God’s Enduring Word Series

to revive the spirit of the lowly,

and to revive the heart of the contrite.’”

[ISAIAH 57:15]

This is also the intent of ISAIAH 66:2:

“This is the one to whom I will look:

he who is humble and contrite in spirit

and trembles at my word.”

I have established the impermanence of the physical creation. Now, focus on Jesus’ eschatological statement that “Heaven and earth will pass away.” I remind you that the end of all that we know of this physical universe is destined shortly to pass away. The great cities of the world, lands and houses, automobiles and toys, all the goods we accumulate—all that man treasures and esteems will be utterly destroyed.

The timing of the Lord’s return is not known [MATTHEW 24:36], but His return is certain [MATTHEW 24:44]. Jesus was a pretribulational premillennialist. He taught that the next great event on the Father’s schedule is the Rapture [MATTHEW 24:31, 37-41], when all believers will be gathered to His side. After this, unprecedented judgements will be unleashed on an unbelieving populace as God reveals His wrath [see MATTHEW 24:21, 22]. At the conclusion of those awesome days of judgement, Christ Jesus our Lord will return in great power and glory, and every eye will see Him [MATTHEW 24:27, 29-31]. Upon His return, He will judge the nations [MATHEW 25:31-46]. After judging the nations, the saved will enter into the millennial reign of Christ the Lord; and for one thousand years, we who are His people now will reign with Him [REVELATION 20:6].

The depravity of man is a dreadful truth that is not often openly discussed today. The popular message among the churches today stresses feeling good about ourselves, but frightful truth is that the heart of all mankind is “deceitful” and “desperately sick” [JEREMIAH 17:9]. Even while enjoying the bountiful goodness of Christ during His earthly rule, people will plot the overthrow of the Son of God. Though only saved people will enter into the Millennium, of those born during that thousand-year reign of Messiah many will reveal the rebel heart, uniting in a wicked effort to overthrow His Millennial Kingdom. Listen to a brief passage pointing forward to that time.

“When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” [REVELATION 20:7-10].

Isn’t that the most astounding action imaginable? People born under the perfect reign of the Son of God will rebel against His rule and attempt to depose Him! What else can this be but demonstration of the wicked nature that infects and pollutes each heart? Except for the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord taking our sin upon Himself and His transforming power, we each would rebel against Him.