HAVE FAITH IN GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD!-Mankind's Future Foretold in God's Prophetic Word

What are the prospects of loyal supporters of the anointed?  They too have faith in God's prophetic word, and their hope rests on entering the earthly Paradise. (Luke 23:39-43)  There they will drink from a life-sustaining "river of water of life" and will find healing from "the leaves of the trees" planted alongside it.  (Revelation 22:1, 2) If you have such a wonderful hope, may you continue to demonstrate deep love for Jehovah and faith in his prophetic word. May you be among those who experience the unbounded joy of everlasting life in the Paradise earth.

Imperfect humans are at a loss to describe life in the coming earthly Paradise, but God's prophetic word gives us insight into the blessings then in store for obedient mankind.  When God's Kingdom rules unopposed and his will is done on earth as it is in heaven, no vicious humans-no, not even animals-will "do any harm or cause any ruin." (Isaiah 11:9; Matthew 6:9, 10)  The meek will inhabit the earth, and "they will not indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace." (Psalm 37:11) Starving masses will not exist, for "there will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow ." (Psalm 72:16) No longer will tears of sorrow be shed. Sickness will be gone, and even death will be no more. (Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 21:4)  Can you imagine-no doctors, no medicines, no hospitals or mental institutions, no funerals. What splendid prospects!

Even the common grave of mankind will be emptied as deaths give way to resurrections.  The righteous man Job had such a hope. (Job 14:14, 15) So did the prophet Daniel, for Jehovah's angel gave him the comforting assurance:  "As for you yourself, go toward the end; and you will rest, but you will stand up for you lot at the end of the days." (Daniel 12:13) Daniel served God faithfully until the end of his life.  Now he is resting in death, but he will "stand up" in the resurrection of the righteous ones" during Christ's Millennial Reign.  (Luke 14:14) What will be Daniel's "lot"?  Well, in its Paradise fulfillment, Ezekiel's prophecy suggests that all of Jehovah's people will have a place, even the land being apportioned in a just and orderly way.  (Ezekiel 47:13-48:35) So Daniel will have a place in Paradise, but his lot there will involve more than land. It will include his place in Jehovah's purpose. 

What about you and your lot? IF you have faith in God's Word, the Bible, very likely you yearn for life in the earthly Paradise. You may even imagine yourself there, enjoying its many blessings, caring for the earth, and joy fully welcoming back the dead. After all, Paradise is where mankind belongs. God created the first human pair  to live in such a place. (Genesis 2:7-9) And he wants obedient humans to live forever in Paradise. Will you act in accord with the Scriptures so that you can be among the billions  who will eventually live on the Paradise  earth? You can be there if you have true  for our heavenly father, Jehovah, and enduring faith in God's prophetic word.

Next time: "SAFEGUARD YOUR HEART"

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000