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Monday, October 12, 2020

The First Resurrection and Reigning with Christ

Our home church has been camped on Hebrews 11:6 for a while, with our latest focus on what it means that God rewards those who earnestly seek him. We have already considered six different facets of God rewarding our faith and have one more to go.[1] 

My focus on this last reward is what it will be like to enter the fullness of our eternal life (something increasingly on my mind as I approach the finish line). While we know that there are immediate rewards for drawing near to God in this lifetime, there is also the ultimate reward of drawing near to God now, that we will be the ones who are taken into his presence forever. 

The Book of Revelation in the Bible is like God’s picture book of what to expect between the two comings of Christ, and after his return. The last 3 chapters can be summarized as follows: 

Chapter 20:[2] This chapter revolves around a period referred to as “the thousand years”, often called “the millennium”. It appears to be a symbol (103, or 10x10x10) of what God considers the “whole entire” time between Jesus’ two comings. Satan is bound (unable to stop the church), and those who die in Christ experience the “first resurrection” (our souls are taken up to be with the Lord while our bodies await the second resurrection). At the end of this time, Satan is released, he gathers the nations for battle, God sends fire down from heaven and consumes them, the devil, beast and false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, and the judgment takes place. 

Chapter 21:[3] The new heavens and earth are revealed, including the imagery of “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” A loud voice from the throne declares that “the dwelling place of God” is now and forever with his people. Tears will be wiped away, and everything will be made new. The imagery of the new Jerusalem is expanded, along with the glory of God’s presence among his people. The whole picture is wonderful and glorious and worth waiting for! 

Chapter 22:[4] Now the focus narrows to the “river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,” along with the “tree of life”. Whatever we have experienced of the living waters of salvation on earth will pale in comparison to the glory of our Forever Home where every symbol is fulfilled in eternal reality. From the short description of what awaits us, John begins his conclusion, reminding us that Jesus is “coming soon”, and repeating the promise of blessing on “the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 

I believe that the Book of Revelation was given to us, not to give us points to argue about prophecy, but to tell us that, “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”[5] 

Instead of letting the “sufferings of this present time” rule over us like WoLVeS holding us in bondage,[6] “the glory that is to be revealed to us,” what is revealed in Revelation, ought to spur us on to run the race before us with joyful perseverance.[7] After all, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us,”[8] so that is the way we ought to live now knowing that the perfection of our victory in Christ is waiting at the finish line.   

So, as Peter said, “but rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”[9] Let us draw near to God in our sufferings, knowing that a reward is waiting for us that the world will never understand, but it is ours already because of our attachment to Jesus Christ by faith.

 

© 2020 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)

 

 



[1] The first six we looked at are: Attachment to God, Confident Expectation of Reward, Pleasing God, Knowing God Better Than We Have Ever Known Him Before, Friendship with God, and Promised Blessings.

[5] Romans 8:18

[6] WoLVeS is an anachronym we use to remind ourselves of what Marcus Warner refers to as WLVS (Wounds, Lies, Vows, Strongholds). These are the Wounds we experience in life (often in childhood), the Lies Satan tells us about God and ourselves because of those wounds, the Vows we make to protect ourselves from such things every happening to us again, and the Strongholds that develop because we can never live above what the lies and vows have settled in our inner beings.

[7] Hebrews 12:1-3 calls for this focus, picturing the “witnesses” of faith in Hebrews 11 standing along the racecourse cheering us on.

[8] Romans 8:37

[9] I Peter 4:13

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