Beloved believers, the God we believe and serve is faithful. Hence, God is meek and cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18). In other words, He is trustworthy. He is omniscient and omnipotent, knowing all and able to do all. But there is one thing that God cannot do. That is lying. Therefore, God’s Word certainly gets fulfilled. Isaiah 55:11. Therefore, we must believe in the Word of God recorded in the Bible as is.
The world was judged by water just as God warned Noah (Genesis 7). Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone just as God said (Genesis 18-19). God allowed a child to Sarah who was 90 years old and biologically not able to have a child (Genesis 21:1-3). Even at the age of 100, when the body was as dead in reproduction, Abraham believed in God’s promise and glorified God as a result (Romans 4:17-22). The Covenant of the Torch that God had promised Abraham to give him the Land of Canaan was fulfilled in 692 years. It was fulfilled when the bones of Joseph were buried in Shechem. The Word of God continues to be fulfilled throughout, filling the Bible with the fulfilment.
And this God who is so faithful to fulfil His promises is now promising the unification of all things.
1. Restoration of all things
The Bible promises the restoration of all things first.
Lions are originally not carnivores. God created all animals to eat plants.
Genesis 1:30 (NASB95) — 30 and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to everything that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so.
But because Adam disobeyed God’s Word, not only was mankind cursed but also all creatures and animals to kill and eat others. The current laws of the jungle is a result of the fall. The world that God created is the world where the strong and the weak co-exist peacefully without arguing or fighting. The lion will not eat other weaker animals, but they will graze and eat plants together harmoniously.
That’s why the creation is crying and longing for the appearance of the sons of God who have no sin. Why? Because the sons of God who are without sin will live according to the order of God’s Word, and thus there will be no such thing as oppression or affliction. Romans 8:19–21. That’s why the Bible promises that the birds of the sky and all crawling creatures will all be restored to the original state of creation, eating plants. Isaiah 65:25. The “sons of God” here refer to the faithful saints who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior, born again, and living according to God’s Word to stay away from sin. They are the children of God.
2. Restoration of the body
The Bible promises that the mortal will take on the immortal through transfiguration.
We have already received Jesus Christ as our Savior and received salvation. However, the salvation we have is the assurance of salvation, but not completely fulfilled. We are saved in our spirit and soul, but our bodies are still dying.
But the day when our Lord comes, our salvation will be completed and our mortal bodies will be incorruptible. That’s when our bodies are restored. Romans 8:23. Here, the “redemption of our bodies” refers to our bodies being changed to eternal immortal bodies.
We cannot go to heaven with the current bodies that are corruptible because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 15:50.
This means that we cannot enter the kingdom of God with our corruptible flesh and blood. Hence, the necessity is for our body to be changed to the spiritual body.
So, at the sound of the last trumpet when the Lord returns, our corruptible bodies will be changed through the Word of transfiguration. 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18. Jesus spoke of this moment in Matthew 24:40–43.
Our bodies can be in three different states. First, our flesh/body where our spirit, soul, and body are one. Second, when a person dies, the body will be separated from spirit and soul. It will be called a ‘corpse,’ and will start decaying. Last, the mortal body is changed into immortal, transcending time and space. That body is called the “spiritual body or spiritual form.” The Bible testifies that there is a natural body and a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:42–44. This speaks of a perishable body becoming a spiritual body that will not see death. 1 Corinthians 15:51–52. At the Second Coming of the Lord, the dead will be raised and those who are still alive will be transfigured and changed into the spiritual body.
If you and I embrace and live with the Word of eternal life, death may come to sting us but will run away when it sees the Word of eternal life dwelling in us! When we are full of the Word (which is the light), death (which is darkness) will never be able to approach us. 1 Corinthians 15:54-55. This is when Isaiah 25:8 will be fulfilled. New King James Version – “He will swallow up death forever.”
Jesus has shown us the power of transfiguration. When he told the man who was sick for 38 year years to get up and pick up his pallet and walk at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:8), he immediately became well and walked (John 5:9). When Jesus touched the hand of Peter’s mother-in-law, her fever left her, and she got up and waited on Him (Matthew 8:14-15). The woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage was made well immediately when she touched the fringe of His cloak (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-29). Jesus also showed us on the Mount of Transfiguration through His face shining like the sun and his garments shining with light.
After the resurrection, Jesus transcended time and space, walking through locked doors and walls, appearing to His disciples, eating fish, letting doubting Thomas—who was 8 days late—by letting him touch His nail marks on his hands and spear mark on his side, going to Galilee before the disciples, etc. He also appeared to the two disciples who were disappointed and went down to Emmaus, explaining the Word and then disappeared again. Hence, the spiritual body is not limited by time and space.
Isaiah 55:12–13. On the last day, when death is overcome, God will prepare a lavish banquet of aged wine. Isaiah 25:6–8. What is the greatest blessing for the saints who put their hope on the Second Coming of the Lord? It is the blessing of welcoming the returning Lord and putting on the imperishable and immortal at the sound of the last trumpet and entering the kingdom of heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:51-54, Philippians 3:21, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17).
3. Blessing of the hidden manna in the end time
There will come upon the earth destruction by Death riding on an ashen horse and by Hades. There will also be a great famine according to Rev 6:7-8. The Bible prophesies the curses that will fall upon mankind. Deuteronomy 28:56–57. In the midst of such famine and tribulation, God has prepared “hidden manna” for His people just as He sent down manna to His people in the wilderness for 40 years.
Who will take hold of that hidden manna? Revelation 2:17. For all things to be unified through the restoration of all things and body, we need to remember that there is a process of trials that we need to undergo. There is absolutely no deception in God’s Word. No matter what kind of suffering and afflictions may come our way, let us believe that as long as we have the faith to fix our eyes on God and believe, the hidden manna will be given to us and will save us! (Deuteronomy 28:1-14, Joel 2:23). This is the Word of truth that the Bible testifies.
I pray in the name of the Lord that we may all receive the blessing of the hidden manna, so we can be the responders to the call of God’s Word.
AMEN.
