“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”           —Jesus, Matthew 25:31-46, NIV

Revelation 20, the Message

A Thousand Years

20 ^1-3 I saw an Angel descending out of Heaven. He carried the key to the Abyss and a chain—a huge chain. He grabbed the Dragon, that old Snake—the very Devil, Satan himself!—chained him up for a thousand years, dumped him into the Abyss, slammed it shut and sealed it tight. No more trouble out of him, deceiving the nations—until the thousand years are up. After that he has to be let loose briefly.

^4-6 I saw thrones. Those put in charge of judgment sat on the thrones. I also saw the souls of those beheaded because of their witness to Jesus and the Word of God, who refused to worship either the Beast or his image, refused to take his mark on forehead or hand—they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years! The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years were up. This is the first resurrection—and those involved most blessed, most holy. No second death for them! They’re priests of God and Christ; they’ll reign with him a thousand years.

^7-10 When the thousand years are up, Satan will be let loose from his cell, and will launch again his old work of deceiving the nations, searching out victims in every nook and cranny of earth, even Gog and Magog! He’ll talk them into going to war and will gather a huge army, millions strong. They’ll stream across the earth, surround and lay siege to the camp of God’s holy people, the Beloved City. They’ll no sooner get there than fire will pour out of Heaven and burn them up. The Devil who deceived them will be hurled into Lake Fire and Brimstone, joining the Beast and False Prophet, the three in torment around the clock for ages without end.

Judgment

^11-15 I saw a Great White Throne and the One Enthroned. Nothing could stand before or against the Presence, nothing in Heaven, nothing on earth. And then I saw all the dead, great and small, standing there—before the Throne! And books were opened. Then another book was opened: the Book of Life. The dead were judged by what was written in the books, by the way they had lived. Sea released its dead, Death and Hell turned in their dead. Each man and woman was judged by the way he or she had lived. Then Death and Hell were hurled into Lake Fire. This is the second death—Lake Fire. Anyone whose name was not found inscribed in the Book of Life was hurled into Lake Fire.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God seeks those whose hearts are completely devoted and committed to Him.  Jesus taught and demonstrated obedience motivated by our love for God and for others.  We are made “right” only by the love, mercy, and grace of God through Jesus, who came to seek and to save the lost and to teach us how to love and serve each other as He served the world. If we say yes to Jesus, our Name is in the Book!  Our name is also written on the palm of God’s hand!  (Isaiah 49:16)

The Word of God made flesh with the message of salvation was not that complicated; but it requires a change of heart and a transformed mind.  It requires yielding, submitting (which goes against our sinful nature), with simple obedience to God Holy Spirit’s leading in every detail of our lives.  Those who do this are gifted with wisdom when we ask for it, inner eternal joy in all circumstances, with peace the overcomes anxiousness in the middle of raging storms—but we must keep our eyes on the Master. 

Yes, true believers who love and serve their Master, Jesus Christ, long for the day when Jesus comes back to claim his own.  Hearts, minds, and souls centered on Jesus say; “Come, dear Jesus, come.”  In the meantime, we love and help each other know Him more.

True believers who trust and obey long for the day when Jesus welcomes us home and says, “Well done, good and faithful servant, well done!” 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” –Jesus, the promise of God to all who believe and call on His Name. John 3;16

Lord,

You forgave me and set me free to love and serve in the wide open spaces of your love, mercy, and grace!  I live in gratitude for saving my soul.  I love how you lead us.  Your amazing love and the glory of Your Presence is seen in everyday life when I stop to realize how you are always at work within us and around us.  I am one of your “whoever’s” who believe in you.  May your will be done in my life today and always.  I love you with all my heart, mind, and soul.  To you be the glory!

In Jesus Name, Amen