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

A Dramatic Reversal!

Our world has changed greatly since the time I graduated from High School in 1964. Drive-in theaters were still a place to go on a Saturday night. Transistor radios were a hot item for teens, and most of us learned to type on mechanical typewriters. Telephones were mostly dial-up versions. And, most of us had to wind up our watches unless we had one of those new ones that wound up by itself by the motion of our wrists.

But all of these are a thing of the past. Today it is all about computers. We talk directly with others over Skype or Zoom. For some, hardcopy letters are ancient history—everything is computerized, including greeting cards. Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram are the ways many interact socially.

But there are equally profound changes in society, not the least of which concerns how men and women see themselves. The feminist movement, which really took off in the seventies, has had a dramatic impact on culture and families. Do you realize that a reversal in the roles of men and women was predicted long ago in the pages of the Bible? I’ll read that to you in a moment, so stay tuned!

A Misleading Source of Information Results in Inequality

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we fearlessly tackle the problems facing our world and bring you good news of a better world to come. On today’s program, I’ll be discussing the feminist movement and how it is fulfilling a prophecy from the Biblical prophet Isaiah.

Among feminists’ most successful initiative was the 1992 report released by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), titled “How Schools Shortchange Girls.” It alleged that boys were favored in the classroom while girls were ignored, but the report was biased and dishonest. Dr. James Dobson had this to say about it in his popular book Bringing Up Boys:

The most widely disseminated finding was that teachers permit boys to speak or participate eight times more often than they do girls, but as with the rest of the conclusions, this turned out to be pure nonsense. Their data was based on an old 1981 study that actually said boys are reprimanded eight times more often than girls, and that three-fourths of both girls and boys said they thought teachers compliment girls more often, think they are smarter, and [teachers] would rather be around female students. That level of distortion was evident throughout the AAUW report (Dobson, Bringing Up Boys, p. 172).

The report garnered significant attention in academia and in public

perception and brought about dramatic changes in how schools approached boys and girls. Dobson went on to write that:

Although the report has been widely discredited now in the professional community for what it was—a blatant attempt to skew educational resources away from boys and to characterize girls as victims—the damage had been done. It resulted in an unfair distribution of available resources that continues to this day (Dobson, Bringing Up Boys, p. 172).

Most damaging was when Congress, as a result of lobbying from various feminist organizations, passed:

… the Gender Equity in Education Act, which allocated hundreds of millions of dollars per year to programs designed to redress the [so-called] bias against girls (Dobson, Bringing Up Boys, p 173).

Among the initiatives in the Act, money was funneled to:

“reprogram” teachers who were unconsciously sexist (Dobson, Bringing Up Boys, p 173).

What the feminist movement, and especially the Act, has done is create an atmosphere that is bringing about the fulfilling of an ancient prophecy. You can read it in Isaiah 3 and verse 12;

As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths (Isaiah 3:12).

Education has changed at all levels since the AAUW report.

Falling Behind, Replaced—But for What Result?

This resultant bias in favor of girls in education, starting at the earliest levels, has had its effect. The September 6, 2021 Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece by Douglas Belkin titled:

A Generation of American Men Give Up on College: “I Just Feel Lost.”

The numbers are disturbing. Roughly 60 percent of college admissions are women and schools of higher learning struggle to keep the male population at the 40 percent level. Samuel Goldman, writing for The Week, in the article titled “The American elite will be female,” points out that the ratio between men and women would be even worse were it not for a bit of fudging on entrance requirements.

The burgeoning gender gap is an open secret in higher education. With none of the fanfare that accompanies their pursuit of racial diversity, many institutions give an admissions advantage to men. One reason is that administrators fear women are also less likely to enroll when the male student population drops below 40 percent (The Week, “The American elite will be female,” September 8, 2021).

As disturbing as that is, it is only part of a dismal picture. Going to university is one thing—graduating is another. Belkin explains:

Among University of Vermont undergraduates, about 55% of male students graduate in four years compared with 70% of women (“A Generation of American Men Give Up on College: ‘I Just Feel Lost,’” Wall Street Journal, September 6, 2021).

Those percentages are significant, but when we put them to specific numbers, they are shocking. If you take 100 students where 60% are women and 40% are men, and apply the percentages who graduate in 4 years, it means for every 42 women graduates you only have 22 men.

Some would argue, “so what?” Men still make more money and hold power positions in our world. That’s the conventional wisdom, but Goldman points out that this is “largely a generational effect.” He explains that leaders across the board, whether in industry, commerce, communications, or government:

… began their careers decades ago, when college student bodies were more equally divided (and in some cases, exclusively male). It would be surprising if the gender ratio in upper management remained the same in another 20 years (The Week, “The American elite will be female,” September 8, 2021).

He then explains what should be obvious to all.

Because elite institutions hire almost exclusively college graduates, campuses are the point of departure for female dominance of publishing, the culture industry, and areas of the corporate world—particularly the massive human resources industry (The Week, “The American elite will be female,” September 8, 2021).

The double standard goes beyond education. For decades, women strove to invade every bastion of male exclusivity. Women reporters demanded equal access to men’s locker rooms for interviews. Girls clamored to play on boys’ baseball teams. They lobbied for admittance into the Boy Scouts. Anything that was singularly male became a target, but could you ever imagine males being allowed into women’s locker rooms or competing in women’s sports?

… Well, I guess we now can. What goes around comes around. Yes, by a bizarre circuitous route, men and boys are today invading everything female, by simply claiming that they are females trapped in male bodies. Girls and women are pushed aside as confused, or opportunistic, men break record after record in female track and field, in weightlifting, and more. Scholarships that should rightly go to girls are funneled to biological boys who will never become biological girls. I can only imagine the anger fathers must feel when they see their daughters robbed in this way.

In October 2017 the Boy Scouts of America began admitting girls to their organization. Not surprisingly, the ones most disturbed by this turn of events were the Girl Scouts! Yes, what goes around does come around!

The problem is not that special programs have encouraged girls in academics, sports, and leadership, but that these resources are mostly going in one direction. Just as girls have special needs, so do boys, and without proper support and motivation, too many are left adrift, feeling lost. Boys especially need guidance and focus as Belkin explains.

Social science researchers cite distractions and obstacles to education that weigh more on boys and young men, including videogames, pornography, increased fatherlessness and cases of over diagnosis of boyhood restlessness and related medication (Belkin, Wall Street Journal, September 6, 2021).

Or, as civil engineering student Luke Weiss put it:

I see a lot of guys that are here for four years to drink beer, smoke weed, hang out and get a degree (Belkin, Wall Street Journal, September 6, 2021).

What we see is a world turned upside down. Instead of men as leaders, we have men floating aimlessly, with more and more leadership positions going to women. Some women no doubt rejoice in this turnaround, but thoughtful women understand that the problem is not good for society as a whole. As college enrollment consultant Jennifer Delahunty warns, the disparity we see in education today is not only bad for men, but also for women.

If you care about our society, one, and, two, if you care about women, you have to care about the boys, too. If you have equally educated numbers of men and women that just makes a better society, and it makes it better for women (Belkin, Wall Street Journal, September 6, 2021).

One wonders, “Has the feminist movement, which spawned the biased AAUW study, improved the lives of women? Are women happier as a result?”

Does “Liberation” Equal Happiness?

According to a 2013 Psychology Today article, the 1970’s feminist movement has NOT translated into greater happiness.

This is a great time for women. Women all over the world are running countries, companies and universities. The most recent U.S. Secretary of State and Speaker of the House were women. Women make up about half of the workforce and can now fight side-by-side with their male counterparts in the military. But, given all of these advancements, are women happier? According to a 2009 study entitled, The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness, the answer is a resounding no (“Women & Happiness: Is It Still Declining?,” Psychology Today, March 10, 2013).

Quoting from the referenced study, “The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness”:

By many objective measures the lives of women in the United States have improved over the past 35 years, yet we show that measures of subjective well-being indicate that women’s happiness has declined both absolutely and relative to men…. Relative declines in female happiness have eroded a gender gap in happiness in which women in the 1970s typically reported higher subjective well-being than did men. These declines have continued and a new gender gap is emerging—one with higher subjective well-being for men (Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers, “The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness,” NBERI, May 2009).

Britain’s Daily Mail Online published an article in response to the study, titled:

“Women have it all but are less happy than forty years ago.”

In it, Netmums website founder Siobhan Freegard explains:

We pushed so hard for equal rights, for having the right to work, for having equal status, we pushed so hard to have choice.

But what we hear from many mums is: I have no choice, I have to work, I don’t love my career, my childminder is taking half my salary and I’d rather bring up my children myself but I can’t afford to.

If you enjoy your job and it’s a fulfilling career, that is a positive choice, but if it’s not, it’s almost in some ways that we got it all, then found that actually it wasn’t quite what we wanted (Daily Mail Online, June 1, 2009).

An interesting observation is found in The Guardian, another British source, on May 18, 2016. It explains that the Swiss did not give women the right to vote until 1971. Many things in life are counterintuitive. They go against expectations. Ten years after receiving the right to vote, another referendum was held. This time to decide whether to amend their constitution to require equal pay for equal work.

Different parts of Switzerland voted very differently. Unsurprisingly, cantons (Swiss states) with a high proportion of votes in favor of the amendment were recorded as having a small gender wage gap some years later. But strangely, working women in areas with strong traditional values—where most people had voted against equal pay—were happier than working women in liberal cantons (“Gains in women’s rights haven’t made women happier. Why is that?” The Guardian, May 18, 2016).

One of the casualties of the feminist movement has been marriage and family. Feminists wanted to be free from what they described as the drudgery of housework and the responsibility of children. They wanted sexual freedom, and the result is a hookup generation where the commitment of marriage has declined sharply.

Men and Women, Working Together God’s Way

There are certainly women who are happy with their choices in life, but overall, studies show that they are less happy today than they were in the 1970s. This should not surprise us, because the feminist movement, among other things, is a rejection of God. This is not to say that individual activists—and especially women who simply bought into the attractive sounding propaganda of the feminist movement, without truly understanding it—were deliberately rejecting God. They saw the feminist movement as an attempt to improve the lot of women and did not realize it sought to overturn the roles of both men and women as given in our Creator’s instruction book—the Bible. But make no mistake. It is an attempt to do away with the nuclear family. But is that wise?

If we are indeed a product of creation and design, the Creator and Designer must know what is best for that which He created and designed. And, indeed He does!

The Biblical prophet Isaiah predicted that the reversal of traditional male/female roles would take place at the end of the age.

As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them (Isaiah 3:12).

O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths (Isaiah 3:12).

Men have not brought the world peace, and must bear responsibility for the world as it is today, but will women do any better? Not according to this prophecy!

Samuel Goldman’s prediction that “The American elite will be female,” is correct, even if Isaiah “scooped him” by more than 2700 years! Of course, it was not Isaiah, but our Creator who understood this in advance. In a later passage, Isaiah quotes God as saying…

Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure…” (Isaiah 46:9–10).

Male and female relations have never been in perfect balance. Far from it. Even today women are horribly abused in some countries around the world, where girls are not allowed to go to school and women may be beaten mercilessly with no consequences handed out to their husbands. Yet, our Western world has gone to a different extreme where men are considered bumbling fools incapable of the proper leadership role they were given by their Creator.

Radical feminists, many of whom resent men, perhaps due to abuse in their upbringing, or for other reasons, reject the God-given roles of men and women. And too many men are not being trained to be the loving providers and leaders they were created to be. The Bible lays out these simple facts:

For man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man…. Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God (1 Corinthians 11:8–9, 11–12).

It is obvious that men and women are different physically and emotionally, but these differences are being discounted. Today it is the woman who comes to the rescue of the man. Need a tire changed? Woman to the rescue. Have a problem in business? Woman is there. Being attacked by city thugs? There she is again—stronger, quicker than any man, and a marvel at karate. But is this reality? I think we know the answer.

Men and women were made to complement, not compete, with one another. Men are designed physically to be protectors and providers. It’s not that a woman cannot provide and where the husband suffers sickness or injury, it may be necessary to reverse the roles temporarily or even permanently. There is no stigma to this. A man can still be the head of his household even under such circumstances, but when men do not prepare for the proper place of being the breadwinner and leave it to the wife to go out into the world to “bring home the bread,” problems readily arise. A woman needs to be loved and a man needs to be respected, and these needs are more likely to suffer when the roles are reversed. Instead of women fighting for control of the pants, God instructs:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:22–25).

Feminists have long scorned this passage as being sexist and misogynistic, not understanding that God has a plan far greater than they could ever imagine. Referring to the marriage relationship, Paul went on to say:

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband (Ephesians 5:31–33).

The blending of male and female in marriage is essential to a well-ordered society. History shows that, as with the family, so goes the nation. Marriage between one biological male and one biological female can bring children into a balanced nurturing and loving environment where male and female contribute their unique qualities. Family is a perfect training ground to learn good manners, caring for others, self-discipline, and self-sacrifice.

Thank you for watching! To learn more about your role and purpose in life, order your free copy of “God’s Plan for Happy Marriage” by clicking the link in the description. And, remember to subscribe to our channel so you can continue to learn the truth as given in the Bible. See you next time!

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

God Has a Purpose for Prophecy

Millions of people all over the world claim the Holy Bible as their sacred guide to understanding themselves and the world around them. Yet, most of them ignore one-fourth to one-third of that Bible: The portion made up by prophecy.

You might wonder why God placed prophecy in the Bible in the first place. Can’t we just ignore all of those weird chapters in Revelation, Isaiah, Daniel, and other books of the Bible and just focus on the parts we find easy to understand?

In short, no. If we want to be people who follow Jesus Christ in word and deed, and if we want to benefit from the entirety of God’s word and the full store of instruction and blessing that He has prepared for us, then Bible prophecy needs to be on the menu of our spiritual diet.

Join me right now on Tomorrow’s World, where together we will answer the question “Why Does God Use Prophecy?”

How Much of the Bible IS Prophecy?

Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World where we help you make sense of the world through the pages of the Bible. I’m glad you’re here.

Today, we’re going to answer the question, “Why Does God Use Prophecy?”

And let me be clear here at the beginning: When I say, “God uses prophecy,” I’m not talking about the modern-day proclamations of many who go around claiming themselves to be Christians and calling themselves “Prophet This” or “Prophetess That.” I guarantee you, they are no prophet in the sense of the biblical title. Now I know that may upset some, but here at Tomorrow’s World, we’re not here to make people happy—we’re here to clear away the fog of confusion and shine the light of God’s word in a world darkened by the Devil’s deceptions.

No, I’m here to talk about Bible prophecy. Many preachers and teachers ignore it, and you don’t often hear Bible prophecy proclaimed and explained from the giant stages of the megachurches of the world—at least not in any meaningful or significant sense. And many study guides claim to “explain” prophecy, but they do more to “explain it away,” and minimize the vital impact it should have on our everyday life today.

And we need to be honest with ourselves: How many of us make reading and studying Bible prophecy a significant part of our spiritual diet? After all, so many other parts of the Bible seem so much more straightforward and beneficial. Uplifting even. But Revelation—with its weird images of multi-headed monsters, blood-drinking harlots, and other strange sights and descriptions—seems almost out-of-place and unnecessary for living the “Christian” life, doesn’t it? And when you wander from the stories of the lion’s den and the fiery furnace, the book of Daniel just seems to get weird, with visions of strange statues, monstrous beasts, and vague references to Kings of the North and South.

Yet, think about it. It’s estimated that one-fourth to one-third of the Bible is prophecy. So pick up a Bible and estimate how much one-fourth of that Bible would be. In this Bible, here, if you look at the first fourth, it would be about this much. Imagine ignoring or cutting out and throwing away that much of your Bible—in this case, you would be cutting out Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and 1 Samuel—possibly some of 2 Samuel, too. Or take the final fourth. Now, you’re cutting out the last four books of the Old Testament and the entire New Testament. Can you imagine cutting out all of that and throwing it away or burning it? Yet, if you never read and study Bible prophecy—at least one-fourth of your Bible—that is essentially what you’re doing! That 25% may as well not be in there.

In 2021, I wrote an article for the Tomorrow’s World magazine detailing how many elements of today’s cancel culture are working overtime to cancel the Bible, one idea at a time, removing the words of Scripture from our lives in whatever ways they can.

But my friends, if you and I don’t even bother to read one-fourth to one-third of our Bible’s pages, we’ve effectively canceled those parts of the Bible ourselves.

And, frankly, we violate the teachings of Jesus Christ and are robbing ourselves of the benefit of His instruction when we avoid prophecy.

Look for yourself in Matthew 4 and verse 4. When fighting against Satan’s temptations at the beginning of His ministry, the Savior shot back at the devil,

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.”

My friends, “every word” means “every word,” not “three out of every four” or “two out of three.” “Every word” includes the recorded words of biblical prophecy.

When you think about it, Christians should be the most motivated people in the world to read and study biblical prophecy. Revelation 19:10 says that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy,” and the very beginning of the book of Revelation, the very first verse of the very first chapter, tells us that Jesus Christ revealed the contents of that book under God’s instructions, “to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.”

And just two verses later, God gives us a promise:

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

My friends, prophecy is important, and God places it in the Bible for good reason. In fact, in the remainder of today’s program, we are going to detail four reasons God uses prophecy in the Bible.

A Call to Repentance—and a Warning

The first of those reasons is this:

Bible prophecy warns people and nations to repent so they can avoid punishment.

Most of you viewing today’s program at home or on your computer or smartphone probably look at today’s world and feel like I do: Something is very wrong. At the most fundamental of levels, the very fabric of civilization is tearing asunder. The Bible explains in clear detail why we are coming apart: sin. The world is increasingly turning its back on everything God commands, and we are suffering the consequences—consequences that will climax in the most horrific time the world has ever known or will ever know: The Great Tribulation, followed by the Day of the Lord. We read of the times prophesied to come in Matthew chapter 24, beginning in verse 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.”

Those times are coming due to man’s accumulating sin against his Creator. Frankly, biblical prophecy tells us that suffering will begin with divine punishment on the United States and Great Britain and those nations around the globe that have descended in one way or another from the British people.

Yet, God the Father and Jesus Christ do make a way of escape available. In Ezekiel 33 and verse 11, God tells us that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. He would rather that the wicked see what is coming and repent. Change to avoid it and accept the opportunity for escape. Turn earlier in the book of Ezekiel to read His passionate words to Israel—words that I assure you are meant for nations and peoples today. We begin in verse 30;

“‘Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For WHY SHOULD YOU DIE, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,’ says the Lord GOD. ‘THEREFORE TURN AND LIVE.’”

In the free DVD we’ll send you today, “The Power of Prophecy,” we will explain that one of the keys to understanding prophecy is to be able to identify modern nations in the prophetic words of the Bible, and the identity of those nations is not always clear. When you do understand that, then you understand this warning is for many nations of the world—and you understand why we here on Tomorrow’s World are unrelenting in our constant admonition to the nations of the world to cease their sins, repent, and turn and dedicate themselves to Jesus Christ and His Father, lest all that is prophesied to take place come upon them.

Now, before we move to Reason #2, we have to be honest with ourselves about Reason #1, about human nature, and about our nations and their leadership. Personally, I’m an American, and let me be frank with you about my country: With every day that goes by, I see nothing in my nation’s government, its politics, its culture, its educational systems, or my fellow citizens at large that gives me any real hope that the United States, as a whole, will repent, turn, and embrace Jesus Christ and the commandments of God.

I’m not trying to be a pessimist, and believe me, I—as well as all of us here at Tomorrow’s World, the members of the Living Church of God, and the many around the world who voluntarily support us—all of us are throwing all we have into reaching the whole world with God’s warning and Christ’s Gospel of the coming Kingdom. And we pray like Paul did, that God might use us to save from the times to come as many as He will.

But we also know that some will go into punishment and captivity. And when they do, we see the second purpose of prophecy come into play:

Bible prophecy encourages those in captivity to repent.

We see this hope of God concerning prophecy in passages such as Deuteronomy in chapter 4. There, God speaks to Israel in words that today’s free DVD explains have great meaning for many of today’s nations as well. He tells them of the punishment they will receive for their national sins and how they will respond then in a way they did not before. Let’s look, beginning in verse 27:

“And the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD will drive you. And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.”

God’s words and prophecies will serve as a witness to those being punished in captivity, who will remember and begin to seek God in a way they did not before their punishment.

For those of our viewers today who will not turn to God and change their lives and who will find themselves under the punishment of the Great Tribulation, it is our prayer that you will remember these things and remember to seek God with all of your heart, with all of your strength, and with all of your soul. Cry out to Him when that time comes—with a sincere and willing heart—and He will hear you.

Ironically, the third reason God uses prophecy is ignored by most who claim the name of Christ today, even as it explains why His disciples, above all people of the earth, should care passionately about prophecy.

Prophecy and the Gospel Message

The third reason should matter most to all who claim the name of Jesus Christ, but sadly it matters to relatively few of them:

Bible prophecy announces the good news of the coming Kingdom of God.

Many think Jesus only came with a message about how all can be forgiven their sins by accepting Him as their Savior. But, my friends, that belief is an incomplete and shallow one that denies the rich, full message God sent His Son to bear to mankind concerning the coming Kingdom of God and God’s plan to transform this world and mankind for all eternity.

And focusing as it does on future events, that message of the Kingdom of God and the glorious return of Jesus Christ is inherently a prophetic message. In fact, many, many, many prophecies of both the Old and New Testaments point us to the beautiful times of restoration to come under the reign of Jesus Christ and His glorified saints—that is, under the Kingdom of God. For instance, Revelation 20 speaks of the 1,000-year removal of Satan the devil and proclaims that glorified, faithful Christians will reign alongside Jesus Christ during that time. Zechariah 14 explains how all the nations of the world will be required by God to assemble in Jerusalem each year for the Feast of Tabernacles. Isaiah 11 speaks of the transformed nature of the animal world, while Isaiah 35 tells of the transformed and beautified earth, and the healing of all who are blind, deaf, and unable to walk. Zechariah 8 tells of how both the elderly and small children will be safe to play in the streets.

Honestly, there is too much to encompass in one program—read the prophecies for yourself. There is a reason the Apostle Peter called the prophetic reign of Jesus Christ “the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21).

Of course, if you are a longtime viewer of Tomorrow’s World, you know that the prophesied Kingdom of God is a frequent topic of ours, as we are commissioned by Jesus Christ Himself to boldly preach that Kingdom to the world—without apology or compromise. And let there be no doubt: The Gospel message is a prophetic message, and ignoring the prophecies of the Bible is like cutting out vast portions of the message of Jesus Christ.

Finally, we come to the fourth reason God uses prophecy:

Bible prophecy demonstrates God’s total sovereignty and power.

We see this inspiring purpose reflected in the awesome words God inspired the prophet Isaiah to record for us in chapter 46 of his book. Read them there, beginning in verse 9:

“Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,' calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.”

My friend and fellow presenter Richard Ames frequently emphasizes a powerful truth that our predecessor in this Work, Herbert W. Armstrong, described as the most important fact in the entire universe—a fact stated in three simple words: “God reigns supreme.”

And if you have noted Mr. Ames’ passion and intensity on this program over the years, you can know it is rooted in this vital truth. And God uses prophecy to help teach us that truth: Declaring the end of things from the beginning so that we may see and understand. Understand that He is faithful and can be trusted. Understand that all of human history represents simply the unfolding of His plan for all mankind—indeed, for all of reality.

Seeing God prophetically proclaim the outcome of affairs in the world before they have even taken place helps us to have confidence in the promises of God and provides an eternal perspective on the one who inhabits eternity. The Apostle Paul found such comfort in that perspective, as he illustrated at the beginning of his letter to Titus:

“Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…” (Titus 1:1–2).

Yes, when we read of the commands of God or the promises of God, we must always remember that He is Eternal and Almighty—the one who has the power to call those things which do not exist as though they did, as Paul says in Romans 4:17.

Prophecy teaches us that there is One who not only has the power to proclaim His will in the world, but the power to guarantee that what He proclaims will happen.

My friends, when we consider these four reasons God uses prophecy, we see that there is a purpose He intends to work in our lives through His written prophetic words.

Faith, Hope, and Love—And Prophecy!

God wants those who read His word to understand that He is a God who is acting in the world—and in their lives. As a God who loves us, He wants us to take His commands seriously, as the life and death matter they truly are. For those who refuse to respond to His warnings, He wants them to have the witness of His prophetic word in their punishment, so that they may remember, and respond to that punishment with repentance. He wants those who love His Son to commit themselves to spreading the message of His glorious reign to come and the prophesied wonders that Jesus Christ will bring at His return. And He wants us to see that He is a God who can be trusted with our lives. He wants us to see that, yes, He demands our absolute faith and obedience—but also that He is worthy of that absolute faith and obedience, because He truly does reign supreme.

His use of prophecy in His word helps to accomplish all these purposes. And now, it’s in your hands. Will you set a quarter or more of your Bible aside, to be neglected? Or will you allow God to work in you through what He reveals?

Thanks for watching! We make these videos to help you make sense of your world through the pages of your Bible. We hope you’ll take advantage of this offer. If you’d like today’s free offer of “The Power of Prophecy,” please click on the link below the description to get that free DVD. And if you’d like to see more of these videos, don’t forget to subscribe and if you want to be alerted, just click that bell. See you next time!

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

Revelation Explains Humanity’s Future

The book of Revelation, or the Apocalypse, is a mysterious book to most people. This Revelation is the last book in your Bible. And yet, it is one of the most important books in the world. Why? Because it reveals the future of humanity, and the future of planet earth! But there are symbols and secrets that challenge us. The four horsemen of the apocalypse destroy one-fourth of all people on the earth in their famous ride. A harlot rides a beast with seven heads and ten horns. The writer of Revelation, the Apostle John, sees another beast with seven heads and ten horns rising up out of the sea. And then the final battle of World War III, Armageddon, determines the victory between good and evil.

My friends, you need to know the secrets of this mysterious book. The mystery of Revelation has been unveiled. You need to know the mysteries of this last book in your Bible. You need to know the prophesied future and the ultimate future for you and your family. You need to know its good news. Today, I’ll share with you seven mysteries of Revelation.

Stay tuned!

Jesus Christ Foretold the Events Described in Revelation

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

One of the most important books in the world is the book of Revelation in your Bible. This mysterious book reveals what will happen in the next decade and beyond. You’ve probably heard about the famous four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Who are these horsemen, and what do they represent? The writer, the Apostle John, also describes a beast rising out of the sea with seven heads and ten horns. Later, he describes a harlot riding another beast. What do these and other symbols mean? Can we unlock the mysteries of Revelation? Can we know the future? My friends, the mystery of Revelation has been unveiled. You need to know its secrets.

On today’s program we’ll reveal Seven Mysteries of Revelation. You need to know the prophetic meaning and messages of this mysterious book. You need to know the sequence of prophetic events leading up to the Second Coming, the return of Jesus the Messiah to rule the world.

The Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, inspired John to write what he saw in vision so that we could understand the future. As mysterious as this book appears, you can understand its message. This is what Christ Himself stated. Revelation 1:1,

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to SHOW His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. [Now listen to this] Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:1–3).

Notice, my friends, that the purpose of Revelation is for you to understand the future, not to be mystified. You need to understand the secrets of Revelation. Today, we’ll reveal seven mysteries that unlock this important book.

Mystery #1: The Theme of Revelation is the Day of the Lord

Our first mystery of Revelation is: Revelation’s major theme is the Day of the Lord.

Turn in your Bible to Revelation 1:10. The Apostle John wrote:

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet….”

John is speaking of the major prophetic period of time described in the rest of the book as the Prophetic DAY OF THE LORD. John is NOT referring to Sunday as the Lord’s Day. If John were doing that, he would have referred to Sunday “as the first day” of the week as he did in the Gospel of John. Jesus Himself said he was Lord of the Sabbath! And He was not speaking of Sunday. The expression “Lord’s Day” here in Revelation is plainly referring to the theme of the whole book, the prophetic Day of the Lord, culminating in the return of Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The Day of the Lord is introduced by the sixth seal. The sixth seal is the heavenly signs, or the cosmic disturbances that will shock people all over the earth. Let’s read that in Revelation 6:12. The Apostle John writes:

“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. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:12-17).

Jesus Christ, the Lamb, will judge rebellious nations. The heavenly signs introduce the Seventh Seal of Revelation. The Seventh Seal represents the Day of the Lord, the one-year judgment on the nations. It is “the great day of His wrath” (Revelation 6:17). Notice this powerful statement by the prophet Isaiah:

“For it is the DAY of the Lord’s VENGEANCE, the YEAR of recompense for the cause of Zion” (Isaiah 34:8).

God’s punishment, the day of the Lord’s vengeance is equated to one year. Isaiah 63:4 also indicates this year-long day of God’s vengeance on rebellious nations.

Our first mystery for understanding the book of Revelation is: Revelation’s major theme is the Day of the Lord.

Mystery #2: The SeVen Seals of Revelation Depict the Timeline Order of End-Time Events

Our second mystery of Revelation is: The seven seals reveal the sequence of end-time events. The Apostle John saw in vision a scroll with seven seals mentioned in Revelation 5:1. The Revelator, Jesus Christ, unseals them one by one. Turn in your Bible to Revelation the 6th chapter. Here we see the famous four horsemen of the Apocalypse represented by the first four seals. What do these horses and their riders symbolize? Jesus gave an outline of prophetic events in the Olivet prophecy found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. These prophetic events explain the four horsemen in the book of Revelation. The famous four horsemen of the Apocalypse symbolize, in order, false Christs and false religion, war and its devastating effects, famines that normally follow on the heels of war, and pestilences and disease that follow after famine.

My friends, there are shocking times ahead for the whole world. We need to be prepared for them. These four horsemen will cause devastation all over the earth. As we read in Revelation 6:8,

“[P]ower 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.”

My friends, can you imagine the death of two billion or more people in the future? Perhaps even in your lifetime?

Now, what happens when the fifth seal is opened? Turn to Revelation 6:9.

“When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.”

Here is described the martyrdom of the saints, true Christians. In the first century, the Emperor Nero severely persecuted Christians and put them to death. A major end-time persecution of saints is also predicted by this fifth seal. Jesus predicted this tribulation in Matthew 24:9. Then Jesus opens the sixth seal, revealing the heavenly signs that will terrify people all over the earth. This chart in our free booklet gives you an overview of the seven seals and their prophetic significance. The seventh seal consists of the seven trumpet events, and the seventh trumpet consists of the seven bowls or the seven last plagues. Our second mystery of Revelation is: The seven seals reveal the prophetic sequence of events.

Mystery #3: Know the Three Major End-Time Events

Our third mystery of Revelation is: Three milestone events reveal the end-time prophetic framework. What are those milestone events?

They are:

1. The Great Tribulation
2. The Heavenly Signs
3. The Day of the Lord

These three events cover a period of about 3 and one-half years. There are over 30 prophecies in your Bible referring to the Day of the Lord. As we’ve seen earlier in the program, 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. Our third mystery of Revelation is: Three Milestone Events Reveal the End-Time Prophetic Framework.

Jesus warned us that mankind’s mad obsession with war and weapons of mass destruction would lead to total cosmocide. He stated 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.”

The Great Tribulation is a time unique in all history. The prophet Daniel referred to it in Daniel 12:1. The prophet Jeremiah referred to it in Jeremiah 30:7 as “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” Yes, the time of judgment on the modern descendants of Jacob, the American and British descended peoples, as we’ve explained on previous programs. What happens after the Great Tribulation? Notice Matthew 24:29,

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

So, Christ gives us the sequence of major events: First the Great Tribulation. Then the cosmic disturbances, or heavenly signs that we also read about earlier in Revelation 6:12. What follows the heavenly signs? The prophet Joel gives us the answer. Joel 2:30,

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, BEFORE the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.”

The heavenly signs precede the Day of the Lord. So, again, we see our third mystery of Revelation, revealing three milestone events: 1. The Great Tribulation; 2. The Heavenly Signs; and 3; The Day of the Lord.”

Mystery #4: The Beast of Revelation and False Prophet’s Rule Will Be Short  

You’ve probably heard of the Beast of Revelation. The Book of Revelation, or the Apocalypse, features a symbolic Beast. Our fourth mystery of Revelation is: The beast and the false prophet will rule for a short time.

What does this beast of Revelation symbolize? The beast of Revelation the 13th chapter has seven heads and ten horns. This beast rises out of the ocean. The scarlet beast of Revelation the 17th chapter has seven heads and ten horns, and is ridden by a woman described as a harlot.

WHEN will this beast appear on the world scene? We only need to read the next verse, Revelation 17:14,

“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.”

The Lamb is Jesus, the Messiah. He will come to this earth to save it from total cosmocide. The time setting is for the future. The seventh revival of this Beast power is just ahead of us. Who is this Beast? My friends, Bible prophecy reveals that a great superpower will arise in Europe. And it will be a revival of the Roman Empire. This great power will be political, military, and economic. You can read about this economic power in Revelation, chapter 18. The current European Union aspires to hold all three dimensions of that power. This power is symbolized by the Beast, who will rule with the support of the False Prophet. Our fourth mystery of Revelation is: The Beast and the False Prophet will Rule for a Short Time.

Mystery #5: Jesus Christ Wins the Ultimate Victory

But the good news is in our fifth and sixth mysteries of Revelation. Our fifth mystery is: Christ will win the final battle. Revelation 11:15 tells us of a wonderful announcement:

“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!’”

But notice, the worldly nations under the sway of the Beast power will not submit to God’s coming kingdom. How will they respond to this new world government? Revelation 11:18,

“The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that you should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Satan and his demons will influence worldly armies to gather at Megiddo, about 55 miles north of Jerusalem. You can read about that in Revelation 16:14-16. Who will win that battle, commonly referred to as Armageddon? Remember, as we read earlier in Revelation 17, Christ will conquer the Beast power. Revelation 17:14,

“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.”

Our fifth mystery of Revelation is: Christ will win the final battle. And what will happen after He wins that victory?

Mystery #6: The Kingdom of God on Earth Will Replace This World’s Governments

That’s our sixth mystery of Revelation: The Kingdom of God will rule on the Earth.

My friends, Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God. The apostles continued preaching that gospel. Even the Apostle Paul continued to preach that gospel to the end of his life. Read the last two verses in the book of Acts in your Bible. Acts 28:30-31,

“Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”

Your Bible plainly reveals that Christ will return as King of kings and Lord of lords, as we’ve seen. He is called the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6. Notice that He will ensure world peace for all nations, Isaiah 9:7,

“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.”

Genuine and faithful Christians will serve in His world-ruling government. Revelation 20:4,

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

That is the Millennium. After that, the New Jerusalem will descend from Heaven, and God’s Kingdom will continue for all eternity. Our sixth mystery of Revelation is: The Kingdom of God will Rule on the Earth.

Our seventh mystery of Revelation involves you personally, and it’s the key that will determine your future when these prophesied events take place.

Mystery #7: The Seven Churches of Revelation Describe Eras and Attitudes

Our seventh mystery of Revelation is: The seven churches have meaning for us today.

The people in those seven churches had different characteristics, some good and some not so good. John describes them in Revelation, Chapters two and three. The seven churches were on one mail route in what is today western Turkey. They were Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The spiritual conditions of these seven churches have been reflected in the true Church of God through various eras during the past 1,900 years.

The Revelator, Jesus Christ, tells us to learn lessons from each church. Listen carefully to the descriptions and warnings. The Revelator, Christ, describes the church at Ephesus this way: Revelation 2:4,

“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

Ephesus is called “The Loveless Church.” Next, to Smyrna, “The Persecuted Church,” Jesus states [2:10],

“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

The third is Pergamos, “The Compromising Church.” It tolerated sexual immorality. Jesus tells them (v. 16),

“Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.”

Artifacts of a pagan temple from Pergamos can be seen today in Berlin’s Pergamon Museum. The fourth church, Thyatira, is referred to as “The Corrupt Church.” The fifth church, Sardis, is called “The Dead Church.” The sixth church, Philadelphia, is “The Faithful Church” and Jesus tells them:

“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” (3:10).

The final church, Laodicea, is called “The Lukewarm Church.” Jesus warns them in verse 16:

“… because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

Do you want Jesus to vomit you out of His mouth? Or, do you want to be a faithful Christian? Study those chapters and the characteristics of those churches. Apply them in your life! Jesus gave a warning to those churches. And, my friends, we need to listen to them as well. Revelation 3:19,

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

My friends, I encourage you to read carefully these two chapters, Revelation 2 and 3. Jesus reveals the changes we need to make in our lives. He exhorts us to apply all these messages to our own life. Seven times He tells us: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,” all seven of the churches!

These seven churches also reveal the spiritual characteristics and attitudes of the Christian church from the time of Christ, to the end of this age.

My friends, we are nearing the end of the age and the coming of the Kingdom of God. You need to take action and seek the truth of your Bible.

Thank you for watching!

You need to know the secrets of the book of Revelation. Our booklet Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled will unlock the mysteries to the future of humanity and the future of planet earth. You can order your free copy by clicking the link in the description. And remember to subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video. See you next time!

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

Facing the Inevitable

Imagine the scene; family and friends gathered together. Beautiful flowers adorn the coffin, as well-wishers file in. Words of encouragement are given and tears flow. At the funeral of a loved one, there is often deep sorrow, especially when the deceased is someone cut off early in life—a child, or a young person, with so much promise of life and vibrancy, now gone. Or the loss of a devoted husband or wife. A companion for decades perhaps. And now, the survivor must carry on alone.

How do you approach the death of a loved one? If you’ve faced it, you know how it feels. When a loved one dies, we grieve, we mourn, we have a hole in our heart. It’s difficult and it hurts. And sometimes the pain lasts for years. And we may ask: If God is good and all-powerful, why am I suffering so much?

There is a way to face death with boldness, courage, and hope. God’s word assures that, and gives us practical and timeless advice.

How can you be prepared when death strikes someone close to you?

Death and the Resurrection, According to the Bible

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. Not long ago, a dear friend of mine and colleague in this Work died. I was asked to say a few words at his funeral. I’ve always found it challenging but profoundly rewarding to speak on behalf of someone who dies. Life is a precious gift. And, especially if one has lived a long and full life, there are so many things to say. His or her life is like a diamond that sparkles as you turn it. You see experiences, traits, qualities of strength, and yes, even a few weaknesses. It’s the sum of their life. How do you encapsulate it in just a few minutes? And yet what an honor it is to speak on behalf of a beloved friend or loved one at a time like this.

When a loved one dies, we grieve. And many struggle with how to get through. Especially in these times of grievous diseases, how do we cope? In this episode of Tomorrow’s World, we’ll talk about three ways to face death with courage and faith.

If you are a regular viewer, you know that at Tomorrow’s World we hold to the Bible as the Truth, the word of God. It has the answers to the big questions of life. And so, when we talk about death and grieving, and how to cope, the absolute first key is:

1. Look to the Bible for answers and comfort.

I know most of you don’t have to be convinced to read your Bible, especially when you’re down and struggling. Many of you hold the Bible in high esteem. But some of you watching may not yet be sure about the Bible. You may have heard it’s just a collection of myths and legends, writings of men. Your understanding of the Bible may only be what others have told you about it. Maybe your views have been formed by your friends or coworkers, or even the popular media. If so, you most likely have misconceptions about what it really says. When it comes to matters of life and death, the Bible’s the only book that even claims to have the real answers.

Give it a second chance. Consider what I’m saying. And when you’re in tough times, remember—the Bible has answers.

There was a man named Job who lived many thousands of years ago. Job was tried severely in his life. He lost loved ones, tragically, sons and daughters, in one day. He struggled to understand and even blamed God for his troubles, at one point. It shook his faith to the foundations. But at the end of the day, he put his trust in God and the hope of the resurrection. In Job 14:14, he said this:

“If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, till my change comes. You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands” (Job 14:14-15).

Job believed in the resurrection from the dead. He believed that after death, the dead will rise. God will call and they'll answer him. And you can read from one end of the Bible to the other, and you’ll find the affirmation of life after death. This life is not the end. Death is not permanent.

When Jesus was on this earth, He was God in the flesh. What did He say about life and death? Notice in John chapter 5 and verse 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” (John 5:28-29).

Jesus said, there is life after death. The dead will rise. There’s something yet in the future. These are the words of the Son of God Himself. And He can tell us definitely, because He Himself rose from the dead.

Paul speaks of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. In fact, the whole chapter is about the resurrection. Notice what Paul said in verse 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?” (1 Corinthians 15:12).

You see, it’s nothing new that some don’t believe in the resurrection. In every age, there have been those who doubted. And yet Paul explained that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was witnessed by hundreds of people. And many of them were still alive when he wrote this. Going on in 1 Corinthians chapter 15,

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that he was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).

Now think about this for a moment. Paul was saying that there were at least a couple hundred brethren, at the time of this writing, who had seen the risen Christ and were still around to tell about it. If you’re not sure whether you can believe the Bible, consider this testimony. If this wasn’t true, would Paul have dared make this bold assertion? If Jesus Christ really hadn’t been resurrected, why would Paul stake his reputation on it? And why would Paul give His life for it, as well as the other apostles?

So, what’s the point? When we look at the Bible, we’re given an understanding that there's something coming after death. The Bible is unique in offering this hope. It’s special in that it gives us a glimpse of what happens after death. Only the Bible can give that kind of comfort. And when we lose a husband, a wife, a child, or a close friend, we can turn to the Bible for encouragement. In fact, we must turn to the Bible for comfort, for where else can we get real answers?

The Bible gives the answers to the important questions of life and death.

Coping With Death and Loss Together

When a loved one dies, we grieve and we’re sad. Our heart is broken and we feel a profound emptiness. Some feel guilt for surviving while their mate dies. Others feel stuck, like they’ll never get over the loss. But how do we cope with death? In the first segment of this program we saw that it’s vital we look to the Bible for answers and hope. But there’s more. The second key is:

2. Reach out to others who care and who can help.

When a loved one dies, there is a tendency to retreat within ourselves. We may feel like isolating ourselves and pulling away from others. But is that healthy?

In the Western world, we have traditions and ceremonies to honor the dead and comfort the living. Family and friends gather to lend support and encouragement. Eulogies about the deceased are often given. We are saddened by the occasion and may shed a tear. But on the other hand, hearing about the life and accomplishments and even a humorous anecdote or two about our loved one, is healing and therapeutic.

I’m always touched when attending a funeral and learning more deeply about another person’s life. It’s profound to hear what a son or granddaughter or other relative relates about what was important to their loved one. Those memories are precious. They are especially profound when shared by someone who knew the person well. And they should be shared. Though the process is a bit painful, we all benefit by hearing the stories of a child of God who’s finished his or her race.

Too many people want to hide their eyes from mourning and sorrow. And in doing this, they often pull away from individuals in their life who can help them the most. Being surrounded by people who love us is vital to working through the grieving process. When death occurs, we need to accept the efforts of others to comfort us. They may not always know what to say. There may be awkward moments. But they’re trying to help—and it’s good to accept that help.

Many people today are alone and lonely. The pandemic has made isolation more acute and more painful. And as human beings, we need one another. And that is true especially during times of distress and loss.

The gospels record that Jesus wept when His friend died. Let’s look at that in John chapter 11 and verse 33:

“Therefore, when Jesus saw her [that is, Mary] weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the Spirit and was troubled. And He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept” (John 11:33-35).

This wasn’t a show. He wasn’t making believe. Jesus cared deeply for His friend. But He wasn’t just weeping for Lazarus. He was mourning for everyone, for He saw the suffering and distress they all had.

In this instance, Jesus actually brought back Lazarus to life. Now, He didn’t do that every time someone died. But here there was a specific purpose He was working out. The point is, this Scripture shows He cared for people and had compassion for them. When others are hurting, we need to reach out to them as well.

Young people suffer loss and pain, too. Sometimes as adults, we can forget that children and teens experience distress when they see a grandparent or other relative dying. They might be confused about what’s happening, especially if they are small. And they might even be confused by their own emotions. They may not even show emotion. They may act out in certain ways, and misbehave. There are numerous websites that give advice on helping young people grieve. Here are a few suggestions one website gives to teens, called KidsHealth.org, for those who have suffered loss:

1. Express Feelings and Find Support

If you are a young person and watching this program, and you have suffered loss, don't be afraid to reach out to others who care. Be strong, you can get through this. Stay engaged, and reach out to your parents, and teachers, and other adults you trust.

Another suggestion for teens suffering loss is:

2. Find Meaning

We touched on this in the first part of our program. Oftentimes, times of sorrow and suffering cause us to ask the big questions of life: Why am I here? What’s it all about? Don’t shy away from these questions. Searching for answers is healing in itself.

And here’s a final tip on the website:

3. Take Care of Yourself

It’s easy to let down on the things that keep us strong and healthy. We might lose sleep. We might lose interest in exercising. We might be less careful about what we eat. But taking care of yourself physically is actually vital in working through a time of grief.

The Key to Facing Death? Knowing God’s True Purpose for Life!

What’s another key to handling death in a positive and hopeful way?

3. Seek for the purpose of life.

You see, to understand death, you first have to understand life. Why are you here? What does your life mean? Are the evolutionists right? Are you just the result of billions of proteins that just happened to be zapped by a lightning bolt and mashed together in a random way that all works together harmoniously and perfectly? No, the truth is, we are the children of God. We’ve been made in God's image.

In Genesis chapter one we find a brief history of the origin of mankind. I’ll read in verse 26:

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:26-27).

Do you realize what that means? It means you look like God. Now, understand, in His glorified state, He’d be brighter than the sun to us. We could not see Him and live. But if we could look at Him in the spiritual realm, we would see Someone Who looks like us because we look like Him.

Now how can we know for sure? Notice in Genesis chapter 5 verse 3:

“And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth” (Genesis 5:3).

It’s the same phrase—made in his own likeness, after his image—that Genesis 1 said about God making mankind. Now, we have no problem understanding that Seth was a human being and looked like his father Adam, and his mother, Eve. So, why is it such a stretch to believe that we were made in the image of God? That we, if we could see God, would see that we look like Him?

Think about this. It means we are on a totally different plane than the animals. We were made to have a connection with God. And that connection with God gives us a destiny so much greater than the animals. There is a purpose to this life. This life is a time to grow in character—God’s character. We are here to come to understand God and His purpose and turn our hearts to Him. And ultimately, He is giving us the chance to live with Him, in the spirit realm, in His family forever. Notice 1 John chapter 3, verse 1:

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:1-2).

We shall be like Him, and we shall see Him as He is. That’s the purpose of life. The purpose of life is not to be extinguished, snuffed out forever, or drift off into nothingness. The purpose of life is to prepare for eternal life. Notice verse 3:

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

So, we don’t just live our lives aimlessly, with no regard for tomorrow. We live for Christ, to be conformed to His character. And if we do that, and accept His sacrifice for our sins, and humbly ask Him to guide our lives, we’ll live forever. What an opportunity. Notice in Hebrews 2:6:

“But one testified in a certain place, saying: ‘What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him?”

Truly, why does God even notice us or care about us? We’re so insignificant compared to the enormous size of this planet, much less the size of the solar system or the Universe. And yet, God has created us for a purpose. Going on,

“You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him” (Hebrews 2:7-8).

We don’t yet have “all things” put under our feet, as Paul goes on to explain. Because right now we’re only in the physical flesh. But when we enter life—real life, eternal life—we’ll receive our inheritance. And what does that mean?

Let me read from the booklet we’re offering today, What Happens When You Die? On page 33, Mr. Ames writes:

“‘Nothing’ not put under him? ‘All’ in subjection? Yes, this is the promise! The Greek phrase translated as ‘all’ in Hebrews 2:8 is ta panta – which literally means ‘the all.’ As Greek lexicons explain, ta panta in the absolute sense means ‘the universe.’ God wants to give you, along with billions of others, dominion not just over the earth, but over the universe!”

When you suffer the pain of loss and death from those close to you, don’t despair. There is hope. There is a future. Our whole life has been built around a plan that God is working out. The human family is a miracle. The fact that we can survive on this planet is astounding, when you realize how finely tuned our world must be to support life.

We’re not here by an accident. We’re here for a purpose, and that purpose gives us hope. Paul explains this in 1 Thessalonians 4.

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

This world is filled with philosophies and ideas [that] give no hope. What is there to hope for, if you believe that at death that’s it? Or, if you’re so terrified of the afterlife because of popular concepts [that] have no basis in reality?

Overcoming the Grave

But there is a way to face the death of a loved one with courage, faith and hope. And our Father in Heaven wants to give us comfort when we face these troubles in life. He comforts us, and He wants us to learn to comfort others. Notice in 2 Corinthians 1:3:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

The world is full of pain. But there is a purpose for suffering, and death is not the end. There’s much more to the plan. And as we look to God and walk with Him, and allow Him to guide our life, we’re going to understand that plan more and more. And we’ll be able to help others along their journey as well.

Thanks for watching! Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video, and if you would like a copy of our free booklet What Happens When You Die?, go to TWTV.org/Death or click the link in the description. See you next time.

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

Why Moral Chaos?

Once-great nations are deteriorating right before our eyes. It seems half the people around us are enraged at the other half, and that other half is more than happy to return the anger and hatred. The voices shouting loudest for tolerance just so happen to be among the most intolerant of the bunch. But most significantly, social norms and fundamental understandings that have been in place for centuries—even thousands of years—are being overturned. What was once virtuous is now ridiculed and considered out of touch at best and downright evil at worst, while what was once thought perverse or morally wrong is now praised and promoted.

Our world is in chaos. And while it will surprise most, that chaos is rooted in civilization’s growing inability to answer one simple question: Who decides right and wrong?

Join us right now on Tomorrow’s World, where we will examine—and answer—this question together.

Is Objective Morality a Human Invention?

Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. It’s a privilege to discuss today’s topic with you, for it really is the single question around which the entire world is turning today: Who decides right and wrong?

Today, we will look at three terrible but popular answers to this question, as well as the only true answer there could ever be.

Now surely you’ve noticed—we are living in a world of moral chaos.

Please understand—I’m not saying we are living in a world in which there are no “morals” of any sort. Quite the contrary—the world seems filled with “moral warriors,” ready to castigate you for your lack of morality and ready to pin a medal on their own jackets for their own upstanding behavior.

Actors accept awards and spend most of their time lecturing the television audience about the moral outrage of the moment. Politicians seek to convince us that any disagreement with the laws and regulations they seek to pass is the moral equivalent of siding with Adolph Hitler. And the stoic neutrality previous generations used to see in their news anchors is a relic of the past. Anchors today are some of the most passionate preachers you’ll find on television—more interested in passing judgment than passing on the news.

In all this moralizing, whose morals serve as the basis of all this virtue signaling and righteous lecturing? Well, that’s the problem. Everyone is busy determining his own moral code—his own collection of virtues and vices. In a way, Western civilization has come to mirror the ancient time of the judges described in the Bible. We find that description given very concisely in the book of Judges, chapter 21 and verse 25:

“In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Exactly. Everyone today is doing what is right in his own eyes.

But a world in which each man’s morality only depends on himself and his own, individual moral code is like having a world in which there is no moral code at all. And if you’ve ever read the book of Judges, you know what sort of world results from such a state: a brutal, chaotic world in which every man is out for himself.

Sure enough, a brutal, chaotic world is exactly what we see forming about us—corresponding more and more to the world of animals than it does to anything like a civilized society.

The world needs an answer to the question of who decides right and wrong.

So let’s spend our time today examining some contenders—some potential sources of morality that many would point to as the guide we need.

Now perhaps we should start by pointing out that many point to evolution as the source of humanity’s “morals”—but not in the way most of us think about “morals.” Evolution, as explained by those biologists who subscribe to the theory, only cares about the “survival of the fittest,” so those who say that human morality is simply a product of evolution are really saying that morality, good, and evil are all illusions. They’re saying that we only believe humans have morals because evolution has supposedly genetically programmed us to, say, be polite and civil to each other.

This is, of course, absolutely wrong for a whole host of reasons. For one, the theory of Evolution is a fairy tale, with little real evidence to show for itself. We have an abundance of material about that on our website at TomorrowsWorld.org.

But even putting that aside, take a moment to consider just how ridiculous it is to think that Darwin’s brutal, bloody theory of “survival of the fittest” could produce the noble qualities we consider to be moral behavior—such as honesty, humility, and protecting the weak.

One refreshingly honest atheist pointed this out in writing to popular apologist J. Warner Wallace, admitting that there is no real connection between morality and evolution. He noted, in part:

“We are Atheists…. While we acknowledge concepts like morality, politeness, civility seem to exist, we know they do not…. My only directive is to obey my genes. Eat, sleep, reproduce, die. That is our bible…. Outside of my greedy little gene’s need to reproduce, there is nothing in my world that stops me from killing you and reproducing with your wife.”

This atheist went on to say:

“Only the fear that I might be incarcerated and thus be deprived of the opportunity to do the same with the next guy’s wife stops me…. So be nice if you want. Be involved, have polite conversations, be a model citizen. Just be aware that while technically an Atheist, you are an inferior one. You’re just a little bit less evolved, that’s all. When you are ready to join me, let me know, I’ll be reproducing with your wife…. Maybe it’s time we Atheists were a little more truthful and let the chips fall where they may. At least that’s what my genes are telling me to say.”

Now, I know many atheists would not agree with this individual—yet on what basis can they disagree? Even if it were true, Evolution would be no guide to what is morally good and right. Survival of the fittest, the strongest, and the most devious is no source for morality, so we must look elsewhere.

No Moral Authority in Science and Evolution

We’ve already seen that, even if Evolution were true (and it’s not), there’s no reason to think that a system of moral virtue would arise in the brutal struggle for survival and reproduction.

But what about science? Could science help us discover moral laws of “right” and “wrong”?

Science has allowed mankind to discover many of the laws of nature itself, and much of what we enjoy in our modern world has been built on those discoveries. We’ve uncovered laws of physics and chemistry. Science has allowed us to peer into the deepest parts of our universe and into the inner world of the atom. But can science reveal for us more than the natural laws of our world—of what is and is not? Can science also reveal the moral laws of life—what should and should not be? Can science tell us what is morally good and evil—right and wrong?

This is the view of famous atheist and neuroscientist Sam Harris.

In his book The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values, Harris argues that moral values can be discovered through science, with no need at all for God or religion:

“Meaning, values, morality, and the good life must relate to facts about the well-being of conscious creatures—and, in our case, must lawfully depend on events in the world and upon states of the human brain….”

[Harris continues…]

“I am arguing that science can, in principle, help us understand what we should do and should want—and, therefore, what other people should do and should want in order to live the best lives possible” (pp. 6, 28, 2010).

Harris notes that science can help us understand what can help conscious creatures to flourish and be healthy and productive—and to a certain extent, that’s true. Just like science can help us formulate the healthiest dog food and cat food for our pets, it can help us examine the effects of various choices on our lives and the lives of others.

But it can’t tell us why we should care, or why any of us should feel obligated to do anything. Science can explore and examine the impact of my choices on my neighbor, but it can’t tell me why I should care for my neighbor in the first place.

In fact, it can’t even tell me why I should care for my neighbor more than I care for my dog or my house cat. Why is the benefit of humanity a “moral good”? Why should I morally seek the benefit of humanity versus the benefit of any other species—chimpanzees, or zebras, or, for that matter, cockroaches? Many scientists, such as Harris’ atheist peer, Richard Dawkins, have argued that humans have no moral priority or value above other animals, such as the great apes.

But we know there is a difference, don’t we? A moral difference. Some chimpanzees kill and eat their young—yet we would all agree that it would be a moral outrage for any human being to do so. But why? What would make it a moral evil? Science cannot tell us. Because science is limited to telling us only the natural facts—what is and is not—and cannot access moral facts about what should and should not be.

History records the terrible scientific experiments the Nazi regime performed on captive Jews in the concentration camps. Yet science is powerless to tell you why such experiments are immoral abominations. After all, according to many scientists, we’re just one more kind of animal, and if those experiments were eventually going to benefit humanity at large, well then, hey, who’s to say they were wrong?

That’s the point: Science can’t tell us that. And yet, thankfully, most of us know those horrific experiments were, indeed, wrong—no matter what could have been learned from them.

No, “science” is not the answer to our question, “Who decides right and wrong?”

But we still need an answer. After all, if science cannot tell us why the experiments of the Nazi concentration camps were a moral evil, surely something else must, for we know that they were—just as we know that acts such as rape and murder are morally wrong. So, who decides they are immoral?

An increasingly popular answer to that question is society. That is, they say that we simply agree, as a civil society, that such things as rape, murder, and torturous experiments on imprisoned human beings are “wrong,” and it is society, as a collective whole, that determines what is right and wrong.

Is Right and Wrong Merely a Social Consensus?

According to this idea, acts such as rape, murder, human trafficking, or slavery are morally wrong because society rejects these acts and declares them “immoral.” They violate society’s sense of what should be right and moral, and so—according to this theory, anyway—it is society that declares them wrong and evil. In the eyes of those who believe this idea, society becomes, then, the ultimate moral authority.

They say that society collectively decides that rape is wrong and that we don’t want people murdering each other, so we pass laws to make those things illegal and imprison or execute those who do them.

It all sounds very democratic, doesn’t it? And, frankly, it has a certain appeal to our human, sinful nature. It implies that we’re not responsible to any sort of divine being, like God—that we are only responsible to ourselves. And from mankind’s very beginning, that is what humans have sought: the freedom to define for ourselves what is good and what is evil.

In Genesis chapter 2, we’re told that God created the first human being and placed him in the Garden of Eden with some very specific instructions;

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Genesis 2:16–17).

God told mankind what was right—not eating from that tree—and what was wrong—eating from the tree. But Adam and Eve decided to ignore God’s instruction and eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, choosing to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. And we have all been repeating Adam and Eve’s choice in our own, individual ways for the last several thousand years.

This idea of society as the decider of right and wrong reflects this thinking. We, “the People,” decide what is right and wrong, and we use our governments to enforce our collective morality.

Yet, such an approach is fraught with contradictions and produces truly horrific consequences. For instance, consider the horrors of slavery in the pre-Civil War American South. We now universally recognize that slavery was a moral stain on American history. But if society determines what is “right” and “wrong,” then slavery was supposedly moral in the 1700s and 1800s because society approved of it, but it is now immoral because society does not? That’s utter nonsense.

Consider, too, the Holocaust of World War II—one of history’s greatest immoral campaigns, in which millions of human beings were exterminated like animals. Was the Holocaust somehow a moral good in Nazi Germany but is now an abominable moral evil because the Nazis lost? Would it have remained a moral good if Germany had won the war? Does morality change based on who wins and gets to run society?

Of course not. The slavery of the U.S. South was immoral, and the Holocaust was a great evil, and it’s irrelevant whether their nations’ societies agreed at the time.

Even today, there are societies in the world that condone forcing women and children into sexual prostitution and servitude—that morally sanction rape and murder.

And yet we know that those societies are wrong. Rape is wrong. Murder is wrong. And protecting women and children from sexual abuse is good.

We know these things are so regardless of what those societies might approve of in their own nations.

The fact is that societies change over time, and even in a given moment, societies differ from location to location. What is considered “evil” and “immoral” by one society in one place or time may be considered “upright” and “virtuous” in another.

But does that mean what is truly morally good or evil varies across time or based on your geography? Is rape, murder, theft, or torturing the weak and defenseless ever a moral “good” in any society at any time? Should we ever accept the Holocaust, the Killing Fields of the Khmer Rouge, or the antebellum slavery in the U.S. as anything other than moral evils, regardless of the decisions of their governments or societies—and regardless of how our own society may change in the future?

Of course not. We do not determine standards of “right” and “wrong” based on the decisions of society. Rather, we judge societies by those standards. Societies and cultures change, but what is right and wrong never does.

For instance, that’s how chattel slavery was defeated in Western civilization. Men such as William Wilberforce, at the turn of the 19th century, compared the practices of society to the eternal moral principles of the Bible and saw chattel slavery as the terrible moral sin that it truly was.

No, society is not the final authority in what is right or wrong. We will reveal that ultimate and undeniable authority in just a moment.

But first, let’s take one more moment to give you an opportunity to request today’s free booklet. Most people have no idea how Jesus Christ focused on the Ten Commandments in His ministry and spent a great deal of effort telling us how to keep them. It was Christ, Himself, who said,

“If you want to enter into life, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS” (Matthew 19:17).

God’s Laws Provide the Ultimate Standard—The Source of Moral Truth!

The only answer to the question “Who decides right and wrong?” is that the Eternal God of Creation decides. His very character is morally pure and good, and His commands reflect that perfect character!

The Apostle Paul, speaking of the commandments and law of God, says in Romans 7 and verse 12 that…

“… the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”

The commands of God flow from His perfect moral character, and out of His goodness, He shows us what is right and good. As King David wrote in Psalm 25,

“Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He teaches sinners in the way” (v. 8).

That’s why we have a certain, limited, natural sense of right and wrong that you find in cultures all over the world—not because of Evolution, but because of our common Creator. Paul says in Romans 2 and verses 14 and 15 that to a certain extent, all humans created by God have a sense of what is right and wrong, but it’s not the whole.

Understanding the whole of right and wrong requires a relationship with our Creator—allowing Him to instruct us and Jesus Christ to lead us.

The Bible prophesies a time when the whole world will seek the knowledge of God, to understand what is good and what is evil. In Micah chapter 4 and verse 2, we read of one such prophecy:

“Many nations 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 the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”

That time will come with the return of Jesus Christ. But you and I don’t have to wait until then. We can begin learning the divine difference between right and wrong and putting it to work in our lives right now if we’ll only let God teach us that difference.

Thanks so much for watching today! [We] really do appreciate you coming by. We here at Tomorrow’s World strive very hard to try to make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. We hope this has been beneficial. If you’d like today’s free offer, there’s a link in the description. If you enjoyed this video and would like to see more, then please do hit the subscribe button, and if you want to be notified, then just click on that bell. Thanks again!