An Introduction To Prophecy

Humans like to be sure what to expect so they can plan ahead.   The response to Corona virus has reminded us that things can change dramatically very quickly.  Who would have ever thought on New Years day that three months later most of the businesses in the United States would be shut down and that we would be forbidden to leave our homes?  Not knowing how long the different states will maintain the lockdown, many people are wondering whether they will be able to survive or to keep their homes.  They are looking for somebody who can tell them what to expect, and numerous experts in the fields of medicine, economics and politics are making predictions.

For years, we have had experts trying to predict the weather, and even with the vast amounts of data we collect with modern means of communication and hundreds of years of records to compare it to, we can only make general predictions as to the probability of what the weather will do because there are too many variables we cannot predict that affect it.  Predicting the effects of the Corona virus scare will last has the same problems of being unable to predict how long people will live in fear or which companies will be unable to survive the lockdown. 

Fortunately, God created the world, and knows how each thing that happens affects the rest of the world because he is able to see into the future as well as the past.  He does not have to try to guess what the results will be.  He has not told us all the details, because with our rebellious nature, if we knew those details we would probably try to change them to make it turn out differently than he has planned.  Over the centuries, he has given people the information they needed to at the different times in order to protect those who believed in him, whether warning Noah about the flood, Joseph about the famine in Egypt, or the various prophets warning Israel about judgment to come if they did not change their actions. 

Today, the gift of prophecy has largely disappeared, because God has given us most of the prophecies we need in the scriptures.  When we look back at the ancient prophecies recorded there, we find that while most of them related to the things that were going on at the time, many foretold things far in the future, some of which have not yet happened.  The prophecy in Daniel 2, for example gives an outline of World history from about 605 BC until the return of Christ as king.  While not greatly detailed, it gives us a frame work for understanding how other, more detailed prophecies fit into the overall plan God has.  With that in mind, I would like to start this series with a study of that prophecy. 

Daniel 2:1 tells us when and how the prophecy came about.  “And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.”   Traditionally, historians have dated Nebuchadnezzar’s reign as starting about 605 BC, although there is considerable evidence it may not have started until about forty years later, or about 565 BC.  This is relevant because as Daniel 2:38 tells us, the prophecy starts with Nebuchadnezzar’s reign.

One problem we find with understanding prophecies is that charlatans tend to interpret the prophecy in such a way as to benefit themselves.  They try to learn as much about the person they are talking to as possible in order to learn what will be most convincing to him.    Knowing this, when his prophets and wise men insisted they needed more information before they could interpret it, Nebuchadnezzar accused them of trying to make up a story in Daniel 2:9.  “But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation thereof.”

Based on their inability to interpret his dream, Nebuchadnezzar ordered all the wise men executed as frauds.  One of the wise men, Daniel believed God could show the dream, and asked permission to try to learn what it meant before they were killed, as Daniel 2:12-16 describes.  “For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.  And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.  Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation.”

When Daniel and his friends prayed, God revealed the meaning of the dream to them, in Daniel 2:17-19.  “Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.  Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.  Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.  I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter. “

When Daniel was brought before the king, Daniel made a deliberate point that only God could give an accurate interpretation, as Daniel 2:26-28a makes very clear.  “The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?

 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days.”

That God is the only one able to truly interpret prophecy is a very important point.  Peter expands on this point in II Peter 1:19-21.  “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”  We can be sure that God’s prophecies are true, but they cannot be properly interpreted except as compared with other scriptures.  No priest or prophet or religious organization has the right to make up their own interpretation.  When properly interpreted, all of the prophecies by different prophets complement each other.  Contradictions indicate an improper interpretation, since God directed what each prophet was to say.    

The Importance Of Correctly Interpreting Scripture

As Christians, we need to be very careful not to misuse the scriptures to justify our actions or to coerce others into doing what we want.    The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in several instances of such actions.  For example, several have used Isaiah 26:20, “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast,” to tell us that God commanded we should shut down the churches during this time.  When taken by itself, it sounds like a good interpretation of the verse.   However, if we take Isaiah 26:2-3 by themselves, we would get exactly the opposite message.  “Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”  Which one are we to believe?

II Peter 1:20 tells us, “…no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”  Literally, Peter says no verse or passage can be interpreted solely on that one verse or passage, because as the next verse, I Peter 1:21 tells us, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”  The prophets did not write their own ideas, but what they were directed to write by God as part of his overall message.  Isaiah 26:2-3 and Isaiah 26:20 are part of the same message and do not contradict each other.  The first step in properly interpreting these verses is to look more closely at the entire chapter to see what it is about and how these verses fit into the chapter. 

Isaiah 24 and 25 have told about God’s future judgment on the earth because of wickedness.  Isaiah 26 is a song the Jews will sing when that all takes place, as we see in Isaiah 26:1-6.  “In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.  Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.  The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.” 

God will deal with the wickedness around them so that his people can focus on him and his power without fear.  Isaiah 26:7-describes their attitude.  “The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.   Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.   With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”

No matter how blessed they are, the wicked have the opposite attitude, as we see in Isaiah 26:10-11.  “Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.  LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.”  Their own hatred will destroy them. 

Israel and Judah were blessed of God, but they turned away and were conquered by other people, but despite various efforts to wipe them out they have survived, and their enemies have been destroyed as Isaiah 26:12-14 tells us.  “LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.  O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.  They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.”

Finally Israel will turn to God, recognizing it has been his power and not their own that has preserved them as Isaiah 26:15-18 describes.  “Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.  LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.  Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.  We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.”

When they finally realize that The Lord will return to set up his earthly kingdom, raising those who have died in the Lord, as Isaiah 26:19 explains.  “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”

Just before that happens,  Jesus warned that there would beone last drive to wipe out the Jews and those who believe in God, in Matthew 24:15-22.  “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”

Daniel 12:1-2 speaks of this same time.  “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Isaiah 26:20-21 is speaking of this same period.  “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.  For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”  It has nothing to do with how we are to deal with Covid-19, and misinterpreting it may well lead to disobedience of God. 

The Door Is Still Open

Christ’s promises about his return and his eternal kingdom were written down to comfort believers facing the problems of day to day life in this world, as I Thessalonians 4:18 tells us.  “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”  These promises are not just allegorical or mythological stories to make us feel good, however.  They are literal events that will happen exactly as God said, even though they may not turn out as most prophecy teachers have described, as the angel explained in Revelation 22:6-7.  “And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”

 Those who act on the promises God has given in Revelation will experience great blessings.  Most Revelation is describing what God will or has done, but Revelation 2 and 3 focus on what people in different churches need to do.  Unfortunately, many have interpreted those two chapters as referring to a historical picture describing different periods of history rather than a call to action for churches today.  As a result, many Christians see no need to act on the changes he told the churches to make.  They often resent any suggestion they need to make changes. 

John makes it very clear that these prophecies are not some product of his imagination or of some ungodly spirit in Revelation 22:8-9.  “And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”  The angel was very clear the focus was to be on Jesus Christ, and not on himself. 

The angel went on to stress that these teachings were to be available to the people because the time was close and people would need to be aware of them.    When the Lord comes, there will be no chance to get ready and make changes.  Each person will be rewarded according to what they have done in this present life, according to Revelation 22:10-13.  “And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”  It is the same point Jesus made in the story of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13, that we have to be ready before it happens. 

Those who have believed God and obeyed him will have eternal access to that New Jerusalem.  Those who have not will be in the Lake of Fire with no hope of pardon, as Revelation 22:14-15 tells us.  “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”

Today, the invitation is still open for anyone who will accept it, but it has to be accepted on God’s terms.  Those who try to change the terms will miss out completely, as Revelation 22:16-19 tells us.  “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”   Efforts to change the terms voids the entire contract.  No counter offers will be considered.

An Everlasting Government

Across the southwestern United States are hundreds of ruins of ancient communities. While some were attacked and destroyed by other tribes, many of them seem to have been deserted as a result of drought resulting in famine.   Water is essential for life, for both plants and animals.  When there isn’t enough water, people are forced to leave.  The ancient pueblos had depended on runoff from the surrounding mountains to supply water for themselves and their crops.  When the climate changed, they had to leave.  The New Jerusalem will never have that problem, as Revelation 22:1 tells us.  “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

Growing up in New Mexico, I thought springs were small seeps yielding only  few gallons of water per day.  While in college, I had the opportunity to see the big spring near Chicopee, Missouri.  It literally feeds an entire river by itself.   Apparently, a similar spring will be located under the throne in New Jerusalem, feeding an entire river which flows down alongside the main thoroughfare, as described in Revelation 22:2.  “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

The banks of the river and the median of the main street are lined with Tree of life trees, bearing fruit year around.  The leaves of the tree are of great medicinal value, preventing and curing mankind’s health problems.  These trees are very possibly descendants of the tree mentioned in Genesis 2:9.  As a result of sin man has not had access to that tree since man’s sin.  Genesis 3:22-24 describes how access was cut off.  “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”  Since the Flood in Noah’s day there is no record of the Tree of Life.   

As a result of man’s sin the ground was cursed in Genesis 3:17-19.  “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”    

With the creation of the new earth, the curse is removed so that the earth again only produces plants that are good for food, according to Revelation 22:3-4.  “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”  With God once again in full control.  The earth will once again be the way God created it, as described in Isaiah 11:6-9.   

Animals and people will once again be able to be healthy solely on a vegetarian diet, as described in Isaiah 11:6-9.  “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

With God in control and nothing or no one to cause trouble, the new heaven and new earth will last forever, as Revelation 22:5 states.  “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”  Isaiah 9:7 tells us, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

The New Jerusalem Described

After the destruction of the present world, God will make a new one, and will build a new city or place for his people to live for eternity, called New Jerusalem.  John begins to describe the city in Revelation 21:9-14.  “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

The description is quite detailed, yet exactly what is meant is somewhat unclear, probably as a result of translation from the Greek to English, especially as John was not a highly skilled linguist, writing Revelation in a somewhat crude form of Greek, as compared to the gospel of John which was originally written in Hebrew and translated to Greek by skilled translators, according to Pappias, about 100 AD.  For example he says the light was like a Jasper stone, clear as crystal.  Over the centuries various forms of chalcedony have been referred to as jasper.  Some are opaque, while others are translucent and even occasionally transparent,  While most of what we know as jasper is red or brown, it also include green, yellow, and black forms in various shades.  What we do know is that the city has twelve basic foundation blocks commemorating the twelve apostles. And that there are twelve gates, three in each wall to provide access.   

The city is huge, as we see in Revelation 21:15-17.  “And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.  And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.   And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.  A furlong is an eighth of a mile, so twelve thousand furlongs is a thousand, five hundred miles.  Imagine a city that reaches from Boston to Miami and west to Kansas City Kansas. And as tall as six thousand empire state buildings.  By comparison, the space station is about two hundred twenty miles above earth, and the Hubble Space Telescope is three hundred fifty three miles above the earth.   The walls are about two hundred sixteen feet thick to support the weight.   

Revelation 21:18-21 gives details about the materials used for construction.  “And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.  And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.  And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.”  The walls are of Jasper stone, decorated with gold so pure you can see through it.  The twelve foundations commemorating the twelve Apostles are overlaid with precious and semi-precious stones.   

Because God himself and Jesus Christ are always there, there is no need for a temple of church where people go to meet him.  Because they are light, there is no need for the sun or the moon. John describes this in Revelation 21:22-23.  “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

While New Jerusalem is the capital city, the Christians are not restricted to staying within the walls.  The gates will remain open as long as there is light, and God and Christ provide light continually, as Revelation 21:24-27 tells us.  “ And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.   And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.  And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.”   Obviously, the gates are strictly for decoration as they will never be closed.  Every evil thing was cast into the lake of fire before the New Heaven and earth were formed, so there is no need to shut anyone or anything out.  

Heaven and Earth Replaced

II Peter 3:10-13 tells us, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

As Christians, we should be looking forward to that new heaven and new earth.  From Revelation 20-21, we understand that the new heaven and new earth will not appear until after that final judgement at the great white throne.  At that time all who have rejected Christ are condemned to the Lake of Fire, and the old earth contaminated with millennia of sin will be destroyed and replaced with a new heaven and earth, as Revelation 21:1 describes.  “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”

We do not know what the new heaven or earth will be like, but it will definitely be different than this world.  Today three quarters of the earth’s surface is covered with water, and in that day there will be no more sea.  The new culture and government will be far different than any we have today, as John describes in Revelation 21:2-8.  “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

There will be no criminal element or fear in the New Jerusalem, because all those were controlled by fear, lust and deceit have been cast into the lake of fire.  Those who survive the judgment will be those who have believed and loved God, and will have a personal relationship with God himself, even better than that described in John 14:21-23, because it will include the physical as well as the spiritual.  “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”    As Christians, we definitely hav something to look forward to. 

The Final Judgement

Those who have believed in Christ will be resurrected during the Rapture, when Christ comes back to earth.  For a thousand years, Christ will reign as king in a world with none of the problems of this present world.  After a thousand years, Satan will be loosed for a little while, and unbelievable as it seems, a majority of those alive in that day will choose Satan as their ruler.  This time God simply sends fire from heaven to destroy them and Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire to suffer throughout eternity.  This final rebellion will be the last straw.  Neither Satan nor mankind will be given any more chances. 

All those who have died will be resurrected to stand judgement for what they did during their lives, as described in Revelation 20:11-15.  “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

In Romans 14:10-12, Paul states, “…for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”  The records of what each person has done in their life will be checked and they will be punished or commended accordingly.  The records are extremely detailed, including even the words we spoke, as Jesus said in Matthew 12:36-37.  “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Fortunately, I John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Those who have accepted him have had all record of their sin erased, as Colossians 2:13-14 tells us.   “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

Finally another book, the Book of Life is opened and anyone whose name is not in it is cast into the Lake of Fire, regardless how much good or evil they may have done during their life.  John 3:16-18 explains what is required to have one’s name written in the book of life.  ”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  They are cast into the Lake of Fire because of their refusal to believe in Jesus Christ.  This is the second death, as Revelation 20:14 tells us.   Mark 9:44, 46, and 48 describe it as a place where he soul, the living part never dies, and the fire never goes out.  It is the same picture as that in Revelation 20:10.  “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”  Perhaps the best illustration we have here on earth is of a burn victim, who though still alive feels as though his body is still on fire and nothing will alleviate his pain.