Every Good Thing
God is the fullness of every good thing. He is an eternal well...infinitely welling up new love, mercy, justice, righteousness...we will never plumb the depths of His goodness. You and I were made to live forever because it will literally take forever to get to know God, His word, and His ways...and they are all good.
Many imagine that God "turns off" His love to execute Justice. This is impossible. God is the fullness of eternal love AND eternal justice. Justice is another facet of His love and love is a facet of His justice. Justice and love are two sides of the same coin. Isaiah famous passage about comfort is really a passage about Jesus slaying His enemies...all those opposed to love:
Isaiah 61:1-2 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord , And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
If you are a captive of an enemy opposed to the rule and reign of love, then the vengeance of love is really good. But God isn't just loving to those on "His side"...God actually loves those opposed to Him!
Matthew 5:44-45 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Many incorrectly see the Great Tribulation as God finally giving rebellious mankind what they deserve. This is completely inaccurate. Thankfully, no man yet has gotten what they deserve. What we all deserve is utter separation from the source of life. But God is so infinitely merciful and kind that when no one deserved it, Jesus laid aside the privilege of deity and became a man...the lowest man...and died on a cross to pay the price for every rebellious act. While Jesus was doing this, He planted a church of 11 men and told them to go into all the world and share this good news...He told them to do this with "signs and wonders"...the healing of the sick, the casting out of demons, and the preaching of truth...all as a demonstration of who He is. He promised them they would do even greater things than He did. All the while, Jesus was looking forward to the time when all this would be complete and He would return to earth. Jesus was always looking forward to accomplishing the Father's plan:
Matthew 6:9-10 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
The Father's plan didn't end with Jesus' resurrection! Salvation is the beginning! The Father's plan has never changed. It is what He called "very good" at the time of creation: God with man on a physical earth with an open heaven:
Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
This is what Jesus is all about, restoring "very good" for the Father:
Ephesians 1:9-10 God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
The Book of Revelation is the finishing of this plan. This is the final scene:
God returning to earth in Revelation 21! People in agreement with God aren't leaving earth in the final generation. Heaven is coming here. The Book of Revelation is actually the story of Jesus giving everyone what they want. Those who want life with Him on His terms will stay here....those who want to live apart from God will be taken to where He is not. Everyone gets what they want.
But this is the problem: God really wants no one to choose to live where He is not! Where God isn't will be a lake of fire. I picture it like this: God is the light of mankind (John 1:4). Just like a tree can't live without its light, the sun, mankind cannot live without God. He authored, and sustains, life. Right now, God is letting the life giving light of Himself shine on good and evil alike...even though the evil don't want Him, He has refused to stop caring for them...but soon everyone will get what they want. Revelation is the story of God using the least intense means necessary to convince those not choosing Him to not try to live life apart from Him. He demonstrates, incrementally (seals, trumpets, and finally bowls) to the whole earth in one generation what life apart from Him really looks like, so that everyone can see plainly what they are choosing before that choice is final. Many will harden their hearts and blaspheme God...this means that rather than agree with God that He is the one who authored and sustains life, they will accuse Him of being evil because he won't agree with them that THEIR way is right.
A tree cannot live without the sun...and people simply cannot live without God. His patience has been misunderstood by many. Forever those who decide to try life without God will live in unending fire...the absence of life. Even the incremental judgments designed to convince the objects of God's love not to cast off life are "less bad" than the final choice to try to have life on your own terms. God's judgments are His loving pleas to mankind to reform...to agree with God about what life really is.
The judgments are directed at those who are disagreeing with God. Those in agreement with God don't need to be reformed. In fact, they will lead many to righteousness! The Great Tribulation will be released with good and evil both on the earth at the same time:
Daniel 12:1-4 “At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”
This is God's design. Those in agreement with God will be performing the great commission with power...doing the greater things. The prophet Joel promised that this would happen in the middle of the events of Revelation, and Revelation agrees!
Joel 2:28-32 “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike. And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth— blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved...
Joel said: all those who are serving God will be overflowing with the Holy Spirit at the time of the 6th seal. Why? So that everyone who wants to be reformed can be...everyone who calls on the name of the Lord! This is the sixth seal:
Revelation 6:12 I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood.
And this is what John saw next: the great harvest of souls, everyone who called on the name of the Lord, brought in by the Bride at the time the Spirit is poured out:
Revelation 7:9, 13-14 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.... Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.
The Book of Revelation describes the Bride's greatest hour...the moment the Great Commission results in the Great Harvest in the Midst of the Great Tribulation, which will also produce the Great Falling Away. It is all around GREAT...intense. But there will be much harvesting to do by those who are wise...those who are ready to endure. But no one would be saved if there was no one to preach:
Romans 10:14-15 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
And here we are back to Isaiah 61. The God who created life, lets His light shine on good and evil, sent His own Son to make a way, isn't going to suddenly flip out in anger, pluck everyone who knows Him off of earth and reign down terror. No! He is going to make His last stand of love through a faithful Bride preaching with power to a world groping for answers in the Greatest generation to ever live on earth. But you MUST be ready. It will be so intense many who are unwilling to search out His plans will be offended and quit just before the victory!
Many imagine that God "turns off" His love to execute Justice. This is impossible. God is the fullness of eternal love AND eternal justice. Justice is another facet of His love and love is a facet of His justice. Justice and love are two sides of the same coin. Isaiah famous passage about comfort is really a passage about Jesus slaying His enemies...all those opposed to love:
Isaiah 61:1-2 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord , And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
If you are a captive of an enemy opposed to the rule and reign of love, then the vengeance of love is really good. But God isn't just loving to those on "His side"...God actually loves those opposed to Him!
Matthew 5:44-45 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Many incorrectly see the Great Tribulation as God finally giving rebellious mankind what they deserve. This is completely inaccurate. Thankfully, no man yet has gotten what they deserve. What we all deserve is utter separation from the source of life. But God is so infinitely merciful and kind that when no one deserved it, Jesus laid aside the privilege of deity and became a man...the lowest man...and died on a cross to pay the price for every rebellious act. While Jesus was doing this, He planted a church of 11 men and told them to go into all the world and share this good news...He told them to do this with "signs and wonders"...the healing of the sick, the casting out of demons, and the preaching of truth...all as a demonstration of who He is. He promised them they would do even greater things than He did. All the while, Jesus was looking forward to the time when all this would be complete and He would return to earth. Jesus was always looking forward to accomplishing the Father's plan:
Matthew 6:9-10 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
The Father's plan didn't end with Jesus' resurrection! Salvation is the beginning! The Father's plan has never changed. It is what He called "very good" at the time of creation: God with man on a physical earth with an open heaven:
Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
This is what Jesus is all about, restoring "very good" for the Father:
Ephesians 1:9-10 God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
The Book of Revelation is the finishing of this plan. This is the final scene:
God returning to earth in Revelation 21! People in agreement with God aren't leaving earth in the final generation. Heaven is coming here. The Book of Revelation is actually the story of Jesus giving everyone what they want. Those who want life with Him on His terms will stay here....those who want to live apart from God will be taken to where He is not. Everyone gets what they want.
But this is the problem: God really wants no one to choose to live where He is not! Where God isn't will be a lake of fire. I picture it like this: God is the light of mankind (John 1:4). Just like a tree can't live without its light, the sun, mankind cannot live without God. He authored, and sustains, life. Right now, God is letting the life giving light of Himself shine on good and evil alike...even though the evil don't want Him, He has refused to stop caring for them...but soon everyone will get what they want. Revelation is the story of God using the least intense means necessary to convince those not choosing Him to not try to live life apart from Him. He demonstrates, incrementally (seals, trumpets, and finally bowls) to the whole earth in one generation what life apart from Him really looks like, so that everyone can see plainly what they are choosing before that choice is final. Many will harden their hearts and blaspheme God...this means that rather than agree with God that He is the one who authored and sustains life, they will accuse Him of being evil because he won't agree with them that THEIR way is right.
A tree cannot live without the sun...and people simply cannot live without God. His patience has been misunderstood by many. Forever those who decide to try life without God will live in unending fire...the absence of life. Even the incremental judgments designed to convince the objects of God's love not to cast off life are "less bad" than the final choice to try to have life on your own terms. God's judgments are His loving pleas to mankind to reform...to agree with God about what life really is.
The judgments are directed at those who are disagreeing with God. Those in agreement with God don't need to be reformed. In fact, they will lead many to righteousness! The Great Tribulation will be released with good and evil both on the earth at the same time:
Daniel 12:1-4 “At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.”
This is God's design. Those in agreement with God will be performing the great commission with power...doing the greater things. The prophet Joel promised that this would happen in the middle of the events of Revelation, and Revelation agrees!
Joel 2:28-32 “Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike. And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth— blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives. But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved...
Joel said: all those who are serving God will be overflowing with the Holy Spirit at the time of the 6th seal. Why? So that everyone who wants to be reformed can be...everyone who calls on the name of the Lord! This is the sixth seal:
Revelation 6:12 I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood.
And this is what John saw next: the great harvest of souls, everyone who called on the name of the Lord, brought in by the Bride at the time the Spirit is poured out:
Revelation 7:9, 13-14 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.... Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.
The Book of Revelation describes the Bride's greatest hour...the moment the Great Commission results in the Great Harvest in the Midst of the Great Tribulation, which will also produce the Great Falling Away. It is all around GREAT...intense. But there will be much harvesting to do by those who are wise...those who are ready to endure. But no one would be saved if there was no one to preach:
Romans 10:14-15 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
And here we are back to Isaiah 61. The God who created life, lets His light shine on good and evil, sent His own Son to make a way, isn't going to suddenly flip out in anger, pluck everyone who knows Him off of earth and reign down terror. No! He is going to make His last stand of love through a faithful Bride preaching with power to a world groping for answers in the Greatest generation to ever live on earth. But you MUST be ready. It will be so intense many who are unwilling to search out His plans will be offended and quit just before the victory!
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