Also in Isaiah 11 the scripture mentions the Messiah (the Lord Jesus Christ) will smite or judge the earth at the end of the tribulation. The word smite in reference to the earth is not just a negative meaning, in context with other scriptures and the context with following verses in this chapter the idea is that Messiah (Jesus Christ) will smite or judge the earth in order to purge it of the adverse affects on the environment. These effects were caused by the fall of man and curse on creation and the further curse on creation was caused by the rebellion of mankind before and bringing the reason for the worldwide flood in the time of Noah. Not just these effects but also the effects of pollution whether it is chemical, biological or nuclear or the spread of garbage and urban decay will probably also be smitten and judged and removed in preparation for the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom. This verse says this will be done in righteousness meaning it will be done in a complete, perfect and supernatural way that also won't require voluminous environmental enquiries that aren't acted on and that are afraid to put the blame where it is due for political reasons. The expression that Messiah will judge the poor means he will bring justice to the poor who are often oppressed by the wealthy who usually obtain part of their wealth by this means as well as giving little consideration to the environment. The Lord will still have mercy on the meek of the earth who are those who are true believers and children of his namely in this age true Christians or true believers among the Jews and nations in the tribulation. The Messiah smiting the earth with the rod of his mouth I think is another way of saying as in Revelation 19 about the Lord Jesus Christ judging the world with the sword from his mouth which is the Word of God. I think this would also apply to the breath of his lips slaying the wicked. The scripture reference from Isaiah 11 of Messiah (Christ Jesus) judging the earth and its inhabitants including regarding pollution and the curse on the earth is as follows:
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears. But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. Isaiah 11:1-5
The first thing God mentions in this passage is that animals will be more tame and gentle in the Messianic Age by mentioning some carnivorous animals lying down peacefully with plant eating animals that could now and before the Messianic Age be part of the prey and food of the carnivorous animals. The examples of the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the kid(young goat) and the calf and the young lion and the fatling(older cow used for human food now) are given. It is also said a young child shall lead them. This probably means that the animals will be tame and gentle and wouldn't attack a young child but that they also wouldn't be afraid of humans then either. This further strengthens the idea of harmonious co-existence of different animals with each other and with humans in the Messianic Age. In verse 7 the scripture says the cow representing a plant eating animal and the bear representing a presently both plant and flesh eating animal will feed together. It is also mentioned that then the lion will eat flesh like an ox meaning that in the Messianic Age the lions and bears and other presently flesh eating or partly flesh eating animals will only be vegetarian eating in the Messianic Age. It is also mentioned that a child will be able to play on the hole of the asp which is a type of poisonous snake or put his hand on the cockatrice's den - another type of poisonous snake and not be hurt. This is because these snakes like other animals in the Messianic Age will be more tame and gentle even ones that now are meat eating and quite vicious. This could also include the poisonous snakes not having their poisonous nature in the Messianic Age.
The main reason for the tameness or gentleness and harmoniousness of animals during the Messianic Age including presently vicious ones is that God will be more directly in control of the animals and will also lift the present curse on animals from man's sin in the Garden of Eden and before the flood. God's peaceful, or kind or gracious nature when there isn't open or well-regarded sin will be fully applied and evident during the Messianic Age to His creation including the animals of the animal world including that they won't hurt or destroy in the Earth then. God's way of saying that He will be in fuller control of Earth in His goodness and righteousness is that then the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Another reason there will be more tameness of animals even presently meat eating animals in the Messianic Age is that the devil and all the demons or evil spirits will be bound in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. During that period the devil and demons will be unable to affect what goes on on Earth including the thoughts or behaviour or animals. Finally from this and other scriptures it is most likely part of the reason for the tameness of the animals especially towards the child due to God ordaining that humans will only be allowed to eat plants in the Messianic Age. This also seemed to be the case in the Garden of Eden and before the flood as it was only after the flood in Genesis 9 that God said to Noah and his family and their descendants that they could eat the flesh of animals. This has tended to make animals more afraid of humans as they might be afraid the humans want to get close to them to harm them or catch them to eat them. This will not be the case in the Messianic Age. This will probably also mean that the Earth will be able to support a much larger human population as the Earth will be much more fruitful over more of its area then and people and animals will rely just on plants for food. This reliance on plants for food ultimately doesn't take as much land or original plants to use for food as when animals are consumed for food and the less efficient nutrients from them and their eating plant food is consumed and relied on for food.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:6-9
Although I had previously always read this verse only to mean God through His Messiah Jesus judging and removing the wicked people on earth at the end of the tribulation in preparation for the Millennial Kingdom, I now see there is more to verse 41 than that. In this case Jesus is judging the world through his holy angels who will come with him as well as Church Age and other saints or born again believers at the end of the tribulation from heaven. In this case Jesus' and God's Kingdom is meant to include all the world or earth. One thing to keep in mind I think to properly interpret this verse is that the expression "all things" is used as the subject of "those that offend" which is implying inanimate things. This is especially true as "those that offend" is used in contrast to them meaning humans "who do iniquity" later in the verse. Also the expression "all things" is often used elsewhere in the New Testament especially in the scriptures written by the Apostle Paul. In these other cases "all things" almost always means all created things as opposed to just persons. I think the same meaning is intended in this verse. The word offend is the Greek word "scandalon" from quite clearly we get our English word scandal and it means to cause to sin or cause displeasure. To some extent either of these meanings could be true of pollution of the environment or the adverse affects on the creation by the curse from the fall of man or the rebellion of man before the global flood of Noah. Anyway it says Jesus will send his angels to gather out of his kingdom including earth all these things such as pollution in its many forms or adverse affects God brought about on the environment because of man's sin. This will be to prepare for the ideal also physical environment on the earth for the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom of God through His Son Jesus Christ that survivors of the tribulation that trusted in Jesus will enjoy in mortal bodies and that Christian and Old Testament believers will enjoy in resurrected bodies. God will after that make a new earth that will be perfect from the beginning and never by polluted or cursed and will be enjoyed by his trusting people of all ages after the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom. The scripture reference from the Gospel of Matthew 13 of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) sending his holy angels to also gather out of his kingdom on earth all things that offend (due to pollution or God's curse) in preparation for the Messianic Kingdom is as follows:
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; Matthew 13:41
God says concerning Israel or the Jews in Hosea 2 that they will call him Ishi meaning "my husband" and not Baali meaning "my Lord" in the Messianic Age. This will be because they will be serving God (the LORD, God the Father or Jehovah) alone and not the Baals or other gods or idols. This would also make God closer to them so they could more easily enter into a personal relationship with the LORD as if He is their husband. God also says he will take away the names of Baal from their mouth and they won't be remembered any more meaning they won't make or serve or remember the false gods or idols associated with the false god Baal any more in the Messianic Age. God will also make a covenant or agreement with the animals of the Earth - the beasts of the field, the fowls(birds) of heaven, and the creeping things of the ground. From the above scripture and from Isaiah 11 and other scriptures this most likely means God will make all the animals tame or gentle on Earth including both presently plant eating and meat eating animals and give them confidence that they won't be hunted by humans then. God will probably somehow also give the animals assurance they won't be encouraged to have ferocious behaviour by any demons or the devil in the Messianic Age. This assurance could be given since the devil and demons will be bound during that time in the bottomless pit and unable to affect things including animals or persons on earth. God says he will also break the bow and the sword and the battle off the Earth meaning God will take away the reason and the desire of humans to fight war in the Messianic Age on Earth. God also gives this, His stopping war, specifically as a main reason the animals will or can feel safer on Earth in the Messianic Age. This is in contrast to how the animals could feel now or have for a long time perhaps since the Garden of Eden before man and woman sinned and brought the first part of the curse on creation. God then says he will betroth, which is a type of covenant, Israel to Himself for ever. He will do this in a way and in a relationship emphasizing His and then Israel's righteousness, judgment, lovingkindness and mercy and faithfulness. All these things when Israel or the Jews truly appreciate them from the LORD (God the Father) and come to fully recipricate with these type of behaviours towards Him will enable them to establish and develop a close relationship between them and the LORD their God like a betrothal of a marriage relationship. Their part of accepting this offer of betrothal from the LORD will be for them to say together that the LORD is my God including in a God who has all the above characteristics and wants these characteristics lived out in their lives. This will all be the case from the start of and through the Messianic Age and for ever. These conditions will also be the grounds that the LORD God will be able to bless Israel in the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom of His Son and Messiah Jesus ruling the Earth from Jerusalem and Israel. Then the LORD God (God the Father) under these conditions will be able to bless Israel (and the godly among the nations and the Church in the LORD's rule with Messiah Jesus for ever from the New Jerusalem over the New Heavens and the New Earth. The scripture reference of God ending idolatry and bringing Israel into a personal knowledge and relationship with Himself and establishing a covenanant with the animal kingdom is in the following paragraph. This covenant with the animal kingdom will be one of peace with other animals and humans and God and God establish peace and ending war in the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom on Earth from Hosea 2 as follows:
And is shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou(you) shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name. And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and I will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD. Hosea 2:16-20
Although in verse 17 God says he will make new heavens and new earth, the new heavens and new earth here are only new in the sense that God will be ruling the world through His Messiah Jesus. In this period initially all the people on Earth will be God's people or followers both from Israel and the nations, the devil and demons will be bound 1000 years and of no effect on Earth and most of the curse on nature will be removed. However this will still be short of the New Heavens and New Earth envisioned in Revelation 21 and 22 for the eternal age. There, unlike this description for the Messianic Age in Isaiah 65, no death or aging will occur in people's bodies which will be heavenly or resurrection bodies and the devil and demons will be by then bound permanently in the lake of fire. Also none of those who have then become God's people in the eternal age will have Adamic or sinful fleshly natures or bodies anymore. However compared to today and the last couple thousand years since the Garden of Eden the situation in the Messianic Age will almost seem like a New Heavens and New Earth. God will also rejoice with His people and Jerusalem and His establishing them in Israel and all their promised land without threat from people of the nations (Gentiles). The Gentiles throughout Israel's history tried to take away some or all of the promised land or establish ungodly (contrary to the Law of Moses under the New Covenant and the Holy Spirit and personal faith by the Jews and Gentiles in the Messiah Jesus) practices or behaviour in the promised land of Israel.
God then goes on to say that in the Messianic Age there won't be any infants of only a few days that die but that even children that die in the Messianic Age will still live to be a hundred years. God also says that the sinner at a hundred years old will be called accursed. This probably means that God will give him or her a heart attack or take his or her breath away or other means will suddenly end their life. These sinful people will be brought to hell and won't have any further opportunity to practice, grow in or encourage or inflict evil or sin on other people on Earth in the Messianic Kingdom. God also says in the Messianic Age that there won't then be an old man that has not filled his days meaning that many older people even that live to be 70, 80 or even 100 years old in God's view don't fill their days. In view of this and the previous statement about the child still being 100 years before they die(and still being a child), God will partly through better spiritual and natural environments and better or healthier lifestyles extend people's lifetimes. This will probably include God enabling better eating and exercise habits and encouraging people to not indulge in unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, doing drugs, excessive eating, not getting enough sleep, dangerous sports or sex outside of marriage etc as well as God perhaps slowing the basic aging rate itself. These things will enable people to on average live several hundred years as was the case from Adam and Eve to Noah and the flood in Noah's time. God calling the days of his people as the days of a tree also means that as trees often live several hundred years or even about 1000 or more years that people in the Messianic Age will also live several hundred years. (Both Noah and Adam and some other people lived over 900 years and some others at that time almost that long.) Another factor could be God forbidding the killing of animals and the eating of meat as in Isaiah 11 and possibly Hosea 2 as already mentioned and also later in this chapter (Isaiah 65).
God's people of all ages (true or born again Christians of this Church Age, Old Testament believers or saints and martyred believers who refuse to take the mark of the beast or worship his image in the tribulation at least partly through trusting in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and are killed for this) will also have access to and reign with and under Jesus the Messiah on Earth in the Messianic Age in our resurrection, glorious, heavenly or incorruptible bodies. This longer life of mortal people in the Messianic Age will enable people living on Earth at that time in mortal bodies to for a longer period establish and live out their lives on Earth such as building and enjoying their houses, vineyards or other buildings or businesses. It is also mentioned they will long enjoy the work of their hands which would refer to enjoying the fruit of businesses or occupations outside the agricultural area. These occupations will likely be common in the Messianic Age as well especially since it will be a time of unprecendented prosperity both for Israel and the nations. God also promises to bless both the people who originally go into the Messianic Age in mortal or fleshly bodies from Israel and the nations and their offspring who will be born to them in the Messianic Age. The Messianic Age will provide ideal conditions for having and raising children so there could be a lot of children and population growth then in Israel and the nations. God also promises that even the flesh eating animals will be tame and plant eating in the Messianic Age including that the serpent or snake will eat the dust or perhaps the nutrients of the ground or plants on the ground instead of other animals. God could quite easily and will probably bring back at least many animals or plants that have gone extinct over the centuries. God will probably also bring back animals and plants that go extinct between now and Jesus' Second Coming at the end of the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel when their will be many and great man-made and natural disasters that will likely cause the extinction of many other plants and animals. God gives the same basic reason for stopping the savage and wild nature of animals as at present namely that the holy mountain of God (Jerusalem) will be holy or set apart by God for Himself and to some extent also the rest of the Earth. Included in this will be God's then stopping man from learning or practicing war and the devil or demons from causing savage or fearful behaviour of animals as now and since the garden of Eden. In the Garden of Eden and since that time the devil obtained dominion of the Earth and all its animals from Adam who previously had that dominion and who with Eve the devil in the serpent tricked into following the devil's words or commandments instead of God's by getting them to eat the forbidden fruit. The scripture reference in Isaiah 65 about the (relatively) New Heavens and New Earth with most of the curse on creation lifted and much longer life where people can get more established in their lives, occupations and family and other relationships in the Messianic Age for a 1000 years is as follows:
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. Isaiah 65:17-25
In the Messianic Age from the start of it, God will cause the wilderness, solitary place or desert to bloom with vegetation due to more even rainfall, less restricting high mountains and perhaps other factors. God could also bring more fertile soil that would be better for plant growth or a better atmosphere with more water or carbon dioxide and oxygen composition. God will do this to bring glory to Himself when He is ruling the Earth through people with abundant harvests and beautiful plants being thankful to Him as the Creator for His great goodness of His creation on Earth at that time. God says meanwhile, while there is still much sin on earth and also the effects of the curse on a less abundant creation or nature and His people are being oppressed, persecuted or ostracized to take comfort with the promise that God will come (now quite soon). When God and Messiah Jesus come again He will take vengeance against the ungodly or unbelievers and oppressors and take those away that don't turn to God and save the oppressed godly people. God also promises His healing of disease or afflictions such as blindness, deafness, dumbness or being lame or crippled or others. Jesus when He was on Earth as the Messiah the first time gave an indication that this is God's will by healing many people of different diseases as recorded in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. God promises to supernaturally bring springs of water from the ground in the wilderness or desert places where there was none before so there can be abundant plant life and vegetation there and as a result also abundant animal and human life.
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. Isaiah 35:1-7
God promises there will be a highway in the formerly desolate areas that are then more habitable because of the supernatural springs God newly causes there and the vegetation that results. God also states that ungodly or unclean people will not go there because God will rule and quickly kill any persistantly ungodly people and even those who are young children and ungodly but still not 100 and alive will have to go on different highways. God also promises that anyone on these highways in the former wilderness then abundant with plants and water areas will be safe from ravenous (ferocious) beasts. This is since they will be changed into a tame nature and only eat plants like the current plant eating animals. Also God will probably keep even these tamer lions and other beast from this highway. God also promises joy and gladness and freedom from sorrow and sighing to the people of Israel and from other scriptures also will bring joy to the other nations. The coming to Zion with songs and everlasting joy on their heads could likely refer to pilgrims coming to Jerusalem to the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount at the sabbaths, new moons and the Jewish festivals including many people of the nations at the Feast of Tabernacles. The scripture reference to God's removing the curse of creation from the ground with new springs of water, his healing the sick and afflicted, removing the ungodly and giving joy to the godly or believers on Earth in the Messianic Age in Isaiah 35 is as follows:
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beasts shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isaiah 35:8-10
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Part 1 Removal of Curse on Creation and the Messianic Age