Most of our readers will agree that it is wise to pause in our way of life and ask why are we here. Can we make our days more useful ? Do we have something to live for? Most of the heathen nations live to “eat, drink, for tomorrow they die”. “They are like the beasts that perish.” “They who ignore God’s purpose will remain in the congregation of the dead”.
The 12 apostles said to our Lord “we which have followed thee, what shall we have therefore?”
Job asked “if a man die shall he live again” ?
Our Lord made his life worthwhile, for God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved”.
As a boy of 12 his mother found him in the temple, what business has he there? His reply “I must be about my Father’s business”. “For the joy set before him he endured the cross”.
It is important to have an incentive in life. A better place to live, a better job, a better home.
After his resurrection our Lord reminded two disciples of his victory over death, for “I am he that was dead and I am alive forever more,” and “because I live ye shall live also.”
The Saduccees (who didn’t believe in the resurrection) put a matrimonial problem to Him. If a woman marries several times, whose wife shall she be in the resurrection ? His reply gives us a clue as to life in the age to come. “They neither marry in the world to come, they are equal to the angels, neither can they’ die any more.,” Here is an example how to make life worthwhile. When the Deity sent His Son into the world, not to destroy the world, but that the world by Him might be saved”. “He created it not in vain.”
Paul gives us another clue as to what our goal should be by reminding early Christians of the powers of the age to come, “they had tasted of the heavenly gift and the renewal of it in a very practical way.
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, then shall the lame leap” even the dead shall be raised as it was in the life of Lazarus and others.
Before the flood men lived into the 100’s and more. In the Kingdom Age a child shall die at the age of 100.
Evidently the Deity intended this earth to be a better place to live “as truly as I live all the earth shall be filled with My glory”.
We pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. His people shall be as “trees the planting of the Lord” (in California the years of the Sequoias number in the 1,000’s.)
Nationally life will be worth while when nations shall turn their swords into plow shares and learn war no more”. This may seem like an impossibility.
It requires faith to believe in what has been planned, blessed “are they that have not seen yet believe”.
The Jewish race is an example of Divine action and foreknowledge. He that scattered Israel will gather them as we have seen in our generation.
In 1898 a Jewish doctor (Dr. Herzl) published a book urging the land of Palestine as a homeland for the Jews.
At that time there were about 500 Jews in Palestine, now there are some 3 million.
At the end of World War I the Turks were driven out and Balfour gave Britain a mandate over Palestine.
At the end of World War II, Israel was recognized as a sovereign nation. The words of Zechariah may soon come true. “Men of the nations shall say to the Jews we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you”.
Men shall say “come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and we will walk in his path and He will teach us of His ways and the law shall go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem”.
“It shall be said in that day this is our God, we have waited for Him and we shall rejoice in His salvation”.
“God himself shall be with them and be their God, He shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, there shall be no more death, neither sorrow or crying for the former things shall have passed away.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One