In the Bible, regeneration refers to the future restoration of the earth to its original Eden-like condition when Christ sets up His kingdom.
Les Feldick explains that the word regeneration means making something over like it was originally, just as a generator recharges a dead battery. He applies this to the whole planet, which will be delivered from the curse and restored to a Garden of Eden state. This happens when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne and the disciples rule the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matthew 19:28 — Jesus directly uses the word 'regeneration' when telling the disciples they will sit on thrones in the coming kingdom.
Acts 1:6 — The disciples ask Jesus if He will restore the kingdom to Israel, showing their understanding of the coming restoration.
In Matthew 19:28, Jesus tells His disciples: 'Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' Here the word 'regeneration' is tied to the future time when the Son of Man assumes His throne. In Acts 1:6, the disciples ask, 'Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?' showing they expected a literal restoration of the kingdom. Genesis 3:15 records the first promise after Adam's fall, giving the remedy for the curse that came through rebellion.
Les Feldick explains that regeneration means to generate again, like recharging a dead car battery so it becomes like new. He stresses that in Matthew 19:28 this term refers not to individual salvation but to the earth itself. When the curse is lifted and the kingdom is set up, the whole planet will revert to a Garden of Eden situation. This will happen when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, and the twelve disciples will rule the twelve tribes of Israel. Les ties this to the disciples' question in Acts 1:6 about restoring the kingdom to Israel, showing they understood the promised restoration.
The word 'regeneration' appears in Matthew 19:28 when Jesus promises His disciples that in the regeneration they will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Les Feldick explains that the word pictures making something over like it was before, as a generator recharges a dead battery.
Les teaches that the entire planet will be brought back as it was in the Garden of Eden. It will be a reversion to the economy before Adam sinned, before the curse came in. The curse will be lifted, and the earth will be restored to a condition of beauty and productivity as it was in the beginning.
In Acts 1:6, after the resurrection, the eleven disciples asked Jesus if He would restore the kingdom to Israel. Les points out that this question makes sense because Jesus had promised them that in the regeneration they would sit on twelve thrones ruling the twelve tribes of Israel. They were anticipating that kingdom restoration.
In the clips provided, Les applies regeneration to the earth and the coming kingdom, not to the individual experience of being born again. He describes it as the earth being made over like it was in the beginning, rather than a personal spiritual transformation.
The Disciples Question the Kingdom Restoration
Les uses the disciples' question in Acts 1:6 to show their expectation that the promised kingdom would be restored to Israel, which sets the stage for Jesus' earlier statement about the regeneration.
Regeneration Like a Recharged Battery
Les defines regeneration by comparing it to a dead car battery being regenerated to its original strength, and applies it to the earth being restored as it was in the beginning.
The Whole Planet Restored to Eden
Les teaches that the entire planet, not just a small area, will revert to a Garden of Eden condition after Christ returns and destroys the rebellious armies, leading into the thousand-year kingdom.
Making Over Like It Was Before
Les explains that to regenerate something is to make it over like it was before, and that this occurs when the curse is lifted and the kingdom is set up, with the Son of Man sitting on His glorious throne.
The Curse and the Promise
Les points back to Adam's fall as the cause of the curse on the planet, and shows that God immediately gave a promise in Genesis 3:15 for the remedy.
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That's why I feel that Adam and Eve also then were coming on a scene and refilling the planet, not that had been habitated by humans previously, but evidently by an angelic kingdom, but Adam also was told to once again fill up the earth or the planet. All right, now if you're back in Genesis chapter 9 now then, this is also the instruction to Noah, the three sons, and of course their four wives.
Return to the Pre-Curse Economy
Les explains that the kingdom will be a return to the pre-curse economy, using Isaiah's picture of wild animals eating grass like cattle to show how creation will be restored.
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Now with the dry land in place, the sunlight is able to come through, albeit it was diffused, yet now we see that the natural order once again comes on the scene, and the earth, verse 11, brings forth grass, the herb yielding its seed, the fruit tree yielding fruit after His kind.
Matthew 19:28: And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
This is the only verse where the word 'regeneration' appears in this context, connecting it to the disciples' thrones.
Acts 1:6: When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
This question shows the disciples expecting a literal restoration of the kingdom to Israel.
Genesis 3:15: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
This is the promise God gave right after the curse, pointing to the remedy.
Genesis 1:28: And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
This is God's original commission to Adam to fill and subdue the earth, which the regeneration will restore.
Genesis 1:11: And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
This shows the earth producing vegetation, part of the original Eden condition.
Regeneration means making something over like it was at the beginning, like recharging a dead battery. Les applies it to the earth, which will be restored to its original Edenic condition.
In the clips, Les discusses regeneration as the restoration of the earth and the coming kingdom, not as individual salvation. He does not use it in the context of being born again.
Les teaches it will happen when Christ returns, the curse is lifted, and the Son of Man sits on His throne in glory, ushering in the thousand-year kingdom.
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