Good News! I've Got GOOD NEWS!

 Can you imagine a world with no war and no crime? No murder, no stealing, and no kidnapping? No drugs or drunkenness? No cancer, no heart disease, no Alzheimer’s? Imagine a world with no adultery, no domestic violence, and no broken homes. Imagine a world with no lying, thieving politicians and no crooked cops or judges. Imagine a world “in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13).

Well, I’ve got good news: this world exists, and we will all one day see it! Not everyone will ultimately live in it — more on that later — but everyone will have a chance. This wonderful world, of course, is the Kingdom of God.

This is the heart of the gospel. When Jesus Christ came to earth in the flesh, we read that He “came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15). This was the purpose of His ministry: “But He said to them, ‘I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent’” (Luke 4:43).

Now, “gospel” is translated from the Greek word euangelion (Strong’s # G2098), which the New Testament uses 77 times. It simply means “good message,” “glad tidings,” or “good news.” Likewise, our word “gospel” stems from the Old English “godspell,” that is, “good message.”

The gospel is the good news of God’s Kingdom. The good news is that God has opened His Kingdom to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has extended to us an invitation. The good news is that if we accept that invitation and obey His instructions, then we will enter into His Kingdom and live forever with Him.

An Expanding Kingdom

What, exactly, do we mean by “God’s Kingdom”? Afterall, God’s Kingdom grows by stages and covers several different time periods.

Yeshua/Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches” (Mat. 13:31-32). Again, He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened” (Mat. 13:33).

At this time, as we wait for our King to return, we are citizens of His Kingdom: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). In this life, “many are called, but few chosen” (Mat. 20:16; 22:14). There are few citizens of God’s Kingdom on this earth right now. We might call this the beginning stage, the seed stage.

But on the day appointed by God the Father (Mat. 24:36; Mark 13:32), Jesus Christ will return to this earth, “coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Mat. 24:30), “and every eye will see Him” (Rev. 1:7). As many verses testify, He will slay His enemies and reign over the whole earth. His saints, the firstfruits who have been sanctified during our present age and counted worthy to be in the First Resurrection, will reign on earth with Him for a thousand years (Rev. 20:6). During this thousand years, Satan will be banished and have no more influence over the people on earth (Rev. 20:1-3).

After the Millennium, the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ and His saints, Satan will be released to test the peoples (Rev. 20:7-8). They will have a choice: will they remain loyal to their Creator, or will they follow Satan? Those who follow Satan will be destroyed: “And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them” (Rev. 20:9). Those who remain faithful to God will enter into eternal life. And so, God’s Kingdom will gain more citizens.

After this last Satanic rebellion against God’s Kingdom, the Second Resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment will happen (Rev. 20:5, 11-15). This resurrection is for all mankind, everyone who lived and died before the Millennium and who wasn’t in the First Resurrection. The unrepentant wicked will perish, but, as we saw in a previous post, many will also be saved during this time. Once again, God’s Kingdom will gain many more citizens.

Following the Second Resurrection and the Great White Throne Judgment, there will be no more flesh and blood human beings. All the righteous will be spirit beings in God’s Kingdom, and all the wicked will have perished. At this time, all that’s physical will pass away, and be replaced by a new heavens and a new earth (Rev. 21-22; 2 Pet. 3:13). Mankind will dwell with God the Father and Jesus Christ for all eternity. This is our ultimate goal and the culmination of God’s plan for us!

So God’s Kingdom exists now, but it is not yet on earth, as should be obvious by the condition of this world. We are its earthly ambassadors. When Jesus returns to this earth, the first time period will be the Millennium, followed by the Second Resurrection and the final judgment, and finally by the new heavens and new earth. But all of these time periods after Jesus’ return can be broadly described as “God’s Kingdom.” They also share many things in common.

So what will life on earth be like under the reign of Jesus Christ?

A New World

When Yeshua/Jesus returns, He will return to an earth devastated by war, famine, pestilence, and various other plagues described in the books of Revelation and the Prophets. Man’s final effort to rule himself apart from God, to create a utopia on earth, will have failed so spectacularly that “unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved” (Mark 13:20).

Christ and His saints will teach all the survivors God’s way of life. Here’s Isa. 2:2-3:

2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.

3 Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:2-3; Mic. 4:1-2.)

Speaking to the unconverted, God says, “Your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left” (Isa. 30:20-21). These teachers will be those in the First Resurrection, the firstfruits who live and reign with Christ for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4).

Needless to say, Christ’s rule will produce far different results than man’s! There will be no more war. Here’s Mic. 4:3-4:

3 He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.

There will be no more killing and destruction of any kind. No more murders, mass shootings, or abortions. No mother or father will mourn the violent death of a child. God will even change the nature of the wild beasts:

6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.

9 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. (Isa. 11:6-9.)

One of the things I love about the Bible is that it often gives us different layers of meaning within the same passage. Here we see, on the surface, that predatory animals will be gentle and peaceful during Christ’s reign, which is a wonderful and incredible thing all by itself.

But let’s also consider that God often uses animals to symbolize people: God’s people are represented as sheep, Christ is variously pictured as a lion or as a lamb, and powerful nations are portrayed as various animals, as in Dan. 7 and 8. With this in mind, we see a bigger picture here in Isa. 11. Not only will the animals be peaceful, but so will man! The strong will no longer prey on the weak, the violent will pursue peace, and all nations and peoples will dwell together in harmony.

There will be no more oppression. Justice will prevail throughout the earth. “How the oppressor has ceased, the golden city ceased! The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers; he who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he who ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted and no one hinders. The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing” (Isa. 14:4-7).

There will be no more muggings or kidnappings, no more rapists or child molesters. Old and young alike will walk the streets without fear.

3 “Thus says the LORD: ‘I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the LORD of hosts, the Holy Mountain.’

4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age.

5 The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.’” (Zech. 8:3-5.)

Just think, for a moment, about how different the world will look without the threat of violence. There will be no militaries. No intelligence agencies. No prisons. There’ll be no need for police. There won’t be any need for locks on doors, vehicles, or other property.

There will be no more lies and deceit. “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid” (Zeph. 3:13).

But all this is still only a small part of life under the reign of Jesus Christ! When Jesus came to earth the first time, He healed many who were sick: “Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them” (Mat. 4:24).

When He returns in glory, healings will happen throughout the earth. There will be no sickness or disease in the Kingdom of God. No cancer, no heart disease, no Alzheimer’s. That means there won’t be any need for hospitals, either! Then will be fulfilled what God spoke to ancient Israel: “And the LORD will take away from you all sickness” (Deut. 7:15).

Here’s Isa. 35:5-6: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.”

Again, God said to the prophet Jeremiah concerning Jerusalem,

6 “Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.

7 “And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first.

8 “I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me.” (Jer. 33:6-8.)

But all these verses also point to something even more magnificent than physical healing. Notice that God’s promises to heal His people also dovetail with promises to cleanse them of their sins: “I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me” (Jer. 33:8).

The greatest and the most magnificent healing will be spiritual. Those who are deaf and blind to God’s Word will be healed so that they understand: “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel” (Isa. 29:18-19).

God will pour out His Spirit on mankind, pictured by the streams of water in the desert that we read about a little earlier. “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring” (Isa. 44:3). Again, we read, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28). Moses’ prayer will finally come true: “Oh, that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!” (Num. 11:29).

Imagine telling mainstream Christians that, yes, they do have to obey God’s law and keep His Sabbaths holy, and they listen, understand, and joyfully obey! Imagine Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus having their eyes opened to the true God and beginning to walk in His way of life! Imagine telling Jews that, yes, Jesus Christ really is the Messiah and the Son of God, and they joyfully accept Him!

False religions will cease. “‘It shall be in that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the [false] prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land’” (Zech. 13:2).

As we read a little earlier in Isa. 11:9, “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” It will be a world in which everyone learns the truth, everyone lives by God’s law, and everyone has His Spirit.

The End of All Sin

And yet, as incredible as this world will be, some people will ultimately reject it. There will be those who, having experienced every blessing that God’s way of life brings, will decide to return to sin. God won’t force anyone to be in His Kingdom. All wickedness and all sin must perish, and those who choose their sins over their Creator will perish with them.

At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be released to test the peoples. Here’s Rev. 20:7-9:

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison

8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.

9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

After this, at the end of the Second Resurrection, there will again be those who reject their Creator and His way of life. They, too, will perish. The apostle Paul wrote, “Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10). And in Revelation, we read, “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).

At this point, all who choose to obey their Creator will have entered into eternal life, and all who reject Him will have perished. Thus all sin will be purged from the earth, and death itself, the result of sin, will cease.

In 1 Cor. 15:24-28, the apostle Paul wrote of Jesus’ future reign on earth,

24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.

26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.

28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

Again, in Rev. 20:14-15, we find that death itself will be destroyed: “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Having triumphed over all enemies and cleansed the earth of all sin, Jesus Christ will turn the kingdom over to His Father.

A New Heavens and New Earth

Now, everyone who inherits eternal life will become a spirit being, for “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:50). “The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:42-44).

With no more physical human beings to inhabit this earth, it will no longer be needed. And so, when God the Father comes down from heaven, the physical world will melt in His presence. The day is coming “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” (2 Pet. 3:10). The apostle Peter continued,

11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

12 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?

13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Pet. 3:11-13.)

Let’s turn over to the Book of Revelation once again to pick up the story from here:

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Rev. 21:1-4.)

This, brethren, is the day we all live for! This is the culmination of God’s plan for us! As glorious and beautiful as the Millennium and the Second Resurrection will be, the new heavens and new earth — the eternal Kingdom of God — will be ever so much more. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9; quoting Isa. 64:4).

All will be light and peace and joy for all eternity. “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Prov. 4:18).

Closing Thoughts

In this world today, as we look around us and look at the news headlines of this day and age, we see wars, mass shootings, murders, robberies, drug overdoses, starvation… and the list goes on. Perhaps you’ve been personally affected by some of these very things. Man’s best efforts never have, never will, and simply CANNOT stop these things! And yet, let us remember that there will be a day when all these will cease forever!

How many of us have lost loved ones to cancer, or watched others throw away their lives on drugs and alcohol? How many of us have been affected, in one way or another, by divorces and broken homes? How many of us have experienced some form of pain and suffering in this life? All this, too, will one day cease and be forgotten!

As we go about our day to day lives, as we see this world plunging deeper and deeper into darkness, let us keep our eyes on the goal ahead of us. All the pain and suffering in this life exists to prepare us for God’s Kingdom: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).

When we cease our labors at the end of each week and celebrate the seventh-day Sabbath, we are reminded of the eternal Sabbath to come. Just as an engagement ring is a token of a promised marriage, so the Sabbath is a sign of God’s covenant with us and a token of His promised Kingdom. The apostle Paul reminded us that the Sabbath and Holy Days “are a shadow of things to come” (Col. 2:17). A sign of our eternal hope.

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).