EXPIRED: IS THERE A POINT OF NO RETURN WITH GOD.

For those who choose to continue to reject God and refuse to honor and worship Him as their Creator, is there a true point of no return in which the opportunity for reconciliation with God expires?

“Welcome back! This has been an epic journey through the unseen.

We have come to the end of our journey. I hope each episode has been an eye-opener and a turning point for you.

This is the 13th part of a 13-part series designed to help us understand the cosmic battle that is going on around us.

We discovered that there are things and entities around us that we cannot see, hear, or even imagine, and if we are not careful, we can be deceived by them. 

We are in a war between the forces of good and evil, and every move we make and every step we take points us in the direction of either good or evil.

We are in a war for our souls. It is designed to strip us of our relationship with God.

We have looked at this cosmic battle, exploring the origins of sin, the nature of evil, its history, and what will lead to the ultimate showdown between good and evil, Christ and Satan.

We conclude this series by looking at the heart of this cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan. This battle is centered squarely on worship and allegiance.

As we always do, let’s take a moment to ask for the presence of God.

If you have not viewed the previous videos, go back and view them at SabbathSchoolDaily.com

Inviting God’s Presence.

God Almighty, we thank you for giving us the wisdom to worship you. We pledge our allegiance to you. Help us remain steadfast in your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Great Controversy

The War Between Good and Evil

(Lesson 13)

The Triumph of God’s Love

Part 1 Introduction

As we look to the final conflict between Christ and Satan, the scriptures paint a vivid picture of the final global awakening when everyone alive will have the opportunity to choose which side of the battle they want to be on. Christ, our Creator and Redeemer, or Satan, the liar, and deceiver?  

As we approach the climax of Earth’s history, a profound question hangs over every soul: whom will we choose to worship?

This isn’t just a matter of religious preference but a crucial decision that defines our eternal destiny.

“There is a world where pain, sorrow, and fear no longer exist. There is a place where every tear is wiped away, and death is just a memory.

This isn’t an imaginary place; it’s a world promised to us by God. It is talked about in Revelation 21:3-4.

Revelation 21:3-4

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.

4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4) 

Despite the difficult times forecast ahead, no matter the suffering we may have to endure, the hardships we may face, or the sorrows we may have to bear, the promise of Revelation 21:3-4 gives us the determination we need to face the future with hope and anticipation.

It gives us the encouragement we need to live life with purpose and joy, looking for the blessed hope found in Christ’s return.

Reflecting on challenges and perseverance, we consider Franklin D. Roosevelt, who, from 1933 to 1945, was president of the U.S. through its toughest times while battling personal health issues.

Despite being paralyzed by polio and unable to walk without help, he remained hopeful, famously asserting,

“We have always held to the hope, the belief, the conviction, that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.”

 His resilience mirrors the enduring hope that we are called to have.

Similarly, Albert Einstein, renowned for his brilliance, advised,

‘Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow.’

His words resound with the dual reality of learning from our past while moving forward with hope for the future.

And there is Alfred Lord Tennyson, a popular English poet during Queen Victoria’s age, he wrote,

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering ‘It will be happier.’ ”

For those who accept the promise of Revelation, we have unbreakable hope of an eternal future with God.

However, for those who are not willing to acknowledge God as their Creator and His right to receive their honor and worship, scripture warns of a final separation, a true point of no return in which the opportunity for reconciliation with God expires.

In this final lesson, we examine the ultimate display of Jesus’ enduring love during the most dramatic time in the universe’s history.

Yet, the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, offers hope. It portrays Jesus’ victory in the great controversy.

In other words, this book allows us to look through the portal of time into the future and see Christ’s victory over Satan in the battle between good and evil.

This hope is not just any hope; it is eternal hope that transforms our today and guarantees our tomorrow and our eternity.

In fact, the Bible paints a clear picture of what will happen just before Christ’s return.

It is designed to give us hope even in troubleous times.

Where does our hope come from in the time of trouble?  Read: Revelation 22:11, 12; Daniel 12:1, 2; and Jeremiah 30:5–7

“Then Continue to Part 2: Hope in the Time of Trouble

The Great Controversy

The War Between Good and Evil

(Lesson 13)

The Triumph of God’s Love

Part 2: Hope in the Time of Trouble

As we approach the critical moments just before the Second Coming, it’s crucial to examine the scriptures closely to understand earth’s final events.

 

This is a time of significant testing, during which every individual alive on Earth will be examined.

This time is crucial as everyone will soon have to make an ultimate choice—for or against Jesus.

We obtain insights from Revelation 22:11-12, Daniel 12:1-2, and Jeremiah 30:5-7, each shedding light on what awaits us.

 Revelation 22:11-12  emphasizes the urgency and the irrevocable nature of our decisions as Earth’s history comes to an end. There is a time of expiration for our decision to accept Jesus.

Revelation 22:11-12

11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. (Revelation 22:11-12)

Daniel 12:1-2 warns of a time of unprecedented distress. It challenges all nations, promising deliverance for those whose names are written in the Book of Life.

And Jeremiah 30:5-7 depicts a time of great turmoil for Jacob, yet it assures us that he will be saved out of it.

This period of ‘Jacob’s trouble’ symbolizes the intense trials that God’s people will face, yet it also reaffirms God’s commitment to deliver His people.

Currently, we are in a critical phase of probation. This period will soon expire in a time of unprecedented tribulation, as described in the severe judgments of Revelation 16, which describes the seven last plagues that will be poured out on the wicked world.

But like the plagues that fail in Egypt, God shows His protective care for His faithful people. His people will be shielded from them as not in Daniel 12:1

“ ‘And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book’ ”

Daniel is apparently referring to the “book of life” talked about in Philippians 4:3; Revelation 13:8; Revelation. 20:12, 15; Revelation. 22:19

Philippians 4:3 says

3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. (Philippians 4:3)

Revelation 13:8

8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8)

Revelation 20:12, 15

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.

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:12, 15)

Revelation 22:19

19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:19)

Nevertheless, we are assured in Revelation 3:5 that if we remain faithful to Jesus, our names will not be blotted out of the Book of Life.

Revelation 3:5

5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Revelation 3:5). 

Therefore, to prepare for these challenging times, scriptures like 1 John 3:1–3 and John 14:30 advise us to cultivate a relationship with Jesus.

I John 3:1-3

1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (I John 3:1-3)

John 8:29

29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” (John 8:29)

John 14:30

30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. (John 14:30)

This relationship, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, enables us to conform to Christ’s holiness and obedience. But the day is coming when the invitation will expire.

As expressed in the study guide:

In this time of trouble, God’s people have an unshakeable personal relationship with Jesus that is so deep that nothing can change it.

 Their ultimate desire is to honor Him in everything, striving to achieve purity through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Just as Christ’s heart was unaffected by Satan’s deceptions, we, too, can reflect His purity of heart in our characters.

Thus, during the upcoming trials we find God’s assurances in Psalms 27:5

5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

Psalm 91:1–11 God is promised to by our refuge and fortress. We are promised that no plague will come near us.

Moreover Revelation 3:10-12 promises:

10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. (Revelation 2:10-12) (Split)

The study guide also states that we will not have to live through trouble without a mediator.

 Although Jesus ceases His mediation in Heaven’s sanctuary when everyone has made their final decision for or against Him, this does not mean we are alone during this time, relying on our own strength.

Instead, Jesus assures us in Matthew 28:20 that He will be with us “always, even to the end of the age.”

The lesson points out that faith trusts when it cannot see and believe, even when the world around us is falling apart.

During trouble, our faith strengthens, and our longing for eternity increases so that our one desire is to live forever with Jesus.

For added assurance, read John 14:1–3 and Titus 2:11–14

Then View the next segment of this video, Part 3:  Hope in Jesus Soon Return

The Great Controversy

The War Between Good and Evil

(Lesson 13)

Triumph of God’s Love

Part 3: Hope in Jesus’ Soon Return

As we navigate the complexities of our world and anticipate the foretold times of trouble, John 14:1–3 and Titus 2:11–14 provide encouragement.

John 14:1-3 offers Jesus’ reassuring words:

 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ” (John 14:1-3)

In this promise, Jesus affirms His unwavering presence and His return to take us to our true home, our heavenly home away from these troubles.

Then Titus 2:11-14 reminds us of the grace of God that offers salvation to all people, teaching us to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age while waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God, Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We can be sure that regardless of how bad it gets, better days or ahead.

Bible scholars have found that the New Testament speaks of the return of our Lord once every 25 verses.

The encouraging verses help us prepare for the dark days ahead when the oppressive enactments of a church-state power threaten our lives.

We can latch on to the promise of Christ’s coming and allow it to fill our hearts with hope, the same “blessed hope” that has inspired the faithful people of God in every generation.

With this in mind, consider the stark contrasts depicted in Revelation 6:15–17

15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,

16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!

17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17)

and Isaiah 25:8-9

8 He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.

9 And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:8-9 8)

 We see here that while the wicked are overwhelmed by fear and the realization of the horrible consequences of sin, the saved are depicted rejoicing in God’s deliverance and marvelous provisions of grace.

They celebrate the fulfillment of His promise to wipe away every tear.

In the meantime, the rebellion of the wicked against God leads to fear, guilt, condemnation, and, eventually, their eternal loss. 

Whereas our positive response to His saving grace leads to our forgiveness, peace, and joy eternally at His glorious return.

These differences in reactions underscore the eternal impact and dividing line of those who accept or reject God’s mercy and love. There is a time when God’s invitation will expire.

 

In the songs of the saved, detailed in Revelation 15:3 and 4 and Revelation 19:7, there is a deep acknowledgment of Jesus’ sacrifice and His plan of salvation.

Revelations 19:7 says:

7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” (Revelation 19:7)

Notice what it says about the cross of Christ in the Great Controversy:

“The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In Christ glorified they will behold Christ crucified. . . . That the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of all destinies, should lay aside His glory and humiliate Himself from love to man will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the universe.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 651.

Revelation 12:17; Revelation 17:13, 14; and Revelation 19:11–16 illustrate the ultimate victory of good over evil.

These passages describe the final conflict and Jesus’ triumphant return as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, defeating the forces of evil and establishing His righteous eternal rulership.

Revelation 19 ends with a dramatic scene of the return of Jesus and the destruction of the wicked. But the story is not over.

 Revelation 20 introduces us to a period lasting 1,000 years, called the “millennium.”  What is the millennium?

Read Revelations 19 and 20. Then Continue to the next Segment of this video, Part 4:  The Millennium on Earth?

Revelation 20:1-3 offers a vivid depiction of Satan’s fate when Jesus returns.

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;

3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. (Revelation 20:1-3)

Satan is bound with a great chain and cast into the bottomless pit. This pit is shut up and sealed. He is put away with no ability to deceive the nations for a 1000 years.

Now, this is not a physical imprisonment with chains, but a symbolic one, illustrating Satan’s total solitary confinement. He is confined to the depopulated earth, bound by the chain of circumstances he himself has created for a 1000 years.

With no human alive on Earth, Satan is left powerless, unable to deceive or tempt anyone. While alone on this earth with no one to tempt. He will see the devastation, destruction, and disaster that his rebellion has created.

The  Greek word translated as “bottomless pit” is the same word from which we get our English word “abyss.” The abyss where Satan is confined  is the same word used in Genesis 1:2, to describe the state of the Earth at Creation. 

“The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:2)

As the study guide points out, the “bottomless pit” is not some underground cave or some vast gulf somewhere out there in the universe. It is instead the condition of the earth after Satan’s work of sin and destruction, along with the immense chaos preceding the Second Coming.

These activities have brought the earth back to a dark, disorganized mass like its condition at the beginning of Creation.

The prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah provide further descriptions of this scene in Jeremiah 4:23-26 and Jeremiah 25:3

They describe the Earth as a desolate place, deprived of human life, in which the landscapes are laid waste. Similarly, Isaiah 24:1, 3, and 5 describe the devastation, emphasizing that the Earth is utterly emptied and spoiled.

These prophecies highlight the sweeping and severe consequences of humanity’s collective sin and God’s righteous judgment. They emphasize the catastrophic destruction at the second coming of Christ and that no person is left alive on earth during this thousand-year period. Satan and his evil angels are left to contemplate the destruction caused by his rebellion.

Therefore, God resolves the sin problem and Nahum 1:9 assures us that sin will never rise again.

9 What do you conspire against the Lord? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. (Nahum 1:9).

In the Guide, we are advised that there are three prime ways God does this.

First, He reveals His limitless love, passionate desire, and relentless efforts to save all humanity.

Second, He reveals His justice, fairness, and righteousness. And Third, He allows the universe to see the ultimate results of sin and rebellion.

 For Satan, the Millennium is a testimony to the chaos and destruction resulting from sin.

Though humanity will not be present, it serves as a profound lesson recorded in scripture, reminding us of the serious consequences of our choices and the finality of God’s justice. It shows that there is a time when God’s open invitation will expire. 

But, what about the righteous? Where will they be, and what will they be doing during the Millennium?

Continue to the next segment of this video: Part 5: Judgment in the Millennium

The Great Controversy

The War Between Good and Evil

(Lesson 13)

The Triumph of God’s Love

Part 5: Judgment in the Millennium

The Millennium, as described in Revelation 20:4–6, is a unique opportunity for the saved.

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)

This 1,000-year period is not merely a pause in eternity but a crucial time for understanding and affirming God’s justice and love in how He has dealt with the sin problem.

During the Millennium, in heaven, the saved will participate in reviewing the judgments God made regarding sin and those who remained lost. The redeemed get the opportunity to ask those questions that we have had but have not been answered.

This period allows them to access the records and see the fairness and mercy of God’s decisions.

For instance, many may have questions or wonder about the outcome of loved ones who are not in heaven. This review process ensures that all doubts are cleared and that God’s justice is fully transparent and understood.

It’s a time for the saved to see that each person who is lost has chosen to walk away from God’s mercy.

In a new way, more powerfully than ever before, the redeemed will understand God’s powerful attempts to save every person who has ever lived. They will realize anew that everyone who is lost has missed out on heaven because of their own personal decision to reject Christ’s invitation of love.

The culmination of this period is the understanding that the second death, which is the eternal destruction and cessation of existence for the lost, is a just and necessary end to sin.

So, for 1,000 years, Satan has had no one to tempt or deceive. He and his angels have been alone to reflect on the deadly consequences of sin.

At the end of the Millennium, however, significant events reshape the course of eternity.

Revelation 20:5 describes the resurrection of those who are not part of the first resurrection.

5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:5)

As Satan sees the resurrected wicked, although he has suffered defeat after defeat in the great controversy, encouraged to see the huge crowd of the lost, he takes one last ditched effort of deception and rebellion. Not yet ready to end his rebellion, he goes out to deceive these “nations.”

He gathers his followers, now resurrected, convincing them that they can overthrow God’s kingdom and set up their own kingdom.

This final delusion culminates in the battle of “Gog and Magog,” as referred to in Revelation 20:9.

9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. (Revelation 20:9)

The term “Gog and Magog” is used to symbolize Satan and the unsaved of all ages. Satan and his followers surround “the camp of the saints and the beloved city” (Rev. 20:9, NKJV).

Not only are the wicked raised from the dead after the millennium, but Revelation 21:2 tells us that The Holy City, New Jerusalem, descends from heaven.

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.

 (Revelation 21:2).

During the millenniums, the saints have lived and ruled with Christ in the New Jerusalem. Now, at the end of the 1,000 years, the city descends to earth along with God, Jesus, the angels, and all the redeemed.

Therefore, everyone is present for the final battle of the great controversy. 

Why are the wicked raised again? Read 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10, 11; and Revelation 20:11–15.

Then Continue to the next segment of this video, Part 6: Two Eternities

The Great Controversy

The War Between Good and Evil

(Lesson 13)

The Triumph of God’s Love

Part 6: Two Eternities

God’s resurrection of the lost at the end of the Millennium serves to show that His justice is recognized and accepted by all, both the righteous and the wicked. The scriptures in 2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:10-11, and Revelation 20:11–15 demonstrate why this resurrection is necessary and what it achieves in the cosmic conflict between good and evil.

2 Corinthians 5:10 reminds us that everyone must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, to receive what is due for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. This underscores the fairness of God’s judgment, ensuring that each individual is accountable for their actions.

 In Romans 14:10-11 we are told that we will all stand before God’s judgment seat, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess to God. This prophecy emphasizes that, ultimately, everyone, regardless of their choices, will recognize God’s sovereignty and justice.

And Revelation 20:11-15 depicts the great white throne judgment, where the dead, great and small, stand before God. The books are opened, including the book of life, and the dead are judged according to what they have done as recorded in the books. This final judgment is where all, including Satan and his followers, acknowledge the righteousness and fairness of God’s rule. The passage shows the total transparency and justice of God’s judgments in allowing every creature to see the fairness with which God has administered the history of sin and salvation. 

Notice how The Great Controversy vividly describes this moment: “As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart—all appear as if written in letters of fire. . . .

“The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God on the charge of high treason against the government of heaven.

They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse; and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them.”—The Great Controversy, pp. 666, 668.

Revelation 20:9 and Psalm 37:20 discuss the ultimate destruction of evil, portraying it as being consumed like smoke or burnt up like chaff.

Note that they will be devoured, destroyed, and not eternally tormented. The next verse uses the expression “forever and ever.” Depending on the context, the word “forever” does not always mean “endless” but until something is completely accomplished, as in Exodus 21:6; 1 Samuel 1:22, 28; Jude 7; and 2 Peter 2:4–6. 

In contrast, Malachi 4:1-2 offers a promise of healing and righteousness for those who fear God’s name, illustrating the final eradication of sin and the restoration of the universe.

These scriptures address the finality of sin and its consequences.  Satan and his evil angels will be destroyed in the lake of fire alone with Sin and sinners.

 For the lost, the destruction itself, not the act of destroying, is eternal. God is not the eternal torturer. The sin and sinners will be completely annihilated; they will cease to exist of their own choosing.

The resurrection of the lost serves to vindicate God’s character and justice before the universe. It ensures that every being, saved or lost, understands and accepts the righteousness of His judgments. This universal acknowledgment is crucial for the eradication of sin and the restoration of peace.

 This understanding allows us to trust in His government and look forward to a future where sin no longer exists and eternal peace reigns. Let this hope inspire us to live faithfully, embracing the promises of God’s everlasting kingdom.

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