EARTH ABANDONED: The Bible speaks of a time when the earth will be left desolate. At this time, the righteous lives in heaven with Christ for a thousand years. What happens during this time of desolation?
Sin, Evil, Death, Dying, and What Happens After We Die
This series addresses the concerns we all have: the concern for sin, evil, death, dying, and what happens after we die. Is there hope after death? When God created us, humans, he intended for us to live forever in a loving, peaceful relationship with him. But this relationship has been broken by sin.
Here, we address the origin of sin and look more closely at death and dying.
But, instead of looking at death negatively, we look at it in the context of hope, the promised hope based on what Jesus did for us when he died and came back to life again.
From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 4: Sabbath.School (See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School)
Let Us Pray
God Most High, It is our desire to be numbered with the righteous. Prepare our hearts now to meet you when Christ returns so that we may set on your thrones and rule with you. In Jesus’ Name Amen (Split)
The Bible tells us about three things that will happen at the Second Coming. (1) Jesus will wake up the righteous dead. Then the righteous dead along with the righteous living “meet the Lord in the air” according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17.
I Thessalonians 4:16-17
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
(2) Jesus will take all the saints, the righteous to live in heaven for 1,000 years. They will live there in the homes that Jesus prepared for them, as indicated in John 14:1–3.
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3)
There God’s people will sit on thrones and rule with Jesus for 1,000 years. During this time, the earth is empty and in ruined as expressed in Jeremiah 4:23 and Revelation 20:4
Jeremiah 4:23
23 I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; And the heavens, they had no light. (Jeremiah 4:23)
Revelation 20:4 (
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)
(3) After 1,000 years, the millennium, Jesus will bring the Holy City, the New Jerusalem to this earth. The Holy City will come down to this earth and become the everlasting home of the righteous as indicated in Revelation 21:1–3, 9-11
Revelation 21:1-3
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. (Revelation 21:1-3)
Revelation 21:9-11
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. (Revelation 21:9-11)
Then God’s people will live on the earth forever.
What is significant about the 1,000 years in heaven is that God’s people will participate in the millennial judgment according to 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3 and Revelation 20:4–6, 11–13
I Corinthians 6:2-3
2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? (I Corinthians 6:2-3)
Revelation 20:4-6
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6)
Revelation 20:11-13
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. (Revelation 20:11-13)
Of course, God knows the case of every soul that has lived on this earth. Why is it necessary for the people of God to be a part of God’s work in the millennial judgment?
The millennial judgment is intended to (1) vindicate God’s character against Satan who has claimed that God is not fair in the way he treats His created beings.
(2) It shows that God gives everyone the correct reward they deserve.
(3) It demonstrates that God’s punishments for the wicked are fair. And (4) It eliminates all doubt that could possibly lead to another rebellion in the universe. It shows that saved humans can be trusted to live eternally in heaven. It assures all the creatures of the universe that righteous humans will not sin again.
In God’s careful pre-Advent investigation of His people before the Second Coming, only the heavenly host is involved, according to Daniel 7:9, 10.
9 “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
10 A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.( Daniel 7:9-10)
But during the 1,000 years, God’s saved people will participate in judging Satan, the evil angels, and the wicked according to 1 Corinthians 6:3; Jude 1:6; Revelation 20:4–6.
I Corinthians 6:3
3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? (I Corinthians 6:3)
Jude 1:6
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; (Jude 1:6)
Revelation 20:4-6
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6) (Split)
Note: The pre-Advent judgment started in 1844. As we already learned in our study on the pre-Advent judgment in Day 3.
Review it @ SabbathSchoolDaily.com
The pre-Advent judgment is the time when God will do a careful investigation of His people’s hearts, minds, and lives before the Second Coming, according to Daniel 7:9, 10.
9 “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
10 A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened. (Daniel 7:9-10)
God’s work as Judge during the 1,000 years, however, will start after God takes His people to heaven and sit on thrones. There, God’s people will reign with Him and judge the evil dead.
God will open the books in heaven as expressed in Revelation 20:4 and 12. (Split) Revelation 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)
Revelation 20:12
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. (Revelation 20:12)
It will be seen that “The abundant evidence given by God that He desires the salvation of all, will be the condemnation of those who refuse the gift of heaven. At the last great day, when all will be rewarded or punished according to their obedience or disobedience, the cross of Calvary will appear plainly before those standing before the Judge of all the earth to receive sentence for eternity. They are made capable of comprehending something of the love that God has expressed for fallen human beings. They see how greatly He has been dishonored by those who have continued in transgression, choosing sides with Satan and showing contempt for the law of Jehovah. . . .
God’s law is the transcript of His character, and those only who obey this law will be accepted by Him.—In Heavenly Places, p. 361.
God’s people will see that God is fair in all His decisions. God rewards all humans for their choices according to what they deserve based on their own decisions. He also explains the decisions He has made. And all agree that his decisions are fair and just.
As a loving God filled with goodness and mercy will He in the end really execute judgment on the wicked? Find out on Day 5 Executive Judgment.
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