| (Copyright 10-23-2024) by Warren Zehrung (Little Rock, Arkansas) |
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| Dear Brethren, Recently, I was meditating on how to present my sermon for the Last Great Day—the eighth Day of Leviticus 23:36. I was thinking about the eternity before God created man, and the eternity after God’s Plan has come to fruition when this earth will no longer exist. Those two periods are the brackets around the Plan of God on earth. I had not thought before of the message of the entire Bible being bracketed in that manner, but it is. The Bible speaks of events having to do with the beginning and then the end when there is no more earth. Those are the two brackets of God’s work of bringing many sons and daughters to glory (Hebrews 2:10). Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same [Jesus Christ] was in the beginning with God. John opens the brackets back before the heavens and the earth were created by the pre-incarnate Jesus and closes the brackets with the writings in Revelation about the post-incarnate Jesus (Revelation 1:13-16). The apostle Paul addresses the transitional period to the closing bracket: 1Corinthians 15:24 Then comes the end, when [Jesus] shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. In today’s sermon, we will be focusing on the transitional period between the work of Jesus Christ on earth, and the institution of the New Heavens and the New Earth wherein God the Father will dwell eternally with His spiritual sons and daughters (Revelation 21:3). Genesis 1 and 2 [the Beginning] is the bracket before God worked on earth to bring mankind’s salvation, and Revelation 21 and 22 [the End] is the bracket where mankind’s salvation will be complete. The Eighth Day is all about the closing bracket of the Bible. A logical question is, “What is going to happen to the stars in the sky and this present earth on which we live?” The answer is that at the end of the Millennium, they will have served their purpose: Isaiah 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falls off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. Jesus spoke openly of the transient nature of the heavens and earth. Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass [away], one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Peter covers the subject of the closing nature of the heavens and earth very well. He rhetorically asks the question, “What is in store for this earth?” 2 Peter 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:10 But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Action Step: Considering that there will be no more heavens or earth, Peter asks us to reflect on our Christian lives and strive to be a people of all holiness and Godliness. 2 Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things [heaven and earth] shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? 2 Peter 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for New Heavens and a New Earth, wherein dwells righteousness. Even the beauty of the Millennium will cease after the Great White Throne Judgement has been completed. These brackets are a way to view the narrative of the Bible: [The Beginning], then the seven-thousand-year Plan of God, and finally the End [The New Heavens and a New Earth]. Revelation 21:1-3 And I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; And I John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. God the Father and Jesus Christ will reign forever more in righteousness. We, the resurrected Saints will be at their side forever more. The sun and moon—no longer needed—will have served their purpose: Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Brethren, this Eighth Day of the Feast presents us with a window to see beyond the allotted 7,000-years of man into the future eternity that lies ahead — the New Heaven and New Earth with God the Father and Jesus Christ. The end bracket shows us there lies an eternity beyond in which God the Father shall reign over His Children in Mount Zion from henceforth, even forever (Micah 4:7; Isaiah 9:7) *** The Children of God.net Working together around the world Bringing the message of hope to a world in turmoil SabbathCoG.org Listen to Live Services at 2:00 PM Central Time on the Holy Days by calling the Free Conference Call dial-in number, (667) 770-1685 and entering the Participant access code: 696903# The playback number is (667) 770-1688. The playback Reference Number for the LGD is 417#. We wish everyone an encouraging Eighth Day of the Feast. Your brother in Christ, Warren M. Zehrung ———————————————————————————————————- See Warren Zehrung’s other articles at: Zehrung, Warren – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) Reprinted with permission from: Sabbath Church of God http://childrenofgod.net/ ———————————————————————————————————- |
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