Armageddon And The Age To Come
by
KeithHunt
Armageddon has become a term associated with destruction. World leaders and scientists use this term when speaking of the inevitability of nuclear warfare and World War III. The word Armageddon IS found in the Bible! Yet few really understand what Armageddon is all about. When World War I broke out, many excitedly proclaimed: "This is the war of Armageddon." Again the phrase was used at the onset of WWII, during the Korean War, after he was relieved from duty, General Douglas MacArthur in his farewell address to the United States Congress stated very clearly that if we did not solve the problems of war that OUR ARMAGEDDON is at our doorsteps. Today, over thirty years after General MacArthur's warning, the entire world is faced with certain destruction. There have been over 50 wars since WWII! People are tired of war and the cost in terms of human lives, property damage and money are absolutely staggering! There seems to be no end in sight. The daily threat of nuclear holocaust has given birth to a tremendous grass-roofs "peace" movement around the world. Yet, the Bible shows that mankind does not know the way to peace, nor is he able to attain it. If God would not intervene and send Jesus Christ back to the earth, all life on earth would be destroyed. Jesus Christ Himself prophesied that this would be the condition of the world. "For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened (by God's intervention) there should be NO FLESH saved:but for the elect's sake (the true Christians) those days shall be shortened" (Mat. 24:21-22). Now it is commonly taught that Armageddon will be the last battle between the Western Democracies and Communism, before the return of Christ. Is this really what Bible prophecy foretells? Who will be fighting whom at Christ's second coming, and where? World War 3 is on the way! Most world leaders agree, it is only a matter of when and not if. Right now the nations of the world are attempting to prepare their citizens for survival of a nuclearattack. Military leaders have hinted that nuclear war, that is, a "small limited nuclear war," in Europe or the Middle East could be survived! Only God has the power to stop mankind from committing suicide! How will He do this and what lies beyond? Will the earth remain a hulk of total destruction for a thousand years? Or, will there be a NEW AGE? If so, what will that age be like? The Bible, the inspired Word of God gives us the answers to these questions. In this lesson we shall see what God tells us about ARMAGEDDON and THE NEW AGE to come. THE DAY OF THE LORD Most people have heard little about the DAY OF THE LORD, yet the Day of the Lord is described in more than 30 different prophecies in the Old and New Testaments. In this lesson we will cover many important scriptures about the Day of the Lord. To add to this study, you are encouraged to use a concordance of the Bible as an aid. This will help you delve more deeply into each topic. An excellent concordance is Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (e.i. Then you will be able to look up each reference for yourself). Rev. 6:16-17 What question is asked in verse 17? Is this the day of God's wrath? Note: Jesus Christ came the first time as a meek lamb to be slain for the sins of the world. (Isa. 53:1-12; John 1:29; Rev. 13:8). But, when He comes again, He will be wrathful, angry, and against all evil! Do these scriptures also tell us about the DAY OF GOD'S WRATH? Isa. 2:10-21; Jer. 30:6-7; Joel 2:1,11; Zeph. 1:14-18; 2:2-3. The wrath of the Day of the Lord will be manifested through the seven trumpet plagues which will occur consecutively over a period of months. Rev. 8:1-13; 9:1- 21. This will culminate with the seventh trumpet. When it is sounded the dead in Christ are resurrected to eternal life. Rev.11:15-11 1. Is this the seventh trumpet sound? 2. Who is to take over the kingdoms of the world and reign and rule? 3. Is God wrathful? 4. Are the nations angry? 5. Will God destroy many people? Note: The Day of the Lord and the wrath of God will not be finished with the sounding of the seventh trumpet plague. Revelation 15:1-16:21 shows that there will be an outpouring of the SEVEN LAST PLAGUES, WHICH WILL END IN THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST! Rev.19:11-16; 17:14; John 1:29. 1. Will Jesus Christ make war? 2. What are some of His titles? 3. Is this the same one who is called the Lamb of God? Note: These verses show plainly that Christ will come with the armies of resurrected saints and will conquer the rebellious nations. Zeph. 1:17; Rev. 11:18; 9:20-21; 16:11. Why will God have to punish the rebellious? Note: God will be angry because of the sins of mankind. Jesus Christ will have to come to save the human race alive (Mat. 24:22). But, because God is love, He will punish in love! It might seem like a contradiction to some, that God, who is love, will punish so severely. But the nations and people of the world will have reached a point that they will listen to nothing else. God will have to punish this world to bring it to repentance. Rev. 11:18. When Jesus returns will the nations of the world be cooperative and accept Him as Savior, or will they be angry and determined to fight Christ? Note: The people and nations of the earth want peace. The Americans want peace, the Russians want peace, the Jews want peace, the Arabs want peace, the Chinese want peace, the Europeans want peace. But they all want peace their way! However, the history of the world has conclusively proven that mankind does not know the way to world peace - man's peace always leads to war. When Jesus Christ comes the nations will be angry and at war with each other, but on seeing Christ and His armies, they will stop fighting among themselves. They will all see the coming of Jesus Christ and convince the rest of the world that the earth is being invaded by aliens from outer space. Then they will join forces together to fight against Christ. In turn Jesus will deal with them in the only language that these rebellious nations will understand - THE POWER AND FORCE OF GOD ALMIGHTY! Rev. 15:1,6-7. In what is the wrath of God filled up? Note: The seventh or last trumpet, Rev. 11:15, completes the trumpet plagues and announces the SEVEN LAST PLAGUES. THIS IS THE WRATH OF GOD! Rev.16:1-Il. I. Upon what and whom will these seven last plagues be poured out? 2. Will there be great suffering upon the rebellious? 3. Will the people repent of their sins, of their Satan worship? Or will they continue to be deceived? ARMAGEDDON Rev.16:12. 1. What will happen when the sixth vial of God's wrath is poured out? 2. From which direction do the kings come? Note: Look at any map of the world and notice what nations - kings and kingdoms - lie east of the Euphrates River. Rev.17:14. Who will the nations of the earth fight against? Note: Verse 14 shows that it is the Lamb of God. Jesus Christ, as we have seen, is the Lamb of God. Rev. 16:13-16. 1. Who incites the nations to fight against Christ? 2. Will the kingdoms that war against God only come from the east? Or, will it be all nations? 3. WHAT IS THIS GREAT BATTLE CALLED? 4. What is the place called where the armies of the world are gathered? Note: The Bible interprets for us who the dragon is. It is Satan (Rev.12:9). The spirits are Satan's angels or demons. The word devils in the KJV ought to be translated demons. There is one fallen archangel (Isa.14:12-14; Ezk. 28:12-17) called the Devil, but there are many fallen angels (Jude 6; Rev. 12:7) now called demons in the Bible. These demons are responsible for gathering the armies of all nations together to fight against the returning Jesus Christ. The proper translation of the Greek in verse 16 should be "...and they gathered them together..." See other translations such as: RSV, Living Bible, Phillips, etc. Additionally, verse 14 proves it is many evil spirits that gather these armies together. The Bible shows that these demon spirits directly control the world now by influencing the leaders of the nations. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph.6:12). Just before the final battle of the nations against the returning Christ, these demons will deceive the nations again with miracles and they will be gathered into one place. The nations will assemble their armies at a place called Armageddon. The word Armageddon is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew name Har Megiddo, meaning, hill or mountain of Megiddo. Megiddo was a strong fortification dating from ancient times, situated approximately 60 miles Northwest of Jerusalem. The mound that remains is a few miles south east of Haifa, a natural port which is ideal for landing troops. The Plain of Megiddo is an oval shaped valley once called the Plain of Esdraelon, but now is often called the Valley of Jezreel. It is a large flat area ideal for the gathering together of large armies. THE BATTLE OF THE GREAT DAY OF GOD ALMIGHTY Rev.16:14; 19:11-21. 1. What is the name of this climactic battle? 2. Who will fight whom? 3. Will it be a battle between the Western Democracies and Communism? Will it be between the Arabs and Jews? Joel 3:1-2, 9-14; Zech. 14:2; Rev. 14:18-20. In what exact areas of Palestine does this battle take place? Note: The word Jehoshaphat means Judgment of Jehovah. The focal point of the battle will be in this valley at Jerusalem. This valley is also called in the Bible The Valley of Decision. It borders the city of Jerusalem on the east. The Pictorial Bible Dictionary states that this valley situated between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives is now called the Kidron Valley (P.408). This battle is likened to the "great winepress of the wrath of God"(Rev. 14:19) which is trodden without the city. God says in Zechariah 14 that He will fight against the nations of the world at Jerusalem. The blood of these enemies, represented by the juice of grapes being pressed out in a winepress, will flow, "without (outside) the city." There will be so much blood flowing that it will rise, in some areas, as high as the horses bridles. The river of blood will flow for 1,600 furlongs. According to E.Leslie Carlson, under money, weights, and measures in the Teachers'Heritage Edition of the Bible published by World Publishing, a furlong is 606.5 English feet. 1,600 furlongs would be approximately 183 miles. There is a land depression running from the plain of Megiddo down passed Jerusalem and continuing south to the ancient land area of Edom. The distance of this depression from Megiddo to where it ends, south of Jerusalem, is approximately 180-200 miles. Rev.16:17-21. 1. How will the battle of Armageddon end? 2. What are the "natural" forces God uses against the armies? 3. Will the surface of the earth be changed? Note: The hail stones will weigh one talent, which is approximately 180 lbs. WILL THE EARTH BE DESOLATE DURING THE MILLENNIUM? We have seen some important passages of the Bible that tell us what Jesus Christ and the saints will do after His return to the earth. As we shall see there are literally dozens of passages in God's Word which clearly show that God will restore the earth for human beings and have a glorious reign of 1,000 years here on earth. During this time all people will be blessed and prosper. There will be peace and love. But we need to stop and consider the teachings of some, who say that the earth will be completely desolate during the 1,000 year period. Christ and the saints. it is alleged, are transported to be in heaven and are not on the earth. The teaching of a desolate uninhabited earth during the 1,000 years is based on a few scriptures. We shall examine these scriptures and read their setting in the context of the meaning of the passages in which they are found. As we shall see, the Bible reveals that the earth will not be desolate and uninhabited. We are admonished by God's Word, "...To prove ALL THINGS and hold fast to that which is good!" (I Thes. 5:21). To prove means to test and try, and in this case by SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES (Acts 7:11). To help clarify the misunderstanding about the earth being desolate for 1,000 years, we will see that there are two renewals of the earth and heavens. The first one is when Jesus Christ returns to the earth and the second one is when God the Father comes to the earth. Just to review: When Jesus Christ returns, the saints will be resurrected. They will be given eternal life (1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Jn.3: l-3; Jn. 3:16-17; 6:51-58; Rom.6:23). They will reign as kings and priests under Christ, who will be king over all the earth (Rev.1:6,5:10,20:6). As we have already seen there will also be human beings, who will survive these horrible end time events. So what we find is this: There will be two types of people on earth. 1) The spirit beings, Jesus Christ and the resurrected saints, who will be those in God's government. They will rule the world. 2) Human beings, who have lived on over into the New Age and carry on as the beginning generation of people at the start of the Millennium. There will be two renewings of the earth and heaven. 1). When Christ returns it will be renewed for human life. This means that the atmosphere will have to also be cleansed - a new heaven. This is the new heaven and earth in which there are human beings, who are under the government of God. Those in the positions of the government of God will be spirit beings. 2). The renewal of the earth and heaven when human life has ceased to exist. All who have qualified for eternal life will be spirit beings. All who have rejected God's salvation will be burned up in a lake of fire (Rev. 20:14-15). This is at the end of the Millennium and God's final judgment. This final lake of fire will consume the entire surface of the earth and atmosphere (II Pet. 3:10- 14). Then will come the second new heaven and earth. In this setting it is apparent that it is for spirit life only, not human life. "And I saw a new heaven and new earth: for the first heaven and first earth were passed away: and there was no more sea" (Rev. 21:1). Human life could not exist without oceans. This is where the confusion has come in the minds of some, because they could not distinguish between the renewing of the earth at the return of Jesus Christ, and the renewing of the earth in preparation for the habitation for spirit beings and the coming of God the Father to the earth. As we go through these scriptures it will become clear that where there are references to human, flesh and blood beings, it is talking about the restoration at the return of Jesus, and not the restoration at the end of the Millennium, which will be for spirit beings. Isa.24:1-6 Note: Is this a prophecy for the end time? Yes. Please read chapters 25,26 and 27, and you will see that these also talk about the end time. Does verse 1 of Isa. 24 show that the inhabitants are scattered? Does verse 6 show that the earth will be desolate? But does it also show that a curse has devoured the earth, the inhabitants are burned, and show that there will be few men (human beings) left? NOWHERE IN THE ENTIRETY OF THESE SCRIPTURES DOES IT SAY THAT all human life is destroyed and the earth is uninhabited and left desolate for 1,000 years! Isa. 26:21 Note: This verse nowhere says that every last single soul will be slain, the entire context before and after disprove any such idea. Isa. 31:1-10. Does this not show that there will be human life? Also, animal life? Isa. 11:1-12. Note: This shows a world of peaceful human and animal life, not desolation. Please study the rest of the chapter and the next chapter,12, as well. These clearly show this is a time when Christ is on the earth just after His return. Isa. 65:21,22. Note: This clearly shows that there will be human life at the restoration at the return of Jesus Christ. The new heaven and earth spoken of in verse 17 is the restoration for human flesh and blood life. There will be birth and death. The second restoration, or the new heavens and earth, for spirit beings will usher in a time when there will be no more death (Rev. 21:4-7). Jer. 4:23-26. Note: This is not a prophecy against the entire earth, but against Judah and Jerusalem. See the preceding verses: 5-6, 10, 14, 16, 22. Verse 20 says: "the whole land," yes, the land of Judah. Verse 23 where the Hebrew is translated "earth," can also be translated "land." The Amplified Bible renders it "land" as in verse 20. Verse 27 shows that there will not be total destruction, "...yet I will not make a full end." Jer. 25:33. Note: This verse nowhere says every single soul will be stain - only that there will be slain people all over the earth. Jer. 25:30-32. Note: God will plead with all nations, many will repent, (Jer. 23:3-6; 16:14-21; Isa. 25:7-9; 29:18-24). The wicked are the ones whom God will slay - verse 31. Ezk.9:1-11 Note: When this entire chapter is read it shows that it applies only to the house of Israel and Judah, including the city of Jerusalem, not the entire world. Other references are used by those who believe that the earth will be desolate and uninhabited during the Millennium such as: Mat.24:36-44; II Thes. 1:7-9; 2:8. But in everyone of these instances when the entire context of the verses and chapters are closely examined it is apparent that it is a misunderstanding of the Bible. So it is apparent from the Bible that the earth will not be a desolate wilderness and uninhabited during the Millennium, the 1,000 year reign of Christ. Let us now look at more scriptures that show us what the conditions of this earth will be like during the New Age of the Kingdom of God. Part II THE KINGDOM OF GOD on Earth The NEW AGE of the Kingdom of God will be headed by Jesus Christ who will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Bible shows that there will be survivors of this final holocaust who will live and begin the new generation of human beings under the rule and government of the Kingdom of God. What happens after this final battle of Armageddon? Zech.14:1-21. 1. After the great battle of the wrath of God, as it is popularly called the Battle of Armageddon, where will Christ go? 2. Who will come with Christ? 3. Will it be one literal day? 4. Who will be king over all the earth? 5. Will the physical land be reclaimed? 6. Will the city of Jerusalem be inhabited in safety again? See Zech.8:1-5. 7. How will God deal with those who will still be rebellious? Note: The Bible shows in Zech. 14, that He is going to require all nations to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This is one of the Feasts of God, which the true Church of God should be keeping today. (For a complete listing of the sacred feasts of God please study Lev. 23). Here God is showing how He will deal with those nations which refuse to keep the Feast of Tabernacles during the I ,000 year rule of Jesus Christ. Isa.66:15-24. 1. Is this passage referring to the battle of the great day of God's wrath and what shall occur there and afterwards? 2. Will some be sent out to tell others about God? 3. Will gifts be sent up from all nations to the Lord God at Jerusalem? 4. Will all people who live through the end time holocaust into the millennium (the 1,000 years rule), called flesh in verse 23, come to worship the Lord? 5. Will they worship God on His designated days? The New Moon days and the Sabbath days are even today, part of God's sacred calendar. If all people will worship God on those days at that time in the future, should not True Christians be worshipping God on those days now? 6. Will God continue to punish the rebellious? Micah 4:1-5; Isa. 2:1-4. 1. Will most people and nations want to learn about the True God and His laws after Christ has returned? 2. Will there be any more wars? Habakkuk 2:14; Isa. 11:9. 1. Will the glory of God eventually cover the whole world? 2. Will the knowledge of God be readily available? To what extent will it be known? Rev. 20:1-6. This setting is at the beginning of the Millennium. 1. What will happen to Satan the Devil, the author of all evil, and for how long? 2. Are the saints, now resurrected spirit beings, given thrones of authority and judgment and co-rule with Jesus Christ? 3. Does all this occur after the first resurrection? 4. How long do they reign with Christ? 5. In what capacity will they function? Note: This I ,000 year reign of Jesus Christ and the saints is commonly known as the Millennium. The word millennium does not appear in the KJV Bible. But the word millennium means "a thousand." The Bible reveals that the resurrected saints of God, who are raised to eternal spirit life at the first resurrection, have the promise of being kings and priests to reign and rule with Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:6; 5:10). True Christians today are qualifying for these positions, see Rev.2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26-29; 3:5; 3:10-13; 3:21. What does Jesus Christ promise the overcoming Christians? The rewards are tremendous! This is why God demands that Christians keep the commandments of God! The rebellious who refuse to keep the commandments of God will never inherit the Kingdom of God! Read Rev. 22:14. What does commandment keeping insure? I John 2:3-6; 5:1-3; 3:4 and 22; Mat. 19:17. Are there blessings of knowing God's love, and eternal life at the resurrection because we keep the commandments of God and do those things that are pleasing in His sight? What will happen to those who will not obey God and keep His commandments? Will they suffer the second death in a lake of fire? (Rev. 20:13-14; 21:8,27; 22:15). THE LAND RECLAIMED Isa.27:6; Ezek.36; Jer.23:1-6; 30:1-9; 31:1-14. 1. Will God gather the descendants of Israel and Judah? 2. To where will He bring them? 3. Will the land again blossom and produce? 4. Will the cities be rebuilt? Note: When this gathering and rebuilding occurs, Israel and Judah will never again practice heathen ways or go into war or captivity. This has not happened yet. Jer.33:1-13; Zech.8:1-8. Will there be peace and safety and happiness in the cities of the New Age? Jer.3:17; Zech.8:3; Isa.62:1-7. 1. Will Jerusalem be the capital city of the whole earth? 2. Will it be a fine example to the rest of the world? Isa.41:8-20; 35:1-2, 7-10. Will the desert lands become productive and forests reappear and spread during the Millennium? Isa.51:3. Will God transform Zion and the land of Palestine into a veritable garden of Eden? A TIME OF MIRACLES Isa. 11:1-9; 35:l-7. 1. Will the nature of the animals be changed so even wild flesh-eating beasts will eat grass and be household pets for children? 2. Will those who have great physical handicaps, such as blindness, deafness and lameness be healed by God? Note: There will be no need for hospitals in the New Age of God. Isa. 33:20-24; 61:1-3; Jer. 30:10-22. Will God also free mankind from sickness and disease? Note: There will be no need for health insurance in the New Age of the Kingdom of God. A PERFECT CLIMATE Ezk. 34:26; Isa. 30:23; Jer. 31:12; Amos 9:13. 1. Will God cause the rains to come at the right time? 2. Will there be rejoicing over the abundance of crops that God will bestow during the Millennium? 3. Will there be a super abundance of food? Note: Most of the land surface of the earth is unproductive, today only about 7% of the land is actually tillable. The exact opposite will be true in the utopia of the New Age of God as He begins to bless the entire world. Micah 4:l-4; Isa 2:1-5. 1. Will there be economic reform from a war based economy to a peaceful agricultural economy? 2. Will there be land reform so every one will have his own land and produce his own food? Note: Farmers will no longer have to gamble with the weather; their work will always be successful, as long as they obey God. THE GREATEST RIVERS Zech. 14:l-8; Ezk.47:1-12. 1. What happens when Christ's feet touch the Mount of Olives? 2. Will a mighty river flow through this new channel? 3. Will one half of this water flow east to the Dead Sea and the other half flow west into the Mediterranean Sea? 4. Does this living water produce life, fish and health to the barren places of the earth? 5. Does this living water proceed from the very sanctuary of God - from the spot where God's temple will stand? (Joel 3:18). Note: The Dead Sea is 1286 feet below sea level. It is the lowest spot on earth. The Jordan River constantly empties into the northern extremity of the Dead Sea. It has no natural outlet, but the level of the water remains fairly constant, because the hot weather causes the water to evaporate at about the same rate as the inflow of water. Because of this, the water is extremely salty. So much so, that no plant or marine life can live in it today. But when this new river begins to flow into it, its waters will rise until they overflow southward through the desert regions. There is an indication that the Dead Sea Valley as it is known today, will actually be raised. Then the pure healing waters from God's throne will flow out into this area and south to what is now the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea and on into the Indian Ocean and circulate towards the east. It will heal every thing as it goes. The waters which flow out towards the west will do the same thing in that direction, until the entire earth is healed. This is how God will heal the entire world from the pollution and destruction described in the book of Revelation. A PURE LANGUAGE AND PROPER EDUCATION A major barrier to mutual understanding and cooperation between peoples of the world has been the barrier of language. This was caused by God at the tower of Babel, right after the Flood, as a result of the sins of mankind. God will remove that curse and restore the entire world to one pure language. Zech. 3:9. Will God institute one pure language for the whole world? Note: As well as one common language for all people, the language of the New Age will be free from any pagan ungodly words. There are many words we use everyday that are derived from heathenistic sources - the days of the week and months of the year are mainly of pagan origin- derived from the names of false gods. EDUCATION Proper God-oriented education will be one of the top priorities during the Millennium. During the New Age of the Kingdom of God people will be taught the laws that will produce peace, happiness, safety, productivity and blessings. God will still give each person the choice of whether to obey Him or not. The majority will want to obey God's way, but mankind will have to be re-educated out of the false deceptive harmful ways as inspired by Satan the Devil. Mankind will learn that there is a way that seems right to him, which only lead to death, misery and suffering. Isa. 11:9. In this re-education, how much knowledge of the Lord will be known? Isa. 25:7. Is wrong education like a veil that hides the truth from the mind receiving it? Note: Rev. 12:9 shows that Satan the Devil is the one who has deceived the world and is the author of the false education of the world today. Rev. 20:1-3. Will the Devil be allowed to do his work during the age to come? Hosea 4:6. What knowledge and education is most lacking today? I Cor. 3:19. What does God think of the wisdom of the world? John 17:17; Ps. 119:142,151,172. What is God's truth? Note: God's truth is a way of life based on love. Jesus Christ said that all the law and prophets were based on love (Mat 22:37-41). In the Book of Acts 19:9, 23 it is called That Way. Most of the world today does not approve and rejects God's way, just as they did in the early apostolic days (Acts 24:14). God's way is based on His divinely revealed will and laws, based on love. He has given to us His foundation of right knowledge and education. It is found in His inspired Word - the Bible. Jer. 16:19. After the climax at the close of this age of mankind's rule under the sway of Satan the Devil, what will people acknowledge? Note: By the time Christ has finished His intervention to save mankind from complete annihilation, they will, for the most part, be willing to confess their false ways and ignorance of God's Truth. At that time humanity will be teachable and will be taking the first step to repentance and reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ. Isa. 55:6-9; 30:21-26. Will mankind be receptive? Will they listen to their teachers as they are shown the right way to live? Jer. 30:7-9; Ezk. 34:23-24; Luke 22:29-30; Mat 28:19-20. 1. Will the resurrected King David rule over all Israel? 2. What were the 12 apostles promised in the New Age of the Kingdom of God? 3. What will they teach? Rev. 2:26; 5:10. Who else will help teach the nations of the world in the New Age? Note: Then the resurrected immortal saints will be priests as well as kings. The function of a priest is to teach (Mal. 2:7). The glorified children of God will teach people the Word and the ways of God, His laws, commandments, statutes and judgments. They will be able to appear in visible form at will (Isa. 30:20-21). They will be ever present to teach or to stop any open crime or rebellion. Because they will be like Christ is now, they will be able to come and go as necessary, pass through walls or instantly disappear, such as Christ was able to do after His resurrection (John 20:17, 19,25-27; Luke 24:31). Eventually through God's system of proper education and true worship of the True God, the world will be full of the knowledge of God as the waters cover the oceans. There will be peace, joy, happiness and a truly abundant life for all people. Zech. 14:16-19; Isa. 66:19-23. Will the nations of the world keep the appointed feasts and holy days of God? Note: The world today, including most of professing Christianity are following the pagan Babylonian mystery religion customs, festivals, celebrations, which were derived from the pagan philosophies, customs and beliefs of Babylon, Egypt and Rome. In the New Age of the Kingdom of God all people will be taught the right and proper way to worship God and what are the right and proper days of worship. MANKIND'S NEW NATURE Mat 12:35. Is the heart and nature of mankind a mixture of good and evil, with the evil dominating? Note: Mark 7:21-23 shows that sin originates from within the minds of human beings. Jer. 17:9; Mat 15:19. Does the nature of man lean towards being deceitful and wicked? Rom. 8:5-7. Is the natural mind of man enmity and hostile to the law of God? Is it possible for it to be subject to it? Note: This way of mankind seems right and natural but it results in death (Pro. 14:12; 16:25). Ezk. 36:22-27; Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:10; 10:16. 1. Will God change the hearts of people during the Millennium age? 2. What will God add to the minds of people that will enable them to be at peace and reap the blessings of serving God? WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE ETERNAL FILLING THE EARTH, AS IT IS UNITED WITH THE MINDS AND HEARTS OF THE PHYSICAL PEOPLE UPON EARTH, AS JESUS AND ALL THE SAINTS RULE WITH THE POWER AND THE WORD OF THE LORD, THEN THE WORLD WILL HAVE THE UTOPIA IT HAS DREAMED ABOUT FOR CENTURIES. THEN WE SHALL HAVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD UPON THE EARTH. AS JESUS TAUGHT US, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PRAY, "THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." .................................... Written in 1982 by Keith Hunt |
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