The ages of the ages - all things new

THE AGES OF THE AGES

"Now unto God and our Father be glory unto the ages of the ages. Amen." (Philippians 4:20).

"The ages of the ages": an indeterminate number of aeons (endless cycles of time). Revelation 1:18 and Revelation 11:15 associate the ages of the ages with:

1. The immortality of Christ:

"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive [zao] unto the ages of the ages, Amen; and have the keys of hades and of death. (Revelation 1:18). 

2. The reign of Christ over the kingdoms of this world, 

"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 unto the ages of the ages." (Revelation 11:15).

"I am Alpha and Omega, 

the beginning and the end, 

the first and the last."

(Revelation 22:13).

COMMON THEMES IN THE REVELATION 
THAT LINK THE RETURN OF CHRIST 
TO THE NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH

END OF THE AGE In Revelation 7:13-17 we read about a great multitude, which no man could number, that came out from great tribulation, which they experienced before the return of Christ, and below is what else John saw regarding them:  The throne of God is among them, and all tears will be wiped from their eyes. (Revelation 7:13-17).

BRIDE OF CHRIST PREPARED AS A BRIDE ALL THINGS NEW Revelation 21:2: "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." The same promises made to those who came out from great tribulation are made to the bride of Christ,  New Jerusalem, in a New Heavens and Earth which John saw "descending out of heaven from God.": The throne of God is among them, and all tears will be wiped from their eyes. (Revelation 21:2-4).

BRIDE OF CHRIST HAS MADE  HERSELF READY Revelation 19:7-8:   "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.    And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

 

"It is Done!"

ARMAGEDDON "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.  --- And he gathered them into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air.  --- And a great voice came out of the temple of Heaven, from the throne, saying,  --- It is done! "--- (Revelation 16:15-17)

ALL THINGS NEW "And He sitting on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful. And He said to me,  --- It is done ---.   I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely. He who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.  But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:5-8)

TREE OF LIFE "Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according as his work is. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.  Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city.  But outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify these things to you over the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright and Morning Star.  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let the one hearing say, Come! And let him who is thirsty come.  And he willing, let him take of the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:12-17).

THE WORDS "ALL THINGS" USED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IN REFERENCE TO GOD'S CREATION:-

Colossians 1:16-17:

"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

John 1:3-4:

All things were made by him; 

and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

In him was life [zoe]; and the life [zoe] was the light of men." 

Revelation 21:5:

"And He sitting on the throne said, 

Behold, I make all things new" 

"And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful."

THEME: THE THRONE OF CHRIST AND

THE JUDGEMENT OF THE DEAD

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"God has set A DAY on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, having provided proof to everyone by raising him from the dead." (Acts 17:31).

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John 5:26-29

"For as the Father hath life [zoe] in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life [zoe] in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

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"And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes on Him should have everlasting life [ainios zoe]. And I will raise [anistemi] him up at the last day." (John 6:40). 

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THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY,

IMMORTALITY,

AND "NO MORE DEATH"

(Note: Before circa 1227 A.D there was no division into chapters and verses in the Revelation or in any other biblical book).

Revelation 21:4 says, 

"God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. And there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying out, nor will there be any more pain; for the first things passed away." (Revelation 21:4).

The resurrection of the body; and immortality; and "no more death" go hand in glove together: 

"When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:54 - Paul was writing to the Corinthians about the resurrection of the body from the dead). 

* Jesus promises those who overcome that they will not experience the second death.

THRONES

"And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:28).

Revelation 3:21-22

"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and have sat down with My Father in His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

"Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne.

In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns [stephanos] on their heads." (Revelation 4:2-4).

Revelation 20:4, 5b & 6:

"Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. 

They were alive [zao] and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years."

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