Today, I am reading and commenting on  Revelation 20-22.

I can never quite figure out how the thousand year reign described here fits with the other prophecies about Jesus’ Second Coming in other New Testament books (that does not mean I think it is in contradiction with them, just that I cannot understand how they fit together).  However, one part makes sense to me: the resurrection of those who were martyred for their faith in Christ.  These were those who had not worshiped the beast or received its mark.  The passage says that they will be blessed above and beyond those who are also faithful but do not suffer death for their faith.  Then John writes about the second resurrection when all of the remaining dead shall rise in order to come before God for judgement.  On that day the books which record the deeds of everyone will be opened and all will be judged based on what they have done, except those whose names appear in the book of life.  Ultimately, those whose names are not written in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire, along with devil, and suffer the second death.

Then God will create a new universe, one which will not experience any of the flaws which the current universe has as a result of sin.  The new universe will have no death, nor mourning, nor pain of any sort.  Those who have truly given themselves to God will live in this new universe in the presence of God, walking with God as Adam and Eve walked with Him before they disobeyed.  On the last day of 2022 it is time to remember that the last day of this earth will come soon.  Let us serve God here while we still have the opportunity to do so.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.