Many people believe that upon Christ’s return, everything will be transferred to heaven and the earth will cease to exist. Scripture, however, says otherwise. The prophets describe an earth where people build houses and live in them, plant vineyards and eat their fruit. Nations no longer learn the art of war, beating their swords into plowshares. The wolf lies down beside the lamb, and the wilderness blossoms.

Will people still fall ill?

Will they still die?

Who will reign alongside Christ, and what will happen once the thousand years have passed?

There is no need to guess the answers to these questions. I have gathered these verses in one place so that you, the reader, may see for yourself the future that God has prepared for those who love Him.

“May Your Kingdom come; may Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” – Matthew 6:10.

1. The thousand-year reign of Christ

Revelation contains the only chapter in the Bible that explicitly specifies the duration of this reign as one thousand years. Satan is bound, the saved are raised from the dead, and they reign with Christ:

“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand years… so that he would not mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended… And they came to life and ruled as kings with Christ for a thousand years… Blessed and holy is anyone who has a part in the first resurrection… they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with Him for the thousand years” – Revelation 20:1–4, 6.

“Let Your Kingdom come; let Your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth” – Matthew 6:10.

„For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” – Luke 22:18.

„He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets” – Acts 3:21.

An important distinction: The millennium (Rev 20) is not yet eternity. During that time, death still exists on earth, and disobedience remains possible (Isa 65:20; Zech 14:17). The new heaven and the new earth—free from death and tears—arrive only after the thousand years have passed (Rev 21:1–4; section 8).

Read the justification

This is not a statement written explicitly in the Bible, but rather a conclusion drawn from several texts:

Isaiah 65:20. The full verse states that one who dies at the age of one hundred will be considered a youth, while a sinner who fails to reach the age of one hundred will be deemed accursed. Since the text mentions death and a sinner, it follows that both death and sin are present during the period described. Life, however, is exceptionally long. It should be noted, though, that Isaiah 65:17 introduces this account with the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. Therefore, the application of verse 20 to the millennial reign is a conclusion drawn from comparing various prophecies, rather than an explicit statement by Isaiah himself.

Zechariah 14:16–19. The nations are to come to Jerusalem every year for the Feast of Tabernacles, and those that do not come will receive no rain. The penalty for failing to appear only makes sense if it is possible for someone not to come—that is, if disobedience is an option.

Texts that support this:

Revelation 20:7–9: After a thousand years, satan deceives the nations and gathers them for rebellion. There must, therefore, be people capable of turning away from God.
1 Corinthians 15:25–26: Christ reigns until He has defeated all His enemies, and death is the last enemy to be destroyed. Death is the final enemy that will be removed. Paul does not specify here exactly when, during the millennial reign, this will take place.
Psalms 2:9 i Revelation 19:15: Ruling with a “rod of iron” suggests that there is still resistance that must be kept in check.

2. Judgment before the Kingdom and the surviving remnant

Before the establishment of the Kingdom, God judges the earth for breaking His covenant. Few survive, and the remnant that remains enters the era of Christ’s reign:

“Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer; only a few people remain” – Isaiah 24:6 (context in v. 5: people have broken the everlasting covenant).

“In that day the Branch of YHWH will be beautiful and glorious… And those who remain in Zion and the survivors in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem” – Isaiah 4:2–3.

“The remnant of Israel will do no wrong and speak no lies; nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. They will eat and lie down, and no one will make them afraid” – Zephaniah 3:13.

“Then the inhabitants of the cities of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel, burning them… for seven years. And the house of Israel will spend seven months burying the dead to cleanse the land” – Ezekiel 39:9–14.

Ezekiel 39 describes the cleansing of the land following the battle against Gog. It is possible that a similar process will occur after Armageddon: the survivors will set the world in order before life in peace begins.

3. The Reign of Christ the King

Christ reigns as King over the entire earth from the throne of David, and His rule is just and firm:

“For a child has been born to us, a Son has been given to us, and the dominion will rest upon His shoulder… His dominion will continue to grow, and there will be no end to peace, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom” – Isaiah 9:5–6 (in some translations, 9:6–7).

“And YHWH will be King over the whole earth; on that day YHWH will be the One, and His name the One” – Zechariah 14:9.

“The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” – Luke 1:32–33.

“The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed… it will crush and put an end to all those kingdoms, while it will itself endure forever” – Daniel 2:44 (see also Daniel 7:13–14).

“I will set up one shepherd over them… I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant… and My dwelling place shall be with them” – Ezekiel 37:24–27.

“In his days righteousness shall flourish, and an abundance of peace, until the moon is no more. He shall have dominion from sea to sea… all kings shall bow down to him, all nations shall serve him… And there shall be an abundance of grain in the land” – Psalm 72:7–8, 11, 16 (a messianic psalm concerning the reign of the King).

“I will give You the nations as an inheritance… You shall rule them with a rod of iron” – Psalm 2:8–9 (see also Revelation 19:15).

A “rod of iron” signifies unyielding authority. Peace during the Millennium does not stem from the disappearance of sin, but from the fact that the King holds it in check.

4. The role of the saved

Those who are saved are not passive spectators. They reign with Christ, judge, and serve as priests:

“And You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” – Revelation 5:10.

“If we endure, we shall also reign with Him” – 2 Timothy 2:12.

“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” – 1 Corinthians 6:2.

“In the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you… will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” – Matthew 19:28.

“Then the kingdom and dominion… under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High” – Daniel 7:27.

“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’” – Matthew 25:34.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” – Matthew 5:5.

“The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever” – Psalm 37:29.

5. The life of individuals and nations

People live physically: they live, work, own property and rest. The nations continue to exist, learn God’s ways, and worship the King in Jerusalem every year:

„And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the house of YHWH shall be established… and all the nations shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, saying, Come, let us go up to the mountain of YHWH… and he shall judge among the nations, and decide the affairs of many nations. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares…” – Isaiah 2:2-4.

„They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and they will no longer learn war. And they will sit every man under his own vine and under his fig tree, and no one will make them afraid” – Micah 4:3–4.

“Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his full years… They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit… they will long enjoy the work of their hands.” — Isaiah 65:20–23.

“I will cleanse you from all your impurities… ruined cities will be rebuilt and inhabited. And the desolate land will be cultivated… and people will say, ‘This land that was once desolate has become like the Garden of Eden.’” — Ezekiel 36:33–35.

“Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you… your gates will always remain open; they will never be shut, day or night, so that the wealth of the nations may be brought to you.” — Isaiah 60:10–12.

“And it will come to pass that all who remain from all the nations… will go up year after year to worship the King, YHWH of Hosts, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. And if any of the peoples of the earth do not go up… no rain will fall upon them.” — Zechariah 14:16–17.

This text shows that disobedience is still possible during the millennium, and the King punishes it. This aligns with Revelation 20:7–8, where, after a thousand years, the nations are still susceptible to being deceived.

6. Nature, health, abundance, and the knowledge of God

The Earth is renewed: humans, animals, and nature live in peace, diseases fade away, and everyone knows God.

Peace in nature:

“Then the wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will rest beside the young goat… and a little child will lead them… for the earth will be full of the knowledge of YHWH, just as the waters cover the sea” – Isaiah 11:6–9.

“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, the lion will eat straw like the ox… They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain” – Isaiah 65:25.

“In that day, I will make a covenant for them with the wild beasts of the field… I will remove the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make them lie down in safety” – Hosea 2:20 (in some translations, 2:18).

“Creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God” – Romans 8:21.

Health:

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped… the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute shall sing” – Isaiah 35:5–6.

“No inhabitant will say, ‘I am sick’” – Isaiah 33:24.

“And by the river, on both its banks, all kinds of fruit trees will grow… their fruit will serve for food, and their leaves for healing” – Ezekiel 47:12.

Abundance:

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad… and it shall blossom like a lily” – Isaiah 35:1.

“Behold, the days are coming… when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed… I will plant them in their own land, and they shall no more be uprooted” – Amos 9:13–15.

Knowing God:

“No longer will they teach one another, saying, ‘Know YHWH,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest” – Jeremiah 31:34.

“The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of YHWH, just as the waters fill the sea” – Habakkuk 2:14.

7. The End of the Thousand Years

After a thousand years, satan is released for a short time, the nations rebel one last time, and then follows the final judgment and the destruction of death:

“And when the thousand years are over, satan will be released from his prison. And he will go out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle” – Revelation 20:7–8.

“And fire came down from heaven and consumed them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur…” – Revelation 20:9–10.

“And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it… and the dead were judged according to their deeds… And death and the abyss were thrown into the lake of fire” – Revelation 20:11–14.

„Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father… For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death… so that God may be all in all” – 1 Corinthians 15:24–28.

Christ reigns until He has defeated all His enemies, with death being the last one to be destroyed. This is why death still exists during the Millennium, but no longer exists on the new earth.

8. After the millennium: a new heaven and a new earth

After a thousand years and the final judgment, God dwells with humanity forever. There is no more death, pain, or tears.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” – Revelation 21:1.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away’” – Revelation 21:3–4.

“He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord YHWH will wipe away tears from every face” – Isaiah 25:8.

“And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honor into it” – Revelation 21:24.

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Down the middle of the city’s street, and on both sides of the river, stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” – Revelation 22:1–2.

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city” – Revelation 22:14.