Beyond the tumultuous times of today lies the promise of a transformed world of peace and plenty-the age of Christ's glorious reign on the earth!
When Jesus Christ returns to earth He will initiate "the time of universal
restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets" (Acts 3:21, NRSV). Those prophets consistently assured ancient Israel and Judah
that a righteous King would restore God's Kingdom to earth.
The prophets reveal the exact spot to which the Messiah, God's anointed
King, will return: "And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of
Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east" (Zechariah 14:4). Starting with
Jerusalem as His capital city, He will expand His reign to the world (verses 9).
Once God's Kingdom is established in Jerusalem among the people of Israel,
Christ will ask representatives of all nations to come to Jerusalem to
learn about His laws. He will summon them to Jerusalem to attend God's
annual Feast of Tabernacles: "And it shall come to pass that everyone who
is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from
year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast
of Tabernacles" (verse 16; see Leviticus 23:33-44).
Not all nations will immediately cooperate. Remember, Satan will have
organized these same nations to fight Christ at His return. They will not
quickly accept Him even after Satan is bound. Therefore Christ will "judge
between the nations, and rebuke many people" (Isaiah 2:4). Early in Christ's
reign, strong measures still will be necessary to convince most nations
that He intends to enforce the laws of God.
