LIFE IN THE ETERNAL KINGDOM – THE BEST IS YET TO COME

“Won’t it be great to live forever in heaven with Jesus?”  This question was posed by Mrs. Slater who labored valiantly each Sunday trying to teach us junior boys something.  We boys, however, did not share her enthusiasm for eternity because we thought it would just be a lot of singing, sort of an eternal church service. This was not at all attractive to those of us who had a tough time with services that went beyond an hour and five minutes.

We were, of course, immature boys.  But it is surprising how many older Christians do not appear to have advanced much beyond that perception found among Mrs. Slater’s junior boys. Maybe it would be good to take another look at what lies ahead in the future, forever kingdom of God.

We were, of course, immature boys.  But it is surprising how many older Christians do not appear to have advanced much beyond that perception found among Mrs. Slater’s junior boys. Maybe it would be good to take another look at what lies ahead in the future, forever kingdom of God.

The Two Phases of the Future Kingdom of God

The Bible states that when the Lord Jesus Christ returns at His 2nd Coming that no creature (angel or man) will ever again usurp His ruling authority.  At the 2nd Coming, the future kingdom of God is in place and it is there permanently.  As Daniel expressed it in Daniel 2:44:

“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself ENDURE FOREVER.”

However, what Daniel did not know, but what later scriptures explained, was that while God’s kingdom is forever, it will have two distinct phases to it.

(1) PHASE ONE – THE MESSIANIC (Millennial) KINGDOM.  This first phase is necessary in order to fulfill the Covenant that God made with Abraham.  What God promised, He has yet to fulfill.  It is required that the Messiah reign on this present earth in order that God’s promises might be fulfilled.  The characteristics of this Messianic kingdom are detailed in the O.T. prophets and it will be an incredible period characterized by joy, peace and abundance.  The N.T. gives the information that this phase of the future kingdom of God will last for 1,000 years.  

(2) PHASE TWO – THE ETERNAL KINGDOM.  Once the 1,000 year reign of King Jesus is completed, He will turn ruling authority over to the Father (1 Cor. 15:24) and the final resurrection and the final judgments will then take place. These events will prepare everyone for the final, forever phase of the kingdom. 

Facts About the Future, Forever Kingdom of God

The Apostle Paul’s statement is true that all of our earthly knowledge and experiences do not make clear “all that God has prepared for them who love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9).  But there are some truths found in our Bibles that let us in on something of what it will be like in this coming kingdom.

(1) OUR BODIES WILL BE CHANGED AND MADE MATURE.  Sickness, disease and many kinds of limitations are the common experience of people today.  These experiences are not what God originally designed when He created our physical bodies.  In eternity we will have bodies that have been changed.  The Apostle Paul reflects the desire of us all when he says in Romans 8:23,

“And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

         Our bodies will be made like the body that Jesus had at His resurrection.  He is called the “first fruits” which means that His body is the “proto-type” of our bodies.  Looking at the two resurrection appearances in Luke 24,  we get some insights into what that body will be like.  Our bodies will be like His; mature and free from any deficiencies. There will be no physical illness, no mental or emotional retardation or deficiency.  This body will live forever, never dying.

(2) THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WILL BE MADE NEW.  God created a beautiful, perfect, physical world for people to live in (Gen. 1, 2).  There was no sin, death, curse or imperfection of any kind until the Fall.  Revelation 21:1 declares that God is going to create a “new” heaven and a “new” earth.  This word “new” emphasizes the fact that it is a “fresh” version of what was created before. The reason for the “new” earth is the same as the original one; that is, it is the dwelling place for people.  Eternity will apparently be spent on the new earth.  We are going back to paradise.  God’s original plan was “very good”, and He is going to restore everything that was lost in the Fall. One thing about the new earth that John wants us to know is that “there is no longer any sea.”  What does that mean?  We are used to a world where 70% is covered by water but that is not what the original earth looked like.  We would understand that much of the present water is the result of God’s judgment with the flood of Noah’s day.  

(3) OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WILL BE CHANGED.  We will experience a level of fellowship and relationship with the Lord God that we (even in our best moments) have never experienced.  It will be a full and uninhibited fellowship (note Rev. 22:4). Revelation 21:3 tells us that God is going to come down onto the earth and will “dwell among” His people.  While Adam and Eve were visited regularly in Eden, we will have a much richer and more permanent relationship than they had.  We possess the very righteousness of Christ (Adam did not) and this will enable us to enjoy a level of fellowship that neither we today or Adam in Eden ever experienced. There is no sin or guilt to get in the way of enjoying the Lord. The Apostle Paul tells us that when we see Jesus, we will “marvel” at Him, as we will understand things about Him that we never saw before (2 Thes. 1:10). Also, the “marriage of the Lamb” has taken place (Rev. 19:7) and church age believers have been united with Jesus suggesting that where He goes, we go. And we have now a unique, never before experienced, relationship with Him.

(4) WE WILL HAVE PRODUCTIVE, MEANINGFUL LIVES.  We will be “serving” the Lord (Rev. 22:3) which tells us that the Lord will give us important and meaningful activities. Much of our time now is spent dealing with the consequences of sin (from weeding the garden to fixing machines, people or situations) and so it is hard to imagine what it is we could be doing.  Adam was given meaningful activity in tending the Garden and “ruling” over creation.  So, while we cannot put together a “to do” list, we can be sure that whether it is worshipping, ruling, serving or learning, our lives will be full and satisfying.  

(5) SOME REALITIES EXPERIENCED NOW ARE EXPERIENCED THEN.  Not everything will be strange and different.  For example, there will be kings and nations in the eternal state (Rev. 21:24-26) indicating that there will be structure to life in eternity. We will eat and drink (Rev. 22:1-2).  There will be a city there, the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:10-27).  There will be a universe with sun, moon and stars to gaze at and investigate which like the original creation will be there to mark time for us. (Note that Revelation does not say there is no sun, but rather that there is no “need” for the sun in the new Jerusalem).  Having a “fresh” earth means that there will be meadows and mountains, rivers and lakes, trees and flowers, making it much like what we can enjoy now. We will not be floating around in clouds strumming harps.

(6) SOME REALITIES PRESENTLY EXPERIENCED WILL BE ABSENT.  Of great importance also is what will not be there (Rev. 21:4; 22:3).  There will no longer be pain, death, crying, sorrow and the curse.  It is nearly impossible for us to imagine what life will be like without these entities because we deal with them daily.  No more fearing death.  No crying which comes from disappointment, failure, failed relationships, the death of a loved one, loneliness and a host of other negatives.  Life without these things will be amazing and we cannot really imagine what it will be like with these things gone.

“Thou will make known to me the path of life; in Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever.”   Psalm 16:11

        What the Lord has for us is not at all what we junior boys thought back in our Sunday school class with Mrs. Slater. She did have a much better perspective on life in the future, forever kingdom of God. Trials may be hard and life may be difficult right now, but according to God’s promises and revelation, our best days are ahead of us and they are eternal!

 Even so, come Lord Jesus.

DEMONIC ACTIVITY: PRESENT AND PROPHETIC

It does seem that when it comes to demons and their activities, the average American believer is unbalanced. The minority see demons everywhere and the cause for most everything from arthritic pain in my finger to a traffic accident. The majority might intellectually believe in demons, but, aside from a few extreme cases, demons are simply not involved in much of anything going on in life. We know, however, that God’s plans for His creation have always been resisted by Satan and his forces. This is true today (Eph. 6:10-20) and it will be true as the prophetic end times events unfold. Being balanced in our view of the Devil is important because it then enables us to interpret prophetic truths with greater accuracy, and it gives helpful insights into what is presently going on in this world.

SATAN AS THE ‘GOD OF THIS WORLD’. Some are surprised that Jesus referred to Satan as the “ruler (god) of this world”. But He did (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). The Apostle Paul also saw Satan as the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) and that he is the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). He is both powerful and organized (Eph. 6:10-20). The Apostle John taught that the entire world lies in the grip of Satan (1 John 5:19) and yet we have the power of the Holy Spirit to win against him (1 John 4:4). These scriptures teach that Satan and his minions are active in the culture and in the lives of individuals in the present and will be in the end times.                                                  SATAN, DEMONS AND THE FINAL DAYS. We would expect that Satan’s activities      would not diminish as the end of the end times comes, and we would be correct in that. The Scriptures show that God is going to employ the holy angels in His judicial activities in the last days, but that Satan also will use his forces in an attempt to thwart God’s plans.

• Revelation 13:4-8. We know from the temptations of Jesus (Luke 4:1-13) that Satan has the power (as “god of this world”) to give to anyone ruling authority on this earth. The coming Antichrist will get such authority from Satan and be used by him. He will aggressively speak against the true God; successfully wage war which includes the persecution of the Lord’s people; and along with Satan himself be the object of worldwide worship.

• Revelation 12:7-12. At the midway point of the 7-year Tribulation, Satan will be involved in an angelic war in heaven. The holy angels will defeat him and his demons. Satan will then be removed from heaven and confined to the earth where for 3½ years his great wrath will be experienced by those who live on the earth. The deceiver of the world (12:9) knows that time is running out for him, but he does not change his behavior or strategies.

• Matthew 24:5, 7, 23-24; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10. The Tribulation is a time when there is an intense battle for the souls of men. Religious deception will be heightened during these days, as Satan and his followers will perform incredibly powerful and deceptive miracles in order to validate their religious claims. The Evil One has always wanted to be worshipped, and these days are as close as he gets to having his perverted dream fulfilled. Satan and even his demons will be worshipped by unbelieving people (Rev. 9:20; 13:4).

• Revelation 9:1-11. A holy angel appeared to John part way through the visions of judgment and informed John that things are only going to get worse (8:13). And it was going to get worse because of an increase in demonic activity. The 5th Trumpet judgment showed that some very evil demonic beings will be released temporarily from their imprisonment (see Jude 6) and will torment mankind for 5 months. These are the worst or the worst. They will kill no one, but people will have a deep desire to die. This is likely a universal demonic possession of unbelieving people. The demons make their lives miserable. It will be horrible!

• Revelation 9:13-21. When the 6th Trumpet judgment sounds, an order is issued to release four demonic beings who are presently confined. (Note that holy angels are never seen confined or incarcerated). These four demons will be released near the end of the Tribulation period and will be responsible for the destruction of 1/3 of mankind that are still alive on earth. The demons will use human armies to accomplish their purpose but are actively involved in destroying people.

• Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10. At the end of the Tribulation period, Jesus will employ a powerful, holy angel to bind Satan and take him to the abyss (a place for demonic beings to be kept (Luke 8:31) where he will stay for 1,000 years. When the 1,000 years is completed, Satan will be released from his “prison” (20:7). He has learned nothing and has not changed at all during the 1,000 years. He will immediately go about deceiving the nations of the earth and will foment a rebellion against Christ. The rebellion is quickly terminated. Why does God allow this? The rebellion shows that man’s problem has always been his heart and not his environment. The Messianic age is characterized by righteousness, prosperity and joy and is without evil, poverty, injustice, and many other things that people use to excuse their sinning. Even in that near perfect environment, when man has the opportunity to rebel against God, he takes it. This last, great illustration shows that man’s heart is the problem and not his environment. After this final futile attempt to derail God’s purposes, Satan will be placed in the Lake of Fire and will forever reside there.

SATAN, DEMONS IN THE PRESENT CULTURE. The prophetic scriptures show that Satan is not going out of business until he is permanently placed into the Lake of Fire. But we must not think that until then, Satan is not interested in what is going on in the world. Since he is the “god of this world” he is active today. His philosophies are everywhere and take many forms. They all leave out the true God and His righteous ways. In America, we are seeing the rise of demonic doctrines (1 Tim. 4:1) as we are entering another election cycle. Many people are shocked by the pronouncements of the Democratic Socialists, who really are advocating communistic principles and ideas. Karl Marx’s teachings are demonic in nature. They go against the principles and standards of the Creator God as revealed in the Scriptures. Under the guise of equality and justice, these advocate globalism, the destruction of the family, lawlessness, the ending of private ownership, opposition to the sanctity of life and many other things that God put in place for the benefit of mankind. Most Americans are amazed by the ideas advocated by these Democratic Socialist. However, when a nation (or people) turns from God’s truth they will always end up embracing the doctrines of demons. Carefully read again Paul’s profound analysis of what happens to people when they suppress and oppose God’s truth (Rom. 1:18-32). With God and His truth being pushed to the margins of life, the doctrines of demons will gain strength and move into cultural life. We see these individuals promoting  false ideas but need to remember that they are not the originators of them, but rather that these ideas come from demonic beings. This will climax in the Tribulation.

STANDING FIRM AGAIN DEMONIC ACTIVITY. We are in a spiritual war and need the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10-20). So, we must check our armor carefully. Also, we need to vote for candidates on every level who align themselves with God’s rules for the welfare of mankind. And we need to be sure that we are actually praying for our country and for those who are in leadership. We need to talk to others about the principles (not the personalities) that are present in these contests. The doctrines of the demons are becoming more and more visible, but the “sword of the Spirit” remains more potent than demonic ideas. We need to use it boldly but carefully as we discuss current events and future prophesies.

THE DANGEROUS DECISION

Many, too many, pastors and churches in America have decided to stay far away from biblical prophecy. This decision is both short-sighted as well as being in opposition to the emphasis found in the Scriptures. Pastors purposely do not include messages related to future things and this retards the pursuit of holiness among their people. Churches have gutted their doctrinal statements, removing a key to a proper, biblical world view, which is vital to living well in this world. This is done because prophecy is said to be divisive, controversial and irrelevant to living in the real world. All of these are wrong.

THE APOSTOLIC VIEW OF THIS DANGEROUS DECISION. The Evil One knows the importance of keeping prophetic truth from believers. The neglect of prophecy does have consequences. The Apostle Peter’s blunt evaluation of leaders who diminish and defame prophecy is found in 2 Peter 3. He cuts them no slack in 3:3-4.

“KNOW THIS FIRST OF ALL THAT IN THE LAST DAYS MOCKERS WILL COME WITH THEIR MOCKING, FOLLOWING AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS, AND SAYING, ‘WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING…’

There are three important points to consider from Peter’s statement. First, the statement “first of all” is a declaration that biblical prophecy is of great importance to the church. This is not some peripheral matter because it impacts the spiritual health of the church. Second, this negative attitude concerning prophecy “will come.” The phrase is emphatic by its position which shows that this attitude towards prophecy was anticipated and would materialize. Satan’s method has always been to distort God’s truth or keep it from people. And this most certainly includes biblical prophecy. Third, these who diminish the prophetic word are motivated by their own lusts. The Greek word for lust (epithumia) is used often by writers in the New Testament for desires that are both strong and wrong. These mockers’ lusts are such as a desire to be popular, to have a large following, to be seen as open-minded, and to be seen as intellectually superior.

THE PRACTICE OF THE APOSTLES. The apostles’ view of biblical prophecy is opposite to the mockers. In their teaching of new believers, the Apostles included detailed instruction about future things. A clear example of this is seen in the church at Thessalonica. When Paul and the other missionaries arrived there on the second missionary journey, they began proclaiming the gospel in the synagogue. However, after an initial positive reception, the leaders of the synagogue led in a persecution of Paul and drove him and the others out of the city. The missionaries were there for only three weeks or a month, and yet, biblical prophecies were very much part of their basic instruction in Christian theology. Later when he wrote to this church at Thessalonica, he reminded them of the prophetic truths that they had been taught in that brief month he had been with them. They were taught about the rapture, the day of the Lord, the antichrist and other prophetic matters.  Clearly, in the Apostle’s eyes, these matters were important for creating a biblical worldview in these new believers. These prophecies were not irrelevant, unimportant matters.

THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE APOSTOLIC PRACTICE. There are many reasons why the Apostles wove prophetic truths throughout their preaching and letters. They understood that prophetic truth was designed to shape the way believers think, prioritize life and make decisions in this life, right now. We need all the help we can get as we live in this world today. Here are some (not all) of the ways that those prophetic truths that are intended to shape us.

• PROPHETIC TRUTH REMINDS US THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless as we view the powerful people, governments, and movements around us. But Isaiah 40 is an important reminder that when compared to our sovereign, almighty God they are as nothings (especially note 40:12-26). Psalm 2 reinforces this truth by declaring the Father has already established the Son as king in Zion. It is a done deal, and the wrathful kings of the earth cannot thwart God’s purposes. Biblical prophecies enable a believer to see things as they really are. God, not men and nations, control the future.

• PROPHETIC TRUTH CAN KEEP US FROM SIN. The Apostle John observed that when the coming of the Lord Jesus is present in the thinking of the follower of Christ that this retards sin in that life. He commanded us to “abide” (remain in fellowship) with Christ. When we are abiding in Christ this will help us keep sin from taking root in our lives. He stated that when we are anticipating Jesus’ coming that we will purify ourselves, so that we will not be ashamed when He does appear (1 John 2:28-3:3). When we recognize sin in our lives, we will quickly confess it and are cleansed (1 John 1:9). And that is logical. If we believed that Jesus really could appear this afternoon, we are going to stay away from sinful behaviors and confess them when we recognize their presence.  This knowledge aids us in our purity.

• PROPHETIC TRUTH ASSISTS US TO LIVE IN HOLINESS. The Apostle Peter notes that in light of the reality of what God is going to bring to pass, we are to be holy and godly in our living (2 Peter 3:10-12). Holy living relates to having a reverential awe of the Lord (2 Cor. 7:1). When we see God correctly and are aware of what He is going to do, it becomes much easier to be clean morally and spiritually in our future living. Our coming accountability to Him is important in present living.

• PROPHETIC TRUTH CAN BRING GREATER BLESSING IN THE COMING KINGDOM. In Hebrews 11, those whom God approved of were people of faith. These did not receive God’s full promises in this life, but rather they looked ahead to another day when the blessings and rewards of God would be theirs. They wanted to obtain a “better resurrection” (Heb. 11:35), which refers to the time of rewarding which will occur at resurrection (at both the Judgment Seat of Christ, 2 Cor. 5:10, and at the Second Coming, Matt. 16:27). Believers who faithfully followed and served Christ in this life will be given greater opportunities and blessings in the coming kingdom of God. Jesus Himself emphasized this, as seen in His story of the nobleman (Luke 19:11-27). It is important for believers to have this prophetic truth as they live out their lives in this present world. It is inexcusable for pastors and churches to withhold these prophetic truths.

• PROPHETIC TRUTH REVEALS THE FATE OF THOSE WHO WILL NOT BELIEVE. There is a bad news side to the good news. The good news is that eternal life and the forgiveness of sins, based on Christ’s work on the cross, is available to all. However, if a person refuses to accept this good news and trust Jesus Christ as their savior, then the bad news will be faced. The Apostle Paul declared that God will deal out “retribution to those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power…” (2 Thess. 1:8-9). Several points to note. First, the consequences for rejecting the gospel will go on forever and ever (note Jesus’ statement in Matthew 25:1, 46). This condition is eternal. These will not be annihilated, as is wrongly taught by some. Second, they will experience “destruction”, which means ruination. Their lives will be ruined. The point is that everything that makes life worth living is gone. When life has no meaning, a person becomes depressed. These rejectors are going to experience life without anything that brings satisfaction or meaning or enjoyment to their lives. They are not going to “party in hell with their friends”, as is sometimes said. They are going to be eternally, deeply, irreversibly depressed. Third, they are “away from the presence of the Lord.” They will have no relationship with their Creator God. Even today, atheists and agnostics are blessed by the “common grace” of God. Jesus spoke of this unmerited favor of God when He said that the rain falls on the just and unjust alike (Matt. 5:45). There will be no connection at all with the good and glorious Lord. And, of course, The Bible prophesies that these unbelievers will be separated forever in the Lake of Fire, which is the “second death” (Rev. 20:14-15). This truth is vital information to the one who has not accepted God’s gracious gift of salvation. 

SO THEN…

        It is difficult to understand how these prophetic truths just mentioned could be viewed as that which is irrelevant and unimportant. These truths focus on the eternal living of a person, something far beyond the relatively few years of our lives on this planet. Many today need to change the way they view biblical prophecy and become more like Jesus and the Apostles who wove prophetic truths throughout their teaching and writing. These truths are designed to help us think differently and live differently in this world which is dominated by the thinking and philosophies of the Evil One.

JESUS’ INHERITANCE

 

Receiving an inheritance can be a joyful thing. It can enrich life in so many ways. It is something to be anticipated. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Just what is the “joy” that is ahead for the Lord Jesus? Probably a lot more than any of us could articulate, but certainly it includes His future inheritance, that which has been promised to Him

THE INHERITANCE OF THE LORD JESUS. In Psalm 2:6, the Father declared that He has installed the Son as King on Mount Zion. It is seen as a “done deal.” And the eternal Son (Jesus) responded to the Father by saying: “I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord. He said to Me, ‘Thou are my Son, today I have begotten Thee. Ask of Me and I will surely give THE NATIONS AS THINE INHERITANCE, AND THE VERY ENDS OF THE EARTH AS THY POSSESSION” (Psa. 2:7-8). The entire world is His inheritance. (Satan probably knew all about Psalm 2 and so tempted Jesus to get His inheritance early by worshipping him; Luke 4:5-8). Psalm 110 adds that after defeating all His enemies, the Lord will rule all on the earth. Psalm 89 emphasizes that God, on oath, has guaranteed the complete fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant which will last as long as the universe lasts. The Messiah will rule and be greater than the kings of the earth. Jesus’ kingdom rule will not be just over Israel. His inheritance is over all the nations of the earth. The nation of Israel will have a king. In fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, Jesus is that king and will rule the nation of Israel (Isa. 9:6-7; Jer. 23:5-8). The great king of Israel during the monarchy period, David, will rule as “prince” under King Jesus (Ezek. 34:23-24; 37:25). And under David will be the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, each one assigned to be over one tribe (Matt. 19:28). The purpose of such a structure is to ensure that righteousness and justice prevail in the Land and in the world in the reign of King Jesus.

RULING THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD. There is less said about how the nations of the world will operate during the Messianic Kingdom (the Millennial kingdom). There will be individual gentile nations, like Egypt, who will go up to Jerusalem to worship King Jesus on appointed feast days (Zech. 14:16-19). All nations will have Jesus as their king. In the parable of the nobleman (Luke 19:11-27), Jesus indicated that when He returned from heaven, that He would assign ruling positions to His faithful followers. It seems very likely, for example, that the Apostle Paul (the apostle to the gentiles) would be placed in an elevated position of ruling over gentile nations as were the 12 Apostles who will rule over the 12 tribes of Israel.

THE OFFER TO YOU AND ME CONCERNING RULING WITH JESUS. Hebrews 3:14 makes an interesting point. It says if we remain faithful to the Lord Jesus that we will become “partakers of Christ.”  This phrase is not the same thing as Paul’s theological truth of our position; that of being “in Christ.” The view of many is that Hebrews 3:14 is teaching that our position is “in Christ”. The NIV, in its attempt to make the text more readable has interjected an erroneous idea; that this verse is teaching that we are “in Christ”. But this translation runs into theological trouble immediately, because Hebrews says that being a “partaker” (companion) of Christ is conditioned on “holding fast” (persevering, hanging in there) and issues a stern warning (3:15-4:1). So how does being “in Christ” depend on a person holding fast to their faith? Faced with this obvious dilemma, many quickly turn to the “professed believer”, saying that all true believers will persevere to the end of life. But this view misses the point of Hebrews 3:14.

This phrase is not “in Christ” but rather “of Christ”. This is the usual use of the genitive and it is here speaking of a future participation with Christ for those who remain faithful to the Lord Jesus in this life. The Greek word, metachos, signifies a sharing of life with Jesus; partaking of a uniquely close relationship with Jesus in His earthly, messianic kingdom. Note that this is the same thing taught by Jesus Himself in places like Matthew 25:21 and Luke 19:17. Any believer who is faithful to Christ in this life will have a special ruling relationship with King Jesus in His kingdom. This point in Hebrews 3 reflects the point made in Hebrews 1:9 where Christ will reign with His companions (the metachoi). Perhaps it is among the gentile nations that faithful believers will be ruling for Jesus.

This special invitation is still available to each of us. Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a special relationship with the King during His 1,000-year reign? He does not require that we be famous in this life, but simply faithful to Him. His inheritance will be all the nations of the earth, and wouldn’t it be wonderful to share in Jesus’ inheritance from the Father? 

IRAN

Aside from a few folks living deep in the Amazon jungle, everyone on earth is aware of the recent warfare and hostilities surrounding the middle east nation of Iran. By precision bombing, the United States and Israel have decimated Iran’s military, their leadership and their economy. And it is possible that more bad stuff is headed Iran’s way. Iran is being required to give up their nuclear ambitions plus several other strategic matters. Negotiations are supposedly going on which will end the hostilities and bring a lasting peace to that area of the world. However, most know that Iran’s leaders all have Ph.Ds in deception and lying, and it is safer to buy a used car from Honest Harvey’s used car lot than trust the Iranian leadership. President Trump is regularly warned about the untrustworthiness of Iran, but he assures everyone that he knows how to make deals and will not be fooled by them. How this ends is not at all clear and there is great concern about how it is going to play out. Much depends on the outcome because oil prices are deeply affected, which greatly impacts the economy of nations all over the world. And while all this is true, there is much more to this in the thinking of the Bible believing Christian.

The Gog-Magog war of Ezekiel 38 and 39. A plethora of articles and podcasts have appeared in the last couple of years which most believers are aware of. For those who are a little foggy on this end time battle, let us quickly summarize. Ezekiel reveals that in the end of time, the God of Israel is going to force a group of six nations to band together to attack Israel. These nations intend to destroy Israel and take possession of Israel’s wealth. Iran and Russia are two notable nations among the six. The vast, powerful, highly equipped army that will come is likened to a huge storm cloud gathered against little Israel. Although Israel might have an excellent air force, tank Corp, and seasoned soldiers, at this time, they clearly see that they are doomed. However, Israel’s God will use an amazing variety of methods to annihilate this invading force. The purpose? God’s intervention will be the event that tears the spiritual blindfold from nation Israel and “Israel will know that I am the Lord their God from that day onward” (39:22). This will be the spiritual turning point for Israel. Their atheism and agnosticism will evaporate and they will begin a return to the Lord Jehovah, which will then lead them to realize that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed their long-anticipated Messiah. And during the seven-year Tribulation Israel will turn to Him in large numbers. (Salvation of Israel and then gentiles are the primary purposes for the coming Tribulation). While the exact time of this Gog-Magog battle is not spelled out by Ezekiel, it seems best to place it right before the start of the Tribulation.

The presence of Iran. It should be obvious that the present activities surrounding Iran are not going to remove them off the world stage nor eliminate their current disposition. In fact, Iran’s hatred for Israel will not disappear nor diminish so that at the time of the Gog-Magog war it is still very much in existence. They want Israel driven into the sea. Any change of leadership in the present that might take place will not bring about a change in attitude. 

The need for a six nation coalition. Years ago, no one would have given Israel any real chance in a head-to-head war with Russia. Russia was seen as a mighty military power that would crush the little nation of Israel. But today, perhaps largely because of the ongoing war with Ukraine, Russia does not seem so very mighty. According to neutral groups that study war, Russia’s losses have been really staggering. Soldiers in the tens of thousands have been killed or badly wounded as well as an incredible loss of military equipment, including aircraft, ships and thousands of tanks. Russia is no longer viewed by the world as an awesome military machine (which in trying to save face, might be why they remind the world regularly that they are a nuclear power and should not be messed with). But joining forces with Iran and at least four other nations, this would give them great confidence that Israel could be crushed.

The omnipotent, omniscient God of Israel. Some things are unclear to us, but not to the God of Abraham. He knows all things actual and possible, and He knows the exact day and time when the invasion will take place. In reality, He will be initiating the whole war, forcing Russia, Iran and the others to gather for their invasion of Israel. He, not they, oversee this great end time event. God once told Moses that He is very patient and kind to people, but there is an end to that patience when unbelieving men will not respond (Exo. 34:6-7). And Gog-Magog is such a time. God will never forget His covenant with His people Israel, and in that covenant, He assured them that those who curse Israel will themselves be cursed (Gen. 12:1-3). The time will run out for Iran and the others. What the United States and Israel will not be able to do in the current situation, the Lord Jehovah will execute completely and to perfection.

The stage is set. We always want to know if the end of the end times has arrived. We, of course, cannot predict such things. Jesus did suggest that we should be able to discern those indicators that would point to end times matters. Most importantly in understanding biblical prophecy is the fact that national Israel must be back in the land, restored from the nations of the earth. This is essential for the key events of the end times play out. Israel must be back in the land given by God to Abraham and his descendants. With Israel back in their promised land, all the other end time events, including the Gog-Magog battle will then be able to take place. God on oath has committed Himself to fulfill His covenant promises to Israel; to bring about the restoration of all that was lost in the Garden of Eden; to save multitudes of people who presently are deceived by the Evil One; and to do everything that He has promised that He would do. Gog-Magog is part of all that. Maybe that time has come.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATION PART 2

The Book of Revelation is a book that generates myriads of questions from those who delve into its pages.  In our last articles, we have been attempting to answer some of those questions which are often asked. Here are four more.

#1 – What is the marriage and marriage supper of the Lamb (19:7-10)?

In Revelation 19:7, the declaration is made that it is time for the marriage of the Lamb.  The scene is in heaven, and the bride is seen in beautiful apparel which represents the gracious rewards given by the Bridegroom to His bride.  This would tell us that when the marriage is ready to take place that the judgment seat of Christ has just taken place, since the church is seen as rewarded. The purpose of marriage is to unite two people and create a wonderful new relationship which includes the two being together, where one goes the other goes.  For Christ and His bride there is no more separation.  When He returns to the earth, so does His bride.

But then a future event is spoken of to which “blessed” persons are invited.  That future event is the marriage supper of the Lamb. The marriage supper is a picture of the messianic kingdom.  This imagery was used by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 22 as He discussed His coming kingdom.  Blessed people are the ones who get to enter and experience this time of great joy and marvelous blessing.  The marriage is in heaven, but the marriage supper is on the earth; that is, the revitalized earth of the messianic age. It is that 1,000-year period where peace, joy, and righteousness prevail and the curse has been lifted from the earth. Even in our own culture and time, the marriage and the wedding reception, or dinner, are often in two different locations.  The marriage might be in a church while the reception/supper is several miles away in another setting. This will be the case in the marriage and marriage supper of Jesus, the Lamb. Blessed is the one who will be part of these grand events.

#2 – Revelation speaks about the “book of life.” What is this book? Who is in it, and can a person be removed from it?

  

The “book of life” is mentioned a number of times in Revelation (3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:15; and 21:27).  It has been suggested that this book contains the names of all who are born into this world (a book, therefore, of physical life), or some propose it is a register of all believers including professing believers (who will eventually see their names blotted out of the book). But the “book of life” is best understood as a divine listing of all those who will receive the blessing of eternal life.  In Philippians 4:3, the Apostle Paul uses this same imagery and applies it to those that labor with him in the ministry.  And in Revelation 20:15, the issue is spiritual life, not physical life.  Those who are not in the book of life are dispatched to the lake of fire; telling us that they are unbelievers. That believers only are found in the book of life is supported by 21:17 where no one on the new, eternal earth in the New Jerusalem can be there if not found in the book of life.  Revelation 17:8 says that those in the book of life were written there from the foundation of the world; that is, it is the elect of God who are in the book.  Followers of the Antichrist (those who by choice worship him) are not found in the book of life even though they are physically alive on the earth (13:5). We should note that there are many books that are mentioned in the Bible.  These books are not to remind God of something He might forget but are there to give clear evidence to a person’s spiritual condition or to their reward or their punishment. We should also be aware that books in the OT are different from the NT book of life.  In the OT, these are referencing a book of covenant blessing, a register of the covenant people of Israel.  An Israelite could be blotted out of the book and forfeit the privileges of living in the theocracy (note Exo. 32:32-33). 

It is probably Revelation 3:5 that gives Bible students the most trouble, as it speaks of a name being “blotted out” of the book of life.  This is part of the letter to the church at Sardis where the “overcomer” is being addressed. The overcomer is likely another name for the believer, who overcomes in Christ (cf 1 John 5:4-5). This then is a powerful promise of what will not be his fate.  The promise is that the believer shall never (a double negative is used strengthening the promise) be blotted out of the book of life.  It is not a threat of something that could happen but a promise of what will not happen.  It is similar to the promise to the overcomer in the church at Smyrna (2:11), where the overcomer (believer) is assured that he will not “be hurt by the second death”; that is the lake of fire.   

#3 – When during the seven-year Tribulation period do the Seal, Trumpet and Bowl judgments take place?

These three series of judgments have been located in a variety of spots by  Bible scholars.  When all the evidence is in, it seems best to place the Seal judgments in the first half, the Trumpet judgments in the second half and the Bowl judgments in the second half right before the 2nd Coming of Christ to the earth.  There are some reasons to support this positioning of the judgments.                                      

The concept of “birth pangs".  Foundational to the placing of the three series of judgments as described above is the Old Testament concept of birth pains.  It was used by the prophets to speak of God’s judgments and then was used by the Lord Jesus in His discussion of the end time judgments (Matt. 24:8).  Birth pains are a unique kind of pain because: (1) they get worse as time goes by and the time of the birth gets closer; and (2) the time between the pains becomes less and less as the time of the birth draws near.  When Jesus generally described the end time judgments of God, He said the initial ones (wars, earthquakes, famines etc.) were just the beginning of God’s judgments, indicating that the birth pains would continue throughout the entire period.

The statements within the Book of Revelation.  When the 7th Seal is broken and the next series of the Trumpet judgments come, there is an emphasis on 1/3 of the earth being harmed by these judgments (7:7-12).  But in the last series of judgments (the Bowls of God’s wrath), not 1/3, but the entire earth suffers under the judgments, showing that things are getting worse and worse (16:1-21). So, for example, in the trumpet judgments 1/3 of the oceans turn to blood, but in the Bowl judgments all the oceans are turned to blood.  

Furthermore, the testimony of an angel (8:13) is that the final judgments are the worst of all.  He says “woe, woe, woe” to the earth dwellers because the final three trumpets are the worst judgments yet.  It is essential to keep in mind that the 7th trumpet (also identified as the “3rd woe”) is in fact the last series of 7 judgments (the Bowl judgments). The 7th trumpet is the final, terrible series of God’s judgments and it appears to come quickly, one right after the other. This angelic statement verifies the point that the concept of “birth pains” is what the world will experience; it will be far more painful at the end of the tribulation right before the kingdom of Messiah is “birthed” into the world.

Jesus’ statement that the 2nd half of the tribulation is the “great” time of judgment.  As Jesus, in Matthew 24, talked about the future judgments, He was clear that things will get worse once the “abomination of desolation” is set up in the Jerusalem temple.  It is the 2nd half of the tribulation that is “the great one” (24:21); and that if God had chosen to have this uniquely terrible time be more than 3 ½ years, then no human being would survive (24:22).

These statements and terms, when combined together, point to the second half of the tribulation being far more severe in the judgments of God than the 1st half.  The judgments are worse and they come closer together as the time for the “birth” of the messianic age gets closer.

#4 – Why does Revelation speak of things happening “shortly” or “quickly” when, in fact, almost 2,000 years have gone by?  That doesn’t seem very quick to most of us.

These words, as they are translated, can be confusing.  These words appear to be timing words, but they are not.  They are not chronological indicators telling us when something is going to take place, but rather qualitative indicators telling us how things will take place.  The family of words (tachos; tachy) are best translated as “suddenly” or “swiftly”.  “Tachos” in Revelation should be translated as descriptive of the manner in which things happen (that is, “suddenly”).  For example, when the Lord returns it will be suddenly or swiftly.  The “adverb of manner” does not describe when the events occur, but the manner in which they occur. So, we would translate these events as taking place suddenly.  (This is the position taken by key Greek lexicons such as Liddell and Scott, and Bauer, Arndt and Gingrich).

Those holding to an AD 70 fulfillment of Revelation and the Olivet Discourse (Preterism) insist that a first century fulfillment is required by these words.  But, when we see the proper understanding of these words, no such fulfillment is required by these words.  After some 2,000 years, the events of Revelation have not yet been fulfilled but when they are fulfilled, they will take place suddenly. We probably should not speak of the “soon” coming of the Lord and of these events, but rather they are imminent, and once the time does come these events will come swiftly