Chapter Forty-Two/A New Heaven and a New Earth

 THIS glorious vision continues to unfold as the angel takes John back to the beginning of the Thousand Year Reign. What does he describe? "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, the sea in no more." (Revelation 21:1) A captivating panorama comes to view!

Hundreds of years before John's day, Jehovah had said to Isaiah: "For here I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and the former things will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart." (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22) This prophecy was initially fulfilled when faithful Jews returned to exile in Babylon. In that restoration, they formed a cleansed society, "a new earth," under a new governmental system, "new heavens." The apostle Peter, however, pointed to a further application of the prophecy, saying: "But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell." (2 Peter 3:13) John now shows that the promise is fulfilled during the Lord's day. The former heaven and the former earth, "Satan's organized system of things with its governmental structure influenced by Satan and his demons will pass away. The turbulent "sea" of wicked rebellious mankind will cease to exist"- a new earthly society under a new government, God's Kingdom. - Compare REVELATION 20:11. 

Next time: Chapter Forty-Two/A New Heaven and a New Earth 

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Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Judgment-It's Joyful Outcome -The End of Death and Hades - Concusion

 Thus, the program that the apostle Paul describe3s in his letter to the Corinthians will come to completion: "For [Jesus] must rule as king until God has put all his enemies under his feet. As the last enemy, [Adamic] death is to be brought to nothing." What happens next? "When all things will have been subjected to him, the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him." In other words, Jesus "hands over the kingdom to the God and Father." (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) Yes, Jesus, having conquered Adamic death through the merit of his ransom sacrifice, will hand over a perfected human family to his Father," Jehovah is evidently at this point, at the end of the thousand years, that Satan is released and the final test takes place to determine whose names will remain permanently recorded in the scroll of life. "Exert yourselves vigorously" so that your name may be among them! - LUKE13:24; REVELATION 20:5. 

Next time: Chapter Forty-Two/A Heaven and a New Earth

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Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Judgment-It's Joyful Outcome - The End of Death and Hades

 Next, John describes something truly wonderful! "And death and Hades were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire." (Revelation20:14, 15) By the end of the millennial Judgment Day, "death and Hades' are completely removed.  Why does this involve a thousand years? Hades, the common grave of all mankind, is emptied when the last one in God's memory is resurrected. But as long as humans are tainted by inherited sin, Adamic is still with them. All those resurrected on earth, as well as the great crowd that survives Armageddon, will need to obey what is written in the scrolls until Jesus' ransom merit has been applied in fully removing sickness, old age, and other inherited disabilities. Then Adamic death, along with Hades, is "hurled into the lake of fire." They will be gone forever!

Next time: Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Judgment-It's Joyful Outcome - The End of Death and Hades - Conclusion 

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Chapter Fort-One/God's Day of Judgment-It's Joyful Outcome - Opening Other Scrolls - Conclusion

 With regard to the earthly resurrection, Jesus said that 'those who did good things come out to resurrection of life, those who practice vile things to a resurrection of judgment.' Here "life" and "judgment" contrast with each other, showing that those resurrected ones who "practiced vile things" after being instructed in the inspired Scriptures and scrolls are judged to be unworthy of life. Their names will not be written in the scroll, or book of life. (John 5:29)  This would be true of any who previously followed a faithful course but, who for some reason, turn aside during the Thousand Year Reign. Names can be erased. (Exodus 32:32, 33) On the other hand, those who obediently follow the things written in the scrolls will keep their names on the written record, the scroll of life, and continue living. For them, the resurrection will have proved to be one "of life." 

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Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Judgment -It's Joyful Outcome - Opening Other Scrolls - Continue

 What an extensive campaign of theocratic education will be needed! In 1987 Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide were conducting on the average 3,005, 048 Bible studies in various locations. But during the Resurrection countless million of studies based on the Bible and the new scrolls, will no doubt be conducted! All of God's people will need to be God's teachers and to exert themselves. Resurrected ones, as they progress, will no doubt share in this vast teaching program. Likely, the resurrection will proceed in such a way that those who are alive may have the joy of welcoming and instructing former family members and acquaintances, who, in their turn, may welcome and instruct others. (Compare 1 Corinthians 15:19-28, 58) The more than three million witnesses of Jehovha who are active in spreading the truth today are laying a good foundation for the privileges they hope to have during the resurrection. -ISAIAH 50:4; 54:13. 

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Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Judgment-It's Joyful Outcome - Opening Other Scrolls

 How must these resurrected ones demonstrate their obedience? Jesus himself pointed to the two great commandments, saying: "The first is, 'Hear O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, and you must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your strength.' The second is this 'you must love your neighbor as yourself.' "  (Mark 12:29-31) There are also Jehovah's well-established principles that they must follow, such as to repudiate stealing, lying, murdering, and immorality. - 1 TIMOTHY1:8-11; REVELATION 21:8. 

However, John has just mentioned other scrolls that will be opened during the Millennial Reign. (Revelation 20:12) What will these be? At times, Jehovah has given specific instructions for particular situations. For example, in Moses' day he provided a detailed series of laws that meant life for the Israelites if they obeyed. (Deuteronomy 4:40; 32:45-47) During the first century, new instructions were given to help faithful ones to follow Jehovah's principles under the Christian system of things.  (Matthew 28:19, 20; John 13:34; 15:9, 10) Now John reports that the dead are to be "judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds." Evidently, then, the opening of these scrolls will publish Jehovah's detailed requirements or mankind during the thousand years. By applying in their lives the regulations and commandments of those scrolls, obedient humans will be able to lengthen their days, attaining finally to everlasting life. 

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Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Justice - It's Joyful Outcome -The Scroll of Life

 John speaks of "the scroll of life." This is a record of those in line to receive everlasting life from Jehovah. The names of the anointed brothers of Jesus, of the great crowd, and of faithful men of old, such a Moses, have been recorded in this scroll. (Exodus 32:32, 33; Daniel 12:1; Revelation 3:5) As yet, none of the "unrighteous" resurrected ones have their names in the scroll of life, so the scroll of life will be opened during the Thousand Year Reign to permit the writing of the name of others that come to qualify. Those whose names do not get written the scroll, or book of life are "hurled into the lake of fire." - REVELATION 20:15; compare Hebrews 3:19. 

What, then, will determine whether a person gets his name written in the opened scroll of life at that time? The key factor will be the same as it was in the days of Adam and Eve obedience to Jehovah.  As the apostle John wrote to beloved fellow Christians: "The world is passing away and so is its desire, but that does the will of God remains forever." (1 John 2:4-7, 17) In the matter of obedience, Jehovah's appointed Judge set an example: "Although Jesus was a Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered; and after he had been made perfect he became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him." - HEBREWS 5:8, 9. 

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Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Judgment - It's Joyful Outcome - Who Are Raised and Judged? -Conclusion

 Whom, though, are "the unrighteous' mentioned at Acts 24:15? These would include the great masses of mankind who have died throughout history, particularly those who lived in 'times of ignorance.' (Acts 17:30) These, because of where they were born or when they lived, had no opportunity to learn obedience to Jehovah's will. Additionally, there may be some who did hear the message of salvation but who did not respond fully at that time or who died before they progressed to dedication and baptism. In the resurrection such ones will have to make further adjustments in their thinking and life course if they are going to benefit from this opportunity for gaining everlasting life. 

Next time: Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Judgment-It's Joyful Outcome - The Scroll of Life

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Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Judgment-It's Joyful Outcome - Who Are Raised and Judged -Continue-

 On the other hand, some will be specially favored in the resurrection. The apostle Paul indicate this when he said: "I have hope toward God . . . that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous." (Acts 24:15) With regard to the earthly resurrection, "the righteous" will include faithful men and women of old-Abraham, Rahab, and many other - who were declared righteous as to friendship with God. (James 2;21, 23, 25) In this same group will be those righteous other sheep who died faithful to Jehovah in modern times. Likely, all such integrity keepers will be resurrected early in Jesus' Millennial Reign (Job 14:13-15; 27:5; Daniel 12:13; Hebrews 11:35, 39, 40) No doubt many of these resurrected righteous ones will be assigned special privileges in overseeing the tremendous work of restoration in Paradise. - PSALM 45:16; Compare ISAIAH 32:1, 16-18; 61:5;65:21-23.

Next time: Chapter Forty-One/God's Day of Judgment -It's Joyful Outcome - Who Are Raised and Judged - Conclusion

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Chapter Forty-One/God's Judgment Day -It's Joyful Outcome - Who Are Raised and Judged?

 Jon adds: "But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according their deeds. And the sea gave up those dead in it and death and Hades gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds." (Revelation 20:12b, 13) A breathtaking spectacle indeed! The sea, death, and Hades' each play a part, but note that those terms are not mutually exclusive. Jonah, when in the belly of a fish and therefore in the mist of the sea, spoke of himself as being in Sheol, or Hades. (Jona 2:2) If a person is held in the grip of adamic death, then likely, he is also in Hades. These prophetic words give strong assurance that no on will be overlooked. 

There are, of course, an unknown number who will not be resurrected. Among these would be the unrepentant scribes and Pharisees who rejected Jesus and the apostles, the religious "man of lawlessness," and anointed Christians who have fallen away." (2 Thessalonians 2:3; Hebrews 6:4-6; Matthew 23:29-33) Jesus also spoke of goatlike people at the world's end who go into "the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels," namely "everlasting cutting-off." (Matthew 25:41, 46) No resurrection for these! 

Next time: Chapter Forty-One/God's Judgment Day-It's Joyful Outcome - Who Are Raised and Judged? - Conclusion

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