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Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

Month: July 2020

God’s Plans for the Jewish People – Romans 11

July 31, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #181 ~

What about the future of the Jewish people? Has God nullified His promises to them about giving them land, a King, and salvation? (Ezekiel 37:24-28)? Has God, because of their rejection of Him, rejected them? Have His promises to the Jews been given to the church? What are God’s plans for them during this church age? Romans 11 answers these questions, with a specific emphasis on His plans to save a remnant of Jews.  

Romans 11:1-10. “May it never be!” In the strongest of words, Paul tells us that God has not rejected the Jews. He wants us to know that “there has also come to be at the present time a remnant,” this remnant referring to Jews who would be saved during this church age. This remnant is comprised of Jews whom God foreknew, those He planned to save from eternity past. Paul makes it clear that their salvation is by God’s grace, not by their works, so that all Jews who are saved, are saved, because of God’s “gracious choice.” Ephesians 1:4

What about the Jews who are not saved? “The rest were hardened,” for they did not repent of their sins and believe in the Messiah – and God hardens the hearts of all those who do not believe, who willingly harden their hearts against Him. A great majority of the Jews rejected Jesus, not just in the first century (Acts 13:44-52), but throughout the centuries. So there’s this partial hardening of the Jews, but the good news is that it’s not a complete hardening, for this remnant is still being saved. Not only that, but this hardening is temporary, for at the end of Daniel’s 70th week, “all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:25). Indeed, God will keep His promise to His chosen people! “He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His name.” Psalm 111:9

Romans 11:11-16. Paul speaks of the Jewish people as ones who stumbled, but did not fall, meaning that God’s plan for “all Israel to be saved” is now on hold, but as I just noted, only for a time, for after this age is over, after the rapture of the church, they will be fulfilled. But why did God allow the Jews to stumble? He did it for the sake of the Gentiles. The sin of the Jews, their rejection of Messiah, is resulting in a large number of Gentiles being saved during this church age, and Paul, “an apostle of Gentiles,” was thankful for this. Paul also knew that when the Gentile-hating Jews saw Gentiles being saved (Gal. 3:6-14), they would be jealous, resulting in some of them, that is, this remnant, trusting in the Messiah and being saved.

Paul then shares with us the bigger and eternal picture, that all this will turn out, not just for the present good of the Gentiles, but for the future good of the Jews. “How much more will their fulfillment be?” “What will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” Throughout the years, millions of Jews have rejected Christ, but all Jews alive at the end of Daniel’s 70th week will accept Him, and “all Israel will be saved” (Dan. 9:24). “Israel has been saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation” (Isaiah 45:17). Their salvation sets the stage for Jesus’ 1000-year glorious reign, when all these newly saved Jews will worship Him and be ruling with Him! Hebrews 11:10-16, 39-40

Romans 11:17-24. Paul, being a Jew, knew how much the Gentiles hated Jews, and how they might get deceived, thinking they were saved because they were better than the Jews. So Paul says to these Gentiles, “and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in” and were partakers of the “rich root.” He wanted them to know that it was because some Jews were broken off due to their unbelief that they would be grafted in, would be saved during this church age. This “rich root” refers to God’s unconditional promise to Abraham – “And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). Not only that, but their God-given faith in Christ was the same kind of faith Abraham had. (Gen. 15:5-21, Rom. 4:9-25). Only because of God’s promise, power, and grace would these Gentiles be saved. To make doubly sure these Gentiles knew it wasn’t just about God’s love for them, Paul reminds them that God will graft the Jews in again, which will happen at Christ’s 2nd coming. “This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days… I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” This leads us to the next verses:

Romans 11:25-32. In no way does God want us “to be uninformed,” to be ignorant about His plans for the Jews. He wants us to know that this “partial hardening” of the Jews, which has been happening for close to 2000 years, will not continue. Now that the Jews are back in their land, we know we are living in the end-times, and that it won’t be long before this age comes to an end, and we will say, the “fullness of the Gentiles has come in” – and “all Israel will be saved.” Once all the Gentiles whom God has chosen to save, are saved, then all the Jewish people whom God has chosen to save, will be saved, will be forgiven of their sins. “There is forgiveness with You… and He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Psalm 130:4, 8

As Gentile Christians, we may think the Jews are our enemies, but we need to see them as ones loved by God, and so we are to love them too. We read that “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable,” which means God won’t go back on His word, but will keep His promise to save the Jews. God does not lie or change His mind, and He has not cancelled His people – He will be true to His word! In the near future, this partial and temporary hardening of the Jewish people will come to an end, and “all Israel will be saved.” Just like God was merciful to us when we were disobedient, so too God will be merciful to this remnant of Jews. “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.” Romans 9:15

Romans 11:33-36. In the first 11 chapters of his letter to the Romans, we see God’s holiness, wisdom, power, and sovereignty. We read about His righteousness, and how we are righteous in Christ, and are loved and forgiven. Here in Romans 11 we understand God’s present and future plans for the Jewish people. As we dwell on the character, work, and ways of God, we cannot help but be overwhelmed, for we realize how awesome and magnificent He is, that He alone is holy and supreme. Then think how Jesus Christ humbled Himself so God could save us from our sins, bring us into His presence, adopt us as His children, and give us eternal life. Might we be humbled, and give God all the praise, glory, thanks, and honor that He deserves. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

P.S. As Christians, we must understand the and plans God has for the Jewish people. Many believe that God has forsaken His people, but that’s not true. I have written five articles carefully explaining what God wants us to know about His present and future plans for the Jewish people. Here is the first article: Replacement Theology: It’s Not True – Part 1.

1950 Years of Jewish History – Luke 21:20-24

July 24, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #180 ~

In the Old Testament, God’s promises to the Jews have been spelled out in hundreds of verses, many of which have not yet been fulfilled. In the New Testament, God continues to communicate His plans for His people. Then in the past 140 years, God’s prophecy that He would bring the Jews back to their land has miraculously been taking place (Ezekiel 36-37), giving us proof that He has not nullified His promises to them, and that we are now living in the end-times. That’s why, at this time in history, at the very end of this church age, we need to study God’s prophetic word, for it reveals to us God’s plans for the Jews, and for the church,

One of my favorite passages is Luke 21:20-24. Sitting next to God’s plans for the church (vss 12-19), it summarizes what happens to the Jews from the time they were driven from their land around 70 AD until the “times of the Gentiles” are fulfilled. In these verses, Jesus predicts the future, for He really wants us to know His big-picture plans for the Jews, a time span that we now know covers over 1950 years.

First (vs 20), Jesus tells His disciples that Jerusalem would be surrounded by armies, and that her desolation, her destruction, would happen soon thereafter. We know this took place in the 1st century because verse 24 goes on to say that these persecuted Jews “will be led captive into all the nations,” and from history, we know this happened after Jerusalem’s desolation in 70 AD. And it will never happen again, for God has told us it would never happen again.

Second (vs 21), Jesus says that the Jews living at the time of this desolation would need to flee from Judea and Jerusalem, to get out of there fast, for that entire area would be a deadly danger zone, for it would soon be run over and ransacked by the ruthless Roman soldiers.

Third (vs 22), Jesus explains that this will occur because these are days of vengeance. God is holy, and since the Jews did not believe He was the Messiah, the One who could save them from their sins, then He had no choice but to punish those who rejected Jesus, who did not recognize the time of His visitation. But Jesus greatly loved His people, and so He kept warning them about what would be taking place in the future. Luke 13:34-35, 23:27-31, 19:41-44 – “The days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground and your children within you.”  

Fourth (vs 23), Jesus pronounces a “woe”, a solemn expression of their coming judgment and destruction. Again, we see that Jesus cared deeply for His people, for though He was just, He was also compassionate, knowing how bad it would be, particularly for the most vulnerable, the pregnant women and nursing mothers. He knew it would be absolutely devastating, that there would be “great distress upon the land,” and great “wrath to this people,” the Jewish people.

Fifth (vs 24), Jesus continues this prophesy by telling them three specific things:
1. “They will fall by the edge of the sword.” Thousands and thousands of Jews would lose their lives during that time – multitudes would be killed, and many others would die of starvation.
2. They would “be led captive into all the nations.” From history we know that, at that time, Jews were scattered all over the world and, in fact, are now in over 100 different countries, with the great majority of them living in Israel and the United States.
3. The Jewish people would be “trampled underfoot,” be treated like dirt, meaning they would be greatly hated and persecuted. Antisemitism, this extreme hate for Jews, has been tragically and sadly taking place for the past 20 centuries, the worst of it coming at the hands of Hitler, the one responsible for the murder of nearly 6 million Jews. This Antisemitism will continue in the years ahead, and increasingly so, climaxing during the rule of that most devilish man, the Antichrist.

Jesus then gives the Jews some hope. He says this “trampling” will keep going “until.” This word “until,” a timing word, means there’s a limit to this persecution, that it will not keep going, that it will someday come to an end. The “times of the Gentiles,” that period of time when there is no divinely appointed king over Israel, began in 586 BC with the defeat of King Zedekiah, and will continue until the end of Daniel’s 70th week, at which time Jesus Christ, the King of kings, will begin His glorious reign over this earth. Dan. 9:24, Zech. 14:9, Rev. 11:15

It’s 2020, which means this passage, Luke 21:20-24, covers close to 1950 years. That the Jews are now back in their land means we are living in the end-times, and that God is presently and actively carrying out His plans for them. But what’s next? Here is what God has told us will happen:
* Daniel’s 70th week, the final seven years of the “times of the Gentiles,” and a prophetically most-important period of time, will begin in the near future. Dan. 12:4, Rev. 13
* At the beginning point of this week, the Jews will sign a covenant, but it will be a very bad deal, for though it will be a treaty with the coming Antichrist, it will really be a treaty with the devil himself. Dan. 9:27
* At the midpoint, this wicked Jew-hating Antichrist, will be revealed, and then begin his lawless dictatorship. Dan 9:27, Matt. 24:15-26, Rev. 13
* Christians are raptured sometime between the midpoint and endpoint – Matt. 24:31-36, 2 Thess. 2:1-9
* At the endpoint of this 70th week, Jesus Christ will return to save a large remnant of Jews, and this is when the “times of the Gentiles” will be fulfilled. Daniel 9:24, Luke 21:24, Rev. 10:7, Rev. 11:15
* God will pour out His wrath upon the unbelieving world, and then capture the Antichrist and the false prophet, and cast them into the lake of fire. Rev. 16, 19:20
*Jesus Christ will begin His 1000-year reign over the earth, a most amazing, righteous, and God-glorifying time. The newly-saved Jewish people will be in Jerusalem, and they, along with all believers (Christians included), will be reigning with Christ. Psalm 47, Hab. 2:14, Rev. 5:10, Rev. 20:1-7

This is the future! Without question, this is going to happen! As a Christians, you should be so excited, for in the years ahead, you will literally see the unfolding of God’s prophetic word. That’s why this is the time for you to understand end-times’ prophecy, how it relates to both Jews and Christians, and how it is now being fulfilled in the world. “Your redemption is drawing near” and “the kingdom of God is near.” Luke 21:28, 31

P.S. In these end-times, you need to know how God is working with the Jews if you are to understand how God is working with the church. That’s why it’s important for you to take the time to learn about God’s plans for the Jews. Here are two helpful posts – “The Suspension of God’s Plan for the Jews, and the Church Age,” and “A Short Summary of God’s Working With the Jews.”

“If the Foundations are Destroyed…” – Psalm 11

July 17, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #179 ~

This has been a very difficult year for the United States – I can’t believe all that has happened so far! I am wondering if God’s patience with US is coming to an end and if, in fact, He has withdrawn His sin-restraining hand from US. Of course, we don’t know all that God is doing, but His word does tell us what we are to know and do. For example, there’s Psalm 11, which is most enlightening, and essential in helping us understand the present condition of our country, as well as learn how God deals with both good and bad people, the righteous and the unrighteous.  

Verse 1 tells you that you need to take refuge in the Lord. At times, you may feel like you need physical refuge, that you need to get away from your problems by escaping to a safe place. But no, your biggest problem is not physical, but spiritual – it’s your sin, and the answer is to take refuge in the Lord, to trust in Him. Only because of Jesus’ death and resurrection can you find spiritual safety, salvation from your sins, this merciful and eternal deliverance from God’s wrath. “His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him.” Psalm 2:12

Verse 2 talks about our enemies, those who are unrighteous and wicked. These unbelievers don’t fear God (Psalm 36:1), hate God and hate us (John 15:8), love to do evil (John 3:19), and don’t think God sees them. And they don’t want to be seen by people, and so they “shoot in darkness at the upright.” They work behind the scenes, try to stay hidden, and embed themselves with other people, for they do not want to be exposed (Eph. 5:11), stopped, and arrested for their evil activity. Psalm 10:8-11

The result, the cumulative effect of the enemies’ work is summed up in verse 3 – “the foundations are destroyed.” This is sobering and shocking, and is describing the present state of our country, that our spiritual foundations are being torn down. We may not have seen this coming, but this devastating work is clearly obvious. It’s now seen in our churches, families, schools, businesses, government, media, and music. Our laws, rules, morals, and values, that which hold us together, are being changed and replaced with that which is just plain godless, evil, and of the devil. “The mystery of lawlessness is already at work” (2 Thess. 2:7). This should grieve and sadden our souls for, at this time in history, we are actually witnessing the foundations of our country being destroyed. “They know nothing… They walk about in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken.” Psalm 82:5-8

The question I have, and assume most of you have, is then stated: “What can the righteous do?” What do we do about all the problems taking place, the pride, lies, hate, crime, violence, disrespect, and lawlessness in our country? What do we do when people say evil is good and good is evil? (Isaiah 5:20). Thankfully, God gives us the answers in vss. 4-6, and it’s not what the righteous are to do, but what God is doing. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of these few verses, for they will help you think rightly as you observe this evil on earth. And this evil will not just continue, but will increase, and then the Antichrist, that most lawless man, will come and rule the world, after which Christ will come to rapture the church, and then begin His 1000-year rule on this earth. Matt. 24:12, 2 Thess. 2:1-10

What are the answers? What do we need to know, understand, and believe? That God is not oblivious, ignorant, and just going “to sit on His hands” when it comes to the evil now being seen on these earth.
* 1st, God is in His holy temple, which means He is holy, supreme, and altogether different than those living on earth. He is pure, righteous, and hates man’s sin.
* 2nd, God is on His throne, which means He is sovereign, and that nothing happens that He does not allow or authorize. Man cannot do just what he wants, for God is in control and, by His power and wisdom, predestines the actions of man. Dan. 4:35
* 3rd, “His eyes behold.” God is omniscient, and sees and knows every single thing that the righteous and wicked are doing on this earth. Proverbs 15:3
* 4th, God doesn’t just see, but He tests, He examines both the wicked and the righteous, and this is for the purpose of judging, and then punishing or rewarding (Eccl. 12:14). And God hates those who love violence. This is strong language, but it’s the truth. Because God is holy, He hates those whom He knows will not turn from their sin and turn to Him for mercy and forgiveness.

But it’s not just that God hates sinful man but, because He is just, His punishing wrath must be poured out upon these unrighteous, unrepenting, unsaved sinners of the world. The language speaks of fire, the kind of fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, that will be seen during the day of the Lord, and that sinners will feel for all eternity. “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire… these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matt. 25:41,46

Finally, there’s verse 7, my favorite. “The Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; the upright will behold His face.” God is righteous, and He loves you, His righteous one, and the righteous things you do. Then there’s that encouraging and wonderful truth, that you “will behold His face.” As Christians, you know the Lord and have a relationship with Him, and by faith, you see Him now, but by sight, you will literally see Him in the future. It cannot get any better than this! Job 19:25-27, Psalm 17:15

These are powerful, life changing, grace and peace giving truths, and you need them today, and for your entire life, up until that time when you physically die, or are raptured, and taken to heaven. You shouldn’t be confused, upset, worried, sad, angry, or feel defeated about what’s going on in our country. Believe the truths of this little Psalm, that God is on His throne, that He is holy, sovereign, omniscient, righteous, and judges, and will punish the wicked, those who “freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men” (Psalm 12:8). Whether the enemy is attacking you or the foundations are being destroyed, always remember that God gives you refuge (vs. 1), and a relationship with Him that lasts forever (vs. 7).

P.S. I am not one to give you false hopes. I am compelled to tell you the truth about the last years of this church age, for God wants you to know what is going to happen, and to be ready for it. Here are two other posts that speak about our future – “It’s Going To Get Worse Before It Gets Better” and “Christians Go Through Tribulation.”

Your Hope, Your Future, Your Reward

July 10, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #178 ~

THE SHORT VERSION:

1. It’s being with Jesus Christ.
2. It’s not being affected by any fleshly, worldly, or devilish thing.
3. It’s having a brand-new body.
4. It’s perfectly loving God and Jesus Christ.
5. It’s having a heavenly home.
6. It’s being with loved ones and others who are believers.
7. It’s receiving an incredible inheritance.
8. It’s being greatly rewarded.
9. It’s having a satisfying and God-glorifying purpose.
10. It’s seeing the glory of God displayed on earth.
11. It’s having fullness of joy and experiencing pleasures forever.
12. It’s knowing God and Jesus Christ more fully.

THE LONG VERSION:

Do you want to be all that God wants you to be? Do you want to be a growing and godly Christian? Do you want to be a positive, forward-looking person? Do you want more joy and peace? Do you want to love God more? If so, one thing that will help is having hope. Many Christians are lacking in hope, and don’t even know what they are missing. They are focused on the present, on what is happening today, but they are not thinking about the future God has planned out for them. And they don’t see that having this hope, that being excited about God’s plans for their future, will help them be more fruitful and successful in the present.

How do we define hope? Hope is not a present reality but an expectation of a future reality. Hope, as a noun, is what you need to know about your future and, as a verb, it’s what you need to believe about your future. It’s knowing and seeing, by faith, God’s plans for your future. It’s what you don’t have now but are confident God will give you in the ages to come. It’s believing that God will continually show you His great love after you leave earth and are in heaven. 

What exactly is this hope?
1. It’s being with Jesus Christ. “… thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). Jesus, like no one else, has loved you and will always love you. He died for you and rose again, saving you from your sins, from the clutches of Satan, and from death itself. He’s your Savior and Redeemer, Lord and King, Brother and Friend. He can’t wait to be with you, and show His love and glory to you, and in ways you could never imagine – it won’t be long before you are literally with Him. Just think what it will be like when you first see Him, and He talks to you, and you talk to Him, and He tells you that He loves you. Job 19:25-27; John 14:3, 15:9, 17:24

2. It’s not being affected by any fleshly, worldly, or devilish thing. “He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning or crying or pain; the first things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). There will be no more sin, sorrow, sickness, death, trials, conflicts, worries, enemies, or persecution – how freeing and wonderful to not be affected by these things! Life can be hard, stressful and painful, but your hope is that everything and everyone in the future will be good, loving, and a blessing. Yes, there will be sin and evil during the millennial kingdom but it won’t personally affect you. Rev. 7:15-17

3. It’s having a brand-new body. “… the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Phil. 3:20-21). Your body is weak, sinful and mortal. Yes, it’s good enough for your life on earth, but it’s not at all adequate for your life in heaven and for eternity. Therefore, God will give every believer a new body, a powerful, immortal, glorious and spiritual body – and this will happen when Christ returns to rapture the church. Then you will be physically saved, and your salvation will be complete, and you will be fully able to eternally worship and serve the Lord, and give Him great glory. 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 2 Cor 5:1-8, 1 Thess. 5:23

4. It’s perfectly loving God and Jesus Christ. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). This is the great commandment! But now your love for God is sporadic, it’s not always wholehearted, it’s interrupted by sin, it’s definitely not what it should be. But not long from now you will be glorified, and with rapturous joy, you will more fully know and be filled up with His love for you. Then and forever, you will perfectly and continually love the Lord in a personal way and with others, and how God-exalting and soul-satisfying that will be! Psalm 145:1-2, 1 John 4:19, Rev. 5:13

5. It’s having a heavenly home. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). You now live in an earthly dwelling. It may be small or big, plain or lavish, cluttered or neat, but it’s temporal and wears out, and has to be cleaned, kept and maintained. But Jesus has made a home perfectly suited for you. It’s beautiful, spotless, furnished, practical, the most comfortable and relaxing place you could ever imagine. There you will be able to worship the Lord, fellowship with saints, have a meal, and live forever. Your home will be part of the new city, the heavenly city, one that will bring eternal glory to God and Jesus Christ. Psalm 84:1-4, Heb. 12:22-24, Rev. 21:10-23

6. It’s being with loved ones and others who are believers. “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exaltation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?” (1 Thess. 2:19). One of the great blessings on earth is being with other Christians, especially ones you love and who love you. One of the great blessings of heaven is being with them again, and for all eternity. And so, don’t grieve too much when loved ones and friends leave this earth and go to heaven, for you will soon see them again. Your relationships with believers on earth continue in heaven, but then they will be perfect, with perfect love, communication, and fellowship, and all centered around Christ. You will also meet and enjoy the company of millions and millions of believers, like Moses, David, Esther, Nehemiah, Mary, Paul, Luther, Edwards, Spurgeon, etc. How wonderful and encouraging this will be! 2 Sam. 12:22-23, 2 Cor. 4:14, 1 Thess. 4:13-14

7. It’s receiving an incredible inheritance. “… to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away…” (1 Peter 1:3-4). None of us can fathom how much God wants to bless us in the future. Good parents give good things to their children, but that’s nothing compared to what God will give you in the future. Money, land, jewelry, and keepsakes are earthly inheritances, but our heavenly inheritance is infinitely better (1 Cor. 2:9). This inheritance, guaranteed to all God’s children, cannot be destroyed, is perfect, and will never lose its magnificence. We don’t know the exact nature of our inheritance, but it will be an expression of God’s gracious and perfect love for us. Not only that, but it’s “reserved in heaven for you.” Our inheritance, now kept safely in heaven, will be given to us at Christ’s coming. What a kind and generous Father we have! 

8. It’s being greatly rewarded. “He who plants and he who waters are one, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8). God gives each believer an inheritance just because he is His child. But your reward is more than an inheritance, for it relates to your work for Him. Jesus tells us the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30), that God gives you money and abilities you are to use to serve Him. This reward in heaven, your heavenly pay, relates directly to the quality of your work on earth, and how you faithfully used what God gave you. Do not forget, God will reward you for everything you say or do for Him. Part of this reward is the actual work you will be doing in the future. Hear what the master told his slave – “Do business with this until I come back… Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing – be in authority over ten cities.” Luke 19:13-17, Col. 3:23, Rev. 22:12

9. It’s having a satisfying and God-glorifying purpose. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand” (Eph. 2:10). You won’t be just sitting in heaven playing a harp. God has specific plans for your life in the ages to come. You will be working for God, serving Him, doing what He wants you to do, and what you love to do. During the millennial kingdom, your work directly relates to reigning with Jesus Christ over this world. Exactly what this will look like, we don’t know, but it will be perfect, satisfying, and effortless work, that which will be good for others and a glory to God. Rev. 2:26, 5:10, 20:6

10. It’s seeing the glory of God displayed on earth. “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Habakkuk 2:14). We now live in an evil world controlled by the evil one. But the next age, the millennial kingdom age, will be one in which Jesus Christ will reign over the world. Then, with great satisfaction and joy, you will see the righteousness, peace, and glory of God. “God is the King of all the earth… God reigns over the nations” (Ps. 47:7-8). “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for Thou will judge the nations with uprightness, and guide the nations on the earth” (Ps. 67:4). “In His days, may the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace till the moon is no more” (Ps. 72:7). “Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains sing together for joy” (Ps.  98:8). This is a small sampling of what the future, and your future, will look like. Just think – we will soon be reigning with Christ, and seeing His glory on earth! Psalm 150, Isaiah 6:3

11. It’s having fullness of joy and experiencing pleasures forever. “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11). Your heavenly Father will make sure you are always full of joy and gladness. Every day, and for all eternity, you will experience God’s goodness, be with Jesus, see His glory, have fellowship with the saints, and enjoy the beauty and pleasures of the world. You will never feel sad or down or lonely. Every day will be a good day, a delightful day, a perfect day, a most wonderful day. Jesus said, “I came that you might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10). In the future, you will always experience Jesus’ life to the full – and you will be rejoicing with gladness, exulting before God, and giving Him the glory He deserves. Ps. 68:3-4, John 7:38, 1 Thess. 5:16

12. It’s knowing God more fully. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Eternal life is knowing God, having an eternal relationship with Him. In the ages to come, you will keep growing in your knowledge of God, for He will continue to reveal Himself to you. You will increasingly know more about His love, wisdom, power, goodness, holiness, sovereignty, etc. (You will also be able to look back at your time on earth and see how God was specifically working in and through your life). You will learn more from God’s word, the word we have now, but don’t fully understand. You will learn more about Jesus, more about the angels and saints, and more about the world we live in. You will never grow tired of spending time with Jesus and seeing His glory, for your soul will be fully and always satisfied by Him. As a result, you will keep growing in your love and affection for Jesus. John 17:24, Rom. 11:33

This is a detailed summary of your hope, of God’s great and glorious plans for your life, which will begin to be realized at Christ’s return and then continue for all eternity. Your life on earth is usually 70, 80, 90 years or so, but eternity is forever and ever. It’s vitally important for you to see the big picture, that God’s hope for you will be fulfilled after your time on this earth, and during your everlastingly-long heavenly life, covering billions and billions and billions and billions of years, etc., etc., etc. We spend so much time thinking about this life, but you must understand the details of your incredible future, this eternal life that God will give you. 1 Thess. 1:1:9-10 tells you, “serve a living and true God,” and “wait for His Son.” You are to work for God now but you are to also be looking forward, and excitedly so, to that time when your God-planned and perfect future will be fulfilled. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13     

P.S. This written post was my Sunday morning message for July 12, 2020. If you get time, I would suggest that you listen to it, for it was quite expanded, and I believe you will find it most encouraging and motivating.

P.P.S. One of my greatest desires with this blog site is that you would grow in hope, that you would be super-excited about the incredible future God has planned out for you. If you have not yet done so, I would encourage you to read the last two posts – “Important Lessons on the Hope God Has For You,” and “When Life Is Hard, You Need Hope.”

Important Lessons On The Hope God Has For You!

July 3, 2020 /

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #177 ~

In my early years as a Christian, there was an often-asked question, “What happens when a believer dies?” The usual answer was, “Well, he goes to heaven.” Being in heaven is a correct answer, but it’s elementary, it’s simplistic. In the past 25 years, I have learned that there’s much more than just heaven. And I thank God for teaching me wonderful truths about our future, the hope that is for all Christians. On this blog site, I have talked a great deal about our hope, but since it is so critically important for our lives, I am compelled to keep teaching on it. My purpose today is to share with you a number of truths about this hope that God has given you.  

1. Prophecy tells us what will be happening in the end-times, but we also need to know how we should live during these years leading up to Christ’s coming. You can have head knowledge, all this information about the birth pains, the Antichrist, Christ’s return, the rapture, etc., but you also need heart knowledge. You need love, faith, joy, holiness, and you also need hope. Only as you have hope can you truly live, grow, and succeed as a Christian. “Let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.” 1 Thess. 5:8

2. Hope is all about the future, and having hope means you are thinking about the future God has in store for you. Your hope is not about the past or the present, but about a God-planned and glorious future. This truth about hope for the Jews is conveyed in Jeremiah 29:11-12 – “‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not calamity, to give you a future and a hope.’” But the principle communicated here speaks to us, for the plans God has for our future relate directly to the hope He wants us to have today.

3. “Hope for the future” can be a statement or a command. As a statement, “hope” is a noun and is what you need to know. As a command, “hope” is a verb and is what you need to believe. If you have no hope, it’s because you don’t know or don’t believe what God has told you in His word. Having hope means you are hoping for, you are looking forward to God’s promises being fulfilled. “If we hope for what we do not see, we wait eagerly for it.” Romans 8:25

4. The hope God has for you is described in His word. That is, having this hope in your heart means you need to know what God’s word says about it. It’s obvious that God does not tell you everything about your future, but enough to excite and encourage your heart. “Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.” Romans 15:4-13

5. The foundation of our hope is Jesus Christ. The Christian, and all he says and does, now and forever, is to be centered on Christ. All aspects of our hope are related to Christ, whether it’s worshiping Him, serving Him, being blessed by Him, or having fellowship with other Christians. “… Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). “… Christ Jesus, who is our hope.” 1 Timothy 1:1

6. Hope is not about the end-times, about what happens before Christ returns – it’s about what happens at, and after, Christ’s return. Having this hope, knowing and being excited about the great future God has for you, will help you endure all the difficulties you will encounter before Christ’s coming. “… your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thess. 1:3

7. Hope is not worldly or fleshly, what you might achieve, but heavenly and spiritual, what only God can give you. And God not only gives you hope, but promises you that He will fulfill His hopes for you, and that’s because He is always faithful. “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely… at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you and He will bring it to pass.” 1 Thess. 5:23-24

8. Having hope, at its essence, is having faith, is believing God’s promises to you about your future. That is, you cannot have hope without faith. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for… By faith he (Abraham) lived as an alien in the land of promise… for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Hebrews 11:1, 9-10

9. At its heart, hope is an expression of God’s future love for you. God loves you every single day of your life on this earth, but hope tells you how He will wonderfully and perfectly show you His love you in the ages to come. “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Rom. 5:5, Psalm 23:6

10. Hope informs you that your future in a perfect heaven with Jesus Christ will be much better and brighter than your time on this sinful earth. “He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4-5). “The day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.” Ecclesiastes 7:1

11. If you have hope, then you will be excited about, waiting for, and looking forward to what God has in store for you. Trusting in the people and things of earth leads to disappointment, but what God has planned for you will please and satisfy you like nothing you have ever experienced. “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be given to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:13  

12. The godly men and women of the past had hope, this faith for the future, for they were looking for the fulfillment of what God had promised them. Having this hope helped them to persevere, to not give up, to keep going for God. “For by it the men of old gained approval” (Heb. 11:2, 6). “By faith Moses… choosing rather to endure ill treatment… he was looking ahead to the reward.” Heb. 11:24-26, Job 19:25-27

13. Having hope does not mean you are just thinking about the future – it means you are living today in view of the future. 1 Thess. 1:9-10 sums up the life of a Christian – “… how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven.” A godly Christian is both serving the Lord and waiting for Him. 2 Tim. 4:1-2 instructs pastors, “… in view of His appearing and His kingdom, preach the word.” God’s word must be taught with the coming of Christ and His coming kingdom in mind. Matt. 6:9-10

14. Hope keeps you from worrying about the past and being overwhelmed in the present. Having hope is positive, forward looking, and keeps you pressing ahead and making progress for the Lord. “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:12-14

15. One reasons for trials is so you grow in hope, so that you look forward to that time when all your difficulties and problems will be gone. This looking ahead will keep you moving ahead and enable you to get through trials, even the present crises in our country. In the middle of the storm, you need to know that the Son will shine again. “Not only this, but we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance… and hope does not disappoint…” Romans 5:3-5

16. To endure, to persevere, you have to have hope. You will experience difficulties in life, but the hope God gives you motivates you to keep going for Him. This will especially be true during the great tribulation, when you will be hated and persecuted like never before. “They will deliver you to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name (difficulties)… He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (hope). Matthew 24:9, 31

17. Hope is one of the keys to being holy, to not being fleshly or worldly. Fixing your eyes on Jesus and His coming to make you like Himself and take you to heaven has a holy, purifying effect on your life. “When He appears, we shall be just like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3

18. Hope relates to your salvation, for when Jesus Christ comes back your salvation will be complete, for then you will be glorified. The grace to be given you when Christ is revealed is glorifying grace, that which will perfect you, and enable you to perfectly worship and serve the Lord in the ages to come. “…having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved…” Rom. 8:23-24, 1 Thess. 5:8-9

19. Hope is an anchor for your soul. Knowing the certainty and glories of the future helps you through the uncertainties and problems of the present. The winds will blow, and the waves will pound, but the hope of a God-solid future helps secure and stabilize your life in the present. “This hope we have as an anchor for the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast…” Hebrews 6:17

20. What is this hope God wants you to have at this time? It’s being with Jesus (John 14:1). It’s having a powerful, glorious, immortal and spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:42-44). It’s being able to perfectly love and worship God and Jesus (Rev. 5:13). It’s having a heavenly home (John 14:2-3). It’s being with loved ones and other believers (1 Thess. 4:13-14). It’s receiving an incredible inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-4). It’s having no pain, sorrow or sickness (Rev. 21:4-5). It’s being greatly rewarded (Matt. 25:21). It’s having a satisfying and God-glorifying purpose (Rev. 5:10). It’s having fullness of joy and pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11). Next week’s post will explain these aspects of your hope in more detail.

You need hope! Pray for it, and God will give it to you! “I pray that the eyes of your heart are enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

P.S. This post is dedicated to all my dear friends who have suffered through the years, and having experienced and exhibited the grace of God, are ones who have hope, and are looking forward to being in heaven with Jesus. Here is a related article I encourage you to read, “You Have to Have Hope.”

© Steven J. Hogan and ChristsKingdom.org, 2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Steven J. Hogan and ChristsKingdom.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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