Author: Rick Tryon

Your Life And What Comes After (35): Heaven On Earth Forever

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Cincinnatus was an old Roman farmer who had promised his family he would take care of their small piece of land. One day, while he was out plowing his field, messengers arrived from Rome begging him to save the army that was trapped by an enemy. It was a huge, heroic request—but he wouldn’t leave until he first honored the simple promise he’d already made at home. He put his farm in order, made sure his family was provided for, and only then agreed to go.

Once he fulfilled that first commitment, he stepped into the greater one. He kept both promises: the quiet one to his family first, and then the great one to his country.

It’s like that in the endgame of God’s grand plan—after He keeps His promise of a kingdom to Israel at the return of Jesus, then comes heaven on earth forever.

The apostle Paul sums it up well in his first letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:24
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

This is God’s grand plan fulfilled. This is where all of history has been going and will finally end up—God’s original, perfect creation restored for His people, you and me, to live with Him forever.

Isaiah 65:17
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

So, what will that be like?

No More Death, Pain, or Sorrow

In the new heavens and the new earth, God brings an end to every kind of human suffering. Death, grief, pain, and tears are permanently removed.

Revelation 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.

No More Injustice, Tragedy, or Evil

Heaven on earth will mean total peace, and the full blessing of God. No more darkness, horrible events, or evil set loose in our lives.

Revelation 22:3
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him…

What will you and I look like—and be like—in that heaven on earth? Let’s take a look at that next.

“Left Behind” Is Not Scripture

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I don’t believe the Bible teaches a strict dispensational framework as some, a minority, in the modern Church era teach.

Just a reminder: John Nelson Darby was not an author of Scripture, and Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth (1970) and Tim LaHaye’s Left Behind series are not books of Scripture.

I think the Bible clearly teaches that the return of Jesus Christ is a singular event—not a Second Coming where the Church is scooped up and taken away for three and a half or seven years, followed by a third coming.

That doesn’t preclude our gathering together unto Him to meet Him in the air at His return, or the Millennial Kingdom that immediately follows. It also doesn’t mean that the people of God aren’t going to suffer great tribulation—they have, they are, and they will until the restoration of all things.

Your Life And What Comes After (34): The Kingdom Of Heaven Is Like A Treehouse

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Callum’s dad promised to build him a treehouse, and even when he had to leave for a business trip to France, that promise didn’t drift across the ocean. Callum never pictured a treehouse rising somewhere in Paris; he knew exactly where it belonged.

He understood his dad would build it in their own backyard when he came home—right there in the tree he could see from his bedroom window. The promise wasn’t about Callum going to France to climb up in his treehouse; it was about his dad building it for him right where he had always lived, and that was enough for Callum to wait with confidence.

Kingdom Come

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus taught his followers how to pray.

Matthew 6:9–10
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

See? The kingdom comes here; we don’t go to the kingdom.

Just like Callum’s dad promised a treehouse, God promised His people a kingdom of perfect goodness and justice—not far away somewhere in outer space with floating clouds and angels playing harps, but right here on earth.

The King

Jesus is God’s chosen King for the promised kingdom. After He returns and we are raised and given new bodies, Jesus will begin establishing that kingdom here on earth. And we will help Him.

A king and a kingdom had been promised to Israel for many years, and they waited for it to finally come. But when the King came with the offer of the kingdom to Israel, they refused to believe it and rejected both the King and the kingdom. In fact, they helped to crucify and kill their promised King, Jesus.

But that didn’t mean the promise of the kingdom would be set aside or forgotten. God will keep His promise to His people of a grand and glorious kingdom and a good, powerful, and perfect King when Jesus Christ returns.

Matthew 8:11
And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

When Jesus returns and we are brought to life and given new bodies, He will set up the kingdom on earth that God promised His people, Israel—then what? We’ll dig into that next.

Your Life And What Comes After (33): The Return Of Jesus Christ

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The new beginning for the world begins with the return of Jesus Christ—the literal, physical return of Jesus to the earth.

After God raised Him from the dead and He walked out of the tomb, Jesus spent many days in His new resurrected body, teaching His followers and being with them. When the day and hour came for Jesus to ascend into heaven, as they watched, two angelic messengers appeared and made a promise to His followers:

Acts 1:11
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

This isn’t a symbol with a hidden meaning; it will be an actual event. Jesus has been in the spiritual realm where God dwells for over two thousand years, as we count time, since He ascended into heaven. But He is coming back to the earthly realm for us—for you and me—one day.

Thessalonians 4:16-17
“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. 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.” (KJV)

1 Corinthians 15:52
“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.” 

There are believers who will be alive at the moment this happens, and all believers of the Church Age who have died will rise from their sleep in the dust and ashes and from their graves, and we will all be changed and given new, immortal, glorified bodies in the “twinkling of an eye.”

This is God’s promise to us, and it will happen as surely as the sun comes up in the morning. But that’s only the “opening ceremonies,” so to speak.

The completion of God’s grand plan begins when Jesus returns for us, but it doesn’t end there. God has more to do after that, and we will be a part of what He has in store. We will be His helpers and managers in the amazing, everlasting age to come.

So, what comes next in this new beginning is what the Bible calls “the Kingdom.” We’ll look at that next.

Watchdog Alert: Who Does Scripture Belong To?

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Photo via Julius Silvers, pexels.com

This from EWTN News on Thursday 2/12/26:
Pope Leo XIV affirmed Wednesday that sacred Scripture has been entrusted to the Catholic Church — that she preserves and explains it, and supports its purpose of making Christ known to the world.

“The Church is the rightful home of sacred Scripture,” the pope said during the general audience on Feb. 11.

Say what?

Pope Leo went even further in his address, stating the following:

He quoted from Pope Benedict XVI’s postsynodal exhortation Verbum Domini. In that document, Pope Benedict affirmed that “the intrinsic link between the word and faith makes clear that authentic biblical hermeneutics can only be had within the faith of the Church, which has its paradigm in Mary’s fiat… the primary setting for scriptural interpretation is the life of the Church.”

Mary drove a Fiat? Kidding.

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38) is Mary’s fiat according to Catholic tradition. However, I don’t see any correlation between Luke 1:38 and the idea of Scripture belonging solely to the Catholic Church.

Although Pope Leo XIV says some helpful things about the inspired nature of the Bible and the importance of Christians studying and meditating on God’s Word, he completely misses the mark by claiming that “…biblical hermeneutics can only be had within the faith of the Church.”

That is complete and total nonsense.

Your Life And What Comes After (32): The New Beginning

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Lucas was walking home from school when he spotted a man on the corner holding a cardboard sign that read “THE END IS NEAR.” People hurried past without looking, but Lucas stopped. The man’s shoulders sagged, his eyes heavy with worry, as if he’d been standing there a long time.

Lucas studied the sign, then looked up at him with a small smile. “I think you’ve got it backwards,” he said. “Actually, the beginning is near.” The man blinked, startled. Lucas added, “My mom says every ending starts something new. Maybe things aren’t ending—maybe they’re about to get better.” He waved and continued down the sidewalk, leaving the man staring at his sign, wondering if the boy might be right.

This world and this life are not all there is. The way things are now is not the way they will always be, because God is taking the world to someplace new and very exciting.

What comes after the end of the world? What will it look like as God completes His grand plan to bring His family into a new creation and into everlasting life with Him?

We’ll explore the three most important events, according to God’s promises, that are coming our way as the grand plan unfolds and comes to its completion.

  1. The Return of Jesus Christ
  2. The Kingdom of Heaven
  3. Heaven on Earth Forever

Remember, “In the end, everything will be all right. And if it’s not all right, it’s not the end.”

Let’s look at the “everything will be all right” part together, up next.

Watchdog Alert: Latest From The Holy Land

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Photo via cottonbro studio at pexels.com

Bible Rebel keeps a watchdog’s eye on events from the Middle East and around the world of interest to people of faith and brings that content to our readers.

Israeli forces capture militant figure in Lebanon; drone strike kills 3

Israeli forces conducted a cross-border operation in southern Lebanon, capturing a local militant allied with Hamas. Separately, an Israeli drone strike in the region killed three people, including a child, amid continuing hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border — highlighting ongoing tension with Hezbollah and allied groups following the 2023–24 conflicts. AP

U.S. issues new guidance for ships near the Strait of Hormuz

The U.S. government issued updated navigation guidance for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint for oil exports, urging caution amid rising tensions with Iran. The advisory follows several confrontational incidents between Iranian forces and commercial vessels, even as diplomatic talks continue with Tehran. Reuters

Iran arrests leading reformist politicians

Iranian authorities detained at least four senior reform-minded political figures, accusing them of plotting to undermine the government. The arrests occur amid internal unrest and growing pressure from international tensions — including negotiations with the United States and continued protests. Financial Times

U.S.–Iran tensions persist as Tehran downplays military buildup

Amid continued U.S. military deployments in the region, Iranian officials stated that additional American forces in the Middle East “do not scare us,” while reaffirming Tehran’s position on uranium enrichment — a key sticking point in tensions with Washington. Hindustan Times

Your Life And What Comes After (31): Ending The End Of The World?

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So what is the Book of Revelation all about?

It’s about the victory of God over evil by way of His grand plan through Jesus Christ.

Revelation 11:15
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

It’s about God winning even when it looks like Satan and the wicked kingdoms of this world have all the power.

Revelation 17:14
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

It’s about God’s people staying faithful and trusting in Him – no matter how long it takes until He sets things right.

Revelation 21:3–4
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.
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.

Revelation is meant to encourage and bless God’s people – not scare them or cause them to freak out over 666 and the Antichrist.

Revelation 1:3
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

The End is Really a Beginning

After Jesus was raised from the dead, he spent many days with his followers, being with them and teaching them about things to come. They asked him about the end of the world as they knew it.

Acts 1:6-7
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

And the same is true for us today, over 2,000 years later — no one knows when the end times will come. So, if you hear someone say they know the date that Jesus will return, you can be sure that they really don’t know. Only God knows.

Matthew 24:30 & 36
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory…
…But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

But don’t think of it as the end of the world, because it will actually be the beginning of forever — with God and each other in a glorious new creation.

Revelation 21:2-5
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
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.
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.
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.

I’m not sure who first said this, but it’s worth saying again here: “In the end, everything will be all right. And if it’s not all right, it’s not the end.”

Next, we’ll start digging into what that glorious new forever looks like.

Your Life And What Comes After (30): What’s Going On In Revelation?

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There are lots of fiction novels and movies about the end of the world, and some of those stories use the images and words from the Bible’s Book of Revelation.

Let’s not get all worked up and frightened by novels and movies, though. Let’s look at what Revelation actually says and doesn’t say, rather than what others say about it.

It helps to get an idea of the “who” and “what” of Revelation. It is a short book written around 2,000 years ago by a man named John, describing a vision from God, and then sent out in a scroll to be read to groups of believers.

Our goal here is not to do a deep study of it, but it’s important to understand that Revelation is a vision with deeper meanings beneath what many of the words seem to be saying at first.

At times in the Bible God gave visions and dreams to people, using mysterious pictures and symbols that aren’t meant to be taken literally.

Years Not Ears

Here’s an example from the Old Testament Book of Genesis where Pharaoh tells Joseph about a dream he had and Joseph tells him what it meant:

Genesis 41:22-26
And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
And Joseph said unto Pharaoh…God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
…the seven good ears are seven years…

See? The ears of corn weren’t meant to be understood as actual ears of corn, they were dream symbols that actually meant years.

Most of Revelation is just like that – you have to understand the symbols and how the people back in that time and place would have understood those symbols. By the way, the time was about 2,000 years ago and the place was Asia Minor, which is the modern-day country of Turkey, under the rule of the ancient Roman Empire.

Symbols in Revelation

Here’s what Jesus looked like in John’s vision in the first chapter of Revelation:

Revelation 1:13-16
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Does Jesus actually look like this? Does he have a sword coming out of his mouth and feet made of brass? No, these are symbols and images to tell us something deeper. And if we want to understand what those symbols mean we first have to understand how the people who first heard and read those words understood them.

That makes for an interesting, but much longer study. For now, let’s take a peek at the overall subject and point of the Book of Revelation. That’s coming next.