Beth-El Baptist Church

09/18/2011

Greg Tomlinson


What is the relationship between Isaiah 11 and the Millennial Kingdom?


There is great debate concerning the existence of, the timing of, and the events of what is known as Christ's millennial kingdom. Some believe that Isaiah wrote about this millennial kingdom in chapter 11.


  1. What are the events surrounding the millennial kingdom?

Revelation 20:1-3 – Satan is bound in a bottomless pit for 1000 years. His deceiving ceases.

Revelation 20:4-6 – Believers are resurrected and reign with Christ for 1000 years.

Revelation 20:7-9a – Satan gathers all unbelievers to battle against Christ and His saints

Revelation 20:9b-11 – Satan loses the battle against Christ and His saints

Revelation 20:12-15 – All unbelievers are judged, condemned, and cast into the lake of fire


Specifically, the millennial kingdom is the 1000 year time period in which Satan is bound and Christ and his faithful followers will reign over the earth. It opens with the binding of Satan and closes with the release of Satan from his bindings to gather an army to fight against Christ.


  1. What are the events surrounding Isaiah 11?

Isaiah 11:1-3 – The rod of Jesse (Jesus) will arrive as a true and proper judge

Isaiah 11:4-5 – Jesus' judgment will be proper and powerful

Isaiah 11:6-9 – Natural enemies will be turned into friends and there will be nothing dangerous

Isaiah 11:10-16 – All of the people, Jew and Gentile alike, will be under the leadership of Jesus


Isaiah 11 is filled with a perfect and righteous judge. He rules and he judges according to perfect righteousness and with an iron fist. It is impossible for any guilty person to escape judgment. In some fashion, the presence of this perfect judge also ushers in a time of great peace amongst all who would be normally thought of as enemies. This would be an environment that is lived out according to God's original design plan (Genesis 1:26-31). Finally, there will be a time of extensive peace as all people will be summoned together in order to essentially be one people under the leadership of Jesus.


  1. Where are there parallels with the millennial kingdom?

Isaiah 11:6-9 cmp Revelation 20:1-3 – Nothing but peace in the land

Isaiah 11:4-5 cmp Revelation 20:12-15 – Ultimate and final judgment will take place

Isaiah 11:10-16 cmp Revelation 20:4-6 – All people gathered together under Christ's leadership


There are several parallels between Isaiah 11 and the Millennial Kingdom. There will finally be a place and a time of “world” peace in which there are no enemies of any kind. There will finally be a time in which true and proper justice will be executed. The innocent will roam free without having to worry about being hurt and the guilty will be condemned and removed from society where they can no longer offend, damage, nor deceive anyone ever again.


  1. What else could Isaiah 11 be referring to?

Revelation 21:1-8


Isaiah 11:6-16 could also be mostly referring to a time after all who are guilty (unbelievers) have been judged, condemned, and sentenced to the lake of fire. It is a place and a time in which it is impossible for anyone or anything that can cause grief or despair to ever again exist. All judgment is complete and final and there will never again be a time of despair nor of sin.


  1. Is anything missing from Isaiah 11 that would positively link it to the millennial kingdom?

Revelation 21:1-8


There are a couple of things that are specifically missing from Isaiah 11 to positively link it to the millennial kingdom. First, there is the 1000 year time period that is not mentioned so the time of peace could be indefinite. Second, there is no indication of any judgment taking place after a period of peace it appears that all of the judgment has taken place prior to the time of peace. Third, there is no mention of the person of Satan, his binding, his loosing, or his final condemnation.


While there is nothing about Isaiah 11 that eliminates it from being a reference to the millennial kingdom, there is also nothing that mandates it being a reference to the millennial kingdom. Regardless, they are both to be looked forward to as a time of great peace that is identified by the personal presence of Jesus Christ.