Hapo mwanzo Mungu alikuwako, na pamoja Naye, Logos (Neno), Mwana wa Pekee wa Mungu. Kwa pamoja, Baba na Mwana, walitengeneza na kuumba vitu vyote. Katika Mit. 8:30 (NKJ) Logos anaitwa “fundi stadi” wa Mungu, ambaye kupitia kwake vitu vyote viliumbwa. Tunasoma hivi katika Kol. 1:12-17 : “Mkimshukuru Baba, aliyewastahilisha ninyi kushiriki katika urithi wa watakatifu katika ufalme wa nuru. Kwa maana alituokoa katika nguvu za giza, akatuleta katika ufalme wa Mwana wa pendo lake, ambaye katika yeye tuna ukombozi, yaani, msamaha wa dhambi. Yeye ni mfano wa Mungu asiyeonekana, mzaliwa wa kwanza wa viumbe vyote. Kwa kuwa katika yeye vitu vyote viliumbwa, vilivyo mbinguni na vilivyo juu ya nchi, vinavyoonekana na visivyoonekana; vitu vyote viliumbwa na yeye na kwa ajili yake. Yeye amekuwako kabla ya vitu vyote, na vitu vyote hushikana katika yeye.” (Ona pia 1 Kor. 8:6; Mwa. 1:26.)

In the beginning God was, and with Him, the Logos (the Word), God’s Only Begotten Son. Together, Father and Son, they designed and created all things. In Prov. 8:30 (NKJ) the Logos is called God’s “master craftsman,” the one by whom all things were made. We read this in Col. 1:12-17: “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, powers, rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (See also 1 Cor. 8:6; Gen. 1:26.)

Katika ulimwengu wote mzima, dunia ilichaguliwa hasa kuwa mahali pa kukaa mwanadamu. Kila kitu ambacho mwanadamu angehitaji ili kudumisha maisha milele katika furaha kamili kiliumbwa. Bustani ya Edeni ilikuwa ndani yake yote ambayo mtu yeyote angeweza kuwazia au kutumainia kamwe kwa kadiri ya uzuri na lishe inayotegemeza uhai. Kwa kuwa Mungu anajua mwanzo na mwisho wa vitu vyote, Alijua kimbele kwamba Adamu angeshindwa jaribu la utii aliloweka mbele yake, na kuleta dhambi na kifo kwa Adamu na wazao wake wote. Lakini, katika kujua kwake kimbele, Mungu pia alikuwa na mpango akilini ili kwamba mwanadamu, katika anguko lake kutoka katika ukamilifu, angeweza kujifunza kwa uzoefu “udhambi wa dhambi upitaoyo” ( Rum. 7:13 ) na bado afanywe kuwa sahihi tena kupitia Mkombozi. , ambaye Mungu angemtuma kwa wakati wake, ili kuwakomboa wanadamu kutoka katika kifo. Katika Ufu. 13:8 tunasoma kuhusu “Mwana-Kondoo aliyechinjwa tangu kuwekwa misingi ya ulimwengu.” Tazama pia 1 Pet. 1:19, 20. Mstari huu unatuambia kwamba Mungu katika hekima yake na kujua kwake kimbele alipanga dhabihu ya upatanisho ambayo ingemkomboa mwanadamu hata kabla hajatenda dhambi. Mwana-Kondoo huyu wa dhabihu alitambuliwa na Yohana Mbatizaji wakati Yesu alipokuja kwenye Mto Yordani ili abatizwe naye. Yohana alisema, “Tazama, Mwana-Kondoo wa Mungu, aichukuaye dhambi ya ulimwengu” (Yohana 1:29).

In the entire universe, earth was specially chosen as the place for man to dwell. Everything man would ever need to sustain life forever in complete happiness was created. The Garden of Eden had in it all that anyone could imagine or ever hope for as far as beauty and life-sustaining nourishment. Since God knows the beginning as well as the end of all things, He knew beforehand that Adam would fail the test of obedience that He set before him, bringing sin and death to Adam and all his descendants. But, in His foreknowledge, God also had a plan in mind so that man, in his fall from perfection, could learn by experience the “exceeding sinfulness of sin” (Rom. 7:13) and yet be made right again through a Redeemer, whom God would send in due time, to ransom man back from death. In Rev. 13:8 we read of the “Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world.” See also 1 Pet. 1:19, 20. This verse tells us that God in His wisdom and foreknowledge planned an atoning sacrifice that would redeem man back even before he had sinned. This sacrificial Lamb was identified by John the Baptist when Jesus came to the River Jordan to be baptized of him. John said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Yesu, kwa kutii mapenzi ya Baba yake, alikuja kufa kwa ajili ya dhambi za ulimwengu (Yohana 3:16, 17). Kabla tu ya kufa juu ya msalaba wa Kalvari, alitamka maneno haya ya ushindi -- “'Imekwisha!' Akainama kichwa, akaitoa roho yake” (Yohana 19:30). Kwa kifo chake, Yesu alifungua njia mpya na iliyo hai ambayo kwayo Mungu sasa anawaita watu kwa ajili ya Jina Lake ( Ebr. 10:19, 20; Mdo. 15:14 ). Mtume Paulo anataja wito huu katika Flp. 3:14: “Nakaza mwendo kuelekea mradi wa kupata tuzo ambalo kwa ajili yake Mungu ameniitia kwenda mbinguni katika Kristo Yesu.” Wokovu umehakikishwa kwa wale wote wanaotubu dhambi zao na kumwamini Yesu Kristo kama Mwokozi wao. Lakini kuna hatua nyingine ambayo lazima ichukuliwe ili kujibu mwito huo wa mbinguni. Yesu alisema katika Mat. 16:24 “Mtu ye yote akitaka kunifuata, na ajikane mwenyewe, ajitwike msalaba wake, anifuate.” Kuna ahadi nyingi za thamani zinazotolewa kwa wale wanaochukua hatua hii ya ufuasi na ni waaminifu hadi kifo. (Ona Ufu. 2:7, 10, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21 .) Wale washindao, kwa nguvu za Bwana, watainuliwa na kubadilishwa wafanane na Bwana wetu kwa uweza wake. Kuja kwa pili. ( Rum. 8:17; Flp. 4:13; 1 Yoh. 3:2; Ufu. 20:6 ). Muda mfupi baadaye watarudi duniani ili kusimamisha Ufalme wa kidunia wa Mungu.

Jesus, in obedience to His Father’s will, came to die for the sins of the world (John 3:16, 17). Just prior to dying on Calvary’s cross, He uttered these words of victory -- “‘It is finished!’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). By His death, Jesus opened up a new and living way by which God is now calling out a people for His Name ( Heb. 10:19, 20; Acts 15:14). The Apostle Paul mentions this calling in Phil. 3:14: “ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Salvation is assured to all those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. But there is another step that must be taken to answer this heavenly calling. Jesus said in Mat. 16:24 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” There are many precious promises extended to those who take this step of discipleship and are faithful until death. (See Rev. 2:7, 10, 17, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21.) Those who overcome, in the strength of the Lord, will be raised up and changed into the likeness of our Lord at His Second coming. ( Rom. 8:17; Phil. 4:13; 1 Jn. 3:2; Rev. 20:6). Soon thereafter they will return to earth to establish God’s earthly Kingdom.

Itakuwaje katika miaka hiyo 1,000? “Mungu wa ulimwengu huu” (Shetani) atazuiliwa na hataweza tena kuwadanganya watu (2 Kor. 4:4; Ufu. 20:1, 2). Hakutakuwa tena na magonjwa, machozi, mateso, kifo, huzuni, vita au vurugu (Ufu. 21:4; Isa. 2:4, Isa. 11:9). Kisha wanadamu watapata fursa isiyozuiliwa ya kujifunza haki na ujuzi wa Bwana utapatikana kwa wote (Isa. 26:9; Hab. 2:14).

What will it be like during those 1,000 years? “The god of this world” (Satan) will be restrained and no longer able to deceive people (2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:1, 2). There will be no more sickness, tears, sufferings, death, sorrows, wars or violence (Rev. 21:4; Isa. 2:4, Isa. 11:9). Mankind will then have the unhindered opportunity to learn righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord will be universally available to all (Isa. 26:9; Hab. 2:14).

Ifuatayo inafafanua vizuri kipindi hiki cha ajabu: “Fumba macho yako kwa kitambo kidogo ili kutazama matukio ya taabu na ole, uharibifu na huzuni ambayo bado iko kwa sababu ya dhambi, na uwazie mbele ya ono lako la kiakili utukufu wa dunia kamilifu. Hakuna doa la dhambi linaloharibu upatano na amani ya jamii kamilifu; si mawazo ya uchungu, si kuangalia au neno lisilo la fadhili; upendo, unaobubujika kutoka katika kila moyo, hukutana na mwitikio wa jamaa katika kila moyo mwingine, na ukarimu huashiria kila tendo. Hapo magonjwa hayatakuwapo tena; si ache wala maumivu, wala ushahidi wowote wa kuoza - hata hofu ya mambo kama hayo. Fikiria picha zote za afya linganishi na uzuri wa umbo na kipengele cha binadamu ambacho umewahi kuona, na ujue kwamba ubinadamu mkamilifu utakuwa bado wa kupendeza kupita kiasi. Usafi wa ndani na utimilifu wa kiakili na kimaadili utapiga muhuri na kutukuza kila uso unaomeremeta. Jamii ya dunia itakuwa hivyo—na waliofiwa watafutwa machozi yao yote, watakapotambua kwamba kazi ya ufufuo imekamilika.”

The following well describes this wonderful period: “Close your eyes for a moment to the scenes of misery and woe, degradation and sorrow that yet prevail on account of sin, and picture before your mental vision the glory of the perfect earth. Not a stain of sin mars the harmony and peace of a perfect society; not a bitter thought, not an unkind look or word; love, welling up from every heart, meets a kindred response in every other heart, and benevolence marks every act. There sickness shall be no more; not an ache nor a pain, nor any evidence of decay -- not even the fear of such things. Think of all the pictures of comparative health and beauty of human form and feature that you have ever seen, and know that perfect humanity will be of still surpassing loveliness. The inward purity and mental and moral perfection will stamp and glorify every radiant countenance. Such will earth’s society be -- and weeping bereaved ones will have their tears all wiped away, when thus they realize the resurrection work complete.”