The End Times Bible Report Quarterly
Summer 2021: Issue Number 97
“There Shall Be
No More Death”
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
— Revelation 21:4 —
Almost weekly we see flashed across the screen “BREAKING NEWS!” — another mass shooting, another bloody clash between nations, a surge in Covid deaths, another violent act of racism, or another natural disaster causing massive damage and casualties. And what about our own life tragedies? These may not make the headlines, but at the moment, they are more important to us than all the sorrows of the world. With broken hearts we cry out — “When will God put an end to suffering, sorrow and death?”
It certainly requires deep faith to live in this present evil world — to trust that God will end ALL tears... death... sorrow... and pain. And those with a firm foundation of faith know that God’s promises are absolute! “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please...” Isaiah 55:11
“...ALL Tears Shall Be Wiped Away...”
The shortest verse in the Bible, and yet one of the most comforting is, “Jesus Wept.” (John 11:35) Jesus genuinely loved his friend Lazarus and sincerely wept with the others when Lazarus died. While on earth, Jesus was deeply saddened by all the many other scenes of suffering which afflicted mankind, and he sympathized with their sorrows.
Yes, Jesus wept, but not in the sense of hopelessness, for he knew that his death would ultimately bring about the resurrection of all from their graves — “land of the enemy.” (Jeremiah 31:16) And, like Jesus, his faithful followers also grieve and shed tears, but we “...sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” Because of his great compassion, Jesus came to earth to pay the penalty of sin by taking that death penalty upon himself. So, while he wept here among mankind, he knew that in due time, he would “see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied... for he shall bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:11) With confidence in his Father’s plan, Jesus was able to endure the many assaults upon himself — eventuating in his death upon the cross. Jesus Christ, “for the joy set before him, endured the cross...” Hebrews 12:2
In light of the fact that “Jesus died and rose again...,” we can trust our promise text that ALL tears shall not only be wiped away, but that “there shall be... no more crying...” This means that there will be no more reasons for crying, for when these “former things” — pain and death — are no longer abroad in the earth, humanity will rejoice in the blessings of everlasting life. “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isaiah 35:10
“...There Shall Be No More Death...”
Because “God is love,” He will not always permit sin and death to reign over mankind. God anticipated that Adam would disobey and would bring upon himself the penalty for sin — death. In His wisdom, God designed a beautiful plan of redemption which “will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth...” (Isaiah 25:8) And this was His plan from the beginning — providing for lost humanity’s salvation through His beloved Son — “the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8
God’s merciful plan of salvation was not only the greatest gift ever given, but it was also the greatest demonstration of fatherly suffering ever witnessed in history — allowing His only begotten Son Jesus to suffer the agony of being vilified and crucified. Is there any doubt what great love God has for the human race? “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) By His mercy, God’s only begotten Son has provided a “ransom for all.” This is the basis of the only true hope for a world in despair. “I will ransom them from the power of the grave... O grave, I will be thy destruction.” Hosea 13:14
“There Shall Be No More Curse” — Revelation 22:3
The curse of death that Adam brought upon all is offset by the ransom price paid for all by Jesus when he willingly laid down his life in death for mankind. (1 Timothy 2:3-6) This merciful provision will provide a fresh opportunity for all who have ever lived — bringing them out from under that Adamic curse. “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22
This ransom will not only provide for the return of all the dead to awaken from the graves, but it will bring about the joyful reunion of lost loved ones, the opportunity to learn of the one true God, and the blessed prospect to live forever in health and happiness here upon a perfect earth. Yes, “all the families of the earth” will be given an opportunity to call upon Jesus’ name under more favorable circumstances in God’s Kingdom. Romans 10:13; Genesis 22:18
But, even before the world is brought forth from their graves, and before there shall be an end to all sorrow, Christ has been making certain preparations in heaven and earth for this momentous event of receiving both the “just and the unjust” from their prison-house of death. “The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” John 5:25, 28, 29
Christ Returns to Restore
ALL That Was Lost
What a blessed promise! This “ransom for all, to be testified in due time,” is the reason why Jesus Christ returns at his second advent — the restitution of all things! “But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. ...times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things...” (Acts 3:18-21) This will be the time when everything that was lost in the Garden of Eden will be restored — life, health, peace, equality, freedom from fear, a perfect earth, harmony with God our Father, and the eventual end of death. Luke 19:10; Revelation 22:17; Isaiah 35:5-10; Psalm 72:7; Isaiah 2:4; Jeremiah 31:34; Ephesians 1:10
We know that Jesus promised that he would “come again,” but, what has Jesus been doing over that past 2,000 years since he died to pay justice for original sin? Just before he died, he said that he “must go and prepare a place” for his faithful. During this time, he has also been developing a faithful Church. (John 14:3) This has been the purpose of the Christian era — the conversion of a faithful few, a “little flock” who will live and reign with Christ after his return. This reign is what the Apostle Peter describes as a thousand-year Judgment Day. 2 Peter 3:7, 8
We are living in the time of the end and this process of selecting Christ’s Church is almost over! The due time for the conversion of the remainder of mankind will be when the Church is complete and Christ’s glorious reign begins. He will then turn his attention to the world of mankind in general — those who have never had the mental or moral capacity to know Christ in this Gospel Age. “After this [after selecting the faithful of the Gospel Age] I will return and build again the tabernacle of David [set up the Kingdom of God]... that the remainder of men might seek after the Lord....” (Acts 15:14-17) This thousand-year Kingdom will be the first full, fair opportunity for billions to hear and believe. The little flock will work along with Christ during this thousand years to bless and “judge the world in righteousness” and to “...open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” Isaiah 42:7; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 20:6; Psalm 96:13
But, Why Permit Suffering and
Death in the First Place?
For over 6,000 years, humanity has experienced extreme suffering and sorrow, but God has promised that something constructive will result. He will turn these cursed conditions into an opportunity to teach mankind the agonizing consequence of sin and rebellion. “This sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.” (Ecclesiastes 1:13) Note that God does not cause the evil, but has permitted it for a period of time.
God’s ultimate purpose in permitting evil has been to teach this broad principle—“...the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Thus, experience with sin and selfishness will so thoroughly teach the wages of sin, that all mankind will never again want to take the wrong course — nor will they desire sin — the very thought of it will be repulsive.
Nearing the End of This
Present Evil World
The Bible speaks of a glorious conclusion to the collapse of Satan’s kingdom. All wars, disease and sorrow among all nations that constitute his present evil world will illustrate the lasting lesson of fallen man’s inability to heal the world of its many ills. (2 Corinthians 4:4; Galatians 1:4) Humanity must learn that the best and the worst of earth’s nations are but “kingdoms of this world” which have been under Satan’s control. (Luke 21:24) But until they are willing to turn to the rightful King, Christ Jesus, we will continue to see spasms of trouble in the earth, each one getting worse and more frequent: “...they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth” in childbirth. (Isaiah 13:6-8) As a mother who gives birth, all can rejoice, for this wonderful Kingdom is soon to be born! (Matthew 6:10) Christ and his Church, ruling from heaven, shall intervene on behalf of the “poor groaning creation” and will put an end to all sorrow. Romans 8:21-23
Is this prospect of Revelation 21:4 just an unrealistic vision? No! Habakkuk 2:3 states that “...the vision is yet for an appointed time... though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” When Satan’s dominion is conquered by God’s “son of righteousness” — Jesus Christ, the Messiah — all the earth will sing together in perfect harmony: “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him... we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:9
The Last Enemy to Be Destroyed Is Death
1 Corinthians 15:26
The Prophet Jeremiah sent a message of consolation for every grieving heart: “Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for... they [the poor groaning creation] shall come again from the land of the enemy [the grave].” Thank God that there will ultimately be a beautiful end to all of the tragic stories that have been written in the hearts of humanity.
By comparison to this nighttime of sorrow, the Apostle John describes a time free of every present evil: “And I saw a new heaven [spiritual rule] and a new earth [new social order upon earth under this benevolent heavenly government]: for the first heaven [corrupt spiritual systems] and the first earth [society oppressed under the leadership of Satan] were passed away.... And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem [Christ and his Church], coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people....” (Revelation 21:1-3) This is when the tragic news headlines of today will change, and will one day read:
Hallelujah! NO ONE DIED TODAY!
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The End Times Bible Report Quarterly