Will this world continue forever, or is there a dramatic future change on the horizon that will do away with the planet and current systems as we know them?
The Bible tells us, “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:17) KJV
Another translation says, “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:17 NKJV)
Why is this so? Why won’t this world last forever? Why won’t the desires and mindsets of this world continue into the next age?
God has given mankind dominion over the earth for an allotted period (Genesis 1:26). Many Bible scholars believe this period has been shortened to a 6000-year era from the time of Adam’s sin (Genesis 3:8-24) to the return of Christ (Matthew 24:29-31).
This belief, held not only by Christian scholars, but also Jewish Rabbis is grounded in scripture.
For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. Psalm 90:4
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8
These inspired writers understood the Creator, Who has no beginning or end, created time and is outside of time, and not affected by it.
When Christ returns (which we believe is at the beginning of the 7000th year) the former age will be over, and He will reign on this current earth for 1000 years.
This is what is called the Millennium or Millennial Reign of Christ. After which, there will be one more rebellion against God, when Satan is released from the bottomless pit, to deceive the nations (Revelation 20:7-10).
This rebellion will be short lived, and Christ will crush Satan and all his evil forces casting them into the lake of fire. The devil did not want righteousness, peace of joy, or the manifest Presence God’s Spirit, which makes up the Kingdom of God. Therefore, He will give him and his minions an opposite place apart from Him, a place void of any of His goodness, love, joy, peace, light, righteousness, and mercy.
All those who follow the devil will also find their eternal destiny in the same place. It will be their choice. There are not 39 flavors to choose from when considering our eternal destiny. We only have two choices, life or death, salvation, or damnation. The Kingdom of God, or the kingdom of darkness. Righteousness, or unrighteousness. There is no middle ground!
God has made full provision for us to have eternal life by sending His Only begotten Son to die upon a crude rugged cross for our sins. He then raised Him from the dead for our justification and union with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:1-6).
Those who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior and follow Him will live eternally with Him and the Father in the Kingdom of God, which has no end. That’s right, the Kingdom of God, unlike kingdoms in this world, has no end. There, the Father will continue to show His children His endless goodness and kindness forever (See Ephesians 2:7). What an amazing hope we have!
Anyone living today can readily see the world is becoming more and more hostile and vile in multiple ways. Violence and debauchery seem to be the norm, with the increase of shootings, wars, human trafficking, thefts, political and civil unrest, and rampant immorality.
The Bible describes the earth groaning over these things as it waits for the coming manifestation of the Son or sons of God.
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:19-23 NKJV)
The earth is groaning with birth pangs which will intensify until the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed from heaven to set up His Millennial Kingdom. That day is fast approaching.
At the end of Christ’s 1000-year reign there will be a final war, and the end of all things as we know it. The earth will be dissolved by fire, and there will be a new heaven and new earth, and the City of God will descend from heaven upon the new earth, and God and Christ will reign forever and ever with the children of God, who are born-again believers.
But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:7
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:10-13
Everything on this earth will some day pass away, as the above text describes, but those serving Christ will live and reign forever. What amazing love! What amazing grace!
As shared in our previous post, God calls us to come out from among the world and to be separated unto Him. He is not asking us to leave the world, but to be a witness of Christ in the world. We are not to conform to this world and its lusts. We are to be renewed in our minds to become more and more like Christ.
Let us examine our hearts to see if there are areas of worldliness in us that keep us from completely surrendering our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The songwriter wrote:
“O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee!
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
Is that your desire? Is that your life ambition? That’s the Father’s desire and will for you and me.
New topic next time. Until then, may God our Heavenly Father, richly bless and keep you.
James Brown CST 08/30/2023