A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH

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Albert Wolters concisely and persuasively demonstrates that God’s plan for righteous humanity to live on and reign over an uncursed earth was not thwarted by Satan or by man’s sin. God never revoked or abandoned His original great commission for us to rule on a perfect earth to His glory. The last chapters of the Bible promise that His original design—as revealed in the first chapters and greatly enhanced and magnified through Christ’s work—will indeed be fulfilled on the New Earth. Having fallen on mankind’s coat-tails, Earth will rise on our coat-tails—resurrected humanity will occupy and rule a resurrected earth. This is the full gospel of the Kingdom, and it is vital to a biblical worldview, which alone explains the Bible’s description of Christians as those who are “looking forward to a new heaven and new earth.”

Al Wolters writes, “[God] hangs on to his fallen original creation and salvages it. He refuses to abandon the work of his hands—in fact, he sacrifices his own Son to save his original project. Humankind, which has botched its original mandate and the whole creation along with it, is given another chance in Christ; we are reinstated as God’s managers on earth. The original good creation is to be restored.”

Moreover, prior to the White Throne judgement and the new heaven and the new earth, the promises God made to Israel that their Messiah will rule and reign from Jerusalem over all the nations will also be fulfilled in Jesus during His Millennial reign after the battle of Armageddon and Satan is bound in the Abyss for 1000 years.

“And He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a little while.” Revelation 20: 2-3

“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-5

To my knowledge, Albert Walters does not address Jesus’ Millennial reign prior to the White Throne judgement. Nevertheless, Albert’s other penetrating insights help us to stop redefining the gospel in narrow and shallow, and individualistic terminology and assumptions that discredit the breadth and depth of God’s redemptive plan.

Regardless of theological leanings, anyone reading this book will undoubtedly find it a treasure trove.

A NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH

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The new heaven and new earth will only be experienced after the second resurrection and the White Throne Judgement. What is not taught much in our churches is the Millennial reign of Jesus on this earth that proceeds the second resurrection and the White Throne Judgement. And yet much of Bible prophecy, all the O.T. prophets, reveals their Messiah ruling and reigning the nations on this earth. We know it is on this earth because the curse has not been lifted. People are being born and people are still dying but with longer life spans and infant mortality is close to zero.

Much of what you read on livingeternal.net is to prepare Christians for the coming Millennial Kingdom and what precedes it. God has given us a lot of information on the last seven years (70th Week of Daniel) preceding Jesus return to earth first to take the Saints to heaven (The Rapture) and to simultaneously pour out His wrath upon unrepentant earth with the Trumpet and Bowl Judgements. He must want us to know it.

We need to use these prophecies to plead with the lost that they need to get right with their Creator, they do not want to face His coming wrath. Read the extent of the disasters God unleashes on the earth with the final Bowl Judgement.

“Then the seventh (angel) poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying, “It is done!” There were flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since man has been on the earth — so great was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; He gave her the cup filled with the wine of His fierce anger. Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared. Enormous hailstones, each weighing about 100 pounds, fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.” Revelation 16:17-21

After the wrath of God is poured out, Jesus returns with the resurrected saints (new bodies) for the final battle with the Antichrist’s armies. Jesus then ushers in His Millennium Kingdom. I am preparing a new website http://www.millennialkingdom.net where people can go to find out what God has already revealed to us about Jesus coming Millennial Kingdom. It is early stages but you can take a look at it. Any constructive input on it is welcome.

“Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness. His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on His head. He had a name written that no one knows except Himself. He wore a robe stained with blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. A sharp sword came from His mouth so that He might strike the nations with it. He will shepherd them with an iron sceptre. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and makes war… And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.” Revelation 19:11, 14-17