We are the 2nd Most Blessed Generation to Ever Live!

Do you realize that? The first most blessed generation was the generation who lived during the life of Jesus! At least those who were able to see Him and witness His life. Imagine being able to see God Himself walking around. Amazing. I often wonder if it will be possible once we get to heaven to be able to go back in time and witness these things. Wouldn't that be cool? 

Anyway, it is OUR generation who will witness the return of Jesus, first to take His Bride to heaven for the wedding, and then 2nd to return to Earth once again. Yes, it is Our Generation, promised to us by Jesus Himself. 

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its young shoots become tender and it puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near; so you, too, when you see all these things taking place, know for certain that He is near, right at the door. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this generation, the people living when these signs and events begin, will not pass away until all these things take place." Matthew 24:32-34

Does Jesus lie? No. He is incapable of it. Does the Fig Tree represent Israel? Definitely!  Not only does Scripture support this truth, but I have it on good authority from a Jewish pastor as well.   "All these things" that Jesus referred to were all the end time signs we are seeing happen all around us, things he went into detail explaining in the verses before. The miracle of the Fig tree is this. How can a nation that has not been a nation and its people scattered throughout the world for thousands of years, become a nation again? With it's same history, language and religion? UNHEARD of!  

Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children. Isaiah 66:8

Israel was born BACK into this world in 1948. Everyone alive at that time and born after that date IS part of the final generation. 

So what's the big deal? The big deal is that those of us who are part of the Bride of Christ will one day just be going about our business, doing our daily tasks...We might be working, watching TV, praying, showering, playing with our kids, etc. and BAM! We are going to hear the shofar blow, a very loud blast of a trumpet!

 

And then we will hear Jesus Shout and then the voice of an archangel. I have no idea what Jesus will say, but maybe something like we see in Revelation 4:1 "Come up here!" 

We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4: 15-17

Instantly we will find ourselves up on a cloud with thousands of other saints and with Jesus Himself! Our bodies will be different but we will be recognizable, only better! All our sicknesses, pain, and fatigue will be gone. All our weaknesses turned to strength. All our sorrows replaced with joy. All our worries and fears erased. Our bodies will be young, strong, and eternal. We will never grow old, never get sick, never feel pain, never feel heartache or sorrow. We will never die. Can you imagine? 

I can picture it in my mind. Thousands of people checking themselves out, feeling their muscles and hair and face, where wrinkles and scars have disappeared, gazing at wonder at  those around them, shocked to see some people there, and looking for others who aren't there. And all the while everyone is drawn toward Jesus who is standing in the midst of us. I, for one, hope to run into this arms as soon as I see Him!  I doubt I'll ever want to let go. 

But there's more. I imagine we will all then be escorted to the heavenly city where we will be shown our individual homes, the ones that Jesus said He was making for us.

In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; John 14:2-5  

The house and its contents, I believe will be unique and made and filled with the things we love and enjoy and prefer. Of course how big our house is and how many things are there depends on what we've done here on earth for the Lord. Jesus often told us to store our treasure in heaven and not on earth. The apostles also spoke of rewards waiting for us in heaven, depending on what we do here. Don't believe Me?

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  Matthew 5:12

 

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Matthew 6:1

 

And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. Matthew 10:41

 

‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. Matthew 24:23

 

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven Luke 6:23

 

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great Luke 6:35

 

Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 1 Corinthians 3:8

 

If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 1 Corinthians 3:14

 

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for[a] you serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24

 

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

 

Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. 2 John 1:8

 

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. Revelation 22:12

I also believe that our beloved pets who have gone before us will be waiting for us in our homes! Just my opinion, but why wouldn't a loving God do that? After we get to see our homes, or maybe even before, we will be reunited with family members and friends who died. What a grand reunion that will be!! I imagine I will meet long lost relatives who I never met before!  Maybe there will be a feast for individual families or perhaps a huge feast with everyone!

Some time after we get settled in, I believe the Wedding of the Lamb will take place. The Bride (that's us!) will marry Jesus in a ceremony that will be so incredible, I can't even dare to imagine it. Afterward we will have a wedding feast, a banquet, that could go on for days or weeks. In the Jewish tradition, the wedding feast lasted 7 days! Will we be celebrating our marriage for 7 years in heaven? I don't know. But I do know we will be there during the 7 year Tribulation here on earth. 

I also believe, based on Scripture, that there will be a crowning ceremony, making Jesus King, and there will also be a judgement of the saints. This won't be a judgement of sins committed, but rather a judgement of what we did with the talents and opportunities God gave us. Believe me, at that time, I'm sure we all will wish we had done more for Jesus.

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Romans 14:10

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10

So what else will we do for 7 years? I have no idea. We could spend some of our time exploring heaven, which I imagine is filled with wonders we can't imagine... mountains and streams and forests, parks and animals, etc.  If you've had a chance to visit some of earth's most wonderful places, then you have only a glimpse of what heaven is like. We might be given tasks to do each day, or we might be sent to school to learn something we will need when we return to earth. Some of us might get military training, learn another language, pick up a skill. Learning will be fun and exciting. Maybe it will be super easy to learn and won't take any time at all! I have no idea. But I know it will be fulfilling and wonderful and a perfect fit for us, our personalities and likes and dislikes. Not like our jobs here on earth have been. .

Yet, it will be much like our lives here. For example, I believe there will be shops and markets and places to go eat and meet a friend for coffee. Why not? All these things were created by God and are good. Why wouldn't be have them in heaven?  The possibilities are endless!

After 7 years, we will all mount up on white horses as part of the Lord's army. I would say we will have weapons, but I think Jesus will handle the fighting. Jesus will lead His army (us) and we will return to earth to defeat the devil and his antichrist in a huge battle at Armageddon. How much, if any fighting we will do, I have no idea, but Scripture says Jesus will defeat them by the breath of his mouth, so I'm thinking not too much. 😉

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He]had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Revelation 19:11-14 

And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.  V 19-21

After the antichrist and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire and satan is bound up for 1000 years, Jesus will set up His kingdom on earth and rule out of Jerusalem. Each of us will have a role in helping him rule. Our positions, once again, depend on what we did for Him here on earth. Some might be doctors or nurses, others teachers, others writers (Hey, that's me!), others might rule a town, city, or country. Our work will be fun and fulfilling and we all will report to Jesus in Jerusalem. I imagine our travel will be similar to what Jesus could do in his glorified body. We will most likely be able to translate ourselves from one location to another in an instant or walk through walls. Our bodies are going to be amazing. 

Earth will become a paradise again like it was in the Garden of Eden. Under Jesus's rule, the planet will flourish with lush plants, trees, and wildlife. Food will be abundant, air will be fresh, and people will live as long as a thousand years. (Yes, there will be humans left on earth. Those who did not take the Mark of the Beast but who also did not submit to God)

Sound fun? Sound exiting? This is your future. For generations to come, people will come up to you and ask you where you were when the rapture happened? What were you doing? How did it feel? What was it like?  Why? Because we are the 2nd most blessed generation to ever live!!

See, I'm not always full of bad news. I can be positive!  Just be ready. At this final stage, in these last minutes, don't let the enemy distract you, tempt you, or terrorize you into drifting away from Jesus. Stay the course, Stay strong, Keep close to Jesus, Keep in prayer, in obedience, and in the Word. 

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:44

Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 1 Thessalonians 5:6

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7

“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” Revelation 16:15

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7

 

I'll see you at the cloud party!