Posted by Author Unknown on 12/15/2001, 7:56 pm

Posted by Author Unknown on 10/16/2001, 1:55 pm In the beginning of this book, we envisioned Paradise. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden. The Creator had commissioned Adam to prune the trees, till the soil, and have dominion over Earth. God then created Eve as a helper for Adam. There were no thorns to hurt them, no bugs to bite them, and the curse man now suffers was not in effect. Eden was the most beautiful place on the face of the planet. Every tree was pleasant to behold. There was an abundance of water. This garden was phenomenal. What a contrast to the impoverished state of our present world. God had put it in the hearts of the animals to revere man. Nothing was to be hurt in God's holy mountain. Death had yet to leave its stain. The LORD God was walking in the garden in the cool of the day fellowshipping with his children. This natural earthly scene represents the future paradise God has for us in heaven. However, before we all go over yonder, the kingdom Christ spoke of must first come to earth. Once again this Earth will blossom. “No longer will there be any curse.” Jesus is returning to take back possession of the planet Adam forfeited to Satan. However, Earth is a far cry from the serene planet it once was—wickedness, corruption, sin, and death, now reign. Therefore God will bring this planet back into its former glory. New Heavens and a New Earth “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. “Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them. Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.” (Isaiah 65:17-25, NIV). The first part of this last passage transcends the coming millennial kingdom into eternity, then the view changes to squarely depict life on earth during Christ's kingdom. Animals will go back to eating grass, and they will no longer be a threat to man. “The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest” (Isaiah 11:8, NIV). Even formerly venomous snakes will pose no threat in Paradise. Because newborn children are mentioned in this last text and also sinners and death in the passage before, these verses are not illustrations depicting heaven. These passages concern the earth. Christ's Kingdom The coming of the Son of Man will be with power and great glory. The whole world will see Christ's majesty as he sets forth to bring in a kingdom of righteousness. When Jesus returns to the Mount of Olives and delivers Israel from Antichrist's rage, then the Jews will receive Jesus as their true Messiah. “Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence” (Hosea 6:1-2, NIV). Could these days in Hosea represent thousand-year periods? It has been almost two thousand years since Israel rejected and then murdered their Messiah. During the third thousand-year period, Christ's kingdom will be ushered in. There are several Old Testament prophecies concerning this coming kingdom of Jesus Christ. One of these prophecies demonstrates that “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him [Christ]—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:2 author’s insert, NIV). The word “Christ” means Anointed One. It is the Spirit of God that anointed the man Jesus during his ministry. However, since then, Jesus was made a quickening spirit, Jesus Christ is now in a glorified form. This supernatural Christ will not be limited. At this present time, Jesus can visit millions of churches across the globe simultaneously. He will not relinquish this power in his coming kingdom. God has delegated all power to Jesus in heaven and earth. Jesus will rule the earth, “For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ” (I Corinthians15:27, NIV). The devil will be bound for a thousand years during the time of Christ's Kingdom. The Thousand Years “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-4, NIV). This kingdom of God on earth will be as a light to this world. Who Jesus is shall be recognized at that time. “ The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name” (Zechariah 14:9, NIV). The knowledge of God will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Men will see the “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (II Corinthians 4:6, NIV). Mankind will understand it is the Almighty's express image Jesus mirrors. Once again mankind will have God walking in Paradise in the cool of the day, fellowshipping with and instructing his children in righteousness. The Coming of the Kingdom of God “Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. Men will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other” (Luke 17:20:24, NIV). The kingdom of God is within our hearts! Christ said the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Yet, because of unbelieving and wicked men, it has taken an additional two thousand years before the kingdom will finally be ushered in. God will remove Satan from his position as earth’s ruler and shut him up in a prison. The dominance of the earth will then be given over to Christ.