I’m not saying this to boast, but I hope to encourage you in my example: nearly every day, I am in the word. The last several years, I’ve read the Bible through in a different version each year. I can tell you, this has greatly expanded my intimacy with God and His word! Today, my personal study has led me to the book of Samuel. I’ve come to the point where Saul was made King over Israel and united the tribes together. He was handsome, tall, had a measure of wisdom, and was a qualified candidate to be the King. Yet He had a big vice: He was also falsely humble, stubborn, self-assured, and self-seeking. God knew who Saul would be (He even predicted what kind of King Saul would be through Samuel), but the people had rejected God as their King, and so He gave them someone after their own hearts.
God rejected Saul as King because Saul had Saul’s best interests at heart and rejected God’s personal instructions to him and God’s Law. In the same way, many of us have the same issue: we’re stubborn, self-assured, and self-seeking. I can say, with confidence through God’s Word, that if we maintain such a lifestyle, we, too, will be rejected by God. Why? Not because God condemns us, but, compared with God’s perfect Law and Standard, we fall short. In the final judgement, we will all be judged by one of two standards: the Law, which means we will be judged by our actions (remember that when you hear or say “I’m basically a good person”) or by the Righteousness of Jesus Christ. We, just as Saul couldn’t, won’t get by on our deeds, looks, or bearing. We must, therefore, humble ourselves before God, be made new by being born again and being regenerated in the Holy Spirit. It is in this newness of Life that we will see the Kingdom, both now and in the time to come.
Revelation 20:11-21:8
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
21. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
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