World Without End
God's Eternal Redemption Plan for His People
Chapter 5 - Waiting for Christ
by Diane Jurino
Hebrews 12:26-27 "Whose voice then shook the earth:
but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth
only, but also heaven. And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the
removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made,
that those things which cannot be shaken may remain."
It is almost time for the final ingathering of souls.
The Lord is calling out to each and every one of us with a challenge to
believe the truth. Jesus Christ is shaking both heaven and earth, so
that what remains is unshakeable for all of eternity. We have the
all-important choice to make. We either choose to believe in Him and
obey all of His commandments to us, or be condemned to eternal
punishment.
We cannot have it both ways. We dare not be disobedient
and hope to receive eternal life and all of its blessings. The Lord
refuses to compromise His standards in any way. He cannot abide with
evil and He will be compelled to expel us from His presence if we are
unrepentant. We should carefully examine our conscience; repent of all
sin; and make a mid-course correction, so that we can be saved.
If we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and develop
a personal relationship with Him, He will show Himself strong on our
behalf. He will save us to eternal life and gather us to Himself in the
Kingdom of God. He will take vengeance on all of our enemies and provide
all that we might ever need. We will have peace and prosperity, safety
and security, health and longevity, joy and freedom forever.
Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall
be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then
shall the end come."
We have had every opportunity to hear the Gospel
message. It has been preached throughout the entire world for thousands
of years, so that all of mankind can receive the truth and be saved to
eternal life. If we believe in the Son of God and confess Him as our
Lord and Savior, we will be able to enter into the everlasting Kingdom
of God. However, if we doubt Him we will be condemned in our own
ignorance.
There is no way that we can be reconciled to our God
except through sincere faith, unequivocal love and total obedience. We
must believe in Jesus Christ and follow all of the commandments. We
should also walk in love, and be at peace with all men. We must treat
others, as we wish to be treated. We cannot ever compromise our
righteousness and hope to receive the many blessings that the Lord has
in store for us.
Salvation is an "all or nothing proposition." We will
not be spared unless we are totally repentant, loving and obedient. The
Lord will tolerate no sin in any of us. He has planned a wonderful life
for us in the Kingdom of God, but our part is to prepare ourselves to be
worthy to enter into it. If we are sanctified, consecrated and dedicated
to His will for our lives, we will be found suitable to enter into His
presence.
The return of our Lord and Savior is imminent. It can
happen on any day and at any hour. We have been given more than adequate
notice of the impending judgment that will come on the entire earth.
Some of us will be eternally blessed and receive generous rewards for
our faithfulness to the Lord and His people. But there will be others
who are excluded from the Kingdom of God and forever punished for their
rebellion.
Matthew 25:13 "Watch therefore, for ye know neither
the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."
The Lord, Jesus Christ, will soon return to the earth
and receive His everlasting Kingdom. He will judge all men, both living
and dead, to determine who will dwell in His presence. He will not waver
in His scrutiny of us. Simply put, He will reward righteousness, but
punish iniquity. There will be no middle ground. We will have to be
totally loving and obedient to avoid His condemnation.
We must be vigilant and protect our righteousness at all
costs. We cannot be contaminated by the evil and darkness that surround
us. We have to be very careful that we walk in love and obey all of the
Lord's commandments. We must have deference and respect for almighty
God. The fate of the entire earth lies in His hands. When Christ
returns, He will destroy all evil in the wrath of His coming.
The Day of the Lord will impact all of creation. There
will be no more defilement left in this world to contaminate the Lord or
His people. Heaven itself will come to the earth and God's way of doing
things will prevail. Only those who are sincere, humble and contrite in
heart will survive His perfect judgment. All wrongdoers will be banished
from our midst and punished in the eternal lake of fire.
Preparing for His Return
Jude 1:21 "Keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."
We are righteous only through our faith in Jesus Christ,
and that alone. There is no other way that we can be saved and receive
the gift of eternal life. If we are born again, follow all of the
commandments and walk in love, as we have been instructed, we will be
able to enter into the Kingdom of God and inherit all of its blessings.
We must, additionally, fulfill the will of our heavenly Father.
We ought to lay down our own personal lives and partner
with the Lord in bringing heaven to the earth. We should serve God and
others with joy and enthusiasm. We must preach the Gospel and prepare
the hearts of men to receive their King. We should heal all those who
are sick and afflicted in any way. We have to tear down demonic
strongholds and set men free from bondage to evil.
We should purge ourselves of all known sin and strive
for holiness and perfection. The Lord will soon come to dwell with us in
the Kingdom of God, but He cannot abide evil. We will have to be totally
sanctified to enter into His presence. There will be no compromise in
righteousness that is tolerated. Each of us must examine ourselves and
cleanse our bodies, souls and spirits of iniquity.
We should actively pursue a personal relationship with
our Lord and Savior. We cannot give lip service to our faith and hope to
gain His favor. He is not easily impressed by pretended piety or our
so-called religious activities. It is the inner man of the heart that
will weigh in at the end. If we are humble, sincere and contrite in
spirit, we will please the Lord and be found righteous in His eyes.
Philippians 2:12 "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have
always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my
absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
Sanctification must be our continuous goal. We cannot
lapse into carelessness and disobedience, no matter how busy we are in
serving the Lord. We should follow all of the commandments and instruct
others in righteousness, as well. Each of us must ultimately work out
our own salvation. We will be held strictly accountable for any thought,
word and deed that did not line up with the will of almighty God.
Even though we are saved and born again in our spirit
man, we cannot deliberately sin or risk punishment. We will all face
judgment before Jesus Christ for our works in the flesh. No one will
escape His scrutiny or avoid His assessment. It will be fair and
equitable, but also final and permanent. We should make very certain
that we are walking in love and totally obedient at all times and under
all circumstances.
It would be a shame to have come this far and have
tasted of the blessings of the world to come, but be disqualified from
the Kingdom of God for any reason. Very soon now, there will be no more
opportunity to repent of our mistakes and make corrections. The Lord can
return at any time and we have to be ready. We should focus on all of
eternity and strive to be holy and perfect, just as He is holy and
perfect.
We must embrace our divine destinies and function just
like Jesus did on the earth. There are many who will perish unless we
share our faith and persuade them to repent and be baptized in His name.
We must preach the Gospel of peace to every man, woman and child that we
meet. The hearts of all mankind must be prepared to meet their King.
Christ will soon return to us, and we will all face His judgment.
1Corinthians 1:7-8 "So that ye come behind in no
gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also
confirm you unto the end, [that ye may be] blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ."
All of mankind must be rescued from the destruction that
is coming on the wicked. We have to share our faith, so that others can
be redeemed just as we have been. So too, all social injustice and
inequity must be challenged. We have to eradicate all wars and violence;
eliminate poverty and lack; abolish oppression and exploitation in this
world. Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.
We must be patient and persist in doing good, while we
wait for the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. We cannot be lax in
our thoughts, words or behavior. We must continue to be righteous and
loving at all times. We should serve the Lord and His people right up to
the very time that Christ appears. We will then be judged and found to
be acceptable, so that we can enter into the Kingdom of God.
Our Lord and Savior will be pleased with our
faithfulness, and share His very own honor and glory with us. He will
boast of us to all creation as His Body and Bride. We will receive the
heathen and the uttermost parts of the earth for our inheritance. He
will appoint us kings and priests of God, and we will judge both men and
angels. We will rule and reign with Him over all the nations of the
world.
We will enforce Kingdom principles of fairness and
justice for all. We will be just rulers and capable teachers of all
mankind. We will show all men how to dwell in love, peace and unity with
one another. Our names will be a praise on the earth, and others will
look up to us for our role in the Lord's eternal redemption plan. The
fruits of our labor will remain and follow us for all eternity.
Preserved From His Wrath
Revelation 3:10 "Because thou hast kept the word of
my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which
shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth"
We should pray the Lord's Prayer with real fervor in our
hearts in the critical days to come on the earth. Wickedness will be
even more prevalent as the Day of the Lord approaches. We should seek
God's face and ask Him to deliver us from all evil, and protect us from
the punishment that will soon come upon the unrighteous. If we have kept
all of His commandments and walked in love, we will be spared.
Believers must continue to pursue sanctification, so
that our righteousness is never an issue with almighty God. We will have
to take our obedience to a new level and be conscientious about our
thoughts, words and behavior. We must be above and beyond reproach at
all times. The Lord cannot abide evil and He will be compelled to reject
us from His awesome presence, if we are purposely rebellious in any
way.
We are being challenged and purged of all evil now, so
that we can receive the future blessings of the Kingdom of God. All men
will soon know the Lord – from the least to the greatest of us. His laws
will be written in our minds and hearts for all eternity. We will all be
loving and obedient, as He desires. We will dwell in peace and unity
with one another, and give Him the thanks and praise that He deserves.
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart
be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
If we have made Christ the Lord of our lives and
diligently followed after righteousness, we will be preserved from His
wrath at the time of His coming. He has vengeance in His heart to
destroy all the ungodly and their ungodliness. He will tolerate no evil
to enter into His Kingdom. However, if we are faithful to follow all of
the commandments and walk in love, we will have nothing to fear.
We will be protected from all evil and our redemption
will finally be complete. Our bodies will be changed in their very
essence. We will put on glorious, resurrection forms like Christ's very
own, which are impervious to disease and death. The dead in Christ will
rise again to eternal life, so that they can be with us in the
everlasting Kingdom of God. We will all live forever in a veritable
paradise on the earth.
The Day of the Lord will be frightening for those who
are disobedient, but we will have the peace of Christ that passes
understanding. There will be disturbing signs throughout the universe.
The entire world will change from the sheer power that Jesus brings with
Him. Those who have been deliberately evil will be forever banished to
the lake of fire. Satan and all of his minions will be bound in the
abyss.
There will be nothing left to contaminate and defile our
God and His people in any way. The Lord will make all things new once
again. Heaven itself will be ushered into the earth realm, as we have
been promised. The Lord will dwell with us in an intimate relationship
for all time. We will be treated as His very own sons and daughters, and
He will provide everything we need beyond all our expectations.
Zephaniah 2:3 "Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the
earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek
meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger."
There is a final and permanent judgment coming on all of
mankind. Jesus Christ has vengeance in His heart to punish all the
enemies of His people. He will level all playing fields in His
everlasting Kingdom. There will be no one left to defile our God or His
people in any way. All evil will be eradicated off the face of the
earth. The devil will be banished to the abyss and all evildoers
punished in the lake of fire.
The Lord will protect the people who are called by His
holy name, but He will also destroy those who have harmed the earth and
oppressed or exploited the weak and innocent. No wickedness of any kind
will ever enter into the everlasting Kingdom of God. The Lord, Jesus
Christ, will rule with a rod of iron and enforce Kingdom principles of
fairness, righteousness and justice in the government of God on this
earth.
Only those who are sincere, meek and humble will inherit
eternal life and all its blessings. We will have to be totally
righteous, loving and obedient to abide with our God and escape His
wrath. He will blot out all our sin and iniquity from His memory, if we
have full repented and believed in His Son. We will have perpetual
safety and security, peace and prosperity, health and longevity in His
awesome presence.
Signs of His Coming
Luke 21:25-28 "And there shall be signs in the sun,
and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of
nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts
failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are
coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then
shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great
glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and
lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
We must learn to interpret the signs of the times. There
will soon be perplexing things occurring in the universe. The sun and
moon will not give out their light; the stars in the heavens will fall
to the earth and the world will be dark and dismal. Natural events will
point to the coming of the Lord and the fulfillment of all things, as He
has promised us. We have had ample time to prepare for the Kingdom of
God, and we will soon be held accountable for all our works in the
flesh.
Christ will return to us when we least expect Him. We
have had preliminary signs and wonders on the earth that indicate His
coming is imminent. Earthquakes, tidal waves, tornadoes and volcanic
eruptions are just a few of the warnings. There are wars and rumors of
wars; plague and pestilence threaten us. Men's hearts will fail them for
fear of the judgment that is coming on all of us. The entire planet will
be purged and cleansed of all wickedness and defilement.
However, believers will withstand the coming of the Lord
and be found righteous in His eyes. We will inherit innumerable
blessings to include the gift of eternal life. He will gather us into
the Kingdom of God and we will have peace and prosperity, safety and
security, health and longevity, joy and freedom. The Lord will actually
come and take up residence with us as our Father. He will provide all of
our needs in abundance and lavish us with all the wealth of the
universe.
Our redemption will soon be complete. When Christ
returns our bodies will be changed into new, glorious, resurrection
forms that never get sick and die. We will be vibrant and alive to enjoy
our children and our children's children for all generations to come.
All of us will know the Lord and dwell in love, peace and unity as
brothers and sisters. The Kingdom of God will be our eternal inheritance
for righteousness, and no man or devil will ever be able to take it from
us.
1Thessalonians 5:2-3 "For yourselves know perfectly
that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when
they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon
them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape."
Those in the world think that the return of Jesus Christ
is only a figment of our imagination. They have been lulled into a false
sense of security. They do not think that God will ever punish evil,
even though He has promised to destroy it off the face of the whole
earth. They will continue in their wickedness right up until the time
that Christ appears; then sudden destruction will come upon all of
them.
Jesus Christ is not returning as the meek and mild Lamb
of God this time. He has vengeance in His heart to punish all the
enemies of His people. There will be no more evil wrought in this world;
He will abolish it for all time. No one will escape His judgment. If men
are inclined to sin, disobedience, lawlessness and rebellion, the Lord
will not hesitate to banish them to the eternal lake of fire.
There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth by all those
who are excluded from the Kingdom of God. They should have repented of
their sin and believed the truth, so that they could have been spared
from lasting condemnation. The Lord is fair and just, but He has no
tolerance for evil. He has made it perfectly clear that the wages of sin
are death. There will be no second chances given to men or angels.
Satan and all of his minions will be bound in the
bottomless pit, so that they can no longer oppress God's people or hold
them in bondage of any kind. Jesus Christ will protect us from all harm
and rule and reign with a rod of iron, so that peace, order and
stability prevail for all of eternity. There will be safety and security
for all men, women and children in the everlasting Kingdom of God.
Luke 21:20-22 "And when ye shall see Jerusalem
compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them
which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in
the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that
all things which are written may be fulfilled."
We need to keep an eye on Israel and watch for the
coming of the Lord, according to Christ's predictions to us. He said
that when Jerusalem is surrounded with armies and there are signs in the
heavens and on the earth, that His return would be imminent. The Lord
will not tolerate His chosen people to be under siege until they are
annihilated off the face of the earth. He will definitely respond to
their need for protection, and He will defend His chosen people from all
harm.
Christ is returning to the country of Israel and will
touch down on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem. There will be an
earthquake of tremendous magnitude that will rock and shake this planet
from sea to sea. The sheer power and force of His coming will change the
face of the entire earth. All evil will be destroyed in one fell swoop
and only what is pure and undefiled will remain to be absorbed into the
Kingdom of God.
His angels will separate the good from the evil, and
gather His elect from the four corners of the earth. Our Lord and Savior
will take vengeance on all the enemies of His people and escort us into
His Kingdom for all of eternity. He will rule and reign with a rod of
iron and enforce principles of fairness, justice and equality. We will
have perpetual safety in His very presence, and be blessed beyond all of
our imaginings. There is no good thing the Lord will withhold from us.
However, those who have injured His people or destroyed
the earth will be punished in everlasting fire. Satan and all of his
minions will be banished to the abyss where they can no longer wreak
havoc on mankind. The earth will be free of all defilement and
contamination forever more. The Lord Himself will come and take up
residence on His holy mountain and make certain that there is always
peace and serenity.
Luke 21:31-33 "So likewise ye, when ye see these
things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be
fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass
away."
Jesus Christ's return to the earth can and will occur at
any time that the Father deems it to be expedient. The only thing that
is detaining Him is the final ingathering of souls in the end-time
harvest. It is not the Lord's desire that any man perishes for lack of
knowledge in the truth. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has to be preached to
all of the nations of the world, and then Christ will come.
All of mankind has to be given an opportunity to receive
Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and be converted, saved and baptized in
His name. All men, women and children whose names are written in the
Lamb's Book of Life will be called and spared from eternal damnation.
The Lord already knows who His children are, and He will not permit any
of them to be excluded from His presence.
When the full number of Gentiles is gathered into the
Kingdom of God, the Lord will have us focus on Israel for conversion to
the Gospel message. Many of our Jewish brothers and sisters will be won
to our faith and accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah. The Lord loves
His original chosen people with a deep, abiding love and He will not
forget His covenant of peace with their fathers.
The Kingdom of God will be populated with righteous
believers from every race, tongue and nation of the world. We will dwell
in love, peace and unity as brothers. The Lord will be overjoyed to take
up residence with His people who are called by His holy name. He will
supply all of our needs in abundance and lavish us with blessings from
all the vast resources that the universe has to offer us.
The Day of the Lord
Mark 13:24-26 "But in those days, after that
tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her
light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in
heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in
the clouds with great power and glory."
The Lord knows how to get a point across. If we think
that there has been trouble on the earth before, it is nothing compared
to what it will be like in the days just preceding the return of Christ.
There will not only be spiritual darkness, but natural gloom, as well.
There will be signs in the entire cosmos that point to the return of
Jesus. The sun will be darkened; the moon will not give out light; and
the stars will fall to the earth. It will be dreary and dismal all over
the face of the planet.
Believers need not fear anything that is coming. We will
be protected from all harm. In fact, we should be overjoyed when we see
these signs, since we know that our redemption draws near. The Lord,
Jesus Christ will soon join us on the earth, and take vengeance on all
of our enemies. Christ's return will be so glorious that it will light
up the whole world once again. We will see powerful manifestations of
His presence that will astonish all of mankind, from the least to the
greatest of us.
The powers of the universe will be shaken in a global
earthquake of epic proportion when Christ touches down on the Mount of
Olives. The earth will be in travail, as heaven itself is ushered in to
this realm. The mountains will seem to melt away like wax, and the
oceans will all be rough and turbulent. Satan will be banished to the
abyss with all of his minions. Evil will be abolished quickly and
expediently; Christ will not permit anything defiling to contaminate His
people ever again.
He will rectify all wrongs that exist and level all
playing fields once and for all. The strong and powerful will not
inherit the earth. The Kingdom of God will be given to His saints who
are meek, sincere and contrite in heart. The Lord will contend for His
people and gather them as He has promised. The entire earth will be
renovated until it is a veritable paradise again. All those who dwell
with the Lord will be blessed. We will thrive in His awesome presence
for all eternity.
Matthew 24:27 "For as the lightning cometh out of the
east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the
Son of man be."
The return of Jesus Christ is imminent and it will be
spectacular. He will spontaneously appear in the clouds and all eyes
will see Him. He will be accompanied by legions of angels that will
assist Him in destroying all evil off the face of the earth. Men's
hearts will faint for fear of what is coming on them, but there will be
no place to run and nowhere to hide.
There will be awesome signs and wonders in the heavens,
and the entire universe will be affected. This planet will be
permanently changed and renewed to prepare for the coming of heaven to
the earth realm. All things will be cleansed and purified. All the dead
will rise to life once again, and Christ will bind Satan in the abyss
and proceed to judge men and angels.
He will evaluate all of us according to our works in the
flesh. Those of us who have been righteous and obedient will receive
eternal blessings and rewards in His everlasting Kingdom. Those who are
rebellious and committed to sin will be banished to the eternal lake of
fire. They will be permanently expelled from the Lord's presence, since
He cannot tolerate evil.
Nothing defiling will ever enter into the Kingdom of God
to disturb its tranquility. Christ will rule and reign with a rod of
iron to make certain that His people are fully protected from all harm.
All men will be loving, righteous and obedient and dwell together as
brothers. The Kingdom will be a safe haven, a literal paradise on the
earth, for believers for all eternity.
Isaiah 13:13 "Therefore I will shake the heavens, and
the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of
hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger."
The return of Jesus Christ will be sudden and powerful.
His feet will touch down on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem and
shake the entire earth to its very foundation. All evil will be
destroyed in the wrath of His coming. No one and nothing that defiles
God or His people will remain in this world. The entire planet will be
cleansed to prepare for the Kingdom of God.
Christ will not come as the Lamb of God this time. He
has vengeance in His heart to punish all the enemies of His people. He
has seen all of our pain and suffering in this world, and He will level
all playing fields. Those who have oppressed and exploited others will
be expelled for all time. The devil and all of his cohorts will be bound
in the bottomless pit where they belong.
Only those who are loving, righteous and obedient will
ever enter into the Lord's presence. He will permit no iniquity in any
of us. We will have His laws written in our minds and hearts for all
time. All men will learn to dwell in love, peace and unity as brothers.
We will give the Lord all the thanks and praise that He deserves, and
worship Him in Spirit and in truth as He desires.
Jeremiah 10:10 "But the LORD [is] the true God, he
[is] the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth
shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his
indignation."
Christ is a righteous Judge and a just King, and He will
not tolerate evil to impact this world any longer. He will proceed to
judge the nations of the world and their leaders, to see who has been
fair and righteous in dealing with His people. Those who have been
wicked will disappear from off the face of the earth.
All human governments will be absorbed into Christ's
everlasting Kingdom. There will be no more war, violence or bloodshed.
All greed and oppression, poverty and lack will be eradicated. The
entire earth will be stable and orderly once again, and men will be
treated with fairness and equality, dignity and respect.
The Lord will take vengeance on all of our enemies and
recompense us for all that we have lost or had stolen from us. He will
judge all men and even angels. Those who have been faithful and obedient
will be gathered to Him for all eternity, while evildoers will be
punished in the lake of fire, as they deserve to be.
There will be no defilement that ever enters into the
Kingdom of God to disturb its perfection. Christ will rule with a rod of
iron to make certain that nothing harms or contaminates His people ever
again. So too, the Father will actually come and live with us on the
earth and He can tolerate no evil in His holy presence.
The entire world will be cleansed and purified of all
wickedness and sin. Men will be righteous and godly or be expelled from
the Kingdom. They will worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth, and
fellowship with one another in love, peace and unity. The Kingdom will
be a paradise on the earth for both God and man.
2Thessalonians 1:7-9 "And to you who are troubled
rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his
mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be
punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power;"
Our God is a consuming fire. He is mighty and strong
beyond our mere human comprehension. When Christ is revealed in all His
glory, there will be such an awesome demonstration of explosive, raw
power that the face of the entire earth will change. The mountains will
melt like wax, the Bible tells us, and water will roar out of the ocean
beds. The configuration of the whole world will be altered according to
the express will and design of almighty God Himself.
There will be an earthquake of epic proportion when
Christ touches down on the earth. Men's hearts will fail them for fear
of what is coming on them. The armies that have surrounded Jerusalem up
to that point will be totally defeated. The Lord will spare those people
who are called by His name, and destroy all wrongdoers. He will judge
the nations of the world, all men and even angels. Those who have been
loving and righteous will enter into the Kingdom of God.
However, all those who have been rebellious and injured
God's people in any way, will be punished and cast into the eternal lake
of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth by evildoers there
for all of eternity. There will be no second chances given to men or to
angels. Satan and all of his minions will be bound in the abyss for a
thousand years, as it is written. There will be no one left to commit
evil of any kind or contaminate the earth and all its inhabitants.
Separation of Good and Evil
Luke 12:2-5 "For there is nothing covered, that shall
not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore
whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and
that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon
the housetops. And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that
kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will
forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed
hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him."
There is no way to fool almighty God. He sees the inner
man of the heart and knows who is committed to righteousness and who is
not. Our thoughts, words and actions are wide open to His scrutiny.
Nothing is hidden from Him, that will not be revealed in due time. He
already knows who will spend all of eternity with Him, and who will be
condemned to everlasting punishment. We should have a reverent fear of
the Lord. He has power to take our lives and totally eradicate us off
the face of the earth.
If our thoughts are evil, it is only a matter of time
before our words and behavior follow suit. We should be aware of the
fact that as a man thinks, so is he. We have the freedom of choice to be
righteous, loving and obedient or to rebel against God and follow after
Satan. What we decide now will impact our fate for all of eternity. We
cannot purposely sin and hope to be blessed. There are serious,
permanent repercussions for any stubbornness and rebellion that we
demonstrate in our thoughts, words and actions.
We dare not be proud and arrogant simply because we have
made Christ the Lord of our lives. God is not mocked; He hates hypocrisy
in all its forms. We will never persuade Him to lower His perfect,
impeccable standards for us. He insists that we be above and beyond
reproach if we will dwell with Him for all of eternity. Holiness is a
conscious decision that we must make in all our situations and
circumstances. We cannot be careless or we will be excluded from the
Kingdom of God and all its blessings.
Very soon now, Jesus Christ will return and deal with
all evil in the wrath of His coming. He will punish the ungodly and all
their ungodliness for all time. Anyone who harms His people or destroys
the earth will be banished from our midst to the eternal lake of fire.
The devil and all his minions will be bound in the bottomless pit, and
there will be no one who is unrighteous that ever enters into the
Kingdom of God. All that defiles or contaminates God and His people will
be forever abolished from our midst.
Matthew 13:41-43 "The Son of man shall send forth his
angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend,
and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire:
there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous
shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to
hear, let him hear."
The Lord has permitted the wicked to remain on the earth
for many years, in hopes that they would repent and be converted to
righteousness. It is not His desire that any man perishes, but soon time
will have run out. When Christ returns He will judge all of mankind, and
dispatch His angels to gather all wrongdoers off the face of the earth
and cast them into the lake of fire.
No one will escape His scrutiny or avoid His impeccable
judgment. Jesus will be fair and just, but He is determined to banish
all iniquity. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth by all those
who are sentenced to His punishment. However, there will be no second
chances given to anyone. The Lord will not relent; He will abolish all
wickedness from this world.
There will be no evil or defilement that ever enters
into the Kingdom of God. Jesus Christ will rule and reign as a righteous
King with a rod of iron, to protect His people from all harm. Nothing
will contaminate mankind any longer. We will have health and longevity,
peace and prosperity, safety and security, joy and freedom in the very
presence of our God for all of eternity.
The Lord will boast of us to all creation as His very
own sons and daughters. We will shine with the light of His glory for
all men to see. There will be no strife or division in the Kingdom of
God. We will all be loving and righteous, and dwell in peace and unity
with one another as brothers and sisters. The Lord will be pleased with
the people who are called by His holy name.
John 5:28-29 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is
coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of
life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
All of the dead will be raised back to life again upon
Christ's return. They will appear before the mercy seat to stand
judgment with the rest of us. We will all be judged by our works in the
flesh to determine whether they were righteous or evil. No sincere
believer need ever fear condemnation and punishment. We will inherit
eternal life and all its many benefits. However, those who have been
wicked and rebellious will be cast into the lake of fire, where there
will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Disease, decay and death will no longer have a hold on
those who are righteous, loving and obedient. We will be gathered into
the presence of almighty God Himself and be alive and well. There will
be no pain and suffering of any kind in the everlasting Kingdom of God.
Our new, glorious, resurrection bodies will be like Christ's very own in
every way. We will dwell in perpetual health and vitality for all of
eternity. We will enjoy our children and our children's children for all
generations to come.
The Kingdom of God will be the answer to all of our
prayers and the solution to all of our problems. The earth will be
peaceful once again. There will be no more pollution or destruction of
this planet. Everything will be stable and orderly, as it was intended
to be from the very foundation of the world. All plants and animals will
be in total harmony; we will be in awe at all the beauty and bounty of
nature. Man will be in full dominion over all the creation, as we were
meant to be since the Garden of Eden.
The Only Righteous Judge
2Timothy 4:1-2 "I charge [thee] therefore before God,
and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."
It will be critical that we share our faith with power
and conviction in the days ahead, so that all of mankind can be spared
from eternal destruction. Men must believe the truth or perish in their
iniquity and rebellion. Every man, woman and child on the face of the
earth has to be reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many will
repent and be saved to eternal life as a result of our efforts on their
behalf. There is only one way into the Kingdom of God – through faith in
Jesus.
Almighty God has committed the judgment of all men and
even angels to His Son, Jesus Christ. Only He is totally righteous and
capable of determining who will receive eternal rewards and who should
be condemned to punishment. Our Lord and Savior will judge all men, both
the living and the dead. He will evaluate believers and unbelievers in
all the nations of the world. He will also judge angels to see who will
spend all eternity in our presence in the Kingdom of God.
No one will escape Christ's scrutiny or persuade Him to
lower His perfect standards. His judgment will be just and fair, but
also final and permanent. There will be no second chances given to
anyone. He is drawing a line in the sand that no one can cross. There
will be many blessings and eternal rewards conferred on the righteous,
but those who have been committed to evil will be condemned to
punishment. All wrongdoers will be banished to the eternal lake of
fire.
There will be no evil that contaminates the earth ever
again. Everything is being renewed, restored and restructured to line up
with the way it was at the original creation. Men will all be pure and
innocent as the Lord intended us to be, and fellowship intimately with
Him as He desires. All of nature will be beautiful and balanced, and
subject to man's dominion once again. The Kingdom of God will be a
literal paradise. Nothing will in any way disturb its peace and
tranquility.
Psalm 9:8 "And he shall judge the world in
righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in
uprightness."
Jesus Christ will right all wrongs and level all playing
fields when He returns to us. He will not permit evil to exist anywhere
on this earth. He will dispatch His angels to gather the wicked from our
midst and bind Satan and all his minions in the bottomless pit. No one
who is committed to sin and rebellion will enter into the Kingdom of
God. Christ will be totally relentless; He will take vengeance on all
our enemies.
Jesus has seen the pain and suffering, trials and
tribulation that we have endured and He will vindicate us once and for
all. He will bind up all our wounds and minister healing to us in every
area of our lives. We will see the punishment of the wicked and rejoice
in our deliverance from all evil. The Lord will make very certain that
we have a just recompense for all that we have lost or had stolen from
us over the years.
There will be only safety and security for God's people
for all time. Nothing will ever harm us again or contaminate our lives
in any way. Christ will rule with a rod of iron and enforce godly
principles of righteousness, fairness and justice. We will all learn to
be loving and obedient, or be expelled from His Kingdom for all of
eternity. All men will dwell as brothers and give God all the thanks
that He deserves.
All of our needs will be met in abundance in the Kingdom
of God. We will have endless peace and unlimited prosperity. We will
receive the free gift of eternal life. Our bodies will all be changed
into new, resurrection forms that live forever. We will experience joy
and freedom in the very presence of almighty God Himself. He will be a
Father to us, and we will be His children who are called by His holy
name.
Matthew 25:31-34 "When the Son of man shall come in
his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the
throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and
he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his]
sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but
the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right
hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world:"
Many who are first now will be last in the Kingdom of
God. The Lord will level all playing fields and advocate for the weak
and innocent who have needlessly suffered at the hands of others. He
will vindicate all wrongs done to His people and mete out fair and just
punishment for those who have exploited others in any way. He will
tolerate neither iniquity nor inequity.
The Lord will judge all the nations of the world to
determine which of them have been righteous and just in dealing with His
people. Those leaders who have been tyrannical and oppressive will be
removed from their positions. They will share their fate with all
evildoers in the lake of fire. Only those who are loving and obedient
will inherit eternal life and all of its benefits.
The Kingdom of God will literally be paradise on the
earth for all those who are deemed worthy to enter into it. The Lord
will come and take up residence with us and lavish us with perpetual
blessings. We will be eternally vibrant and healthy. He will blot out
all pain and suffering from our memories. We will enjoy our lives and
see our offspring for all generations to come.
Jesus Christ will generously reward those who have
faithfully served Him and His people. He will boast of us to all
creation as His Body and His Bride. We will share in His very own honor
and glory, and teach others how to dwell in love, peace and unity. He
will appoint us as kings and priests of God, and we will rule and reign
with Him over all the nations of the world
No More Wars and Conflict
Micah 4:3 "And he shall judge among many people, and
rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up
a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
Very soon now, all the kingdoms and governments of this
world will be judged according to their righteousness. They will
ultimately be absorbed into the political infrastructure of the
everlasting Kingdom of God on this earth. There will be no more wars,
violence, bloodshed or conflict among men. There will be order and
stability in all of our human affairs, and no one will oppress or
exploit another.
All of mankind will learn to dwell in love, peace and
unity or be expelled from the Kingdom for all of eternity. The Lord will
tolerate no contention in His presence. We are all brothers and sisters,
and there should be no strife and division among us. The Kingdom of God
will meet all of our needs in abundance, even before we ask. There will
be no poverty or lack that causes us to be greedy and covetous.
We will all share equally in the vast resources that the
universe has to offer us. The Lord will withhold no good thing from His
people. We will build beautiful homes for our large families and grow
crops for our food. The Kingdom will be just, fair and equitable, and no
one will rob us of our blessings ever again. All men, women and children
will be treated with the dignity and respect that God intends for us.
Psalm 46:9-10 "He maketh wars to cease unto the end
of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he
burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I [am] God: I
will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
Christ is not returning as the meek and mild Lamb of God
this time. He will destroy all evil in the wrath of His coming. There
will be no more war, conflict, violence and bloodshed left on the earth.
He will take drastic measures to ensure total protection for all His
people. He will take vengeance on all of our enemies and banish them to
the eternal lake of fire, where they will receive their just
punishment.
Satan and all of his minions will be bound in the
bottomless pit, so that they can no longer wreak havoc in this world.
There will be peace and serenity everywhere, as a result of Christ's
purification measures. Nothing defiling will enter our midst or taint
the perfection of His everlasting Kingdom. We will have perpetual safety
and security, joy and freedom, and glorify Him as our benevolent
protector.
Soon, every knee will bow and every tongue proclaim that
"Jesus Christ is Lord over all creation." He will rule and reign as a
righteous King forever more. There will be peace and prosperity for all
of His people. We will thrive in His presence, and give Him all the
praise, thanks and honor that He deserves. We will worship Him in Spirit
and in truth, and dwell together in love, peace and unity for all time.
Our Lord and Savior will present His faithful followers
with generous rewards for their devoted service to Him and His people.
We will share in His very own honor and glory. He will appoint us as
kings and priests, and we will judge both men and angels. We will
receive the heathen and the uttermost parts of the earth for our
inheritance. All men will eventually know the Lord and be righteous and
loving.
1Chronicles 16:30-31 "Fear before him, all the earth:
the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Let the heavens be
glad and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The
Lord reigneth."
Jesus Christ has vengeance in His heart to destroy all
those who have destroyed the earth. He will not permit men to be at war
with one another any longer. There will be total order and stability in
this world for all time. The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and
joy for all who enter into it. There will be safety and security, joy
and freedom for all Kingdom residents, for all of eternity. Men will be
treated with the dignity and respect that the Lord requires.
Our Lord and Savior will rule with a rod of iron to make
certain that there is no evil that ever contaminates the peace and
serenity of Kingdom life. All men will learn to dwell together as
brothers and sisters in love, peace and unity, or be expelled from His
holy presence forever more. Nothing will cause us to be at odds with one
another. No strife and division of any kind will be tolerated. We will
share equally in all the vast resources that the entire universe has to
offer us.
The Kingdom of God will be inherited by the meek, humble
and contrite in heart. Only those who are righteous, loving and obedient
will ever enter into it. The proud and arrogant will be on the outside
looking in. No one who is greedy, power-hungry or contentious will ever
disturb the welfare of others. The Lord, Jesus Christ, will enforce
Kingdom principles of peace and righteousness, fairness and justice, so
that His people experience life in an everlasting paradise
Rewards and Punishment
Romans 1:18-19 "For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the
truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them."
No one has an excuse for unrighteousness that will carry
any weight in the fair and equitable judgment that is coming on each of
us. The Lord has revealed what it takes to receive eternal blessings in
the Kingdom of God. The Gospel has been preached throughout the world
for thousands of years, yet many still disobey the truth and rebel
against almighty God. He has no choice but to reject them.
Ours is a fair and just God, and sin requires payback.
We cannot be deliberately disobedient to His laws and expect lenience.
If we are not totally righteous and loving, we will never enter into His
presence. We must obey all the commandments and love the Lord with all
our hearts. In addition, we must love others as we love ourselves and
serve them just as the Lord, Jesus Christ, has served us.
We cannot be both worldly and spiritually minded. If we
have denied our God and been carnal, selfish and disobedient, we will be
expelled from the Kingdom of God for all of eternity. There is nothing
that we can do to redeem ourselves. It is only through our faith in
Jesus Christ and strict obedience to what He taught us, that we will be
spared from eternal condemnation and His just punishment.
Isaiah 11:4 "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."
Jesus Christ is the only righteous judge of all mankind.
With a few powerful words, backed up by all of heaven itself, He will
pass eternal judgment on all of mankind and even angels. His evaluation
will be final and permanent. No one will persuade Him to lower His
standards or be lenient in His decisions. He will reward all those who
have been loving, righteous and obedient to do His will.
He will smite those in the world who have been lawless
and rebellious. He will cast down the haughty, proud and arrogant, who
think that they are above reprisal. He will banish Satan to the
bottomless pit, so that he can no longer oppress mankind and keep them
in bondage to temptation and sin. He will judge for the poor and
downtrodden, and exalt all those who believe in His holy name.
The meek will inherit the earth, not the strong and
powerful. The Lord will rescue His people from all of the pain and
suffering that we endured. There will be no more exploitation of the
weak and innocent. He will bind up all our wounds and gather us to
Himself in the Kingdom of God. We will have abundant blessings for our
faithfulness to Him, and be in total protection from all harm.
God's people will be fully recompensed for all that we
have lost or had stolen from us over the years. For our former trials
and tribulation, we will receive praise, honor and generous rewards for
our service. The Lord will make certain that we have an eternal legacy
that no man or devil can ever take from us. We will long enjoy the work
of our hands and be productive and prosperous for all time.
Psalm 34:16-18 "The face of the LORD [is] against
them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
[The righteous] cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of
all their troubles. The LORD [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken
heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."
Christ will take vengeance on all the enemies of His
people and gather them into the safety and protection of His everlasting
Kingdom on the earth. Wrongdoers will be cut off from blessings and
expelled from His awesome presence. They will experience never-ending
punishment. The Lord will blot out all pain and suffering from our
memories. We will not even remember all that the wicked have done to
us.
All those who have persecuted us in any way will be
totally forgotten. Their days of evil oppression and exploitation are
finished on the earth, and there's a brand new world coming. The meek
and contrite will inherit the earth and everything in it. We will have
our dominion over all of creation restored to us. The Lord will
recompense us for all our troubles and return everything that we have
lost or had stolen.
The righteous will have eternal blessings of peace and
prosperity. The Lord will make certain that we are healthy, happy and
have all our needs met in abundance. There will be joy and freedom for
all those who inherit the Kingdom of God. The Lord will boast of us to
all creation and actually come and live with us as our God and our
Father. We will dwell in love and unity with our family and neighbors
forever.
An Eternal Inheritance
1Corinthians 15:51-53 "Behold, I shew you a mystery;
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For
this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on
immortality."
If we have been uncompromisingly righteous, loving and
obedient, we need not fear the coming judgment.
The Lord will be merciful and compassionate to us, as He
has promised, and gather us to Himself for all of eternity. We will
inherit the Kingdom of God and all of its many blessings for our
faithfulness. There will be no good thing that our God withholds from
us, to include eternal life.
The dead in Christ will be raised to join us once again.
We will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye and be given new
bodies that are impervious to disease, decay and death. Our children and
our children's children will be healthy and vibrant for all of eternity.
There will be no more pain and suffering from illness or premature
death. We will live forever in God's loving presence.
Life in the Kingdom of God will be happy and fulfilling
for all of mankind throughout all the many generations to come. The Lord
will bless us with all the vast resources of the universe. We will know
Him intimately and be eternally grateful. His laws will be written in
our minds and hearts so that we are loving and righteous. We will all
dwell together in peace and unity as brothers.
1Peter 1:4-5 "To an inheritance incorruptible and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are
kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be
revealed in the last time."
Heaven itself will soon come to the earth realm and we
will be blessed for all of eternity. We will enjoy peace and prosperity
in the very presence of almighty God Himself. We will inherit all His
covenant promises for our righteousness. There is no good thing that the
Lord will withhold from His people. We will dwell in health and
longevity, safety and security, joy and freedom.
The world we live in will never end, but it will be
restored to its original condition. All of creation will be in perfect
balance once again. There will be no disease and death, no devastation
or destruction. We will live in a literal paradise, as our heavenly
Father has always intended. He will make certain that no iniquity of any
kind ever disturbs the serenity of life in His everlasting Kingdom.
Those of us who have served the Lord in implementing His
eternal redemption plan for all of mankind will be generously rewarded
for our efforts. The Lord will boast of us to all creation as His very
own sons and daughters. We will even be appointed kings and priests of
God, and share in Jesus Christ's honor and glory. We will rule and reign
with Him over all the nations of the world.
The Kingdom of God will be our eternal legacy for
righteousness and service to almighty God. Men will no longer ridicule
us for our faith; they will be eminently grateful for all that we have
done for them. Our names will be a praise on the earth, and we will
teach them how to worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth. We will
celebrate all of His sabbaths and feast days with joy in our hearts.
Ephesians 1:9-11 "Having made known unto us the
mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath
purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he
might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in
heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him: In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of
him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"
The Lord has revealed His express will for our lives.
His eternal redemption plan for us will soon be consummated. Mankind
will not be utterly destroyed, as some believe. However, we will be
purged, cleansed and sanctified to enter into His everlasting Kingdom.
Only those who are uncompromisingly righteous and walk in love will
dwell in the very presence of almighty God Himself.
Very soon now, all things in heaven and on the earth
will be joined under the lordship of Jesus Christ. He will be a fair
Judge and a righteous King. There will be nothing that ever harms or
defiles His people that is permitted to enter in to the Kingdom of God.
Christ will rule and reign with a rod of iron, and enforce the Kingdom
principles of fairness and justice in the government of God on this
earth.
Human beings will all be righteous and loving or be
banished to the lake of fire for all of eternity. We will dwell together
as brothers and sisters in love, peace and unity. We will no longer have
to teach men God's ways. His laws will be indelibly written on our minds
and in our hearts. We will worship Him in Spirit and in truth, and He
will boast of us to all creation as His very own sons and daughters.
The Kingdom of God will be Christ's eternal legacy for
all that He has accomplished. He will share His honor and glory with all
those who are His faithful disciples. We will judge both men and angels,
and be appointed as kings and priests of God. We will have the heathen
and the uttermost parts of the earth for our inheritance. We will rule
and reign with Jesus Christ over all the nations of the world.
Topics for Discussion
1. Preparing for His Return
2. Signs of His Coming
3. The Day of the Lord
4. Separation of Good and Evil
5. The Only Righteous Judge
6. Rewards and Punishment
7. An Eternal Inheritance
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