Wow! Our Wonderful End Times!
A Christopher Wright Sermon Summary
Let’s explain a few concepts regarding the end times. Some people focus too much on the millennium, a term that appears only in one passage[1] in Revelation, which is a book filled with symbolic imagery. Others focus on the rapture and Christians being snatched away[2]. Instead, our focus should be on Christ’s return. Furthermore, the New Testament has nothing on the Israel state. The Old Testament’s promises to the Israelites are fulfilled in Christ, not through any holy land[3]. Gentiles and Jews share the same inheritance in Christ[4].
In the end times, Christ will return personally[5]. All will see His glorious return[6], and the dead will be raised[7].
Christ will be the fair and merciful judge[8]. His judgments will last forever[9], with all wrongs exposed[10] and all wickedness destroyed[11]. His judgments will be based on what we know and our situations[12], according to our deeds and our lives[13]. We are justified through faith, and our deeds will show whether we lived in faith[14].
God will transform His creation into the new heaven and earth, with no more death, mourning, pain, impurity, strife, violence, war, or sin. Many will go to heaven, but earth is the final home. God will come down to be with us on earth[15]. We will openly see God’s face[16]. We will live with God in our gloriously resurrected bodies[17].
The corrupted physical creation will be cleansed of its curse. All people and animals will live peacefully together, praising and honoring God[18].
The new earth includes the city in Revelation, a secure, spacious, and beautiful place, like the garden of Eden, but with the tree of life always there for us.
People will bring into the city their glorious and honorable splendor, filling the city with their cultural richness, and we will enjoy the work of our hands there[19].
Until that day, we should faithfully do what He has told us to do, so we’ll be ready for the end times. Rest in our sovereign God, who will redeem us and put all things right again[20].
Also, let us thank God for giving us a new birth and a living hope through Christ’s death and resurrection[21]. Thank God for giving us a real life in His new creation.
Summarized from Chapters 9-11 of The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith by Christopher Wright.
1 - Revelation 20
2 - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and Matthew 24:40-41
3 - Hebrews 13:14, Acts 13:32-33, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Galatians 3:26-28, Romans 4:11-12
4 - Ephesians 2:11-3:6; Hebrews 3:12-4:11, 4:14, 8:1, 10:21, 13:10, 6:19-20, 10:19, 12:22, 12:28
5 - Acts 1:10-11, James 5:7-9; 1 John 2:28
6 - Matthew 24:27, 30; Revelation 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Titus 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:8
7 - Revelation 20:11-13, Philippians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 15:35-43, Matthew 22:23-33
8 - Revelation 5:6; John 5:22-23; Acts 10:42-43, 17:31; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Psalm 33:13-15, 103:14; Luke 23:34; 1 Timothy 1:13
9 - 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10
10 - John 5:25-29; Job 24:12, 23-24
11 - 2 Peter 3:10
12 - John 3:19-21; Romans 1:19-20, 2:12-16
13 - Revelation 20:12-13, 2 Corinthians 5:10
14 - Matthew 7:21-23
15 - Revelation 21-22; Isaiah 65:17, 25
16 - Revelation 21:3, 22:3-4
17 - Luke 24:37-39; John 21:4-13; Acts 2:24, 3:15, 13:29-30, Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2; Romans 8:11, 23
18 - Isaiah 65:25; Revelation 4:7, 5:13-14
19 - Revelation 21:24-27, Isaiah 65:21-23.
20 - Isaiah 52:7-10, Psalm 96:11-13
21 - 1 Peter 1:3
In the end times, Christ will return personally[5]. All will see His glorious return[6], and the dead will be raised[7].
Christ will be the fair and merciful judge[8]. His judgments will last forever[9], with all wrongs exposed[10] and all wickedness destroyed[11]. His judgments will be based on what we know and our situations[12], according to our deeds and our lives[13]. We are justified through faith, and our deeds will show whether we lived in faith[14].
God will transform His creation into the new heaven and earth, with no more death, mourning, pain, impurity, strife, violence, war, or sin. Many will go to heaven, but earth is the final home. God will come down to be with us on earth[15]. We will openly see God’s face[16]. We will live with God in our gloriously resurrected bodies[17].
The corrupted physical creation will be cleansed of its curse. All people and animals will live peacefully together, praising and honoring God[18].
The new earth includes the city in Revelation, a secure, spacious, and beautiful place, like the garden of Eden, but with the tree of life always there for us.
People will bring into the city their glorious and honorable splendor, filling the city with their cultural richness, and we will enjoy the work of our hands there[19].
Until that day, we should faithfully do what He has told us to do, so we’ll be ready for the end times. Rest in our sovereign God, who will redeem us and put all things right again[20].
Also, let us thank God for giving us a new birth and a living hope through Christ’s death and resurrection[21]. Thank God for giving us a real life in His new creation.
Summarized from Chapters 9-11 of The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith by Christopher Wright.
1 - Revelation 20
2 - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 and Matthew 24:40-41
3 - Hebrews 13:14, Acts 13:32-33, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Galatians 3:26-28, Romans 4:11-12
4 - Ephesians 2:11-3:6; Hebrews 3:12-4:11, 4:14, 8:1, 10:21, 13:10, 6:19-20, 10:19, 12:22, 12:28
5 - Acts 1:10-11, James 5:7-9; 1 John 2:28
6 - Matthew 24:27, 30; Revelation 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Titus 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:8
7 - Revelation 20:11-13, Philippians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 15:35-43, Matthew 22:23-33
8 - Revelation 5:6; John 5:22-23; Acts 10:42-43, 17:31; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Psalm 33:13-15, 103:14; Luke 23:34; 1 Timothy 1:13
9 - 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10
10 - John 5:25-29; Job 24:12, 23-24
11 - 2 Peter 3:10
12 - John 3:19-21; Romans 1:19-20, 2:12-16
13 - Revelation 20:12-13, 2 Corinthians 5:10
14 - Matthew 7:21-23
15 - Revelation 21-22; Isaiah 65:17, 25
16 - Revelation 21:3, 22:3-4
17 - Luke 24:37-39; John 21:4-13; Acts 2:24, 3:15, 13:29-30, Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2; Romans 8:11, 23
18 - Isaiah 65:25; Revelation 4:7, 5:13-14
19 - Revelation 21:24-27, Isaiah 65:21-23.
20 - Isaiah 52:7-10, Psalm 96:11-13
21 - 1 Peter 1:3