The Good News!

Introduction

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” Revelation 21:7

This promise is found in the last two chapters of the last book of the Bible. What does it mean to “inherit all things“? We can get an idea by comparing the first two chapters of the Bible with the last two. When you do this, you’ll notice something fascinating.

In the first two chapters (Genesis 1-2), God created the heavens and the earth and everything that is in them. To crown His creation, God made Adam and Eve and placed them in the middle of a beautiful and perfect Paradise – the Garden of Eden. There were rivers of water, an abundance of plant and animal life, and in the center was the Tree of Life. Eating the fruit from the Tree of Life enabled people to live forever.

Now skip to the end. In the last two chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21-22), God renews the heavens and the earth. This means He will restore this old, damaged world and make it “new” again. And He will place renewed people in this renewed creation. This renewed creation will be a beautiful and perfect Paradise. There will be rivers of water and in the center of it there will be the Tree of life. Eating the fruit of the Tree of Life will enable people to live forever.

That is the Good News. The entire story of the Bible is the story of how God is in the process of redeeming His creation and His people. To “redeem” something (or someone) means to bring it back from a miserable state of bondage and ruin into which it has fallen and to restore it to its original, rightful, intended condition. The Bible ends up where it began, with the restoration of all things. This is God’s Master Plan of the Ages.

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.” Revelation 21:5

In between the first two and the last two chapters of the Bible is the saga of how God’s original creation has become ruined and corrupted by sin. So it turns out that the “Good” News includes a lot of “Bad” News. But that’s OK. You’ve already looked around you and you know there is a lot of bad news. The world is full of chaos, misery, suffering, and death. And if you have looked honestly at yourself, you must also realize that there is something wrong with you too. The Bible is, in fact, the only book that explains how things got this way. It explains how God’s creation went wrong but also how it will be restored. It contains many promises such as the one we read in Revelation 21:7.

Did you notice that this promise is conditional? It is not for everyone. Notice that it says, “he who overcomes shall inherit all things.” What does it mean to “overcome”? I am going to explain that also. And lest there be any doubt that this is not for everyone, the very next verse says this…

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.“

God is indeed in the process of redeeming and restoring His creation. But part of that process is going to be the removing out of creation of all those who refuse to allow Him to do the work of restoration in their personal lives. Those who choose their own path and reject God’s path will not be part of His new creation.

To get a better understanding of this, let’s go back to Genesis again.

From Creation to the Flood

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day…
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.  Genesis 1

In Genesis 1-2 we have the account of God’s six days of creation. We learn that everything God made was “very good,” that is, it was perfect and pristine. There was no fault, no evil, no pain, no suffering, and no death. We also learn that God made it for man. He made it to give it to us to enjoy and tend. His purpose was to fellowship in it with those whom He had created. This is confirmed in Psalms 8 and 115.

6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas. Psalm 8

 16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men. Psalm 115

This was God’s purpose. He placed Adam and Eve in the beautiful Garden of Eden where He could fellowship with them. And He gave them one command.

 15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2

 Adam and Eve were permitted to eat from every other tree, including the Tree of Life. A very short time later, the Devil came along in the form of a serpent and tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. He told her that there was secret knowledge that God was withholding, that would enable them to become just like God.

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3

Adam and Eve believed the Lie, ate the forbidden tree, and thus fell from their condition of innocence. Believing the Devil’s lies always leads to ruin and death. Jesus called Satan the “thief” who “comes to steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10). The result of this first sin was that God cursed the ground because of Adam.

17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:

“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3

This means that the physical world changed. It now became subject to suffering and pain. God also cut off their access to the Tree of Life, meaning Adam and Eve would grow old and die. This sentence of death was passed on to their children.

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5

The remainder of the Book of Genesis records the sad story of sin and death. All of the genealogies in Genesis 5 end with the words, “and he died.” Within a few chapters we read that the wickedness of man had increased to such an extent that God was sorry He had made man.

5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6

Genesis 6-9 records the story of the Great Flood. This was God’s verdict against a world that had universally rejected Him and was beyond repair. It is also a foreshadowing of the Great Day of Judgment that is yet to come. More about that later. The Book of Genesis ends with these words,

26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. Genesis 50

What began as a story of Life became a story of Death because of sin. Death is the result and reward of rebellion against God.

14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. James 1

In the next section, we will see God begin to unfold His plan of Redemption.

God’s Covenant With Abraham and His Seed

God begins to unfold a plan of Redemption with the man Abram. The name Abram means “exalted father.” Later God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of a multitude.”

“Redemption” means “to buy something back,” or “to restore something.” Redemption is God’s Master Plan of the Ages to restore what was lost in the Fall of Adam and Eve. God’s plan is not merely to rescue us from death, but to restore everything that has been lost and ruined back to the way it was originally intended.

1 Now the Lord had said to Abram:
“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed…”
7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your [Seed] I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. Genesis 12

Note: I have inserted the word “Seed” in place of “descendants” in Verse 7. The Old King James Version has the word “Seed.” The NKJV and most newer versions have “descendants” or something similar. The NKJV has “Seed” as an alternate reading in the marginal note. The Hebrew word is “zerah.” It means “seed” and is singular, not plural. This is actually an extremely important point. Paul argues in Galatians 3:16 that the “Seed” to whom this promise was made is singular and refers to Jesus Christ. I have inserted the word “Seed” throughout these passages everywhere the Hebrew has this singular word “Seed.”

In Verse 7, God promised to give the Land (the earth), to Abraham and to his “Seed.” This promise is repeated seven times to Abraham. It is repeated again to Abraham’s son Isaac, and to his grandson, Jacob. It was repeated once to Isaac and three times to Jacob for a total of eleven times that God made this promise. Here are a few of these.

14 And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your Seed forever. Genesis 13

Notice that there are two parties to whom this promise was made. The Land was promised to Abraham and to his Seed. Notice also that God promised to give it to Abraham and to his Seed “forever” as an “everlasting inheritance” or an “eternal possession.”

18 On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your Seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates.” Genesis 15

7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your Seed after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your Seed after you. 8 Also I give to you and your Seed after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” Genesis 17

In Genesis 28, Isaac (Abraham’s son) blessed Jacob (Abraham’s grandson). In this blessing, he passed along the promise that God had given to Abraham, and he also gave a special name to this promise.

3 “May God Almighty bless you,
And make you fruitful and multiply you,
That you may be an assembly of peoples;
4 And give you the Blessing of Abraham,
To you and your descendants with you,
That you may inherit the land
In which you are a stranger,
Which God gave to Abraham.” Genesis 28

You may be wondering why this history in Genesis is important? In Galatians 3, the Apostle Paul explained that the promise God made to Abraham is actually, the Gospel.

8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” Galatians 3

Obviously, this is not the whole Gospel. The Gospel – God’s Plan of Redemption – was revealed gradually over time. This was the first part of the Gospel message, and it is just as important today as ever and it is just as important as all the other parts of the Gospel.

You might be amazed to learn that during his lifetime, Abraham never received this promise. This is stated in Acts 7:5.

 4 Then he [Abraham] came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. 5 And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him. Acts 7

This would seem to be a mystery, but the answer is simple. Abraham, and his Seed (Christ) will receive the promise in the resurrection as an everlasting inheritance. Abraham grew old and died. If God had given him the land while he was still alive, how could it be an “everlasting” possession? The promise to Abraham had to wait until the resurrection when Abraham will never die again. This is what the Bible means by “eternal life” and it always has to do with the resurrection and the inheritance.

We are now ready to learn that all those who belong to Christ (believers) are fellow heirs of the inheritance with Abraham and with Christ. This means that we, too, will have an eternal possession of part of the earth. Here are a few passages that talk about this.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the Lord,
They shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
But it shall be no more.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
18 The Lord knows the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish;
And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.
27 Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell forevermore.
28 For the Lord loves justice,
And does not forsake His saints;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land,
And dwell in it forever.
34 Wait on the Lord,
And keep His way,
And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. Psalm 37

29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3

The “promise” in Galatians 3:29 is God’s promise to Abraham. So now we can see that God’s Promise to Abraham is extremely important to us. It is the first part of the Gospel.

The Law and the Justice of God

So far, we have seen that God created the world perfect. He placed human beings in it and intended to give it to them to enjoy forever. But sin entered and brought death. God began to reveal a plan of Redemption, and this plan started with a man named Abraham. God made a promise to him to give him a portion of the earth as his eternal possession (inheritance). But something else had to happen first before God could keep His promise. There is still sin, death, and a curse on the earth. All this had to be dealt with. Let’s see how God’s plan continues to unfold.

Abraham’s grandson (Jacob) had twelve sons. One of these was Joseph, and because Jacob loved him more than his brothers, they became jealous. One day they attacked him and sold him as a slave to some passing traders. Joseph was taken as a slave to Egypt. But even this tragic event was part of God’s plan. A famine was coming and God used Joseph to preserve many people from starvation, including Joseph’s own brothers.

During the next 210 years, Abraham’s descendents (the Hebrews) in Egypt multiplied. They became so numerous that the Egyptians began to fear them. So the Egyptians made the Hebrews slaves and oppressed them greatly. Eventually, God raised up the man Moses to be a deliverer and to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt, back to the Land that God had promised to give Abraham.

Beginning with the story of the Exodus from Egypt, God has revealed Himself to the Hebrew people as a merciful, powerful, faithful, and just God. His mercy is displayed in delivering them from bondage. His power is displayed in the miracles He performed in the plagues on Egypt and the miracles He performed in the wilderness. His faithfulness is displayed in His provision in the wilderness (the manna, the water from the rock, and in many other ways) and in His remembering the promise He made to Abraham hundreds of years before. His justice is displayed in the righteous laws He gave them at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-20).

God told the Israelites that if they kept His Law, He would allow them to live in the Promised Land, and He would bless them there, but that if they disobeyed His law, He will kick them out of the Land.

23 ‘The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me. Leviticus 25

Notice that God says they did not own the Land. The Land is His. It belongs to Him. God gave the Israelites a temporary lease on the Land as long as they were obedient. They were strangers and sojourners in it and could be evicted at any time.

1 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God…8 “The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 28

15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you… 62 You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God. 63 And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess. Deuteronomy 28

19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30

 This is very different than what God promised to Abraham. God made an unconditional promise to Abraham to give him the Land. Now He is making a contingent promise to Abraham’s descendants to allow them to inhabit the Land only as long as they continue to obey Him diligently. So, there are two covenants. The first one, given to Abraham, is the eternal inheritance of the Land by promise. And we read that “And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). The second, to the Israelites through Moses, is the temporary possession of the Land by keeping the Law.

In the course of Israel’s history, we see that they were never able to obey the Law, and just as He had warned, God kicked them out of the Land. The reason God did all this was to show the Israelites, and us, that we can never receive the Promise of the Inheritance by keeping the Law, by our own righteous deeds. If we are ever to receive the Inheritance, it must be by some other way. The Law brings the knowledge of sin, but it cannot give us righteousness. This does not mean the Law is defective; it means we are defective. Consequently, the Law drives us to Christ Jesus by showing us how sinful we are and how we need a Savior.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin… 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3

In Romans 4 and Galatians 3, Paul writes about these two Covenants. He explains that God’s promise to Abraham could not be fulfilled by keeping the Law (the Mosaic Covenant). The Law brings wrath because we cannot keep it. So the promise can only be fulfilled through faith (the Abrahamic Covenant). Here is how Paul explains it.

13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his Seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”). Romans 4

 6 …Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham… 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. 19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made… 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3

By giving the Israelites His Law and letting them live in the Promised Land only if they were able to keep the Law, God showed them (and us) that it is only by His mercy and grace that we can ever hope to receive the Promise. We can never be good enough, or obedient enough, to earn God’s favor or receive the Promise of eternal life.

God’s Covenant With David

So far, we have seen that God created the world perfect and intended to give it to man. Sin entered bringing death. God made a promise to Abraham of an eternal inheritance of the Land. God then brought the Israelites into the Land and made a covenant with them to give them the Land if they would keep His Law. They could never do this. So the purpose of the Law was to reveal sin and to lead us to Christ.

During the time that the Israelites were living in the Land, God made another very important promise, this time to a Shepherd King named David.

3 “I have made a covenant with My chosen,
I have sworn to My servant David:
4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever,
And build up your throne to all generations.’”
34 My covenant I will not break,
Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
35 Once I have sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David:
36 His seed shall endure forever,
And his throne as the sun before Me;
37 It shall be established forever like the moon,
Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Psalm 89

 11 The Lord has sworn in truth to David;
He will not turn from it:
“I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body…
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;
He has desired it for His dwelling place:
14 “This is My resting place forever;
Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 I will abundantly bless her provision;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation,
And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
17 There I will make the horn of David grow;
I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed.
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame,
But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.” Psalm 132

Earlier we talked about two different kinds of covenants. This covenant with David is like the Abrahamic Covenant. It is unconditional. It does not depend on David’s faithfulness. It depends only on God’s faithfulness. This promise that God made to David was that one of David’s descendants (“the fruit of your body”) would be the Messiah (“Anointed”) who would sit on David’s throne forever in Zion (Jerusalem).

Note: The word “Messiah” is a Hebrew word that means “Anointed King of Israel.” All of Israel’s kings were “anointed” with oil, usually by a prophet. So the term “anointed one” or “Messiah” came to mean the king of Israel. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek, the Greek word for “Messiah” was “Christos” or “Christ.” So the word “Christ” means the very same thing, “anointed king of Israel.” “Christ” is not Jesus’ name, it is His title. When we say, “Jesus Christ,” or “Jesus the Christ,” we are calling Him the King of Israel.

Here is another prophecy about this coming Messiah.

 1 Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King
On My holy hill of Zion.”
7 “I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
12  Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When His wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. Psalm 2

This Psalm is quoted many times in the New Testament and applied to Jesus Christ. It tells us that the Messiah will be the only begotten Son of God. It also tells us that the kings and rulers of the world will be hostile to Him, but in the end, He will destroy them. It also tells us that when He returns to sit on His throne in Zion, He will receive “the ends of the earth” as His possession. That means the whole earth fill be part of His Kingdom. Let’s look at another prophecy of this Messiah.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16

 This Psalm is also quoted in the New Testament and applied to Jesus. It tells us that He would be resurrected from the dead. Let’s look at another one.

1 The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
2 The Lord shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies! Psalm 110

This Psalm tells us that there will be a period of time when the Messiah would sit at the right hand of God waiting for His kingdom to be established. That time is right now. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended up into Heaven to sit at God’s right hand. He is there now waiting for His Kingdom when He will reign over His enemies in Zion. Let’s look at one more.

6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9

 This is a passage that is often quoted at Christmas time. But it is not talking about Jesus’ first coming. It is talking about His second coming to reign as King on David’s throne. In the next section, we will have a lot more to say about Jesus the Messiah.

Jesus

The first verse in the New Testament is an amazing statement, and we often don’t realize how important it is.

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. Matthew 1

This is one of the most profound verses in the whole Bible. The reason the New Testament begins this way is to announce that Jesus is the fulfillment of the covenants God made with Abraham and with David. Jesus is the “Seed” of Abraham, and He is the Messiah, the Son of David, who will sit on David’s throne for ever and ever. This Verse connects the Old and New Testament together.

Many Christians think this is not very important to us today. They think this is ancient history that only concerns the Jews. They think that God is doing something completely different today with the church. That is a mistake. Look at this conversation Jesus had with His disciples.

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”
14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16

The “rock” on which Jesus said He would build His church is the confession that Peter had just made, that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Remember that “Christ” means Messiah, the anointed King of Israel.

The name “Peter” is Petros in Greek. It means a small stone or pebble. The word Jesus used for “Rock” is Petra in Greek. It means a massive stone, like a mountain. Jesus was using a play on words. He was saying, “I say to you that you are Peter (a little pebble), and on this rock (this massive mountain) I will build my church.” The massive mountain is the truth that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of the living God.

This truth was constantly emphasized when the Apostles preached the Gospel. Let’s read part of the very first Gospel sermon ever preached by any of the Apostles. It is found in Acts 2. Because this is the first Gospel sermon, it is very important. It is the “golden standard” of Gospel sermons.

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him:
‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life;
You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself:
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2

Did you notice that Peter quoted many of these prophecies that we have been studying? He was explaining to the Jewish people who Jesus is. He is the Son of Abraham. He is the Son of David. He is the Messiah. And He is also the Son of God. He is both Lord and Christ (Messiah).

The Apostle John wrote this about Jesus as the Son of God.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it… 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1

 This tells us that Jesus is not just a man. He is the Son of God and the Creator who became a man as part of God’s Master Plan of Redemption. The Apostle Paul wrote this about Jesus.

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. Colossians 1

This tells us that Jesus is the Creator of everything (“all things were created through Him”). This means everything on earth and in heaven, including all the things you can see and all the things you can’t see. He is even the Creator of angels and He is before everything else. It also tells us that “all things were created for Him.” This means everything will belong to Him in His Kingdom.

There is so much more to say about who Jesus is and what He has done. The prophecies in the Old Testament speak of the Messiah as a suffering Servant who would be the Lamb who would bear our sins in a sacrificial death. For this reason, when John the Baptist first announced Him, he called Him, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29-37). Here is one of those prophecies.

3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53

This is describing Jesus’ death on the cross in our place. He was punished by God, in our place, for our sins. This was God’s Plan of Redemption to remove, or cover, the guilt of our sin. And in fact, it is the ONLY way we can be forgiven and brought back to God.

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14

Three days after His death, Jesus rose from the dead. Forty days later, He ascended into Heaven to sit down at the right hand of God, waiting for the time that He will return and sit on His throne in His kingdom.

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15

When He returns, everyone will know who He really is and every knee will bow before Him. How much better is it to learn who He is now, and to worship Him today?

8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11

Become a Follower of Jesus

We have learned a great deal about God’s Plan of Redemption. We have learned about His Covenants with Abraham and David. We have seen that the Promise can never come as a result of keeping the Law; the Promise can only come as a result of God’s mercy on the basis of faith. We have seen that Jesus fulfills of these Covenants. He is the Seed of Abraham and the Son of David. Now let’s talk about becoming a follower of Jesus.

Let’s start by continuing where we left off in Peter’s sermon in Acts 2.

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2

Peter told the people that they must “repent.” To repent means to turn away from sin. It means I am choosing Jesus to be my Lord and Master rather than following my own selfish will, my desires, and my opinions. It means I am no longer trusting in anything other than God’s promise of forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

In the New Testament, people were always baptized (immersed in water) as soon as they repented and believed the good news about Jesus. They never waited (Acts 2:41; 8:12, 26-40; 16:31-33; 18:8; 22:16). This is God’s appointed way for confessing our faith in Jesus (Romans 10:9-10) and becoming His disciples (followers).

They didn’t do this because they thought the water had some magical power to get rid of sin. They did this because this is what Jesus commanded them to do (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16). Baptism in water is an act of faith. It is obeying the Gospel.

Remember that the Gospel means the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Baptism is the perfect picture of the Gospel. Going down into the water (being immersed) is a symbol (picture) of dying and being buried. When we are baptized, we are saying that we are turning away from sin and from ourselves. We are dying to self. We now have a new Master – Jesus. This is what repentance means and this is why baptism is called, “the baptism of repentance” (Mark 1:3). Paul explains this symbol in Romans 6.

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.  Romans 6

Just as being immersed in the water is a picture of death and burial, coming up out of the water is a picture of the resurrection (coming out of the grave). Obeying the Gospel in this way is a declaration of our faith in the promise of the resurrection. This means that just like Jesus was resurrection from the grave, we have the promise that we too will be resurrected just like Jesus.

What God is looking for is not just a ritual, but a change of heart (repentance) and faith (trust) in His promise to forgive our sins. Baptism is the symbol God gave us that pictures repentance and faith.

In Acts 2, Peter told the people listening to him that God promised two things. The first was to forgive their sins. The second was to give them the Gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside us and to help us walk with God. The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit living within us is st” guarantee of the inheritance until the resurrection.

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1

This means that as Christians (baptized believers, followers of Jesus), we are now heirs with Jesus of the Promise made to Abraham and to his “Seed.”

 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3

Remember, “the blessing of Abraham” is the special name Isaac called the promise God made to Abraham and to his “Seed.” Through faith in Christ, we are now heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. This is also part of what is symbolized in baptism.

 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3

The “promise” in Verse 29, is the promise to Abraham of an everlasting inheritance of the earth. This promise is now to US because we are IN CHRIST, the Seed of Abraham. And the Holy Spirit living inside us is the guarantee until the time for the redemption of the purchased possession (when Jesus receives the Kingdom). At that time, we will inherit all things with Jesus.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8

Continue on the Path of Life

 Becoming a disciple (follower) of Jesus is just the beginning. It is the gate. Jesus described the Christian life as a gate and a path. And He told us that this path is difficult.

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7

After you become of follower of Jesus, you must continually walk with God with the same kind of faith that Abraham had. If we continue in our faith and trust in God until the end of our lives, then we will receive the inheritance.

If you are a Christian, the Bible says you have been “grafted in” to the promises God made to Abraham. Many of the Jewish people did not believe in Jesus and along with the Gentiles, they crucified Him. The Bible says that this unbelief caused these Jews to be “cut off” from God’s promises. Gentiles who DO believe in Him are now “grafted in” to God’s promises. And we are warned many times to continue in the faith. Here is how the Apostle Paul says it.

19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. Romans 11

 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. Colossians 1

11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6

And here is how the Apostle John says it.

24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. 1 John 2

Why did Jesus say that this path is difficult? Why is it difficult to continue in the faith? Even though Abraham was living in the very Land God promised to give him, he never received it as his possession. He lived in it as a stranger. In the same way, even though we are living in the earth, and God has promised us that we will inherit it (Matthew 5:5), we are not part of the world’s system. We are strangers in this world. Our citizenship is in heaven and we are waiting for our King to return from Heaven. In the meantime, we are here to be Christ’s representatives and to tell people the good news about Jesus. Most of them will not believe the Gospel, and many of them will hate us for the same reasons they hated Jesus. God calls us to love them anyway.

20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. John 15

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16

If we think about how difficult the path is living here in the world, we might be tempted to get discouraged. But if we remember that Jesus has overcome the world and is coming again, then it gives us Hope and strength to continue on the path. Continuing in the faith until the end is what the Bible means by “overcome.” I will say more about that in the next section.

The Age to Come (the Hereafter)

Earlier, we learned that “Redemption” means “to buy back” or “to restore.” God’s Plan of Redemption is to restore things to the way they were supposed to be, including God’s created world. This will happen when Jesus returns. The Bible calls the age to come, “the Restoration of All Things” (Acts 3:21). The curse that was pronounced after Adam and Eve sinned will be removed. The earth will be restored like it was in the Garden of Eden. There will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor pain. God will dwell among us in this restored and renewed Heaven and Earth. This brings us back to where we started in Genesis. God’s Plan will then be finished, and all will have been restored.

These promises are only for Christ’s followers. Those who have rejected Him will not enter His kingdom. They will be judged, will be cut off from the earth, and will die.

There are many passages in the Bible that talk about this and they are very simple to understand; so, rather than spend a lot of time on explanation, let’s just read a few of them. Remember, this is our Hope.  These are the promises that we are waiting for. Hide these promises in your heart and learn to set your heart and mind on them. Meditate on them. Earnestly desire them.

1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. [This is talking about Jesus]
2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
3 His delight is in the fear of the Lord,
And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11

 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.
7 The parched ground shall become a pool,
And the thirsty land springs of water;
In the habitation of jackals, where each lay,
There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isaiah 35

 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’” Ezekiel 37

44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Daniel 2

27 Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ Daniel 7

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” 37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Matthew 13

27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” 28 So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. Matthew 19

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14

19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3

 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Romans 8

Romans 8:25 is captures this point perfectly. The reason for learning these truths and understanding these promises is that having this hope gives us the courage to persevere (continue) in our faith until the end. Enter through the gate. Obey the Gospel. Continue on the narrow path. In this way, become an heir of the promises.