God’s message can be summarized by the word gospel, which means good news. And couldn’t we all use more good news!
We see and hear bad news every day. Here are just a few of the troubling trends we’ve been following:
Is Israel Going to Bomb Iran Within Months?
North Korea: More Plowshares Into Swords?
Syria Lurches Toward Civil War
Arab World in Crisis: Where Will It Lead?
Could the United States of America Be Bankrupt and Ungovernable by 2016?
Europe Edges Toward Disaster
We feel these and other trends are important to watch in light of Bible prophecy. But why?
Good news
Why watch all the bad news? Because Jesus Christ said it would be a prelude to the best news ever!
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
Jesus said this good news about the Kingdom of God would be preached worldwide before the end of this evil age and His second coming (Matthew 24:3).
This is good news because it means He will intervene to prevent the self-destruction of humanity: “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).
It is also very good news because it means humanity will finally learn the way of peace and will begin to live by the beneficial laws of God. Consider this description of the wonderful world that God’s Kingdom will usher in:
“Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
“He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
“But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken” (Micah 4:2-4).
The gospel of the Kingdom of God
This was the hope that motivated the apostle Peter at the beginning of the book of Acts. Peter preached powerfully about a time of refreshing for this war-weary world and a restoration of the perfect world God created:
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21, emphasis added).
This wonderful world—the Kingdom of God—is also the message all of the prophets of the Old Testament proclaimed and longed for.
And when we turn to the end of the book of Acts, we see that the apostle Paul was still “preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him” (Acts 28:31).
It’s interesting to note that the book of Acts does not end with the word “Amen,” as most other books in the New Testament do. Perhaps this is a reflection of the fact that the story of God’s Church and its mission to preach this good news continues. As Jesus said, His followers will continue to preach this message of hope until His return.
What should we do?
The gospel is the best news this troubled world could hear. But it is not good news to those who reject it.
The good news of the Kingdom of God requires a response. In His first recorded proclamation of the good news, Jesus Christ said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
Repentance is not a passing remorse, but a major, life-changing U-turn from going our own way to a full commitment to learn and obey the rules of that better world—the Kingdom of God.
Belief—faith—is necessary, or we would never commit to such a drastic transformation.
You need to learn more about God’s wonderful Kingdom. Take the time to read the articles in our section on the Kingdom of God. You will want to study this material—and especially the inspiring scriptures covered in it. You need this good news!
Date Posted: June 11, 2012
About the Author
Mike Bennett
Mike Bennett is editorial content manager for the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, in the Dallas, Texas, area. He coordinates the Life, Hope & Truth website, Discern magazine, the Daily Bible Verse Blog and the Life, Hope & Truth Weekly Newsletter (including World Watch Weekly). He is also part of the Personal Correspondence team of ministers who have the privilege of answering questions sent to Life, Hope & Truth.
by Mike Bennett
