Brothers and sisters, we are the most blessed in the whole universe. It’s so precious that we can follow the risen Lord. He lives in our heart. We have Him in this life and all through eternity. He is the most committed to giving Himself to us.
Today is Easter. I’d like to sing some Easter songs that you might seldom hear. One of them was written over 50 years ago. The other one I wrote today. Let’s compare these two songs. 50 years ago, I was about 25.
When we take a look at the world’s situation, we should know that the Lord is coming soon. The internet and mobile phones are constantly reminding us that the seven years of tribulations will come very soon. The pandemic we have been experiencing gives us a glimpse of the tribulation. We will not need to experience the tribulation, but we know for certain that things will be much worse during that period than right now.
I want to cross the finishing line with you! You must diligently take care of your health. Although it’s far better to be with the Lord, He has entrusted us with a very important commission on earth. The Lord treasures our lives so much. He wants us to make sweet memories with Him in this life that will last for eternity! Our lifetimes are extremely important and irreplaceable!
When the Lord taught the disciples to pray, He mentioned the words, “Your kingdom come.” (Matthew 6:10) When the Lord set up the bread-breaking meeting, He said He would drink the fruit of the vine with us in the Father’s kingdom. Isaiah 25:6 talks about the Millennium. If the Lord was to return and receive us to heaven today we would enjoy His rewards and the marriage supper of the Lamb. These are two of the very precious events that will take place in heaven. At the same time there will be a world war on earth. Then, we and the Lord will descend to the earth. We won’t need any plane tickets; instead we’ll just go straight to Israel. We will descend on Mount Olivet with the Lord. He will return to save the world and the people of Israel. The Millennium will follow afterwards.
Isaiah 26:6 reads, “On the mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.” Wow! The Lord will host a rich feast for all peoples! Those who survive the Tribulation, and those who are not condemned during the following judgement, will have a place in the kingdom of God. They will have a body of flesh, similar to us today. We will celebrate! It will be like how an earthly king might hold a feast for his people when he is first crowned.
Isaiah 26:7 reads, “And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.” This verse might have two meanings. First, the veil might refer to the sorrow of people during the Tribulation. Second, it may refer to how Satan blinded people from knowing the gospel and the Lord. Here, it’s so precious that it says “[the Lord] will swallow up the covering that is cast over all peoples.” Sorrow will become joy.
Isaiah 25:8 reads, “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”
The first part of this verse is, “He will swallow up death forever.” All along, death has been swallowing up man. The name of my song is called “The Defeat of Death.” Isn’t that so precious? When death faces the Lord, it will be swallowed up. The Lord will swallow up death forever.
The next part of this verse is, “The Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces:” Everything will be restored in the Millennium. Unfortunately, some people will still sin and die. At the end, some will even rebel against the Lord and follow Satan. But the Lord will wipe everyone’s tears during the Millennium. When 1 Corinthians talks about the Lord’s resurrection, it also mentions about the Lord wiping away our tears. Revelation also states the same thing.
The last part of Isaiah 25:8 is, “And the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth:” During the Millennium, God will make Israel the head of all nations. Throughout her history, Israel has suffered a lot of pain and shame. Nevertheless, God is faithful. He keeps His covenant and promises to Abraham. Israel will become the head of all nations in both the Millennium and on the new earth in eternity.
This celebration and abundant feast is laid by the Lord, the Messiah, for many people. I am not sure whether we will drink from the new cup with the Lord around this time. The timing was not specified in the Bible. But I know for sure that we are the most special group. We will reign with the Lord on earth.
1 Corinthians chapter 15 makes reference to Isaiah 25:8 as well. This chapter talks about resurrection. When the Lord returns, those who are asleep in the Lord will be raised from the dead. I hope that we all remain alive so we can personally experience what’s written in this chapter.
1 Corinthians 15:50-52 reads, “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. 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 imperishable, and we shall be changed.”
The first part of this passage reads, “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God:” the kingdom of God will continue to grow for all eternity. Currently, our bodies are made of flesh and blood. We cannot survive without oxygen. With our current bodies, we wouldn’t be able to instantly travel to different places in eternity. The future world will contain multiple worlds full of love. They will expand continuously for all eternity. We will need resurrected bodies in order to rule over everything, and because the people will continue to multiply.
The next part of 1 Corinthian 15:50-52 reads, “Nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable:” It’s so precious that we are going to inherit an imperishable and unshakable kingdom.
The next part of this verse reads, “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep:” It’s so precious that we don’t have to die, or go to heaven in the same way that Enoch did. Instead, the Lord Himself will come to receive us. It’s very precious that when we die, it will be like sleeping. We will wake up in a very comfortable manner because it’s far better to be with the Lord.
Finally, the last part of 1 Corinthians 15:50-52 reads “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 imperishable, and we shall be changed:” At that time, believers who have died will be raised up, and those who are still alive will be changed.
Verses 53-55 read, “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” It’s so precious that at the end, death will be swallowed up and come to an end!