Expert: Messianic Rabbi Yochanan Levine - 9/15/2006

Question
Hi thereI I was wondering if you could tell me if there will be sin during the 1000 year reign of christ. And if so can you give me scripual reffernces that say so thanks and God bless

Answer
Hi John,
Great question.

We know from Scripture that Satan will be bound at the end of the war for the duration of the 1000 years, and that he will be released when it is over (Rev. 20).

We know therefore that Satan and his demons will not influence or tempt people during this period. So this sort of sin will be absent.

Gen. 49:10 and thereabouts tell us that, "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be."

The "sceptre" is used for ruling and the references to the Messiah or Shiloh during the Millennium refers to him as a king and judge. It seems obvious therefore that sin born of human nature will continue to exist, demonic inspired sin will not, during the 1000 years, and that the Messianic government will rule the world from Jerusalem, enforcing the laws of God and Messiah. During this period:

(MIC 4:3) "And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Note that Shiloh will rebuke them. Many of the Gentiles will seek to leave the Kingdom of God. They will rebel, they will sin. The King however will not allow this to disrupt his Kingdom, at least not during the thousand years. Every nation will be held under the Kingly authority.

And again,

(ISA 2:4) "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: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

A similar point. The King will disarm them and teach them the ways of peace.

During this period:

(Zech. 8:23) "Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you."

Those who are wise will willingly submit to the God of Israel and learn his ways. They must humble themselves and learn. Again, they could sin, but they chose not to.

Indeed the admonition is:

(Mich 4:5) "O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD."

If we are invited to walk in the ways of the Lord it is evident some may not choose to.

This at least strongly implies that there is direction being given from the theocratic government. Again, were there no sin, this would not be needed.

Then, after the 1000 years are completed and the resurrection takes place, and the New Heavens and the New Earth become established, the Tree of Life will be eaten from that was prohibited to Adam and Eve (Rev. 22). After this,

(I Cor 2:9) "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

It seems then, that humans will learn the truth for the 1000 years directly from the Messianic government. No longer will people have to guess what God wants of us, what truth is. Everyone will know, "Thus sayeth the Lord!" Everyone will work together to create a human paradise as servants of the King. This will be the most advanced and amazing kingdom in world history. Imagine a thousand years for people to come together free from war, starvation, prejudice, etc. What amazing things we will we collectively create! People can accept or reject the King, sin or not as they choose based on knowledge rather than conjecture. The 'Messianic police' will enforce global law and order during this period and peace justice will reign.

At the end of the 1000 years, Satan will lead a rebellion of those who refuse to accept the Messiah, and the rebels will be removed (Rev. 20:7-). Following this rebellion, God will utterly surpass the human paradise and bestow a Paradise beyond anything ever conceived by the human mind. The human wrought paradise of the 1000 years will be as the stone age by comparison!

So, those living in the Kingdom Period (the 1000 years) will be ordinary people, warts and all as the saying goes, except that they will be spared any and all demonic influences.

Hope this answers your question, if not feel free to write back.

~Shalom and Maranatha,
~John of AllFaith