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

 John goes to say: "And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning, nor outcry, nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4) Once again, we are reminded of earlier inspired promises. Isaiah also looked forward to the time when death and mourning would be no more and grief would be replaced by exultation. (Isaiah 25:8; 35:10; 51:11; 65:19) John now confirms that these promises have a wonderful fulfillment during the thousand-year Judgment Day. First the great crowd will enjoy the blessings. 'The Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne," continuing to shepherd them, "will guide them to fountains of waters of life. And God will wipe out ever tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:9, 17) But eventually all those who are resurrected and exercise faith in Jehovah's provisions will be there with them, enjoying a paradise that is both spiritual and physical. 

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

 John tells us further: "With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: 'Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them.' " (Revelation 21:3) When Jehovah made the Law Covenant with the new nation of Israel, he promised: "I shall certainly put my tabernacle in the midst of you, and my soul will not abhor you. And I shall indeed walk in the midst of you and prove myself your God, and you, on your part, will prove yourselves my people." (Leviticus 26:11, 12) Now Jehovah is making a similar promise to faithful humans. During the thousand-year Judgment Day, they will become a very special people to him.

During the Millennial Reign, Jehovah will "reside"
 among mankind in a temporary arrangement, he being represented by his royal Son, Jesus Christ. At the end of the Thousand Year Reign, however, when Jesus hands the Kingdom over to his Father, no royal representative or intercessor will be needed. Jehovah will reside spiritually with "his peoples" in a permanent and direct way. (Compare John 42:23, 24) What a lofty privilege for restored humanity! 

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

 John continues: "And I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Revelations 21:2) New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ, made up of the anointed Christians who remain faithful to death and who are raised to become kings and priests with the glorified Jesus. (Revelation 3:12; 20:6) Just as earthly Jerusalem became the seat of government in ancient Israel, the magnificent New Jerusalem and her Bridegroom make u[ the government of the new system of things. This is the new heaven. The 'bride comes down out of heaven' not literally, but in the sense of directing attention to the earth. The Lamb's bride is to be his loyal helpmeet in operating a righteous government over all mankind. A blessing indeed for the new earth!

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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. 

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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. 

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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!

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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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