Yesu atakaporudi jambo la kwanza atakalofanya ni kuwafufua watakatifu wake -- wale waliokufa na sasa wamelala makaburini mwao; kisha atawabadilisha wanafunzi wake walio hai wakati huo. Hii inafundishwa waziwazi kwetu katika 1 Wathesalonike. 4:13-18 : “Akina ndugu, hatutaki mkose kujua kuhusu wale wanaolala usingizi, au kuhuzunika kama watu wengine wasio na tumaini. Tunaamini kwamba Yesu alikufa na kufufuka na hivyo tunaamini kwamba Mungu atawaleta pamoja na Yesu wale waliolala katika yeye. Kulingana na neno la Bwana mwenyewe, tunawaambia kwamba sisi ambao bado tu hai, ambao tutabaki hadi kuja kwake Bwana, hakika hatutawatangulia wale ambao wamelala mauti. Kwa maana Bwana mwenyewe atashuka kutoka mbinguni pamoja na mwaliko, na sauti ya malaika mkuu, na parapanda ya Mungu; nao waliokufa katika Kristo watafufuliwa kwanza. Baada ya hayo, sisi tulio hai, tuliosalia, tutanyakuliwa pamoja nao katika mawingu ili kumlaki Bwana hewani. Na hivyo tutakuwa pamoja na Bwana milele. Kwa hiyo, farijianeni kwa maneno haya.” Tukio hili la kustaajabisha pia linarejelewa katika Ufunuo 20:6 : “Heri na watakatifu ni wale walio na sehemu katika ufufuo wa kwanza. Kifo cha pili hakina nguvu juu yao, bali watakuwa makuhani wa Mungu na wa Kristo, nao watatawala pamoja naye kwa miaka elfu.”

When Jesus returns the first thing He will do is to raise His saints -- those who have died and are now sleeping in their graves; then He will change His disciples who are alive at that time. This is clearly taught to us in 1 Thessalonians. 4:13-18: “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage each other with these words.” This wonderful scene is also referred to in Revelation 20:6: “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”

Kwa kuwa huu ni ufufuo wa “kwanza,” tunapaswa kutazamia kusoma kuhusu ufufuo wa kufuata. Ulimwengu wote wa wanadamu siku moja utapitia ufufuo huu wa pili. Yesu alirejelea jambo hili katika Yohana 5:28-29: “...saa inakuja ambayo watu wote waliomo makaburini wataisikia sauti yake na kutoka, wale waliofanya mema kwa ufufuo wa uzima wale waliofanya mabaya kwa ufufuo wa hukumu.”

Since this is a “first” resurrection, we should expect to read about one to follow. The whole world of mankind will one day experience this second resurrection. Jesus referred to this in John 5:28-29: “...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 judgment.”

Kinyume na yale ambayo madhehebu mengi hufundisha, hilo litaleta wakati duniani ambapo wanadamu wote watakuwa na fursa ya kujifunza uadilifu. Tunasoma hivi katika Isaya 26:9: “Maana hukumu zako zitakapokuwa katika dunia, wakaao duniani watajifunza haki.”

Contrary to what many denominations teach, this will bring a time upon earth when all mankind will have an opportunity to learn righteousness. We read of this in Isaiah 26:9: “For when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”

Wakati huo Shetani, ambaye amepofusha fikira za wanadamu ( 1 Wakorintho 4:4 ), hataruhusiwa tena kufanya hivyo. Ufunuo 20:1-2 inatuambia, “Kisha nikaona malaika akishuka kutoka mbinguni, mwenye ufunguo wa kuzimu na mnyororo mkubwa mkononi mwake. Akamshika yule joka, yule nyoka wa zamani, ambaye ni Ibilisi na Shetani, akamfunga miaka elfu.

At that time Satan, who has blinded the minds of men (1 Corinthians 4:4), will not any longer be allowed to do so. Revelation 20:1-2 tells us, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.”

Hii si ngano! Manabii wa Agano la Kale walinena habari zake. Yesu na Mitume wake waliihubiri. Kwa kweli, Yesu alisema katika Yohana 3:16-17, “Kwa maana jinsi hii Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu hata akamtoa Mwanawe pekee, ili kila mtu amwaminiye asipotee, bali awe na uzima wa milele. Kwa maana Mungu hakumtuma Mwana ulimwenguni ili auhukumu ulimwengu, bali ulimwengu uokolewe katika yeye.” Kutakuwa na wakati, hivi karibuni, ambapo Mungu atasimamisha Ufalme Wake juu ya dunia hii tunamoishi, na kumweka Yesu kuwa Mfalme na Mtawala wake. Tunaweza kuwa na uhakika sana kwamba Neno la Mungu ni hakika, na litatimiza ahadi zake. Isaya 55:11 inasema, “Ndivyo lilivyo neno langu, litokalo katika kinywa Changu: Halitanirudia bure, bali litatimiza mapenzi yangu, na kutimiza kusudi nililolituma.” Ndiyo, Mungu ana kusudi dhahiri ambalo kwa ajili yake Yesu alikufa juu ya Msalaba wa Kalvari ili kuwakomboa wanadamu wote kutokana na adhabu ya dhambi na kifo iliyokuja juu yetu wakati Adamu alipofanya dhambi katika bustani ya Edeni. Paulo anatuambia katika 1Timotheo 2:5-6, “Kwa maana kuna Mungu mmoja na mpatanishi mmoja kati ya Mungu na wanadamu, Mwanadamu Kristo Yesu, ambaye alijitoa mwenyewe kuwa ukombozi kwa ajili ya watu wote – ushuhuda huo utolewe kwa njia yake. muda.” Ndiyo, kifo na ufufuo wa Yesu huongoza kwenye utimizo wa ahadi ya Mungu kwa Abrahamu kwamba “ndani yako na uzao wako (Yesu) wanadamu wote watabarikiwa” ( Mwanzo 12:1-2 ). Ifuatayo inafafanua kwa uzuri kile kitakachotimizwa katika Ufalme huu wenye utukufu unaokuja.

This is not a fable! The Prophets of the Old Testament spoke of it. Jesus and His Apostles preached it. In fact, Jesus said in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” There will be a time, in the near future, when God will establish His Kingdom on this earth in which we live, and set up Jesus as its King and Ruler. We can be very confident that God’s Word is sure, and it will accomplish what it promises. Isaiah 55:11 says, “So is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Yes, God has a definte purpose for which Jesus died on Calvary’s Cross to redeem all mankind from the penalty of sin and death that came upon us when Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:5-6, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men -- the testimony to be given in its proper time.” Yes, Jesus’ death and resurrection leads to the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that “in you and your seed (Jesus) all mankind will be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-2). The following beautifully describes what will be accomplished in this glorious coming Kingdom.

Muhtasari wa Ufalme Uliokamilika

“Fumba macho yako kwa muda kwa matukio ya taabu na ole, uharibifu na huzuni ambayo bado inatawala kwa sababu ya dhambi, na ufikirie mbele ya ono lako la akili 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.”

A Preview Of The Finished Kingdom

“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 all their tears wiped away, when thus they realize the resurrection work complete.”