The time of rejoicing
1. Introduction
In study: ‘The end of sin and sinners’ we see that, by fire, God destroys Satan, the angels that rebelled with him, and all those from among mankind who refused to repent and accept God’s Grace. This all-consuming fire removes all traces of sin from the whole Earth.
While these events are taking place the redeemed are safe in God’s Kingdom - their trials are ended and they are in perfect harmony with God's sinless universe.
2. The Redeemed in God's Kingdom
The redeemed of God are all counted equally worthy in Christ of salvation - they were all bought with the same price (1Co 6:20; 7:23): the precious blood of Christ. They have all been made the Righteousness of God in Him (2Co 5:21). However, within the redeemed are a special group: the 144,000.
2.1 The 144,000
These are they who passed through the ‘time of trouble such as never was’. They refused to succumb to the mark of the beast (see study: ‘The Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God’):
Re 15:2,3 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
The 144,000 stand on a sea of glass, which may represent the transparent purity of the truth for which they stood firm in circumstances which no others were called upon to endure.
They sing the song of Moses, a song of deliverance, and the song of the Lamb, a song of salvation, because they were saved by Grace and delivered from the 'time of trouble' by the second coming of Jesus.
A special reward
Because they have endured what no others have, the 144,000 are given a special reward: to ‘follow the Lamb wherever He goes’ (Re 14:4).
The great joy of all the redeemed is to be with Jesus, but the 144,000 are granted the special privilege of being next to Jesus for all eternity.
The 144,00 are also addressed in study: ‘The time of trouble: events after probation closes’, 2.1.
2.2 The great multitude
Re 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;
These are they from all ages who accepted the Grace of God.
These are they who lived according to the light that God gave them.
These are they who heeded the promptings of the Holy Spirit and lived accordingly, no matter what difficulties they encountered.
They include all the faithful: those from every Christian body, those from all other religions, and those born into unfavourable circumstances - all who followed the Holy Spirit’s prompting and lived godly lives as best as they were able.
3. Rejoicing
The Time of rejoicing after deliverance was prefigured by the final feast of the Hebrew ecclesiastical year: the Feast of Tabernacles (see study; ‘The seven feasts of the Hebrew ecclesiastical year’,2.7).
This feast was a period of rejoicing because Israel’s relationship with God had been renewed as a consequence of the Day of Atonement (see study: ‘The Day of Atonement’).
This rejoicing reflects the great joy of the redeemed at Christ’s second coming (see study: ‘The second advent of Christ’), and their subsequent entry into the Kingdom of Heaven.
The reward of the redeemed
Once the redeemed are safely in the Kingdom of Heaven, they realize the promised reward:
Is 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
It is impossible now to understand fully what God has in store for the redeemed - we must simply believe the promises in Scripture.
The joy of God's Kingdom
No more sickness, pain, suffering, and death. No more depression - the redeemed will experience only constant and eternal joy:
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Rev 21:4 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.
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Christ the Lord Himself will be the source exceeding of joy - He will sustain and keep the redeemed for all eternity.
4. The Earth made new
The home of mankind was intended to be the Earth. Thus to restore mankind to their original home the Earth must be created anew.
This is the final act in salvation: to make anew the perfect Earth and return it to its pre-sin condition
Re 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.
Re 21:5 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.
God's dwelling place
The Earth will be restored to its perfect beauty. There will, however, be one difference in the new Earth: the Holy City, the New Jerusalem (Re 21:2,10), God’s dwelling place (Re 21:22), will be there - He will live amongst those for whom He sacrificed everything to redeem.
No more sin
Throughout eternity the Earth will remain as God first intended, and sin will not be allowed to rise up again (Nah 1:9) to spoil God’s perfect creation - the folly of sin will have been demonstrated clearly throughout all God's sinless universe.
5. Summary
The joy of the redeemed cannot at this time be imagined fully - now we ‘see through a glass darkly’ (1Co 13:12).
Now, we cannot see Christ face to face, but then we will ‘see Him as He is’ (1Jn 3:2). To see Jesus face to face and to be with Him is the great hope of the redeemed.
After all traces of sin are erased, great joy will be the eternal state of the redeemed. Neither will there be the possibility that sin will rise up again.