"The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest." -- (Isaiah 11:8)

Background Reading:
What happens to children during and after the rapture?

"The infant will play near the hole of the cobra" -- This is the third verse in a row that affirms the fact that animals will be peaceful during the Millennial Kingdom. The repetition of such a truth should caution the reader against trying to spiritualize the passage. The verse should be read for its literal truth.

It would be considered child endangerment to allow an infant to play near the hole of a cobra during the present age. This tells us that we are not currently living in the Millennial Kingdom. The verse refers to a time yet future when the conditions on earth will be changed. Animals will not pose a danger for men during the Millennial Kingdom.

"and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest" -- The appearance of infants and young children in the Millennial Kingdom demonstrates that humans will be alive during the time of the Millennial Kingdom and will still be having children. The believers that are currently in the church will be raptured before the tribulation and will return to earth during the Millennial Kingdom in their glorified bodies. The people that come to believe during the time of the Great Tribulation and remain alive through the Great Tribulation and will populate the Millennial Kingdom with humans by having children. In Zechariah, chapter 8, we read the following about the Millennial Kingdom:

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there." (Zech. 8:4-5)

Thus, there will be children born during the time of the Millennial Kingdom and the people living at that time will grow old. Boys and girls will play in the streets of Jerusalem.

"And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox." -- (Isaiah 11:7)

Background Reading:
Creation's Groans and the Saints' Sighs

"And the cow and the bear shall feed" -- The picture that is painted by the words of scripture in this verse is so vivid that it scarcely needs explanation. Anyone who thinks that we are currently living during the time of the Millennial Kingdom has not considered the words of this verse. We do not yet see the cow and the bear feeding together or the lion eating straw like the ox. No, but we await the fulfillment of this promise in the future. Some say there will be no Millennial Kingdom. Have they not read this verse? Do they not think that scripture will be fulfilled? Do they think it is too difficult for God to subdue His creation? Consider what God says about the Millennial Kingdom:

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts. (Zech. 8:6)

"and the lion shall eat straw like the ox" -- As proof that God can pacify even the lion, consider the account recorded in 1 Kings, chapter 13. After the man of God disobeyed the Lord, he was riding on his donkey, and a lion met him on the road and killed him. Did the donkey run away from the lion? Did the lion attack the donkey? Did the lion harm the corpse of the man of God? When the prophet who had deceived the man of God went to see the dead body of the man of God, consider what he witnessed:

Then he went out and found the body thrown down on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had neither eaten the body nor mauled the donkey. (1 Kings 13:28)

In the MacArthur Study Bible, for 1 Kings 13:24, the following note is provided:

donkey...lion. Both the donkey and the lion acted unnaturally: The donkey did not run and the lion did not attack the donkey or disturb the man's body. Unlike the disobedient prophet, the beasts bent their wills to God's sovereignty. (MacArthur Study Bible, fn. 1 Kings 13:24)

Though it was unnatural for the donkey and the lion to remain peacefully by each other at that time, during the Millennial Kingdom, their young ones shall lie down together. We are still waiting for the fulfillment of this prophecy. It is not yet the time of the Millennial Kingdom.

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." -- (Isaiah 11:6)

Background Reading:
Creation Day 6

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb" -- During the Millennial Kingdom, the animals of the earth will be at peace with each other and with the people living during that time. Since the fall of man, there has never been a time on earth when the wolf has been at peace with the lamb and the calf and the young lion have dwealt peacefully together. Thus, this passage must refer to the future Millennial Kingdom when the conditions on earth are changed. There will still be sin in the world, but apparently the creation will be more subdued than it is in its current condition.

Other passages in the Bible also point to the promise of a future Kingdom in which animals live peacefully with each other and with humans. Consider the following passages:

The 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. (Isaiah 65:25)

And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. (Hosea 2:18)

And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. (Ezekiel 34:25)

"and a little child shall lead them" -- Here is an amazing description of the future conditions during the Millennial Kingdom. Little children shall lead wild animals such as the lion and the wolf and will not be afraid of such animals. There has never been such a scene on earth since the fall of man.

"And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." -- (Isaiah 11:5)

Background Reading:
Christ: The Good Shepherd

Link to Previous Post:
Faithful and True

"faithfulness the girdle of his reins" -- The Messiah is characterized by righteousness and faithfulness. It is a great comfort to know that God is faithful and that He will remain faithful to His word. We have this promise from God:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

We base our faith on the promises made by God and, thus, rely on the fact that He is faithful. How then should we act? What about worry, fear, and unbelief? If we know that Jesus is faithful then we should never have occasion to worry. Consider the following admonition:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phil. 4:6)

Jesus is the righteous King who cares for the needs of all His people. He has promised them food and clothing. We know that He is faithful to His promises because He already endured death, even death on a cross, to save the lives of His people. In John, chapter 10, Jesus says:

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the Righteous Judge, the Faithful King. We are told that, in the last days, scoffers will come that will question the faithfulness of Christ and deny His promises. They will question His second coming, 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. (2 Peter 3:4)

Such unbelievers do not acknowledge the faithfulness of God. The Bible says that Christ will return to earth to establish His Kingdom. We can be sure that Christ will be faithful to that promise. It is important to remember that:

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Every promise of God will be fulfilled. Christ is faithful to His word.

"But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." -- (Isaiah 11:4)

Background Reading:
The Third Beatitude

"But with righteousness shall he judge the poor" -- During the Millennial Kingdom, Christ will provide justice even for the poor people living in the land. It has always been a command of God that those who seek to follow Him should make a special effort to care for the poor and needy among their people. God displays anger toward those earthly kings who oppress the poor and sick in their land. Listen to the accusation that God brings against the neglectful rulers:

The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. (Ezekiel 34:4)

In contrast to those oppressive rulers, Christ has always demonstrated a compassion for the sick and lost among His sheep. Christ read the following prophecy concerning His mininstry:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19)

"and he shall smite the earth" -- Christ will rule over the earth during the Millennial Kingdom, and He will punish those people who do not obey His commandments. In Psalm, chapter 2, we read the following concerning Christ:

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm 2:8-12)

"with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked" -- God has power in His word. With His word He spoke the earth into existence. With His word, Christ is able to punish the wicked. Remember the plague that will fall upon all the people who come to fight against Israel in the Battle of Armageddon:

And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. (Zech. 14:12)

Christ will similarly send other plagues on disobedient people during the time of the Millennial Kingdom. For an example of such a plague, see Zechariah, Chapter 14, verses 16-19.

"And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears" -- (Isaiah 11:3)

Background Reading:
Jesus Angry with Hard Hearts

The kings and rulers of this world, since they cannot know the hearts of men, must judge by what they see (the sight of their eyes) and by what they hear (the hearing of their ears). When Christ comes to rule on earth during the Millennial Kingdom, since He is God, He will be able to judge men by what is in their heart. Such righteous judgment cuts through all deceit and all hypocrisy of men who would try to appear blameless, but are actually guilty. The Bible expresses the fact that Jesus knows what is in the heart of man:

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2:23-25)

God is able to judge men by what is in their heart. He knows every secret thought and He records every concealed sin, and, thus, has perfect judgment. The Bible tells us that:

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:13)

and that:

the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7)

Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, 'Who sees us? Who will know?' (Isaiah 29:15)

God sees you, God will know. When God reigns on earth during the Millennial Kingdom, justice will be swift and the judgment sure. The King will know of every action, even those concealed from the sight and hearing of men.