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Twelve Amazing and Key Elements of Your Hope!

Twelve Amazing and Key Elements of Your Hope!

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #383 ~ 

Every person has challenges, difficulties, pressures. Life is not easy! It can be hard, extremely hard and, at times, seemingly impossible. That’s why you need hope! A person can only keep going if he has hope. People who work all week can’t wait for the weekend. People who are sick look forward to getting well. People who are struggling financially are desiring a better paying job. To be honest, you cannot live without hope. But I am talking about godly hope – and God knows you need it. Otherwise, you will become discouraged, lose heart, and want to give up. 

What is godly hope? It’s a reason to live. It’s a present knowledge about a future reality. It’s what you don’t have now but are convinced you will receive in the future. It’s the confident expectation that God will fulfill His plans for you. It’s faith in God’s promises resulting in a certainty of His blessing upon your future. More than anything, it’s wanting to go home so you can be with Jesus. 

But many Christians don’t have godly hope. They are thinking about the world, about things they want in this life, but they are not setting their hearts on things above, on the next life. But a believer cannot live rightly for God in the present if he is not longing for the future, for that time when Jesus is revealed and he is with Him in glory (Col. 3:1-4). Hope is what God wants you to have, for it anchors your soul, purifies you, gives you joy, strengthens you, sustains you, and keeps you going. It’s what Jesus had, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:2-3 

 

Today, I’m summarizing 12 amazing and key components of your hope, of what will happen after Christ’s coming, of what your life will be like in the coming kingdom ages. So what is your hope? 

 

* Worshiping God – “I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever” (Ps. 145:1). With all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, you will forever worship your Creator, Savior, and Lord. With great multitudes of believers, you will eternally be praising, loving, and thanking the One who greatly loves you, who does so much for you, and who deserves it. With perfect voices and all kinds of instruments, you will joyfully and gladly sing to your King. Ps. 96, 100, 103, 145 

 

* Being with Jesus Christ – “We shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17). Can you imagine what it will like to be with Jesus, and to see His hands, feet, and side, marks of His immense love for you? I can’t help but think that you will be so in awe, so glad to be with Him. The eternal life you possess is a personal and eternal relationship with Jesus. You will listen to Him, learn from Him, and talk to Him. You will continually be with Jesus and get to know Him, love Him, enjoy Him, and witness His glory, majesty, power, and wisdom. Jn. 14:3, 17:24; 1 Th. 5:10; Rev. 7:9-12 

 * Reigning with Jesus Christ – “They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years” (Rev. 20:6). Jesus Christ will be King over the entire earth, and as a fellow heir, you will reign with Him. You will judge the world, rule over cities, and have specific responsibilities. “What is man… that You have made him a little lower than God and crown him with glory and majesty… You make him to rule over the works of Your hands.” Ps. 8:5-6, Rom. 8:17, 1 Cor. 6:2, Rev. 5:10 

* Obeying and Serving God – “I will always obey Your law, forever and ever” (Ps. 119:44). After your time on earth, your life will be one of perfect, steadfast obedience, resulting in productive and heavenly work. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Eph. 2:10). These good works have been designed by God just for you. His eternal plan is that you forever serve Him by carrying out His meaningful, soul-satisfying, God-glorifying work. Matt. 4:10, Jn. 15:21, 1 Th. 1:9 

* Fellowship with Believers – “They will receive you into the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9). Think of being with believers and being focused on the Lord and being filled with His love, and having rich fellowship. Think of having all eternity to get to know believers from all of history, ones you knew on earth, and ones you meet for the first time. Your communication and relationship with these heavenly friends will continually and always be edifying and God-exalting. 1 Cor. 10:31, 2 Cor. 4:14, 1 Th. 2:19-20 

* A Brand-New Body – “… raised an imperishable body… raised in glory… raised in power… raised a spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:42-44). It’s not just getting rid of an old body, but receiving a beautiful new one, a perfect, powerful, immortal, glorious, spiritual body. Your Christ-like body will experience no pain, weakness, sickness, or tiredness, but always be energized, spiritually and mentally sharp, able to fly, and fully suited to fulfill all God’s plans for you. 2 Cor. 5:1-5, Phil. 3:21-22, 1 Jn. 3:2, Rev. 21:4 

* Being Holy and Blameless – “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before Him” (Eph. 1:4). In the future, you will have no more sin – no more wrong thoughts, words, or deeds, no more pride, idolatry, anger, hate, jealously, impurity, fear, or strife. You will be righteous in every way. You will continually exude love, joy, peace, kindness, and wisdom. And you will completely carry out God’s glorious purposes and plans. Phil. 4:13, Rev. 21:4-7 

* A Restored Earth – “… that He may send Jesus… whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things” (Acts 3:20-21). When Christ returns, He will restore and renew this earth, and this occurs at the beginning of the millennial kingdom. “The mountains sing together for joy” (Ps. 98:8). “You visit the earth and cause it to overflow” (Ps. 65:9). “The wolf and the lamb graze together” (Is. 65:25). After this 1000-year kingdom age, there will be “a new heaven and a new earth.” Rev. 21:1 

* A New Home – “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places… I go to prepare a place for you… (Jn. 14:2-3). God has made a place for you, a heavenly home. This home will be in the eternal city, the new Jerusalem, which is a cube, 1500 miles on a side. This home will be perfect in terms of size, color, temperature, furnishings, and location. It will be the best environment for being with Jesus, and for worship, fellowship, meals, and any other godly activity. Luke 16:9; Rev. 21:2-3, 10-22 

* Pleasures – “In your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Ps. 16:11). Your future will be full of God’s blessings, “the surpassing riches of His grace” (Eph. 2:7). There is a wedding supper, the best-tasting food, exhilarating worship, the perfect home, godly fellowship, a fruitful earth, etc. – all because God wants to fill you with goodness, gladness, and joy. “No eye has seen… no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9, Jn. 17:24 

* Rewards – “Each will receive his own reward for his own labor” (1 Cor. 3:8). On earth, each believer has unique and specific gifts from God. Your faithful use of these gifts will result in receiving rewards from God. It’s at Christ’s coming that you receive these rewards – then you are revealed with Him and are recognized for your earthly work. And the rewards you receive relate directly to the heavenly work God wants you to do for Him on the restored earth and on the new earth. Col. 3:23-24; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Rev. 22:12 

* Righteousness and Justice – “Depart from me accursed ones, into the eternal fire… these will go away into eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:41, 46). The Lord is righteous and therefore punishes the wicked, those who don’t repent of their sins and receive His mercy. During the millennial kingdom, we will see Christ execute justice on earth. His punishment is deserved and occurs in hell during the millennial kingdom and in the lake of fire during the eternal kingdom. Ps. 72, Lk. 16:19-31, Rev. 20:15 

In conclusion: “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2). “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who… has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled” (1 Pet. 1:3-4). “This hope we have as an anchor for the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast” (Heb. 6:19). “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3). “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). “We exult in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2 

“If we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it” (Rom. 8:25). “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:13). “… looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will 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 in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Article 59 – Your Great and Glorious Hope

Your Great and Glorious Hope

Article 59

By Steven J. Hogan 

This world is extremely corrupt and wicked. As Christians, we can see the world’s evil, and are often affected by it. Our flesh is sin-prone, and we are daily tempted to give in to its sinful desires. And the devil, far more than anyone else, hates us and wants to hurt us and lies to us and wants to deceive us.   

Thankfully, God the Father greatly loves us, for He chose us to be His child. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, died for us and continually prays for us. The Holy Spirit, our comforter and teacher, is always with us, and empowers us to do what is good and right. God has also given us His word, and it’s by His word, Spirit, and church that we can live a God-glorifying, Christ-like life. And God has given us hope, the promise of a glorious future, the promise of the good things He will do for us in the ages to come. 

Hope is encouraging for it gives us a glimpse of an amazing, incredible, and wonderful future that God has planned for us. Hope is purifying, for it motivates us to not sin against Him who has done so much for us, and who has such a great future in store for us. Hope helps us to persevere, to keep going for God to the end of our life or the end of this age. Living all out for God, sacrificing and suffering for Him during our short life on earth, is definitely worth the eternal glory and blessings we will receive and, most importantly, the super-close relationship we will have with Christ Himself. 

God tells us all about our past justification and present sanctification, but He also talks about our hope, our future glorification and eternal life. Hope is looking forward to this future, is expecting and excited about God’s everlasting glory. Hope is not optional, it’s essential. That’s because it helps us to be spiritually strong as we wait to be with Him. We must have hope to be growing and fruitful in these tough and troublesome end-times – and this is especially true for that last generation of Christians. 

In this article, you will find this long list of 140 New and Old Testament verses that speak specifically about your hope. I encourage you to take the time to read and think about the great and glorious future that God has in store for you. And then pass it on to family and friends. 

* Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
* Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.”
* Matthew 5:11-12 – “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.”
* Matthew 6:6 – “When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
* Matthew 6:9-10 – “Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is heaven.” 

* Matthew 24:31 – “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.”
* Matthew 25:19-21 – “The one who received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave, you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”
* Luke 6:25-26 – “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold your reward is great in heaven.”
* Luke 16:9 – “I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.”
* Luke 20:34-36 – “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot even die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” 

* John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
* John 14:2-3 – “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. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
* John 17:24 – “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me.”
* Acts 3:19-21 – “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.”
* Romans 5:2 – “We exult in hope of the glory of God.”

* Romans 8:18 – “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
* Romans 8:21 – “The creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”  
* Romans 8:23 – “We ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”
* Romans 8:29 – “Those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.”
* Romans 8:30 – “These whom He predestined, He also called. And these whom He called, He also justified, and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

* Romans 15:10 – “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people (the Jewish people).”
* Romans 15:12 – “There shall come the root of Jesse, and He who arises to rule over the Gentiles – in Him shall the Gentiles hope.”
* 1 Corinthians 3:8 – “He who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”
* 1 Corinthians 6:2 – “Do you not know that we will judge the world?”
* 1 Corinthians 6:3 – “Do you not know that we will judge angels?”

* 1 Corinthians 15:22-25 – “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authorly and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.”
* 1 Corinthians 15:28 – “When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.”
* 1 Corinthians 15:40-42 – “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.”
* 1 Corinthians 15:52-53 – “… we will all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable and this mortal must put on immortality.”
* 2 Corinthians 4:14 – “… He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.”

* 2 Corinthians 4:17 – “Momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.”
* 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 – “If the eternal tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands… our dwelling from heaven.”
* 2 Corinthians 5:8 – “We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.”
* Ephesians 1:4-5 – “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.”
* Ephesians 1:9-11 – “He made known to us the mystery of His will… with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose.”

* Ephesians 1:13-14 – “Having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession.”
* Ephesians 2:5-7 – “But God, because of His mercy… made us alive with Christ… and seated us with Him in the heavenly places with Christ so that in the ages to come He might show us the surpassing riches of His grace.”  
*Ephesians 2:10 – “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
* Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
* Philippians 2:9-11 – “God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

* Philippians 3:21 – “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.”
* Colossians 1:4 – “We heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.”
* Colossians 3:4 – “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
* Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.”
* 1 Thessalonians 2:18 – “Who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.”

* 1 Thessalonians 4:17 – “We who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
* 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 – “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.”
* 2 Thessalonians 1:10 – “… when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed.”
* Hebrews 12:22-24 – “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant…”
* 1 Peter 1:3-5 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who… has caused us to born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

* 1 Peter 1:13 – “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
* 1 Peter 4:13 – “To the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.”
* 1 Peter 5:10 – “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”
* 1 John 3:2 – “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”
* Revelation 1:6 – “He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

* Revelation 2:26 – “He who overcomes, and he who keeps my deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.”
* Revelation 5:10 – “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
* Revelation 5:13 – “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
* Revelation 7:12 – “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
* Revelation 7:14-17 – “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation… that are before the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore, nor will the sun beat down on them… for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

* Revelation 11:15 – “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
* Revelation 15:4 – “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before You.”
* Revelation 19:7-8 – “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”
* Revelation 20:6 – “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”
* Revelation 20:10 – “The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

* Revelation 20:14-15 – “Death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
* Revelation 21:1-4 – “I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’”
* Revelation 21:5-7 – “Behold, I am making all things new. It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My Son.”
* Revelation 21:10-11 – “He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.”

* Revelation 21:16 – “The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles.”
* Revelation 21:22-25 – “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.”
* Revelation 22:2-5 – “On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any light; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord will illumine them and they will reign forever and ever.”
* Revelation 22:12 – “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

To sum up, our great and glorious hope speaks of being with Jesus, seeing Him in all His glory, loving and worshiping God, being in our heavenly home, being like Jesus, being immortal, being glorified and blessed, eternal life, eternal purpose, being with believers, being rewarded, receiving an inheritance, being in a new heaven and on a new earth, serving in God’s kingdom, and reigning with Jesus Christ.

Hope is extremely important. But sadly, many Christians are lacking in hope, are missing a key ingredient for worship, growth, and joy. May this not be true of you. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13). “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Eph. 1:18

From the Old Testament:

“Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God, whom I myself shall behold” (Job 19:26-27). “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fulness of joy; in Your right hand are pleasures forever” (Ps. 16:11). “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:6). “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord’s and He rules over the nations” (Ps. 24:27-28). “God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a skillful psalm. God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne” (Ps. 47:7-8). “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth” (Ps. 67:4). “God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him” Ps. 67:7

“How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You” (Ps. 84:4). “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord has clothed Himself with strength; indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved” (Ps. 93:1). “Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name” (Ps. 96:7). “The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many islands be glad” (Ps. 97:1). “Let the sea roar and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy” (Ps. 98:7-8). “This will be written for the generation to come… that men may tell of the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem, when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms to serve the Lord” (Ps. 102:18-22). “Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.” Psalm 145:2

 

The Eschatological Word of God Is the WORD OF GOD!!! (354)

The Eschatological Word of God Is the WORD OF GOD!!!

 By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #354 ~

Why should we want to know what God says about the last days, the end times, our future? Why study God’s eschatological, prophetic word? Because it’s the word of God – and it’s true, supreme, powerful, personal, and relevant! Today, I am looking at these and other truths about God’s word, and they give us good reasons, strong reasons to study eschatology and share it with others. “I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable… I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God.” Acts 20:20, 27

* God’s eschatological word is true, it’s not error, falsehoods, or half-truths. “Your law is truth” (Ps. 119:143). God’s prophetic word is true and fully trustworthy. There are many who doubt it, twist it, allegorize it, or lie about it, saying this portion of Scripture means something other than what it says, or that it has already occurred. But it must be taken in its normal, natural sense, at face value. In Matt. 24, a key prophetic passage, Jesus warns us about false teachers and prophets, those who are not telling the truth (Matt. 24:4, 11, 24). In another end-times’ passage, Paul firmly states, “Let no one in any way deceive you.” 2 Th. 2:3

* God’s eschatological word is altogether true. “The sum of Thy word is truth” (Ps 119:160). The overall meaning of God’s prophetic word is not contradictory, does not change, is consistent, remains the same, and is the truth. And similar to fitting together the pieces of a puzzle to give the whole picture, so too with prophecy. Verses about God’s eschatological word need to be looked at in conjunction with other verses. They should not be examined apart from other verses, in isolation, but must be connected to get the entire eschatological truth, which enables us to know God’s plans for His people. An example is Matt. 24, which can only be fully understood by also looking at passages like Dan. 9:27; Lk. 21; 2 Th. 2:1-8; Rev. 6, 12.

* God’s eschatological word is supreme. Like the rest of God’s word, it too is supreme, it too is inerrant, powerful, and necessary, for it tells you the truth about God and the end-times, and how to live for Him during what will be one of the most difficult times in the history of our world. “You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word” (Ps 138:2). That God’s prophetic word is supreme also means its authoritative, that it has authority, that God has the right and the power to bring it about. What God says He plans to do will happen, and no person or devil can thwart Him, can stop Him from carrying it out. “I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’” Is. 46:9-11, Ps. 33:9-12

* God’s eschatological word is powerful. “Is not My word like fire and like a hammer which shatters a rock?” (Jer. 23:29). Since God is powerful, His word is powerful, and thus He can do all that He says He will do, whether it’s in a person’s life, church, leader, country, or the world. In the future, when His prophetic word is being fulfilled, we will see an amazing and awesome display of His power. In Is. 55, a prophecy passage, God states, “So will be my word which goes forth from My mouth, it will not return to Me empty without accomplishing what I desire” (vs. 11).“The voice of the Lord is powerful.” Ps. 29:4

* God’s eschatological word is instructive. God gives many verses that explain how He wants us to live for Him in these last years leading up to the rapture of the church. We learn that we are to be evangelizing (Matt. 24:14), alert (Matt. 24:42), faithful (Matt. 24:45), discipling (Matt. 28:19-20), having faith (Lk. 18:8), holy (Rom. 13:11-14), standing firm (Eph. 6:13), serving (1 Th. 1:9), waiting for Jesus (1 Th. 1:10), sober (1 Th. 5:6), loving (1 Th. 5:6), having hope (1 Pet. 1:13), unafraid (Rev. 2:10), overcoming (Rev. 12:11), persevering (13:10), and wise (Rev. 13:18). Yes, these verses are always applicable in our lives, but especially so in the context of the end-times and Christ’s return to rapture the church.  

* God’s eschatological word is life-changing. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). All Scripture, including God’s eschatological word is life-changing, is transforming. Not learning the truth about the end-times and Christ’s coming will diminish your wisdom, holiness, hope, growth, and fruitfulness. It’s imperative to know what God tells you about the future so you can live in just the way that He wants. “… be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Rom. 12:1-2

* God’s eschatological word is sanctifying. A foundational chapter in the book of Revelation, that last great prophetic book, is Rev. 4. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come” (vs. 8). Knowing that Jesus Christ, the Holy One, is coming soon, and that one of His primary purposes is to bring justice to this world should truly motivate you to be holy, pure, and obedient. “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 1 Jn. 3:3, Jn. 17:17, Rom. 13:11-14, 1 Pet. 1:13-16

* God’s eschatological word gives joy, peace, and hope. “Do not let your heart be troubled… I go to prepare a place for you… I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may also be” (Jn. 14:1-3).“God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose… to be conformed to the image of His Son.” (Rom. 8:28-29). These eschatological passages are helpful now, but I believe even more so in the near future when times are extremely tough. Here are several more: Ps. 23:6; Rom. 8:18-25, 15:13; 1 Cor. 1:8-9; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Jude 24-25; Rev. 22:12

* God’s eschatological word is personal. “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall observe it to the end” (Ps. 119:33). God loves you more than you know and, as your Father, He wants to teach you, lead you, and comfort you. Through the Holy Spirit, you are to apply God’s word to your life. “He (Spirit)will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come” (Jn. 16:13). As we see the day of Christ drawing near, when it’s obvious that His coming is at hand, then you will be seeing or hearing of birth pains, false teachers, persecution, and martyrdom, and God’s truths, commands, and promises, including His prophetic word, will have special meaning to you. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says… To him who overcomes… I will give a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.” Rev. 2:7

* God’s eschatological word is sufficient. “Behold, I have told you everything in advance” (Mk. 13:23). God did not tell you everything He will do in the future, but everything He wants you to know – and therefore, you should want to know it. Without question, a good understanding of God’s eschatological truth gives you the wisdom you need so you can be His faithful servant in the final years leading up to Christ’s coming.“The unfolding of Your words gives light, it gives understanding to the simple” (Ps. 119:130). God told you about the future in advance because He wants you to know His plans, not at the last minute, and not before it’s too late, but at this time, in the calm before the storm.

* God’s eschatological word is His will, what He purposed and planned to happen in the end-times, at Christ’s coming, and in the kingdom ages. Not all of God’s prophetic will is in His Word, but what is revealed in His Word is what God wants you to know and understand. Here are several verses that speak forth His will: Matt. 24:3-51; Mk. 13:3-23; Lk. 21:3-36; Rom. 8:18-25; 1 Cor. 15:20-28, 35-57; Phil. 2:9-11, 3:21; 1 Th. 4:13-5:10; 2 Th. 1:5-10, 2:1-12; 1 Pet. 1:13-16; Rev. 4-22. “He made know to us the mystery of His will according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth” (Eph. 1:9-11). “Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Eph. 5:17

God’s eschatological word is a blessing. “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Rev. 1:1-3). These verses, in the introduction to the book of Revelation, should motivate you to study God’s prophetic word and apply it to your life. God wants to bless you, to do you good, to grant you favor, to give you grace, to encourage you, to make you spiritually happy. And one way this happens is by reading, learning, and heeding God’s prophetic word.“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is he who heeds the word of the prophecy of this book.” Rev. 22:7, Lk. 11:28

* God’s word, including His eschatological word, is relevant. “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). God’s word is vital for your life, is what you need today and all the days leading up to when you go to be with Jesus. His word helps you spiritually, mentally, relationally, and emotionally. It gives meaning to what’s going on in your life, your family, the church, and in the world around you. Without it, there’s confusion, fears, worries, worldliness, and questions with no answers. Without it, you will fall into error, be affected by lies, and be led astray. More than that, when the times are really troubling, know that God’s word is the truth and a means to the power you need to live for Him. In the middle of Matt. 24, what I believe is the most important prophecy passage, Jesus states, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). God wants you to be convinced that His word, including His eschatological word, is relevant, is necessary, must be read, learned, and followed in these end-times, in the last years of this age.

* God’s eschatological word is eternal. “The word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Pet. 1:25).  Since God is eternal, since He has always existed, then His word is eternal, is everlasting, and His truth, His will, and His purpose endure, continue through all generations, through all the ages – and this includes the truths describing Christ’s coming, the day of the Lord, the Jewish people, and the kingdom ages. When we say eternal, it means God’s eternal work with regards to the eternally lost, those who spend eternity in hell, and to the eternally saved, those who receive eternal life, who at the end of this age will be fully saved, will receive immortal bodies and be eternally worshiping and serving God. And here we are, at the very end of this church age and, more than ever before, we should be looking forward to being with Jesus, our eternal Savior, Lord, and King, and learn all we can from God’s eternal word about the eternal future He has planned out for each one of us. “Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever.” Ps. 145:2, Jude 24-25

God’s eschatological, prophetic word is essential for your growth, security, hope, fruitfulness, and for God’s glory in the end-times. Now that we are in the final years of this age, it’s all the more imperative that we study it and teach it to others. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Tim. 4:1-2). “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” 2 Tim. 4:7 

P.S. I couldn’t write this blog site if I didn’t believe it was founded, if it was based on the truth of God’s eschatological word. I am so thankful that we have God’s word, that in a sinfully crazy world, we know what is true and false, what is right and wrong. Here is an important example of God’s eschatological truth –“Over 100 New Testament Verses on Christ’s Second Coming.”

Preach the Word in View of Christ’s Appearing and Kingdom (342)

Preach the Word in View of Christ's Appearing and Kingdom

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #342 ~


Three of the last four posts have focused on preaching the gospel of the kingdom (338, 339, 341). Jesus Christ is coming back soon to establish His kingdom on earth, and we know that because we live in the end-times. Therefore, these three lessons about God’s kingdom are critically important. That’s why eschatology, the study of last things, is a major doctrine at this time in history. Christ’s coming and kingdom comprise a comprehensive truth about the future that must be fully and clearly taught so that it’s fixed in the hearts of all believers.

A church’s teaching must focus on Christ’s death and resurrection, our spiritual growth, and the church age, but should also include truths about being glorified and reigning with Christ in the kingdom ages. We need to know about God’s love, holiness, sovereignty, justification, sanctification, but we also need hope, and therefore must preach and promote doctrines describing our glorious future with Christ and all the saints in heaven and on earth. 

The book of Acts emphasizes the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of God, signifying that it’s a primary purpose of the church. Acts 1 starts off by summarizing Jesus’ teaching during His last 40 forty days on earth. He was “speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God” (vs. 3), which would have been both the spiritual kingdom (the church), and the physical kingdom. It’s vital that we know this, and imitate Jesus by doing the same.

Jesus taught His disciples about the entire kingdom of God. He wanted them and us to understand the whole of our Christian life in the context of God’s kingdom, and to then tell people this good news of His death and resurrection, the church age, and the kingdom ages. To live rightly for God, we must have an eternal perspective, God’s great, grand, glorious plan of an eternal life with His Son.

In Acts 3:21, Peter tells us that Christ will return to bring about the “period of restoration of all things”, which speaks of the millennial kingdom. Acts 8:12 says that Philip was “preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” In Acts 14:22, Paul instructs his disciples, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Paul is talking about suffering for God during this life, and then entering His heavenly and physical kingdom.

In Acts 15:13-18, James quotes from Amos 9:11 to let us know that Gentiles will also be part of God’s coming kingdom. “I will return… I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, all the Gentiles who are called by My name.” Acts 19:9 states that Paul was “speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God”. Surely, he was speaking about God’s kingdom from a present and eternal perspective. He told them the good news about the present and future reign of Christ in our lives, and His future reign over this world.

Paul is talking to the Ephesians elders (Acts 20:17-38), and what he taught them is for all elders to understand, model, and teach. He wanted them to know that he had declared to believers everything that “was profitable”, that He “went about preaching the kingdom”, and that he taught them “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:20, 25, 27). Equating these three phrases makes it quite clear that God wants us to know and preach the totality of our eternal life, from being justified to being sanctified to being glorified to reigning with Christ in His coming kingdom.

The last chapter of Acts says, “Paul… was… solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus… He stayed two full years… preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 28:23, 31). In this conclusion to Acts, this accurate church history, Paul was teaching people about Jesus and His kingdom. I hope you are realizing that God wants His people to always be occupied with the big picture, the person of Jesus Christ and His kingdom. As in the first verses of Acts (Acts 1:3-11), so too in the final verses of Acts, the focus is on Jesus Christ and God’s kingdom.

What does Paul tell Timothy in his last letter? “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word…” (2 Tim. 4:1-2). The “appearing” refers to Christ’s coming, that point in time when we are glorified and our 3-part salvation is complete. The “kingdom” refers to the visible, kingdom age when we are with Christ and are reigning with Christ (Lk. 21:28, 31). To all believers, Christ’s appearing and kingdom must be in view, must always be on their hearts.

A believer must not be spiritually static, stagnant, or stuck in the present, or think that he is. He must see the present in light of the future, must have the whole of his eternal life in mind. He must know that he was justified and is being sanctified and will be glorified, and then will enter the kingdom – and he should be longing for it. He must know that what God is doing in his life, in the church, and in the world, is in light of an incredibly amazing future. He must know that he is on a journey, that God is leading and directing him and all believers to the end of this age, to Christ’s coming, and to be glorified, and to the kingdom ages, to when Christ is supremely glorified and we are reigning with Him. Ps. 72:19, Hab. 2:14

A pastor must not forget the hope that he and all believers have. that we will soon and forever be with Jesus Christ. A pastor must remember his primary purpose, to preach God’s word in view of Christ’s appearing and kingdom, whether his teaching is Spirit planned, Spirit prompted, a sentence or two, an entire message, a series of messages, or whether it’s a song, closing verse, benediction, or in a private conversation, etc. To rightly do this, a pastor must diligently study the end-times, Christ’s coming, the Jewish people, the kingdom ages, Isaiah, Daniel, Matt. 24, Luke 21, 1 Th. 4-5, 2 Th. 1-2, Revelation, etc. Then what is in his heart will come out of his mouth – he will declare the whole counsel of God, he will preach God’s word in view of Christ’s appearing and kingdom.

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3). “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24-25

P.S. It’s extremely encouraging and motivating knowing that we belong to the greatest royal family of all time, and that we are children of the King. Here are two more posts on the kingdom: “They Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done”, and “Christ’s Kingdom is Coming.”

Why Do Christians Die? (340)

Why Do Christians Die?

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #340 ~


When someone dies, there’s always the “why” question? Why did the person die, what was the cause of death? If it was homicide, they ask why did the killer murder him, what was his motive? But why do Christians die? This is a such an important question. And I am not talking about physical reasons, like sickness, old age, an accident, drugs, war, murder, or assassination. I am talking about spiritual reasons. That is, why does God want His children to die? What are His reasons for the death of a believer? What does God tell us in His word?

His time on earth was finished. “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be” (Ps. 139:17). “His days are determined… his limits You have set” (Job 14:5). God had decided in eternity past the exact number of days the believer was to live on this earth. They had been predetermined by God and they had come to an end. This believer’s time on earth was over, and God had to bring him home, not one day sooner or one day later.

His work on earth was finished. “I brought You glory on earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do” (Jn. 17:4). “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep” (Acts 13:36). All the work God wanted the believer to do was done. When a believer leaves earth and goes to heaven, then we must conclude that his work on earth was completed and there was nothing more for him to do. The believer went through death’s door to get to heaven, and there his eternal work for God continues in a greater, more glorious way.

To be at home in heaven with His Father. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones” (Ps. 116:15). God the Father wanted His child to come home, for He knew it was better that he be with Him in heaven than with us on earth. It’s imperative that we see a believer’s death from God’s perspective, for while we may have wanted the believer to stay, God wanted him to go, and to be with Him in heaven. And who are we to argue with God?

To be with Jesus and see His glory. “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me” (Jn. 17:24). On earth, the believer is not physically with Jesus, but now he is in heaven and is literally with Him. The believer’s eyes are opened wide and he can clearly see Jesus’ great glory, which is on full display. Like never before, the believer experiences His love, joy, holiness, power, kindness, wisdom, and majesty. Why would we not be glad that he is in heaven? Why would we not want the believer to be with Jesus and know the wonderful joys and pleasures of heaven? “In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11

To be with other believers in heaven. “Aaron will be gathered to his people” (Num. 20:24). A believer has family and friends on earth, but his death results in him being with them and others who had gone to heaven before him. This believer is now with ones in heaven who love him and whom he loves, and whom he has missed. Think about the intimate and perfect fellowship this believer is now having with other Christians. “Who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus?” 1 Thess. 2:19

To be taken away from evil. “The righteous man perishes, and no one takes it to heart; and devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil, He enters into peace” (Is. 57:1-2). This world, led by the devil and evildoers, is a very wicked place, and it’s filled with pride, hate, greed, war, crime, corruption, racism, immorality, injustice, persecution, and much more. To die is a great blessing for the believer, for he is finally and forever freed from the devil, this evil world, and from all temptation and sin.

To be free from physical pain. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain” (Rev. 21:4). What a comforting truth – the believer who just went to heaven is totally free from physical ailments, from aches, pains, sickness, tiredness, and weakness. On earth he lived in an earthly tent, in a physical body afflicted and scourged with physical struggles (2 Cor. 5:1-5). Jonathan Edwards said it this way, “When a godly man dies, he rises from all remains of spiritual death, and comes into a state of perfect life. This body is like a prison to the soul, it exceedingly clogs, and hinders, and cramps it in its spiritual exercisers and comfort. When a saint dies, the soul is released from this prison, this grave and comes into a state of glorious freedom and happiness.”

To rest from his labors on earth. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on, so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them” (Rev. 14:13). The believer was on earth working for the Lord and this was good work, and it was hard, tiring, wearing, but rewarding (Col. 3:23-24). Now he is in heaven, and he is still working for the Lord, but it’s no sweat, no stress, no aches, and he never gets tired. His deeds follow him in that his heavenly work is related to his rewarding earthly work, and more than ever, it’s productive, fulfilling, and God-glorifying. Luke 19:11-19

To be able to perfectly worship the Lord. “How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You” (Ps. 84:4). The believer in heaven is finally, fully, and always able to love God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength. Since he sins no more, since his relationship with God is perfect, than he perfectly knows God’s love, perfectly loves God, and is joyfully and wholeheartedly worshiping Him. “Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” 1 Cor. 13:12

To be in heaven with Jesus is gain. “To live is Christ, and to die is gain… to be with Christ is very much better” (Phil. 1:21-23). It is much better for the believer to be in heaven than on earth. In heaven, he has no pain, sin, sickness, sadness, tiredness, weakness, worries, fears, conflicts, difficulties, or trials. His character is pure and holy; he is able to wholly love and worship God; he is full of goodness and joy; he is with friends he knew on earth. Most importantly, the believer is with Jesus, his best friend, and as they are together, there is great joy and love and fellowship. Just think, the believer you know, the believer you spent time with on earth, is now in the very presence of Jesus, “blameless with great joy.” Jude 24-25

To instruct believers still living on earth. “The day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth. It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart” (Eccl. 7:2-4). A believer’s death is to instruct us that life on earth is short, is but a vapor (James 4:14). It is to remind us that while we are alive, God has work for us to do, and now’s the time to do it. And it is to wake us up, to alert us to the fact that our last day on earth is coming soon, and then we will be with Jesus.  

To instruct unbelievers living on earth. “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish” (Lk. 13:2-3). The death of a person is to sober up the sinner. It is to remind and warn him that he will die, and if he doesn’t repent, then when he dies, he will perish, he will be punished in the everlasting lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). He must realize his need to turn from his sin before it’s too late, before he dies and has no more time to repent and be saved. He must believe that Jesus is the only answer, that only He died to pay for his sins, was punished by His Father for his sins, and then rose again. “Christ died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring you to God” (1 Pet. 3:18). “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but will have eternal life.” John 3:16

To be in the house of the Lord. “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:6). The believer that died is in the best place in the universe, the house of the Lord. And he’s not a guest, not just passing through, but is living there in his heavenly home – and it’s infinitely better than his earthly home. The Lord’s home is holy, joyful, peaceful, beautiful, clean, comfortable, and the perfect temperature – it’s the perfect place. The recently relocated believer is not in some far off corner of the universe, but in heaven with Jesus Himself. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places… I go to prepare a place for you… that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3

To bring glory to God!!! “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever” (Rev. 7:12). This is what all these angels are saying when they see all these believers before the throne worshiping and glorifying God. Believers in heaven will be glorifying God like never before, along with all the angels. “I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart and will glorify Your name forever.” Psalm 86:12

Consider these truths that convey God’s perspective about the death and future of a believer. You may be grieving and have strong feelings about his death, and understandably so, especially a loved one. But God does not want your grieving to be overwhelmed with sadness – there must be a gladness from God that is mixed in, that sweetens your tears, that flavors your soul with joy, and stirs you to praise your precious Lord. These truths give you hope about the future and, in particular, that you will again and forever see and be with loved ones and friends. 

That we live in the end-times means Christ is coming soon, and there may be many people now living on earth who are alive when He returns. Those still alive is that remnant of God’s people who won’t physically die but “will be caught up together with them (believers who physically died) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Th. 4:17-18). These raptured believers will likely know many believers who died because of birth pains (wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues) and the great tribulation (Matt. 24:28). All these truths are especially relevant for last-days’ believers who survive the Antichrist’s great persecution. “The one who endures to the end (of this age), he will be saved (raptured and glorified).” Matthew 24:13

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

P.S. I have been to many memorial services, and most pastors focus on the past, on the life of the believer. Yes “the memory of the righteous is a blessing,” but the pastor’s job is to also give hope, to share with the people what God says in His word about our glorious future. Here are two articles to read: “Heavenly Verses That Speak About Your Glorious Future”, and “You Have to Have Hope!”

Seeing the Entirety of Your Salvation (338)

Seeing the Entirety of Your Salvation

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #338 ~


It was a discovery, it was a special find of an invaluable truth, a spiritual treasure I had never seen before. It was something I had missed in my 50+ years as a Christian. But I was clearly seeing it on the pages of God’s word, it was in plain sight, it was God-revealed and obvious.

What am I talking about? What is this discovery? It’s that the New Testament writers, in just a handful of verses, and not a few times, repeatedly spoke about the whole, the totality of our salvation, that we were justified, are being sanctified, and will be glorified. These truths were not new to me – I learned them when I was first saved, but that they were collectively and continually talked about in just a few verses or less was an amazing spiritual treasure.

It became clear to me that God wants Christians to keep thinking about the big picture of our 3-part salvation, and of our eternal life, that we see our Christian life from being born again to eternity future. God also wants us to share the whole gospel message with the lost like Jesus, who was “proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 4:23), and Paul who “went about preaching the kingdom’’ (Acts 20:25). This truth about understanding the entirety of our life is especially important for pastors, for they need to teach it in their churches.

There are numerous examples of this whole of salvation message in the New Testament, and we looked at a many of them last week: Rom. 5:1-3, 8:30; 1 Cor. 1:7-9, 11:26, 15:20-23; Eph. 1:7-12, 1:13-14; Phil. 1:6; Col. 1:4-5, 3:3-4; 1 Thess. 1:9-10. Today we will look at several more:  

* Philippians 3:8-11 – “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord… not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God… that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection… in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Here is salvation in its entirety: 1) knowing Christ, being righteous; 2) knowing Christ and pressing on (Ph. 3:12-14); and 3) attaining to the resurrection from the dead, being physically transformed (Ph. 3:20-21)! It’s clear that knowing Christ, having a relationship with Him or, as it’s also stated, experiencing eternal life, is the central theme of our salvation. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ.” Jn. 17:3

* 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 – “If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Him… we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep… the Lord Himself will descend from heaven… then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” The believers were living a godly life and being persecuted, and were worried they had missed Christ’s coming. Paul assures them that this was not so by reminding them of His resurrection – that since we are in Christ, we too will be raised from the dead, we too will be glorified, and this happens at His coming! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the key to being spiritually saved in the past, to living for Him in the present, and to being physically saved in the future. “… in Christ all will be made alive.” 1 Cor. 15:20-23

* Titus 2:11-14 – “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” Our salvation is again summed up in three parts. Those who repent of their sins and believe that Christ appeared to die and rise again to pay for their sins will: 1) be saved, be justified; 2) be living a holy life, be sanctified, and 3) see Christ when He appears in glory, and be glorified!

* Hebrews 9:27 – “Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.” The reason we can be justified, sanctified, and glorified is because of what Christ does for us at His 1st and 2nd comings. 1) He appeared to die and pay for our sins, to spiritually save us, and 2) He will appear again to physically save us, to give us a spiritual body! Might we be excitedly waiting for Him!

* 1 Peter 1:3-4 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who… has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” This too speaks of our 3-part salvation: 1) we were born again, born of the Spirit; 2) we have a living hope – as we serve God on earth, we should be expecting Christ to return to take us to heaven; and 3) at the revelation of Christ, we will receive a heavenly, imperishable, undefiled, eternal inheritance! 1 Pet. 1:13, Col. 3:23-24, Rev. 22:12

* 1 John 2:20, 27-28 – “… the anointing which you received from Him abides in you… His anointing teaches you about all things… abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” Again, we read about our salvation in three ways: 1) we were anointed by the Spirit, we were spiritually saved; 2) now we are to abide in Christ, to have a close relationship with Him; and 3) we should be confident of our relationship with Christ and at His appearance, be thrilled to see Him! 1 Thess. 4:15-18

* 1 John 3:1-3 – “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God and such we are… Beloved now we are children of God… When He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him.” Again, you are told three things about your salvation: 1) you were first called a child of God when you became a child of God, when you were saved; 2) spiritually speaking you are a child of God, and thus, you are to live like a child of God; and 3) physically speaking you will look like a child of God when Christ appears, for then you will literally see Christ in His glory and be given a body like His. 1 Cor. 15:42-44

* Rev. 1:5-7 – “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first born of the dead… To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood – and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God… Behold, He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him.” Jesus Christ, motivated by love, died on a cross, paid for our sins, and was raised from the dead. His 3-fold purpose was: 1) to release us from our sins, to forgive us, to make us a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9), to bring us into a spiritual kingdom, the church (Col. 1:13-14); 2) for us to serve Him as priests; and 3) to bring us into His physical kingdoms, the millennial and eternal kingdoms.

There are three parts of our salvation, our past justification which happened at a point in time, our present sanctification occurring during our life on earth, and our future glorification happening at a point in time, at the outset of Christ’s coming. Justification results in being delivered from the deadly penalty of sin, sanctification from the spiritual power of sin, and glorification from the very presence of sin. 

Once we are glorified, our salvation is complete, which is what the New Testament writers kept telling us. They wanted us to know what God was, and is, and will be doing in us. Once you are completely saved, which occurs at Christ’s coming, then you will be fit and ready to wholly worship and serve Christ in the next age, the millennial kingdom age. Eph. 1:20-21, 2:10, 18-20; Rev. 5:10

All that we’ve talked about is an incredible, supernatural, eternal work of God – and it’s for your good, the good of others, and the glory of God. “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Rom. 11:36). Next week, we will look at a number of verses that talk about the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23). You will learn that the gospel is not just good news about salvation, but is also about your eternal future, the kingdom ages.

P.S. The NT writers were teaching the entirety of our salvation so that you too would see it, be encouraged by it, and be motivated to tell others, both saved and lost. I suggest you read these posts which are similar to this one: “An Overview of Your Christian Life” and “Your Entire Christian Life.”

 

He Went Home to Heaven (335)

He Went Home to Heaven

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #335 ~


As many of you may have heard, John MacArthur, a humble and faithful servant of God, and a gifted Bible teacher, was taken home to heaven this past Monday (7/14/2025). John “fought the good fight”, “finished the course”, and “kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). He is now experiencing the second half of Phil. 1:21 – “To live is Christ, and to die is gain“, and of Ps. 23:6 – “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

I believe that John, by God’s grace, was the most well known and most effective teacher of God’s word these past 50+ years. Through his Sunday messages, books, commentaries, and conferences, John was used by God to reach and teach millions of people in this country and all over the world – and that includes my wife and I.

We first started listening to his teaching tapes in 1996, and then began reading his books. I also attended a number of Shepherd Conferences, in 1997, 1998, and several in the early 2000’s. There is no doubt that these helped me become a better pastor and a more effective teacher of God’s word. My wife and I met him on a number of occasions, and he was very kind and gracious to us, even writing many encouraging letters to us. More than anyone else, John helped me in my ministry, and personally helped my wife and I as well. We are very grateful to God for his love, his life, and his ministry. 

Throughout the years, most of his teaching was from the New Testament, his primary purpose being to preach the gospel and build up the church. He taught on all kinds of subjects, including our hope. An excellent message on being with Jesus is linked here – The Lord’s Greatest Prayer, Part 8. It is from John 17:24-26. It is also written out in the article’s section on this blog site so you can read it, and there is a link to where you can listen to it. I believe you will find it to be a real spiritual blessing to your life. I would also encourage you to check out this link to Grace to You, where you can download and listen to all his taped messages, a treasure trove of truth, from the past 50+ years. 

I want to suggest something else for you to consider – purchasing the entire set of John’s commentaries of the New Testament. This NT library will be a great help to you in having a clear understanding of all the NT’s book. It is my favorite, most helpful resource, and I believe would be incredibly beneficial to you as well. Having a good grasp of the truth of God is well worth your money. Psalm 119:72

Below is a note my wife wrote to some of her friends about John – I believe you will find it most encouraging. 

_______________________

From Marsha ~

Dear Ones ~

We are so very grateful to God for John MacArthur!  What a wonderful man of God!  God took him home to heaven yesterday, July 14, 2025.  We first began to listen to his teaching in 1996, and then started reading his books, and also became members of his tape library in order to listen to many, many sermons over all these years since.  He has been like a spiritual father to me since he was such a gifted Bible teacher and a kind friend.  We have listened to/watched hundreds of his thousands of sermons!  At the GTY.org website you can find all of them there!  We not only learned from him but also had the blessing of knowing him personally over the years.  He encouraged us when we ended up leaving the Maryland area so Steve could preach/teach the Bible properly, which he did for 26 years here in Florida.  John was always very kind to us and our whole family in many ways since we first met him in 1997, with letters and notes and kind greetings when we saw him at conferences!  Truly, he was God’s servant as he loved God, His Word, and His people very, very much! 

To honor God and give thanks for John, here below is a link to just one sermon (of many) that I thought you might like.  The Gospel of John chapter 17 has always been a favorite of mine, especially verse 24.  I thought it would be appropriate today and a special encouragement, knowing that John is now THERE!!  He is with Jesus in heaven, indeed his faith has now been made sight!  So, dear ones, please try to take some time to watch and listen to this sermon, and others of John’s as well, as the Lord leads you.  God’s Word is so precious and nourishing to our souls, and there is no better Bible teacher than John MacArthur to help us understand what God means by what He says!  

May God the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, bless you as you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” ~ 2 Peter 3:18

“Father, I desire that they also,
whom Thou hast given Me,
be with Me where I am,
in order that they may behold My glory,
which Thou hast given Me;
for Thou didst love Me
before the foundation of the world.”
Jesus’ Words in The Gospel of John 17:24

The Lord’s Greatest Prayer, Part 8
John 17:24–26
Sermon 43-100 – February 14, 2016

________________________

“Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes,
and I shall observe it to the end.”
Psalm 119:33.

“To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
and to make you stand in the presence of His glory 
blameless with great joy,
to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,
be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority,
before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
Jude 24-25 

 

 

Present Suffering and Future Glory (326)

Present Suffering and Future Glory

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #326 ~


Suffering – this is not what the world or your flesh wants, but it is definitely part of God’s plan for Christians. Suffering is for God’s eternal purposes and glory and results in a believer’s eternal glory. I share this with you because it’s true and it’s personal, and because you need to know that we are living in the end-times, and that the persecution of Christians will increase as we get closer to Christ’s coming.

Today, I want to look at some key passages that speak about suffering and glory:
Psalm 22 is about Jesus Christ, that He suffered and died for us and then will be glorified, and the whole world will see His glory. He suffered at His 1st coming – “A band of evildoers has encompassed Me; they pierced My hands and My feet. I can count all My bones…”, but He will be glorified at His 2nd coming – “You who fear the Lord, praise Him, all you descendants of Jacob glorify Him, and stand in awe of Him.” Vss. 16-17, 23

Philippians 2:7-11 tells us that Jesus Christ humbled Himself, that He “became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Then “God highly exalted and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name… so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow… and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Christ is our #1 example – and He suffered extremely so, and will be supremely glorified. Hebrews 12:2-3

1 Peter 1:10-12 speaks of the “sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.” 1 Pet. 5:1 tells us that Peter was a “witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glories to follow.” Christ will be greatly glorified and all believers will share in that glory. Col. 3:4 elaborates on this – “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” This is so encouraging, for we will soon be with Christ, and will join Him in experiencing the wonderful glory of God.

Matthew 5:10-12 wants us to know that all believers who suffer, who are insulted, maligned, and “persecuted for the sake of righteousness”, will inherit the kingdom of heaven and be greatly rewarded. So it’s suffering first and then receiving and experiencing God’s amazing grace and glory.

Romans 5:2-3 instructs us to rejoice in two things – we are to “exult in hope of the glory of God” and we are to “exult in our tribulations”. Tribulation and suffering come first, occurring during our life on earth. And in heaven and in the ages to come, we will share in God’s incredible glory. All of us should have this hope, this expectation of glory, “because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” Rom. 5:5

Romans 8:18-39 – The first verse sums up the main message: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Life may be extremely difficult, but our temporary sufferings are nothing compared to the eternal glory we will experience after our life on this earth. Vss. 19-39 give more details about God’s sovereign working with regards to our suffering, and that we can “overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us”, and that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God.” Vss. 37, 39

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 – “Momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” This theme is repeated, that our suffering, our problems, troubles, and trials result in receiving God’s glory. But our suffering is momentary, lasting only a short time compared to an eternity of glory. And our suffering isn’t that difficult compared to the weight, the greatness of the glory God gives us. Without question, it’s really worth it to suffer for God, for Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:4-10. As Christians, we suffer, we go through afflictions, even great afflictions, for God’s glory and our glory. Not long from now, “He (Christ) comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed.” This happens at Christ’s return, and is when our salvation is complete, for Christ is “glorified in His saints,” meaning that we receive new bodies, ones like Christ’s, ones that are powerful, immortal, glorious, and spiritual (1 Cor. 15:42-44). Suffering for Christ results in being spiritually and physically glorified, which is what God planned for us in eternity past. Romans 8:28-30

1 Peter 1:3-9 is one of the best big picture passages in the Bible. It says that a necessary part of life is suffering, is going through various and distressing trials, is being “tested by fire” – but it’s only for a little while. And we have hope, for we know we will get through it and receive an unbelievable inheritance. Indeed, suffering for Christ will “result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:7). Two keys to having hope and receiving this glory are loving God, and faith, believing God and His promises. 1 Peter 1:8

1 Peter 5:10 again communicates this truth of suffering and glory. “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” Yes, you will suffer, but you will also witness and experience God’s eternal glory. In the meantime, God is sanctifying you, strengthening, perfecting, and molding you into Christ’s image. All of this is by God’s grace, and by His promises and power working in your life. 2 Peter 1:2-4

The Christian life is knowing God and His truth, power, love, goodness, and much more. It’s also being humble, seen by serving, sacrificing, and suffering for Him. Living for God like this results in God being greatly glorified, you being glorified, and you receiving His never-ending glory. 

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” 1 Peter 4:12-13

As you truly live for Christ, you will suffer for Him. And that’s a good thing, good for God and His glory, and good for you and receiving His glory. Here are two previous posts about suffering and glory – “The Glory of Suffering for Jesus” and “Suffering for Jesus in the End-Times”.

Loving Jesus Now, in the Future, and Forever (320)

Loving Jesus Now, in the Future, and Forever

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #320 ~

There is a clear connection between loving Jesus Christ now and loving Him in the future. As a Christian, you should be looking forward to seeing Jesus in person, and loving the One who loves you far more than anyone else. If you don’t have a close relationship with Jesus, if you are not actively loving Him now, then you are probably not excited about seeing Him and being with Him in heaven. 

So how is your relationship with Jesus? Is He #1 in your life? Is He your best friend? Are you getting good alone-time with Him? Are you telling Him how much you love Him? Do you praise Him and sing to Him with all your heart? Are you like Mary, “seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word?” Remember, “only one thing is necessary” (Lk. 10:39, 42), and that’s being with Jesus, and loving Him and learning from Him.

If Jesus is first in your life, then you will know His love for you; you will be filled with joy; you will be at peace; you will be perfectly satisfied; you will be loving others; you will be helping Jesus make disciples “to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20); and you will be wanting Him and waiting for Him to take you to Himself and home to heaven.

If you don’t have a strong love for Jesus, if you aren’t doing what He wants you to do, if you aren’t excited that He’s coming again to be with you, then consider these questions:
* Are there sins that have captured your heart, that have taken hold in your life, sins you need to confess to God and Christ? Ps. 32:1-5, 1 John 1:5-9
* Are you fleshly, are you loving the things of the world? 1 Cor. 3:1-4, 1 Jn. 2:15-17
* Are you remembering what Christ did for you at His 1st coming? Do you know what He did for you on the cross, that He died to pay for all your sins? Are you regularly taking communion? Do you realize how much God has forgiven you? Do you think often about Christ’s love for you? Ps. 86:12-13; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; 1 Jn. 4:10,19

* Do you understand the truths about God redeeming you, justifying you, forgiving you, reconciling you, adopting you, and sealing you with the Spirit? Eph. 1:3-14
* Are you in a solid church, in a good, Christ-is-coming, Bible-preaching church? 2 Tim. 4:1-2 – “In view of His appearing and His kingdom… preach the word.” 1-2 Thess.
* Are you having good fellowship with other Christians? Heb. 10:24-25
* Do you have good Christian friends that you are accountable to and that are an encouragement to you? Prov. 18:24b, Rom. 16:3-16, Col. 4:7-15
* Do you know what Christ will do for you at His 2nd coming? Are you filled with hope? Do you understand the glorious future God has planned out for you? Do you realize that “to live is Christ” but “to die is gain,” that being with Jesus in heaven is better than being with Jesus on earth? Rom. 8:18-25, Rom. 15:13

* Do you realize how much Jesus wants to be with you, how much He wants to show you His love in the future and for all eternity? Jesus told you, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14:3). Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (Jn. 17:24). Jesus “died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.” 1 Thess. 5:11

The most important thing in life is knowing God’s love and loving Him! That’s it! And Jesus does not hesitate to correct Christians – “I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Rev. 2:4). O, may this not be true of you! “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.” Mk. 12:30, 1 Cor. 16:22

Looking forward to loving Jesus in the future is an important sign that you love Him in the present. So are you wholeheartedly loving Jesus now and excited about loving Him in the future? If you are not sure, then go over the questions I listed, and get some answers; ask God to search you, cleanse you, and instruct you (Ps. 139:23-24); and He will surely revive you. “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore, be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Rev. 3:19-20

Finally, remember what Job said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me” (Job 19:25-27). And say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Rev. 22:20

P.S. During this Christmas season are we emphasizing the importance of our relationship with Jesus? As you know, this is what is most important. Here are three posts that speak of your love for Jesus and your relationship with Him: “The Rapture, a Love Story”, “Loving the Lord and Longing to See Him”, “Loving God Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.”

 

The King and His Kingdom (318)

The King and His Kingdom

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #318 ~

We live in a world divided into all these different countries, and each one has its own leader. But it won’t be long before we see Jesus Christ, the King of kings, return to earth, and He will be its sole leader, and be visibly and powerfully ruling over the entire world. God repeatedly promised that His Son Jesus would be a great King with a glorious Kingdom. Here are some Old Testament verses that are predictive and descriptive of Christ and His kingdom.

2 Sam. 7:12-13 – “I will raise up your descendant… He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever.” God told us that the coming King would be a descendant of David, and Matt. 1 proves this to be true. We also learn that Jesus’ kingdom will forever display God’s name – His character, purposes, and glory.

Psalm 47:2-3 – “The Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth…” The coming King is God, the Lord Most High, and He will be more loving and powerful than any other being in history. He will be the most glorious King ever, and be greatly respected and praised. And He will subdue and rule over every nation on earth.

Isaiah 9:6-7 – “A child will be born to us… The government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace…” The coming King is both God and man. And He’s wise, powerful, holy, just, eternal, and fatherly. And He will bring real peace to the whole world.

Psalm 2 – “… As for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain…” The leaders of this world are strongly opposed to God and Jesus Christ, and are being warned by Christ that they need to worship Him, or else. But they won’t, and so at the end of this age, Christ will defeat and judge these evil kings and their kingdoms, and then establish His glorious kingdom on this earth.

Many other Old Testament passages speak of the coming King and His Kingdom: Psalm 10:16; Psalm 22:27-28; Psalm 24:7-10; Psalm 29:10-11; Psalm 45:6; Psalm 48:1-3; Psalm 65:8-13; Psalm 67; Psalm 72; Psalm 89:27-29; Psalm 98; Psalm 102:12-22; Psalm 132:10-18; Psalm 145:1-2, 10-13; Isaiah 2:1-4; Jeremiah 10:10; Ezekiel 37:21-28; Daniel 2:44-45; Daniel 7:13-14, 23-27; Micah 5:2-5a; Zeph. 3:14-17; Zech. 14:1-9

The New Testament also tells us about Christ the King and His Kingdom.
* Matthew 1-2 speaks about the ancestry of the King, the birth of the King, the birthplace of the King, the mother of the King, the name of the King, the purpose of the King, the worship of the King, the enemies of the King, and the escape of the King. 
* Luke 1-2 talks about Jewish believers who were excitedly looking forward to seeing the King and His blessing upon Israel. There were Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Simeon, and Anna.

* Luke 19:32-38 – Many Jews were saying this as Christ entered Jerusalem – “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” They hoped He would set up His earthly kingdom but they were mistaken, for His primary purpose at His 1st coming was to die to save people from their sins. At His 2nd coming, Christ will rapture the church, judge the world, save a remnant of Jews, and establish Himself as King over this earth. 
* John 19:37 – Jesus told Pilate, “You say correctly that I am a King.” Jesus admitted to Pilate that He was a King, but His goal at that time was not to rule as a King but to be a Savior, to die on a cross and be raised again to save people from sin and from death. 

* Matthew 24:3-31 describes in detail what has to happen before the coming of the King. He tells His disciples that there will be wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues, increasing lawlessness, false teaching, betrayal, the desecration of the Jewish temple, the revealing and rule of the Antichrist, great persecution of Jews and Christians, preaching the gospel to the nations, and signs in the heavens. Lk. 21:7-24; 1 Th. 4:13-18; Rev. 6:1-17, 13:3-18
* Matthew 19:27-28 tells us that in the “regeneration”, the rebirth of the earth in the coming age, Jesus’ disciples will reign with Him over the nation of Israel.

So what do you need to know and do before Christ returns?
1. Learn from God’s word what needs to happen before Christ returns. Mark 13:23
2. Pray for the coming of Christ and His kingdom. Matt. 6:9-10 – “Our Father, who are in heaven, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
3. Be diligently doing the work God wants you to do. Eph. 2:10
4. Be alert for you don’t know when Christ is coming. And be ready for Christ, watching for Christ, and looking forward to being with Christ. Matt. 24:42-51

Here is a summary of the millennial kingdom age:
1. Jesus Christ will reign over the entire earth, over all the nations. Ps. 72:8
2. Christ will reign from the city of Jerusalem. Ps. 48:1-2, Zech. 14:9
3. The earth will be restored, be renewed, be remodeled. Acts 3:21, Rom. 8:20-21
4. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. Isaiah 11:9
5. The earth will be filled with the glory of God. Ps. 72:19
6. This part of Christ’s kingdom will exist for exactly 1,000 years. Rev. 20:1-7

7. The heavens will be glad and the earth will rejoice during this kingdom age. Ps. 96:11
8. The gospel will be preached to all nations, and many will be saved. Ps. 96:2, 98:2-3
9. Israel will be greatly blessed as a nation, and God’s blessing on them will result in the entire world being blessed. Is. 12, Is. 60
10. Every knee will bow to Christ, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. Phil. 2:9-11
11. The kings and the nations of the world will serve Christ. Ps. 72:11
12. The millennial kingdom will not be an evil age, but a good age. Hab. 2:14

13. Agriculturally, the earth will be extremely fruitful and productive. Ps. 65:9-13
14. The apostles will rule with Christ over the nation of Israel. Matt. 19:27-29
15. Believers will reign with Christ. 1 Cor. 6:2-3; Rev. 5:12, 20:6
16. Believers will be gifted and empowered to carry out Christ’s work. Luke 19:16-19
17. Jerusalem will be a holy city, and no one will be weeping or crying. Is. 65:19
18. Christ will have mercy on the poor and needy, and help them. Ps. 72:13

19. People on earth during the kingdom age will live a very long time. “The one who does not reach the age of 100 will be thought accursed.” Is. 65:20
20. Animals will get along, for the “wolf will dwell with the lamb.” Is. 11:6-9
21. Even children and snakes will get along, for “the weaned child will put his hand in the viper’s den.” Is. 11:8
22. Satan will be released at the end of this age, gather sinners to himself, lead a rebellion against Christ, be quickly defeated, and then be cast into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:7-10
23. Christ will abolish all rule, authority, and power; all things will be subject to Him; and He will cast death and Hades into the lake of fire. 1 Cor. 15:24-28, Rev. 20:11-15
24. The millennial kingdom will be followed by the eternal kingdom. Rev. 21:1

Do you see where we are now at and where we are going? We are living in the end-times and God wants you to be fully informed about these last years before Christ’s coming and His 1000-year kingdom. He wants you to be encouraged, to have hope, to be looking forward to seeing and being with Christ and worshiping and serving Him in the coming kingdom age.

“Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood – and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him.” Revelation 1:4-7a

P.S. One of my favorite subjects is the coming kingdom age. I like it and I need it because it gives me hope, and you need hope too. Here are two other posts on this important subject of the millennial kingdom age: “The Coming Kingdom Age – 1000 Years of Glory”, “The KING of Kings is Coming.”