GOD IS SOVEREIGN: HE IS WORKING OUT HIS PLANS AND PURPOSES FOR PLANET EARTH

When we look around and see all the horrible things happening in the world – and even in the church – and it seems overwhelming. Whether it is Western nations seemingly headed on a downward spiral, or conflict in the Middle East, or communist China making menacing moves, or culture wars going berserk, or scandals in our churches, it can seem overwhelming.

Thank goodness the Bible, God’s Word, gives us many examples of people just like us in similar circumstances who were able to hear from God about what He was doing and even though they did not know the why, they came to terms with the fact that God is in control and knows what He is doing. Habakkuk is a great example. Check it out, he ended up getting the right view on things, and we must as well.

The three chapters of the book are easily broken down in outline form:

  • 1:1-4 Habakkuk’s first lament or complaint
  • 1:5-11 Yahweh’s first response
  • 1:12-2:1 Habakkuk’s second lament or complaint
  • 2:2-20 Yahweh’s second response
  • 3:1-19 Habakkuk’s prayer

Like Habakkuk, we need the courage of discernment—to know and trust that God remains sovereign in the world of history and nature. We need to listen to the news with this perspective in mind. ‘Look at the nations and watch…’ (Hab.1.5). Watch out for God at work particularly as the Bible reveals we are in the last days before Jesus returns to set up His Millennial Kingdom and restore righteousness.

If you want to get prepared for what is next on God’s agenda for planet earth go to http://www.millennialkingdom.net.

For inspiration for this post I went to Our God Reigns: What Habakkuk Tells Us About History and Hope by Bill Muehlenberg, 29th October 2025, The Daily Declaration.

WHEN DOES GOD SEND A STRONG DELUSION?

We’re all living through the Biblical STRONG DELUSION of 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 and most don’t even know it. What is the delusion allowed by God? Click here to watch this amazing Nelson Walters video to discover what is deluding many in our churches today.

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

PROOF GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL THE EVENTS OF HISTORY

We can be certain that the most important events of Jesus’ second coming will fall on the “Feasts of the Lord” as listed in Leviticus 23. Feasts of the Lord (or MO’EDIM in the Hebrew, KAIRON in the Greek). These were instituted by God, and given to Moses and the Israelites (Lev. 23) prior to their entering the Promised Land, and they played prominent roles in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple services.

God established these “appointed times” as “rehearsals” of the great redemptive events in Jesus’s life. The celebration and symbolism of each “Feast” foretold the redemptive event. These Feasts are divided into four “spring” Feasts during the spring of the year and three “fall” Feasts during September and October.

The primary prophetic meanings of the “spring” Feasts have already been fulfilled by Jesus at His First Coming.

Most Christians are familiar with Passover, the first of the four spring Feasts, and how it prefigured the death of Jesus on the cross. The blood of the sacrificial lamb, which was spread on the Jewish doorframes in Egypt to protect them from the Angel of Death, foreshadowed the blood of Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God. As we know, Jesus was the perfect, sinless, blood sacrifice uniquely acceptable to God. Only his death could pay the substitutionary judgment required by the Holy God for atonement of the sins of those who put their trust in him. Only Jesus, being the sinless Son of God, was forever acceptable as the sacrifice to take upon himself God’s punishment for our sins—-in God’s eyes our sins were transferred onto Jesus, and his death, and his death alone, paid our sin-debt before God. This is all pictured in Passover and is the primary and initial step in God’s plan of redemption. The three other spring Feasts prefigured the other redemptive works of Jesus at his First Coming. The second Feast, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, foretold the burial of Jesus, and the third Feast, First Fruits foretold the resurrection of our Lord. Shavuot (Pentecost) foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. In addition, there are three Feasts of the Lord that have not yet been fulfilled, the “fall” Feasts—-Yom Teruah (Feast of the Blowing of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). All of these fall Feasts occur in September/October on our Gregorian calendar and occur in the seventh month, Tishri, on the Jewish calendar each year. All these will be fulfilled related to Jesus’ Second Coming.

The Day of the Lord (God’s Wrath on the earth) begins on the same day as the Rapture. It extends from Yom Teruah on our Gregorian calendar (Tishri 1 on the Jewish calendar) of the Sixth Year of the 70th Week until Yom Kippur at the end of Year Seven.

The Resurrection and Rapture will occur on Yom Teruah at the end of the Sixth Year of the 70th Week, and Jesus will physically land upon the earth in power and glory on Yom Kippur at the end of Year Seven. That period is one year and ten days. This is supported by the witness of Isaiah: “For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion” (Isaiah 34:8). The ten days between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur are known as the Days of Awe. These are ten days of introspection and repentance for Israel as they prepare for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). We have seen that Daniel and his friends were tested for ten days when they didn’t eat the King’s food. We are also told in Revelation that the believers in Smyrna will be imprisoned for ten days as well. Both of these are allusions to this time of repentance. It is incredibly likely that the seven Bowl Judgments will happen during these ten days during Year Seven, immediately before the end of the 70th Week. Interestingly, Noah was in the Ark for exactly one year and ten days (calculated from Gen 7:11, Gen. 8:14). This is not a coincidence. Also, the year before a Jubilee year is always one year and ten days.

In the Olivet Discourse Jesus told us the Rapture of the Church will be “like the ‘days’ of Noah.” The Church will be off the earth in Heaven for the identical time that Noah was raised above the earth on the Ark: one year and ten days.

WHAT DOES GOD HAVE IN MIND FOR YOU?

Biblical end-times prophecies are playing out in our day. There is a great falling away from the Word and faith exactly as prophesied. It is no coincidence you were born at this time. God has something for every believer to accomplish. However, it requires total commitment and constant vigilance. Essential are spiritual awareness and unwavering commitment to doing what he calls us to do.

Jonathan Cahn will challenge you to consider where we are in Biblical history and then what it means to you. He uses stories like Joseph to show how God can put us through tough times to prepare us for His use. God always extends an invitation to be used by Him. It is up to us whether we are prepared to give up our will and submit to His purpose for us. Where do you stand?

THE COSMOS IS ON GOD’S TIMELINE

We must never forget this planet, indeed the Cosmos is on God’s timeline. Also. that we were made to be in relationship with our Creator God. We are made in His image and are to be His image bearers on the Earth. It is also clear that God intended for us to live forever by eating from the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. It is why after disobeying God, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden. “Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat, and live foreverGenesis 3:22

Before Jesus went to die on the Cross note what he said about eternal life and how we gain access to it.

Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.John 17:1-3

God has given us the entire history of the Cosmos He created from its beginning to its firey end in the Bible.

Mankind has already forgotten that God judged the Earth previously with the worldwide flood of Noah’s day and what God said after that event.

I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.Genesis 8:21-22

Read the last sentence in that Scripture again. God will make sure that “While the earth remains seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” We are on God’s timeline nothing we do on His Earth will upset that timeline which He has given us in His Word, the Bible.

God’s pro-life command is given in Genesis 1 where humanity is told to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth..”. Genesis 1:28. This command is repeated in Genesis 9 with the additional emphasis to “increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it…” Genesis 9:7 This command has never been modified or diminished. Given that God prescibed the death penalty for those people that destroy a life it is clear that God’s instruction concerning human life is to make human life don’t destroy human life and this would of course include abortion. Those complicit in abortion are in a very grave position before God.

Back to God’s timeline, we are fast approaching the time of Jesus second coming to Earth. It is a time of rejoicing for those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour and a time of hell on earth for the unrepentant as God pours out His wrath with the Trumpet (Revelation 8:6-21,11:15-19) and Bowl judgements (Revelation 16:1-21).

Where are you headed? To a time of rejoicing or a time of hell on earth? I have given you the Scriptures for God’s Trumpet and Bowl judgements so you cannot say you were not told what is coming for those that do not accept God’s greatest gift: Jesus Christ, His Son.

PARTIAL OBEDIENCE IS DISOBEDIENCE

To finish strong for God’s glory you require patient endurance. You have received the Holy Spirit to enable you if you will only say “Not my will but your will be done today“. Moreover, there is no higher calling, no bigger privilege, no greater joy, and you will be kept from the coming wrath of God.

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:10

The following Scripture delivers a tough message but Jesus must be at the top of our pecking order.

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26-27

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” 2 Timothy 2:3

We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.Colossians 1:9-14

Each of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3 represents the church in each of the last seven years (Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy) before Jesus returns first to rapture His church and then to return with the glorified Saints to conquer the Antichrist army at the battle of Armageddon.

The Scripture Revelation 3:7-13 is to the church of Philadelphia, the sixth church in the sixth year.

Jesus says, I have set before you an open door, no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial (Rapture) which shall come upon the whole earth (wrath of God).” (Revelation 3:7-13)

Just as the six churches represent the church in each of the last seven years, likewise the seven seals also represent what is happening on Earth in each of the last seven years. It is at the sixth seal, the sixth year, that we see the celestial signs that precede Jesus’ return to Earth to rapture the Saints and to begin to pour out His wrath upon the unrepentant.

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” ” Revelation 6:12-14.

It is at the trumpet blast at the opening of the seventh seal that the rapture takes place and the trumpet and bowl judgments are poured out on an unrepentant world for one year and ten days. Why one year and ten days. The year before a Jubilee year is always one year and ten days and the year following Jesus’ return will be a Jubilee year. It so happens that when God poured out His wrath the first time with Noah’s flood it also was for one year and ten days. Check it out.

If the rapture happens at the start of the seventh year it means that the seventh church. the church of Laodicea (Laodicea is a combination of two Greek words (LAO, meaning “God’s people”; and DIKE, meaning “justice or judgment”) Judgement of God’s people)

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.Revelation 3:15-19

Do you belong to a church that says we are rich, have prospered, and are in need of nothing? Or are you in a church like the church of Philadelphia?

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my nameBecause you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial (Rapture) which shall come upon the whole earth (wrath of God).” Revelation 3:8,10

DID GOD PLAY A ROLE IN KANSAS CITY CHIEFS WINNING SUPER BOWL LVIII?

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes gave God the glory after winning Super Bowl LVIII Sunday night, saying that the Lord “challenged” his team as it faced adversity all season. Mahomes has often spoken about his faith when presented with the opportunity. He told reporters before last year’s Super Bowl that his faith plays a role in everything he does. 

My Christian faith plays a role in everything that I do,” Mahomes told the press. “I mean, I always ask God to lead me in the right direction and let me be who I am for His name.”

Mahomes, who threw for 333 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception en route to winning his third Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, said in a post-game interview on CBS that the team dealt with adversity all season as the offense struggled at times. “It means a ton. Just the adversity we dealt with this year and to come through. The guys never faltered,” the 28-year-old father of two said. “I give God the glory. He challenged us to make us better. I am proud of my guys. They did awesome. Legendary.”

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt also gave glory to God in his comments after receiving the Vince Lombardi Trophy on stage.  

“First of all I want to congratulate [head coach] Andy [Reid], the football team, our coaching staff on an incredible performance. It’s been an amazing five-year run,” Hunt said. “I want to thank the Lord for giving us this opportunity.”

God is in control of all that happens in His World so I ask could God have honoured these two men’s faith with a win? The secular media would not agree but I think so.

NBC CENSORED NFL HOUSTON TEXANS QUARTERBACK WHO PRAISED JESUS CHRIST

After Saturday’s historic win, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud wanted to make sure God got the glory first. The NFL’s Rookie of the Year finalist led the team to victory and was immediately interviewed by NBC to talk about the team’s trip to the playoffs. “First and foremost,” Stroud said, “I just want to give all glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

As journalist Bobby Burack wrote, “Stroud is rightfully front and center of the sports conversation. And so is his faith.” In a world of intense politicization, Stroud is determined to identify unabashedly as a follower of Christ. But not without censorship from the media.

The “Sunday Night Football on NBC” account posted the interview on X, but the line where the football player praised God was edited out. They captioned the post saying, “CJ Stroud has a lot of love for his city.” But those who knew the player was proclaiming his love for God are calling out the network for removing the comment about Jesus.

Citizen Free Press criticized the decision. “It’s disconcerting to realize NBC is actively censoring a player praising Jesus after a massive win. Would NBC have censored his speech if he praised transgenders or Palestinians?” Another user said, “These are the same people who have no problem showing BLM propaganda all over their show. Because that’s OK and acceptable. Mentioning Jesus Christ? That’s considered hate speech.”

Joseph Backholm, senior fellow for Biblical Worldview and Strategic Engagement at Family Research Council, shared that “They’re more inclined to tolerate someone who thanks God because it’s vague. The name of Jesus is not vague. Stroud’s words glorifying Jesus obviously triggered someone” at NBC.

This is spiritual warfare and it is obvious Satan and His demons are controlling the National Broadcasting Network (NBC). Moreover, God has told us that the persecution of Christians will intensify until Jesus returns to restore righteousness so we should not be surprised with what is unfolding. In fact, we should be excited that our redemption is close at hand.

The Coming of the Son of Man

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near.Luke:21:25-28

DO WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE OR GLOBAL WARMING?

To those who believe that the heavens and the earth were designed and created by God, there is ample reason to expect that the earth’s temperature will remain in a range to support life. In fact, God gave us that promise after He had judged the world with the flood of Noah’s day.

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and Summer, and day and night
shall not cease
.
Genesis 8:22

Within this worldview, it makes perfect sense that the earth would have a temperature control system just like our bodies do since God designed them both.

Carbon Dioxide, CO2,  is very important to life on Earth. Plants grow using an incredibly complicated and brilliantly designed process called photosynthesis where about 50 enzymes and 100 cofactors work together to take CO2, water, and sunlight and convert them into sugars and oxygen. When plants are starved for CO2, photosynthesis does not work well. A “floor” of 180 ppm CO2 is the level at which plant growth becomes very difficult. If CO2 were to go below 180 ppm for any significant period, plant life would be in significant jeopardy. Without plant life on Earth, there would be no human life. Is it an accident that the CO2 concentration stayed in a range that allowed plants to survive, or was it by design?

A quarter to half of Earth’s vegetated lands has shown significant greening over the last 35 years largely due to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change on April 25. The increased level of CO2 in the atmosphere increases the growth of plants. If you feel the need to worry about something, it makes more sense to worry about low levels of CO2 rather than high levels. As you can see, higher levels of CO2 are desirable for plants. As of January 8, 2015, the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere was 399.98 ppm. The growth rate for plants increases from 5–50% when CO2 levels are higher than current levels. The maximum growth rates for most plants occur when CO2 levels are in the range of 1,000 to 1,200 ppm. For humans, the negative effects of high CO2 don’t begin until about 5,000–10,000 ppm. When thinking about the consequences of higher levels of CO2, it is also important to remember that the greenhouse gas effect for CO2 diminishes at higher levels. The direct effect of the CO2 concentration is approximately logarithmic, which means that going from 200 to 400 ppm CO2 has about the same effect as going from 400 to 800 ppm. When pondering what we think the CO2 level should be, we should consider all the relevant issues (many of which are not mentioned here), including our ability to feed everyone on the planet.

The climate of the earth is incredibly complicated and currently not well understood. This is obvious when you look at the lack of success of the many different climate models. Currently, the models do not even match up well with the past temperatures, much less predict future temperatures.

Though it is relatively easy to estimate the amount of heat that greenhouse gases absorb and emit back toward the earth (climatologists call this “forcing”), it is much more difficult to determine how the planet will adjust to the additional heat (climatologists call this “feedback”). Essentially all the current climate models have overestimated the global temperature in the past and future. Many climatologists believe that there are stronger positive feedbacks within the climate than negative feedbacks. In other words, they believe that the climate amplifies warming caused by greenhouse gases rather than moderating it. If that were true, why hasn’t the global temperature already gone out of control? Negative feedback systems, like the thermostat in your house, are known to lead to stability; whereas positive feedback systems often lead to instability, like the deafening audio feedback when a speaker and a microphone are put too close together. It seems more likely that our climate is dominated by negative feedback since Earth’s temperature has been amazingly stable for at least 2,000 years with only a 1.3°F change.

Climatologists seem obsessed with understanding the effect of greenhouse gases and aerosols caused by man. But these have a minor effect relative to the major “natural” effects of clouds, water vapor, and “natural” CO2. Gaining a better understanding of these natural effects will allow climatologists to begin to make better models. Unfortunately, we would not be able to make highly predictive models now even if we understood clouds because there is not enough computing power available to do the calculations at the resolution necessary to accurately predict individual clouds.

Conclusion

It seems that politicians and the media have always been concerned about the climate. In the late 1970s, there was concern about global cooling. The temperature had declined for about 30 years, and many were convinced that we were headed for the next ice age. Almost immediately, the temperature started to rise and continued to rise until about the year 2000. Early in the new century, politicians were clamoring that the rise in global temperature was getting out of control and were blaming humankind for causing it. At the height of the concern about warming, it started to become obvious that the temperature increase had paused, and little change has been noticed for about the last 15 years. In the absence of a short-term warming or cooling trend about which to panic, politicians have turned to saying that weather patterns are much more extreme than in the past. Again, there is no convincing evidence to support this new claim when considering the longer-term perspective. Even the latest IPCC report significantly contradicts this view.13

The data are clear. The global temperature has been rising since the Little Ice Age. But today’s temperature is not unprecedented. Based on the best information we have, it is in the neighborhood of the temperature during the Medieval Warm Period, about 1,000 years ago. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and, therefore, is a factor in determining the global temperature. However, the concentration of CO2 in the air and global temperature do not correlate well over the long term, indicating that CO2 is not the dominant cause of today’s rising global temperature. The globe is warming, but it’s not your fault. Carbon dioxide is critical to plant life and must remain above about 180 ppm to sustain our only source of food. It is important that we investigate these issues and carefully examine the data so that we can prepare for the future, even if we find we are unable to significantly change the global temperature.

What is your worldview? Do you trust that God brilliantly designed and created everything and trust that He has your best interests at heart, or will you always be worried that the planet is on the verge of going out of control? As you ponder that, think of these things:

  1. A nuclear reaction in the sun’s core provides us exactly the right amount of heat, and the sun’s surface is the right temperature to provide us the visible light we need.
  2. Water, CO2, and methane from natural sources cause a greenhouse effect that is estimated to raise Earth’s temperature by about 59°F degrees. Otherwise, Earth would be frozen.
  3. Plant life and animal life are totally dependent on each other. Plants grow by consuming carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Animals grow by consuming oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide.
  4. The oceans are a tremendous stabilizing force for Earth’s temperature, and they contain a large reservoir of CO2.
  5. The hydrological cycle of evaporation and rain provides a mechanism for transferring heat around the earth and provides fresh water to plants and animals.
  6. Clouds help control the earth’s temperature by reflecting some of the sun’s radiation into space and by absorbing some of the heat radiated from the earth.

It’s all a part of a grand design. Evidence of God’s provision is everywhere.

For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, so that they are without excuse” Romans 1:20

Taken from a great article by Dr Alan White, The globe is warming, but it’s not your fault. Dr. Alan White earned his BS in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee and his PhD in Organic Chemistry from Harvard University in 1981.

NEXT ON GOD’S KINGDOM AGENDA

The Kingdom of God has many facets to it. One important phase of God’s Kingdom which many of the denominational/institutional churches have got wrong is Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. This is difficult to understand for several reasons: 1. The Christian church for the first two hundred years took the Millennial Kingdom position. 2. All of the O.T. prophets were shown the end of the story for Israel with their Messiah ruling and reigning over the nations. 3. Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom fulfills the Abrahamic Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and particularly the New Covenant given to Jeremiah.

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34

4. Explicit prediction is given in the Bible of an intermediate kingdom that is one thousand years long when Jesus and the resurrected Saints will rule the nations with a rod of iron. The curse is not fully lifted off the earth as people still die and need to be saved. Satan is bound in the Abyss for most of the thousand years but God allows him one last chance to deceive people on Earth and sadly we know he raises an army of rebellious people, their number like the sand of the sea. That rebellion is quickly put down and God finally destroys this Earth with fire. The second resurrection and the White Throne judgement follow. Only then does John see a new Jerusalem of incredible size descending from a new Heaven onto a new Earth where only the righteous will dwell.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.Revelation 21:1-3