After Christ returns and cleanses His people, a hatred of false prophets will exist to such a point that parents will kill their own son for prophesying lies and attributing them to God. And it’s interesting that it mentions a child, as everyone that enters the Millennial Kingdom will be a follower of Christ, but it won’t take long for children to reject Christ and go their own way even within a perfect world government with heavenly blessings.
Zechariah 13:2–6
Idolatry Cut Off
[2] “And on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness. [3] And if anyone again prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD.’ And his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies.
[4] “On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive, [5] but he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a worker of the soil, for a man sold me in my youth.’ [6] And if one asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your back?’ he will say, ‘The wounds I received in the house of my friends.’ (ESV)
And it’s remarkable that when Christ reigns and the fallen angels are no longer allowed to interfere in the world, there will be false prophets that go underground for fear of death. So when the world is reigned by God in Jerusalem who you can actually visit and see with your own eyes, with world peace and the world blessed with rain and fruitfulness, human beings are going to still reject Christ our God and pursue worthless paganism. And this explains how at the end of the Millennial Kingdom when released, Satan can raise an army so numerous it’s like the sand of the sea.
Revelation 20:7–10
The Defeat of Satan
[7] And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison [8] and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. [9] And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, [10] and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (ESV)
And even though the Millennial Kingdom is 1,000 years, human life spans will be increased to the times before Noah, where a man 100 years old will be thought young if he dies. So they’re given more than enough time to see the error of their ways and will be without excuse.
Isaiah 65:20
[20] No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the young man shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. (ESV)
What a severe human tragedy and problem with the human heart that they choose sin and rebellion over faith in our Lord and Savior, even when He’s on earth ruling with justice in righteousness. So should we be surprised by how the world with demonic influence rejects what is holy for all that is unholy? Of course many ask, why does God allow evil, but without evil how would you know how good, holy and righteous God is when making your choice of who to believe and follow? And since eternity hangs in the balance, we need full clarity for making such a momenous decision. And even without fallen angels and their influence, a large amount of mankind will still choose evil as this prophecy illustrates. But time is running out for those left in this age. Maranatha!
Zechariah 13
[1] “On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.
Idolatry Cut Off
[2] “And on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness. [3] And if anyone again prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD.’ And his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies.
[4] “On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive, [5] but he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a worker of the soil, for a man sold me in my youth.’ [6] And if one asks him, ‘What are these wounds on your back?’ he will say, ‘The wounds I received in the house of my friends.’
The Shepherd Struck
[7] “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,
against the man who stands next to me,”
declares the LORD of hosts.
“Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered;
I will turn my hand against the little ones.
[8] In the whole land, declares the LORD,
two thirds shall be cut off and perish,
and one third shall be left alive.
[9] And I will put this third into the fire,
and refine them as one refines silver,
and test them as gold is tested.
They will call upon my name,
and I will answer them.
I will say, ‘They are my people’;
and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’” (ESV)