January 2, 2022 | By Jay Ashbaucher
Another Christmas has recently come and gone. It’s a season celebrated by many throughout the world. God foretold that Christ would come to be the Savior of the world, and he did come (Isaiah 9:6-7; John 3:17-18). He came to save his created world, including all who would believe God’s word that he is the Savior and who would follow him. God also let us know that Christ is coming to earth a second time, as the blessed hope of all who believe (Titus 2:11-13). He is coming to save the world by establishing his kingdom of peace on earth. God’s kingdom already begins on earth when, by faith, he comes into the hearts of his followers and reigns over them as their Lord and King. With love for him, they happily do his will. His kingdom will be completed when he comes again, this time to reign over all the world, not just over those who follow him, but also over those who do not. When he comes, there will still be an opportunity for many who have been rejecting him to change their minds and join him in God’s plan to save his world. Jesus was laughed at and mocked when he was on earth. After he left the earth, people continued making fun, mocking at the idea of his coming back (2 Peter 3:3-4).
If you are one who mocks and does not believe these things, let me tell you what God is planning so that you have a few more specifics to laugh about. Please know that I am not putting unbelieving people down, for I understand how people can have seemingly valid reasons for their unbelief. I have had my questions and doubts and struggles to trust in God, his warnings, and his revealed promises. I am sorry for your disappointments in God and for any pain you may have suffered. Your pain and suffering give all the more reason to hear God’s plan so that you may reconsider. God’s plan to save his earth and its people will happen whether or not we believe it. So here is what he has foretold.
Jesus taught his followers to pray this: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). That prayer is already being partially answered in the lives of true believers in Christ Jesus. They demonstrate in some measure what his kingdom will be like by loving others as he has loved them and by doing many good things in the world, like Jesus did, to overcome the evils that exist. When Christ comes again, he will complete what his followers, with the help of his Spirit, are working at doing. He will bring to completion his plan to set up a kingdom of peace and righteousness, overcoming all evil and replacing it with the kind of world many people would like to see; a world with no more war, a world where crime ceases, a world where sickness and pain are no more. That is the kind of world the Savior will make happen. He is “the Son born to us; the Son given to us. His name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of his government or peace…” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
When Jesus lived on earth, he demonstrated, by his love for people and his ability to perform miracles, what his coming kingdom would be like. Through his healings, he eliminated a lot of sickness and physical defects. At times, he fed the hungry. He showed power over demons and their destructive works by casting them out of people. His power over nature was seen by telling storms to cease, and they did. He loved people by accepting them and forgiving those who made humble confessions and asked for mercy. He showed his power over death by raising dead persons. He gave eternal life to all who trusted him. He taught how to live a good moral life and helped people change for the better. He gave people new life, meaning, and purpose. These were all signs of what life would be like when he returned; no evil allowed, instead, eternal peace, joy, and purposeful living.
Following are some of the promised descriptions of what the world will be like when he comes to rule and reign forever and establish his kingdom on earth, and in addition, his final kingdom. The good he did, and the miracles he performed when he came over 2,000 years ago, will exist throughout the earth. Even nature will be at peace. Animals, for example, will no longer fear the attack of other animals. The wolf and the lamb will lie down together in peace. The lion will eat straw like the ox. A child will be able to play with a once dreaded cobra and no harm will come. (Isaiah 11:6-9). Jesus will set up his government and the leaders of the nations will come to him to learn of his ways. All the earth will live by his righteousness, love, and justice. Nations will lay down their weapons and there will be no more war; the Prince of Peace will rule (Isaiah 2:2-4). A new heaven and earth will be created and former things will not be remembered or come to mind. Love, joy and gladness will be in the hearts of those who follow Christ (Isaiah 65:17-18). Those who have died believing in Christ, and all who come to believe in him, will be raised from the dead and have new physical bodies that can never die (1 Corinthians 6:14; Philippians 3:20-21; Job 19:25-26). No more grief, sadness, despair, and fear of crimes. It’s a life humans can only dream about, but never experience by their own doing.
So to those who wish to laugh at and mock all of these things, have you seriously considered the evidence for the existence of Christ Jesus, his death, its meaning, and his resurrection from the dead? If you find reasonable evidence that he did once come, why could he not come again? Why would you not choose to put faith in him and have a hope that is certain to become real? For those who have believed that God exists, and that he rewards all who seek him, take courage. There is much good yet to come from the baby once born in a manger long ago, of whom it was said, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all the people… there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). The coming Kingdom of God is something for some to beware of, but for others, a reason for rejoicing.
