Armageddon and the Final Events of Bible Prophecy | Doug Batchelor (Amazing Facts)

Hundreds of reports throughout the eastern coastline. Officials are faking humanity as a whole. Sea levels continued to rise, forcing communities to relocate, suggested their citizens get out together. A magnitude 9.4 4 earthquake struck the coastal towns of Japan this morning, killing over 200,000 people and injuring countless more.

The riots have now spread into Midtown and reports are coming in of escalating violence. Authorities are urging no pleading with all residents to adhere to the strict martial law curfew now in effect. The National Guard is being deployed, but their presence may not be enough to quell the chaos. What you're about to see is deeply disturbing. If you have children in the room, you may want to reconsider. And there's some teenag kind of close. Do you think we should leave? No, no, they're um they're bringing the garden, right? They just got to do their job. That's that's why they're there.

It's absolutely unbelievable out here. The winds are really increasing by the hour. This part of the coast has never experienced sustained winds within those poor people and local officials in four different states are saying, "Honey, can you change the channel in Florida?" I mean, it's kind of to be expected as spies are moving in. The new mandates are making it almost impossible for people to get out. If you haven't made preparations, now is the time. Yes, it's just an earthquake, bud. It's not a big deal. We're fine. Okay.

The weather service has issued a tsunami warning areas of Northern and Central California, including the following county. Dad, what's that? How will the world end? It's a question that people have been asking for millennia and even more so in recent times. Will it end in a nuclear holocaust that'll wipe out all life on the planet? Or will drought, pollution, and overpopulation lead to devastating armed conflicts over diminishing resources? Will some new, highly contagious, deadly virus cause a worldwide pandemic and decimate humanity? people everywhere sense something ominous is on the horizon. The word Armageddon is often used to describe a worldending catastrophe. The word is only found once in the entire Bible. Yet, this apocalyptic term has inspired numerous movies, novels, and video games. What is Armageddon? Is it some colossal battle that will erupt in the Middle East before Christ returns? Will God's people be raptured from the earth before this infamous battle? Will it be a real physical military conflict on earth between the superpowers of the world? Or is it symbolic of something much bigger? What you're about to experience will reveal what the Bible really says about this epic last day battle and the end of the world as we know it. Armageddon and the final events of Bible prophecy. What is the battle of Armageddon? Where in the Bible does it talk about this last day conflict? You know, there's only one verse in all of the scriptures that uses this word and it's found in the last book of the Bible. and they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew Armageddon.

The word Armageddon is actually composed of two Hebrew words that are transliterated into Greek. The word har means mountain and the word meageddon means the gathering of the troops. This is very likely pointing to the valley of Megiddo, a place of many significant battles in ancient Israel's history. This is also the same location of Mount Carmel, where Elijah the prophet had his famous showdown with the prophets of Baal. But will this final Armageddon battle be located in central Israel? For now, let's consider some of the signs in the Bible that help us to know when Armageddon is near.

But you, Daniel, shut up the words and sealed the book until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase. The biblical prophet Daniel clearly predicted that just prior to the end of the world, we would witness an exponential increase in knowledge. Well, has it happened? Consider, for instance, how dramatically methods of transportation have changed in recent times. For 60 centuries, man could travel no faster than the quickest horse or a sailboat. But now, voyages that once required months are achieved in minutes. The digital revolution has brought about mind-boggling changes that our ancestors never could have even imagined, including the explosion of AI technology. An even more profound fulfillment of this verse is how knowledge concerning the prophetic books of the Bible would increase. And as predicted, this has happened too. In addition to the Old Testament prophets, Jesus himself foretold several signs of the end times.

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet, and there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. One can quickly look around the globe and see that both political and natural forces have made the modern world an increasingly dangerous place to live. Within a 100 years, the world has had to endure two world wars and numerous other major conflicts, not to mention mounting international terrorism. It's clear to see that this prophecy has been vividly fulfilled. For centuries, man could do little more than shoot flaming arrows with lob cannonballs at his enemies. But now, we possess devastating biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons that can quickly render life on this planet extinct. The Apostle John predicts in Revelation 11:18 that the times would come when God would destroy those who destroy the earth. In fact, Jesus even foretold that if his coming was postponed for very long, no flesh would survive.

And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened. Add to this a marked increase in deadly natural disasters, including massive earthquakes, giant wildfires, destructive volcanoes, extreme floods, hurricanes, killer tornadoes, and just bizarre weather. Nature itself seems to be angry and volatile. Jesus foretold.

And there will be great earthquakes in various places and famines and pestilences. And there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring. Men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Christ warned that we'd have to face all of these dangers, but they would only be the beginning of the end. Could it be there's something that mankind does to trigger Armageddon?

But know this, that in the last days, perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal despisers of good. Anyone who's lived through the past several decades cannot deny the steady and frightening moral freefall in modern society. In Noah's day, violence, selfishness, and chronic moral decay led to global destruction from a flood. In Lot's time, the abundance of wealth, idleness, sexual perversion, and pride corrupted the hearts of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and led to the annihilation of these cities by fire from heaven. And so in our day, should it really surprise us that rampant violence, greed, and perversion might once again call down judgments from heaven? As we draw closer to the final hours of earth's history, Satan unleashes his most deadly deceptions upon mankind. The Bible warns in the last days, there's going to be a dramatic rise in spiritualism and the occult. Now the spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. The practice of communicating with the dead long forbidden by the scriptures is fast becoming acceptable even in mainline churches. Television programs and movies featuring witchcraft and the occult themes have become extremely popular especially among the young people. In spite of all this rampant spiritualism and immorality, the Bible teaches that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. So, one exciting bright spot in these last days is Jesus prophecy and promise that before his return, the gospel will go into all the world.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations. and then the end will come. At one time, it seemed impossible to communicate the gospel to the four corners of the earth. Now, it is fast becoming a reality through missionaries, books, satellite broadcasts, social media, and the internet. God's truth is quickly streaming around the world. The message of salvation has never had wider distribution than today. The Bible reveals we are living in Earth's final days. The increase in knowledge, humanity's greed and lack of compassion, the destruction of the planet, global instability, and the explosive interest in the occult all testify that the end is near. The final signs are fast fulfilling. The Bible also warns the opposing forces of good and evil will ultimately bring the world to the battle of Armageddon.

For then there will be great tribulation such as has not been seen since the beginning of the world until this time, no nor ever shall be. While the Bible does not specify the exact pivotal event, it does reveal the dramatic scenes that will follow. But before the final chain reaction of trouble that sweeps the planet, a last message of mercy will illuminate the world. After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

As the great tribulation begins, those Christians who are true to God experience a wonderful surge of power from the Holy Spirit. This great power illuminates God's people with boldness as they witness for God, pleading for the churches to reform and calling the lost to Christ. They stand firm on the word of God and exalt all to repent of their sins and obey God's commandments. An atmosphere of revival moves across the world, and the Holy Spirit compels ministers and church members alike to work energetically for the salvation of souls. As the work of the Holy Spirit becomes more pronounced, Satan introduces a powerful counterfeit. Occult manifestations intensify. Deceptive demons appear as the dead. They impersonate loved ones who have passed away. and biblical saints of old. They speak words of peace and hope while at the same time presenting doctrines that contain dangerous subtle errors. Of them, the Bible warns,

"For they are the spirits of devils working miracles." As you can imagine, these supernatural manifestations hold tremendous sway over the people, and few are willing to speak against them. Up to this point, political and religious leaders have been powerless to stem the growing tide of wickedness and natural disasters that are sweeping the planet. Revelation predicts that an evil power will compel the governments of the world to enact laws regarding how people should worship God. These laws will at first appear to outwardly promote morality and preserve the environment. But in reality, they are preparing the world to embrace the mark of the beast and the antichrist.

He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast. That the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. But this is not the first time in history something like this has happened. In the book of Esther, the Persian government enacted a law that all of God's people should be executed on a given day because some of them would not disobey God's commandments. But then through the intercession of Queen Esther, they were spared. You may also recall the familiar story from the book of Daniel chapter 3 where the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar commanded all in his realm to bow down and worship the enormous golden image he had forged. However, three young Hebrews knew that this command was a direct contradiction to the second commandment regarding idolatry. Determined to remain true to their God, they refused to bow down to the statue. The king was infuriated and ordered them cast into a burning fiery furnace. But God miraculously intervened and saved their lives. Likewise, the prophet Daniel was thrown into a lion's den because he would not break the first commandment and pray to the king Darius. But once again, God delivered him. The book of Revelation tells us this will be the same issue in the last days. World governments under the influence of the beast power will compel everybody to worship in a way that violates the commandments of God. And so it will be at the end of time. God's people will need to stand for truth at a time when the world is compromising God's law. Satan will be actively uniting the world to persecute God's faithful commandment keepers. This is when the devil performs his most powerful deception.

For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. We may not know the exact scenario or location, possibly the Middle East, but at some point before the end, the Bible tells us that Satan will visibly step into human history to perform his masterpiece of deception, masquerading as the Messiah. A radiant, charismatic being appears, claiming to be Christ. Global news outlets explode with reports of this supernatural being who's performing extraordinary miracles. Wherever he goes, it appears the sick are healed and even the dead are raised. Excuse me, please.

Amidst these counterfeit miracles and through tremendous global media coverage, the masses were easily deceived. They now welcome him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This unleashes an unprecedented influence on the nations of the world. The news spreads that the Messiah has come, that Jesus is back, and that he's here to save the world. They hear him repeat many of the same words that Jesus spoke in scripture. These images are then streamed around the world and millions mistakenly believe this global appearance has fulfilled the scripture that says every eye will see him. Many world religions in their teachings and prophecies are eagerly expecting the coming of some kind of savior. Of course, the Jews are still waiting for the Messiah. Most Muslims are likewise expecting the return of Jesus. Hindus are looking for the 10th incarnation of their god Vishnu. And according to their scriptures, the world's Buddhists are looking for the matria, a future incarnation of the Buddha. Now you can see how this dazzling being seems to be the fulfillment of all their prayers and prophecies. But the Bible clearly warns in 2 Corinthians chap 11 that Satan can even transform himself into an angel of light. Sadly, it's not Jesus who the people are eagerly welcoming, but Satan masquerading as the son of God. By doing this, the devil is able to unite the principal religions of the world and to reinforce his counterfeit system of worship. And so the devil initiates the greatest deception ever carried out on the human race. Satan's deceptions captivate the world. With charisma and supernatural power, he unites the divided and wins over religious leaders from all faiths. Most spiritual leaders eagerly embrace the great impostor as well as the false system of worship that he promotes. As global calamities intensify, church leaders believe that no time can be lost in compelling the world to follow the doctrines endorsed by this counterfeit messiah. The enlightened one is telling us these disasters will continue until everyone in the world puts aside their divisive religious notions and come together.

And for the good of everyone and if they don't do it willingly, there needs to be consequences. We need to stop messing around and start attacking these lawb breakakers. The whole world is suffering because of their stubbornness. Not everyone is taken in. A few realize that the Bible has warned about this amazing deception and they know the goal of this false Messiah is to lead people away from the commandments of God.

Just slow down and listen to what you're saying. I think we've got to be extremely careful if we're talking about compromising God's word for the sake of unity. Here is the patience of the saints. Here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. But this is not the first time that Satan has appeared as an angel of light. When Christ was tempted in the wilderness, Satan appeared to him disguised as a glorious messenger from heaven. But the devil revealed his true identity when he tempted Jesus to disobey God's word. And so once again using similar tactics, the devil tries to deceive the whole world into breaking God's law. No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. The world is being brought to a time of decision. The false Christ and global strife are polarizing the world into two distinct groups. those who follow the Bible and those who follow this false messiah that endorses worshiping the beast. We must come together as natural disasters continue to pummel the earth and the world economy teeters on total collapse. Anxiety fills every heart. Religion is the supreme topic on everyone's mind. In TV and radio interviews and in court debates, God's true followers are brought before world leaders where they give powerful and eloquent biblical reasons for their opposition to the false system of worship that is being urged on the masses. The commandments of God and what constitutes true worship are the center of every discussion. Moved by the Holy Spirit and the compelling biblical arguments of God's servants, thousands around the world turn from their lifeless churches and take their stand with the unpopular but true followers of Jesus. Things reach critical mass and the whole world becomes decided for or against the truth. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him be righteous still. He who is holy, let him be holy still. The question, should we obey God or man? popular tradition or scripture polarizes the whole world into one of two groups. On one hand are those who receive the seal of God and on the other hand are those who receive the mark of the beast. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name.

The door of mercy is firmly shut to the world, and God's grace is no longer available to the lost. The second coming of Christ is eminent. But first, the world is about to experience the most devastating series of plagues that have ever fallen on humanity. So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathome soar came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Six more devastating plagues quickly follow. The seas and waters turned to blood. Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water and they became blood. The sun is given power to scorch men with intense heat. Then darkness envelops the headquarters of the beast and the great river Euphrates dries up. In Bible history, this plague was a harbinger of deliverance for the Jewish nation from the captivity of Babylon. As plague after plague falls, terror reigns on the panic-stricken peoples of the world. During this devastating time, some of the saved find shelter in desolate and remote locations while they're protected and provided for by God's angels. Others are thrown into lonely prisons. Although seemingly forgotten by man, they are not forgotten by God.

But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison. God's faithful ones are shielded from the plagues in the same way the children of Israel were preserved during the plagues that fell on ancient Egypt.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Now the faithful go through a fearful time of soulsearching. Uppermost in their minds is the thought, are we right with God? Ultimately, they find peace of mind by trusting the promises of God. Urged on by the false Christ, various rulers around the world issue a decree against all commandment keepers. The beasts should both speak and cause as many as who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. The miserable lost believe their only hope for relief from the devastating plagues is to eliminate those who oppose them. The decision is made to search out and exterminate the people of God who stubbornly hold to the scriptures and obey his commandments. The stage is now set for the battle of Armageddon. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God's service.

As unlikely as it might sound today, the Bible foretells the time is coming when all of God's faithful people will be threatened with a universal death decree. Namaste sir. Okay sir. Hold up. And the dragon was enraged with the woman. And he went to make war with the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. As the faithful seek remote and desolate places to hide, the wicked fan out across the planet, relentlessly searching them out to capture and eventually exterminate the children of God. The lost have forever grieved away the spirit of God. And now fallen angels control them. Look over here. What are you guys doing, man? And at midnight a cry was heard, "Behold, the bridegroom is coming. At the darkest hour, the long awaited hope of the ages now becomes a reality. The commanding voice of God is heard saying, "It is done. The thundering voice shakes the heavens. Then there is a mighty earthquake unlike any earthquake mankind has ever experienced. The children of God witness their redeemer and his entire throne of angels coming to finally take them from home.

Behold, he is coming with clouds, and every eye will see him, even they who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. This is no secret rapture. As you might have heard, every person on planet Earth witnesses this spectacular event, and most are terrified by it. The wicked desperately flee into the rocks and the caves, trying in vain to hide themselves from the approaching holy King of Kings. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. A loud trumpet is heard, sounding from the heavens. And the mighty voice of the Savior calls to life the sleeping saints of all ages. Children separated from their parents by death and disease are now reunited. Their glorified bodies radiant and eternal, never to part again. Throughout the length and breadth of the earth, a great army of saints arise from their dusty beds. They now appear clothed with youthful, glorified, and immortal bodies. Without a trace of disease or deformity, they take flight to meet their savior in the air. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Then those who have lived through the time of trouble are also transformed with the world convulsing below them. The redeemed of the earth rise above the destruction. They're raptured up to join their savior among the clouds of angels. Sorrow, sin, and suffering are forever behind them. The veil that separates them from their Lord has forever been removed. And now they behold their God and his heavenly angels face to face. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming. During the second coming, chaos reigns on the planet. Amidst the hurricane of shrieking demons, the earthquakes, oceans boil, islands vanish, and the dark sky pummel the earth with gigantic hailstones. The remains of the wicked lie scattered across the face of the ravaged planet. For the first time since its creation, the earth is now completely devoid of all human life.

And at that day, the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented or gathered or buried. They shall become refues on the ground. Only Satan and his fallen angels are left to behold the results of their rebellion. Surrounded by the world they ruin, Satan and his angels find themselves bound on earth for a thousand years. They are imprisoned on this dark, desolate planet. Some Bible versions use the term bottomless pit to describe the earth during this time. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit and the great chain in his hand. He laid hold of Satan and bound him for a thousand years. Alone with his demons, Satan must simply wait and ponder his future punishment. On every side, they behold mangled cities and scorched forests and dry bones. All the terrible results of his war against heaven. Bound as it were in one vast bottomless pit with no one to tempt or manipulate, the devil is absolutely miserable. While Satan and his angels are left to contemplate their fate, the redeemed enjoy the unspeakable glories of heaven. Why isn't this crazy? I can't believe we're here. Eye has not seen or earheard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those that love him.

People experience the joys of reuniting with loved ones that were sadly separated during their trying times on earth. Even great enemies while on earth now see each other face to face with changed hearts and wonderful stories of conversion to share. Then he said to me, "Write, blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God." Now they sit at the great wedding banquet of the Lamb, the feast of the ages, where they will eat of the most exquisite delicacies provided by the true master chef, Jesus himself. A beautiful table with heavenly food is spread before them. Families and friends sit together for the first time since they've seen each other on the earth. Some separated by death now beam with joy at being forever reunited. However, the moment of greatest joy will be when the redeemed see their savior face to face.

Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Then the redeemed are led by their guardian angels to the beautiful mansions prepared for them by Jesus. Little by little, the angels will answer their many questions regarding their lives on earth. They will clearly see how every small decision and the earnest prayers of others had eternal consequences. The unseen spiritual battles that raged around them will finally be understood and how their influence has affected many lives. Then God in an act of ultimate disclosure invites them to participate as judges, opening before them all the records of the lost. The hidden thoughts of the lost are now vividly exposed. And the veil is pulled aside, revealing the spiritual battles that rage for every soul. Even the actions and motives of fallen angels are clearly seen. Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? The open and transparent character of God in this matter is remarkable. The records of the lost are carefully reviewed by fellow humans who know and understand the struggles of life on earth. All of the words and the deeds of the lost are weighed against the word of God. And ultimately the justice of their sentence is ratified.

And I saw thrones and they sat on them and judgment was committed to them and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. As time passes, the Savior of the world spends quality time with every person in heaven. All are satisfied that God has done all he could to save humanity. Finally, at the end of the thousand years, Jesus and the redeemed prepare to return to Earth. The time has come for Satan, his angels, and the lost to face the final consequences of their actions. Soon, the meek will inherit the earth. But Satan has not yet given up. The final phase of the battle of Armageddon is still to be fought. After this thousand-year Sabbath in heaven, Christ and the redeemed with the new Jerusalem now return to the earth. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

As the city draws near to the desolate planet, Jesus commands the wicked dead from all the ages to come forth from their dusty graves. The unsaved from every time and place now stand before God. The lost are resurrected with the same mortal bodies they possessed before their death. And in that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west, making a very large valley. As Jesus descends, his feet touch the Mount of Olives. A tremendous earthquake splits the mountain and transforms it into a great plain. Then the new Jerusalem, the massive city of God, descends from the heavens and its foundation comes to rest on the plane Jesus prepared for it. Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle. Amazingly, Satan manages to rally the wicked in a desperate attempt to capture the city of God by force. In their ranks are great generals and military men like Alexander the Great and Caesar and Napoleon. people from all ages who now apply their combined genius to prepare for what is expected to be an epic battle. The final phase in the battle of Armageddon. The Bible refers to this massive army as Gog and Magog, a symbolic name for the ancient enemies of God's people. The order is given by Satan to march against the city. A massive army such as was never summoned by any earthly ruler since war began now advances on the new Jerusalem. By this final act of rebellion, the lost reveal their hearts are unchanged. If possible, they would tear God from his throne and seize the holy city by force. Little do they realize that their feudal war is lost before it even begins. Judgment day has come.

They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. Suddenly, high above the city, the Lord appears on his glorious throne. All of the feeble war plans of the wicked are immediately arrested. Then I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and heavens fled away, and it was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened, and the dead were judged according to their works. As they cower before the glory of God, their lives pass before them. The lost are made painfully aware of every sinful act they've ever committed. They recalled every time they silenced their conscience, every time they turned from the pleading of the Holy Spirit. Some had gone to the graves believing they had successfully hidden their sins of murder, crime, and vice from all. They experienced firsthand the words of Jesus found in Luke 12. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed nor hidden that will not be made known. As a vivid panorama of their lives plays before them, each lost soul understands completely that they have by their own choice rejected salvation. Tragically, the peace and the happiness of those inside the city will never be theirs. The feeling of hopeless despair that sweeps over them is beyond words. The rebellious cannot deny God's justice in declaring them guilty. With one voice they cry out, "Just and true are thy ways, O King of saints." And falling prostrate, they worship the Prince of Life. But Satan's heart remains unchanged. In one last desperate effort, the devil tries to rally the wicked to make a final frenzied attack on God's kingdom. The countless millions that he has deceived no longer recognize his supremacy. In chaotic rage, they turn on the devil and each other. As the battle of Armageddon reaches its climax, without warning, fire and brimstone fall from the heavens. The earth breaks up and fire explodes from the molten caverns beneath. And as the inferno engulfs the wicked, the righteous remain safe and secure within the gates of the new Jerusalem. The devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. As fire purifies the earth, the wicked are all punished according to their deeds. There is no pleasure in the heart of God in their destruction. They were his creation, but they've chosen the wages of sin instead of the gift of eternal life. The penalty for sin is death. On the cross, Jesus suffered this final punishment on behalf of all who would embrace his sacrifice. But tragically, the lost have rejected this gift, and they must pay the awful price of sin for themselves. For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the souls of your feet.

The citizens of the universe lift their voices and praise God that Satan's reign of terror is forever ended. With the peace of the cosmos now eternally secure, God turns his attention towards the creation of a new heaven and a new earth.

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. After the earth is purified by fire, the Lord then takes up his wondrous work of recreation. With the redeemed watching in awe, the Savior resumes his work as creator. For no matter how wonderful you can imagine heaven to be, it will far surpass anything you can comprehend. A world without pain, sorrow, or death. Crafted with infinite love, beauty, and perfection. Land and water again tee with an abundance of life. Countless magnificent creatures of every kind peacefully explore their new paradise home. The invigorating atmosphere is pure and sweet. The earth becomes one grand showcase of creative brilliance. Every trace of sin and suffering has vanished. Never again will selfishness rule hearts. Never again will people attend funerals or witness violence or experience loneliness, sickness, or death.

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. No longer tied to a limited lifespan, the immortal children of God are now free to reach their highest ambitions. Look at that. Woo! Woo! Oh! The endless pursuit of knowledge invigorates and stimulates the mind. The redeemed are no longer confined to earth. They are now free to travel through the cosmos and explore the wonders of God's endless universe. Heaven is a place of perfect peace and harmony where love for God and others fills every heart. The security of the universe is complete. With the new Jerusalem as their capital, all created beings rejoice under the loving dominion of God. Those who've been rescued from the eternal destruction share a special bond with their creator that no other heavenly being can appreciate. While sin and sinners have forever been destroyed, One trace of the great rebellion still remains.

Jesus, what happened to your hand? It's the scars that Jesus received in pain for the salvation of the world. As day after blissful day of eternity passes, all sad and painful memories dissipate in the glory of heaven's brilliant splendor. Heat. Heat. The Bible promises that this coming kingdom can be your eternal home. It's real. But you must choose to freely accept it yourself. More than anything else, he wants you to live with him in this earth made new. Please choose to come to him today. It's a decision you will never regret. In fact, I'd like to invite you to pray with me now and ask him. Dear Lord, thank you for your incredible love and sacrifice for my sins. I believe you died and rose again to bring hope and eternal life. I ask you to guide my heart and to lead my life, drawing me closer to you each day. I accept you as my Lord and Savior and long to be ready for your soon return. Thank you for hearing my prayer and for the promise of your abundant grace. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat up here. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah, you