AFTER ARMAGEDDON - A PARADISE EARTH

As shown earlier, Jehovah God will soon destroy the present wicked system of things. The world is rapidly approaching what the Bible  calls Har-Magedon,or Armageddon.  That word may make some people think of a nuclear holocaust brought about by warring nations, but Armageddon is nothing of the kind.  As Revelation 16:14-16 shows, Armageddon is "the war of the great day of God Almighty."  It is a war involving "the kings of the entire inhabited earth," or the nations.  Jehovah God's Son, the appointed King, will soon ride forth into battle.  The outcome is absolutely sure.  All who oppose God's Kingdom and who are a part of Satan's wicked system will be eliminated.  Only those loyal to Jehovah will survive. -Revelation 7(, 14; 19:11-21.

Imagine that you have survived the cataclysm.  What would life be like on earth in God's promised new world? ( 2 Peter 3:13)  We need not speculate, for the Bible tells us, and what it says is thrilling.  We learn that Satan and his demons will be put our of commission, locked away in an abyss of inactivity during the Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ.  No longer will those wicked, malicious creatures be lurking behind the scenes, fomenting trouble and trying to goad us into acts of unfaithfulness against God,.  What a relief! -Revelation 20:1-3.

In time, all forms of sickness will vanish.  (Isaiah 33:24) The lame will then stand, walk, run and dance on sound, strong legs.  After years of life in their world of silence, the deaf will hear the joyous sounds around them.  The blind will gasp in awe as a rich world of color and form takes shape before their eyes.  (Isaiah35:5, 6) At last, they will see the faces of their loved ones! (although the Bible says we will not recognize them)  Perhaps then their vision will blur just momentarily with tears of joy.

Just think! No more eyeglasses, no more crutches and canes,no more medicines, no more dental clinics or hospitals! Never again will emotional illness and depression rob people of happiness.  No childhood will be blighted by disease.The ravages of aging will be reversed.  (Job 33:25) We will become healthier, stronger.  Each morning we will wake from a refreshing night's sleep with renewed energy, filled with vigor and eager for a new day of vibrant life and satisfying work.

There will be plenty of enjoyable work to be done by Armageddon survivors.  They will transform the earth into a paradise.  Any vestiges of the polluted old system will be cleared away.  Parks and gardens will emerge in place of slums and ruined land.  All will enjoy comfortable, pleasant housing.  (Isaiah 65:21)  As time passes, those paradisaic parts of the earth will grow  and merge  until the entire globe meets the standard of beauty set by the Creator back in the garden of Eden.  How satisfying it will be to share that work of restoration!

All of this will be done under divine guidance so that the environment will not be harmed.  Humans will be at peace with the animals.  Instead of wantonly slaughtering them, man will resume responsible stewardship over the earth, taking good care of them.  Visualize wolves and lambs, lions and calves, feeding together-and the domestic animals are totally safe.  Even a little child will have nothing to fear from wild beasts,nor will the tranquility of the new world be disrupted by cruel, ferocious people.  (Isaiah 116-8) What a peaceful new world that will be!

Next time: MANKIND TRANSFORMED

The Book - KNOWLEDGE That Leads To Everlasting Life, 1995