 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.” Jn.8:56. The father of the Christian faith, Abraham, looked forward to a day when he
would no longer wander from land to land in search of the rest he so desired. His heart ached for a time to come when
the temptations of fear and the many threats from living in a sinful world would come to an end. With the liars, thieves,
and murderous men placed in Abraham’s path by the devil, the constant lurking of sinful men ready to take his life in
a moments notice to gain the spoils from his death, Abraham’s dream for a world without sin would not be fulfilled until
GOD destroyed the existence of Satan with all the bitter fruits caused by his sin. The New Testament addresses Abraham’s
deep longing, “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac
and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker
is God.” Heb.11:9,10. The LORD called Abraham
to an honorable work for which he stood faithful to the end of his life. To his persevering faith in GOD, the LORD of
Heaven could safely say of Abraham, “he was called the Friend of God.” Ja.2:23. And of all who have likewise
heard, believed and bore witness to others of the coming kingdom of GOD, “they that say such things declare plainly
that they seek a country…they desire a better, that is an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their
God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” Heb.11:14,16. The Noble Power of Reason prevailed in
the lives of those who have been wearied by living in a world corrupted with selfishness, heartache, and death; and they
chose to give their allegiance to the One through which all may be saved.
There is coming to our world a wondrous city called New Jerusalem. It sits empty in heaven today, waiting for the
arrival of the saints: the faithful from all ages whose allegiance to GOD'S Holy Law secured their position among holy
angels and unfallen worlds. GOD will entrust to them the care of life, and by their hands no harm will come to any living
thing ever again. In the heavenly home, the diverse radiance of life and color, smells and touch, the exquisite symmetry of
the hills and landscape, the mansions of the saints made with unapproachable perfection in their craftsmanship—the
infinite quality of the whole place "eyes have not seen." II Cor.2:9. Jesus has promised to take every
faithful man and woman, with their little children to this heavenly home when He comes again. Said Christ, "In
my Father's house are many mansion: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again [at the 2nd Advent], and receive you unto myself ["in the
clouds" (I Th.4:17)]; that where I am [with GOD the Father], there ye may be also." Jn.14:1-3. The millennium judgment takes place in the heavenly home,
New Jerusalem, for a thousand years, to answer every question, to review the entire history of sin on the Earth, and to rest
in the marvelous deliverance of GOD through Jesus Christ. Principles will be learned that will seem so simple, yet here
and now we are utterly blind to their influence. At the close of the thousand years, New Jerusalem returns
to the earth. The LORD Jesus will come before it and create an incredibly immense valley, fulfilling the Bible’s
prophecies: "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and
the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great
valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south." "And
I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
Zech.14:4; Rev.21:2. In this great valley will rest the New Jerusalem: a city whose size nearly equals the dimensions of the
state of Colorado: 375 miles wide, deep and high, reaching through the sky. The LORD said of the faithful of Mount Zion, “The
wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's
meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.” “He that putteth his trust in
me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain.” Isa.66:25; 57:13. After the judgment and fiery destruction of Satan, his demon angels, and all
sin-promoting human beings, which will be immediately followed by the Savior's Recreation of the Earth in Six
literal days [as “In the beginning” (Gen.1)], the saints will rest on the Seventh day, relishing the first
Sabbath of the Earth's Rebirth. At this time GOD'S intended purpose for our world will be restored: a world
without struggle, threat, or the selfishness of sin. And on the first day, Sunday, the saints will go out to begin their
work of establishing homes, planting gardens, and exploring the wonders whose infinite diversity will be a constant wellspring
of delight throughout the ceaseless years and ages of eternity.
“For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your
seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath
to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” “And they shall build houses, and inhabit
them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit;
they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall
long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are
the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call,
I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Isa.66:22,23; 65:21-24. Truly, the closing
words of childhood fables will then come to pass, And they lived happily ever after.
 |
