swa.CDMI.tv - Mpango wa Mungu wa Enzi - God's Plan of the Ages

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Mpango wa Mungu wa Enzi - God's Plan of the Ages

Sanaa ya kufikiri inaweza kufupishwa kwa maneno mawili: "Sababu" na "Athari." Kila kitu kinachoweza kuonekana au kutambuliwa kwa njia yoyote ni athari, na inathibitisha uwepo wa awali wa sababu. Vipengele 92 vya msingi, ambavyo inasemekana kuwa dunia vinajumuisha, ni athari. Kila moja ni matokeo ya mwisho, au athari, ya mfululizo mrefu wa vitendo na miitikio ambayo inarejea kwenye sababu kuu. Wanasayansi wetu wa kisasa wanatuambia mengi; lakini tunapowauliza sababu ya msingi ilikujaje, wananyamaza. Wengine wanakiri waziwazi kuwa hawajui.

Hata hivyo, sababu sahili inatuambia kwamba kwa kubeba kanuni ya “Sababu na Athari” kurudi kwenye mwanzo wa mambo yote, tunafika kwenye Sababu kuu ya Kwanza, kwa kuwa tunashughulika na mwanzo wa vitu vya kimwili au vya kimwili.

Katika hatua hii ni lazima tuache, kwa kuwa hakuna akili ya mwanadamu inayoweza kufahamu zaidi ya wazo la Sababu Kuu ya Kwanza. Ni katika hatua hii kwamba Biblia inaingia kwenye eneo. Inafunua ukweli kwamba Mwenyezi Mungu ndiye Kisababishi kikuu cha Kwanza. Hakuna mtu anayeweza, kwa kutafuta, kuelewa hili. Mambo ya siri ni ya Mungu, lakini mambo ambayo amefunua amewapa watoto wa wanadamu (Kumb. 29:29). Biblia ni ufunuo wa Mungu uliotolewa kwa wanadamu. Inatuambia kwamba Mungu ni Mwenyezi, na kwamba Yeye ndiye Muumba wa vitu vyote, amevishika vitu vyote kwenye tundu la mkono Wake. Hiyo ina maana tu kwamba Ana kila kitu chini ya udhibiti wakati wote. Tunaambiwa kwamba hata ghadhabu ya mwanadamu itamsifu Yeye (Zab. 76:10), na wakati ruhusa ya uovu imetimiza kusudi lake, itakomeshwa ili kuonyesha hekima ya Muumba wetu.

Biblia haidai kuwa kitabu kuhusu matukio ya asili au sayansi. Inashughulika na kuanzishwa kwa dhambi ulimwenguni; inaonyesha matokeo mabaya ya dhambi; inatuambia yale ambayo Mungu anafanya juu ya hayo yote, na jinsi yatakavyoondolewa kabisa duniani. Amani na maelewano vitarejeshwa. Sura za mwanzo za Mwanzo zinatupa muhtasari mfupi wa Uumbaji.

Hapo Mwanzo

Biblia inaanza kwa maneno haya, “Hapo mwanzo Mungu aliziumba mbingu na nchi.” Katika mwanzo wa nini? Wengi hukosea wakati huu. Andiko hilo linaendelea, “na dunia ilikuwa bila umbo na utupu.” Kwa kuwa dunia tayari “ilikuwa” tayari kuwepo, basi lazima irejeze kwenye mwanzo wa mpangilio wa dunia kwa ajili ya makao ya mwanadamu juu yake. Haiwezi kutumika kwa mwanzo wa Ulimwengu kwa sababu dunia ilikuwa tayari kuwepo.

Huko nyuma katika Enzi za Giza wanadamu walipofikiri kwamba dunia ilikuwa kitovu cha Ulimwengu na kwamba viumbe vyote vya mbinguni viliizunguka, ufasiri wa Biblia ulilazimishwa kupatana na mawazo yao ya awali. Lakini mwanga zaidi juu ya vitu vya kimwili hutupatia maoni yaliyo wazi zaidi kuhusu Biblia leo. Siku sita za uumbaji hazikuwa siku halisi kama zilivyosisitizwa hapo awali bali “zama” sita au “zama” sita.

Biblia ina lugha nyingi za kitamathali au za mfano. Hizi “siku” sita za Uumbaji, zikirejelea vipindi sita vya wakati, ni za urefu ambao haujatajwa. Hii inakubaliana na kile wanajiolojia wanatuambia, kwamba dunia ilipitia hatua sita za maendeleo. Kwa hiyo badala ya Biblia kuwa “hadithi ya vikongwe,” inatangulia utafiti wetu wa kisasa kwa maelfu ya miaka.

Ikiwa ni rekodi ya utayarishaji wa uso wa dunia, basi tunawezaje kueleza kutajwa kwa jua na mwezi katika siku ya nne ya uumbaji? Ni lazima tukumbuke kwamba wakati dunia ilipokuwa katika maandalizi, ilizungukwa na wingu kubwa la gesi na mvuke ili “giza lilikuwa juu ya uso wa vilindi vya maji” (Mwa. 1:2). Ilikuwa hadi siku ya nne ambapo blanketi hili la wingu lilipunguzwa vya kutosha ili pamoja na mvua ya madini mbalimbali, maji, kaboni, nk, jua, mwezi na baadaye nyota ziliwezeshwa kuangaza kupitia bahasha hii. ya giza. Kwa kuwa hakuna ajuaye ni lini mwezi ulikuja kuwa setilaiti ya dunia, huenda ikawa hivyo wakati huo, na kuwekwa kwa mwezi katika obiti kuzunguka dunia kunaweza kuwa kulihusiana na kupungua kwa bahasha ya mvuke na gesi.

Mageuzi

Wanamageuzi wengi, katika bidii yao ya kuthibitisha nadharia zao, wanaikataa Biblia. Walakini, hata wao wamerekebisha maoni yao kwa kiasi fulani kutoka kwa kile watetezi wa kwanza walidai. Ili kuunga mkono nadharia yao, bado wanajaribu kupata kiungo cha kawaida kati ya mwanadamu na wanyama wa chini. Wengine wanadai kuwa wamepata kiunga kama hicho, lakini kinachojulikana kama uthibitisho ni wa mbali.

Ikiwa Mungu alitumia au la mchakato wa mageuzi na mimea na wanyama wa chini haipaswi kutuhusu hasa. Hata hivyo, inapokuja kwa mwanadamu, tunaambiwa hasa na Mungu kwamba aliumbwa na hakupitia mchakato wowote wa "mageuzi". Ingawa Biblia inapatana na sayansi yote ya kweli, si “kitabu cha sayansi.” Hiki sicho ambacho Mungu alikusudia kidhihirishe, bali kilitolewa ili kudhihirisha Mpango Wake wa ajabu wa Wokovu na kupona kwa mwanadamu kutoka katika dhambi na kifo. Kwa habari ya mwanadamu, hakuna uthibitisho wowote ambao umetolewa kwamba amekuwa duniani kwa zaidi ya miaka 6,000. Baadhi ya vipimo vya kaboni 14 juu ya mkaa, inadaiwa, vinarudi nyuma kwa miaka 10,000, ambayo imechukuliwa kuwa mwanadamu amekuwa duniani kwa kipindi hiki cha wakati, lakini maelezo ya kimantiki yanaweza kutolewa ili kuonyesha vinginevyo.

Kama ilivyosemwa, siku sita za uumbaji hazikuwa siku halisi, za saa ishirini na nne. Katika Zaburi 90:4 tunajifunza kwamba “miaka elfu machoni pako ni kama jana,” na katika 2 Petro 3:8 tunasoma, “Siku moja kwa Bwana ni kama miaka elfu, na miaka elfu ni kama siku moja. ” Pia tunasoma kuhusu “siku ya majaribu nyikani” (Zab. 95:8), ambayo ilikuwa na urefu wa miaka arobaini. Kwa hivyo neno siku ni la kukaribisha, ambalo urefu wake lazima uamuliwe na mazingira yanayohusiana nayo. Sio muhimu kujua ni muda gani walikuwa, mradi tu tunaona kwamba "vipindi vya wakati" vimeonyeshwa.

Maisha

Katika Mwanzo 2:7 tuna maelezo ya kina ya Uumbaji wa mwanadamu. Twasoma kwamba Mungu aliumba mtu kwa vipengele vya dunia, akampulizia puani pumzi ya uhai, na “mtu akawa nafsi hai.” Mungu alikuwa amepanda bustani upande wa mashariki wa Edeni na kumweka mtu wa kwanza katika bustani hiyo. Ilikuwa na kila aina ya mimea na matunda. Baadaye tunaambiwa kwamba Mungu alisema, “Si vema mtu kuishi peke yake” na kuamua kwamba Adamu anapaswa kuwa na “mwenza msaidizi.” Hivyo akamletea Adamu usingizi mzito, na akatoa sehemu kutoka ubavuni mwake na akamfanya mwanamke. Adamu alimwita Hawa. Katika Edeni kuna miti miwili ya pekee inayotajwa: “mti wa uzima,” na “mti wa ujuzi wa mema na mabaya.” Adamu aliambiwa angeweza kula miti yote kwa hiari isipokuwa “mti wa ujuzi wa mema na mabaya.” Hii ilikuwa ni amri ya Mungu iliyo wazi - mapenzi yake - na ilijumuisha matokeo, ikiwa itakiukwa. “Siku utakapokula matunda yake, hakika utakufa” (Mwanzo 2:17).

Dhambi na Mauti

Kisha tunajifunza kwamba kiumbe kingine kinaingia kwenye eneo la tukio. Tunasoma kwamba nyoka alizungumza na Mama Hawa na kumdanganya kwa kupinga ukweli wa kile ambacho Mungu aliamuru. Alimwambia kwamba “hatakufa hakika.” Alimdanganya kwa kusema uwongo, jambo ambalo hakuwahi kulisikia wala kulifahamu hapo awali. Akijua kwamba tunda la mti huo lilikuwa la kuvutia macho, kunusa na kuonja wanadamu, Shetani alipendekeza kwamba hekima ilikuwa kitu cha kutamanika. Hakutaja matokeo yoyote yanayoweza kutokea ya kutomtii Mungu. Lakini aliibua shaka akilini mwa Hawa na hivyo kumchanganya. Kwa kuwa Adamu na Hawa walikuwa wanadamu pekee waliokuwepo, ni dhahiri kwamba Shetani alikuwa kiumbe kisicho cha kawaida. Katika Ufu. 12:9 na 20:2, anaitwa "Shetani" na "Ibilisi" -- kumaanisha mpinzani na adui. Akawa “adui” na “mpinzani” wa Mungu tangu alipomjaribu Hawa. Bwana wetu alimwita “muuaji tangu mwanzo” (wa kuumbwa kwa mwanadamu) na “baba wa uongo” (Yohana 8:44).

Mtume Paulo anatuambia katika 1 Tim. 2:14 kwamba Adamu hakudanganywa bali Hawa alidanganywa. Bila shaka Adamu alitambua matokeo ya tendo lake, lakini alikula kimakusudi tunda lililokatazwa. Bila shaka, kwa kuwa hakutaka kuishi bila Hawa na kutomtumaini Mungu, bali kutanguliza mwingine kuliko upendo na uaminifu-mshikamanifu wake kwa Muumba wake, alichagua kuungana naye katika kutomtii Mungu. Likiwa tokeo la moja kwa moja la kutotii kwao, twajifunza kwamba “macho yao yakafumbuliwa,” na kwa ghafula wakatambua kwamba walikuwa uchi na wakaaibika. Kumekuwa na dhana nyingi juu ya jambo hili. Biblia inatuambia waziwazi kwamba tendo la kutotii lilikuwa “dhambi ya asili.” “Kwa kuasi kwa mtu mmoja dhambi iliingia ulimwenguni, na kwa dhambi hiyo mauti, na hivyo mauti ikawafikia wote” (Rum. 5:19). Chochote kingine kilichotokea ni matokeo ya moja kwa moja ya kutomtii Mungu. Uzazi wa wanadamu ulikuwa na baraka za Mungu, na tendo la kuzaa watoto si dhambi. Katika Mwanzo 1:28 Mungu aliamuru, “Zaeni, mkaongezeke, mkaijaze nchi.”

Laana

Laana ambayo ilitamkwa juu ya jamii ya wanadamu ilikuwa kifo. Kifo ni kinyume cha maisha, kinyume chake. Kwa vile mwanadamu hakuwa nafsi hai wakati mwili wake uliumbwa hadi pumzi ilipoingia puani mwake, hali kadhalika, anapokufa pumzi yake inatoka mwilini mwake, anapoteza fahamu zote na kuacha kuwa nafsi hai. Mhu. 9:5 inasema, “Kwa maana walio hai wanajua ya kwamba watakufa, lakini wafu hawajui lolote; hawana thawabu zaidi, na kumbukumbu lao limesahauliwa.” Na katika Zaburi 6:5 tunaambiwa, “Hakuna mtu akukumbukapo alipokufa. Ni nani anayekusifu kutoka kaburini (Kiebrania 'sheol')?"

Kifo ni adhabu inayotamkwa na Mungu. Viumbe vyote vilivyo hai huchukia na kuogopa kifo kwa ajili yao wenyewe, na hupigana dhidi yake kwa nguvu zao zote. Maisha ni neema, na hata mdudu mdogo hutafuta kuendeleza maisha yake kwa muda mrefu iwezekanavyo. Hakuna kiumbe mwenye akili anayetaka kufa. Ukweli wa kwamba madaktari, maduka ya dawa, na hospitali hufanya biashara hiyo yenye kusitawi unathibitisha hilo.

Laana iliyotamkwa juu ya Adamu na Hawa ilikuwa na mchakato wa utimilifu wa taratibu. Haikutimia mara moja. Laana ilikuwa, “ukifa utakufa.” Watafsiri wa Biblia hawakuwahi kufahamu maana kamili ya laana hii na kwa hiyo waliitafsiri, “Siku utakapokula matunda yake utakufa hakika.” Rejea ya pambizoni inatoa Kiebrania kamili. Wakati wale wawili wa kwanza walipofukuzwa kutoka Edeni, mchakato wa polepole wa kufa ulianza. Kila siku waliyoishi walikuwa wakifa hadi uzee ulipowadai. Mwanadamu ambaye yuko hai kweli hangeweza kuzeeka au kufa. Uzee ni jumla ya kudhoofika polepole na kudhoofika kwa mwili. Lakini Adamu alikuwa ameumbwa vizuri sana na karibu na ukamilifu hivi kwamba aliishi miaka 930. Kwa kuwa hii ni fupi tu ya miaka 1,000, ambayo tunaambiwa ni “kama siku moja kwa Bwana,” basi Adamu alikufa ndani ya “siku” hiyohiyo ambayo alitenda dhambi. Hivyo Neno la Mungu lilitimizwa kikweli. Hakuna mtu aliyeishi miaka 1,000 kamili. Andiko la Mwanzo 5:27 linatuambia kwamba mtu mzee zaidi aliyepata kuishi alikuwa Methusela ambaye alikufa akiwa na miaka 969, ambayo pia ilikuwa ndani ya ile “siku” ya miaka 1,000.

Kila ishara ya daktari, kila hospitali, kila duka la dawa, kila chumba cha mazishi ni shahidi wa kutimizwa kwa laana ya kifo kwa wanadamu. Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo awali, Mungu alikuwa ameweka sheria nyingi ili kutawala utendaji wa Ulimwengu Wake. Moja ya sheria za asili ni sheria ya urithi. Watoto daima hurithi sifa na fomu ya jumla na kuonekana kwa wazazi wao. Kila kiumbe huzaa “kwa jinsi yake” (Mwanzo 1:25). Kwa hiyo wazazi wanaweza kuwapa watoto wao tu kile wanachopaswa kutoa. Kwa kuwa Adamu sasa alikuwa mtu anayekufa, angeweza tu kuzaa jamii inayokufa. Hivyo, sote tumezaliwa tukiwa tunakufa. Kila siku tunayoishi tunakuwa siku moja karibu na kaburi. “Kwa maana walio hai wanajua ya kwamba watakufa, lakini wafu hawajui neno lo lote” (Mhu. 9:5).

Hii ni picha ya kusikitisha na huzuni. Kila mazishi ni shahidi wa kutimizwa kwa laana iliyoletwa na kutotii. Sio tu kwamba tuna maumivu na maumivu katika maisha yetu yote, lakini sote lazima tukabiliane na kifo chenyewe, adui mkuu wa wanadamu.

Je, hakuna matumaini? Je, hakuna ukombozi? Je, kutawahi kuwa na kukoma kwa laana? Ndiyo, namshukuru Mungu, kuna tumaini ambalo Biblia inaahidi. Kumekuwa na njia ya ukombozi iliyotolewa. Laana ya kifo itakoma katika “wakati ufaao” wa Mungu. Mungu hana moyo. Yeye si asiye na fadhili au asiyefikiri juu ya viumbe Vyake. Alipotamka laana kwa wazazi wetu wa kwanza, pia aliwapa mwale wa matumaini. Aliahidi kwamba “uzao wa mwanamke ungeponda (au kuponda) kichwa cha nyoka” ( Mwa. 3:15 ).

Adamu na Hawa walipotupwa nje ya Edeni, walilazimishwa kupata riziki yao kwa jasho la nyuso zao. Walianza kujifunza kwa uzoefu wenye uchungu matokeo ya dhambi nyingi sana. Kaini alipomuua Abeli ndugu yake, waliona matunda ya mwendo wao wa dhambi. Katika Mwanzo 5:3, 4 tunajifunza kwamba Adamu alizaa wana na binti wengi. Alikufa akiwa na 930. Kisha mchakato wa kufa ukakamilika. Katika sura kadhaa zinazofuata za Mwanzo, tunaambiwa kwamba “wana wa Mungu walioa binti za wanadamu” na kwamba mioyo ya wanadamu ilijaa “uovu sikuzote,” na kwamba jeuri ilikuwa imeijaza dunia.

Yaonekana “wana hao wa Mungu” walikuwa malaika wa mbinguni waliokuja duniani na kujivika miili ya kibinadamu, na kusababisha uovu mkubwa katika siku za Noa. Badala ya kuwasaidia wanadamu wakiwa malaika walinzi, wao, kama Shetani, wakawa waovu mioyoni mwao na kuwapotosha zaidi wanadamu. Wao pia wakawa “shetani” au “adui” wa Mungu na wanadamu. Kwa hiyo, Mungu alituma gharika na kuwaangamiza wanadamu, kwa maana alijua kwamba ingekuwa bora na kwa manufaa yao ya mwisho katika ufalme ujao kutowaruhusu kuendelea na uovu wao. Baada ya hayo, wazao wa Noa waliishi tena dunia. Mungu aliwafunga malaika waliotenda dhambi katika Tartaroo (anga ya dunia) hadi Siku kuu ya Hukumu (2 Pet. 2:4, 5; Yuda 6).

Babeli

Vizazi kadhaa baada ya gharika tunapata wazao wa Nuhu wakimsahau Mungu tena na kujaribu kujenga mnara unaofika mbinguni. Sababu ya kufanya hivyo inatajwa katika Mwanzo 11:4 : “Wakasema, Njoni, na tujijengee mji, wenye mnara ufikao mbinguni, tujifanyie jina, wala tusianguke. juu ya uso wa dunia yote.’” Mungu hakuwaruhusu kuimaliza. Wote walikuwa wamezungumza lugha moja, lakini Mungu alivuruga lugha yao katika ujenzi wa mnara huu wa Babeli, nao walichanganyikiwa na kutawanyika juu ya mlima. Kwa hiyo, wao (ulimwengu) wamekuwa katika mkanganyiko kuhusu Mungu na Mpango Wake tangu wakati huo.

Ibrahimu

Kisha tunasoma kuhusu Abramu, aliyeishi miaka 200 hivi baada ya kuvurugwa kwa ndimi huko Babeli. Aliitwa na Mungu alipokuwa Uru wa Ukaldayo na kuombwa aiache nyumba ya baba yake na watu wake na kusafiri hadi nchi ambayo Aliye Juu Zaidi Alimuahidi. Abramu lazima awe alikuwa mtu wa ushawishi miongoni mwa jamaa zake mwenyewe, kwa sababu tunaambiwa kwamba baba yake na mpwa wake pamoja na familia zao na watumishi walikwenda pamoja naye. Yaonekana msafara huo ulipita karibu na eneo la mnara wa Babeli katika safari yao kutoka Ukaldayo hadi Harani. Walifuata mto Frati kuelekea chanzo chake katika milima ya Lebanoni na wakapumzika Harani ambako baba yake Abramu alikufa. Wakati huo Mungu alibadili jina lake kutoka Abramu hadi Abrahamu, na kumwahidi kwamba angekuwa “baba wa mataifa,” na kwamba “katika uzao wake jamaa zote za dunia zitabarikiwa.” Hii ilikuwa ni ahadi kuu ya pili tangu Mungu alipomwahidi Mama Hawa kwamba uzao wake ungeponda kichwa cha nyoka (Mwanzo 3:15).

Sasa Abrahamu alikuwa mtu mwenye umri wa miaka 75 wakati ahadi ilipotolewa; na kwa vile mkewe Sara alikuwa tasa, ilihitaji imani kubwa kwa upande wake kuamini ahadi hiyo. Lakini imeandikwa, “Alimwamini Mungu, ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki” (Mwanzo 15:6). Ijapokuwa Bwana alikuwa ametangaza laana ya kifo kwa wanadamu, Aliahidi Abrahamu kwamba wakati ungefika ambapo watu wote wa dunia wangebarikiwa kupitia “uzao wa Abrahamu” ( Mwa. 12:3, 18:18 ) , 22:18, 26:4).

Kumbuka jambo hili, kwa kuwa ni muhimu sana kwa simulizi hili la ajabu: Abrahamu alipokuwa na umri wa miaka 100, Isaka mwana wake alizaliwa na mke wake, Sara, aliyekuwa na umri wa miaka 90. Kisha Isaka alipokuwa ameishi miaka fulani, Mungu alijaribu imani ya Abrahamu tena kwa kumwagiza amtoe dhabihu mwana wake. Hebu wazia, kama unaweza, mtihani huu juu ya Ibrahimu ambaye aliombwa kutoa “mwanawe wa pekee” kama dhabihu (Mwa. 22:2). Tunasoma kwamba Ibrahimu hakusita, bali alikwenda kwa utii ili kutimiza agizo la Mungu. Alifikiri kwamba Aliye Juu Zaidi, ambaye alimpa mwana katika uzee wake, angeweza kumfufua mwana huyo kutoka katika kifo alipoona vema kufanya hivyo, kwa maana Abrahamu aliwaambia watumishi wake aliowaacha chini ya mlima, "Tutarudi!" Ibrahimu alipokuwa karibu kumchinja mwanawe, Mungu alibadilisha kondoo dume, na Isaka hivyo, kwa njia ya mfano, alipokelewa kutoka kwa wafu (Waebrania 11:19). Kwa hiyo njia ya Mungu ya kutimiza ahadi yake kwa Mama Hawa na kwa Abrahamu ilionyeshwa kuwa ufufuo kutoka kwa wafu. Kwa kuwa kifo ni kinyume cha uhai, na wafu wote hawapo, ufufuo ni njia ya Mungu ya kuwarudisha wanadamu kwenye uhai tena. Ufufuo wa siku zijazo wa wanadamu utatokea kwa sababu ya kutolewa kwa dhabihu ya kuridhisha -- ya Baba akimtoa Mwanawe wa pekee. Dhabihu hii ingekuwa badala au bei ya ukombozi kwa jamii yote yenye dhambi. Lakini kama ilivyokuwa kwa Ibrahimu, Imani ni hitaji la lazima kwa wote ambao wataokolewa kutoka kwa dhambi zao na kufufuliwa kutoka katika hali ya kifo (Hosea 13:14). Ibrahimu anaitwa “baba wa waaminifu” (Rum. 4:16).

Kazi

Miaka kadhaa baada ya wakati ambapo Mungu alimwita Abrahamu kutoka Ukaldayo, mtu mwingine mwaminifu wa Mungu aliishi katika nchi ya Usi, aliyeitwa Ayubu. Katika sura ya 1 na ya 2 ya Kitabu cha Ayubu, tunajifunza kwamba Shetani alidhania kuonekana mbele za Mungu wakati uleule ambapo malaika walikuja kutoa taarifa kwa Aliye Juu Zaidi. Hapa tunampata malaika huyu mwenye nguvu, ambaye wakati fulani aliitwa Lusifa, “mwana wa asubuhi,” ambaye sasa ni mpinzani na adui wa Mungu, akijidai kumkana Mungu mbele za uso Wake. Kwa kuwa Mweza-Yote alikuwa akimruhusu adui atekeleze majaribio yake kwa njia yenye mipaka ili kuwafundisha wanadamu dhambi nyingi sana ( Rum. 7:13 ), Mungu alimruhusu Shetani amjaribu Ayubu.

Ingawa Ayubu hakuelewa kwa nini alikuwa akiteswa, bado alimtumaini Mungu na kumtazamia ili hatimaye apate ukombozi. Alisema, “Ingawa ataniua, nitamtumaini Yeye.” “Mtu akifa ataishi tena? Siku zote za wakati wangu ulioamriwa nitangoja mpaka mabadiliko yangu yaje.” “Najua ya kuwa Mteteaji wangu yu hai; wajapouharibu mwili wangu, lakini katika mwili wangu nitamwona Mungu” (Ayubu 13:15, 14:14, 19:25, 26). Ayubu alimwamini Mungu na kupenda uadilifu. Alipojaribiwa kikamilifu, Mungu alimrudishia mara mbili ya vyote alivyokuwa navyo hapo awali. Katika kitabu hiki tunapata picha nzuri ya jamii ya wanadamu ikijaribiwa na kuteswa na Shetani na malaika wake mwovu washirika na kujifunza matokeo ya dhambi na uovu. Pia tunapata ukombozi kutoka katika dhambi na kifo na hatimaye kurudishwa kwa kibali na ulinzi wa Mungu katika ufufuo katika Ufalme unaokuja wa “Mfalme wa Wafalme na Bwana wa Mabwana” ( Ufu. 19:16 ).

Musa

Mungu alipowatoa wana wa Israeli kutoka katika utumwa wa Misri kwa mkono wa Musa, aliwaongoza hadi nchi ya Ahadi. Lakini Waisraeli, kwa sababu ya kutotii na kutoamini, hawakuweza kamwe kuthamini wema wa Mungu, wala kupata baraka kamili ya maisha marefu na mafanikio waliyoahidiwa. Wao, kama “uzao” wa asili wa Ibrahimu, kwa sababu ya kutotii kwao, walipoteza haki yao ya kuwa “ufalme wa makuhani” (Kut.19:6).

Musa alitabiri katika Kumb. 18:15, 18, “BWANA Mungu wenu atawaondokeeni nabii miongoni mwa ndugu zenu kama mimi. Ni lazima umsikilize yeye.” “Nitawaondokeshea nabii miongoni mwa ndugu zao mfano wako wewe; Nitatia maneno yangu kinywani mwake, naye atawaambia yote nitakayomwamuru.”

Kwa njia fulani, Musa alikuwa kiwakilishi cha fumbo cha Nabii huyo Mkuu, ambaye pia alikuwa Kuhani na Mfalme, Yesu Kristo. Kama vile Musa, kwa uwezo wa Mungu, alivyowakomboa Waisraeli kutoka katika utumwa wa Misri na kuwaongoza hadi nchi ya ahadi, ndivyo Mkombozi Mkuu atakavyowaweka huru wanadamu kutoka katika utumwa wa dhambi na uharibifu. Ataanzisha “nyakati za kurudishwa” ambapo, baada ya kuamka kutoka kwa kifo, atampa kila mmoja nafasi ya kuingia katika nchi ya ahadi ya Mungu, Ufalme wa Bwana. Musa, kama mpatanishi, aliwapa Israeli Agano la Sheria, ambalo liliahidi uzima kwa mtu ambaye angeweza kulishika. Lakini hakuna Myahudi aliyepata uzima chini ya Agano la Sheria. Kwa nini? Kwa sababu Sheria ya Bwana ni kamilifu, na hakuna mtu asiye mkamilifu angeweza kushika sheria kamilifu (Zaburi 19:7).

Daudi na Sulemani

Taifa la Israeli lilifikia ukaribiaji walo wa karibu wa baraka zilizoahidiwa katika siku za Daudi na Sulemani. Daudi, Mfalme wa Israeli, alikuwa pia nabii na aliandika zaburi, au nyimbo nyingi za kiunabii. Yeye, kama Abrahamu, Ayubu, na Musa, alikuwa na imani katika Mungu na ahadi Zake. Anaitwa “mtu anayeupendeza moyo wa Mungu.” Alikuwa na imani kuu na alionyesha uaminifu-mshikamanifu mwingi kwa Bwana Mungu wake, na ingawa alifanya dhambi nzito mbele za Bwana, alitubu sana kama inavyoonyeshwa katika Zaburi ya 51. Aliimarisha Israeli kuwa taifa lenye nguvu, lililoshikamana. Aliwashinda maadui wao wote na kutimiza mambo mengi ya kishujaa kwa sababu ya kumtumaini Mungu. Kwa sababu ya imani yake na uaminifu wake kwa Mungu, Aliye Juu Zaidi alimwahidi kwamba uzao wake utakaa kwenye kiti cha enzi cha Bwana milele ( 2 Sam. 7:12-16 ). Katika mojawapo ya unabii wa Daudi, Israeli iliahidiwa kuhani wa kudumu, kuhani kwenye kiti chake cha enzi. Aliandika, “Wewe ni kuhani milele kwa mfano wa Melkizedeki” ( Zaburi 110:4 ).

Manabii

Hivyo tunamwona Musa akitabiri juu ya Nabii na Mwalimu mkuu, na Daudi akinena juu ya Kuhani na Mfalme wa milele katika kiti chake cha enzi. Ofisi zote hizi mbili zingetimizwa katika Nabii mmoja mkuu, Kuhani na Mfalme, Masihi--Bwana Yesu Kristo. Angekuwa Mpatanishi wa “agano lililo bora zaidi, lililoamriwa juu ya ahadi zilizo bora zaidi” ( Ebr. 8:6 ); kuhani mkuu ambaye angeweza kutoa dhabihu moja ya kudumu kwa ajili ya dhambi; Mfalme mkuu ambaye angekuwa “mkono wa kuume” wa Mungu ambaye angeshinda kifo na kaburi, akiwaangamiza maadui wa Aliye Juu Zaidi, na hatimaye kusimamisha Ufalme wenye utukufu wa Mungu duniani huku akiinua jamii ya kibinadamu kutoka katika hali ya kifo kuingia katika upatano na umoja. na Mungu kama Baba yao. Wanadamu waliumbwa kupata utimizo wao kwa Muumba wao na kumfurahia milele. Huu ukiwa ni mpango wa Mungu, utafanikiwa. Isa. 55:11 inatuambia, “Ndivyo lilivyo neno langu, litokalo katika kinywa changu, halitanirudia bure, bali litatimiza mapenzi yangu, na kutimiza kusudi nililolituma.” Mambo haya yote yanawasilishwa na manabii wa Mungu. Yeremia anatuambia katika sura ya 31:31 kwamba siku zitakuja ambapo Mungu angefanya Agano Jipya na nyumba ya Yuda na Israeli, si kulingana na Agano la Kale (Sheria) ambalo walivunja, lakini jipya ambalo angefanya. waziondoe dhambi zao: kwamba wakati ungefika ambapo haitakuwa lazima kusema, “‘Je, mnamjua Bwana’? Katika maneno haya tunajifunza kwamba Mkombozi mkuu kutoka katika dhambi alikuja wakati wa kuja kwake kwa mara ya kwanza “kuchukua watu kwa ajili ya Jina lake,” Kanisa lake, naye atakuja tena pamoja na Bibi-arusi wake kuwaongoza na kuwafundisha watu haki katika ufalme wake ujao. ( Isaya 26:9; Ufu. 22:17 ). Baraka za Agano Jipya, kuanzia Pentekoste, zitavuma katika Ufalme wa Milenia wa Kristo.

Manabii walikuwa na ufahamu mdogo wa umuhimu wa baadhi ya matamshi yao ambayo yalifichwa kwao. Wanataja kuwekwa kwa dhambi juu ya mtu badala ya mnyama, na katika maono ya kinabii wanaona yule ambaye angekomboa na kukomboa jamii ya kibinadamu akiongozwa “kama mwana-kondoo machinjoni,” kwamba “adhabu ya amani yetu ilikuwa juu ya yeye,” na kwamba “kwa kupigwa kwake sisi tumepona.”

Wanamwona kuwa “aliyedharauliwa na kukataliwa na wanadamu, mtu wa huzuni nyingi, ajuaye sikitiko,” na ilitangazwa juu yake, “Bwana ameweka juu yake maovu yetu sisi sote” ( Isa. 53:3-6 ) Kwa hiyo, Yehova aliweka juu yake maovu yetu. . Walieleza ni wapi Mkombozi huyu angezaliwa, na ni lini angekufa, wakituhakikishia kwamba “haingekuwa kwa ajili yake mwenyewe” (Dan. 9:26). Wanataja sifa mbalimbali zinazomhusu: kwamba angekuwa “mwadilifu,” na “asiye na udanganyifu; na kwamba hakufanya “jeuri” ( Isa. 53:8, 9, 11 ); usaliti wake kwa vipande thelathini vya fedha ( Zek. 11:12 ); na kwamba “angehesabiwa miongoni mwa wakosaji” katika kifo chake ( Isa. 53:12 ); kwamba “hapana mfupa wake mmoja utakaovunjwa” ( Zab. 34:20 ); hata ajapokufa na kuzikwa, mwili wake hautaona uharibifu, wala hatakaa kaburini (Zaburi 16:10). Kulikuwa na unabii 27 ambao ulitimizwa siku ya kifo cha Masihi peke yake.

Manabii pia walifundisha kwamba Masihi ajaye angewakomboa sio Waisraeli tu, bali Mataifa pia. Isaya 49:6 inasema, "Ni neno dogo sana kwako kuwa mtumishi wangu ili kurudisha kabila za Yakobo na kuwarudisha watu wa Israeli niliowashika; tena nitakufanya kuwa nuru kwa mataifa, upate kuwaleta. wokovu wangu hata miisho ya dunia.” (Ona Isa. 60:1-3; 66:12; Mal. 1:11 .) Kwa hiyo, Nabii huyo Mkuu, Kuhani na Mfalme atakuja kubariki familia zote za dunia kama vile Mungu alivyoahidi baba Abrahamu. Ni nani huyu Masihi mkuu ambaye angekuja na kutimiza unabii huu wote? Yeye si mwingine ila Yesu wa Nazareti ambaye Maandiko humwita “Kristo.” Neno Kristo ni neno la Kigiriki linalolingana na neno la Kiebrania Masihi. Maneno yote mawili yanamaanisha “mtiwa mafuta” (Yohana 1:41).

Mungu alimkubali kama “Mwana wake wa pekee,” akimtuma Roho katika umbo la njiwa kushuka juu yake (Mt. 3:14-17; Mdo. 10:38). Mahali pa kuzaliwa kwake palitabiriwa kuwa ni mji wa Bethlehemu ( Mika 5:2; Mt. 2:1,5,6 ). Mahali pa makazi yake wakati wa ujana wake pia yalitabiriwa katika Isaya 9:1,2. (Ona pia Mat. 2:23; 4:13-16). Kuzaliwa kwake na bikira kulitabiriwa katika Isaya 7:14. (Ona pia Mt. 1:18-23 .) Kupelekwa kwake Misri na Yosefu kulitabiriwa katika Hosea 11:1 .

Mwanakondoo wa Mungu

Israeli walipoongozwa kutoka Misri na Musa, ibada ya Pasaka ilianzishwa. Damu ya Mwana-Kondoo wa Pasaka ilitumika kuokoa wazaliwa wa kwanza wa Israeli kutoka kwa kifo, na kuwakomboa Israeli kutoka utumwani (Kut. 12:1-28). Yesu aliitwa “Mwana-Kondoo wa Mungu azichukuaye dhambi za ulimwengu” (Yn. 1:29). “Kama mwana-kondoo aliongozwa machinjoni, kama vile kondoo anyamazavyo mbele ya mkata manyoya yake; naye hakufungua kinywa chake” (Isa. 53:7). Hili pia lilitabiriwa, bila kujua, na Kuhani Mkuu wa Israeli kuzuia taifa zima lisiangamie kama alivyoeleza katika Yohana 11:49-52. Aliuawa kwa msisitizo wa Wayahudi, na akafa siku ya 14 ya mwezi wa Nisani, wakati ule ule ambapo wana-kondoo wa Pasaka walikuwa wakichinjwa (Kut. 12:6).

Agano la Kale limejaa mafumbo mengi, mifano, vivuli, na picha, na pia lina unabii mwingi wa “Mwana-Kondoo” wa Mungu.

Ukuhani wa Walawi, Maskani ya Jangwani pamoja na vyombo vyake vyote na mipango yake, pamoja na dhabihu za ng'ombe, mbuzi, kondoo na ng'ombe, zote zilikuwa aina na vivuli vya "dhabihu zilizo bora zaidi" kama inavyofafanuliwa katika kitabu cha Waebrania (Ebr. 9). :13, 14), kama anayemwakilisha Yesu.

Yohana Mbatizaji

Yohana Mbatizaji alikuwa mtangulizi wa Yesu Kristo. Alikuja akiwahubiri Wayahudi watubu na kuwabatiza wapate kutubu. Alikuja “kutayarisha njia ya Bwana” (Isa. 40:3; Yoh. 1:23). Kwa nini utaratibu huu wa ubatizo?

Musa alipowaongoza wana wa Israeli kutoka Misri na kupitia Bahari Nyekundu kuelekea nchi ya ahadi, Paulo atuambia kwamba wote ‘walibatizwa katika Musa katika wingu na katika bahari hiyo. Walilindwa na kuongozwa na wingu mchana na nguzo ya moto usiku. Waisraeli walishuka kwenye Bahari ya Shamu, wakitembea chini yake huku maji yakizuiliwa kila upande mpaka walipoivuka. Paulo anarejelea tukio hili kama “ubatizo” uliowatayarisha kwa ajili ya kuingia katika Agano la Sheria ambalo walipewa muda mfupi baadaye na Mungu kwenye Mlima Sinai huku Musa akiwa mpatanishi wao (1Kor. 10:1, 2).

Agano la Sheria

Kwa sababu “Sheria ya Bwana ni kamilifu” ( Zaburi 19:7 ) na hakuna Myahudi aliyekuwa mkamilifu, wote walishindwa kuitunza. Sheria iliahidi uzima wa kudumu kwa “mtu anayeishi kwayo” ( Law. 18:5 ). Uhakika wa kwamba hakuna Myahudi aliyepata kupata uhai udumuo milele chini ya Sheria ulithibitisha kwamba hakuna yeyote aliyeweza kuushika. Sheria iliwafunulia dhambi yao na hitaji lao la kukiri ukweli huu, ili kwa mioyo iliyotubu na iliyotubu wangegeuka na kuacha dhambi zao na kumtumikia Mungu aliye Hai. Yohana huyu aliwaita kufanya, na kuashiria toba hii na wongofu, akawabatiza katika Mto Yordani. Kwa kuchukua hatua hii, walikuwa wamejitayarisha kumtii na kumfuata Masihi alipoonekana kuwaongoza kwa Agano Bora lililojengwa juu ya Ahadi Bora (Ebr. 8:6).

Ubatizo wa Yesu

Yesu alikuja kwa Yohana, akiwa na umri wa miaka thelathini, na kumwomba Yohana ambatiza. Yohana, alipomwona Yesu anakuja, alisema, “Tazama, Mwana-Kondoo wa Mungu, azichukuaye dhambi za ulimwengu” (Yohana 1:29). Kwa kutambua kwamba Yesu hakuwa na dhambi, hakutaka kumbatiza, lakini Bwana alimhimiza kufanya hivyo. Ubatizo wa Yesu haukuwa wa toba, kwa kuwa hakuwa na dhambi, bali ubatizo wake ulikuwa ishara ya kuwekwa wakfu kwake hadi kufa ili kufanya mapenzi ya Baba yake Mtakatifu. Alipoinuka kutoka majini, Yohana aliona Roho Mtakatifu akishuka juu ya Yesu “kama njiwa.” Huu ulikuwa ni ushuhuda wa nyongeza wa upako wa Yesu. Hivyo, Yohana “aliitayarisha njia ya Bwana.”

Yesu wa Nazareti

Yesu alikuja akihubiri Ufalme wa Mungu na kuahidi msamaha wa dhambi (Mat. 4-17). Alianza kufundisha na kuhubiri Injili ya Ufalme, na kuponya kila aina ya ugonjwa na magonjwa kati ya watu (Mt. 4:23). Haya yote yalikuwa katika utimizo wa unabii. (Ona Isa. 9:6, 7 .) Ingawa akiwa Myahudi alikuwa wa “uzao wa Abrahamu,” alijithibitisha pia kuwa si Mwana wa Daudi tu, bali pia Bwana wa Daudi. (Ona Mt.1:1; 22:42-44; Marko 12:37-40.) Ingawa watu wa kawaida walimsikia kwa furaha, watawala, Waandishi na Mafarisayo, na Makuhani walimchukia kwa sababu aliwafichua bila woga kwa wanafiki. kwamba walikuwa. (Ona Yohana 15:18; Isaya 53:2, 3)

Alitabiri kifo chake mwenyewe na jinsi angewavuta watu wote kwake (Yohana 12:32, 34; 3:14). Yeye, ambaye hakuwa na dhambi, alikufa juu ya mti na akawa laana kwa ajili yetu sote (Isa. 53:3-12; Gal. 3:13). “Aliimwaga nafsi yake hata kufa na kujitolea kuwa dhabihu kwa ajili ya dhambi” (Isa. 53:10, 12). Alikufa kati ya wezi, akihesabiwa miongoni mwa wakosaji. Hakuwa tu Mwana na Mzao wa Ibrahimu na Mwana wa Daudi, bali pia alikuwa Mwana wa Mungu, kama vile Mungu alivyojishuhudia mwenyewe mbele ya mashahidi. (Ona Mt. 3:17; 17:5 ) Akiwa Kamanda na Kiongozi wa watu ( Isa. 55:4 ), aliwaita watu wamfuate na kuwaahidi msamaha wa dhambi zao na uzima wa milele. (Ona Mt. 11:28; 1:21; 9:6; Yoh. 3:16 .)

Ufalme wa Mbinguni

Yohana alikuja akihubiri ujumbe wa toba na kwamba “ufalme wa mbinguni ulikuwa umekaribia” (Mt. 3:2). Yesu aliendelea na mada hii, na akawaalika Wayahudi wawe washiriki wa Ufalme huo.

Wakati Agano la Sheria lilipokuwa likisisitiza haki ya Mungu, Yesu alianza kuhubiri upendo na neema ya Mungu, akisema, “Kwa maana jinsi hii Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu, hata akamtoa Mwanawe pekee, ili kila mtu amwaminiye asipotee, bali awe na dhambi. uzima wa milele. Kwa maana Mungu hakumtuma Mwana ulimwenguni ili auhukumu ulimwengu (ulikuwa tayari chini ya hukumu) bali ulimwengu uokolewe katika yeye” (Yohana 3:16, 17). Alisema, “Njooni kwangu, ninyi nyote msumbukao na wenye kulemewa na mizigo, nami nitawapumzisha” (Mt. 11:28). “Mwana wa Adamu hakuja kutumikiwa, bali kutumika, na kutoa nafsi yake iwe fidia ya wengi” (Mt. 20:28). “Mimi ndimi chakula chenye uzima kilichoshuka kutoka mbinguni; mtu akila mkate huu, ataishi milele; na chakula nitakachotoa ni mwili wangu, nitakaoutoa kwa ajili ya uzima wa ulimwengu” (Yn. 6:51).

Hivyo, Yesu Kristo alisema, akionyesha kwamba alikuwa anatimiza yote ambayo manabii wa Agano la Kale walikuwa wameandika kumhusu. Alikuja kutimiza unabii wao, pamoja na mifano, vivuli, picha na mafumbo, yote ambayo yalielekeza kwake. Alikuja kama mwana-kondoo wa dhabihu, ndiyo, kama “Mwana-Kondoo aliyechinjwa tangu kuwekwa misingi ya ulimwengu” (Ufu. 13:8). Alikuja kama Kuhani mkuu ili kumtolea Mungu dhabihu moja ya milele na inayokubalika kwa ajili ya dhambi za wanadamu wote. Alikuja kama Mwalimu mkuu ili kuwafundisha watu katika haki na kuwaonyesha upendo, furaha na amani katika Roho Mtakatifu.

Alikuja kwa walio wake, ndugu zake Wayahudi, ili kuwapa nafasi, kama wazao wa asili wa Ibrahimu, kuwa warithi pamoja naye katika Ufalme wa Mungu. Hakuhubiri ufalme unaoonekana, bali ule uliokuwa wa kiroho. Alijua kwamba ni lazima afe kwanza na kubadilishwa ili kupokea asili halisi ya Mungu Mwenyewe, Mungu; alikuwa akiwaalika Wayahudi wamkubali kuwa Mwokozi na Masihi wao ili aweze kuwaahidi mabadiliko ya asili pia kuwa kama yeye na kumwona jinsi angekuwa katika ufufuo wake, na si kama alivyokuwa mwanadamu (1 Yohana. 3:2). Kwa kuwa Wayahudi, kama taifa, walimkataa kama Mwokozi na Mfalme wao, mwaliko ulikwenda kwa Mataifa ambao Mungu amekuwa akiwachukua watu kwa ajili ya Jina Lake, wawe warithi pamoja na Mwanawe katika Ufalme (Mdo. 14). Kwa namna hii Ufalme wa Mbinguni umekuwa ukitawala katika mioyo ya wafuasi wote wa Bwana tangu Pentekoste na kuendelea. Wafuasi wa Yesu “wamekombolewa kutoka katika Ufalme wa giza na kuhamishiwa katika Ufalme wa Mwana wa Pendo Lake,” Ufalme wa Nuru ( Kol. 1:12, 13 ). Kwa hivyo, Ufalme ulianza kama miaka 2,000 iliyopita na hivi karibuni, katika Ujio wa Pili wa Bwana, utaenea kwa familia zote za dunia.

Mataifa

Yesu alitoa kwanza “mwito mkuu” kwa Wayahudi. Yohana 1:11 inatuambia, “Alikuja kwenye kilicho chake, lakini walio wake hawakumpokea. Ofa hii iliongezwa kwao kwa zaidi ya miaka mitatu. Wapo waliomkubali na Yohana 1:12 inatuambia, “Bali wote waliompokea aliwapa uwezo wa kufanyika watoto wa Mungu, ndio wale waliaminio jina lake. Kwa sababu taifa kwa ujumla lilimkataa, twasoma maneno ya Yesu yenye kuhuzunisha kwa kukataa kwake kwa lazima katika Mathayo 23:37-39 : “Ee Yerusalemu, Yerusalemu, wewe uwauaye manabii na kuwapiga kwa mawe wale waliotumwa kwako, mara ngapi mimi Umetamani kuwakusanya watoto wako, kama vile kuku akusanyavyo vifaranga vyake chini ya mbawa zake, lakini hukutaka. Tazama, nyumba yako imeachiwa ukiwa. Kwa maana nawaambia, hamtaniona tena mpaka mtakaposema, Amebarikiwa yeye ajaye kwa jina la Bwana.

Wito kwa Mataifa

Miaka mitatu na nusu baada ya kifo cha Yesu, wito huo ulienezwa kwa Mataifa. Petro alikuwa na fursa ya kumleta Kornelio, akida wa Kirumi, katika kanisa la kwanza kama mwongofu wa kwanza wa Mataifa. (Angalia Sura ya 10 ya Matendo). Fursa hii mpya kwa ajili ya Mataifa inatajwa katika Matendo 15:14 : “Simoni (Petro) ametueleza jinsi Mungu hapo kwanza alivyoonyesha kujali kwake kwa kujitwalia watu wa Mataifa. Mtume Paulo anaeleza jinsi ilivyowezekana kwa Mungu sasa kushughulika na Mataifa. Katika Efe. 2:11-19 anasema, “Kwa hiyo kumbukeni kwamba hapo kwanza ninyi mlio watu wa Mataifa kwa kuzaliwa, na mnaoitwa ‘kutotahiriwa’ na wale wanaojiita ‘tahiriwa,’ kumbukeni kwamba wakati ule ninyi mlikuwa mmetengwa na Kristo, bila ya kuwa raia wa nchi hiyo. Israeli na wageni kwa maagano ya ahadi, bila tumaini na bila Mungu duniani. Lakini sasa katika Kristo Yesu ninyi ambao hapo kwanza mlikuwa mbali mmekuwa karibu kwa damu ya Kristo. Kwa maana yeye mwenyewe ndiye amani yetu, aliyewafanya hao wawili kuwa wamoja, akakibomoa kizingiti, ukuta wa uadui uliogawanyika, kwa kuibatilisha katika mwili wake sheria, pamoja na amri na maagizo yake. Kusudi lake lilikuwa kuumba ndani yake mtu mmoja mpya katika hao wawili, akifanya amani, na katika mwili huu mmoja kuwapatanisha wote wawili na Mungu kwa njia ya msalaba, ambao kwa huo aliua uadui wao. Alikuja akahubiri amani kwenu ninyi mliokuwa mbali na amani kwa wale waliokuwa karibu. Maana kwa yeye sisi sote tumepata njia ya kumkaribia Baba katika Roho mmoja. Kwa hiyo, ninyi si wageni tena wala wapitaji, bali ni raia pamoja na watu wa Mungu na washiriki wa nyumba ya Mungu.”

Katika Warumi 11:17-24, Paulo anaelezea Mataifa kama "matawi ya mizeituni mwitu" kuchukua nafasi ya "matawi ya asili" (Wayahudi). Sura hii pia inaahidi kwamba siku moja upofu wa Israeli utaondolewa na Mungu atawarehemu. Ndiyo, katika ufalme unaokuja wa Kristo, unabii wa Zekaria 12:10 utatimizwa: “Nami nitawamwagia watu wa nyumba ya Daudi, na wenyeji wa Yerusalemu roho ya neema na dua; Watanitazama mimi niliyemchoma, nao watamwombolezea kama vile mtu amwombolezeavyo mtoto wa pekee, na kuomboleza kwa uchungu kwa ajili yake kama vile mtu aombolezavyo mwana mzaliwa wa kwanza.

Kundi Ndogo

Mpango wa Mungu ni rahisi, na bado kuna mkanganyiko mwingi miongoni mwa Wakristo kuhusu ni nini hasa. Tunajuaje ni nini hasa? Tunaweza kupata jibu hili katika Neno la Mungu pekee, ambalo alitoa ili kutufunulia sisi sio tu Mpango Wake bali pia mapenzi yake kwa wale wanaotii wito wa kumfuata Mwanawe, Bwana Yesu Kristo. Imani ni kipengele muhimu katika kuelewa Neno Lake. Roho Mtakatifu anatolewa kwa wote wanaoamini kwamba Yesu alikufa kwa ajili ya dhambi zao zote, kutubu, na kukubali mwaliko wa Bwana Yesu kuwa wanafunzi wake (Matendo 2:38). Mathayo 16:24 hutaja hatua zinazohitajika ili kuwa wanafunzi wake: “Ndipo Yesu akawaambia wanafunzi wake, Mtu ye yote akitaka kunifuata, ni lazima ajikane mwenyewe, auchukue msalaba wake, anifuate.” Mwito wa ufuasi unasikika. wengi, lakini ni wachache wanaochagua kutembea katika njia hii nyembamba ya dhabihu na ya “kubeba aibu yake.” Mtu asipopokea ukweli katika kuupenda, hataweza kuvumilia hadi mwisho. Katika Luka 12:32 Yesu anawatia moyo wanafunzi wake kwa maneno haya, “Msiogope, enyi kundi dogo, kwa maana Baba yenu ameona vyema kuwapa ninyi ufalme.” Kundi hili dogo linamfuata kiongozi wao, Mwana-Kondoo wa Mungu, popote anapowaongoza (Ufu. 14:4). ” katika Kristo Yesu, “mambo ya kale yamepita na yote yamekuwa mapya,” na wanaongozwa na roho ya Mungu ( 2 Kor. 5:17; Rum. 8:14 ). watakuwa na uwezo wa kuushinda “ulimwengu, mwili na Adui” kwa “damu ya Mwana-Kondoo” ( Ufu. 12:11 ), wakiishi maisha ya utii wa kutumainiwa kwa mapenzi ya Mungu, “wakimtazama Yesu mwenye kuanzisha. na mkamilifu” wa imani yao (Ebr. 12:2).

SEHEMU YA PILI

Mwana wa Mungu

Inaelekea zaidi kwamba mtafutaji Ukweli anaweza kuchanganyikiwa kwa kiasi fulani wakati huu na kujiuliza jinsi mtu mmoja angeweza kuwa mkombozi wa jamii nzima ya wanadamu, hasa wakati Mtunga Zaburi alikuwa ameandika, “Hakuna mtu awezaye kumkomboa ndugu yake kwa njia yo yote. , wala kumpa Mungu fidia kwa ajili yake” ( Zab. 49:7 ). Kwa kuwa “hakuna hata mmoja aliye mwadilifu, hakuna hata mmoja, kwa maana wote wamefanya dhambi na kupungukiwa na utukufu wa Mungu” ( Rum. 3:10 ), ambaye wakati huo alikuwa Yesu huyu aliyedai kuwa na uwezo wa kusamehe dhambi na kuwakomboa wanadamu. jamii nzima kutokana na laana ya kifo?

Ni dhahiri kwamba hakuna mtu wa kawaida angeweza kufanya hivyo. Lakini maandiko ambayo tayari yamenukuliwa yanaonyesha kwamba Yesu hakuwa mtu wa kawaida. Alikuwa Mwana wa Mungu, na Mungu Mwenyewe alishuhudia ukweli huo ( Mt. 3:16, 17 ). Pia alikuwa “mtakatifu, asiye na madhara, asiye na unajisi na aliyetengwa na wakosaji” ( Ebr. 7:26 ), kwa kuwa ni dhabihu kamilifu tu (isiyo na dhambi) iliyokubaliwa na Mungu Mtakatifu.

“Kwa mtu mmoja (Adamu) dhambi iliingia ulimwenguni, na kifo kuwa matokeo ya dhambi; vivyo hivyo mauti ikawafikia watu wote kwa sababu wote wamefanya dhambi. Kwa maana kwa kuasi kwa mtu mmoja wengi walifanywa wenye dhambi, vivyo hivyo kwa kutii kwake mmoja watu wengi watafanywa kuwa waadilifu” ( Rum. 5:12, 19 ). Hii inaeleza kwa nini hakuna mwana wa Adamu aliyeweza kumkomboa ndugu yake mbele za Mungu. Lakini Yesu, ambaye alikuwa “Mwana wa Pekee wa Mungu,” na hakuitwa kamwe mwana wa Adamu, angeweza kufanya kile ambacho mwanadamu aliyeanguka hangeweza kufanya. Hii inawezaje kuwa? Ifuatayo itaelezea shida ambayo wengine wanaweza kuwa nayo na swali hili.

Nembo

Katika Yohana 1:1,2 tunapata kauli ya ajabu. Imefichwa katika takriban tafsiri zote; lakini kama inavyopatikana katika tafsiri ya neno kwa neno la Emphatic Diaglott inasomeka hivi, “Hapo mwanzo kulikuwako Neno; naye Neno alikuwa pamoja na Mungu; na Mungu alikuwa Neno. Huyu hapo mwanzo alikuwako kwa Mungu.” Tafsiri ya Westcott na Hort Interlinear pia itakubaliana na tafsiri iliyo hapo juu. Ingawa kuna kutokubaliana kutoka kwa baadhi ya marafiki zetu Wakristo juu ya mistari hii, kuna maandiko mengine mengi ya kuunga mkono wazo kwamba Yesu ni kiumbe tofauti kabisa na kujitegemea kwa Mungu ambaye hakuwa na mwanzo lakini amekuwepo daima. Yesu alikuwa “Mwana Mzaliwa-pekee” wa Mungu, kama tulivyosema hapo juu. Hilo ladokeza kwamba Logos, au Neno, lilikuwa na mwanzo. Zaburi 2:7 inasema, “Nitatangaza amri: BWANA ameniambia, Wewe ndiwe Mwanangu, leo nimekuzaa.” (NKJV) Hakika hii inadokeza mwanzo. na neno mwana maana yake ni mtu aliyezaliwa--mzao.

Neno Mungu katika Yohana 1 ni neno la Kiyunani theos ambalo ni la "uhusiano usio na uhakika," kulingana na konkodansi ya Strong. Katika KJV imetafsiriwa: "Mungu" mara 1320, "mungu" mara 13, "mcha Mungu" mara 3, "Mungu-ward" mara 2. Ni neno linalotumika kama jina la jumla la miungu au miungu na hata mahakimu. Muktadha unaotumika huamua tafsiri yake ifaayo. Katika 2 Kor. 4:4 neno “theos” linatumiwa kurejelea Shetani kama “mungu wa wakati huu.” Kulingana na Maandiko, “Neno” lilikuwa mungu au mungu. Hakuwa kama malaika. Alikuwa wa pekee na wa pekee, kwa maana tunasoma katika Waebrania 1:5, “Kwa maana ni yupi katika malaika ambaye Mungu aliwahi kumwambia, Wewe ndiwe Mwanangu; mimi leo nimekuwa Baba yenu? Au tena, ‘Mimi nitakuwa Baba yake, naye atakuwa Mwanangu.’” Yohana 1:14 inaendelea kusema, “Neno alifanyika mwili, akakaa kwetu, nasi tukauona utukufu wake, utukufu wa Mungu Mmoja na wa Pekee, aliyetoka kwa Baba, amejaa neema na kweli. Katika Wakolosai 1:15 &16 Paulo anasema kuhusu Yesu, “Yeye ni mfano wa Mungu asiyeonekana, mzaliwa wa kwanza wa viumbe vyote, vitu vyote vilivyo mbinguni na vilivyo juu ya nchi, vinavyoonekana na visivyoonekana, ikiwa ni viti vya enzi au mamlaka au watawala au mamlaka vitu vyote viliumbwa na yeye na kwa ajili yake. Yeye ndiye katika Mwa.1:26 ambaye Mungu alizungumza naye aliposema, “Na tumfanye mtu kwa mfano wetu, kwa sura yetu....” Alikuwa wakala mtendaji wa Mungu katika kazi zote za uumbaji, na alifanya kama Baba yake alimwagiza katika 1 Kor 8:5 na 6 tunasoma kwamba “... kwa ajili yetu Mungu ni mmoja tu, aliye Baba, ambaye vitu vyote vimetoka kwake na ambaye kwa ajili yake tunaishi , Yesu Kristo, ambaye kupitia yeye vitu vyote vilikuja na ambaye kupitia yeye tunaishi.” Tena twasoma hili katika Waebrania 1:2 : “Lakini katika siku hizi za mwisho amesema nasi katika Mwana, aliyemweka kuwa mrithi wa yote, na ambaye kwa yeye aliufanya ulimwengu.” Ingawa Yohana anamtambulisha Neno kuwa “mungu,” na kumtambua katika hali yake ya awali kama mungu, hakumchanganya kamwe na Mungu, ambaye alikuwa Baba yake katika Zaburi 82:1 tunasoma, “Mungu hutawala katika kuu kusanyiko; yeye atoa hukumu kati ya ‘miungu.’” Ni Neno ambaye kwa hiari yake aliiacha nafasi yake ya juu, akiuacha uungu wake kama tunavyoambiwa katika Flp. 2:6-8 , ikisema juu ya Kristo Yesu, “aliyekuwa yuna namna ya Mungu, naye hakufikiri kuwa sawa na Mungu kwa unyang’anyi; bali alijifanya kuwa hana utukufu, akatwaa namna ya mtumwa, akawa ana mfano wa wanadamu; "Maana mmejua neema ya Bwana wetu Yesu Kristo, jinsi alivyokuwa maskini kwa ajili yenu, ingawa alikuwa tajiri, ili ninyi mpate kuwa matajiri kwa umaskini wake." ( 2 Kor. 8:9 ). Katika Waebrania 2:9 tunaambiwa,

"Lakini twamwona Yesu, aliyefanywa mdogo punde kuliko malaika, sasa amevikwa taji ya utukufu na heshima, kwa sababu alikabiliwa na mauti, ili kwa neema ya Mungu aionje mauti kwa ajili ya kila mtu." Ndiyo, ilikuwa ni Neno au Logos, Mwana wa Pekee wa Mungu, ambaye uhai wake ulihamishwa kutoka katika hali yake ya awali ya utukufu wa kiroho hadi kwenye tumbo la uzazi la bikira Mariamu kwa njia ya Roho Mtakatifu wa Mungu. Hivyo Logos akawa “chini kidogo kuliko malaika” kwa kuwa mwili (mwanadamu) na kukaa kati ya wanadamu. Bwana wetu hakuzaliwa na baba mwanadamu asiye mkamilifu, bali kwa uwezo wa Roho Mtakatifu. Alizaliwa akiwa mkamilifu na hakuwa na kasoro za dhambi aliyorithi. Waebrania 7:26 inatuambia, “Kuhani Mkuu wa namna hii hutupatia mahitaji yetu, yeye aliye mtakatifu, asiye na lawama, safi, aliyetengwa na wakosaji, aliyeinuliwa juu ya mbingu.” Acheni tuangalie tena Waebrania 2:9 , kwa maana hilo hutuambia kusudi ambalo Yesu ‘alifanyika mwili. "Lakini twamwona Yesu, aliyefanywa mdogo punde kuliko malaika, sasa amevikwa taji ya utukufu na heshima, kwa sababu alikabiliwa na mauti, ili kwa neema ya Mungu aionje mauti kwa ajili ya kila mtu."

Ndiyo, Yesu kwa kifo chake aliwakomboa wanadamu wote kutoka katika dhambi na adhabu ya kifo. Kifo chake kilimpa mamlaka juu ya kaburi na kinatuhakikishia tumaini la ufufuo kutoka kwa wafu. Sheria ya Mungu ilihitaji “uhai kwa uzima.” Adamu, akiwa mwanadamu mkamilifu, alitenda dhambi na adhabu ilikuwa kifo ambacho kilitangazwa juu yake na juu ya uzao wake wote pia. Kwa kifo chake, Yesu, ambaye pia alikuwa mwanadamu mkamilifu, alilipa bei ya fidia kwa ajili ya ukombozi wa mwanadamu. 1Timotheo 2:5&6 inasimulia juu ya mwanadamu Kristo Yesu aliyetufanyia hivi: “Kwa maana kuna Mungu mmoja na mpatanishi kati ya Mungu na wanadamu ni mmoja, mwanadamu Kristo Yesu, ambaye alijitoa mwenyewe kuwa ukombozi kwa ajili ya watu wote – ushuhuda uliotolewa. kwa wakati wake.” Alipaswa kuwa mwanadamu mkamilifu ili kutosheleza haki. Yesu alikufa na siku tatu baadaye Mungu alimfufua kutoka kwa wafu. Hakuwa tena na asili ya kidunia ya mwanadamu, kwani hicho ndicho "alichoweka" kwa ajili ya maisha ya ulimwengu. Aliinuliwa Kiumbe cha Roho cha utukufu ambaye alitumia siku 40 pamoja na wanafunzi wake, akionekana kwao mara 10 kabla ya kupaa kwake. Wakati huu alionekana na kutoweka kwao kwa mapenzi, hata wakati milango ilikuwa imefungwa. Katika Efe. 1:19-21 Paulo anatuambia, “..... Nguvu hiyo ni kama kutenda kazi kwa nguvu zake (za Mungu) kuu, alizozifanya katika Kristo alipomfufua katika wafu, akamketisha mkono wake wa kuume katika ufalme wa mbinguni. ulimwengu wa mbinguni, juu sana kuliko ufalme wote na mamlaka, nguvu na usultani, na kila cheo kiwezacho kutolewa, si katika wakati huu wa sasa tu, bali na katika ule ujao pia.” Kwa sababu ya uaminifu wake hadi kifo, sasa Yesu ameketi kwenye kiti cha enzi cha Baba yake na amepewa “mamlaka yote mbinguni na duniani” ( Mt. 28:18 ). Ndiyo, Yesu anajitiisha tu kwa Baba yake kama tunavyoambiwa katika 1 Kor. 15:28: “Na vitu vyote vitakapowekwa chini yake (Kristo), ndipo Mwana naye mwenyewe atakapotiishwa chini yake yeye aliyeweka vitu vyote chini yake, ili Mungu awe yote katika yote.”

Nafsi

Ugumu ambao wengi wamekuwa nao katika kuelewa mengi yaliyo katika Maandiko ni kwa sababu ya mafundisho mengi ya uwongo ambayo yameingia ndani ya kanisa. Kwa mfano, kuna fundisho la kwamba mwanadamu huzaliwa na “nafsi isiyoweza kufa,” lakini neno hilo halipatikani katika Biblia. Mwanzo 2:7 ni mahali pa kwanza ambapo neno nafsi linatumiwa. “BWANA Mungu akamfanya mtu kwa mavumbi ya ardhi, akampulizia puani pumzi ya uhai; mtu akawa nafsi hai.” (KJV) Ikumbukwe kwamba ni baada tu ya Mungu kumpulizia “pumzi ya uhai” ndipo mwanadamu akawa “nafsi hai.” Hivyo basi, jambo linalopatana na akili lingehitimisha kwamba, ikiwa hivyo, mtu anapoacha kupumua na kufa, atakuwa “nafsi iliyokufa.”

Nyingi kati ya tafsiri nyinginezo hufasiri “nafsi iliyo hai” kuwa “kiumbe hai,” ambayo ni mojawapo ya maana za neno la awali la Kiebrania. Tunasoma katika Ezekieli 18:4, “Tazama, roho zote ni mali yangu; kama vile roho ya baba ni mali yangu, vivyo hivyo roho ya mwana ni mali yangu; roho itendayo dhambi ndiyo itakayokufa.” (KJV) Mungu yuko wazi kabisa hapa - nafsi au kiumbe kinachotenda dhambi.... kinakufa. Haiishi mahali fulani. Hivi ndivyo ilivyokuwa kwa Adamu na imekuwa hivyo kwa wanadamu wote ambao tangu wakati huo wameingia kwenye kifo. Warumi 3:23 inatuambia, “Kwa maana wote wamefanya dhambi na kupungukiwa na utukufu wa Mungu.” Wote walihukumiwa katika Adamu.

Dhambi na Uovu

Dhambi na uovu umetawala tangu kutotii kwa Adamu katika bustani ya Edeni. Kabla ya wakati huo, ni uadilifu pekee uliokuwepo katika maisha ya wazazi wetu wa kwanza. Sheria ya Mungu iliandikwa mioyoni mwao. Haki ni nini? Ni hali ambayo ndani yake kile kilicho sawa na haki kipo. Tunajuaje kilicho sawa na haki? Tunaweza kupata jibu la swali hili tu katika kanuni ambazo zimewekwa kwa ajili yetu katika Maandiko. Tangu dhambi ilipoingia ulimwenguni, hajawahi kuishi mtu mmoja mwenye haki hapa duniani isipokuwa Bwana wetu Yesu. Warumi 3:10-12 inathibitisha ukweli huu: “Kama ilivyoandikwa, Hakuna mwenye haki, hata mmoja; hakuna aelewaye, hakuna amtafutaye Mungu. Wote wamekengeuka, wamepotea pamoja; hakuna atendaye mema, hata mmoja.'” Isaya 64:6 inasema, “Lakini sisi sote tu kama kitu kisicho safi, na haki yetu yote ni kama nguo chafu; Sisi sote twanyauka kama jani, na maovu yetu yametuondoa kama upepo.” (NKJV) Imani katika Bwana na ahadi zake ndiyo ilikuwa njia pekee ya kuhesabiwa kuwa mwenye haki mbele za Mungu kabla ya kumtuma Mwanawe. Kuhusu Abrahamu, Warumi 4:3 inatuambia, “Maandiko yanasema nini? 'Abrahamu alimwamini Mungu, na ikahesabiwa kwake kuwa haki.'” Hakuna mtu anayeweza kusimama mbele za Mungu kwa sifa yake mwenyewe.

Kwa nini Mungu aliruhusu uovu? Jibu la swali hili ni muhimu ili kuelewa mpango wa Mungu kwa wanadamu. Mwanadamu aliumbwa na uwezo wa kuchagua kwa uhuru bila kulazimishwa hata kidogo na Mungu. Katika hekima yake kuu, Mungu alijua kwamba itakuwa tu kwa tofauti inayotokana na uzoefu na dhambi ndipo mwanadamu angetambua matokeo yake mabaya. Baada ya kila mtu kufufuliwa katika Ufalme ujao wa Kristo, wataweza kutambua kikamili, kutokana na uzoefu, matokeo ya dhambi na uovu wanapotazama nyuma kwenye historia yake. Ni wapumbavu na wenye mioyo migumu tu ndio watakaochagua kutotafuta uadilifu na baraka zinazotokana na kuishi kupatana na kanuni zake za kimungu. Mungu anatamani uumbaji Wake wamwabudu katika roho na kweli kama chaguo huru na si kama roboti tu, jambo ambalo wangekuwa kama hawangechagua kwa hiari.

Mauti na Kaburi

Kutokana na mawazo potofu kuhusiana na nafsi, mafundisho mengine potofu yametujia kuhusu kifo na kaburi. Kwa kuwa Adamu alikuwa hayupo kabla ya kuumbwa, alipokufa alirudi katika hali hiyo hiyo. Alienda wapi? Hakwenda popote. Aliacha tu kuwa hai. Siku ambayo mtu anakufa, siku hiyo mawazo yake hupotea ( Mhu. 9:5, 10 ). Mwili wake hurudi mavumbini tena. Tumaini pekee la mwanadamu ni katika maisha yajayo wakati atakapofufuliwa kutoka katika hali ya kifo. Katika kifo amefichwa katika Biblia “kuzimu,” ambayo ni “sheol” katika Agano la Kale, na “hades” katika Jipya. Maneno hayo kwa ujumla yanatafsiriwa “kuzimu” na “kaburi” katika Biblia nzima. Hakuna ubaya wowote katika tafsiri ya neno kuzimu, kwa kuwa ni neno la kale la Kiingereza linalomaanisha “mahali pa kufunikwa.” Hapo zamani za kale, mkulima angeweza "kuzima viazi vyake" au kuvifunika. Fundisho la uwongo lilizuka ambalo limekuza maana ya “hali ya kuteswa fahamu na ya milele” kwa neno jehanamu, na hivyo kutoa maana isiyo ya kweli kwa neno hilo.

Wafu wote huingia “kuzimu” au “kuzimu” wanapokufa, na huko watakaa hadi wakati wa kuamka au ufufuo. Watafsiri wa Biblia yetu hawakupatana katika tafsiri yao kwa kuwa wanaporejelea waovu, kwa kawaida hutafsiri neno sheol kuwa “kuzimu,” lakini waadilifu wanapotajwa kwenda kwenye “sheol,” walilitafsiri “kaburi.” (Ona Mwa. 37:35, 42:38, Zab. 9:17, 16:10).

“Sheoli” hiyo si mahali pa mateso inaonyeshwa katika sala ya Ayubu. Kama Ayubu angeamini kwamba “Sheol” ni mahali pa mateso na mateso, hangeomba, “Laiti ungenificha kuzimu (Sheol), unifiche mpaka ghadhabu yako ipite; ungeniwekea wakati uliowekwa, na kunikumbuka” (Ayubu 14:13).

Yesu Kristo alienda kwenye Biblia “kuzimu” na kukaa huko kwa siku tatu, kama Petro alivyoshuhudia Siku ya Pentekoste katika Matendo 2:22-32. Alinukuu Zaburi 16:10 na kuthibitisha kwamba inahusu Bwana wetu na si Daudi. “Hutaiacha nafsi yangu kuzimu, wala hutamwacha mtakatifu wako aone uharibifu.”

Alisema kwamba Daudi alikuwa angali kuzimu au “sheoli,” na kwamba kaburi lake lilikuwa bado liko wakati alipokuwa akizungumza. Hivyo Petro alishuhudia ufufuo wa Yesu, akisema kwamba kifo hakingeweza kumshika. Alipasua vifungo vya mauti na kupaa juu, akiongoza utumwa (kifo) mateka (Efe. 4:8). “Yeye alikuwa mzaliwa wa kwanza katika wafu, ili awe mtangulizi katika yote” (Kol. 1:18). "Aliuawa mwili, lakini alihuishwa roho" (1 Petro 3:18).

Kuongezeka kwa Maarifa

Tunaishi katika siku ya maajabu na hofu. Ni siku ya maajabu kwa sababu ya ongezeko kubwa la maarifa ambalo limejaza ulimwengu tunamoishi. Wakati huo huo ni siku ya hofu kwa sababu ya jinsi haya yote yametumiwa vibaya kwa madhumuni ya ubinafsi na faida. Katika kizazi kimoja tu, mwanadamu ametoka kwa farasi na gari hadi safari ya anga hadi mwezi na zaidi; mawasiliano yametoka kwa maneno ya mdomo au barua zilizoandikwa kwa mkono hadi kwa satelaiti angani zinazosambaza habari kupitia redio na televisheni hadi popote ulimwenguni kwa sekunde chache tu. Ulimwengu, kimsingi, umekuwa jamii moja ambapo hakuna nchi inayoweza kuficha siri kutoka kwa ulimwengu unaowazunguka. Sasa mwanadamu ana kile anachokiita mtandao “barabara kuu ya habari” ambapo karibu somo lolote laweza kupatikana kupitia kompyuta ya kibinafsi, jambo la kawaida katika nyumba nyingi. Ongezeko la maendeleo ya kiteknolojia linaonekana kutokuwa na mwisho. Mwanadamu ametumia ujuzi huu wa ajabu, hata hivyo, hasa kwa makusudi maovu ya uharibifu. Vita hivi sasa vinapiganwa kwa aina mbalimbali za silaha za kiteknolojia na za hali ya juu hivi kwamba itachukua kiasi kikubwa kuzielezea. Kinachopaswa kuwa neema na baraka kwa mwanadamu badala yake kimekuwa vyombo vya uchoyo, uovu na uonevu. Kupitia televisheni na uwezo wa kompyuta kufikia “internet,” ngono ya wazi na ponografia, uhalifu na jeuri vinaweza kuletwa nyumbani kwa kubofya kitufe.

Ni nini kipya leo labda kitakuwa kizamani chini ya miaka mitano. Na yale “mpya,” mikononi mwa mwanadamu mwenye dhambi, pengine yatazidi kuwa mabaya kwa ustawi wa mwanadamu. Kwa ujuzi huu wote, mwanadamu hawezi kuleta amani katika ulimwengu wake. Vita, mapinduzi, na machafuko ya ulimwengu yameenea kila mahali. Tauni, njaa, na njaa bado ni matatizo makubwa licha ya maendeleo ya mwanadamu. Mwanadamu, kwa uchoyo wake, anaendelea kuvuruga usawa wa maumbile, ambayo ndiyo sababu ya shida zetu nyingi leo. Vita vya nyuklia ni wasiwasi mkubwa. Mitambo ya nguvu za nyuklia ni makubwa ya majanga yanayoweza kutokea. Vijito vya dunia, mito na bahari vimechafuliwa sana na hivyo kuhatarisha afya ya mwanadamu. Ndiyo, mahali ambapo ujuzi ulipaswa kuwa wenye manufaa kwa mwanadamu, kwa sehemu kubwa umekuwa badala ya laana ambayo huenda itaendelea kuongezeka, kwa maana Maandiko yanatabiri wakati mkubwa wa taabu ambao utatangulia Yesu kusimamisha Ufalme wake wa kidunia.

Haya yote yameruhusiwa na Mungu katika Mpango wake kwa kusudi fulani. Inatayarisha mandhari ya kusimamishwa kwa Bwana kwa Ufalme wake. Maneno ya Danieli 12:4, “Lakini wewe, Danieli, yafunge maneno, ukakitie muhuri kitabu hata wakati wa mwisho; wengi wataenda mbio huko na huko, na maarifa yataongezeka” (NKJV), inaonekana vizuri kuelezea wakati tunaoishi.

Natengeneza Misiba

Ingawa Mungu halazimishi, Yeye hutawala na kuruhusu majanga ya asili kutokea. Tunasoma katika Isa. 45:7, “Mimi naiumba nuru na kuumba giza, nafanya amani na kuhuzunisha balaa; Mimi, BWANA, ninafanya mambo haya yote.” Bwana wakati mwingine huruhusu misiba iwajie watu ili kupata usikivu wao. Nyakati nyingine, kama vile Sodoma na Gomora, msiba ulioharibu miji hii na watu ulikuwa tendo la rehema na upendo na pia hukumu. Ikiwa watu hawa wangeachwa waendelee na uovu wao, mioyo yao ingekuwa imenaswa sana na uovu hivi kwamba haingewezekana kuwarudisha kwenye uadilifu katika Ufalme.

Kifo chenyewe ni adui kwa mwanadamu na vile vile majanga yanayoendelea. Lakini kuna mapigo na majanga mengi ambayo wanaume pekee ndio wanaohusika nayo. Haya yanatokea kwa sababu mwanadamu anadhani njia zake ni za hekima na bora kuliko njia za Mungu. Yanatokea wakati wanadamu wanapopuuza kabisa kanuni za asili na sheria za maadili zilizowekwa katika Biblia.

Ifahamike kwamba Mungu daima anasukumwa na upendo kwa viumbe vyake bila kujali jinsi inavyoweza kuonekana kwetu. Katika fikra zetu za kibinadamu zilizoanguka, mwanadamu daima anaonekana kutazama mambo kwa njia ya ufupi. Lakini Mungu daima hutazama matokeo ya mwisho na yale ambayo ni bora kwa ustawi wa milele wa wote. Kila uzoefu au balaa ambalo limewahi kumpata mwanadamu lina somo ambalo, likieleweka na kutimizwa kikamilifu, litakuwa la thamani ya milele kwake. Katika shida zake zote, mwanadamu hajawahi kuachwa bila tumaini la jambo bora zaidi. Neno la Mungu limejaa ahadi na unabii mwingi unaokuza hamu ya siku iliyo bora zaidi. Siku hiyo ambapo “jamaa zote za dunia zitabarikiwa” haiko mbali sana ( Mwa. 12:2, 3 ). Warumi 8:19-21 inatuambia kwamba ingawa wengi ulimwenguni hawajui, “Viumbe vinangoja kwa hamu sana kufunuliwa kwa wana wa Mungu. Viumbe vyenyewe navyo vitakombolewa kutoka katika utumwa wa uharibifu hata viingie katika uhuru wa utukufu wa watoto wa Mungu.”

Siku ya Ghadhabu

Baada ya Bwana kuja kwa ajili ya Watakatifu wake, waliokufa na walio hai (1 The. 4:13-17), lakini kabla ya kuja kwake Mara ya Pili ili kusimamisha Ufalme wake duniani, kutakuwa na wakati wa taabu kubwa juu ya dunia na jamii. Hili litatayarisha mioyo ya wanadamu kwa ajili ya utawala wa haki wa Bwana. Sef. 3:8&9 inasema, “Kwa hiyo ningojeni mimi, asema Yehova, hata siku ile nitakaposimama kuteka nyara; kwa maana nia yangu ni kuwakusanya mataifa, ili kuzikusanya falme, ili kuwamwagia ghadhabu yangu, naam, hasira yangu yote kali; kwa maana dunia yote itateketezwa kwa moto wa wivu wangu. Maana ndipo nitakapowarudishia mataifa lugha iliyo safi, wapate kuliitia jina la BWANA, wamtumikie kwa nia moja.” (ASV) Mamlaka yote maovu yatawekwa chini kabla ya Bwana Yesu kuchukua udhibiti wa Ufalme wake na kuanza utawala wake unaotegemea kanuni za haki za ukweli.

Ufufuo

“Ikiwa katika maisha haya tu tuna tumaini, sisi sote tuko maskini zaidi kuliko watu wote. Lakini sasa Kristo amefufuka kutoka kwa wafu, limbuko lao walalao usingizi. Kwa maana kwa kuwa kifo kilikuja kupitia mtu, vivyo hivyo ufufuo wa wafu ulikuja kwa njia ya mtu. Kwa maana kama vile katika Adamu wote wanakufa, vivyo hivyo katika Kristo wote watahuishwa” (1Kor. 15:19-22). Kwa hiyo, ni wazi kwamba tumaini linalotolewa katika Biblia linategemea ufufuo kutoka kwa wafu. Yesu alisema, “Msistaajabie jambo hili; kwa maana saa yaja ambayo watu wote waliomo makaburini mwao wataisikia sauti yake, nao watatoka; wale waliofanya mema kwa ufufuo wa uzima; na wale waliofanya mabaya kwa ufufuo wa hukumu” (Yn. 5:28, 29). Hakusema chochote kuhusu kuwa katika mateso. Katika Yohana 11:25 Yesu anamwambia Martha, “Mimi ndimi huo ufufuo na uzima. Kwa hiyo tumaini la waamini wote si la kuhamishwa mara moja hadi Paradiso au Mbinguni, bali ni tarajio la kubaki “usingizini ndani ya Yesu,” kaburini, mpaka wakati wa ufufuo wa kwanza Yesu atakapokuja kwa ajili ya bibi-arusi wake alikufa, Maandiko yanatuambia kwamba “alilala usingizi” (Matendo 7:60).

Kuna jambo moja muhimu la kuzingatia. Ufufuo utatokea katika awamu mbili. Wale wanaoshiriki katika awamu ya kwanza wanasemekana kushiriki katika “ufufuo wa kwanza” ( Ufu. 20:6 ). Hawa ni wale walioitwa na Mungu katika Wakati huu wa Injili, tangu Kuja kwa Mara ya Kwanza kwa Kristo hadi wakati ambapo Kanisa litakuwa limekamilika. Tunaamini, kwa sababu ya unabii, Bwana atamchukua Bibi-arusi wake kwake siku za usoni. Wanadamu waliosalia watafufuliwa katika ufufuo wa pili.

Urejeshaji

Kurudisha maana yake ni “kurejeshwa.” Ni fundisho la Biblia na linapatana kikamilifu na Mpango wa Mungu linapoeleweka ipasavyo. Siku ya Pentekoste Roho Mtakatifu alipowashukia Mitume na kuwavuvia kunena, Petro alisema, “Tubuni, mrejee, ili dhambi zenu zifutwe; ili nyakati za kuburudishwa zipate kuja kutoka kwa uso wa Bwana, naye apate kumtuma Kristo Yesu, ambaye mlihubiriwa zamani; manabii wake watakatifu tangu zamani... ninyi ni wana wa manabii... Mungu amemfufua ninyi kwanza Mwanawe Yesu, akamtuma ili awabariki ninyi, kila mtu atakayegeuka na kuacha njia zake mbaya” ( Matendo 3:19-26 ).

Hapa, Petro alikuwa akiwaambia Wayahudi kwamba Mungu alikuwa akitimiza ahadi zake kwa Abrahamu kwa kuwapa fursa ya kwanza ya kuwa wafuasi wa Mwana wake, Yesu Kristo. Hili, kwa hakika, lilikuwa pendeleo kubwa kuwa mshiriki wa ufalme huo wa kiroho wa makuhani na kusaidia katika kubariki familia zote za dunia. Ahadi ya Ibrahimu ilikuwa na sehemu mbili: kwanza, kutoa Mbegu, Yesu Kristo; na pili, kwamba kupitia “uzao” huo familia zote za dunia zingebarikiwa.

Lakini Petro alikuwa ametaja waziwazi kwamba Bwana Yesu angebaki mbinguni kwenye mkono wa kuume wa Mungu, mpaka “nyakati za kurudishwa upya” ambapo mambo yote yaliyotabiriwa yatarudishwa. Hii itatokea katika ufufuo wa jumla utakaofuata ule wa Kanisa. Kwa kuwa ni viungo vya mwili wa Kristo pekee vinavyoshiriki katika ufufuo wa “kwanza,” basi ni lazima kufuata ufufuo wa pili au wa jumla ili kutekeleza urejesho wa mambo yote yaliyoahidiwa. Hili litafanyika wakati Bwana wetu atakaporudi kutoka Mbinguni wakati wa kuja kwake kwa Pili pamoja na Bibi-arusi wake.

Je, ni baadhi ya mambo gani ambayo Aliye Juu Zaidi ameahidi kurudisha katika wakati huu mkuu wa “kurudishwa”? Katika Isaya 51:3 tunasoma, “Kwa maana Bwana ataufariji Sayuni, atapafariji mahali pake pa ukiwa. Atafanya jangwa lake kuwa kama Edeni, na jangwa lake kama bustani ya BWANA. Furaha na shangwe zitaonekana ndani yake, shukrani na sauti ya shangwe.” “...nchi ya ukiwa italimwa, ambayo ilikuwa ukiwa...nao watasema, nchi hii iliyokuwa ukiwa imekuwa kama bustani ya Edeni” (Eze. 36:34, 35). “Wafu wako wataishi. Amka na kuimba, ninyi mkaao mavumbini. Nchi itawatoa wafu” (Isa. 26:19). “Nyika na mahali pa ukiwa patakuwa na furaha; na jangwa litashangilia na kuchanua kama waridi...Waambieni walio na moyo wa hofu, Jipeni moyo, msiogope, tazama, Mungu wenu atakuja na kisasi....Atakuja na kuwaokoa ninyi. Ndipo macho ya vipofu yatafumbuliwa, na masikio ya viziwi yatazibuliwa. Ndipo aliye kilema ataruka-ruka kama kulungu, na ulimi wake aliye bubu utaimba; maana katika nyika maji yatabubujika, na vijito nyikani. Na udongo uliokauka utakuwa ziwa la maji, na udongo wenye kiu visima vya maji....Na hao waliokombolewa na Bwana watarudi.... huzuni na kuugua zitakimbia” (Isa. 35:1, 4-7, 10) ) “Mbwa-mwitu naye atakaa pamoja na mwana-kondoo, na chui atalala pamoja na mwana-mbuzi; na ndama na mwana-simba na kinono pamoja; na mtoto mdogo atawaongoza...na simba atakula majani kama ng’ombe... Hawatadhuru wala hawataharibu katika mlima Wangu wote mtakatifu” (Isa. 11:6, 7, 9). “Maana Bwana, aliyeziumba mbingu, asema hivi, Mungu mwenyewe, aliyeiumba dunia na kuifanya, ndiye aliyeifanya imara. hakuiumba ukiwa, aliiumba ili ikaliwe na watu” (Isa. 45:18). “Nao watajenga nyumba na kukaa ndani yake. watapanda mizabibu na kula matunda yake” (Isa. 65:21). “Nitawarudishia waamuzi wako kama hapo kwanza, na washauri wako kama hapo mwanzo” (Isaya 1:26).

Hizi ni baadhi tu ya unabii mwingi kati ya nyingi katika Biblia zinazoahidi kurudi kwa dunia kwa hali za Edeni. Unabii huo wote wa ajabu utatimizwa wakati Ufalme ulioahidiwa kwa muda mrefu utakapokuja duniani, jambo ambalo watu wake wamekuwa wakisali kwa muda mrefu, kama vile Bwana wetu alivyotufundisha kufanya.

Furaha ya Asubuhi

Muumba wetu Mkuu anatayarisha “karamu ya vitu vinono,” ambayo itawashangaza viumbe vyake vya kibinadamu, na “itakuwa kubwa mno, na tele, kupita yote tunayoweza kuuliza au kuwaza...” ( Efe. 3:19-21 ). Katika 1 Wakorintho 2:9 , Mtume Paulo anaeleza kuhusu kile ambacho tunaweza kukiita 'Chama cha Mshangao Mkuu wa Mungu!' "Lakini kama ilivyoandikwa, Mambo ambayo jicho halikuyaona wala sikio halikuyasikia, wala hayakuingia katika moyo wa mwanadamu, mambo ambayo Mungu aliwaandalia wampendao." Ametufunulia mambo mengi wakati huu kwa Roho wake kupitia Neno Lake; lakini bado, "sasa tunaona kama kwa kioo kwa giza" jinsi maisha kamili na uzuri utakuwa kweli. Kwa viumbe vyake vya kustaajabisha, wakitazama urefu na upana, kimo na kina cha upendo wa Mungu, unaopita matarajio yote ya mwanadamu, anaeleza, “Mawazo yangu si mawazo yenu, wala njia zenu si njia zangu, asema Bwana. Maana kama vile mbingu zilivyo juu sana kuliko nchi, kadhalika njia zangu zi juu sana kuliko njia zenu, na mawazo yangu juu sana kuliko mawazo yenu” (Isaya 55:8,9). “Nijaribuni sasa hivi, asema Bwana wa Majeshi, kama sitawafungulia madirisha ya mbinguni, na kuwamwagieni baraka, zaidi ya kuwatosha wote” (Mal. 3:10). Wakati huo, wanadamu watasema, “Nchi hii iliyokuwa ukiwa imekuwa kama bustani ya Edeni; miji iliyokuwa ukiwa, ukiwa na kuharibiwa, sasa ina maboma na kukaliwa na watu” ( Eze. 36:35 ). Ndiyo, “Kilio chaweza kudumu kwa usiku mmoja, lakini furaha inakuja asubuhi!” ( Zaburi 30:5 )

Siku ya Hukumu

Isaya 26:9 inatuambia, “Hukumu zako zitakapokuja juu ya dunia, watu wa ulimwengu watajifunza haki.” Siku hii ya Hukumu itadumu kwa miaka elfu moja. Yesu atakapokuja na Bibi-arusi wake kusimamisha ufalme wake wa kidunia, ataketi kwenye kiti chake cha enzi kama “Mfalme wa Mfalme na Bwana wa Mabwana.” Isaya 9:6, 7 inatabiri kuhusu wakati huu, “Maana kwa ajili yetu mtoto amezaliwa, tumepewa mtoto mwanamume, na uweza wa kifalme utakuwa begani mwake. Naye ataitwa Mshauri wa Ajabu, Mungu Mwenye Nguvu, Baba wa Milele, Mfalme wa Amani. Kuongezeka kwa serikali yake na amani hakutakuwa na mwisho. Atatawala katika kiti cha enzi cha Daudi na ufalme wake, akiuthibitisha na kuutegemeza kwa haki na uadilifu tangu wakati huo na hata milele. Wivu wa BWANA Mwenye Nguvu Zote utatimiza hayo.” Pia katika Isaya 11:1-5 tunasoma, “Chipukizi litapanda katika kisiki cha Yese; kutoka katika mizizi yake Tawi litazaa matunda. Roho ya BWANA itakaa juu yake, roho ya hekima na ufahamu, roho ya shauri na uweza, roho ya maarifa na ya kumcha BWANA, naye atajifurahisha katika kumcha BWANA. . Hatahukumu kwa ayaonayo kwa macho yake, wala hataamua kwa ayasikiayo kwa masikio yake; lakini kwa haki atawahukumu wahitaji, na kwa hukumu atawahukumu maskini wa dunia. Ataipiga dunia kwa fimbo ya kinywa chake; kwa pumzi ya midomo yake atawaua waovu. Haki itakuwa mshipi wake na uaminifu mshipi kiunoni mwake.” Ndiyo, Yesu ataanzisha kwanza uadilifu kisha amani. “Atatawala kwa fimbo ya chuma” na kwa haki. Hakuna uovu utakaoruhusiwa. Huu utakuwa wakati wa "mgogoro" au kesi kwa hukumu. Hayo ndiyo yatakuwa masharti katika Siku kuu ya Hukumu ya Bwana. Wengi wa ulimwengu wa wanadamu hawajapata fursa ya kumjua Mungu kikweli au Mwana Wake, Yesu Kristo. Macho yao yamepofushwa na Shetani (2 Kor. 4:4). Hii haitakuwa hivyo katika Ufalme wa Yesu,

maana tunasoma katika Ufunuo 20:1&2, “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 au Shetani, akamfunga miaka elfu. Mwanzoni mwa miaka elfu hii, wote watapewa fursa ya kujifunza uadilifu bila kuzuiwa na Shetani na uvutano wa uovu. Isaya 11:9 hutabiri wakati kama huo ambapo “Hawatadhuru wala hawataharibu katika mlima wangu wote mtakatifu; kwa maana dunia itajawa na kumjua BWANA kama maji yaifunikavyo bahari.”

Kila mtu atawajibika kwa maamuzi yake na kwa matendo yake. Tunasoma katika Yohana 3:16 maneno ya Yesu, “Kwa maana jinsi hii Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu, hata akamtoa Mwanawe pekee, ili kila mtu amwaminiye asipotee, bali awe na uzima wa milele. Kumwamini Yesu kama Mwokozi wao kutakuwa sharti la uzima wakati huo, kama ilivyo sasa katika Enzi hii ya Injili kwa wale walioitwa kuwa wanafunzi wa Yesu Kujifunza njia za haki kutakuwa hitaji la wakati huo. 17 inatuambia, “Roho na bibi-arusi wasema, Njoo! Na yeye asikiaye na aseme, Njoo! Yeyote aliye na kiu, na aje; na yeyote anayetaka, na ayatwae maji ya uzima bure.” Kila mtu atakuwa na fursa hii ya ajabu ya kunywa kwa hiari ya Neno safi la Bwana Kwa maana mimi sifurahii kifo cha mtu ye yote, asema BWANA Mwenyezi. Ndiyo, uchaguzi wa kila mtu utaamua hatima yao wenyewe, kwa ulimwengu wa wanadamu kwa ujumla, inaelezwa kwa ajili yetu katika Ufu. 21:7&8: “Yeye ashindaye atayarithi haya yote, nami nitakuwa Mungu wake. naye atakuwa mwanangu mwoga, na wasioamini, na wafidhuli, na wauaji, na wazinzi, na wachawi, na hao waabuduo sanamu, na waongo wote ----- mahali pao patakuwa katika lile ziwa la moto la kiberiti. . Hii ndiyo mauti ya pili." Hii ina maana maangamizo ya milele.

Picha ya Ufalme

Mwandishi Mkristo ameandika maneno haya mazuri, “Fumba macho yako kwa kitambo kidogo ili kutazama matukio ya taabu na ole, uharibifu na huzuni ambayo bado inatawala 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.”

Ahueni hii kuu ya wanadamu kupitia Kristo na Bibi-arusi wake, atakapokabidhi Ufalme wake kwa Baba yake Mpendwa, ndiyo itakayomtosheleza kwa kweli Bwana na Mwokozi wetu Yesu Kristo kwa taabu yake yote ya roho pale Kalvari (Isa. 53:11). Tumpe Sifa Mwanakondoo wa Mungu wa thamani, milele!

Hivi karibuni utukufu wa Urejesho utaleta duniani pumziko lenye baraka; Na maskini na waliozimia na waliochoka watainuliwa na kubarikiwa.

Baada tu ya shida inayokuja mwone Mfalme wa Amani anayetawala! Hakika! Ufalme wa Mungu unakuja hivi karibuni, na ukandamizaji utakoma.

Sasa anakusanya vito vyake vya thamani, wale ambao pamoja naye watatawala hivi karibuni Na vilio vya dunia na kuaga kwa huzuni Hivi karibuni kutabadilika na kuwa huzuni ya furaha.

Imba! O imba! Enyi warithi wa utukufu, Pigeni bishara mnapokwenda! Chapisha hadithi pana ya ukombozi-- Wote, zeri yake ya uponyaji inapaswa kujua.

Eleza jinsi ua na uzuri wa Edeni utakavyorejeshwa tena. Kufanya milki yote pana ya mwanadamu Kama bustani ya Bwana.

Ndio, imbeni, enyi warithi wa utukufu, Piga kelele za ushindi wako mbali na karibu, Ruhusu noti za sifa na uimbaji zianguke kwenye sikio la huzuni.

Isaya 35:1-10

“Majangwa na nchi kavu itafurahi; jangwa litashangilia na kuchanua maua. Kama crocus, itapasuka ndani ya maua; itashangilia na kupiga kelele kwa furaha. litapewa utukufu wa Lebanoni, fahari ya Karmeli na Sharoni; watauona utukufu wa BWANA, fahari ya Mungu wetu. Itieni nguvu mikono iliyo dhaifu, yatieni nguvu magoti yalegeayo; waambieni walio na mioyo ya hofu, Jipeni moyo, msiogope; Mungu wenu atakuja, atakuja na kisasi; kwa malipo ya kimungu atakuja kuwaokoa ninyi. Ndipo macho ya vipofu yatafunguliwa na masikio ya viziwi yatazibuliwa. Ndipo kilema ataruka-ruka kama kulungu, na ulimi bubu utapiga kelele kwa furaha. Maji yatabubujika nyikani na vijito nyikani. Mchanga unaowaka utakuwa bwawa la maji, ardhi yenye kiu itabubujika. Mahali pa kuishi ambapo mbwa-mwitu walilala, nyasi na matete na mafunjo vitamea. Na huko kutakuwa na njia kuu; itaitwa Njia ya Utakatifu. Najisi hatasafiri juu yake; itakuwa kwa wale waendao katika Njia hiyo; wapumbavu waovu hawatatembea juu yake. Hakutakuwa na simba huko, wala mnyama mkali hatapanda juu yake; hawatapatikana huko. Lakini waliokombolewa peke yao ndio watakaokwenda huko, na waliokombolewa na BWANA watarudi. Wataingia Sayuni kwa kuimba; furaha ya milele itakuwa taji vichwani mwao. Furaha na shangwe zitawapata, huzuni na kuugua zitakimbia.”

Ufunuo 21:1-5

“Basi nikaona mbingu mpya na nchi mpya, kwa maana mbingu ya kwanza na nchi ya kwanza zimekwisha kupita. Pia hapakuwa na bahari tena. Kisha mimi, Yohana, nikaona mji mtakatifu, Yerusalemu Mpya, ukishuka kutoka mbinguni kwa Mungu, umewekwa tayari kama bibi-arusi aliyepambwa kwa mumewe. Nikasikia sauti kuu kutoka mbinguni ikisema, Tazama, maskani ya Mungu ni pamoja na wanadamu, naye atafanya maskani yake pamoja nao, nao watakuwa watu wake. Mungu mwenyewe atakuwa pamoja nao na kuwa Mungu wao. Na Mungu atafuta kila chozi katika macho yao; hakutakuwa na kifo tena, wala huzuni, wala kilio. maumivu hayatakuwapo tena, kwa maana mambo ya kwanza yamekwisha kupita. Kisha yeye aketiye juu ya kile kiti cha enzi akasema, Tazama, nayafanya yote kuwa mapya. Naye akaniambia, Andika, kwa kuwa maneno haya ni ya kweli na ya uaminifu.

The art of reasoning can be summed up in two words: “Cause” and “Effect.” Everything that can be seen or discerned in any way is an effect, and proves the prior existence of a cause. The 92 primary elements, of which the earth is said to consist, are the effect. Each one is the end result, or effect, of a long series of actions and reactions which trace back to a primary cause. Our modern scientists tell us as much; but when we ask them how the primary cause came into being, they are silent. Some frankly admit that they don’t know.

Yet, simple reason tells us that by carrying the principle of “Cause and Effect” back to the beginning of all things, we arrive at the First Great Cause, since we are dealing with the beginning of physical or material things.

At this point we must stop, since no human mind is capable of comprehending beyond the idea of a Great First Cause. It is at this point that the Bible enters the scene. It reveals the fact that Almighty God is the Great First Cause. No man can, by searching, understand this. The things that are secret belong to God, but the things He has revealed He has given to the children of men (Deut. 29:29). The Bible is God’s Divine revelation given to mankind. It tells us that God is Almighty, and that He is the Creator of all things, holding all things in the hollow of His hand. That simply means that He has everything under control at all times. We are told that even the wrath of man shall praise Him (Psa. 76:10), and when the permission of evil has accomplished its purpose, it will be brought to an end to show forth the wisdom of our Creator.

The Bible does not claim to be a treatise on natural phenomena or science. It deals with the introduction of sin into the world; shows the evil consequences of sin; tells us what God is doing about it all, and how it will eventually be eradicated from the earth. Peace and harmony will be restored. The opening chapters of Genesis give us but a brief outline of Creation.

In the Beginning

The Bible opens with the words, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” In the beginning of what? Many err at this very point. The text continues, “and the earth was without form and void.” Since the earth already “was” already in existence, then it must refer to the beginning of the ordering of the earth for man’s habitation upon it. It cannot apply to the beginning of the Universe because the earth already was in existence.

Back in the Dark Ages when men thought that the earth was the center of the Universe and that all heavenly bodies revolved around it, the interpretation of the Bible was forced to fit their preconceived ideas. But added light on material things gives us a clearer perspective of the Bible today. The six days of creation were not literal days as was insisted on in the past but six “ages” or “epochs.”

The Bible contains much figurative or symbolic language. These six “days” of Creation, referring to six periods of time, are of a length which is not stated. This agrees with what geologists tell us, that the earth passed through six stages of development. So instead of the Bible being “an old wives’ tale,” it predates our modern research by thousands of years.

If it is a record of the preparation of the earth’s surface, how then can we explain the mention of the sun and the moon on the fourth day of creation? We must bear in mind that when the earth was in the process of preparation, it was surrounded by a great cloud of gases and vapors so that “darkness was upon the face of the deep” (Gen. 1:2). It was not until the fourth day that this cloud blanket was sufficiently thinned out so that along with the precipitation on the earth of various minerals, water, carbon, etc., the sun, moon and later the stars were enabled to shine through this envelope of darkness. Since nobody knows when the moon became a satellite of the earth, it may have become so at that time, and the placing of the moon in orbit around the earth may have had to do with the thinning of the envelope of vapor and gas.

Evolution

Most evolutionists, in their zeal to prove their theories, repudiate the Bible. However, even they have modified their views somewhat from what the first advocates claimed. To support their theory, they are still trying to find a common link between man and the lower animals. Some claim to have found such a link, but such so-called proofs are far-fetched.

Whether or not God used an evolutionary process with the plants and lower animals should not particularly concern us. However, when it comes to man, we are specifically told by God that he was created and did not go through any “evolutionary” process. The Bible, while it agrees with all true science, is not a “science textbook.” This is not what God intended for it to reveal, but rather it was given to reveal His wonderful Plan of Salvation and man’s recovery from sin and death. As far as man is concerned, no proof has been produced that he has been on earth for much more than 6,000 years. Some carbon 14 tests on charcoal, it is claimed, trace back for 10,000 years, from which it has been assumed that man has been on earth for this period of time, but logical explanations can be offered to show otherwise.

As has been stated, the six days of creation were not literal, twenty-four-hour days. In Psalms 90:4 we learn that “A thousand years in thy sight is as yesterday,” and in 2 Peter 3:8 we read, “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” We also read of “the day of temptation in the wilderness” (Psa. 95:8), which was forty years long. Thus the word day is an accommodative one, the length of which must be determined by the circumstances relating to it. It is not important that we know how long they were, so long as we see that “periods of time” are indicated.

Life

In Genesis 2:7 we have a detailed account of the Creation of man. We read that God formed man of the elements of the earth, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and “man became a living soul.” God had planted a garden eastward in Eden and put the first man in this garden. It contained all kinds of herbs and fruits. Later we are told that God said, “It is not good for man to live alone” and determined that Adam should have a “help-mate.” Thus He caused a deep sleep to come upon Adam, and He removed a portion from his side and formed a woman. Adam called her Eve. In Eden there are two special trees mentioned: “the tree of life,” and “the tree of the know-ledge of good and evil.” Adam was told he could freely eat of all the trees except “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” This was God’s express commandment - His will - and it entailed consequen- ces, if violated. “In the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17).

Sin and Death

We then learn that another being enters the scene. We read that the serpent spoke to Mother Eve and lied to her by contradicting the truth of what God had commanded. He told her that she would “not surely die.” He deceived her by lying, something she had never heard or known of before. Knowing that the fruit of the tree was attractive to the sight, smell and taste for human beings, Satan suggested that wisdom was a thing to be desired. He made no mention of any possible consequences of disobeying God. But he raised doubt in Eve’s mind and thus confused her. Since Adam and Eve were the only human beings in existence, it is evident that Satan was a supernatural being. In Rev. 12:9 and 20:2, he is called both “Satan” and “the Devil” -- meaning opposer and enemy. He became the “enemy” and “opposer” of God from the time he tempted Eve. Our Lord called him a “murderer from the beginning” (of the creation of man) and “the father of lies” (John 8:44).

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Tim. 2:14 that Adam was not deceived but that Eve was. Adam must have realized the consequences of his act, yet he deliberately ate the forbidden fruit. No doubt not wanting to live without Eve and not trusting God, but putting another ahead of his love and loyalty to his Creator, he chose to join her in disobeying God. As the direct result of their disobedience, we learn that “their eyes were opened,” and they suddenly realized that they were naked and became ashamed. There has been a lot of conjecture on this point. The Bible distinctly tells us that the act of disobedience was the “original sin.” “By one man’s disobedience sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all”(Rom. 5:19). Whatever else happened was the direct result of disobeying God. The procreation of the human race had God’s blessing, and the act of producing children is not sin. In Genesis 1:28 God commanded, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”

The Curse

The curse that was pronounced on the human race was death. Death is the antithesis of life, its very opposite. Since man did not become a living soul when his body was formed until breath entered his nostrils, in like manner, when he dies his breath leaves his body, he loses all consciousness and ceases to be a living soul. Eccl. 9:5 states, “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.” And in Psalms 6:5 we are told, “ No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave (Hebrew ‘sheol’)?”

Death is the penalty pronounced by God. All living things hate and fear death for themselves, and strive against it with all their might. Life is a boon, and even the tiniest insect seeks to perpetuate itslife as long as it can. No rational being wants to die. The fact that doctors, drugstores, and hospitals do such a thriving business proves this.

The curse pronounced on Adam and Eve had a gradual process of fulfillment. It was not fulfilled instantaneously. The curse was, “dying thou shalt die.” The translators of the Bible never grasped the full significance of this curse and so they translated it, “In the day thou eatest of it thou shalt surely die.” The marginal reference gives the exact Hebrew. When the first pair was driven out of Eden, a slow process of dying began. Each day they lived they were dying until old age claimed them. A man who is truly alive never would age or die. Old age is the sum total of the gradual weakening and wearing out of the body. But Adam was so well formed and near to perfection that he lived for 930 years. Since this is just short of 1,000 years, which we are told is “as a day with the Lord,” then Adam died within that same “day” in which he sinned. Thus God’s Word was truly fulfilled. No one has lived a full 1,000 years. Genesis 5:27 tells us the oldest man who ever lived was Methuselah who died at 969 years, which was also within the 1,000-year “day.”

Every doctor’s sign, every hospital, every drugstore, every funeral parlor is a witness to the outworking of the death curse on the human race. As previously stated, God had established many laws to govern the operation of His Universe. One of the laws of nature is the law of heredity. The offspring always inherit the characteristics and general form and appearance of their parents. Each creature brings forth “after its kind” (Genesis 1:25). So the parents can give to their offspring only what they have to give. Since Adam was now a dying man, he could beget only a dying race. Thus, we have all been born dying. Each day we live we are one day nearer the grave. “For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know not anything” (Eccl. 9:5).

This is a sad and sorrowful picture. Every funeral is a witness to the outworking of the curse which disobedience brought. Not only do we have aches and pains throughout our lives, but we all must face death itself, mankind’s great enemy.

Is there no hope? Is there no deliverance? Will there ever be a cessation of the curse? Yes, thank God, there is hope which the Bible holds out. There has been a way of deliverance provided. The curse of death will cease in God’s “due time.” God is not heartless. He is not unkind or thoughtless of His creatures. When He pronounced the curse on our first parents, He also gave them a ray of hope. He promised that “the seed of the woman would bruise (or crush) the serpent’s head” (Gen. 3:15).

When Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden, they were compelled to earn their living by the sweat of their brows. They began to learn by bitter experience the results of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. When Cain killed his brother Abel, they saw the fruitage of their sinful course. In Genesis 5:3, 4 we learnthat Adam begat many sons and daughters. He died at 930. Then the dying process was complete. In the next several chapters of Genesis, we are told that “the sons of God married the daughters of men” and that men’s hearts were filled with “evil continually,” and that violence had filled the earth.

Those “sons of God” were evidently the angels of heaven who came to earth and materialized, causing great evil in Noah’s day. Instead of helping the human race as guardian angels, they, like Satan, became wicked in their hearts and led men further astray. They too became “satans” or “enemies” of God and man. Thus, God sent the flood and destroyed men, for he knew that it would be best and for their ultimate good in the coming kingdom not to allow them to continue in their evil. After this, the earth was repopulated by the offspring of Noah. God imprisoned the sinning angels in Tartaroo (the earth’s atmosphere) until the great Judgment Day (2 Pet. 2:4, 5; Jude 6).

Babel

Several generations after the flood we find the descendants of Noah soon forgetting God again and attempting to build a tower reaching to heaven. The reason they did this is stated in Genesis 11:4: “Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.’" God did not allow them to finish it. They had all spoken one common language, but God confounded their language at the building of this tower of Babel, and they became confused and were scattered over the face of the earth. Hence, they (the world) have been in confusion about God and His Plan ever since. The word Babel means confusion.

Abraham

We next read of Abram, who lived about 200 years after the confusion of tongues at Babel. He was called of God while he was in Ur of Chaldea and asked to forsake his father’s house and people and journey to a land that the Most High promised him. Abram must have been a person of influence among his own kin, because we are told that his father and his nephew with their families and servants went with him. The caravan evidently passed by the site of the tower of Babel in their journey from Chaldea to Haran. They followed the Euphrates river toward its source in the Lebanon mountains and rested in Haran where Abram’s father died. At that time God changed his name from Abram to Abraham, and promised him that he would become the “father of nations,” and that “in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed.” This was the second great promise since God had promised Mother Eve that her seed would bruise the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15).

Now Abraham was a man well along in years (75 years old) when the promise was made; and since his wife Sarah was barren, it took a lot of faith on his part to believe that promise. But it is written, “He believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). Even though the Lord had pronounced the curse of death on the human race, He promised Abraham that the time would come when all the people of the earth would be blessed through the “seed of Abraham” (Gen. 12:3, 18:18, 22:18, 26:4).

Bear this thought in mind, as it is vitally important to this wonderful story: When Abraham was 100 years old, his son Isaac was born to his wife, Sarah, who was 90 years old. Then when Isaac had lived some years, God tested Abraham’s faith once more by instructing him to sacrifice his son. Imagine, if you can, this test on Abraham who was asked to offer his “only son” as a sacrifice (Gen. 22:2). We read that Abraham did not hesitate, but went obediently to fulfill the command of God. He reasoned that the Most High, who had given him a son in his old age, was able to resurrect that son from death when it pleased Him to do so, for Abraham said to his servants whom he left at the foot of the mountain, “we will return!” As Abraham was about to slay his son, God substituted a ram, and Isaac was thus, figuratively, received back from the dead (Hebrews 11:19). So God’s method of fulfilling His promise to Mother Eve and to Abraham was pictured as a resurrection from the dead. Since death is the antithesis of life, and the dead are all nonexistent, resurrection is God’s way of restoring men to life again. The future resurrection of men will happen because of the offering of a satisfactory sacrifice -- of a Father offering up His only begotten Son. This sacrifice would be a substitution or redemptive price for the whole sinful race. But as in the case of Abraham, Faith is the necessary requirement for all who will be saved from their sins and resurrected from the state of death (Hosea 13:14). Abraham is called “the father of the faithful” (Rom. 4:16).

Job

Some years after the time that God called Abraham from Chaldea, another faithful man of God lived in the land of Uz, named Job. In the 1st and 2nd chapters of the Book of Job, we learn that Satan presumed to appear in the presence of God at the same time that the angels came to report to the Most High. Here we find this mighty angel, who had once been called Lucifer, the “son of the morning,” now the active opposer and enemy of God, presuming to defy God to His face. Since the Almighty had been permitting the adversary to carry out his attempts in a limited manner in order to teach men the exceeding sinfulness of sin (Rom. 7:13), God permitted Satan to tempt Job.

Even though Job could not understand why he was being tormented, he still trusted God and looked to Him for eventual deliverance. He said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” “If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come.” “I know that my Redeemer liveth; though the worms destroy my body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 13:15, 14:14, 19:25, 26). Job trusted in God and loved righteousness. When he had been fully tested, God restored him double of all he formerly had. In this book we find a beautiful picture of the human race being tempted and tormented by Satan and his evil angel associates and learning the results of sin and evil. We also find the deliverance from sin and death and eventual restoration to God’s favor and protection in the resurrection in the coming Kingdom of the “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Rev. 19:16).

Moses

When God delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage at the hand of Moses, He led them to the land of Promise. But the Israelites, because of disobedience and unbelief, were never able to appreciate the goodness of God, nor experience the full blessing of long life and prosperity promised to them. They, as the natural “seed” of Abraham, because of their disobedience, forfeited their right to become a “kingdom of priests” (Ex.19:6).

Moses prophesied in Deut. 18:15, 18, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.” “ I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.”

In a sense, Moses was an allegorical representation of that Great Prophet, who was also a Priest and King, Jesus Christ. As Moses, by the power of God, delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage and led them to the promised land, so the Great Deliverer will free the human race from the bondage of sin and corruption. He will introduce the “times of restitution” when, after the awakening from death, he will grant each one an opportunity to enter into God’s promised land, the Kingdom of the Lord. Moses, as the mediator, gave Israel the Law Covenant, which promised life to the man who could keep it. But no Jew ever received life under the Law Covenant. Why? Because the Law of the Lord is perfect, and no imperfect man could keep a perfect law ( Psalms 19:7).

David and Solomon

The nation of Israel attained its nearest approach to the promised blessings in the days of David and Solomon. David, a King of Israel, was also a prophet and wrote many prophetic psalms, or songs. He, like Abraham, Job, and Moses, had faith in God and His promises. He is called “a man after God’s own heart.” He had great faith and displayed great loyalty to the Lord his God, and although he sinned grievously before the Lord, he repented deeply as shown in Psalm 51. He cemented Israel into a strong, compact nation. He defeated all of their enemies and accomplished many heroic feats because of his trust in God. Because of his faith and his loyalty to God, the Most High promised him that his seed would sit on the throne of the Lord forever (2 Sam. 7:12-16). In one of David’s prophecies, Israel was promised a perpetual Priest, a priest on his throne. He wrote, “Thou art a priest forever after the manner of Melchizedec” (Psalms 110:4).

The Prophets

Thus we find Moses prophesying about a great Prophet and Teacher, and David speaking about an everlasting Priest and King upon his throne. Both of these offices would be fulfilled in one great Prophet, Priest and King, the Messiah--the Lord Jesus Christ. He would be a Mediator of “a better covenant, established on better promises” (Heb. 8:6); a great High priest who could offer up one enduring sacrifice for sins; a great King who would be God’s “right arm” who would conquer death and the grave, destroying the enemies of the Most High, and eventually establishing the glorious Kingdom of God on earth while raising the human race from the death condition into harmony and oneness with God as their Father. Mankind was made to find their fulfillment in their Creator and to enjoy Him forever. This being God’s plan, it will succeed. Isa. 55:11 tells us, “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.” All of these facts are presented by the prophets of God. Jeremiah tells us in chapter 31:31 that the days would come when God would make a New Covenant with the house of Judah and with Israel, not according to the Old (Law) Covenant which they broke, but a new one in which He would actually take away their sins: that the time would come when it will not be necessary to say, “‘Do you know the Lord’?, for all shall know Him from the least to the greatest.” In these words we learn that a great Deliverer from sin did come at his first advent to “take out a people for his Name,” his Church, and he will come again with his Bride to lead and teach the people righteousness in his coming kingdom (Isaiah 26:9; Rev. 22:17). The blessings of the New Covenant, beginning at Pentecost, will ripple throughout Christ’s Millennial Kingdom.

The prophets had little understanding of the significance of some of their utterances which were hidden from them. They mention the laying of the sins upon a person instead of an animal, and in prophetic vision they see him who is to redeem and deliver the human race led “as a lamb to the slaughter,” that “the chastisement of our peace was upon him,” and that “by his stripes we are healed.”

They picture him as “despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,” and it was declared of him, “The Lord has laid upon him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:3-6). They told where this Deliverer would be born, and when he should die, assuring us that it would be “not for himself” (Dan. 9:26). They mention various peculiarities concerning him: that he would be “righteous,” and “free from deceit;” and that he had done “no violence” (Isa. 53: 8, 9, 11); his betrayal for thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12); and that he would be “numbered among the transgressors” in his death (Isa. 53:12); that “not a bone of him should be broken” (Psa. 34:20); and that though he should die and be buried, his flesh would not see corruption, neither would he remain in the grave (Psalms 16:10). There were 27 prophecies that were fulfilled on the day of Messiah’s death alone.

The prophets also taught that the coming Messiah would redeem not only Israel, but the Gentiles as well. Isaiah 49:6 says, "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." (See Isa. 60:1-3; 66:12; Mal. 1:11.) So this Great Prophet, Priest and King will come to bless all the families of the earth even as God promised to father Abraham. Who is this great Messiah that was to come and fulfill all these prophecies? He is none other than Jesus of Nazareth whom the Scriptures call “the Christ.” The word Christ is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Messiah. Both words mean “anointed one” (John 1:41).

God acknowledged him as His “only begotten Son,” sending the Spirit in the form of a dove to descend on him (Mat. 3:14-17; Acts 10:38). The place of his birth was foretold as the city of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Mat. 2:1,5,6). The place of his residence during his boyhood was also foretold in Isaiah 9:1,2. (See also Mat. 2:23; 4:13-16). His having been born of a virgin was prophesied in Isaiah 7:14. (See also Mat. 1:18-23.) His being taken into Egypt by Joseph was foretold in Hosea 11:1.

The Lamb of God

When Israel was led out of Egypt by Moses, the Passover service was instituted. The blood of the Paschal Lamb was applied to save the firstborn of Israel from death, and deliver Israel from bondage (Ex. 12:1-28). Jesus was called the “Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world” (Jn. 1:29). “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, as a sheep before its shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth” (Isa. 53:7). This was also prophesied, unwittingly, by the High Priest of Israel to prevent the whole nation from perishing as he explained in John 11:49-52. He was killed by the insistence of the Jews, and died on the 14th of the month Nisan, at the very time that the Passover lambs were being slain (Ex. 12:6).

The Old Testament is filled with many allegories, types, shadows, and pictures, as well as containing many prophecies of God’s “Lamb.”

The Levitical priesthood, the Tabernacle in the Wilderness with all its furniture and arrangements, with the sacrificing of bulls, goats, sheep and heifers, were all types and shadows of the “better sacrifices” as explained in the book of Hebrews (Heb. 9:13, 14), as representing Jesus.

John the Baptist

John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He came preaching repentance to the Jews and baptizing them unto repentance. He came to “prepare the way of the Lord” (Isa. 40:3; John 1:23). Why this practice of baptism?

When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea toward the promised land, Paul tells us that they were all “baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” They were protected and led with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Israel went down into the Red Sea, walking on its bottom as the water was held back on either side until they had crossed it. Paul refers to this experience as a “baptism” which prepared them for the entering into the Law Covenant which was given them shortly thereafter by God at Mt. Sinai with Moses as their mediator (1 Cor. 10:1, 2).

The Law Covenant

Because “The Law of the Lord is perfect” (Psalms 19:7) and no Jew was perfect, they all failed to keep it. The Law promised lasting life to “the man that lives by it” ( Lev. 18:5). The fact that no Jew ever received lasting life under the Law proved that none were able to keep it. The Law revealed to them their sinfulness and their need of acknowledging this fact, so that with repentant and contrite hearts they should have turned away from their sin to serve the Living God. This John called them to do, and to signify this repentance and conversion, he baptized them in the River Jordan. By taking this step, they were prepared to heed and follow the Messiah when he appeared to lead them by a Better Covenant based on Better Promises (Heb. 8:6).

Jesus’ Baptism

Jesus came to John, at thirty years of age, and requested John to baptize him. John, seeing Jesuscome, said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Realizing that Jesus was without sin, he did not want to baptize him, but the Lord urged him to do so. The baptism of Jesus was not one of repentance, for he was without sin, but his baptism was a symbol of his consecration unto death to do his Holy Father’s will. When he arose up out of the water, John beheld the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus “as a dove.” This was an added witness of Jesus’ anointing. Thus, John “prepared the way of the Lord.”

Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God and promising forgiveness of sins (Mat. 4-17). He began teaching and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and disease among the people (Mat. 4:23). This was all in fulfillment of prophecy. (See Isa. 9:6, 7.) While as a Jew he was of the “seed of Abraham,” he also proved himself to be not only the Son of David, but also David’s Lord. (See Mat.1:1; 22:42-44; Mark 12:37-40.) While the common people heard him gladly, the rulers, Scribes and Pharisees, and the Priests hated him because he fearlessly exposed them for the hypocrites that they were. (See John 15:18; Isaiah 53:2, 3)

He prophesied his own death and how he would draw all men unto himself (John 12:32, 34; 3:14). He, who was without sin, died on a tree and became a curse for us all (Isa. 53:3-12; Gal. 3:13). He “poured out his soul unto death and made himself an offering for sin” (Isa. 53:10, 12). He died between thieves, being numbered among the transgressors. He was not only the Son and Seed of Abraham and the Son of David, but he was also the Son of God, as God testified Himself before witnesses. (See Mat. 3:17; 17:5) As a Commander and Leader of the people (Isa. 55:4), he called the people to follow him and promised them forgiveness of their sins and everlasting life. (See Mat. 11:28; 1:21; 9:6; Jn. 3:16.)

The Kingdom of Heaven

John came preaching the message of repentance and that “the kingdom of heaven was at hand” (Mat. 3:2). Jesus continued with this theme, and invited the Jews to become members of that Kingdom.

While the Law Covenant had been emphasizing the justice of God, Jesus began preaching the love and grace of God, saying, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world (it was already under condemnation) but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16, 17). He said, “Come unto me, all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mat. 11:28). “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mat. 20:28). “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jn. 6:51).

Thus, Jesus Christ spoke, showing that he was fulfilling all that the Old Testament prophets had written concerning him. He came to fulfill their prophecies, as well as the types, shadows, pictures and allegories, all of which pointed to him. He came as the sacrificial lamb, yes, as “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). He came as the great Priest to offer up to God one everlasting and acceptable sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. He came as the great Teacher to instruct men in righteousness and show them love, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.

He came to his own, his Jewish brethren, to offer them the opportunity, as the natural seed of Abraham, to become joint-heirs with him in the Kingdom of God. He preached not a visible kingdom, but one that was spiritual. He knew that he must first die and be changed to receive the very nature of God Himself, the divine; he was inviting the Jews to accept him as their Saviour and Messiah so that he might promise them a change of nature also to be like him and see him as he would be in his resurrection, and not as he was as a man (1 John 3:2). Since the Jews, as a nation, rejected him as their Saviour and King, the invitation went to the Gentiles from which God has been taking out a people for His Name, to be joint-heirs with His Son in the Kingdom (Acts 15:14). In this manner the Kingdom of Heaven has been ruling in the hearts of all the followers of the Lord from Pentecost on. The followers of Jesus have been “rescued out of the Kingdom of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of the Son of His Love,” the Kingdom of Light (Col. 1:12, 13). Thus, the Kingdom commenced some 2,000 years ago and will soon, at the Lord’s Second Coming, spread to all the families of earth.

Gentiles

Jesus first offered the “high calling” to the Jews. John 1:11 tells us, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” This offer was extended to them for over three years. There were those who accepted him and John 1:12 tells us, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” Because the nation as a whole rejected him, we read Jesus’ sorrowful words at his necessary rejection of them in Matthew 23:37-39: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’"

The Call to the Gentiles

Three and a half years after Jesus’ death, the call was extended to the Gentiles. Peter had the privilege to bring Cornelius, a Roman centurion, into the early church as the first Gentile convert. (See the 10th Chapter of Acts). This new opportunity for the Gentiles is mentioned in Acts 15:14: “Simon (Peter) has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.” The Apostle Paul describes how it became possible for God to now deal with Gentiles. In Eph. 2:11-19 he says, “Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called ‘uncircumcised’ by those who call themselves ‘the circumcision,’ remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household.”

In Romans 11:17-24, Paul describes the Gentiles as “wild olive branches” replacing the “natural branches” (the Jews). This chapter also promises that one day Israel’s blindness will be removed and God will have mercy on them. Yes, in Christ’s coming kingdom, the prophecy of Zechariah 12:10 will have its fulfillment: “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on {or to} me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

The Little Flock

The Plan of God is simple, and yet there is so much confusion among Christians as to exactly what it is. How do we know what it really is? We can find this answer only in the Word of God, which He gave to reveal to us not only His Plan but also His will for those who heed the call to follow His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is an essential element in coming to understand His Word. The Holy Spirit is given to all who believe that Jesus died for all their sins, repent, and accept the invitation of the Lord Jesus to become his disciples (Acts 2:38). Matthew 16:24 states the steps required to be his disciples: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” The call to discipleship is heard by many, but few choose to walk this narrow way of sacrifice and of “bearing his reproach.” Unless one receives the truth in the love of it, he will not be able to endure to the end. In Luke 12:32 Jesus encourages his disciples with these words, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” This little flock follows their leader, the Lamb of God, wherever he leads them (Rev. 14:4). They are “in the world but not of it “ (Jn. 17:16). They are now a “new creation” in Christ Jesus, “old things have passed away and all things have become new,” and they are being led by the spirit of God (2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:14). Totally yielded to their Lord, they will be able to overcome “the world, the flesh and the Adversary” by “the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11 ), living a life of trustful obedience to the will of God, “looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter” of their faith (Heb. 12:2).

PART TWO

The Son of God

It is more than likely that the searcher for Truth may be somewhat confused at this point and wondering how one man could be the redeemer of an entire race of men, especially when the Psalmist had written, “No one can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him” (Psa. 49:7). Since “there are none that are righteous, no not one, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:10), who then was this Jesus who claimed to be able to forgive sins and ransom the entire race from the curse of death?

It is evident that no ordinary man could do this. But the texts that have already been quoted show that Jesus was no ordinary man. He was the Son of God, and God Himself testified to that fact (Mat. 3:16, 17 ). He was also “holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners” (Heb. 7:26), for only a perfect sacrifice (sinless) was acceptable to a Holy God.

“By one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death, as the result of sin; so death passed upon all men, because all have sinned. For by one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall the many be made righteous” (Rom. 5:12, 19). This explains why no son of Adam was able to redeem his brother before God. But Jesus, who was the “Only Begotten Son of God,” and was never called the son of Adam, could do what fallen man could not do. How could this be? What follows will explain the problem some may have with this question.

The Logos

In John 1:1,2 we find an extraordinary statement. It is hidden in nearly all of the translations; but as found in the interlinear word for word translation of the Emphatic Diaglott it reads, “In a beginning was the Word; and the Word was with the God; and god was the Word. This (one) was in the beginning with the God.” The Westcott and Hort Interlinear Translation would also concur with the above translation. While there is disagreement from some of our Christian friends on these verses, there are many other scriptures to support the thought that Jesus is a being totally separate and independent of the God who had no beginning but has always existed. Jesus was God’s “Only begotten Son,” as we have stated above. This implies that the Logos, or the Word, had a beginning. Psalm 2:7 states, "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’” (NKJV) This surely infers a beginning. The very word father means to beget and the word son means one who is begotten--an offspring.

The word God in John 1 is the Greek word theos which is of “an uncertain affinity,” according to Strong’s concordance. In the KJV it is translated: “God” 1320 times, “god” 13 times, “godly” 3 times, “God-ward” 2 times. It is a word that is used as a general name of deities or divinities and even magistrates. The context in which it is used determines its proper interpretation. In 2 Cor. 4:4 “theos” is used to refer to Satan as the “god of this age.” The “Word” was, according to the Scriptures, a god or deity. He was not like the angels. He was unique and special, for we read in Hebrews 1:5, “ For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father’? Or again, ‘I will be his Father, and he will be my Son.’" John 1:14 goes on to say, “ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, {Or the Only Begotten} who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” In Col. 1:15 &16 Paul says of Jesus, “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 or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” He was the one in Gen.1:26 that God spoke to when He said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness....” He was God’s active agent in all the works of creation, and did as his Father instructed him. In 1 Cor. 8:5 and 6 we read that “... for us, there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” Again we read of this in Hebrews 1:2: “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.” While John identifies the Word as “god,” and recognized him in his pre-existing status as a deity, he never confused him with the God, who was his Father. In Psalm 82:1 we read, “God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the ‘gods.’" It was the Word who willingly gave up his high position, leaving behind his deity as we are told in Phil. 2:6-8, speaking of Christ Jesus, “who being in the form of God, thought not by robbery to be equal with God; but emptied himself, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” “ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you, through his poverty, might become rich.” (2 Cor. 8:9). In Hebrews 2:9 we are told,

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Yes, it was the Word or Logos, the Only begotten Son of God, whose life was transferred from his former glorious spiritual state into the womb of the virgin Mary by means of the Holy Spirit of God. Thus the Logos became “a little lower than the angels” by becoming flesh (human) and dwelling among men. Our Lord was not begotten by an imperfect human father, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was born perfect and not flawed by inherited sin. Hebrews 7:26 tells us, “ Such a High Priest meets our need -- one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” Let us look again at Hebrews 2:9, for this tells us the purpose for which Jesus “became flesh.” “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

Yes, Jesus by his death redeemed all mankind from sin and the penalty of death. His death gained him power over the grave and assures us of the hope of a resurrection from the dead. God’s Law required a “life for a life.” Adam, as a perfect man, sinned and the penalty was death which was pronounced on him and on all his progeny as well. By his death, Jesus, who was also a perfect man, paid the ransom price for man’s redemption. 1 Timothy 2:5&6 tells about the man Christ Jesus who did this for us: “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 given in its proper time.” He had to be a perfect man in order to satisfy justice. Jesus died and three days later God raised him from the dead. He no longer possessed the earthly nature of man, for that was what he “laid down” for the life of the world. He was raised a glorious Spirit Being who spent 40 days with his disciples, being seen of them 10 times before his ascension. During this time he appeared and disappeared to them at will, even when the doors were locked. In Eph. 1:19-21 Paul tells us, “..... That power is like the working of his (God’s) mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” Because of his faithfulness unto death, Jesus now is seated on his Father’s throne and has been given “all authority in heaven and in earth” (Mat. 28:18). Yes, Jesus is only in subjection to his Father as we are told in 1 Cor. 15:28: “And when all things shall be subdued unto him (Christ), then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”

The Soul

The difficulty that many have had in understanding much that is in the Scriptures is because of the many false teachings that have crept into the church. For instance, there is the teaching that a man is born with an “immortal soul,” but this term is not found in the Bible. Genesis 2:7 is the first place that the word soul is used. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (KJV) It should be noted that it was only after God breathed into him the “breath of life” that man became a “living soul.” Logic would then conclude that, this being so, at the time a man stops breathing and dies, he would become a “dead soul.”

Most of the other translations renders “a living soul” as “a living being,” which is one of the meanings of the original Hebrew word. We read in Ezekiel 18:4, “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (KJV) God is quite clear here - the soul or the being who sins....dies. It does not live on someplace. This was the case with Adam and has been the case with all mankind who have since gone into death. Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” All were condemned in Adam.

Sin and Evil

Sin and evil have prevailed since Adam’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Prior to that time, only righteousness existed in the lives of our first parents. God’s Law was written in their hearts. What is righteousness? It is the condition in which only what is right and just exists. How do we know what is right and just? We can find the answer to this question only in the principles that are set down for us in the Scriptures. Since sin entered the world, there has not lived one righteous person on this earth with the exception of our Lord Jesus. Romans 3:10-12 affirms this fact: “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’” Isaiah 64:6 says, “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousness are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (NKJV) Faith in the Lord and His promises were the only means of being accounted righteous before God prior to His sending His Son. In regard to Abraham, Romans 4:3 tells us, “What does the Scripture say? ‘Abra- ham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’” No man is able to stand before God in his own merit.

Why did God permit evil? The answer to this question is essential to understanding God’s plan for mankind. Man was created with the ability to choose freely without the slightest coercion from God. In His great wisdom, God knew that it would be only by the contrast that comes from the experience with sin that man would realize its serious consequences. After everyone is resurrected in Christ’s future Kingdom, they will be able to fully realize, from experience, the results of sin and evil as they look back on its history. Only the foolish and hardhearted will choose not to seek righteousness and the blessings that come from living in accordance with its godly principles. God wishes His creation to worship Him in spirit and in truth as a free choice and not as mere robots, which they would have been had they not been able to freely choose.

Death and the Grave

Due to the false ideas in regard to the soul, other erroneous doctrines have come to us about death and the grave. Since Adam was non-existent before he was created, when he died he returned to that same state. Where did he go? He went nowhere. He simply ceased to be alive. The day that a man dies, that very day his thoughts perish (Eccl. 9:5, 10). His body returns to dust again. Man’s only hope is in a future life when he is to be resurrected from the state of death. In death he is hidden in the Bible “hell,” which is “sheol” in the Old Testament, and “hades” in the New. The words are generally translated “hell” and “grave” throughout the Bible. There is nothing wrong with the translation of the word hell, since it is an old English word meaning “a covered place.” In olden times the farmer would “hell his potatoes” or cover them over. False doctrine arose that has fostered the meaning of “a state of conscious and perpetual torment” to the word hell, thus giving a false meaning to the word.

All of the dead enter “hell” or “sheol” when they die, and there they will remain until the time of awakening or resurrection. The translators of our Bible were not consistent in their translation since when they refer to the wicked, they usually translate the word sheol as “hell,” but when the righteous are mentioned as going to “sheol,” they rendered it “grave.” (See Gen. 37:35, 42:38, Psa. 9:17, 16:10).

That “sheol” is not a place of torment is shown in Job’s prayer. If Job had believed that “sheol” was a place of suffering and torment, he would not have prayed, ”O, that thou would hide me in the grave (sheol), that thou would keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou would appoint me a set time, and remember me” (Job 14:13).

Jesus Christ went to the Bible “hell” and remained there for three days, as Peter testified on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:22-32. He quoted from Psalms 16:10 and proved that it applied to our Lord and not to David. “Thou will not leave my soul in hell, neither will thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption.”

He argued that David was still in hell or “sheol,” and that his grave was still in existence at the time he was speaking. Thus Peter testified to Jesus’ resurrection, stating that death could not hold him. He burst the bonds of death and ascended on high, leading captivity (death) captive (Eph. 4:8). “He was the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). “He was put to death flesh, but made alive spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

The Increase of Knowledge

We are living in a day of wonder and dread. It is a day of wonder because of the great increase of knowledge that has saturated the world in which we live. At the same time it is a day of dread because of how all this has been misused for selfish purpose and gain. In only a single generation, man has gone from the horse and buggy to space travel to the moon and further; communication has gone from word of mouth or handwritten letters to satellites in space relaying information via radio and television to anywhere in the world in but seconds. The world has, in essence, become one community where no country is able to keep secrets from the world around them. Man now has what he calls the cyberspace “information highway” where almost any subject can be accessed through the personal computer, a common item in most homes. The increase in technological advances seems unending. Man has used this wonderful knowledge, however, mainly for evil purposes of destruction. Wars are now fought with such a variety of technological and sophisticated weapons that it would take volumes to describe them. What should be a boon and blessing to man has instead become instruments of greed, evil and oppression. Through television and the computer’s ability to access the “internet,” explicit sex and pornography, crime and violence can be brought into the home at the push of a button.

What is new today will probably be obsolete in less than five years. And the “new,” in the hands of sinful man, most probably will be increasingly detrimental to man’s welfare. With all this knowledge, man is not able to bring peace to his world. Wars, revolutions, and global unrest are prevalent everywhere. Pestilences, famines, and starvation are still severe problems despite man’s progress. Man, in his greed, continues to upset the balance of nature, which is the reason for many of our problems today. Nuclear war is a grave concern. Nuclear power plants are sleeping giants of potential disasters. Earth’s streams, rivers and oceans have been greatly polluted, endangering man’s health. Yes, where knowledge should have been of benefit to man, it has for the most part become instead a curse which will probably continue to escalate, for the Scriptures predict a great time of trouble that will precede Jesus’ setting up his earthly Kingdom.

All of this has been allowed by God in His Plan for a purpose. It is setting the scene for the Lord’s coming establishment of his Kingdom. The words of Daniel 12:4, “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (NKJV), seem well to describe the time in which we are living.

I Create Calamities

Though God does not coerce, He does overrule and permit natural calamities to happen. We read in Isa. 45:7, “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.” The Lord sometimes allows calamities to come upon people to get their attention. At other times, such as with Sodom and Gomorra, the calamity that destroyed these cities and the people was an act of mercy and love as well as one of judgment. Had these people been allowed to continue in their wickedness, their hearts might have become so entrenched with evil that it would have been impossible to reclaim them to righteousness in the Kingdom.

Death itself is an enemy to man as well as continuing calamities. But there are many plagues and disasters for which men are solely responsible. These happen because man thinks his ways are wiser and better than God’s ways. They occur when men totally neglect the principles of nature and the moral laws laid out in the Bible.

Let it be known that God always is motivated by love for His creatures regardless of how it might appear to us. In our fallen human thinking, man seems always to look at things in a short- sighted way. But God always looks at the end result and to that which is best for the eternal welfare of all. Every experience or calamity that has ever befallen man has in it a lesson that, when understood and fully realized, will be of eternal value to him. In all his troubles, man has never been left without a hope for something better. God’s Word is full of numerous promises and prophecies that nurture a longing for a better day. That day when “all the families of the earth will be blessed” is not too far away (Gen. 12:2, 3). Romans 8:19-21 tells us that though many in the world do not know it, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

The Day of Wrath

After the Lord comes for his Saints, both dead and living (1 Thes. 4: 13-17), but before his Second coming to establish his Kingdom on earth, there will be a time of great trouble upon the earth and society. This will prepare men’s hearts for the Lord’s rule of righteousness. Zeph. 3:8&9 says, “Therefore wait ye for me, saith Jehovah, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent.” (ASV) All evil authority will be put down before the Lord Jesus assumes control of his Kingdom and begins his rule based on the righteous principles of truth.

Resurrection

“If in this life only we have hope, we are, of all men, most miser-able. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that sleep. 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 Cor. 15:19-22). So it is evident that the hope held out in the Bible is based on the resurrection from the dead. Jesus said, “Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in the which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto a resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgment” (Jn. 5:28, 29). He said nothing about being in torment. In John 11:25 Jesus says to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” So the hope of all believers is not for an immediate transfer to Paradise or to Heaven, but an expectation to remain “asleep in Jesus,” in the grave, until the time of the first resurrection when Jesus comes for his bride. Thus when Stephen died, the Scriptures tell us that “he fell asleep” (Acts 7:60).

There is one important point to keep in mind. The resurrection will occur in two phases. Those sharing in the first phase are said to share in “the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:6). These are those being called of God during this Gospel Age, from the First Advent of Christ until the time when the Church will be complete. We believe, because of prophecy, the Lord will take his Bride to himself in the near future. The rest of mankind will be raised in the second resurrection.

Restitution

Restitution means “restoration.” It is a Bible doctrine and in full harmony with the Plan of God when rightly understood. On the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and inspired them to speak, Peter said, “Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out; so that seasons of refreshment may come from the face of the Lord, and He may send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the heavens must retain until the times of restitution of all things which God has spoken through the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began...You are the children of the prophets...unto you first God has raised up His Son Jesus, and sent him to bless you, each one of you who shall turn from his evil ways” (Acts 3:19-26).

Here, Peter was telling the Jews that God was fulfilling His promises to Abraham by offering them the first opportunity to become the followers of His Son, Jesus Christ. This, surely, was a great privilege to become a member of that spiritual kingdom of priests and assist in blessing all the families of the earth. The Abrahamic Promise was a twofold one: first, providing a Seed, Jesus Christ; and secondly, that through that “seed” all the families of the earth would be blessed.

But Peter had distinctly referred to the Lord Jesus remaining in heaven at the right hand of God, until the “times of restitution” when all things prophesied will be restored. This will occur in the general resurrection which will follow that of the Church. Since only the body members of Christ share in the “first” resurrection, then of necessity there must follow a second or general resurrection to effect the restoration of all things promised. This will take place when our Lord returns from Heaven at his Second Advent with his Bride.

What are some of the things that the Most High has promised to restore in this great time of “restitution”? In Isaiah 51:3 we read, “For the Lord shall comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places. He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.” “...the desolate land shall be tilled, wherein it laid waste...and they shall say, this land that lay desolate is become like the garden of Eden” (Ezek. 36:34, 35). “Thy dead shall live. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust. The earth shall cast out the dead” (Isa. 26:19). “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose...Say to them of fearful heart, Be strong, fear not, behold your God will come with vengeance....He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And parched ground shall become a pool, and thirsty ground springs of water....And the ransomed of the Lord shall return....and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa. 35:1, 4-7, 10). “The wolf shall also dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them...and the lion shall eat straw like an ox...They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain” (Isa. 11:6, 7, 9). “For thus saith the Lord, that created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth and made it, He has established it. He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited” (Isa. 45:18). “And they shall build houses and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them” (Isa. 65:21). “I will restore thy judges as at first, and thy counselors as at the beginning” (Isaiah 1:26).

These are only a few of the many prophecies throughout the Bible which promise a return to the earth of Edenic conditions. All these wonderful prophecies will be fulfilled when the long promised Kingdom has come to this earth, that for which his people have long been praying, as our Lord taught us to do.

Joy in the Morning

Our Great Creator is preparing a “feast of fat things,” which will astound His human creatures, and “be exceeding, abundant, beyond all we could ask or think...” (Eph. 3:19-21). In 1 Corinthians 2:9, the Apostle Paul tells about what we might call ‘God’s Grand Surprise Party!’ “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” He has revealed many things to us at this time by His Spirit through His Word; but still, “now we see as through a glass darkly” what perfect life and beauty will actually be like. To His wondering creatures, looking at the length and breadth, the height and depth of the love of God, surpassing all man’s expectations, He explains, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8,9). “Prove me now herewith, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open to you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, more than enough for all” (Mal. 3:10). At that time, mankind will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited" (Ezek. 36:35). Yes, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning!” (Psalm 30:5)

Judgment Day

Isaiah 26:9 tells us, “When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world will learn righteousness.” This Day of Judgment will last for a thousand years. When Jesus comes with his Bride to set up his earthly kingdom, he will sit on his throne as “King of King and Lord of Lords.” Isaiah 9:6, 7 prophesies of this time, “ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” Also in Isaiah 11:1-5 we read, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him -- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -- and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.” Yes, Jesus will first establish righteousness and then peace. He “will rule with a rod of iron” and with justice. No evil will be permitted. This will be a time of “crisis” or trial by judgment. Such will be the conditions in the great Judgment Day of the Lord. Most of the world of mankind have not had the opportunity to truly know God or His Son, Jesus Christ. Their eyes have been blinded by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4). This will not be the case in Jesus’ Kingdom,

for we read in Revelation 20:1&2, “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” At the beginning of this thousand years, all will be given an opportunity to learn righteousness unhindered by Satan and the influence of evil. Isaiah 11:9 foretells such a time when “They will neither harm nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

Each individual will be responsible for their own decisions and for their own actions. We read in John 3:16 Jesus’ words, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Believing in Jesus as their Saviour will be a prerequisite to life then, as it is now in this Gospel Age for those who are called to be Jesus’ disciples. Learning the ways of righteousness will be a requirement. At that time Rev. 22:17 tells us, “ The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Everyone will have this wonderful pportunity of freely drinking of the pure Word of the Lord. But no one will be forced to drink or learn righteousness. It will be up to the individual to choose to accept or reject it. Ezek. 18:32 tells us, “ For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!” Yes, the choice of each individual will determine their own destiny. This destiny, for the world of mankind in general, is described for us in Rev. 21:7&8: “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars ---- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." This means eternal annihilation.

A Picture of the Kingdom

A Christian writer has penned these beautiful words, “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.”

This grand recovery of mankind through Christ and his Bride, when he turns his Kingdom over to his Beloved Father, is what will truly satisfy our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for all his travail of soul on Calvary (Isa. 53:11). Let us give Praise to the precious Lamb of God, forever!

Soon shall Restitution glory
bring to earth a blessed rest;
And the poor and faint and weary
shall be lifted up and blest.

Just beyond the coming trouble
see the reigning Prince of Peace!
Lo! God’s kingdom soon is coming,
and oppression then will cease.

He’s now gathering out His jewels,
those who with him soon shall reign
And earth’s weeping and sad farewells
Soon shall change to joyous strain.

Sing! O sing! Ye heirs of glory,
Shout the tidings as you go!
Publish wide redemption’s story--
All, its healing balm should know.

Tell how Eden’s bloom and beauty
Once again shall be restored.
Making all man’s wide dominion
As the garden of the Lord.

O yes, sing, ye heirs of glory,
Shout your triumph far and near,
Let the notes of praise and singing
Sweetly fall on sorrow’s ear.

Isaiah 35:1-10

“ The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.’ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

Revelation 21:1-5

“ Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’ Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’”

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