15.God's Glorious Tomorrow
Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled ; you believe in God,
believe also in Me ... And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come again." John
14:1,3. The greatest event in history is soon to occur.
Jesus will return in majesty and glory with innumerable loyal angels.
What are the events that surround the Second Coming of Jesus? What
happens to the righteous? What happens to those who refuse salvation?
What happens to the earth after Jesus returns? The Bible answers
all these questions.
"As lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also
will the coming of the Son of Man be." Matthew
24:27. It will be a spectacular event seen worldwide.
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven ... and the dead in
Christ will rise first." 1
Thessalonians 4:16. There are two classes of people in the world
- the saved and the lost, the sheep and the goats, the righteous and the
wicked. There are two general resurrections - The resurrection of
life and the resurrection of damnation. "Blessed and holy is he who has
part in the first resurrection." Revelation
20:6. "But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand
years were finished." Revelation
20:5. The two resurrections are 1,000 years apart.
"For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality." 1
Corinthians 15:52,53. The resurrected righteous and the changed living
righteous are caught up to meet Jesus in the air. They are taken
to heaven (Paradise). "And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand
years." Revelation
20:4.
The coming of Jesus will not be a glorious event for the wicked. They
will say "to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us ... '" Revelation
6:16 But there is no place to hide.
They will be destroyed "with the brightness of His coming."
2 Thessalonians 2:8.
The righteous are in heaven, the wicked are all dead, and the earth
"shall be desolate." Jeremiah
4:27. Only Satan and his evil angels will be left here bound
by the chains of circumstance for 1,000 years. Revelation
20:1,2.
During the 1,000 years in heaven, the righteous join Jesus in a judicial
review of faithfully kept record books. "I saw thrones ... and judgment
was committed to them ... and the books were opened ... and the dead [wicked]
were judged according to their works ... writted in the books." Revelation
20:4,12.
When the 1,000 years end, the New Jerusalem (God's capital) descends
from heaven to earth. Revelation
21:2. The wicked of all ages are raised and surround the holy city.
Revelation
20:5,9. The wicked and righteous join in bowing "every knee"
and "every tongue" confessing that God is fair and just and righteous.
Then fire comes "down from God" and completely destroys the wicked. Revelation
20:9. The same fire destroys "the earth and the works that are in it"
2 Peter 3:10.
Then "a new heaven and a new earth" will be created. Isaiah
65:17. Sin will be gone forever. Nahum
1:9. Tears, sorrow, pain and death will be gone. Revelation
21:4. And we will be with Jesus and God's throne will be there.
We will plant and eat and live forever. Isaiah
65:21,22. What a glorious climax! And it's all for you.
All it takes is a decision to accept Jesus and follow Him all the way.