1. Introduction: Law Before Sinai 🏛️
The Lord’s Return establishes the perfect fulfillment of The Rule Restored—a government of perfect justice, righteousness, and eternal law. To understand the New Earth, we must first understand that God’s governance is not restored; it is simply made perfect.
- The Eternal Standard: Many view the Ten Commandments as specific rules given only to ancient Israel, but the principles they codified are as eternal as God Himself.
- The Pre-Sinai Principles: The core principles of God’s Law existed in the human conscience and within God’s dealings with humanity before Mount Sinai. These were the principles that governed creation and human behavior (e.g., the prohibition of murder, reverence for sacred time), evident from the earliest chapters of Genesis.
- Key Concept: The Kingdom of God is a government of perfect order. The final state is not rule without law, but rule with law that is perfectly enforced and intrinsically understood.
2. The Eternal Pillars of God’s Governance
The principles of God’s Law are foundational to the Kingdom. They represent four key pillars that define the relationship between the Creator and His creation, and between fellow creatures.
| Pillar of Governance | Originating Principle | Application in the New Earth / Millennium |
| Pillar 1: Exclusive Worship | God Alone is Worthy. (Evident in Cain & Abel’s offerings; Abraham’s altars.) | Perfect Relationship: The worship of the Lamb alone. There is no temple in the New Jerusalem because God’s presence is direct and unfiltered (Revelation 21:22). |
| Pillar 2: Sacred Time | Entering God’s Rest. (The Sabbath/Rest established at Creation, Genesis 2:3.) | Eternal Rest: The final state is described as entering God’s complete, eternal rest (Hebrews 4), where human labor is redeemed and perfectly aligned with God’s purpose. |
| Pillar 3: Sanctity of Life | Image of God. (Prohibition of murder given to Noah, Genesis 9:6.) | Total Restoration: There is no more death, sorrow, or pain (Revelation 21:4). The fundamental principle of preserving life is permanently and completely realized. |
| Pillar 4: Sanctity of Property & Truth | Justice and Integrity. (The necessity of truth and fairness between humans.) | Absolute Justice: Perfect justice and truth are administered directly by Christ as King, permanently eliminating all forms of theft, deceit, and false witness from the cosmos. |
3. The Restoration of Order in the Millennium
The thousand-year reign of Christ on Earth serves as the bridge between the chaotic “old earth” and the eternal “new earth,” focusing on the absolute enforcement of these eternal principles.
- Christ as King and Judge: Christ will rule from Jerusalem with a “rod of iron” (Revelation 19:15). This signifies the immediate and perfect administration of justice. Lawlessness will be instantly dealt with, ensuring absolute righteousness.
- Universal Knowledge: Prophecy states that “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). The principles of God’s rule will be universally known and understood by all inhabitants, removing all excuses for disobedience. The external law becomes the internal desire.
4. The Final State: New Heavens and New Earth
The eternal state is the ultimate fulfillment of the Rule Restored, where the original, perfect design for God’s creation is permanently established.
- The Eternal Constitution: In the New Creation, the two great commandments (love for God and love for neighbor) become the living constitution of all existence.
- The City of Righteousness: The New Jerusalem is the ultimate dwelling place of the saints, and the Bible declares that “nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful” (Revelation 21:27). This is the permanent, absolute triumph of the eternal principles—the total separation of holiness from defilement and lawlessness.
- The Permanent Solution: In the New Earth, the problem of sin and lawlessness is permanently solved. The righteous will not merely follow the Rule; they will embody it, living in perfect fellowship with their Creator.
5. Conclusion: Living the Law Now
The final state of existence is a call to action today. Understanding the Rule Restored is preparation for the Kingdom.
- Citizenship: We are called to practice God’s eternal principles now, preparing us to be citizens of the coming Kingdom of righteousness, living in a way that aligns with the principles of the New Earth.
- Call to Action: Examine your own life in light of these eternal principles, living today as if you were already under the perfect governance of the King.