Greetings WPM,
It is obvious from the following that when Jesus returns to sit upon the Temple Throne of David in Jerusalem for the 1000 years surrounded by the immortal faithful, that there will be mortals who have survived Armageddon and they will be subjected and voluntarily seek to learn the ways of God during the 1000 years.
Isaiah 2:1-4 (KJV): 1The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2And 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 nations shall flow unto it.
3And 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 of 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.
4And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Notice here that this is all related to "the last days". Scripture says the last days is the time period between the first coming and the second coming of Christ, so why do you try to apply this passage to a time after His return?
Acts 2:15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
Can you see here that the last days had already begun before the day of Pentecost and included the day of Pentecost?
2 Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that
there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Jude 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you
there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Can you see here that the last days refers to the time period during which people scoff at the promise of Christ's second coming which was already happening long ago and is still happening today? Once He comes, people won't be scoffing any more, so the last days will be over at that point.
So, you should see that taking Isaiah 2:1-4 as literally as you are and applying it to the wrong time period contradicts other scripture. Look at that Acts 2 passage again that I quoted above. Peter was quoting from Joel 2:28-32 there. If we didn't know any better, we would think it's saying that God would pout out His Spirit in literally all people since it says He would pour out His Spirit on all people. But, of course, we know that He only pours out His Spirit on all believers, not all people. Isaiah 2:1-4 should similarly be only applied to believers and not literally all people.
The New Heaven and Earth is figurative language speaking of a new era with a new order of things. Compare the same language in Isaiah 65:17-25 which speaks about the passing away of the present order and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth, and even in this passage it speaks of the mortals during the 1000 years.
Isaiah 65:17-25 (KJV): 17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
20There 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.
21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
22They 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.
23They 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.
24And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25The 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.
Kind regards
Trevor
Why are you interpreting that passage in such a way that contradicts what John wrote about the new heavens and new earth?
Revelation 21:1 And
I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
John was very clear that there will be no more death in the new earth, so do you think he didn't know what he was talking about? Do you think he wasn't aware of what is written in Isaiah 65:17-25? You said yourself that Isaiah 65:17-25 is figurative language and that is correct. But Revelation 21:4 is not figurative. Why can't you recognize that Isaiah was describing no more death in verse 20 in a figurative way? A 100 year old child? That's clearly figurative. A 100 year old is not a child. Is that really saying that there will be 100 year old children who die on the new earth? Of course not. That was a figurative way of saying that even after 100 years going by in eternity (if there was actually time in eternity) a child would still be a child because no one will age in eternity.
Notice what it says in Isaiah 65:18-19. No more weeping and crying. Just like it says in Revelation 21:4. Do you think that people will die during this supposed future thousand year time period and no one will mourn their deaths? That would be ridiculous, right? So, how do ou reconcile your understanding of Isaiah 65:20 with what it says in Revelation 65:18-19 and what it says in Revelation 21:4?
And how about 2 Peter 3:13 which says the new heavens and new earth will be a place "whwerein dwelleth righteousness". Why would Peter have said that if it will be a place where wickedness also dwells? That would make 2 Peter 3:13 pointless. He clearly implied that the new heavens and new earth would be a place where only righteousness dwells.
