosperity, peace and joy in the Messianic Age. The rest of verse four adds other details but could also mean that righteousness will be better established and ungodliness taken away at Messiah Jesus' Second Coming to set up God's rule over all the Earth. Verse 5 says the glory of the LORD shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. This most likely refers to the glorious appearing from Heaven of Jesus with God the Father (the LORD), the holy angels, Church age believers (true Christians) and martyred tribulation saints. All people on Earth will see Jesus coming in glory with all these persons from Heaven and will humble them with Jesus the Messiah's power and glory. They will then become more willing to accept or receive Him as the rightful ruler or king over the Earth and all its people. The reference to God changing the mountains and other geologic features of Earth for the Messianic reign of Jesus and His believers in Isaiah 40 is as follows:
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Isaiah 40:3-5
In one of the last judgments of the tribulation a mighty angel of God pours out his vial or bowl of judgment into the air of Earth. Then there were voices and thunders and lightnings symbolizing God's presence and power and a great earthquake. This earthquake was targeted especially at the non-christian or false christian religious system of religious Babylon headed by the Roman Catholic Church and centred in Rome. Also the earthquake will be aimed at the covetous or greedy and godless world economic system for which Rome also has a part with a demand for much real estate and jewels, precious stones and metals. God is also upset with the ungodliness, immorality, idolatry, selfishness, covetousness, violence, deception, pride and other sin of the other cities of the world and destroys them with the same earthquake. The scripture says great Babylon came in rememberance before God meaning they got to the point of pushing God too far with their sin that He had tolerated and given them chance to repent for a long time but they refused or neglected to do this. It is also mentioned there wasn't an earthquake so great since men were on earth. This means God was carrying out a long term judgment of sin against the idolatry of the Babylon system including the mother child cult. This mother child cult that started with the original Babylon referring to Nimrod and his mother but that then followed in many names and forms including one of its current forms in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and some other branches of professing Christianity. In this system there is an excessive emphasis of the mother Mary and Jesus as a weak, dependent baby that is not God's desired emphasis concerning Jesus (or Mary). This earthquake's probable good point is that it caused the mountains to not be found and the islands to be moved. Especially the mountains not being found because they were brought lower would mean rainfall would be more even on the land and the land could be more easily farmed or used for other economic purposes in the Messianic Age. This will be for the people who come to God in the tribulation and survive it to populate the Earth in the Messianic Age. This judgment will be a little before the battle of Armageddon at Jesus' Second Coming in power and great glory but only a short time before. This judgment will also get rid of the spiritual pollution of the idolatry and sin of last days Babylon and the other ungodly cities of the world so God can better bless the Earth and its people in the Messianic Age. The reference to God's judging religious and commercial Babylon (Rome) and the cities of the world with this earthquake and preparing the Earth and its godly or come to be godly inhabitants for God's rule over the Earth from Jerusalem through His Messiah Jesus in Revelation 16 is as follows:
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon man a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men (men and women and children) blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. Revelation 16:17-21
Although Israel uses quite a lot of violence against the Palestinians and other Arabs these days it is mostly in self-defence and most Jewish people don't believe in Jesus as the Messiah or the New Testament and many secular Jews do not even believe in a literal interpretation of the Old Testament. However God still loves them and honours the covenants He made with His Earthly chosen people the Jews the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel). This includes God's covenant to give the Jews the land of Israel and protect them there forever especially when they are obeying God. Therefore God will still be very angry when Gog(Russia) (and many other nations) invade Israel at the end of the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel to try to get their strategic land. There will then also be a Satanic striking out at the people who had brought the Saviour of the world Jesus and most of the word of God the Bible to the human race. This is when God decides to personally judge these nations for trying to destroy the land and people of Israel by coming from Heaven and throwing down the mountains of Israel on the invading armies of the world including Gog. God will then also throw down other mountains of the world at the same time with other judgments in Israel and other parts of the Earth. These judgments again will address the pollution of idolatry, pride, violence, hatred of God and His people Israel and other sins of these invading armies and other ungodly or unrepentant people on Earth. These judgmentst will also prepare the world and its remaining godly people and beings physically and spiritually for God's rule through His Annointed One Jesus and His saints or believers of all ages. This will be a reign of righteousness, peace, and prosperity and long life in the 1000 year Messianic Age. The scripture reference in Ezekiel 38 of this part of the Battle of Armageddon and God's Judgement of these invading armies and His preparing the land for the Messianic Age is as follows:
And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. Ezekiel 38:18-20
The LORD (God the Father in His Shekinah Glory) and His Messiah and Divine Son Jesus will come from Heaven and shake the heavens and the earth including bringing down mountains in Israel and other parts of the Earth as in some of the other scriptures. The LORD will also partly by this means and other means destroy the invading ungodly armies and deliver his threatened people the children of Israel. The LORD (God the Father in His Shekinah glory) will then enter into and dwell in the Millenial Kingdom Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. God's co-divine Messiah Jesus will come with the LORD(the Father) from Heaven and will rule the Earth from the House of God on Mount Zion (the Temple Mount) and elsewhere in Jerusalem for the 1000 year Messianic Age. God's Temple and the Temple Mount will be holy and no (unbelieving or hostile) strangers or people of the nations will pass through it any more. However other scripture make it clear that especially at the Feast of Tabernacles all the people of the nations will be expected to come to God's holy mountain of Zion and the 4th or Messianic Kingdom Temple to worship God then and there. Partly because in Israel and other parts of the world God will then have judged and removed all types of sin and unrepentant people and spiritually cleansed the land of sin and partly because God will then have brought the mountains down lower and otherwise made better living conditions for plants and animals and people, the mountains shall drop down new wine. Unlike in the reference in Revelation 16 where the wine is symbolic of grapes trodden down and make into wine symbolizing God's wrath, here the new wine refers to God's giving joy to the people although it will also be literal grapes and wine in abundance too. God will also bless Israel with milk(dairy cows), water(rain) and miraculous living water from the house of the LORD. This living water from the house of the LORD will be a literal but also supernatural river of living water although a secondary meaning of the Holy Spirit coming from the house of the LORD the Messianic Age Temple on the Temple Mount or Mount Zion could also be meant. The scripture reference in Joel 3 of God's delivering Israel by destroying the invading armies of ungodly people of the nations and shaking the land to prepare for His blessing His faithful people of Israel and the nations during the Messianic Age is as follows:
The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. Joel 3:16-18
The LORD (God the Father) and Messiah Jesus will first allow the ungodly nations to come against Jerusalem at the end of the tribulation and rifle (loot) the houses and ravish (rape) the women. Then He and Messiah Jesus will come from heaven to fight against the ungodly nations at the Battle of Armageddon. Then His (the LORD(God the Father)) and Messiah (Christ) Jesus will set their feet on the Mount of Olives just to the east of Jerusalem. This will cause the Mount of Olives to split in two with half going to the east and half to the west and will also split it with half moving towards the south and half towards the north. This will cause a new great mountain that will extend from the current location of the Mount of Olives to Azal which was and will be to the south of and nearby to Jerusalem. All the believers of the Church Age, at least some Old Testament saints and tribulation martyrs and holy angels will come with the LORD (God the Father) and His Messiah Jesus to the Mount of Olives and then to Jerusalem and the Temple or House of the LORD there through the East Gate. In the house of the LORD the LORD and His Messiah Jesus will dwell in, rule from and receive worship of Israel and the nations there during the Messianic Age. The scripture reference in Zechariah 14 of God allowing the nations to come up against Jerusalem and then His coming from heaven with His Messiah and saints and angels to fight against those ungodly nations, split the Mount of Olives and establish His Kingdom on Earth from His Temple in Jerusalem or on Mount Zion in the Messianic Age is as follows:
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. Zechariah 14:1-5
In Isaiah 2 God says the mountain of the Lord's house or the mountain with His Temple or Mount Zion will be lifted up above all the mountains of Earth. This will be not only because Mount Zion or God's Holy Hill will be lifted up but also because all the other mountains or hills of Earth will be brought down or brought low as in Isaiah 40 and Revelation 16. This latter action will be due to the great earthquake at the end of the tribulation at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with God the Father at the Battle of Armageddon. This event will also immediately precede and prepare for the Messianic Age. God the Father and Messiah Jesus will then dwell in, rule from and receive worship over the Jews and the nations from the Messianic Temple on Mount Zion. The Messianic Temple on Mount Zion will be lifted up in Jerusalem in the Messianic Kingdom and God will then send forth His word and laws from the Temple in the Messianic Age. God will also judge the nations at the beginning of the Messianic Age and convince them to destroy their weapons of war and give them a new heart with which they won't have a desire to learn war any more. The scripture reference of the LORD (God the Father) and Messiah Jesus dwelling in, ruling from, sending forth His word and law and receiving praise and worship from Israel and the nations from in His Holy Temple is in the following paragraph. Also Jerusalem on Mount Zion that will be lifted up above the mountains of Israel and the world in Isaiah 2 as follows:
The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all the nations shall flow into it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nations shall not lift up sword againt nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isaiah 2:1-5
In Ezekiel 47 an angel brings Ezekiel to the door of the temple and shows him a miraculous spring of living water that proceeds from the threshold of the temple in an eastern direction which was also in the direction the temple was facing. This was also the direction of the Mount of Olives which at that time will just have been split by the LORD and His Messiah's coming from Heaven with His saints and holy angels. The waters will come from the right side of the house or temple at the south side of the altar. The waters could be seen from the east gate running to the right side which is towards the east. The scripture reference from Ezekiel 47 of the miraculous spring or river of living water proceeding out of the house or temple of God in the Messianic Age is as follows:
Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from the south side of the altar. Then brought he me out of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. Ezekiel 47:1-2
Towards the east from the Messianic Age Temple or House of God or the LORD an angel brought Ezekiel along this mirculous river of living water that originated from under the temple. The angel then measured the depth of the river at 1000 cubits from the temple which is approximately 1500 feet since a cubit is approximately 1 1/2 feet or 18 inches. At that distance the waters of the river were up to the ankles. The angel then took Ezekiel a further 1000 cubits or 1500 feet and the waters were up to the knees. The angel then took Ezekiel a further 1000 cubits or 1500 feet from the temple and they were up to the loins or waist. The angel then took Ezekiel yet another 1000 cubits or 1500 feet for a total distance of 4000 cubits or 6000 feet from the temple or house of God and it was a river he could not pass over but had to swim in meaning it was probably over the head in depth. This is quite miraculous that the river gained greater depth with increasing distance and was probably partly due to God supernaturally bringing more water to the river along its course from the temple or house of the LORD. The scripture reference from Ezekiel 47 of the angel showing Ezekiel the increasing depth with distance from the House of the LORD or Temple of God in the Messianic Age is as follows:
And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over. And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. Ezekiel 47:3-6
The living water of this river from the temple will provide water for many trees to flourish on the banks of either side of its waters. The angel tells Ezekiel that this river goes to the east country that is east of Jerusalem into an area that was formerly desert or wilderness and into the sea. This causes the waters of the sea to be healed or support life. This river has the property to bring or newly cause to support life wherever it goes as it brings a new source of water to areas that were formerly desert and too dry to support much life. This river will probably have tributaries or streams flowing into it as it is called rivers plural and waters plural in verse 9 and will enable it to water more land than without river branches. This will result in an abundance of fish and other life in the river and in the sea which is the Dead Sea that will be caught by fishers and most likely be used for food in the Messianic Age for the people of Israel. The sea can be identified as the Dead Sea not just because it is near Israel in a wilderness region but also because Engedi is well known to be about half way up its west coast and was a significant Israeli town for some time. Eneglaim according to Merrill Unger of Unger's Bible Dictionary is the same location and town as the current Ain Hajlah or Deir Hajlah or the place called Beth Hoglah in Joshua 15:6 and 18:19 that is located as Mr. Unger puts it north of the Dead Sea and west of Jordan. In particular it is between Jericho and the northern end of the Dead Sea just west and a little north of where the Jordan River goes into the Dead Seaprobably a town on the east or Jordan side of the Dead Sea. The region of the Dead Sea that for sure then that will be quite prolific for fishing and other life in the Messianic or Millennial Kingdom will be at least on the Israeli side from around Ein Gedi near the southern end of the Dead Sea to the north end of the Dead Sea near where the Jordan River feeds into the Dead Sea. This part of the Dead Sea would include where the River of Life from the Messianic Kingdom or Ezekiel's Temple feeds into the Dead Sea probably following the current course of the Kidron River fairly closely and will also include the coast near the Essene community of Qumran from where the Dead Sea scrolls were found but I am not aware of any Bible prophecies particularly relating to that community. That fishes will probably be caught and eaten in the Messianic Age must mean that people will not be total vegetarians at that time although they probably won't eat land animals from Isaiah 11. God then states in his word that many different trees will grow along the banks of this river that will have fruit that can be used for food and that the source of this river from the sanctuary or temple of God is what will give this river its life-giving nature. The scripture reference from Ezekiel 47 of this life giving river from the House of the LORD in Mount Zion in Jerusalem to the Dead Sea in the Messianic Age is as follows:
Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. Now when I had returned, behold, at the brink of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Then said he to me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. But the miry places thereof and the marishes (marshes) thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring new fruit according to the months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat (food), and the leaf thereof for medicine. Ezekiel 47:7-12
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