President Trump has pronounced repeatedly that his Administration is going to produce a “Golden Age” for America. I am confident that his down-to-earth, common-sense policies are going to be good for our nation. But a “Golden Age”? I don’t think so.
However, there is a “Golden Age” promise that we can count on. It is one that God has made over and over again throughout His Word. It is contained in both the Old Testament and the New (Isaiah 2:2-4 and Revelation 20). I am speaking specifically of the Bible’s promise that one day Jesus will return to this earth to reign over the whole world from Jerusalem as King of kings and Lord of lords (Zechariah 14:1-9).
Characteristics of the True Golden Age
We are told in several places that His reign will produce peace, righteousness, and justice for the entire world. One of those places is in Habakkuk 2:14, which says: “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea.”
In that truly “Golden Age,” homelessness and hunger will cease. Wars will come to an end. All the money currently being spent on weapons of war will be spent instead on agricultural production. Holiness will replace worldliness. Perfect justice will be available to all, regardless of skin color or wealth. All positions of power will be occupied by glorified saints in immortal bodies with the mind of Christ (Micah 4:1-7).
Nature will be reconciled to itself and to Mankind. Poison plants will disappear. All animals will become herbivores. The wolf will dwell with the lamb. Children will play with lions and cobras (Isaiah 11:6-9).
An atmosphere of holiness will prevail everywhere (Zechariah 14:20-21), and people will live with an attitude of gratitude and joy (Isaiah 35:10).
Sickness will be abated. The blind will see. The lame will walk. The deaf will hear. The mutes will speak. Mental illness will be curbed (Isaiah 35:5-6).
This glorious future time is usually referred to as “The Millennial Reign of Jesus.” As the word, millennial, implies, the reign will last 1,000 years (Revelation 20). At the end of that time, all the saved will be placed in the New Jerusalem, which will descend to a new earth where they will live forever in the presence of their Creator and Savior (John 14:1-4 and Revelation 21:1-3).
Another False Concept of the “Golden Age”
President Trump is not the only one with a mistaken concept of the “Golden Age.” The majority of churches today are teaching that we are currently living in the “Golden Age” promised in the Bible! They claim the Millennium began with the establishment of the Church in about 30 AD, and that it will continue until the Lord returns at His Second Coming. Thus, they take the position that the one thousand-year length of the reign, which is mentioned in Revelation 20 a total of six times, just means a “long time.”
This interpretation of Bible prophecy is called Amillennialism. That strange name is reflective of the fact that in the Greek language, a noun or adjective can be negated by beginning it with the letter “A.” So, Amillennial means “no millennium.” But that is misleading because Amillennialists do believe in a Millennium. Their difference with what the Bible literally teaches is that they believe the Millennium is present and not future. They believe the Church is the fulfillment of all the millennial promises and that Jesus is reigning over this spiritual millennium from Heaven right now.
My response is that if we are in the Millennium today, then Jesus is doing a very poor job of reigning! Where is the peace, righteousness, and justice? Where is the peace in nature? Why is the Earth so afflicted with violence, immorality, injustice, and war?
The Messianic Jewish scholar Arnold Fruchtenbaum has summed up this unrealistic viewpoint of Amillennialism by observing, “If we are currently living in the Millennium, then I must be living in the slum area.”
To sum it up, the “Golden Age” is coming. In fact, based on the signs of the times given in the Bible (Matthew 24), we can say, “The ‘Golden Age’ is right around the corner.”
One of those key signs is that society will become as violent and immoral as it was in the days of Noah. So, as the world and our nation disintegrate before our very eyes, let’s keep in mind something Jan Markell often says: “This world is not going to pieces. Instead, all the pieces are falling into place.”
