God's Awesome Purpose for Those in the First Resurrection
As spirit beings in God's family, those resurrected to immortality in the first resurrection will live and work at the highest possible level and environment. Jesus said, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3). We will spend eternity with God in His environment—the world of spirit and all power. We will not sit idle in our new life. We will be positively occupied. Jesus said, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working" (John 5:17).
When Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, those in the first resurrection will serve as judges (Revelation 20:4) and priests (verse 6) and will "reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:10). We will not go to heaven to live passively and idly.
Jesus will return to a world that has largely destroyed itself by living in opposition to the commands of its Creator. He will teach people to obey God's laws. He will begin a massive reeducation process to help people unlearn their old ways of doing things and for the first time learn to do things God's way.
Notice Isaiah's prophecy of this future rule of Jesus as Messiah and King over the earth: "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, 'Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord . . . He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
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Table of Contents that includes "God's Awesome Purpose for Those in the First Resurrection"
Redemption:
- _Just Outside My Window
- _"Who Is Worthy?"
- _Destination and Course Correction: Planned From the Outset
- _Sin and God's Law
- _Why Be Baptized?
- _Promises and Covenants: a Prophetic Legacy
- _The Passover
- _The Need for a Redeemer
- _Why We Need a Redeemer
- _What Is the Value of a Life?
- _Who Delivers Us From Sin?
- _Why Did He Have to Die?
- _Why Should Christians Keep the Passover?
- _Seven Reasons Why Jesus Was Born
- _The Enduring Importance of Christ's Sacrifice
- _One Gave All
- _What Does It Mean to Be Redeemed?
- _National Deliverance from Egyptian Slavery
- _The Redeemer
- _"Who Is Worthy?"
- _Till We Meet in That Better Kingdom
- _Day of Rain, Day of Sun
- _Rod of Iron": A User's Guide
- _War and Peace
- _A Return to Eden: When Hunger and Disease Disappear
- _What the World Tomorrow Will Be Like
- _The Good News of a World Set Free
- _An Evil Influence Removed
- _The Reign of a New Kingdom
- _How World Peace Will Come
- _Utopia: Fantasy or Future Reality?
- _'One of the Lucky Ones'
- _Planning for Life: Be Sure Your Career Path Fits God's Goals
- _The Feast of Prosperity
- _Jesus Christ's Unfinished Business
- _The Center of God's New Global Village
- _Heaven on Earth
- _Something for Jerusalem to Celebrate
- _What Will the Kingdom of God Mean for You?
- _Good Government: The Best Is Yet to Come
- _God's Plan for World Peace: A Sure Thing!
- _What Will Christ's Reign Be Like?
- _God's Plan to End Evil and Suffering
- _The World Beyond Today: What Lies in Store?
- _Change Is Coming: Five Ways Jesus Christ Will Change Government Forever
- _A Long Time From Now in a Galaxy Far, Far Away...
- _Millennium
- _A Day in the Kingdom of God
- _Real Life in the Millennium
- _The Law of God's Kingdom
- _Our "Rod of Iron": A User's Guide
- _The Wonderful World Beyond Today! Part 3, Refreshing News: God's Government Is Coming!
- _The Wonderful World Beyond Today! Part 5, The End of Hunger and Disease: Return to Eden
- _Day of Rain, Day of Sun
- _Seeing It With Your Own Eyes
- _Known But to God
- _The Rapture Is Wrong: The Saints Don't Rise to Run Away
- _Did Paul Expect to be conscious in Heaven Right After Dying?
- _Does the Bible Teach That We Have an Immortal Soul?
- _How Eternal Life Will Ultimately Be Offered to All
- _Does the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Men Prove Some Will Suffer in Hell?
- _The Promise of Life After Death
- _Everlasting Life Conquers Death
- _The Question of the Ages
- _When It Seems God Doesn't Hear or Answer
- _The Resurrections
- _The Feast of Trumpets: A Turning Point in History
- _What Is the Fate of Those Who Refuse to Repent?
- _Christ and Biblical Writers Compare Death to Sleep
- _Paul's Desire to 'Depart and Be With Christ'
- _The Resurrection Connection
- _It Is Appointed for Men to Die Once
- _Chapter 1: God's Great Purpose for All Mankind
- _How Baptism's Meaning and Method Are Related
- _Beyond the Millennium
- _The Book of Revelation: Is it Relevant Today?
- _The Apostles Teach the Same Gospel
- _Our Final Transformation
- _God's Promise of a New Era
- _God's Plan as Revealed by His Holy Days
- _What the Bible Says About Baptism
- _If a Man Die, Will He Live Again?
- _The Resurrections of the Dead
- _'Dust to Dust'
- _Why Will Christ Return?
- _Dorcas, a Faithful Disciple
- _Why Was Jesus Christ Resurrected?
- _The Quest for Immortality
- _The Resurrection: The Astounding Biblical Truth
- _Hope for Unbelieving Loved Ones
- _When I Die Will I Go to Heaven?
- _Letters From Our Readers - Sep/Oct 2001
- _Will God Forget the Dead?
- _Do Good People Really Go to Heaven When They Die?
- _Letters From Our Readers - May/Jun 2003
- _"All Those in the Tombs Will Hear His Voice'
- _Questions and Answers - Sep/Oct 2003
- _The Biblical Festivals That Show How God Will Bring World Peace
- _Are the Thousands Who Perished in the Tsunami Lost Forever?
- _A Message of Hope Following the Death of a Loved One
- _Questions and Answers - Nov/Dec 2005
- _Who Resurrected Jesus Christ?
- _The Resurrection of the Dead: What Does the Bible Really Teach?
- _Who Will Go to Hell?
- _A Holy Day Provides Comfort
- _When I Die, Will I Go to Heaven?
- _Everyone Will Have a Fair Chance!
- _Should Christians Fear Death?
- _Your Awesome Future
- _Jesus Christ's Resurrection: Leading the Way for Others
- _Describing the Indescribable
- _Known But to God
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