March 19th - Beyond the Ages

The Bible says little about what happens in the time before or beyond the ages it deals with, just that...

"Eye hath not seen, neither has ear heard, neither has it entered the heart of man what God has planned for those that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)

In the oncoming ages of the New Heaven and New Earth, all of us will love God. I think Jesus had that in mind when He said...

 “You shall be loving the Lord your God out of your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole strength, and with your whole comprehension."
(Luke 10:27)

And I think the Apostle Paul had this in mind when he says...

"O, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unscrutable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways! For who knew the mind of the Lord?, or who became His adviser?, or who gives to Him first, and it will be repaid him? seeing that out of Him and through Him and for Him is ALL: to Him be the glory for the ages of the ages! Amen." (Romans 11:33-36) 

The Bible says that nothing can separate humanity from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

"I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor messengers, nor sovereignties  nor the present, nor what is impending, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” (Romans 8:28-39)

I sometimes wonder why a Sovereign God allowed His creation to become filled with evil. But I assume that evil serves the purpose of humbling proud and mortal humans...  

"I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens:  It is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it." (Ecclesiastes 1:13)

I am humbled by the evil I experience, and thankful for the grace and mercy God shows me in the midst of it. I suppose that without evil and the suffering it brings, humanity could not fully appreciate the love, grace, or mercy of God. The eternal good that God has in store for humanity in the oncoming ages will dwarf the evil we see around us today.

"Grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gives Himself for our sins, so that He might extricate us out of the present wicked age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for the ages of the ages. Amen!" (Galatians 1:3-5)

March 18th - God's Plan for the Ages Completed

"On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the ages. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. So He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs." (Hebrews 1:1-3)

As I have outlined in my daily posts beginning on March 1st, at the close of the ages made by Jesus, humanity will all have been saved, justified, sanctified, and glorified in new immortal spiritual bodies. God will then be All in all humanity. Humanity will be a new creation and prepared for life in the oncoming ages of the New Heaven and New Earth.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials…” (Ephesians 1:3)

“God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!) and rouses us together and seats us together among the celestials, in Christ Jesus, that, IN THE ONCOMING AGES, He should be displaying the transcendent riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7)

Jesus, the creative original Son of God, and all the redeemed sons of God among humanity will have...

“…an administration of the complement of the eras, to head up all in the Christ -- both that in the heavens and that on the earth…completing the All in all.” (Ephesians 1:10-11, 23)

Humanity is in the process of being prepared to judge the angels. The result of that judging will be that all angels, including Satan, will also be reconciled to God.

"...are you not aware that the saints shall judge the universe?...Are you not aware that we shall be judging angels...?" (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)

"And He is the Head of the body, the church, Who is Sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may be becoming first, for in Him the entire complement delights to dwell, and through Him TO RECONCILE ALL to Him (making peace through the blood of His cross), through Him, whether those on the earth or those in the heavens." (Colossians 1:18-20)

"For I am reckoning that the sufferings of the current era do not deserve the glory about to be revealed for us. For the premonition of the creation is awaiting the unveiling of the sons of God. For to vanity was the creation subjected, not voluntarily, but because of Him Who subjects it, in expectation that THE CREATION ITSELF, also, shall be freed from the slavery of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:18-22)

"For God locks up ALL together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to ALL." (Romans 11:32)

When all angels have been reconciled to God the plan of God the Father will have been successfully completed and the reign of Jesus, the Son of God, will be returned to God the Father. All creation will have joyfully and voluntarily subjected themselves to our gracious, loving and merciful Father. 

“For He (Jesus the Son) must be reigning until He (God the Father) should be placing all His enemies under His feet...Now, whenever all may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him, that God may be ALL in ALL.)” (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

March 17th - The New Heaven and New Earth

The final destiny of humanity will be in the New Heaven and New Earth where all will dwell with God the Father and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in perfect love  - it is the eternal kingdom of God. 

“And I perceived a New Heaven and a New Earth, for the former heaven and the former earth pass away, and the sea is no more. And I perceived the holy city, New Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I hear a loud voice out of the throne saying, "Lo! the tabernacle of God is with humanity, and He will be tabernacling with them, and they will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them. And He will be brushing away every tear from their eyes. And death will be no more, nor mourning, nor clamor, nor misery; they will be no more, for the former things passed away. And He Who is sitting on the throne said, "Lo! New am I making all!" And He is saying, "Write, for these sayings are faithful and true." And He said to me, "I have become the Alpha and the Omega, the Origin and the Consummation. To him who is thirsting I shall be giving of the spring of the water of life gratuitously. He who is conquering shall be enjoying this allotment, and I shall be a God to him, and he shall be a son to Me." (Revelation 21:1-7)

All humans will then be immortals, like the angels.

"When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. Instead, they will be like the angels in heaven." (Mark 12:25)

New Jerusalem will be the home base and capital city of the vast and as yet unexplored Kingdom of God. The nations will thrive on the New Earth and will bring glory to the New Jerusalem. Every human who has ever been born will have been inscribed in the Lamb's book of life. 

"And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is Yahweh Elohim, the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life." (Revelation 21:22-27)

“And he shows me a river of water of life, resplendent as crystal, issuing out of the throne of God and the Lambkin. In the center of its square, and on either side of the river, is the tree of life, producing twelve fruits, rendering its fruit in accord with each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the cure of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-2)

The river of water, the fruit of the tree of life, and its leaves may be figurative for never ending life in the kingdom of God.  I envision all animals once again living with and among immortal humanity on the New Earth. If the water, fruit, and leaves are literal, they will sustain these animals.

Humanity will then be a unified body of immortal believers.  We will have been redeemed from death and made into the immortal image of God and Christ Jesus. We will finally be able to have dominion over all other life on the New Earth that will be very good! All will love God. Sin and evil will have ended forever!

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind." (Isaiah 65:17)

"That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

March 16th - The Great White Throne

All humans will give an account to God for their mortal lives lived on this present earth, and be judged by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The word judgment simply means that a decision is made. I think this happens at the Great White Throne of God after this present earth passes away.

"And I perceived a great white throne, and Him Who is sitting upon it, from Whose face earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them. And I perceived the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. And scrolls were opened. And another scroll was opened which is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged by that which is written in the scrolls in accord with their acts. And the sea gives up the dead in it, and death and the unseen give up the dead in them. And they were judged, each in accord with their acts. And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death-the lake of fire. And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was cast into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15)

At the judging every human will have come to the realization of the truth of God's plan for humanity. Every human will be have been saved out of death, justified (made right with God), and reconciled to God the Father. And every human will know it was not by their own free will, faith, or good works, but by the faith of Christ Jesus and His shed blood for the sins of the world - as a free gift in His grace.

"...having perceived that a man is NOT being justified by works of law, except alone through the FAITH OF CHRIST JESUS, we also believe in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by the FAITH OF CHRIST and not by works of law, seeing that by works of law shall no flesh at all be justified." (Galatians 2:14-16)

"God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!)" (Ephesians 2:4-6)

Again, every human is destined to individually account for the things done during their mortal lives. Good acts will be appropriately rewarded and the bad acts remembered no more.

“For other foundation can no one lay beside that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone is building on this foundation gold and silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, each one's work will become apparent, for the day will make it evident, for it is being revealed by fire. And the fire, it will be testing each one's work (acts) -- what kind it is. If anyone's work will be remaining which he builds on it, he will get wages. If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will forfeit it, yet he shall be saved, yet thus, as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

“Wherefore also we are ambitious, whether at home or away from home, to be well pleasing to him, for all of us must appear in front of the dais of Christ, that each one may receive the things done through the body, in reference to the things that he did, whether good or evil.” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10)

The word “dais” means a raised platform and it is where Christ Jesus will stand as judge at the Great White Throne. All will stand before Him knowing their destiny is in the hands of the Jesus.

"And do not fear those who are killing the body yet are not able to kill the soul. Yet be fearing Him, rather, Who is able to destroy the soul as well as the body in Gehenna.” (Matthew 10:28)

During the process most humans will hear the gospel of their salvation for the first time, the good news of what Jesus did for them on the cross. They will be told that God the Father has given the judgment about what to do with them to Jesus. I envision each human turning their eyes upon Jesus as He renders His judgment...

"Father, all of them were redeemed and justified in My blood just as planned before they were created! Transform them into their new glorified immortal body which you gave to me."

“Now Christ…through His own blood, entered once FOR ALL into the holy places, finding everlasting redemption.” (Hebrews 9:11-12)

“…being now justified in His blood, we shall be saved from wrath, through Him. For if, being enemies, we were conciliated to God through the death of His Son, much rather, being conciliated, we shall be saved in His life.” (Romans 5:9-10)

Then I envision all humans in joyful harmony rejoicing and bowing before Jesus...

"Who, being inherently in the form of God, deems it not pillaging to be equal with God,
nevertheless empties Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming to be in the likeness of humanity and being found in fashion as a human, He humbles Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, also, God highly exalts Him, and graces Him with the name that is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee shall be bowing, celestial and terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue shall be acclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father." (Philippians 2:11-12)

Those still in mortal bodies will experience the second death by means of the lake of fire returning their flesh and blood resurrected to dust. Instantly thereafter, they too  will be brought back from that second death into a new glorified immortal bodiy. Death will then have been destroyed forever.

"For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:26)

God the Father will then be All in all.

"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive...And when all things have been subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put all things under Him, so that God may be All in all." (1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 28)

At least, that is how I read the Scripture!

March 15th - The Millennium

At the start of the Millennium Jesus will bind Satan, the chief Adversary of God, for a thousand years preventing him from deceiving humanity during that time. 

"And I perceived a messenger descending out of heaven, having the key of the submerged chaos and a large chain in his hand. And he lays hold of the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Adversary and Satan, and binds him a thousand years." (Revelation 20:1-2)

Those who are resurrected, all believers, will live and reign with Jesus during those years.

"Happy and holy is he who is having part in the former resurrection!  Over these the second death has no jurisdiction, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will be reigning with Him the thousand years." (Revelation 20:6) 

"I will be giving you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever you should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you should be loosing on the earth, shall be those having been loosed in the heavens." (Matthew 16:19)

Jesus will then gather representatives of all the nations of the Earth before Him.

"Now, whenever the Son of Humanity may be coming in His glory, and all the holy messengers with Him, then shall He be seated on the throne of His glory, and in front of Him shall be gathered all the nations." (Matthew 25:31-32)

The nations will be separated into two groups based on how they treated the Jews during the Tribulation. Those nations who helped Israel will have a honored place during the Millennium.

"And He shall be severing them from one another even as a shepherd is severing the sheep from the kids. And He shall be standing the sheep, indeed, at His right, yet the kids at the left. Then shall the King be declaring to those at His right, 'Hither, blessed of My Father! Enjoy the allotment of the kingdom made ready for you from the disruption of the world...In as much as you do it to one of these, the least of My brethren, you do it to Me." (Matthew 25:33-40)

Those nations who did not help Israel will be chastened during the Millenium.

"Then shall He be declaring to those also at His left, 'Go from Me, you cursed, into the fire eonian, made ready for the Adversary and his messengers...verily I am saying to you, in as much as you do it not to one of these, the least, neither do you it to Me.  And these shall be coming away into chastening for the age, yet the just into life during for the age." (Matthew 25:41-46) 

Jesus will cleanse the temple mount which was defiled by the abomination caused by the Antichrist. Then Israel will build a new Temple described in detail in the book of Ezekiel. Among those reigning with Christ Jesus during the Millennium will be King David and the twelve disciples of Jesus. They will reign over the twelve tribes of Israel.

"I, Yahweh, shall be their Elohim, and my servant David will be prince in their midst; I, Yahweh, have spoken." (Ezekiel 34:24)

"Then, answering, Peter said to Him, "Lo! we leave all and follow Thee. What, consequently, will it be to us?" Yet Jesus said to them, "Verily, I am saying to you, that you who follow Me, in the renascence whenever the Son of Mankind should be seated on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:27-28)

All other believers will be take part in reigning with Jesus over the other nations during the thousand years of the Millennium.

"Happy and holy is he who is having part in the former resurrection! Over these the second death has no jurisdiction, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will be reigning with Him the thousand years." (Revelation 20:1-6)

The new Temple will be much larger than the previous ages. This worship center is 875 feet square, a huge building where people of all nations will come from time to time. This worship center is going to be built in the southern part of the land God gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The land promised Abraham will be distributed among the tribes of Israel. The last nine Chapters of Ezekiel give the details. 

"And I give to you and to your seed after you the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan, as an eonian holding..."  (Genesis 17:8)

"In appearances of Elohim He brought me to the land of Israel, and He rested me on a very lofty mountain, and on it was a citylike-building in the south." (Ezekiel 40:2-2)

"Thus says my Lord Yahweh: This is the boundary in which you shall allot the land for the twelve tribes of Israel (Joseph having two districts)." (Ezekiel 47:13)

During the Millennium the earth will again be repopulate by the unbelieving mortals who survived the seven year tribulation period by not taking the mark of the Antichrist. The activities in the worship center will remind mortal humanity of the death of Jesus as the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. 

"On the morrow he is observing Jesus coming toward him, and is saying, "Lo! the Lamb of God Which is taking away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

The reign of Jesus over this Earth will be perfect and righteous. Satan will not be allowed to deceive the mortal humans among the nations of the Earth until the end when he is set free to again deceive mortal humanity. Satan will succeed as in past ages.

"And whenever the thousand years should be finished, Satan will be loosed out of his jail. And he will be coming out to deceive all the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to be mobilizing them for battle, their number being as the sand of the sea..."(Revelation 20:7-8)

This will be the final rebellion of mortal humanity. Satan, in his created role as the adversary of God, will be cast into the lake of fire where the Antichrist and the False Prophet were placed in at the return of Jesus a thousand years earlier. Only these three supernatural beings are said in the Bible to be tormented in the lake of fire for "the eons of the eons".  Mortal humans are destroyed by death, not tormented for the eons.

"And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and surround the citadel of the saints and the beloved city. And fire descended from God out of heaven and devoured them. And the Adversary who is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the wild beast and where the false prophet are also. And they shall be tormented day and night for the eons of the eons."  (Revelation 20:9-10)

"Yet the heavens now, and the earth, by the same word, are stored with fire, being kept for the day of the judging and destruction of irreverent men...the heavens shall be passing by with a booming noise, yet the elements shall be dissolved by combustion, and the earth and the works in it shall be found." (2 Peter 3:7-11)

This rebellion will once and for all show that no mortal can become righteous before God by obedience to the Law, even if the Law is administered by the Son of God, Jesus Himself. Humanity will finally realize that they can only be made righteous (justified) through HIS faith, and the blood He shed to save humanity from perishing in death. Humanity, all of them, will be delivered/saved out of death because of the love, mercy, and grace of God.

"...a man is not being justified by works of law, except alone through the FAITH OF CHRIST JESUS, we also believe in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by the FAITH OF CHRIST and not by works of law, seeing that by works of law shall no flesh at all be justified." (Galatians 2:14-16)

"God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us (we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!)..." (Ephesians 2:4-6)

The destruction of the present Earth will occur at the close of the Millennium.

March 14th - The Tribulation

The book of Daniel records a series of events during the last seven years before Jesus returns. Many refer to this as the 70th week of Daniel or the Tribulation. It ends with the return of Jesus and the beginning of a thousand year reign of Christ on this earth.

The seven years begins with a peace treaty between Israel and many other nations. This treaty is broken after three and a half years by a world leader who causes the sacrifices and offerings of the temple to stop and replaces them with rituals that will be viewed by the Jews as an "abomination".

"He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." (Daniel 9:27)

"Now whenever you may be perceiving the abomination of desolation, declared by Daniel the prophet, standing where it must not (let the reader apprehend), then let those in Judea flee into the mountains...for in those days will be affliction such as has not occurred from the beginning of creation which God creates until now." (Mark 13:14-20)

The world leader who authorizes the abomination is called a wild beast in the book of Revelation but most scholars today refer to him as the Antichrist. He will have brought peace to the Middle East with the help of another wild beast called the False Prophet. The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The abomination in that future Temple will bring a rebellion by Israel against that world leader causing the greatest persecution of Jews in their long history. For two and a half years the Antichrist will seek to eliminate the Jews who have rebelled. However, God will protect them and supernaturally pour out His wrath on the Antichrist and his followers during the final year of the Tribulation. 

Before that one year of wrath begins, all believers who have died together with the living believers will be "snatched away" through the clouds to meet Jesus in air. They will be transformed into bodies like Jesus now has. They will reign with Him for one thousand years - called the Millennium by many today.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. At the same time, we who are alive and remain will be snatched away together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)

"For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage and build one another up,  just as you are already doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11)

"Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses. And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: King of kings and Lord of lords."(Revelation 19:11-16)

March 13th - The Return of Jesus

Jesus was asked about the end of the age by His Jewish disciples...

"...the disciples come to Him privately, saying, Tell us...what is the sign of Thy presence and of the conclusion of the age?" (Matthew 24:3)

Jesus told them that at the end the age He would return and it would be a time when many will be saying that He was the Christ, but those saying He was the Christ will be deceiving many. 

"And answering, Jesus said to them. Beware that no one should be deceiving you. For many shall be coming in my name saying I am the Christ, and shall be deceiving many." (Matthew 24:4-5)

Another thing Jesus said about His return would be that humanity would be like it was in the days of Noah before the flood. 

"For even as the days of Noah, thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind." (Matthew 24:37)

"Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time." (Genesis 6:5)

The final question that the Jewish disciples of Jesus asked before His ascension into heaven concerned the establishment of the kingdom of Israel.

"Lord, art Thou at this time restoring the kingdom to Israel? Yet He said to them, not yours is it to know..." (Acts 1:6)

Obviously, Jesus did not return during the lifetimes of His disciples, yet John was given a vision of the return of Jesus to restore the kingdom of Israel, and how long it would last -  one thousand years.

"And I perceived heaven open, and lo! a white horse. And He Who is sitting on it is called "Faithful and True," and in righteousness is He judging and battling.  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, having names written of which no one except Himself is aware, and He is clothed in a cloak dipped in blood, and His name is called "The Word of God." And the armies in heaven, dressed in cambric, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. And out of His mouth a sharp blade is issuing, that with it He should be smiting the nations. And He will be shepherding them with an iron club. And He is treading the wine trough of the fury of the wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His cloak and on His thigh He has a name written: "King of kings and Lord of lords." (Revelation 19:11-16)

"And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:4)

The final seven years of Daniel's seventy-sevens prophecy for Israel endds with the return of Jesus to reign over this earth for one thousand years. He will be the King of kings and Lord of lords as He reigns with His chosen people Israel over the entire earth from Jerusalem - "Zion".

"Thus says Yahweh: I will return to Zion, and I will tabernacle in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem will be called the city of truth, and the mountain of Yahweh of hosts, the holy mountain." (Zechariah 8:3)