LESSON FORTY
The Return of the King and the Restoration of All Things
God made and blessed us. But we walked away. Nevertheless, he is now bringing us back again. When sin entered the world, God began unfolding his eternal plan of grace. He would send a true and better Adam to defeat evil, reconcile people to himself and one another, and renew all things.
The history of Israel was a shadow of these good things to come. Israel was like a new humanity, living in an Eden-like land. They were to enjoy God’s temple-presence and reflect his good rule. Yet, like Adam, they failed and were exiled from God’s good land.
Now Jesus, the second Adam and true Israel, the true sacrificial Lamb, has reconciled us to God and to one another. And he will come again to set all things right and make all things new.
Yet Revelation holds out before us two distinct futures. Those who reject God will be condemned to eternal exile. But all who trust God’s mercy in Christ will receive his eternal welcome in this new and better Eden. There will be no more sin, no more death, no more tears. In this place for age upon age God will show us the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.