Richard F. Ames

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

The Importance of Prophecy

Is the end of the world coming soon? Will Russia’s military aggression—in Ukraine, lead to World War III? Will China’s powerful increase in military strength set the stage for Armageddon? My friends, Bible prophecy reveals the future of the world. You can know the answers to these questions, IF you understand Bible prophecy!

Bible prophecy’s many amazing messages from God’s prophets can be challenging even to Bible scholars.

What is symbolized by the grand image described by the prophet Daniel? What meaning can we learn from the beasts and the harlot of Revelation—and other mysterious symbols?

Proven principles of Bible prophecy will open your understanding to the ultimate future of the world, of humanity, and of the glorious Kingdom to come.

Between 25 and 30 percent of your Bible is prophecy. If you understand Bible prophecy, you can find hope for the future, and for your own life. You need to know the keys to understanding Bible prophecy!

Stay tuned!

Prophetic Symbols and the Biblical Timeline

Bible prophecy reveals the future of the world, and frankly, the future of the universe. Your Bible has proven the power of prophecy.

I hope you’ve seen our telecast “Amazing Prophecies Fulfilled!” From Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue in the Old Testament book of Daniel, to John’s New Testament visions in the book of Revelation, your Bible reveals major end-time events, with mysterious prophetic symbols such as the Beast of Revelation 13 with seven heads and ten horns rising up out of the sea; and the harlot woman of Revelation 17 sitting on scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns.

How can you understand the meaning of these symbols?

On today’s program, we’ll discuss seven keys to understanding Bible prophecy. My friends, these seven keys to understanding prophecy will help you understand the most amazing future and events that relatively few people on earth even come close to understanding. Key Number One to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Learn God’s Prophetic Framework.

Some have wrong ideas about prophecy because they wrongly believe that Jesus Christ will return AFTER the prophesied Millennium. But your Bible shows clearly that Christ will return to set up a literal kingdom here on earth for a literal period of one thousand years.

The book of Revelation describes a period of 3 and a half years leading up to the return of Christ. The fifth seal of Revelation, described in chapter six, covers a period of two-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24. The SIXTH seal is the heavenly signs, which puts whole world will be put on notice announcing the final one year “Day of the Lord.”

Let’s read about that sixth seal in Revelation 6:12:

“I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, [Listen to this] and every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (Revelation 6:12–14).

The whole world will be shocked and terrorized. The world will then realize that the time of God’s judgment has come as Jesus returns to establish God’s Kingdom here on the earth, a new world order ruled by the King of kings, Jesus Christ.

Key Number One to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Learn God’s Prophetic Framework.

Key Number Two to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: The Bible Interprets Its Own Symbols. The book of Revelation contains symbolic language which confuses many casual readers. If you have your Bible, turn to Jeremiah 51:24 for one example. Your Bible probably has a heading to chapter 51 such as “God’s judgment (or vengeance) upon Babylon.” God is declaring his punishment on the great empire of Babylon.

Jeremiah 51:24,

“‘And I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all the evil they have done in Zion in your sight,’ says the LORD. ‘Behold, I am against you, O DESTROYING MOUNTAIN, who destroys all the earth,’ says the LORD. ‘And I will stretch out My hand against you, roll you down from the rocks, and make you a burnt MOUNTAIN’” (Jeremiah 51:24–25).

Yes, God will judge rebellious nations, symbolized here as mountains. What mountain or kingdom will rule the whole earth? As so many prophecies explain, that Kingdom will be the Kingdom of God ruled by the King of kings, the Savior, Jesus Christ! Bible students are familiar with the prophecy in Isaiah 2.

Isaiah 2:2,

“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:2–4).

A mountain in Bible prophecy can symbolize a Kingdom, empire, or nation. Here we see the good news of God’s Kingdom, which will establish world peace! We’ve explored an example of prophetic symbolism: a mountain can be symbolic of a kingdom or a government. So, Key Number Two to Understanding Bible Prophecy is The Bible Interprets Its Own Symbols.

The THIRD key to understanding biblical prophecy is the proof of fulfilled prophecy.

Fulfilled Prophecy Throughout the AgesWhere and When?

Dozens of Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in the New Testament in the person of Jesus Christ. Another example of fulfilled prophecy, and there are many, is the dream God gave ancient king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Turn to the Book of Daniel, chapter two. Here the prophet Daniel tells the king his dream.

Nebuchadnezzar’s famous image reveals four world-ruling empires. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him. Daniel was called before the king, and proceeded to describe the great image in the king’s dream.

Daniel 2:31,

“You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces” (Daniel 2:31–34).

Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that he was the head of gold represented in the image. Daniel said in verse 38, “YOU are this head of gold.” History CONFIRMS Daniel’s prophecy of the subsequent empires symbolized by the statue. What world ruling empires followed after Nebuchadnezzar?

The head of gold represented the Babylonian Empire from 625 to 539 BC. It was replaced by the Medo-Persian Empire from 558 to 330 BC, represented by the chest and arms of silver. The belly and thighs of bronze represented the Greco-Macedonian Empire of Alexander the Great from 333 to 31 BC. The two legs of Iron represent the Roman Empire from 31 BC to 476 AD. And, finally, the ten toes on two feet of Iron mixed with ceramic clay represent a future revival of the Roman Empire.

The prophecies of Daniel are genuine. The predictions of these four empires did come to pass.

Key Number THREE to Understanding Bible Prophecy was: The Proof of Fulfilled Prophecy. Key Number FOUR to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Understand Prophetic Time Gaps. Let’s look at Luke 4:16. Jesus was visiting his hometown of Nazareth and was invited to read from the scriptures on the Sabbath. He was given the scroll of Isaiah.

Luke 4:16,

“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah [Luke 4:17]. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.’ [Now notice this] Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing’” (Luke 4:16–21).

Yes, the Messiah had come to preach the gospel to the poor, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. Jesus told them that this very prophecy of Isaiah was now being fulfilled through Him. But was that ALL of the prophecy? Turn back to the prophecy Jesus read. Notice the two mission statements here, in Isaiah 61:2: “To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God.” Jesus closed the book He was reading, right in the middle of a verse. He omitted the second part of the verse referring to the day of vengeance. Why? Because the remainder of Isaiah’s prophecy applies to Jesus’ SECOND COMING—when the Day of the Lord, the day of God’s vengeance and wrath, takes place. There is a TIME GAP of about 2,000 years between the fulfillment of the first part of the verse and the second part of the verse.

Key Number FOUR to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Understand Prophetic Time Gaps. Key Number FIVE to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Recognize Prophetic Duality.

Turn in your Bible to 1 Corinthians 15:45, for example. “And so it is written, ‘The FIRST man Adam became a living being.’ The LAST Adam became a life-giving spirit.” Who was the last Adam? Verse 47 gives us the answer, “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.” Yes, the second Adam was Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ Olivet prophecy in Matthew 24 is also an example of duality. Some of the terrible conditions Jesus described DID take place when Jerusalem was destroyed. But that was just a type or forerunner of the final climactic fulfillment. Jesus warned us in Matthew 24:21,

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:21–22).

Yes, prophecy is dual—and we ought to learn the lessons of history. The destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies in 70 AD was just a type of the Great Tribulation that lies just ahead. Key Number FIVE to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Recognize Prophetic Duality.

God’s Prophetic Purpose and the Role of Nations

The simple knowledge of the origin of nations in the Bible gives us a clearer understanding of Bible prophecy. We call the next key, the MASTER Key to understanding prophecy. Key Number SIX to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Know the Biblical Origins of Nations.

My friends, CAN YOU find the United States, Canada, Great Britain and the other English-speaking nations in Bible prophecy? If you can, you will understand major parts of VITAL prophecies that very few today can even begin to comprehend. The Bible mentions by name such nations as Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia. And it may surprise you that Assyria will eventually be one of the prominent nations in tomorrow’s world along with Egypt and Israel. You can read about that in Isaiah 19:23. Also read the 10th and 11th chapters of Isaiah. But who is modern Assyria? In our Tomorrow’s World magazine, we previously published a full article on this subject entitled, “A Fourth Reich?” Here is what Dr. Douglas Winnail wrote in the article: “While most historians are reluctant, or fail, to make any connection between the disappearance of the Assyrians and the appearance of the Germanic tribes, the fact remains that no other nation’s history and national character resembles Germany more than does that of Assyria.”

Key Number SIX to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Know the Biblical Origins of Nations. So, can you find THE UNITED STATES in end-time prophecy? It’s there if you know where to look. To learn more about the identity of the United States and Britain in your Bible, please view our inspiring program, “Jeremiah’s Message for the British and American Peoples.” Just type that title in the search bar on [the] Tomorrow’s World website to view the program. Key Number SIX to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Know the Biblical Origins of Nations.

Key Number SEVEN to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Understand the Purposes for Bible Prophecy. My friends, Bible prophecy can sustain hope and inspire confidence. But it ALSO warns people and nations to REPENT. John the Baptist was baptizing massive crowds of people who were moved by his preaching. The Gospel writer Matthew describes what happened.

Matthew 3:1,

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” (Matthew 3:1–2).

Later, Jesus Christ preached the same message. You can read that in Mark 1:14–15. And what was the response to John’s preaching? Verse 5,

“Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins” (Matthew 3:5–6).

In the book of Revelation, Christ promises protection for those who repent and are faithful. In the letter to the Church at Philadelphia, the Apostle John records this message.

In the book of Revelation 3:10,

“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.”

The hour of trial is that unique period of time in all history, called the Great Tribulation and leading into the Day of the Lord. God will protect His faithful people in the trying years ahead. In Verse 11, Christ gives us this instruction: “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Revelation 3:11). Bible prophecy warns people to repent and avoid the great punishments to come!

Another purpose of prophecy is to give opportunity to those in future captivity to repent and come under God’s deliverance as God promises in Deuteronomy 4:27–31. My friends, are you preparing for the Second Coming of Christ? Understanding Bible prophecy and facing reality, will help you prepare! On the day of Pentecost, in 31 AD, the Apostle Peter exhorted the thousands in his audience to repent and be baptized. You can read that in Acts 2:38. Peter motivated the crowd to change their lives. He said in Acts 2:40, “‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:40–41). My friends, if you have studied biblical baptism, and if you have come to the place in your life where you have repented and have accepted Christ’s sacrifice and His authority over your life, we invite you to counsel with one of our ministers. We have representatives in many regions around the world.

Key Number SEVEN to Understanding Bible Prophecy is: Understand the Purposes for Bible Prophecy. Bible prophecy also demonstrates the awesome sovereignty of God as it tells us in Isaiah 46:9–10.

The Prophesied Savior of the World

I hope you saw our recent program titled “Are You Saved or Lost?” Be sure to view it on our website if you missed it. Bible prophecy reveals the awesome future of your salvation. The framework of prophecy, as we discussed today, reveals the coming judgments on the nations during the Day of the Lord and the ultimate glory of the coming kingdom.

At the beginning of the program, I asked the question[s]: Is the end of the world coming soon? Will Russia’s aggression in Ukraine lead to World War III? Will China’s powerful increase in military strength set the stage for Armageddon? The framework for Bible prophecy answers those questions. But what will save the planet and all humanity from total extinction and annihilation? The greatest event in all human history is coming soon. The return of the Savior, Jesus Christ, will save planet earth and establish world peace.

You may know the awesome prophecy of Isaiah 9:6,

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6–7).

I hope you are praying as Jesus instructed in Matthew 6:10, “Your Kingdom come.” We all look forward to the good news announcement at the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11:15, “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’”

May God bless you as you prepare for the coming of the Savior Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God on earth.

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[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Who Can Be Saved?

Most religious people believe God is trying to SAVE everyone on earth NOW! Millions wrongly believe this is the only day of salvation for all humanity. And if one doesn’t become a Christian before he dies, he will go to a burning hellfire at death. Is that what ACTUALLY happens? If that’s true, billions of non-Christians are suffering unjustly in hell. Masses of humans who have lived and died have never heard the true gospel. How could they have been saved?

My friends, God is not an unjust God. He WILL give those masses of people their FIRST opportunity for salvation in the WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT. And what about you? Are you saved? Or are you lost? Or will you have an opportunity beyond death? 

God has an awesome plan for all human beings. His desire is that “all men be saved” as it tells us in 1 Timothy 2:4. Some of you, to put it bluntly, have made a mess of your life. Is there any hope for you or your loved ones beyond death? Are you saved, or lost? Stay tuned for the surprising answer!

What Steps Do YOU Have to Take?

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

Two thirds of all people on earth do not even claim to be Christian. Most have never heard true Christianity preached. When they die, are they lost forever? Is God losing the battle to “save” the world from sin and evil? The encouraging truth is that the Bible offers HOPE for your so-called “lost” family and friends. It’s called the WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT in your Bible. Just what is the White Throne Judgment? You need to know!

Let’s understand, your Bible plainly reveals a successful and abundant way of life. Jesus Himself stated in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

The common religious appeal you may hear is: “Just accept Jesus into your heart and you will be saved!” But most people neglect the action that Jesus Himself asked of us. What action is that? What is missing in those messages? The word “repent” is what’s missing in so many false appeals. My friends, you cannot be saved unless you repent! Jesus Himself stated in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

God wants every human being on earth to repent—to change from the selfish way of life and to seek the true God. Turn in your Bible to Acts the second chapter. This was the historic day when the New Testament Church of God began. God poured out His Holy Spirit as Christ’s disciples were meeting in the Jerusalem temple. Turn in your Bible to Acts the second chapter. The Apostle Peter convicted the people of their sinful support for crucifying the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38, “… Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

My friends, one of the first steps towards being saved is to do exactly as the Apostle Peter instructed. To repent and be baptized. Have you been baptized? Totally immersed in water? Romans 6:1–4 describes the phenomenon and the symbolism. For more information, view our program, “Why Baptism?” Just type that program title into the TomorrowsWorld.org search bar to view the program on our website.

The world has unusual ideas about being saved. Perhaps you have heard the expression “Once saved, always saved.” But what does your Bible say? The New Testament confirms three stages of being saved: past, present, and future. Once you have genuinely repented and been baptized, you have been saved from the penalty of your past sins by the blood of Jesus Christ. But that is not the end of our salvation. Notice that the Apostle Paul uses the present progressive tense in 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Converted Christians must continually grow spiritually, as we read in 2 Peter 3:18, “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” They must overcome human nature with the promise of God’s divine nature, as it states in 2 Peter 1:2–4. Some of you may be familiar with the old hymn with the words, “overcoming daily with the spirit’s sword, standing on the promises of God.” Jesus Himself admonishes His seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, to “overcome.” The ultimate blessing of salvation is given to overcomers in Revelation 21:7, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

Genuine Christianity includes a commitment to seek God’s Kingdom above all else in life, as Jesus stated in Matthew 6:33. The future stage of salvation is shown in several scriptures and promises. Here are just two: Romans 5:10, “… if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Yes, we shall ultimately be saved by His life! Matthew 24:13 also gives the life-long commitment: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

The Vital Purpose of the Resurrections

We saw that your Bible requires us to repent of our sins, as Jesus stated in Mark 1:15. We also saw that salvation is an ongoing process, and that newly baptized Christians must grow spiritually over a lifetime. “[B]ut grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). We also saw the awesome promise in Romans 5:10, “[I]f when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

That’s God’s wonderful promise to you! But what happens to the billions who never even heard the name of Christ? Scripture tells us in Acts 4:12, “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Masses of humans have lived and died and have never heard the true gospel. How could they have been saved? My friends, God is not an unjust God. He WILL give those masses of people their FIRST genuine opportunity for salvation in the WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT.

Turn in your Bible, if you have one available, to Revelation 20:11. As we’ll see later, this great judgment takes place after the Millennium, the thousand-year reign of Christ on this earth. Revelation 20:11, “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. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, [here, billions of humans stand before God in a great resurrection!] 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 20:11–12). Here are masses of dead people resurrected to judgment. They will have genuine hope. They will have a new physical lifetime and an opportunity to repent and accept God’s salvation through Christ.

What happens when you die? Shocking as it may seem, the Bible teaches that NO ONE goes to HEAVEN or a BURNING HELLFIRE immediately after death. The TRUTH IS, no one will even live again, until the RESURRECTION. The dead remain dead until one of the THREE GENERAL RESURRECTIONS. My friends, you need to know what the Bible teaches about the three resurrections. The SECOND RESURRECTION takes place at the White Throne Judgment, and it gives hope to billions of humans who have never converted to Christianity. They will have their FIRST OPPORTUNITY for Salvation! They will have their FIRST complete opportunity to become true Christians.

Let’s review what happens to every person who dies. If you have your Bible, open it to the 15^th chapter of 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians the 15^th chapter is referred to as the resurrection chapter. 1 Corinthians 15:12. Here, the Apostle Paul is testifying to the truth of the resurrection. Some in the Corinthian congregation believed there was no resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:12, “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.”

In other words, the resurrection is the HOPE of a Christian. If there’s NO resurrection, we absolutely have NO hope! Paul repeats this important point in verse 16, “For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished” (1 Corinthians 15:16–18).

Paul is saying IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION, then even faithful Christians would be dead forever. They would have perished, as Paul wrote. But the good news is: THERE IS A RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD. Now notice another important point. How does scripture refer to Christians who have died? 1 Corinthians 15:18. Paul refers to the dead as “those who have FALLEN ASLEEP IN CHRIST.”

The dead are dead, as it tells us in Ecclesiastes 9:5, “For the living know that they will die; But the DEAD KNOW NOTHING….” The dead are totally unconscious—they do not experience pain—they do not experience the passing of time. Even the faithful saints, genuine Christians, remain in the grave until the resurrection at the return of Christ. In the White Throne Judgment, as we’ll see later, billions will also be resurrected from the dead to live out their natural, physical lives. That will be the second resurrection.

But the FIRST resurrection is for faithful Christians. It is a resurrection to immortality, not to physical life. That resurrection is the hope of a Christian. Let’s understand, if one already went to heaven at death, there would be NO NEED for a resurrection. One is NOT born with immortality or eternal life. Believe it or not, the Bible teaches that the SOUL can die. The SOUL is NOT immortal. Let’s briefly review what will be shocking to many. Turn again [in] your Bible to Ezekiel 18:4. Ezekiel 18:4, “The SOUL WHO SINS SHALL DIE!” This is repeated in verse 20, “The SOUL WHO SINS SHALL DIE!” The Hebrew word for Soul is “Nephesh” which means physical or natural life. Souls can die. No human has an immortal soul. In 1 Corinthians 15:53 we learn that, at the RESURRECTION, “this MORTAL must put on immortality.”

A Resurrection for Those Who Never Knew Christ

But WHEN does the first general resurrection take place? 1 Corinthians 15:21, “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all DIE, even so in Christ all shall be MADE alive. But each one in his OWN ORDER: Christ the firstfruits, AFTERWARD those who are Christ’s AT HIS COMING” (1 Corinthians 15:21–23).

So, the first resurrection takes place at the Second Coming of Christ. That hasn’t happened yet! Will you be in that resurrection? If you GENUINELY belong to Jesus Christ at that time, you will be in the FIRST RESURRECTION. It’s called a “better resurrection” in Hebrews 11:35. WHY? Because it’s a resurrection to ETERNAL LIFE and IMMORTALITY.

Yes, faithful saints and Christians who died are waiting in their graves for the first resurrection, and the return of Christ. But what happens to the billions of humans who never converted to Christianity? Are they burning in hell right now? No! As we have seen, everyone who has died, with the exception of Jesus Christ, is still dead. These people who never had their minds opened to true Christianity will be in the White Throne Judgment! They will be in the SECOND RESURRECTION.

This second great resurrection is to judgment. Those resurrected to physical life will stand before God in the White Throne Judgment. These are the “rest of the dead” who lived not again “until the thousand years were finished” (Revelation 20:5). Now notice this in John the FIFTH chapter. Jesus spoke about this resurrection to judgment. John 5:28: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which ALL who are in THE GRAVES will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” or judgment, as other translations have it.

So, is there hope for the BILLIONS of humans who never converted to Christianity? Yes, there is hope! Revelation 20:11, “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. And I saw the DEAD, small and great, STANDING before God [This is the SECOND resurrection.], 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.”

The Greek word for “books” is “biblia.” The good news is that the books, or the Bible, are opened to the understanding of the masses of people for the first time. Remember the Valley of Dry Bones described by the prophet Ezekiel? This resurrection described in the 37^th chapter of Ezekiel, also takes place at the SECOND RESURRECTION. Turn in your Bible to Ezekiel 37:5. The Creator God resurrects the dead to physical life. Those who never knew the true God, will now become very acquainted with Him. Ezekiel 37:5, “Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.’” These resurrected humans will now have renewed physical life in the White Throne Judgment. The SECOND RESURRECTION is a resurrection to physical life. This resurrection includes not only the House of Israel, as identified here in Ezekiel, but gentiles as well.

The Book of Life is finally opened to those resurrected in the White Throne Judgment, as we saw in Revelation 20:12. This will be their FIRST opportunity to really learn the truth. This is NOT a SECOND chance as some would like to call it. All human beings will be held accountable for their actions and thoughts. But this will be their first time for many to SEE their sins, to the extent they’ll have the opportunity to REPENT of their sins, and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Others in the resurrection will include those who were victims of accidents, oppression, and genocide. They will be healed and given a chance for a peaceful and prosperous life—and a genuine opportunity for eternal life in glory. Yes, today is not the only day of salvation!

The Final Judgment—AFTER a Chance to Live in God’s Kingdom!

“Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:6–7).

It’s God’s purpose to give everyone who has ever lived a GENUINE, FAIR OPPORTUNITY to be a part of His Divine Family for all eternity. Sadly, some individuals will reject God’s grace and salvation. They’ll REFUSE to repent of their sins and accept Jesus’ sacrifice. But God will not allow human beings to suffer for all eternity in a state of bitterness, hate, and rebellion. He’ll destroy them in the lake of fire. Notice this sobering statement in Revelation 21:7: “He who overcomes shall inherit ALL THINGS, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:7–8).

The THIRD RESURRECTION is to eternal punishment and destruction in the lake of fire. [GRAPHIC: The THIRD RESURRECTION = Just punishment and eternal DEATH in the lake of fire] God is just. He states in Hebrews 10:30, “‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” All the unrepentant, evil rebels will feel the wrath of God. They’ll receive the ultimate punishment.

Finally, let’s turn to Revelation 20:14. Let’s see what happens at the end of the White Throne Judgment. Revelation 20:14, “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14–15). The second death is the death from which there is NO resurrection. It is the ultimate penalty.

The wicked will be tormented as they stand before the lake of fire. Then all the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire and burned up. They will LIVE NO LONGER. As it tells us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death [eternal death], but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God has an awesome plan for all humanity. His plan is sure and wonderful. Everyone, including billions of non-Christians, will have their first genuine opportunity to respond to the true gospel, to surrender to their Savior, Jesus Christ, and to be a part of God’s family for all eternity.

The truth about the White Throne Judgment is an awesome part of God’s plan for billions of human beings. The REAL HOPE of all humans is the resurrection.

My friends, you do not want to be among those who are spiritually lost! As the Apostle Peter stated in Acts 2:40, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” You need to take the first steps toward salvation. You need to seek God as it tells us in Isaiah 55:6–7; you need to get down on your knees if you physically can, and confess your sins. God will bless you as you seek repentance and baptism.

Thank you for watching!

We, here at Tomorrow’s World, produce these videos to help you understand your world through the pages of the Bible.

So, if you found this helpful, please like, share, and subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss another video.

And if you want to learn more you can request our free Bible Study Guide—Is This The Only Day of Salvation?—just click the link in the description.

See you next time!

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Armageddon IS Coming

Our planet and all our nations are faced with natural disasters, famine, earthquakes, wars, and total destruction. We even see the word “Armageddon” appearing in news headlines. Will we soon experience World War III? Will the world soon experience Armageddon?

The 1998 popular movie “Armageddon” portrayed an incoming asteroid the size of Texas that would destroy all life on earth. NASA recruits a team of oil drillers to save the world. Perhaps you’ve seen that sobering movie.

Are we today in danger of incoming earth-destroying asteroids?

Astronomy.com describes the meteor that exploded over Siberia in 2013:

On February 15, 2013, a small asteroid, perhaps measuring 20 meters across, came down over the southern Urals of Russia, barreling in at about 19 km/s, and exploded over Chelyabinsk Oblast, near the town of Chelyabinsk. With a mass greater than that of the Eiffel Tower, the asteroid exploded in an airburst, unleashing energy equal to about 500 kilotons of TNT, some 20 or 30 times the energy released in the Hiroshima atomic explosion (“Why the asteroid threat should be taken seriously,” Astronomy.com).

Continuing the report, author David J. Eicher describes the dangers we face today:

The risk from asteroids impacting Earth and causing widespread damage, death, and catastrophe is real, and is present every day of our lives. But it is to a degree a counterintuitive threat, which makes it hard for some people to take seriously. The risk at any given moment is almost nonexistent, but given enough time, a catastrophic event will happen again. Do we need to worry about an asteroid strike during our next foray out to lunch? Probably not. But someday a large enough asteroid with Earth’s name on it will enter the picture, causing horror and mayhem for humanity. Unless we do something about it, that is (ibid.).

Your Bible reveals future astronomical events as well as major military conflicts. Revelation the sixth chapter describes cosmic disturbances: “And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (Revelation 6:13–14).

The movie “Armageddon” used the title to depict the cataclysmic end-of-the world danger described in your Bible. Bible scholars describe Armageddon as the final battle between good and evil. Who will win that battle? Will the world survive Armageddon? And will you be able to escape “Armageddon”?

Stay tuned!

Where Will Armageddon Take Place?

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

The word “Armageddon” has come to symbolize the final battle between good and evil. Will Armageddon trigger ultimate destruction of planet Earth? Or will divine intervention from outer space save us all? We’ll answer that question on today’s program.

Armageddon warns us of a World War III. World War II ended in 1945, more than 75 years ago. Younger generations today may know little of its history, the suffering, global trauma and the loss of scores of millions of lives. To many at the time, the devastating conflict between nations appeared as if the end of the world was near. But the Allied nations prevailed against Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, and VE day, Victory in Europe Day, was proclaimed on May 8, 1945. The war in the Pacific continued with Japan’s military forces striving to control more and more territory. U.S. President Harry Truman approved the dramatic strategy to shorten the war with the newly invented weapon of mass destruction.

On August 6 and August 9 of 1945, the United States dropped the first ever atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan killing more than 150,000 (“Hiroshima and Nagasaki Death Toll,” Children of the Atomic Bomb, aasc.ucla.edu, October 10, 2007). The nation of Japan surrendered unconditionally on September 2, 1945, ending World War II. In his victory broadcast from the USS Missouri battleship, General Douglas MacArthur summarized the historic lesson of war. Gen. MacArthur repeated these words in his farewell address to Congress on April 19, 1951: “Military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. The utter destructiveness of war now blocks out this alternative. We have had our last chance. If we will not devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door.”

Yes, our Armageddon WILL be at our door. Or as General MacArthur pronounced it: “Har Maggadon will be at our door.” Turn to Revelation 16:16, “And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.” The original Hebrew is Har Magadon, or the Mount of Megiddo. The armies of the world will gather in northern Israel at Megiddo before marching south to Jerusalem. Megiddo is located about 55 miles north of Jerusalem in Israel. In ancient times it guarded the main trade routes between Egypt and Damascus. It also overlooks the biggest plain in Israel, the Valley of Jezreel (as it’s called in the Bible) or the Plain of Esdraelon. The kings of the east cross westward across the Euphrates River. They meet up with other superpower armies at Megiddo.

The book of Revelation describes this gathering as the sixth of the seven last plagues. They gather at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon, then move southward to Jerusalem to fight Christ there. Notice Joel 3:1, “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather ALL nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there” (Joel 3:1–2).

The Valley of Jehoshaphat is between the Mount of Olives and the city of Jerusalem. It’s also known as the Kidron Valley, which extends southward for some distance. Yes, the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty will take place at Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat means “judgment of the Eternal.” God will judge the nations in this climactic battle.

Your Bible reveals the sequence of events leading up to Armageddon. The Savior, Jesus Christ, revealed major prophetic signs leading up to the great climax and the end of this age. He also proclaimed a new age to come; we call it Tomorrow’s World. Jesus preached the gospel, the good news of a coming world-ruling government called the Kingdom of God. You can read about that in Mark 1:14–15! Jesus answered His disciples’ question concerning the end of the world or the end of the age. Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

What signs should we watch for? And what sequence of prophetic events should we expect? Our revealing free booklet we’re offering today features a chart showing the sequence of major prophetic events: Bible prophecy reveals the three and one-half year period leading up to the end of the age. And what signals the END of this sad world of failed human governments? Turn in your Bible to Revelation 11:15, “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’”

The Real “War to End All Wars”

We saw that the world’s armies will gather at Megiddo, in northern Israel, ready to oppose the returning Jesus Christ. Will that battle affect you? Nations will at first reject the returned Savior. Revelation 11:18: “The nations were angry….” They will resist the divine world-ruling kingdom and even go to war against it! The end-time superpower, the last revival of the Roman Empire, called the “Beast” in the book of Revelation, supported by ten worldly kings or kingdoms, will fight a futile war against the coming King of kings. Revelation 17:12, “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:12–14).

The book of Revelation reveals a sequence of major battles of World War III. Just read Revelation the ninth chapter. Armies east of the Euphrates River move westward using powerful weapons to destroy one third of earth’s population. The Apostle John records this prophetic vision in Revelation 9:17–18, “And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.”

Are military forces even now preparing for World War III? Our Tomorrow’s World magazine subscribers are aware of major military developments. The April–May 2023 edition featured this question: “Has World War III Already Begun?” Editor in chief Gerald Weston cites several individuals, including Pope Francis, who state that World War III has already begun: “‘The world is at war,’ he said. ‘For me, today, World War III has been declared. This is something that should give us pause for thought. What is happening to humanity that we have had three world wars in a century?’” (“Pope Francis: ‘World War III has been declared,’” America: The Jesuit Review, June 14, 2022) (Tomorrow’s World magazine, p. 6).

Today’s nations are increasing their nuclear capabilities. Nine nations around the world are confirmed to have nuclear weapons. The combined power from these weapons could destroy all human life on earth several times over. On page 5 of the Armageddon booklet, this chart shows the estimated number of nuclear warheads each possesses. They are Russia, the United States, France, China, the United Kingdom, Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea.

October, 2022 marked the 60^th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. That was a time when the whole world was facing a potential Armageddon. On that anniversary, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists made this sobering announcement: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its nuclear saber-rattling have roused the nuclear war genie, with the word ‘Armageddon’ creeping into general discussion during the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. That 35-day crisis (Oct. 16-Nov. 20, 1962) remains a definitive moment in United States national security history and was the general public’s first up-close-and-personal introduction to the real possibility of nuclear war” (“Déjà vu and nuclear roulette: The Bulletin’s initial reactions to the Cuban Missile Crisis,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, TheBulletin.org, October 26, 2022).

Unsealing the Dramatic Events of Revelation

My friends, many of you experienced the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. You faced the frightening reality of what seemed to be a real Armageddon. Evangelist Gerald Weston described those dangers in a Tomorrow’s World magazine article titled “Cold War Secrets, Broken Arrows, and the Fate of Humanity.”

The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 nearly brought the world to the unthinkable: a nuclear exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union—in popular parlance, ‘Armageddon.’ Although it was understood to be a close call during those 13 tense days in October, few would learn just how close it was until decades later—and most people still do not know (March–April 2020, p. 5).

The magazine cover featured this sobering summary: “Cold War Secrets Revealed! How one man’s decision prevented global Armageddon.”

My friends, we need to face reality! Billions of human beings on earth will die—as war, hunger, and disease expand over the planet. Yes, we will face the extreme danger of human annihilation.

The fourth seal of Revelation pictures the four horsemen combining their powers. The world will suffer massive deaths of men, women, and children. Turn to Revelation the sixth chapter. The Apostle John, who wrote the book of Revelation under God’s inspiration, sees in vision the famous four horsemen of the Apocalypse. They symbolize, in order, false christs and false religion, war and its devastating effects, famines that normally follow on the heels of war, and pestilence and disease that follow after famine. The Apostle John writes in Revelation 6:8, “So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a FOURTH of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

The fifth seal, as we read in Revelation 6:9, reveals a martyrdom of Christians during the tribulation period of about two and one-half years. Then we read about the SIXTH SEAL, which introduces the time of God’s wrath and judgment on the nations. The Sixth SEAL is referred to as the heavenly signs. Revelation 6:12, “I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place” (Revelation 6:12–14).

These heavenly signs, as they are called, introduce the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is the time of God’s wrath and judgment on an unthankful, rebellious world. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, will be WRATHFUL. He’ll execute God’s righteous judgments. The Day of the Lord, here in Revelation 6:17, is called “the great Day of His wrath!”

The Day of the Lord will bring God’s judgments on the nations. Let’s understand. There are three prophetic milestones leading up to Christ’s return. They are: 1. The Great Tribulation; 2. The Heavenly Signs; and 3. The Day of the Lord. These three events cover a period of about three and one-half years. There are over thirty prophecies in your Bible referring to the Day of the Lord. Isaiah 34:8 and Isaiah 63:4 show that the Day of the Lord in end-time prophecy, the time preceding the Second Coming, is a period of one year! You might want to write down those references: Isaiah 34:8 and Isaiah 63:4!

Revelation the nineteenth chapter describes Christ’s great heavenly army descending to the earthly Armageddon battleground. Revelation 19:11,

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:11–16).

My friends, what side will you choose when judgment day comes? Will you choose to be on the side of the King who will rule the earth and bring it lasting peace? As we just saw in Revelation 17, faithful Christians will follow Christ. Revelation 17:14, “and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

Will You Be Among the Saints At Christ’s Side?

We all need to watch for prophetic signs leading to Armageddon. The kings of the earth and their armies will gather in northern Israel to fight against the Savior, Jesus Christ, at His coming. Again be sure to read that in Revelation 19:19. The King of kings will conquer these rebellious, oppressive nations. But how can you personally prepare for the challenging times ahead? My friends, will you escape Armageddon?

Notice the admonition by the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 21:36, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Perhaps you have not been praying. Now is the time to get down on your knees and cry out to God for a change in your life. Isaiah 55:6–7 tells you how to draw close to God. “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

God promises to bless you and forgive you, IF you seek Him with your whole heart. The solution to the world’s problems lies in the future change in human nature. Beyond Armageddon, the new world government, comprised of Christ and the saints, will teach the way to peace. Yes, during the millennium, there will be a renewal of human character and the human spirit. The Kingdom of God will rule over all nations for a thousand years. Pray for that Kingdom to come. We look forward to the time beyond Armageddon when the prophecy of Zechariah 14:9 will be fulfilled: “And the LORD shall be King over all the earth.”

Yes, the Prince of Peace will govern the world’s nations with love and justice, guaranteeing a world of prosperity and abundant living for all peoples.

Thank you for watching!

We, here at Tomorrow’s World, produce these videos to help you understand your world through the pages of the Bible.

So if you found this helpful, please like, share, and subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss another video.

And if you want to learn more, you can request our free Bible Study Guide—Armageddon and Beyond—just click the link in the description.

See you next time!

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Mankind’s Purpose and Destiny

On November 15, 2022, the United Nations announced a major historic event. For the first time in recorded history, the world population reached 8 BILLION human beings. What is the future of these 8 billion people? Are we to just “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die” as the old English idiom states? Regular viewers of Tomorrow’s World know biblical prophecies foretelling mankind’s self-destruction in the future Great Tribulation. Thank God that He will intervene to save humanity from cosmocide. But what is YOUR purpose in life?

Many evolutionists will say that the purpose of life is self-preservation, self-perpetuation, and self-determination. Those motives are certainly a part of human nature. But is survival the only meaning and purpose for life? Can you truly know your REAL purpose for living? Is there life beyond death? Why were you born? What is your ultimate destiny? My friends, you need to answer the question, “Why are you alive?”

Join us on Tomorrow’s World for amazing answers to the most important questions in life!

Materialism Provides No Answers

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

For thousands of years, philosophers have proposed answers to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” And that is a question we all should be able to answer.

Much of today’s world has embraced an evolutionary worldview. And many materialists and evolutionists say there is no transcendental purpose of life. For example, the famous American astronomer and cosmologist Carl Sagan, thought that humans, in the grand scheme of the universe, are almost insignificant. When the space probe Voyager 1 photographed an image of planet Earth in our solar system, Carl Sagan, considering this “pale blue dot” as he called it, made a striking comment: “Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves” (Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space, 1994, p. 9).

Sagan wrote that planet earth is a “lonely speck” in the cosmic dark. Must we then conclude that we are so insignificant as to be meaningless? Then why does the universe exist? Has it no purpose? Is the universe and our part in it meaningless? The Creator of the universe has a sober warning to atheists. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:18–21).

This atheistic philosophy admits that it cannot or will not answer the question, “What is the purpose and meaning of life?” On the other hand, Nobel Prize winner Sir John Eccles clearly saw significant meaning in the creation. Sir John Eccles was, at the time, perhaps the world’s foremost authority on the mind and brain. The observations of this distinguished scientist about the meaning and purpose of life are very profound. He was interviewed for a World Tomorrow TV Program back in the 1980s. Sir John Eccles said: “I would say that the meaning… has to come back to the Creator.… One has to believe that there’s more behind all this, from our very existence as creating selves to what we do and how we live in what I like to think, in an altruistic society—caring and loving one another, living for one another, building a new world of love and inspiration and dedication and sacrifice—ah, building such a world. The meaning of all this, I think, is in the mind of the Creator. You see… as soon as you get away from materialism, ah, you have wonderful opportunities. You’ve left being tied down in materialism, stuck in materialism.”

Sir John Eccles could clearly see the strong limitations of materialism. One definition of materialism is: “a theory that physical matter is the only or fundamental reality and that all being and processes and phenomena can be explained as manifestations or results of matter” (Merriam Webster Online). No! Physical matter is NOT the only reality. I encourage you to view our TV Program or read our Tomorrow’s World article, “What is the Greatest Reality?” The atheistic, materialist philosophy admits that it cannot or will not answer the question, “What is the purpose and meaning of life?”

Transformed to Become God’s Family

The ancient Greek philosophers came up with a wide range of answers to the questions, purposes, and meaning of life. The 4th century B.C. saw the rise of three principal schools of thought in Greece: Epicureanism, Stoicism, and Skepticism.

The Apostle Paul was quite familiar with these ancient schools of thought. He visited Athens about A.D. 50. If you have your Bible, turn to Acts 17. ACTS 17:18, “Then certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him [the Apostle Paul]. And some said, ‘What does this babbler want to say?’ Others said, ‘He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods,’ because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection. And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus [that’s Mars’ hill], saying, ‘May we know what this new doctrine is of which you speak?’” (vv. 18–19).

Paul then proclaimed to them the Creator God, who made the world and everything in it. And he made this fundamental, yet ASTOUNDING OBSERVATION in verse 28: “… for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring’” (Acts 17:28).

In Him we live and move and have our being! Our entire existence, Paul tells us, is intimately tied to the Creator God! Even the Greek poets knew we are God’s “offspring,” His children. Paul knew that human life can have no real meaning or purpose apart from God! Yes, we were created to have a special relationship with our Creator. It’s the VERY FOUNDATION of a meaningful life! The Messiah, Jesus Christ, also affirmed this highest purpose in life. A lawyer asked Him, “Which is the great commandment in the law?” Turn in your Bible to Matthew 22:37. Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).

That relationship leads to a change from selfish human nature, to a loving spiritual nature. God wants us to be born into his immortal family. The Bible explains that ultimate transformation takes place at the resurrection from the dead. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, is the firstborn from the dead (Revelation 1:5)! He is the firstborn of MANY BRETHREN as it tells us Romans 8:29. God’s children will be transformed from mortal to immortal at the resurrection, as it states in 1 Corinthians 15:53. Yes, you have an opportunity to belong to an immortal family, to be a part of God’s kingdom and royal family. Remember, Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Yes, your Bible reveals the real purpose and meaning of life. Bible prophecy outlines the future of the world and the future of humanity. That future also reveals your purpose and meaning in life. Jesus Christ came with a message called the gospel, which means “good news.” That message is emphasized in the heavenly announcement of Revelation 11:15, “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Thank God that He has a plan to save mankind from total cosmocide! We are headed toward World War III and Armageddon if we as nations and individuals do not change our way of life! Beyond Armageddon, God has promised a new age to come. That new age will begin with the return of Jesus Christ to this earth, and the establishment of His kingdom over all nations! Revelation 5:10 and Revelation 20:6 reveal that our calling and purpose in that kingdom is to rule as kings and priests with the King of kings, Jesus Christ, for a thousand years here on earth! What else has God promised faithful Christians? What is your destiny beyond death? Turn in your Bible to Matthew 25:34, “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’”

My friends, faithful Christians, and that could include you, will inherit the Kingdom of God! The prophet Daniel also confirms that promise: DANIEL 7:18, “But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.” Notice, “forever and ever.” Yes, faithful Christians will inherit eternal life! My friends, that is just a small part of the glorious destiny God has planned for you!

The amazing truth is that your potential future is grand, magnificent, and transcendent beyond what you can imagine! We get a hint of this plan when Jesus’ mother and brothers attempted to visit Him when He was visiting a large group of people. Matthew 12:46, “While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, ‘Look, Your mother and [Your] brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.’ But He answered and said to the one who told Him, ‘Who is My mother and who are My brothers?’ And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother’” (Matthew 12:46–50).

My friends, is YOUR very purpose in life to become a member of God’s Family?

How to Become Sons and Daughters of God?

“For in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring’” (Acts 17:28).

We also saw the amazing statement by Jesus in Matthew 12:49–50, that He considers His faithful disciples as His family! “He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.’”

Jesus described those who would obey our Father in heaven as His spiritual family. My friends, God is inviting you to be part of His family! Notice this inspiring scripture, Ephesians 3:14. The Apostle Paul states that he bows His knees to our Father in heaven. Ephesians 3:14, “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, [now notice this!] from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…” (Ephesians 3:14–15).

Yes, God is the Father [from] whom the whole FAMILY in heaven and earth is named! God is producing a family. He wants you to voluntarily choose to become His sons and daughters! Notice that in 2 Corinthians 6. God wants you to come out of the carnal, sinful ways of the world. 2 Corinthians 6:17, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:17–18).

God is love, as it tells us in 1 John 4:8 and 16! He wants YOU as His son or daughter! Remember what Jesus taught us to pray in the outline, or model, prayer. How do you begin your prayer? “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 6:9). How do you become a son or daughter of your Father in heaven? We must first acknowledge God Almighty as the Creator of heaven and earth. Notice this in Hebrews 11, the faith chapter. Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Some of you longtime viewers of Tomorrow’s World have had wonderful answers to your prayers because you have humbled yourself to pray to your Father in heaven. But there’s another step that Jesus made clear when He preached the gospel of the kingdom of God. Notice that in Mark 1:14, “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14–15).

Yes, my friends, Jesus called all His audience to repentance. What do you repent of? You repent of sin, which is the transgression of God’s law, His Ten Commandments! Repent means to change your mind, to express so much sorrow for your sins, your behaviors, your attitudes, that you turn your life around and go God’s way, rather than the carnal way of selfishness, greed, lust, jealousy, and sin. Remember when the NT church began on the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter gave instructions to his audience. Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call’” (Acts 2:38–39).

Now is the time to seek God, as it tells us in Isaiah 55:6–7. God will abundantly pardon, as He promises, if you follow through with Christ’s instructions.

After genuine repentance, faith, and baptism, God gives the gift of the Holy Spirit. That is the beginning of a truly spiritual life. We become the very heirs of God, co-heirs, or joint-heirs with Christ. Read it for yourself in Romans 8:14. Continuing in the KJV: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:14–17).

We’ve already seen a glimpse of our inheritance: We will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5); we will inherit the Kingdom (Matthew 25:34 and Daniel 7:18); We will inherit eternal life (Matthew 19:29).

Let’s understand, we are now heirs of God, not yet inheritors. That takes place at the resurrection! Once we are God’s begotten children, we need to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, as it tells us in 2 Peter 3:18! As we learn and practice God’s way of life, we grow in godly character. And that takes a lifetime.

Coming Together in Christ

But the greatest reality is that God is omnipotent, all powerful, as it tells us in Revelation 19:6, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” Yes, God rules supreme. And His Kingdom is the family of God and the government of God! You can be a part of that loving, divine, royal family.

The Apostle Paul wrote: “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). My friends, you can be a member of that body, the Church of God. How can you find that Church? I encourage you to view Gerald Weston’s program “Would Jesus Choose Your Church?” and Rod McNair’s program “Are Churches Dying?” Jesus said, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Yes, His Church will NOT die! We are also told in Hebrews 10:25 not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Those Christians are assembling every week to fellowship with one another and worship God on His Sabbath. You can meet some of them at our Tomorrow’s World Presentations which are held at various locations around the world. Just visit the TomorrowsWorld.org website and scroll down to “Presentations.” There you will find a listing of the cities and dates where you will find all four of our TV presenters and other area ministers presenting prophetic topics of vital interest. We hope to meet you at one of these Tomorrow’s World Presentations! You may also meet members of the Living Church of God. As you and your family fellowship with loving and faithful Christians, you will grow spiritually in God’s love. Teenagers enjoy the annual Living Youth Camp and participate in sports, outdoor activities, and Christian Living classes that challenge our young people to experience for themselves the values of abundant living that will last a lifetime and beyond. Living Church of God members attend the eight-day annual Feast of Tabernacles in various locations around the world. They are preparing for tomorrow’s world when all nations will observe God’s biblical festivals (Zechariah 14:16).

Yes, God has a glorious future for you and your family, IF you seek Him with your whole heart as it tells us in Isaiah 55:6–7. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, declares our purpose in life in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

My friends, I encourage you to prove for yourself the real meaning of life.

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