Living for God must be by faith, and a great place to learn about this is in Hebrews 11. Called the hall of faith, it describes the lives of godly people who were living by faith. These holy men and women had faith in God for the present and for the future, for today and for eternity. Faith in God for the future is what we call hope, that which is based on God’s promises. These Old Testament saints had both faith and hope, which is exactly what Christians in this church age need to have. But what specifically does God want us to learn from Hebrews 11, this faith and hope-focused chapter?
The way to have a relationship with God is by faith. By faith, Enoch “walked with God” (Genesis 5:24) which means he was close to Him. By faith, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8). By faith, Abraham was a friend of God (2 Chronicles 20:7). By faith, Moses saw “Him who is unseen” (Hebrews 11:27). All the saints in Hebrews 11 had a relationship with God as they were sinners who, by faith, experienced His grace, mercy and love. This resulted in them loving God, seeking God, and obeying God.
The way to please God is by faith. Whether it was Noah building an ark, Abraham leaving his homeland, or Sarah believing she would have a child, it was by faith. This phrase “by faith” is repeated 19 times, example after example being given of believers trusting God, waiting on Him, and doing what He said. And God was pleased by their faith, by their obedience, and this is the only way you and I can please God and gain His approval.
The way to be rewarded is by faith. God wants to bless our lives now and forever. But it’s not by our works, not by what we do, but by believing what God wants to graciously do for us, and through us. This chapter illustrates that God blesses His people, and the key is to have faith in Him, to believe He wants to bless us. By faith Noah constructed the ark, a huge building project that took 60-70 years, and God blessed his obedience, hard work and perseverance, saving him from the flood and His wrath. And by faith, Enoch was taken to heaven, Abraham was given a child, and Moses escaped Egypt.
The way to be resurrected, and live forever, is by faith. Abraham believed that God could raise his son from the dead (Hebrews 11:19). Women received back their dead by resurrection (Hebrews 11:35), and these who were raised from the dead died again. But there is a “better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35), and this is still future, a “resurrection of life” (John 5:29) when we “will be made alive… at His coming,” when we will all be given glorified bodies, when we will be made perfect. 1 Corinthians 15:22-23, 42-44, 51-53
The way to persevere is by faith, and by hope. Life was extremely difficult for these saints of God. Noah, no doubt, was harassed and laughed at as he built the ark. Abraham lived in tents, and admitted he was a stranger on this earth. Moses gave up the riches of Egypt and the passing pleasures of sin. Some “experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, chains and imprisonments…” Others were “wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground” (Hebrews 11:36-38). How did they endure and keep going? Why were they willing to suffer? It was by faith in God’s promises, faith that gave them hope, a confidence about a wonderful future. Enoch wanted to be with God in heaven. Abraham was “looking for the city which has foundations” (Hebrews 11:10). Moses was “looking to the reward” (Hebrews 11:26). All these Jewish believers were hope-filled and forward-looking – “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and aliens on this earth… they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” Hebrews 11:13, 16
The way we live for God is by faith. By faith, we walk with God, we serve, we obey, we sacrifice, and we fellowship. And we persevere because we have hope, for we believe it’s worth it to live for God in the present because we know He will reward us in the future. This hope-based perseverance, a major theme in Hebrews 11, is what everyone of us need. God is kind to us for He gives us His word, His glorious promises, and we can only endure and keep going for Him because we are looking forward to when they will be fulfilled. (Note: there are short-term promises, those fulfilled during this life, and long-term promises, those fulfilled after we have gone to heaven).
It all comes together in the last two verses, the conclusion of Hebrews 11.“All these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us (Christians) they (saints of old) would not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40). Do you see this? The saints of old did not then and, nor have even today, received all that was promised them, and neither have Christians. But these verses mean that many of God’s promises for Old Testament believers and for Christians, will be fulfilled at the same time. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 says that all believers from all time will be glorified at Christ’s coming, when the church is raptured. At that moment, God’s work with the saints of old will be coinciding with His work with the church, and all of us will be glorified, be made perfect.
We live in the end-times and it won’t be long before God’s work with the saints of old and the saints of this age will converge and climax at Christ’s coming. At that time and in the ages to come, all God’s promises for His people will be fulfilled. For now, let’s be like Abraham who “was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Know that “God is not ashamed to be called their (our) God; for He has prepared a city for them (us)” (Hebrews 11:16, John 14:1-3). Think about when you go to heaven – “You have come to Mount Zion, 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.” Hebrews 12:22-24, Revelation 21. Amen!!!
P.S. I can’t overstate the importance of having hope, godly hope. There is a previous post and a previous article I encourage you to to read – “You Need Hope to Get Through Life,” and “You Have to Have Hope!” One more thing: just last Sunday I taught on Hebrews 11 at my church – if you get time, I would encourage you to listen to it.
I have a friend who is a food scientist, which means he understands nutrition, what’s good for the body – the proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins and minerals that we need to stay healthy. But how do we keep our soul healthy? We need the truth of God’s word, and one particular and important aspect of His truth are His promises. Let me share some thoughts about these promises, followed up by many of my personal favorites.
1. God’s promises are all true, for God tells the truth, and He does not lie. 2. God’s promises are based on His word and character and, therefore, will never fail. 3. God’s promises are essential, for you cannot truly and fully live for God without them. 4. God’s promises are about your future, your time here on earth, and / or in heaven. 5. God’s promises are forward looking, and keep you from living in the past. 6. God’s promises tell you what God will do for you, not what you will do for Him. 7. God’s promises motivate you to persevere, to press on to the end. 8. God’s promises spiritually energize you to keep going for God. 9. God’s promises, though spiritual in nature, can also physically energize you. 10. God’s promises give hope, not worldly hope, but a godly hope. 11. God’s promises speak of how you will be eternally rewarded for your earthly service. 12. God’s promises are all about experiencing His grace in the future. 13. God’s promises encourage you today because they give you hope for tomorrow. 14. God’s promises will help you understand His purpose for your life. 15. God’s promises are a means to living a holy and God-pleasing life. 16. God’s promises are activated by faith, by believing what God is saying. 17. God’s promises must be personalized, for they speak of what God wants for your life. 18. God’s promises are either conditional or unconditional. 19. God’s promises give you confidence and assurance about your future. 20. God’s promises help you to live rightly today for you know you have a God-blessed tomorrow. 21. God’s promises are needed during stormy times, for they are forecasting a sunny future. 22. God’s promises are often prophetic, predicting His plans for both the church and the world. 23. God’s promises are precious, magnificent, incredible and wonderful. 24. God’s promises speak of how God will show you His great love in the future. 25. God’s promises should be shared with other Christians.
Here are a number of my favorite promises: * 2 Chronicles 15:7 – “As for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” * Job 23:10 – “God knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” * Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” * Psalm 27:1 – “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” * Psalm 32:8 – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” * Psalm 37:4 – “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” * Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations.” * Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” * Psalm 84:11 – “The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” * Psalm 91:14-16 – “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.”
* Psalm 119:1 – “How blessed is he whose way is blameless, who walks in the law of the Lord.” * Psalm 119:50 – “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.” * Psalm 136 – “His lovingkindness is everlasting.” * Proverbs 2:3-5 – “If you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom…” * Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” * Proverbs 8:17 – “I love those who love me, and those who seek Me find Me.” * Isaiah 26:3 – “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.” * Isaiah 40:31 – “Those who wait on the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” * Isaiah 41:10 – “Do not fear for I am with you; do not be anxious for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” * Lamentations 3:22-23 – “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
* Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” * Matthew 5:8 – “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” * Matthew 5:11-12 – “Blessed are you when people insult 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 6:33 – “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” * Matthew 11:28-29 – “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” * 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 another.” * Matthew 28:19-20 – “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” * Mark 1:17 – “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” * Luke 12:32 – “Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” * 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 5:24 – “He who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” * John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” * John 11:25-26 – “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.” * John 14:3 – “I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” * John 14:13-14 – “I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in My name, and I will do it.” * John 15:5 – “He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit.” * Romans 8:28 – “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.” * Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” * 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 – “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful…” * 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”
* 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – “We will not all sleep, but 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.” * 2 Corinthians 2:14 – “Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ Jesus, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him.” * 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 – “Though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” * 2 Corinthians 9:8 – “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, you will have an abundancefor every good deed.” * 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” * Galatians 5:16 – “Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.” * Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” * 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.” * Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” * Ephesians 6:2 – “Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.”
* 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 earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” * Philippians 3:21 – “… the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” * Philippians 4:19 – “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” * Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.” * 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 –“The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then 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 5:23-24 – “May the God of peace sanctify you entirely; may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you and He will bring it to pass.” * 2 Timothy 4:18 – “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” * Titus 2:10-11 – “If we died with Him, we will also live with Him. If we endure, we will also reign with Him.” * James 4:10 – “God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.” * Hebrews 10:37 – “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.”
* Hebrews 13:5 – “I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you.” * 1 Peter 5:10 – “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” * 2 Peter 1:4 – “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” * 1 John 1:7 – “If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.” * Jude 24-25 – “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.” * Revelation 3:5 – “The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and His angels.” * Revelation 5:10 – “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” * Revelation 21:3-4 – “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 21:7 – “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be His God and he will be My son.” * Revelation 22:7 – “Behold, I am coming soon.”
All these promises, and many more besides, are wonderful and needed gifts from God. Don’t miss out on the blessing, the grace, hope, peace, strength and encouragement they bring to your soul, your life, and your future. I want to remind you of what Elizabeth said to Mary for, in principle, it applies to us: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her” (Luke 1:45). And remember these words that describe some of the saints of old: “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were exiles and strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13). Sometime in the future, as Joshua said to the Jews, you will be able to say to others, “You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” Joshua 23:14
The closer we get to Christ’s coming, the more difficult it will be, and the more you will see that you need these promises, and cannot live without them. Through God’s promises, you will experience His amazing grace, and a special closeness with Him, until that time when, for the first time, you will see His face. “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on 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
P.S. I love God’s promises, and I trust that you will learn to love them and see and experience their supreme and eternal worth. Here is a previous post that I believe will help you learn more about the value of these precious truths from God’s word – “Promises from a Loving Father to His Children.”
Suffering isn’t a subject most Christians want to hear about, and that’s understandable, for who wants to suffer? Who wants to be persecuted? Who wants to go through hard times? But it’s also sad, for Christians need to know what God says about suffering, for it really is a source of blessing, a means of grace, and a way to give glory to Him. To suffer for Jesus is a great privilege, as well as an opportunity to trust Him, and show Him our love.
Examples of believers suffering for the Lord are found throughout the Bible. In Hebrews 11:24-25, we read about Moses “choosing rather to endure ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” It was no walk in the park for Moses, but rather 40 years of putting up with grumbling, rebellious Israelites in that hot, barren desert. Then there’s David, who testified time and time again about being persecuted, and how God delivered and comforted him. (Psalms 28, 31, 35, 55, 59, 142, 143). And don’t forget Jeremiah and the suffering he went through (Jeremiah 26:11, 32:2, 38:6). But it wasn’t just physical, it was also mental, emotional and spiritual suffering that Jeremiah patiently endured all those years, especially at the end, when Jerusalem was being destroyed, and fellow Jews were dying right before his eyes. Lamentations 1-5
In the New Testament, Jesus is our prime example of one who
suffered, but it’s the Old Testament prophecy in Psalm 22 that best describes His
extreme pain and sorrow, and how He sacrificed His life for us. None of us can
comprehend how hard it was for Jesus to be persecuted by the Jewish leaders – “They spat in His face and beat Him with
their fists and slapped Him” (Matthew 26:67), or by the Roman soldiers – “having Jesus scourged… they mocked Him…
they spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head” (Matthew
27:26-31). More than that, none of us can fathom the torment brought on by His
Father, who caused Him to suffer the hellish wrath we should have received – “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Matthew 27:46
Then there’s Paul, who willingly and joyfully suffered for the Lord. 2 Corinthians 1, 4 and 6, all talk about his sufferings, but it’s that long litany in 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 that best illustrates what he went through for God and for people – “… beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews 39 lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked…”
This subject of suffering is an untaught topic in most churches today, especially in the United States. But it needs to be taught, for many Christians are worldly and soft, not holy and strong. Many believers don’t know what the Bible teaches about suffering, and therefore, won’t be expecting it and be able to joyfully endure it when it comes – and it will come.
But what is it that God wants you to know about suffering? * Suffering is part of God’s plan for Christians. Acts 14:22, 1 Peter 2:21 * God is sovereign over your suffering. He plans it out ahead of time, knowing it will be for your good, and for His purposes and glory. Romans 8:28-35, 1 Peter 3:17 * Suffering is momentary, lasting only a little while. 2 Corinthians 4:17; 1 Peter 1:6, 5:10 * To patiently endure suffering, God gives you both present grace and the hope of future grace. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11, 1 Peter 1:13 * “If the world hates you, you know it has hated Me before it hated you.” John 15:18 * To get through suffering, you need God’s promises. Psalm 119:50, 154; 2 Peter 1:2-4 * God wants to use your suffering for the gospel. Luke 21:12-15, Philippians 1:12-14 * Suffering is one of God’s ways for you to grow in faith and love. James 1:2-3, 12 * The more you live for Christ, the more you’ll be persecuted for Christ. 2 Timothy 3:12 * To suffer in a godly way, you need to submit and entrust yourself to God. 1 Peter 4:19 * “Consider Him who endured such suffering by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:3 * You find favor (grace) with God when you suffer. 1 Peter 2:19-20 * Never be surprised when you are faced with the fiery ordeal of suffering. 1 Peter 4:12 * When you are persecuted, your faith is being tested. 1 Thessalonians 3:1-10, James 1:3 * When you suffer, be thankful that you can share in Christ’s sufferings. 1 Peter 2:10 * Remember, many other Christians around the world are also suffering. 1 Peter 5:9 * Those who suffer on earth will be greatly rewarded in heaven. Matthew 5:12 * To endure suffering, you need to “see”Jesus. Daniel 3:16-27, Hebrews 11:27 * The primary purpose of your suffering is to bring glory to God. 1 Peter 4:12-16
If you are going to rightly suffer for Jesus, you need to know these truths. Not only that, but we are living in the end-times, which means it won’t be long before we experience great tribulation – “they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name” (Matthew 24:9). Immediately after that, we will all be with Jesus in heaven, never to suffer again (Matthew 24:29-31). In the meantime, learn the above truths, knowing that you will need them in the years ahead. “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 5:11-12
While you live on this earth, don’t ever put your hope in the leaders, but trust in God, and look forward to the coming of Christ the King, and that time when He will literally be reigning over this world. As we get closer to the end of this age, we will continue to see Presidents and Prime-Ministers leading their countries and then, according to God’s sovereign plan, the Antichrist will rise up to rule the world. This most hateful and lawless dictator will greatly persecute God’s chosen ones, but his time will be short, for it won’t be long before the King of kings returns to rapture and rescue the Christians, defeat this devilish man, and begin His 1000-year reign. Christ the King is coming! There’s no doubt about it, for God has truly and repeatedly told us so in His Word. Might your heart be abounding with hope as you read the following verses about our coming King and His glorious reign on this earth.
* Psalm 2:6 – “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.” * Psalm 22:28 – “The kingdom is the Lord’s and He rules over the nations.” * Psalm 24:24 – “Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.” * Psalm 45:6 – “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.” * Psalm 47:7 – “The Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.” * Psalm 72:8,11,19 – “May He rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth… Let all kings bow down before Him, all nations serve Him… May the whole earth be filled with His glory.” * Isaiah 9:6-7 – “A Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us, and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over His kingdom.” * Isaiah 43:15 – “I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” * Jeremiah 10:6,7,10 – “There is none like You, O Lord; You are great, and great is Your name in might. Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? Indeed, it is Your due… the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King.” * Jeremiah 23:5 – “The days are coming when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign as a King and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.” * Ezekiel 37:22 – “I shall make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one King shall be king for all of the them.” * Daniel 2:44 – “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom… it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” * Daniel 7:14 – “To Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom will not be destroyed.” * Micah 5:2 – “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” * Zechariah 14:9 – “The Lord will be King over all the earth.” * Malachi 1:14 – “‘I am a great King and My name is to be feared among the nations.” * Matthew 6:9-10 – “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” * Matthew 19:28 – “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” * Luke 1:32-33 – “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” * 1 Corinthians 15:24-25 – “Then comes the end, when He (Jesus) hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when He has abolished all rule and authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.” * Revelation 5:10 – “You have made them (believers) to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” * 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 19:16 – “On His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords.’”
Let me summarize what God is saying. About 2000 years ago, Jesus came to this earth as a Savior, but He will be coming back as a King. This coming King is a descendant of King David, and therefore, will be both God and man. After the end of this age, after the defeat of the Antichrist and other earthly kingdoms, God the Father will install His Son, Jesus Christ, as King, at which time He will set up His kingdom on this renovated earth. Yes, Jesus Christ is King forever, but we are speaking here of a specifically designated 1000-year period when He will reign as King over the entire earth. Jesus will be a great King, a righteous King, a powerful King, a wise King, a glorious King, the King of kings.
All believers from this present age will be glorified at the time of the rapture, and will reign with Jesus Christ during the millennial kingdom. Christ’s throne will be in Jerusalem and from there, He will reign over Judah and Israel, and every nation and person in the whole world. Note that the 12 apostles will have specific ruling authority over the nation of Israel. God’s glory will be clearly and wonderfully seen throughout the world during Christ’s reign as King. During His millennial kingdom, Christ will defeat all His enemies, which includes death. Christ, at the end of His 1000-year earthly reign, will hand over the kingdom to His Father. Then the eternal kingdom will begin………
P.S. Hurricane Dorian, a major and potentially catastrophic hurricane, is ready to strike the state of Florida. Indeed, this storm is from the hand of God, and for the purposes and glory of God. I encourage you to read Job 37, which is, in my opinion, the best chapter in the Bible about God’s perspective on weather and storms. I have also written a number of posts related to hurricanes, for as we have in the days ahead plenty of time to prepare for the coming hurricane, so too in these end-times, we have plenty of time to prepare for the coming of Christ. Here are two good posts to read: The Alarm Is Ringing! Wake Up America! The Storm is Coming! and A Big Storm is Coming, and I Don’t Mean Hurricane Irma.
It’s all about God’s kingdom and God’s glory, right? Of course it is! That’s the way it always has been and that’s the way it will always be. “The Lord is King forever and ever… I will praise Your name forever and ever… Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom” (Psalm 10:16; 145:2,13). From Genesis to Revelation this is what we need to know and be excited about. Since the beginning, God has been building His kingdom, and everything is going precisely according to His plans. “His kingdom endures from generation to generation… He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth.” Daniel 4:34-35, Psalm 33:10-12
Most of the Old Testament is about God building His kingdom through Abraham and his descendants, through the Israelites. They had some success, and a lot of failure, but God was sovereign, working all things according to the purpose of His will – and His kingdom kept growing. We know that God also had the future in mind, for an important aspect of the Old Testament are the promises He made to His people about the coming Messiah, the coming King, and His coming kingdom on earth. Now this Messiah and King refer to the same person, to the Son of God, the One we call Jesus. Psalm 47, Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 53
At the perfect time, this Jesus, this Messiah, was born, the Son of God also becoming the Son of Man. When Jesus was grown up, He announced that the kingdom of God was at hand, and that’s because He was the King. But His primary purpose at that time was not to establish His kingdom on earth, but to die to pay for the sins of ones God had chosen to save. And that’s what Jesus did, fully satisfying God’s justice, enabling God to have mercy on sinners. All people who repent of their sins and believe that Jesus suffered and died for them, thereby paying the penalty for their sins, are born again, forgiven, and spiritually enter into the kingdom of God. Mark 1:15, John 3:3
Sadly, most of the Jews rejected Jesus, for they didn’t want Him to be their Savior, they just wanted Him to be their King. But this rejection of Jesus was all part of God’s divine plan, for the church then became His means to build His kingdom. Since that time and up to the present day, this gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached all over the world (Acts 1:8). Might we be like Paul, who was “solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus” (Acts 28:23). It’s now close to 2000 years after Christ’s 1st coming, and we should be thrilled that hundreds of millions of people have experienced the gracious love of God, having been rescued from the domain of darkness, and transferred to the Kingdom of God’s Son (Colossians 1:13). During this entire church age, Jesus Christ has been faithfully building His church, thereby, building God’s kingdom, not in a physical way, but in a spiritual way. Jesus said it this way, “The kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:21
But this is not just a church age, it’s also an evil age, for there’s calamity, deception, distress and hate all around the world. Godless people are fighting against God, wanting power and control for their own glory, but not for His glory. They are not seeking God’s kingdom, they want their own little kingdom. But God has purposed and planned to send His own Son, the King of kings, to establish His kingdom on earth, and He will not be thwarted, He will not be stopped. Psalm 2, Revelation 11:15
Since we live in the end-times, we know we will soon “see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). The first thing to happen at Christ’s coming is that Christians will be raptured, safely and quickly taken up from the earth to be with Him. Immediately after that, God will pour out His wrath, justly punishing the unbelievers still living on earth. Then a remnant of Jews will be redeemed, at which time Christ the King will return. “In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives… the Lord will be King over all the earth.” Zechariah 14:4, 14
What God promised again and again, will finally come true. We need to wake up and be excited about what God is doing, for it won’t be long before we see Him fulfilling His promises. This evil age that’s been going on since the time of Adam and Eve, along with this church age, will soon and suddenly come to an end. Not long after that, we will see our King wisely, lovingly, justly and perfectly ruling over the earth. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, and “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.” Philippians 2:10-11, Habakkuk 2:14
During the millennial kingdom age, this earth will be dramatically, wonderfully, beautifully and magnificently different than now. Everything, spiritually, physically, relationally, and socially, is going to change for the better. That’s because Jesus Christ will be completely in charge of His earthly kingdom for 1000 glorious years, and we, being perfect, will be perfectly ruling with Him. Might we be seeking God’s spiritual kingdom, praying for His visible kingdom to come, waiting for the return of the King, and saying, “Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Matthew 6:10, 14, 33
P.S. Your understanding of God’s kingdom is very helpful for you being able to see the big picture, and your role in God’s work in the world. Therefore, I would encourage you to read two previous posts about God’s kingdom, The Kingdom of God and Kingdom Instructions for the Church.
I
hope you aren’t sleeping. I pray you are wide awake, spiritually speaking, and
know that this present age will soon and suddenly end, that Jesus Christ will
rapture the Christians, pour out His wrath, redeem a remnant of Jews, and then
reign over this earth. In other words, Christ is coming back to take up the
saints, take out the enemy, and take over the world. In last week’s post, I
focused on the millennial kingdom, when Christ will be reigning over this world,
and you, being glorified, will be worshiping Him, serving Him and reigning with
Him. But much more needs to be said:
* You will be serving God on a renovated earth, one much better than this sin-cursed world. Romans 8:21 says, “The creation itself will be set free from its corruption into the freedom of the glory of God’s children.” Acts 3:21 talks about the “period of restoration of all things.” Psalm 98:8 says, “Let the mountains sing together for joy.” Isaiah 65:25 tells us, “The wolf and the lamb will feed together.” Not only that, but non-glorified people will live a lot longer on this restored earth, for Isaiah 65:20 says, “The one who does not reach the age of one hundred will be thought accursed.” This means there will still be sin and death. Nevertheless, how wonderful it will be during this magnificent kingdom age, for we will serve God in a more glorified place, witness peace on earth, and hear great multitudes of people praising our King (Psalm 67:3-4). Then it will get even better, far better, for after this 1000-year kingdom age (Revelation 20:1-6) comes the eternal kingdom, a perfect and most glorious age, when there will be “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away.” Revelation 21:1
* You will be with your loved ones who knew the Lord. The Thessalonian believers were sad, for they feared they would never see deceased fellow believers again. But Paul told them not to grieve like the world (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Yes, you can be sad when a Christian friend or family member dies, but don’t be too sad. Whether by death or by rapture, you will soon see them again. You must understand that relationships continue from earth to heaven, from this age to the next age. Why would God place you with certain Christians on earth, but then never, or rarely ever, want you to see them in the coming ages? Your hope is that you will have heart-satisfying and God-glorifying fellowship with Christians you knew on earth, and a great number of others.
* You will have a home in your Father’s house. Jesus tells us that He will come again and receive us to Himself, and then take us to our heavenly home (John 14:1-3), one that will be infinitely better than any of our earthly homes. It will be perfect, immaculate, beautiful and relaxing, personally prepared for you, and ideally suited for worship and fellowship. You see, during the millennial kingdom age, we will be glorified and need no sleep. That being true, it may mean we will serve Christ on the earth during the daytime (being “in charge of many things” – Matthew 25:21), and then jet off to worship God and fellowship with saints in our heavenly home during the rest of that 24-hour day.
* You will be with newly saved Jewish believers during the millennial kingdom. With all that has been said about Christians being with Christ during the millennial kingdom, it must be remembered that a large remnant of Jewish people will be saved at the end of Daniel’s 70th week, and these believers, along with 144,000 more, will be with Christ in the city of Jerusalem, and in the nation of Israel (Romans 11:26-27, Revelation 7:4-8). Hundreds of Old Testament verses speak about the future of these Jewish people (Ezekiel 37:21-28). How all the glorified believers will interact and work with these Jewish believers during the millennial kingdom is not completely known. But it has to relate to the wonderful future God has for you, part of this described in Romans 15:10, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people (Jewish believers).”
The New Testament epistles are about the church, about our present and future lives. Ephesians 1:10-11 speaks about our future,“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 the earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” Do you see this, that God has revealed to us the mystery of His will, that all things will be summed up in Christ, and that we will receive a glorious inheritance? Our future will be very, very good, incredibly and perfectly good.
Ephesians 1:20-21 tells us about the authority of Christ “in this age but also in the one to come.” Now this age to come is the millennial kingdom age. Then Ephesians 2:7 sums up our future by saying, “so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”“The ages to come” is referring to the millennial and eternal ages. What God has planned out for us is unbelievable, beyond comprehension. I hope you see that you are a very rich kid, blessed way beyond anything you could ever imagine. Our heavenly Father is so loving, so kind, and so generous. Be praying 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” (Ephesians 1:18). And make sure you love Him and live for Him during this age, and be looking forward to worshiping and serving Him in the coming kingdom ages.
Life can be hard, very hard, sometimes seemingly impossible. There can be personal struggles, family conflicts, work difficulties, church problems, physical ailments, and even great persecution. What can encourage you and help keep you going is knowing and experiencing the love of God. In this post, my primary focus is how God will show you His love in the future, what we call hope. I’ve talked a lot about this hope, because far too many Christians don’t know much about it. Hope for your life is essential. It’s like flour for a cake, for if you don’t have flour, you are not going to have a cake. And if you don’t have hope, your Christian life will be flat, without the purpose, direction, drive and energy God wants you to have. Today I want to look at a major part of this hope, the millennial kingdom. What does God want you to know about it?
* The millennial kingdom will last exactly one thousand years, a fact which Revelation 20 repeats six times. Compared to the length of your present life on earth, this next age will last a very, very long time. To illustrate – if you live to the age of 80, your life during the millennial kingdom will be 12.5 times longer than your present life on earth. Or think about it this way – 80 years is only 8% of 1000 years. Revelation 20:1-7
* Jesus Christ will reign as King over the earth during the millennial kingdom. When you think about many of the bad leaders in today’s world, this is extremely good news, for we will soon have a perfect Ruler, one who is holy, powerful, loving and sovereign over all things and all people. Yes, Christ is King now, but He’s behind the scenes. But then, He will be King in a visible, personal, direct, and most glorious way. Zechariah 14:9, Psalm 2:7-9
* Satan, that most evil devil, will be gone from the earth, locked up for the entire 1000 years, which means he will have absolutely no influence on this earth. He won’t be prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. He won’t tempt anyone to sin. He won’t have his forces of darkness on earth, and therefore, won’t be able to unleash his demons with all their sinful schemes and false teaching. Revelation 20:1-3
* All believers from this present age will possess brand new bodies, like that of Jesus Christ, Himself. These will be powerful bodies, immortal bodies, glorified bodies, and spiritual bodies. Completely free from sin and all manners of corruption, these perfect and magnificent bodies will enable you to be and do all that God wants. 1 Corinthians 15:40-42, Philippians 3:20-21
* All glorified believers will be perfectly worshiping Jesus Christ. Can you imagine being able to always love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength? Think what it will be like to worship the Lord, to sing to Him and give Him all the honor, praise and glory that He deserves. Think about being part of a heavenly choir that is perfectly and harmoniously singing praises to our Lord, Savior and King. “Sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth.” Psalm 47:6-7, Revelation 5:13
* All glorified believers will be perfectly serving Jesus Christ. You will be able to serve Christ during this kingdom age in much greater and more productive ways than you are doing now. “You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things” (Matthew 25:21) “You will be in authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17). “He who keeps my deeds to the end, to Him will I give authority over the nations” (Revelation 2:26). I am really looking forward to this time when we will, effortlessly and wholeheartedly, be working for Christ, fulfilling His purposes, and bringing Him glory. Ephesians 2:7-10
* This kingdom age will be a good age. Now we live in an evil age, which is the way it has been since Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin. During this entire age, “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). But once Jesus Christ begins ruling, it will be a good age, for Satan will be gone, and the work, holiness, goodness and glory of Christ will be profoundly seen, dramatically affecting the whole world. Not only that, but you, I, and a great number of glorified believers will be assisting Christ, reigning with Him, serving Him, and fulfilling His purposes. Galatians 1:4, Revelation 5:10
* There’s this present age, the coming millennial kingdom age, and then the eternal kingdom age. Do you see that we are getting close to the end of this age, and will soon be living during the millennial kingdom age? Be encouraged and very thankful that God “has raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6-7). Let’s pray: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven… For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” Matthew 6:10, 13
P.S. This post is for everyone, for we all need godly hope. But in particular, I am thinking of those who are hurting, who are ill, who have chronic ailments, who need present grace, but also, need the hope of future grace. Might we live for the Lord today, but be looking ahead to the glorious future that He has for all who believe in Him. There is more on this next week.
How you think about your future dramatically affects how you live your life in the present. Some people don’t think much at all, with the result that their minds are empty, or are filled with worthless things. (Psalm 119:36-37). Others think in sinful and worldly ways, in ways that aren’t pleasing to God (Ephesians 4:17-19). There are those who live in the past, proud about what they did, or mad about some real or supposed injustice, but we are to forget what lies behind (Philippians 3:13). There are those who are worried, fearful and anxious about what might lie ahead. They have the “what ifs”. (Matthew 6:34). Then there are some so focused on the future that they are not living in the present. Many of these are dreamers (Ecclesiastes 11:4), people who have not learned how to live today in light of the future, their life on earth and life in heaven.
That last sentence gives the key as to how we are to think about our lives, that we need hope, that we need to live today in view of the future God has for us. Thinking like this gives us the big picture with the right mindset. And only God’s word can give us this perspective, this overview of our life. There’s the soul-soothing, 2-part perspective of Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” There’s the eternal perspective of 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.” Many other verses summarize our lives, and in particular, express the hope that God has for us: Philippians 1:6, 3:12-21; 1 Corinthians 1:30, 15:20-28
Then there’s Colossians 3:1-4, one of my favorites. It instructs you to set your mind on things above, on things of God, on things talked about in His Word. You are not to set your mind on things of this world, and be worldly. You are to live for Christ, and you are to think about the future, when Christ will be revealed, and you will be raptured. You are to also think about being revealed with Him in glory, when you will reign with Him during the millennial kingdom. This is the right perspective, a godly perspective, living for Christ today, and looking forward to living for Him in the future.
The reason I write about hope is because Christians need hope. As you know, all successful people have hope. A person working at a job looks forward to getting paid. A student studies hard and expects to get good grades. An athlete practices with a view of winning the next game. A Christian serves the Lord, knowing it will result in blessing in this age and in the ages to come. As a child of God, you have to have hope, which means you need to know and be convinced of what your Father tells you in His Word about your future.
What is this hope? Well it’s not just thinking about the rapture, and the events leading up to it. That thinking is incomplete, and sadly, many Christians have this short-sighted mindset. It’s also knowing you will see Jesus for the first time, and be with Him forever. It’s knowing you will be glorified, and receive a brand new body. It’s knowing you will never be sinful, sad, sick, tired, or in pain again. It’s knowing you will be with believers, especially with loved ones you knew on earth. It’s knowing you will be in heaven, in a perfect place, and in a perfect home. It’s knowing you will be perfectly serving Christ during the kingdom age. It’s knowing that you will love God like never before, praising Him and singing to Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
I think about these things. Now I don’t think about them all the
time, but they are on my mind every day. I have to say, I really look forward
to this wonderful future; I get excited about what God has in store for me; and
I long for that time when my hope will become reality, when I will leave this
earth and this evil age, and be in heaven with Jesus.
I want to say a few more things about the future, specifically the time between now, 2019, and the age to come, that magnificent millennial kingdom age. * I think about how we now live in the end-times, which means it won’t be long before the return of Christ and the rapture of the church. In my opinion, it’s not a few years from now, and not centuries from now, but decades from now. Matthew 24:33 * I think about the upward call, meaning I will either die and be with Jesus in heaven, or be raptured and then be with Jesus in heaven. Philippians 3:14 * Throughout history, believers have been dying and going to heaven, and a great many have already been there hundreds and even thousands of years, but that won’t be true for us. The fact that we live in the end-times means we won’t be staying in heaven very long before we come back to earth with Jesus Christ and the other believers, and begin our 1000-year reign with Him. Reigning with Him will be glorious! Isaiah 6:3
We should be thrilled and thankful that now is our time to live. Might we be thinking and living like Paul, “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead… toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14). “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
Bible prophecy tells us what will happen in the future, not every single detail, but what God wants us to know. This foretelling of coming events is an amazing and encouraging part of His word. You should be extremely excited by the fact that you can know what will be taking place in the years leading up to Christ’s return to earth. But God doesn’t just tell you what events will be taking place, He also tells you when they will take place. By saying “when”, I don’t mean the exact date when they will take place, but rather, the chronology of these upcoming events. To really understand Christ’s coming, and to fully live for Him in these end-times, you need to know the order of these future events.
But how can you know the order, the sequence of future events? How will you be able to see that Christ’s return is getting closer and closer? By understanding this timing tool, this time-frame called Daniel’s 70th week. Here’s what you need to know about this 70th week. It’s still future. It’s exactly seven years long. It bridges this present age with the next age. It’s a time period during which many major prophesied events will occur: * At the beginning of this 70th week, this man, who will be known as the Antichrist, will make or confirm a covenant, a treaty, between Israel and other nations. Daniel 9:27 * At the 3½ year mark of this 7-year week, the Antichrist will be revealed and seen by Christians and Jews for who he really is, the most devilish man to ever live. Daniel 9:27 * Sometime during the second half of this 7-year period, Christ will come and rapture the church, and gather all believers to Himself. Matthew 24:31, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 * During the last part of Daniel’s 70th week, just after the rapture of the church, God’s righteous wrath will be poured out upon this most sinful earth. Revelation 8-9, 16 * At the end of this 70th week, Jesus Christ will return, save a large remnant of Jews, establish Himself as King, and shortly thereafter, begin His 1000-year reign over the earth. Zechariah 14:9, Revelation 11:15
It’s 2019, and Daniel’s 70th week is still future. This coming “week” will be one very long “week,” a destructive and deadly seven years, a time when there will be spiritual warfare between God and Satan like never before. For many of you, this will be your time to live for the Lord, to serve, fight and suffer for your King. God wants you to be ready for this prophecy-packed 70th week, to know what events will be taking place and when they will be taking place. Now this 70th week, this 7-year divine calendar, doesn’t give you all the details, but it will help you know what and when future events will be happening.
There’s something else that will enable you to understand the order, the chronology of coming events, and that’s timing words and phrases. Here’s a list of them from Matthew 24:4-40: “beginning, then, at that time, end, when, then, then, then, immediately after, then, then, when, when, before, until, then.” The word “then” is a timing word which means, “soon after that, next in order of time” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). “When” means, “at or during which time” (M.W.D). “Until” means, “up to the time that” (M.W.D.) You have to see and understand these timing words if you are going to know when prophetic events take place, that is, the order they will occur in the time leading up to the return of Christ.
Most prophecy passages contain timing words and phrases. In 1 Corinthians 15:23-28, there’s “in his own order, after that, then, when, when, until, last, when, when, then.” In Luke 21:7-33, we find “when, when, when, take place first, follow immediately, before, when, then, then, in those days, until, then, when, drawing near, is now near, when, is near.” When you study prophecy, you need to be looking for these words and phrases. Recognizing these timing words, and knowing the timing tool, Daniel’s 70th week, are two important keys to understanding the order, the sequence of end-time events.
In these end-times, God wants you to be a watchman (Psalm 130:6, Ezekiel 3:17). This means knowing what His word says about prophetic events, and then waiting and looking for them to happen. To be a good watchman, you must know the chronology of end-time events. Then when you see these events taking place: * you will have more faith in God because you can see that He is keeping His word; * you will have more peace because you see that all is going according to God’s word; * you will be all the more convinced and excited that Jesus Christ is coming back; * you will have greater joy and hope, for you know you will soon see your Savior; * you will be more motivated to share the gospel with the lost; and * you will want to tell other Christians what God is doing, how He’s carrying out His plans for the return of His Son, and that it won’t be long.
I encourage you to study all the New Testament prophecy passages. Grow in your convictions about the end-times, the coming of Christ, the rapture of the church, and all of God’s plans for the ages to come. And be a watchman. Then you will be “encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25
The young church at Thessalonica had a great interest in learning about Christ’s return and the future God had for them. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul taught that at Christ’s coming, all believers who had died throughout history would be resurrected, and all believers still living on earth would be raptured, and then together they would meet the Lord in the air. But Paul had much more to say about God’s end-time plans for the believers and the unbelievers, and so he continues to teach them.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. Paul knew they did not need to know about times and seasons, about dates and events, for he had already taught them these things. “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” Right after the Christians are raptured, this day of the Lord, God’s cataclysmic judgment, will devastate this evil world. And “they”, the unsuspecting unbelievers, will be totally caught off guard. With the Antichrist ruling the world, “they” will be saying “peace and safety,” and be “eating and drinking” (Matthew 24:38). But “they” will be deceived, for it’s a pseudo peace. Suddenly the skies will darken and there will be a great earthquake, and “they” will try to run and hide, but there will be no escaping “the wrath of the Lamb.” “Then destruction will come upon them.” Revelation 6:12-17, Revelation 8-9
1 Thessalonians 5:4-5. “But you brethren are not in darkness…” Paul makes a clear and marked contrast between the Christians and the unbelievers who are living in the end-times, for “they” refers to the unbelievers, but “you” refers to the believers. “You” are not in darkness. “You” will escape God’s judgment. The day of the Lord won’t overtake “you.” This day of the Lord will not be like a “thief in the night” to “you.” And why won’t Christians be caught off guard and surprised by the sudden coming of Christ? Because they are children of God, “are sons of light and sons of day,” and know all about the “times and seasons” leading up to Christ’s coming. Not only that, but they love Christ and are serving Christ, and are looking forward to His return. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
1 Thessalonians 5:6-8, 11. What Paul communicates in these verses are clear, concise instructions as to how Christians should live at all times and, particularly, in the end-times. It is the 21st century and “salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11). I’m convinced God is now raising up an army of godly Christians who have insight, and know what they should do in these last years before Christ’s return. * We should not be asleep, we should be awake and alert in both mind and heart. We should not be unaware of, nor indifferent to, what God’s word says about the events associated with Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church. We should be watchful and discerning Christians, ones who are rightly assessing what is happening in the world around us. And we should be excitedly living for Christ and looking for His return. * We should be sober, and not be drunk. We should not be wrongly influenced by worldly indulgences and sensual pleasures that dull our mind and soul, and our love for God. We should be serious, self-controlled Christians, living all out for God by diligently doing all the work He wants us to do. 1 Peter 4:7-11 * We should put on the breastplate of faith and love, for this is our spiritual protection, our means of standing firm against the schemes of the devil. We should trust God by trusting in His word, in His promises, and in His power. We should love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, and love our neighbors. Ephesians 6:10-18, Mark 12:30
* We should put on our spiritual helmet, which is the hope of salvation, for hope motivates us and helps us to endure for the Lord. We should know all about our future, being glorified, with Jesus, with other believers, and reigning with Christ in the millennial kingdom. We need to know that the best is yet to come. Psalm 84 * We should encourage one another, and all the more as the day of Christ draws near. We are tempted, we sin, we get weary, we get discouraged, and we need one another and need to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24-25 * We should build one another up. By both word and example, we are to disciple others, care for others, and help others spiritually grow up and make progress in their lives, character, and work for God. Matthew 28:19-20, Ephesians 4:11-16
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10. “God has not destined us for wrath…” How incredibly merciful and amazing that God enables us to escape His punishing wrath. Oh, we may go through momentary, light tribulation, but we will experience no “day of the Lord” at the end of this age, and no painful “lake of fire” that lasts forever. We will experience just the opposite, a perfect, wonderful, glorious and eternal future, with God our Father, Jesus Christ, and all the saints. Whether we are awake (alive when Christ returns), or asleep, (have died before His return), we will obtain “salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.” As Christians, we will soon be glorified, and then forever live together with Jesus. “Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:18
