PART 4 - The Eternal Reign of Christ. - The Government in the Millennium.

The Government in the Millennium

1. JESUS CHRIST -  KING OF KINGS 
This will be a Theocracy, not a Democracy but a Monarchy.  God will establish His Christ on the Throne of David as He has promised.  Luke 1:30-33 tells us that this will be fulfilled by Jesus Christ, showing that this is not just an Old Testament doctrine.  The prophets tell us that this King must be a man from the house of David (Isaiah 16:5), but He is also God (Isaiah 9:6,7; Jer 23:5,6; 33:14-17; Zech 14:9). So, He is the unique God-man!

Micah 5:2 describes the eternal One, being born in Bethlehem, David’s town of birth, born to be the Ruler of Israel (the son of David). 
Matthew 2:6 applies this to Jesus.  He shall be rejected by Israel and: therefore He shall give them up, until the time that she who is in labour has given birth.   Through the Tribulation, Israel will come to faith and then He will return to her: Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel     (Mic5:3).  Then in the Millennium: He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; and they shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth (Mic5:4).

Jesus claimed to be this Shepherd-Ruler of Israel (John10:14). He will rule over Israel as a loving Shepherd (Is 40:10,11; Jer 31:10) with David his under shepherd (Ezek34:3, 37;24).  Jesus will reign over all the nations when He returns (Zech14:9, Amos 9:11,12; Acts 15:15,16).  He will rule with a rod of iron (Rev 12:5, 19:15).  Sin must still be restrained.  Laws will be enforced.  There will be capital punishment (Isa 65:20).

He gives positions of authority as rewards when He comes (Luke19:11-27; Matt 19:27-30; Rev 22:12). 
Behold, the Lord GOD shall COME with a strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him. Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him.  He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young (Isa 40:10,11).

He will rule with righteousness and justice: There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse (David’s father), and a Branch shall grow out of his roots and bear fruit.  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.  His delight is in the fear of the LORD, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears;  but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.  Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist (Isaiah 11:1-5).

Zech 6:11-13 is an acted prophecy of Messiah’s rule: Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua (= JESUS) the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!   From His place He shall branch out (sprout up), and He shall build the temple of the LORD;  Yes, He shall build the temple of the LORD. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 
As a Levitical Priest, Joshua could not be King as well, so this was prophetic of another Man called ‘the Branch’ - a title of the Messiah.  It predicts that He will be a King-Priest like Melchizedek (Gen14:18-20, Psa 110:4, Hebrews 7:11-21) who will build the Millennial Temple from which He will reign in glory.   The Messiah is both David’s Lord and David’s son (Psa 110:1), He is both the Root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:10) and a Branch from Jesse (Isaiah 11:1).

Thus, Jesus is both the Root and Offspring (Shoot) of David (Rev 22:16). 
As the Root He is the Creator, Origin and Lord of David - this speaks of  His Deity (Isaiah 11:10, Rev 5:5). 
As the Branch, He is also a Man springing forth as David’s son, growing up as other men in order to bear fruit in the earth (Zech 6:12, Isai 11:1, Matt 1:1).

The Branch is the glorious King (Isa 4:2, Zech 6:13) who also is God: 
Behold, the days are coming” says the LORD “that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; 
a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 
In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. 
Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer 23:5,6).

But first he must be the Suffering Servant who takes away sin. 
He springs up as a human branch in (Isa 53:2) to die for our sins (v3-12). 
Similarly in Zechariah 3:1-7, we see God removing Joshua’s sins 
and then He explains that the basis for this will be the work of God’s Servant, the Branch: 
Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign (what happened to Joshua is a picture of what Christ does for all believers); for behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH (v8). Behold, the Stone (another Messianic title, upon Him the Kingdom will be built) that I have laid before Joshua: upon the Stone are seven eyes (He will be full of the Spirit, able to judge).  Behold, I will engrave its inscription, says the Lord of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day (the national cleansing and salvation of Israel at the Second Coming -v9).  In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, Everyone will invite his neighbour under his vine and under his fig tree (v10 - peace and harmony in the Millennium).

Joshua, in Zech 6:11-13, was chosen to symbolise the Branch because he was first a PRIEST who then was crowned as KING in this prophetic action.  So first Christ was a Priest offering up the sacrifice of himself to God to reunite us to God, and only then could He receive the authority to be King (Heb 1:3, Phil2:8-10).  To be the Lion, He first had to be the Lamb.  Because as God’s obedient Servant He offered up His life as the sacrificial Lamb, He is worthy to rule a King (Rev 5).  Christ  unites in Himself the two offices of Priest and King, and the two qualities of mercy and justice.  As merciful Priest He brings us and represents us to God.  As just King He represents God to man.  He is Saviour and Lord in one Person.  Thus mercy is established as the foundation of His throne: In mercy the throne will be established; and One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness (Isa 16:5, also Psa 89:14).  The Ark of the Covenant (His earthly throne) also embodies this - for the seat is called the Mercy-Seat, the place where the Blood was sprinkled.  The rainbow above the throne of God (Rev 4:3) represents God’s mercy released because of Christ’s atonement when He bore the wrath of God for us (c.f. Gen 9:13, Isa 54:8-10).

Psalm 72 describes His reign: Give the king Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king’s Son.  He will judge Your people with righteousness, and Your poor with justice. The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.   He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor.  They shall fear You as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.  He shall come down like rain upon the grass before mowing, like showers that water the earth.  In H is days the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.  He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, and His enemies will lick the dust.  The kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts. Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him.  For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper.  He will spare the poor and needy, and will save the souls of the needy.  He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; and precious shall be their blood in His sight.  And He shall live; and the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; prayer also will be made for Him continually, and daily He shall be praised.  There will be an abundance of grain in the earth, on the top of the mountain.  Its fruit shall wave like Lebanon; and those of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.  His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun.   And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed.   Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things!   And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. 
This was fulfilled in type by Solomon, the Son of David. 
Jesus, the greater than Solomon, will fulfil it completely.

The Key Feast of the Millennium is Tabernacles (the King’s birthday) where all nations come before him with their oath of loyalty to the Lord (Zechariah 14:16-19).

2. The Resurrected Queen - the Church. 
In Psalm 45 (A Love Song) we see the Queen - the Wife of the King: 
My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King;  My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips.  Therefore God has blessed You forever.  Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, with Your glory and Your majesty.  And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; and Your right hand shall teach You awesome things. Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies; the peoples fall under You.

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.  A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions (Hebrews 1 applies this to Jesus).

All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.  Kings’ daughters are among Your honourable women.

THE QUEEN:  At Your right hand stands the Queen in gold from Ophir.  Listen, O daughter, Consider and incline your ear; forget your own people also, and your father’s house; so the King will greatly desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, worship Him.  And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; the rich among the people will seek your favour.  The royal daughter is all glorious within the palace; Her clothing is woven with gold.  She shall be brought to the King in robes of many colours.   The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to You.  With gladness and rejoicing they shall be brought.  They shall enter the King’s palace.  Instead of your fathers shall be your sons, whom you shall make princes in all the earth.   I will make your name to be remembered in all generations.  Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever. 
Esther is a type of the Church as Queen.

Luke 22:28-30:  But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials.  And I bestow upon you a Kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and (the twelve apostles will) sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 
The resurrected saints will have authority on earth over those in natural bodies.  The Church is seen on thrones in Revelation 4,5, 20:4.

3. Old Testament and Tribulation resurrected saints 
(Rev 20:4-6) are  under the Church in authority - see Matthew 11:11.

4. Human Kings (see Psalm 72).  Jesus is King of kings. 
  
THE JEWISH BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT 
1. The Prince of Israel - the resurrected David (Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23,24; 37:24,25; Hosea 3:5; Ezekiel 46).

2. The twelve Apostles over the twelve Tribes (Matt 19:28; Luke 22:28-30)

3.  Princes and Nobles (Isa 32:1, Ezekiel 45:8,9; Haggai 2:20-23; Jer 30:21).

4. Judges and Counsellors (Isaiah 1:26).

5. Israel has headship over the Gentiles (Deuteronomy 15:6,28:1,13, Isaiah 14:1,2;  49:22,23; 61;6,7).

The relationship between the resurrected saints and those living on the earth: 
a) The Transfiguration is a picture of the Kingdom showing both interacting together (Matthew 16:28-17:9).  However, earth was not home for Moses and Elijah. They were present for a mission. 
b) The resurrected saints will live in the New Jerusalem - this is the eternal home of the redeemed (Hebrews 11:10,13-16, 39-40; 12:22-24; Galatians 4:26; Rev 3:12).   John 14:1-4 proves that our eternal home is the New Jerusalem even during the Millennium. 
c) They rule and reign with Christ on earth (Revelation 3:21).

Where is the New Jerusalem at this time? 
Perhaps in Heaven still or perhaps it comes down in orbit above the earthly Jerusalem.  Thus the resurrected saints are in their eternal home while the kingdom on earth is in its last phase before the Eternal State.  They live in the Heavenly Jerusalem but go to work on earth to rule and reign.

There is a close relationship between the heavenly Jerusalem (Zion) - the mother-city, and the earthly Jerusalem ('the daughter of Zion').  In God’s sight they are one city (Psa 122:3), which is why they have the same name, and are connected together by an ‘umbilical cord’ (Jacob’s Ladder for Jacob may well have seen his ladder in the distance descending upon Mt.Moriah, Jerusalem).  See Gal 4:25,26.  Their connection and unity will be more manifest in the Millennium.