Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Earthly and Heavenly

Ever hear someone, not of the faith, try to describe heaven? A reporter tried to do just that when she described our heavenly home as a place where we would sit in the shade of our fruit trees. Not a bad thing to do in our next lives, but she had referred to one of the blessings God has in store for Israel. This is understandable for one who has not studied the Bible.

During the millennium, God will pour out earthly blessings on Israel and the nations under her leadership. But all of those receiving these blessings will not be the elect. Just as in Eden the first baby ever born would murder his brother, though his environment was perfect. During these thousand years, Satan, though in prison, is still alive and waiting to rebel against the saints.

So there are earthly blessings and heavenly blessings. No need for shade or sun screen in heaven.

As wonderful as the earth will be during the millennium, the final death of the non-elect has yet to take place. Those ruling during this time will do so with "rods of iron" (Rev.2:26-27), showing the need for such weapons of control.

Imagine visiting a picnic area protected by armed guards! You might well assume that someone needs to be restrained, and not just raccoons and black bears. Earth has more than a thousand years left to be under God's heavenly guards.

From Genesis to Revelation there is the need for intervention by fire from heaven.

Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; Genesis 19:24

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Revelation 20:9

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