Only God has seen or known all of the atrocities in this world that have been caused by sin. From the murder of Abel to the countless millions of aborted babies, how many people have died from all of the killings and wars that have taken place on this earth? How deafening must be the voices of their blood that cries out to Him? Only God has seen all the dark and evil deeds of those who torture, rape, steal, and destroy. How much misery, how much pain, how much destruction has been the result of sin? Only God knows, and only God will one day bring all men into account for their sins. We ourselves see the fruit of sin everyday in our own lives; we see the results of people lying, deceiving, humiliating, persecuting, extorting, and discriminating against others. We see the fruits of fornication, adultery, and divorce—the countless children living in broken homes, in foster homes, or in orphanages, without a father, mother, or both. We see the pain and anger of many of these children as they grow up without love, discipline, or the nurture of one parent or the other. We see the fruit of sin everyday in the faces of the people we live with or encounter; the hurt and emotional pain that we all live with because of all the unkind, unloving, uncaring, and cruel acts or words of others. This paradise that God created, has, for most of mankind, become a hell on earth. Like Job, we cry out, ‘Why was I born?’ ‘Why did I not die in infancy? ‘Why have I lived to see such miseries?’

Gen 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Job 3:1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.
2 And Job spake, and said,
3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.
4 Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.
5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.
6 As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.
7 Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.
8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.
9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:
10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

There is no doubt that God has allowed sin, and rebellion against Him to have their day. He has allowed Satan’s kingdom of darkness to flourish on this earth. He has allowed man to rebel against Him, to live his life apart from God, and even to deny the Creator God. He has given Satan and fallen man every chance to create their own world system, apart from His will, and it has failed. Though sin’s reign is not yet over, “the writing is on the wall”[1]; and the Book of Revelation clearly foretells its end. Apart from God’s intervention in the last hours of the coming final tribulation, man would completely destroy himself and the earth through his sin.

Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

Luke 22:53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Psa 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine 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 bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

Matt 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

God’s purpose however, in allowing this evil, has been to forever answer all the challenges to His sovereign and rightful rule over His creation. By allowing the fruits of sin to be fully manifested, the questions of sin will be forever settled. That, in spite of the allurement, and the pleasures that sin derives, its end result is suffering and death. That, in spite of the fact that there are “alternatives” to God’s righteous will and sovereign authority, sin and rebellion should, and must be forever banished. To answer these challenges God created a world in which His creatures had complete freedom to love and serve Him, or to disobey and reject His authority; He created a world in which His creatures had complete access to all knowledge, even concerning good and evil. God withheld nothing that could be considered a hindrance or a means to control His creature’s ability to freely choose. God can never be charged with withholding anything that would alter His creature’s decisions to love and serve Him freely.

Gen 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Josh 24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Furthermore, God created an organism, called the Church, made up of members, though once sinners, yet now were freed from that bondage; creatures who, though they could still choose to sin, now have a heart to reject sin and serve God. “By the church,” it will be shown, that even when creatures have an ability to sin, and are still tempted to sin, yet when freed from the tyrannical rule of sin, their desire is to obey God; and to obey Him without either fear or reward. In the Book of Job, Satan asked a very compelling question concerning Job’s loyalty to God—“Doth Job fear God for nought?” One of the questions that will be answered “by the church” will be, ‘Do any of God’s creatures serve Him without fear for not doing so, or without reward for doing so?’  “By the church”, the answer will be yes; there are creatures, who having all knowledge and complete freedom, will serve God “for nought.” Those who choose to obey God soon learn that righteousness is its own reward. Just as God, who can do anything He desires, yet He chooses to be holy; so those who come to experience holiness want to be holy in all that they are and do.

Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

1 Pet 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Now that we see how God has, and will answer the questions concerning sin and rebellion, what is going to be the final stages of His plan that will forever end sins dominion? The first step, in what we call the end time events, is the completion of the Body of Christ, or the end of the Church Age. When the last saint, who has been predestined to become a part of this organism, has been brought to Christ, then Jesus will “come again” to gather His bride and return with them to heaven. This is the “blessed hope” of the church—“the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” for His saints. At His return, “in the air,” He will bring with Him the souls of all the saints who are in heaven, and they will be reunited with their bodies that will be resurrected from the dead. Those members of His church, who are yet alive when He comes, “shall be changed”; and all His bride will be clothed with their incorruptible bodies fashioned “like unto his glorious body.”

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

1 The 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Cor 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Phil 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

In heaven, the church will appear before “the judgment seat of Christ”—not to determine if they are saved, but to be judged for those works that have, or have not been done for the Master. Here, there will be both rewards given, and for those who failed the grace of God, rewards will be forfeited. Here also will be the final cleansing of our souls; here will be answered all the questions and conflicts which we have had between ourselves and our Lord; here we will be brought to see the infinite love and wisdom that God has shown toward us—in spite of the difficulties that we have been made to endure upon this earth. Then, after the church “hath made herself ready” by the final transformation of their souls, they will be presented as a “chaste virgin” unto Christ, and join with Him in “the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

2 Cor 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

2 Cor 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ

However, when the church is taken up into heaven, which is the event called the rapture, this also marks the beginning of the seven year tribulation period foretold by Daniel the prophet[2]. Jesus referred to this time as the “great tribulation”; because in spite of all the horrors this world has already seen, this period of time will be the worst. It will be a time marked by apostasy—the turning away from the truth by the masses of humanity; and a time when evil will run rampant upon this earth. At this time God will remove all restraints upon the evil desires of men; because both the true church will be gone and God’s Spirit will “be taken out of the way.” This period will also see the rise of “the Anti-Christ,” also called the “man of sin,” and “the son of perdition.” Just as Jesus is God in the flesh, so this man will be Satan in the flesh; because his “coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” Through his deceitfulness he will cause almost the entire world to believe his lies. Most of those remaining on this earth will reject the true God, and will worship this devil-man and his father Satan. At this time Satan’s power and rule over fallen man will be at its zenith; sin and darkness will have reached their fullest potential, as Lucifer is worshipped. However, among those who are still remaining on this earth, there will be a great multitude of both Jews and Gentiles that will come to believe in Christ. They will be known as the tribulation saints, and most of them will be martyred for their faith. Although they are not a part of the church, they will enjoy the blessings of Christ’s eternal kingdom, as will all the Old Testament saints.

Isa 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

Matt 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

2 The 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.  (The Holy Spirit)
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

This tribulation period will also show the final results of sin and rebellion against God.  The Bible declares that “the wages of sin is death,” and as a result of the calamities and wars of this time, fully one-fourth of the worlds population will die horribly. Man cannot ignore, or violate the natural and spiritual laws of God’s universe without suffering the consequences. The law of sowing and reaping applies to everything we do; and mankind has “sown the wind,” and is about to “reap the whirlwind” of destruction. Man has attempted to live his life without any regard for the will of God, even though God has faithfully sought after man. Now, in this time, when evil will know no bounds, mankind will be left without God’s mercies. Men will “call upon (God), but (He) will not answer; they shall seek (God) early, but they shall not find (Him).” Since man has sought to live without God, and even denied the existence of the Creator God, God will allow him to experience what he wants.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Hos 8:7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

Num 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Prov 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

Prov 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

During the last half of the Tribulation Period, along with the natural catastrophes that are taking place, God will pour out His wrath against the ungodliness of man. In this period of time the Anti-Christ will have come into full power; the world will worship him, and look to him to deliver them from the calamities that have come upon them. At this time he will have set himself up to be as god, and he will begin to destroy all worship of the true God, including the killing of all those who profess faith in Christ. However, while he is murdering the tribulation saints, God, in answer to their cries, will intervene upon this world with His own terrible judgments. 

Isa 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.
3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

The next event after the tribulation period, on God’s end time calendar, is the return of Jesus Christ and His saints to this earth; this is followed by His millennial rule—a one-thousand year reign. Just as mankind is about to destroy itself, Jesus will return as the glorious “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” He will defeat the armies of the Anti-Christ as they are about to annihilate the people of Israel; and He will set up His kingdom upon this earth. Satan himself will be cast “into the bottomless pit,” “that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled.” Christ and His saints will then rule the earth “with a rod of iron”—meaning that sin and rebellion will not be tolerated; and any disobedience to Christ’s rule will be dealt with by extreme measures. During this time the earth will again be at peace, as God’s blessings return upon it and the curse is lifted. For one-thousand years mankind will once again enjoy the paradise that Adam lost. What this period of time will show, is that mankind’s only hope is to allow God to be his Sovereign Ruler, and that only God can effectively deal with sin. Satan failed to accomplish his purpose to “be like the Most High”; men have failed to accomplish their purpose to “be as gods”; but Christ will not fail to accomplish His purpose—because He is God.

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

After the thousand year reign of Christ, in which the earth has enjoyed its Sabbath, the purpose of God will be to loose Satan once again “out of his prison.” He will once again be allowed to deceive the multitudes of unregenerate peoples, and “gather them together to battle” against Christ. This will reveal the absolute wickedness of man’s heart. In spite that they saw the blessings of God, and enjoyed peace and safety in Christ’s reign, man’s love for sin has not been extinguished. No matter how much good a sinner sees by the reign of righteousness, mankind, “in the flesh,” has no heart for God. This rebellion however, will be short lived, because God will send fire down from heaven and devour them. At this point the devil will be sent into the Lake of Fire, to join the other parts of the unholy trinity—the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet. The last act of God against sinners will be the Great White Throne of Judgment. Before Him will be gathered Adam’s entire race from every age. Their souls will be brought out of hell, and they will stand before God in their resurrected bodies. There, God will judge “every man according to their works.” Only those who are “in Christ” will escape this terrible judgment—because He has bore their judgment already upon the cross. Standing before God, every man will give an account of their terrible deeds and rejection of God’s sovereignty. They will all stand guilty, having no excuse for their sin, and having nothing wherewith to pay for their atonement. God, who is holy and just, will have no alternative but to sentence them to be “cast into the lake of fire.” There, for all of eternity, they will pay for their sins, and will be forever separated from God and His goodness.

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

2 Pet 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

1 Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

While some may argue the severity of God’s judgment against sinners, we must remember, they are only getting what they wanted, deserved, and labored to create. Sinners love their sin, and they will forever dwell in the presence of other sinners and absolute sin; in a place where the flames of destruction and misery—the fruits of sin—are never extinguished. Man would have reduced this world to a nuclear fire bath, and therefore their eternal home will be a lake of fire. Sinners rejected God’s sovereign rule over them, and therefore they will dwell separated from God for all eternity. There is no love, goodness, mercy, or kindness to be found in sin, and therefore they will live in the total absence of any of God’s blessings. No one, be he a saint or a sinner, will be able to raise a voice against God’s righteous decrees or His eternal purposes.

Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

Prov 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

Psa 2:2 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 bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

Luke 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

Phil 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Now that “the sinners…(have been) consumed out of the earth, and … the wicked …(are) no more,” God must now cleanse the universe from all traces of man’s sin. Because man has also polluted the heavens with his attempts to prove life apart from the Creation account, the earth, as well as the stars, will “pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.” This fire bath will be God’s “big bang” by which He will recreate the worlds. From the ashes of the old creation will come forth a “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Here in this new creation, sin, sorrow, suffering, and death will be no more. Sin and rebellion will be forever banished, and the inhabitants of this new creation will have the perfect understanding of why it must be so. This earth, which has been God’s test tube for sin, will have answered all challenges to His sovereign will and authority. Sin and rebellion will have had their day, and the end result has been witnessed by all who will pass through this fire into the new creation. It may be that God will make many new worlds, populated by “just men made perfect.” He promised Abraham that, “thy seed (shall be) as the dust of the earth” and “the stars, if thou be able to number them… So shall thy seed be.” Even so, God’s people may see thousands of other earths, populated by billions of inhabitants on each one. However, because God’s purposes in answering the questions of sin have been forever settled, they will all live in peace and harmony under God’s authority. He will have allowed Lucifer’s rebellion and man’s sin, for this brief period called time, to work for the greater good of all future generations, for all eternity.

Psa 104:35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

2 Pet 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Gen 13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

Gen 15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

Isa 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
6 For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

The only question that remains to be answered is for you dear reader—are you going to be a part of that new creation? That is the most important question that anyone will ever be asked in this life, and for which finding the answer should be our supreme task. Some may inquire, ‘Can anyone know for sure the answer to that question?’  The Word of God declares that, yes, “ye may know that ye have eternal life.” The loving God would not have allowed such an important subject not to have a definite answer, or for His creatures to be unable to know was it is. Furthermore, we have the testimony of both Old Testament and New Testament saints, who were fully persuaded that God had redeemed them. The only issue is—are you willing to seek after the answer and to believe what the Word of God says?

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: (Job)

2 Tim 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (Paul)

Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Assuming then, that you have such a desire, and are willing to accept what God’s Word says about salvation—what must you know and believe to have eternal life? First, you must know, and agree with God that we are all sinners. That is what this whole book has been about, and surely you are convinced that it is so. We are sinners because we are the offspring of Adam; and we have proved that we are sinners by the life which we have lived. Furthermore, we are not just sinners who have made a “few mistakes,” but think, for the most part, that we are still pretty good people—no, we are a sinners through and through. We may not be as bad as we can be, but still, in us “dwelleth no good thing.”

Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Secondly, you must know that because all men are sinners, all is not well between the unsaved and God. God is not the Father of all men, and all men are not all a part His family; but contra wise, because of man’s sin and rebellion, “the wrath of God” is upon the lost. Also, because of the sin of our first father Adam, and our own sin, we have the sentence of death upon us; and this means not only physical death, but the death of our soul as well. Most people realize that death is coming to all men, but few know what awaits them after they leave their body of flesh. Because man is created in the image of God, and God is an eternal being, we will never cease to exist somewhere. Therefore, when any lost sinner leaves their body, they are immediately sent to Hell—God’s holding cell for condemned sinners. There they will consciously await the Great White Throne of Judgment, which will be, at the least, one-thousand years from now. At this judgment they will stand before God and the record of their life will be examined. Upon the evidence that they are indeed sinners, and have no means wherewith to justify themselves before God, the pre-determined verdict will be, that they are undeniably guilty. Furthermore, because they are guilty and have no means to reconcile themselves to God, they will be “cast into the lake of fire”—where they will pay the penalty for their sins for all eternity.

Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Rom1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Psa 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The third thing you must know is that there is nothing we can do, by our own actions or volition, to change our appointment with death, hell, and judgment. We cannot come to Christ by “the will of the flesh” or “the will of man”—our own self will. We cannot come by our “works of righteousness,” which we may try to do. We cannot repent on our own, change our ways, make amends, join a church, get baptized, or do anything that will in any way secure our forgiveness of sins, or even “help” God save us. We cannot flippantly “make a decision”, “choose Jesus”, “make Jesus our Saviour”, “have faith”, or try any other of man’s methods of making converts to Christ. What we can do is throw ourselves upon the mercies of God, confessing that we are a sinner who deserves nothing but judgment, and plead for God to show us His salvation, which is in Christ. When God opens our eyes to see Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, we can be sure that we have been brought to salvation.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Luke 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

But some may ask, ‘What about repentance, isn’t that necessary to be saved?’  Indeed it is, for “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” However, as God brings us under the conviction that we are a sinner, so also “God (is leading us) to repentance”; because it is only those who see their need of salvation who can truly repent; for God does not “call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Biblical repentance is a turning from a life of sin and the works of the flesh, even religious “good works,” to the true and living God. As we were traveling down the road of sin toward death and destruction, away from life, and away from God, He begins to work in our life to bring us to “repentance toward God.” When someone, because of the burden of their sin, cries out for God’s mercy and salvation, you can be sure that they are being brought to repentance by God.

Luke 13:1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Still others may ask, ‘But what about faith, is not that also necessary to be saved?’ Again, the answer is yes, “For by grace are ye saved through faith.” However, the faith by which you are saved is “not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Saving faith cannot be conjured up by a sinner, no matter how hard he may try to produce it. A sinner has no understanding of what it means to be saved, or how one comes to be saved. Their whole life has been driven by the philosophy of works, because the law has demanded that they must do something to earn salvation. They cannot comprehend how that, in order to be saved, they can do nothing; but they must trust in someone else to save them. That is why they must cry out for God to have mercy upon them and reveal to them His salvation. It is only when God brings a desperate sinner to see Jesus dying on the cross for their sins, and they completely and unreservedly embrace Him as their Saviour, that they experience true saving faith.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Acts 16:26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

If you still do not understand what it means to be saved, the most important thing you can do, apart from calling upon God, is to avail yourself of the reading, teaching, and preaching of God’s Word—because “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” It is the written Word which reveals to us the Living Word—Who saves sinners. It is “the word of truth” which is “the gospel of your salvation”; by God’s Word “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”—free from the guilt and penalty of sin. I would urge you, if you are truly seeking to know what it means to be saved, to read again the chapters Christ and Sin, and Salvation and the Sinner. You will also greatly benefit by reading the Gospel of John from a King James Bible, as well as the Book of Romans. You need to keep asking, seeking, and knocking upon Heaven’s door until God opens to you the entrance to salvation.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Matt 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened

Matt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.