3:19-21 What does the "restitution of all things" mean?
3:19-21 What does the "restitution of all things" mean?
The "restitution of all things" means that in the millennium - the thousand years reign of Christ on earth after His second coming and the battle of Armageddon - all things will be completely restored to what God intended them to be before Adam fell. There will be no more sin or sickness; the curse will be lifted from the earth (CP Isa 33:24; 35:3-6; 53:5; 1Cor 15:56-57; 1Pe 2:24; Rev 22:1-5).
The righteous will no longer die; all crying will cease and all tears wiped away; there will be no more sorrow and pain (CP Isa 25:8; 35:10; 65:19-20; Mt 5:4; 1Cor 15:52-57; Rev 7:17; 21:4). There will be no more poverty or famine; fruitful seasons will be without interruption; material blessings will fill the earth; prosperity will be for all (CP Isa 30:23-25; 32:15; 55:13; 60:5-18; 62:8-9; 65:21-24; Eze 34:23-24, 26-27, 29-31; Joel 2:18-27; 3:18; Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10; Rev 7:16-17).
The waste places on earth will be restored to usefulness; deserts will blossom again (CP Isa 35:1-7; 41:17-19; 49:9-10, 19; 51:3; 55:12-13; 61:4-5; Eze 36:8-12, 29-30, 33-38; 47:1-12; Amos 9:11-15; Zech 14:8). Also, wild animals will be tame, and children will be able to play with once poisonous snakes (CP Isa 11:6-10; 65:25; Eze 34:25, 28).
We learn from Isa 65:20 that death will continue in the millennium, but only for those who commit sins worthy of death (CP Isa 65:20). No longer will babies die when only a few days old; no longer will one hundred year old men be considered old - only sinners will die that young (CP V22).
Human life will be prolonged so that men will live as long as trees, and for the entire one thousand years if they do not commit a sin carrying the death penalty (CP Isa 11:2-5). V4 here refers to those humans in the millennium who Jesus judges worthy of death, the humans in the millennium who do not rebel with Satan at the end of the thousand years, and have accepted Jesus as their Saviour, will continue to live eternally with Jesus after the millennium (CP Mt 25:46; 1Cor 15:24-28; Eph 1:10; 2:7; Rev 20:7-15).
See also comments on Ro 8:19-21; Rev 20:4-6, and author's studies Armageddon, Judgement of the Nations, Christ's millennial Reign and the Eternal Kingdom, Old Testament Prophecies awaiting fulfilment at Christ's Second Coming and New Testament Prophecies awaiting fulfilment in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 2).