What will you be doing in the Millennium? We must know, so we can be preparing for these jobs. One way we prepare is by learning the lessons of the Feast of Tabernacles. Let’s use this time to truly prepare for our eternal positions.
We eagerly come to the Feast every year to better understand the specific jobs God has planned for us in His Kingdom. Eye has not seen nor have we ever heard anything like this before. The reality is so profound, God is able to deepen our understanding and increase our anticipation more every year.
Herbert W. Armstrong’s inspiring booklet The Wonderful World Tomorrow—What It Will Be Like teaches what we will be doing for eternity. We will finally solve the problems that have beset mankind from the foundation of this world.
Our Future Jobs
In that booklet, Mr. Armstrong described the governmental positions to be held by David, Abraham and some of the other prophets.
What would you like to do in the World Tomorrow? It’s kind of like asking children what they want to be when they grow up. I’m sure we’ve all speculated, but how serious have we been? When God looks at our lives, He ought to be able to say, Yes indeed! These are people concerned about their future!
If we are to prepare ourselves for our future vocation, we had better understand what that vocation is. If you want to prepare yourself to be a farmer, you learn everything you can about farming. You don’t study plumbing. You concentrate your efforts on your vocation. With all of your heart, you set out to prepare yourself.
But we must be educated God’s way. For nearly 6,000 years now, mankind has chosen to go his own way. We know the story, and we see the fruits around us.
History’s Example
Nearly 6,000 years of human history help us better understand what happens when we choose our own ways. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:20-22).
God did not originally intend to hide all this beautiful revelation from mankind. To Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, God taught His law and His way. It says the invisible things of God from the creation were plainly evident. God was right there to answer any questions they had. Yet they wanted a different way. As it says, even when it was easily provable that God was the Creator and Giver of life, they still refused to believe. Mankind has struggled ever since, following that erroneous reasoning.
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (verse 28). If we don’t keep God in our knowledge—if we don’t like to base our decisions on His law—we cut ourselves off from Him. We essentially tell God, I have a better way.
Isaiah 66:4 mentions that when God called, no one answered. When God speaks, nobody listens. But that will not stop God from carrying out His plan!
Every one of us has a part in the plan of God. God is returning with a job for us to do. Simply put, we have a destiny. We have answers to life’s questions. We understand the mystery of the ages. We have the key of David vision.
We, as God’s special elect, have knowledge from God that no one else has. But with that comes a heavy responsibility. In the parable of the pounds (Luke 19:11-27), when the good Nobleman left for a far country to receive His Kingdom, He left revelation with the three men. One greatly grew in that knowledge. When the master came back, he was rewarded. The other servant, who also prospered, yet not as much, was rewarded accordingly. But what about the man who took the knowledge, hid it, and did nothing with it? Was Jesus happy with that man when He returned? No! He took what He had given the man and gave it to somebody else!
The Lamb’s Throne
We have all the tools necessary to get a godly education. We can prepare ourselves for the future. What value do you place on your godly education? Is it the most important thing in your life? As Mr. Armstrong asked, what will you be doing in the World Tomorrow?
“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life …. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. … [A]nd they shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:1-5).
In the World Tomorrow, God’s Spirit will flow freely from His throne to anybody who wants it. Feeding off this Spirit is the tree of life, with healing in its leaves. We will finally see the face of God! When it says “they shall reign for ever,” it is talking about the servants of God. That’s us—serving God for all eternity right at that throne!
Notice verse 12: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Christ is bringing His reward with Him—to reward us.
Christ told us in Matthew 16:27 that we are rewarded according to our works. If we bear much fruit with the understanding and revelation that God gives us, our reward will be great! Yet, if it is not the most important thing in our lives, our reward will reflect that attitude as well.
What works will Christ reward at His return? What is He speaking of here?
Jesus Christ has a special reward for the Philadelphians. In fact, there are several; and as you look into each reward, you find deeper meaning.
“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8). Those are our works. We have not denied the name of the Father, His authority, His government. We have not denied the 18 restored truths. We have listened to the revelation God has given us, and He is well pleased.
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (verse 21). We are to sit with Jesus Christ on His throne. Where is that throne? Christ said He is on the throne of the Father. Does that mean we will sit on the throne of the Father?
We know that the Father’s throne is in heaven (Isaiah 66:1; Revelation 4 and 5). And Jesus Christ said that is where He sits now. But notice: “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:20-21). The heavens have received Jesus Christ until the time of restitution of all things.
Christ is currently sitting on God’s throne in heaven, serving as our Advocate, making intercession on our behalf with God the Father—working with the Father to further His Work through us. This Work will continue until He returns to Earth for the restitution of all things.
As stated in Revelation 3 and 22, there are two thrones—one for the Father and one for Christ. So where will Christ’s throne be when He leaves His Father’s throne? This is pertinent, because we are to sit with Christ on His throne. Is Christ’s throne in heaven competing with the Father’s throne? A kingdom with two thrones would be a kingdom divided—something that cannot stand (Mark 3:24).
“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David” (Luke 1:30-32). Jesus Christ is to be given the throne of His father David.
The throne of David is here on Earth. Right now, a queen sits on that throne in Britain. But what about this fulfillment of Jesus Christ taking that throne back from David?
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth” (Jeremiah 23:5). Notice, the Branch, or the King that is coming back, will reign and prosper. King refers to Jesus Christ. A time is coming when He will once again assume that throne, and it will prosper and execute judgment and justice in the Earth.
That is the throne you and I will share! It is not the Father’s throne, but the throne of David that will rule the Earth. We need this foundational knowledge before we consider more deeply what we will be doing.
Feast Attitude
“Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word ” (Isaiah 66:1-2). If we are going to understand inspiring revelation at the Feast, we must have a humble and contrite spirit. To those people will God look and no one else, because they are the ones who treasure that wonderful blessing of truth God is giving us.
“Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lordbe glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed” (verse 5). That’s a prophecy for us in this end time. Those who tremble at God’s word and His revelation will be joyful at Christ’s return; those who do not will be ashamed. The thought of God’s knowledge spreading boundlessly around the world should motivate us. At that time, when God speaks, people will listen.
Although there will be great sorrow for those who choose not to have a better way, there will be tremendous happiness and joy for those who do so in a repentant, teachable, humble attitude, appreciative of God’s revelation. What joy we will have at that time.
Largest Audience Possible
Since 1997, the pcg’s battle cry has been to reach the “largest audience possible.” What is the largest audience possible for God? Every single person. Think big! God, through Mr. Flurry, is constantly encouraging us to think big. Don’t limit God! He expects us to reach the largest audience possible—everyone!
What will we be doing in the World Tomorrow? “Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn” (Jerermiah 31:8-9).
In the World Tomorrow, we will be teaching the largest audience possible. God will recover His people from captivity from all over the Earth. As a loving Father, He’s going to draw them to Him. He will appeal to them and bring them to these rivers of living water that spring from His throne. His way will be so obvious to perceive, people won’t stumble along the way. They won’t be drawn off to the side by intellectual vanity or other distractions.
We can’t think that when Jesus Christ returns, He will snap His fingers and suddenly everyone will have great respect for God’s revelation. People must develop that respect. That’s the character you and I are building right now. Remember, Jesus Christ will reward us according to how much effort we put into our calling right now—what we do today.
Romans 11:25-27 state, “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” This shouldn’t be a mystery to us. Soon, it won’t be a mystery to anyone! It will be a time when the whole world will finally have the humble and teachable attitude of Isaiah 66.
The best way to teach is by example. For us to be that example, we must be living that way right now. People will finally be eager to learn God’s truth—eager to go to Him for answers and turn from their intellectual vanity. No longer will they feel they have a better way. They will seek God’s way. They will answer the appeal God gives them. When He calls, they will respond.
God’s plan is to save all mankind. He is thinking big. He wants to enlarge His Family. We have everything to do with that. We are to accompany our Deliverer—their Deliverer—Jesus Christ. God is offering that as a reward to us.
How will God teach them? How will He equip us with the ability to draw this world to His understanding?
Look at Revelation 5:1-4. It depicts a book sealed with seven seals, unable to be opened by anyone. It is akin to God’s revelation. John expresses his disappointment because this mysterious book was closed to his understanding. But in the following verses, we see that Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, is able to open the seals. “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (verses 9-10). God will open His revelation to us. He is training and educating us so we can, in turn, take that revelation and share it with all men.
We are told directly from the Word of God that we’re going to reign for a thousand yearswith Jesus Christ here on Earth. We are to serve as kings and priests. God will begin the task of opening the eyes of those people who could not understand. We will serve them as teachers, teaching by example, because we treasure that revelation from God now.
Godly Education
God promises to make the Philadelphians eternal, godly teachers from the throne of Jesus Christ! We will revolutionize the way people are taught. God will use us to pioneer that way.
The modern system of education does not inspire its students. It is incapable of offering any purpose to life. Today’s colleges permit students to educate themselves. You determine your purpose. You inspire yourself and make the decisions. You set goals for your own education. The reason is that schools today don’t have the answers to life’s most basic questions. They only add to the list of questions!
Generally the result of graduating from a college or university today is a high-minded, overly confident attitude—one that, paradoxically, only adds to the confusion that is plunging this world toward its death. Education is failing this world!
There is nothing wrong with education, of itself. Consider the parable of the pounds. Jesus Christ doesn’t give us knowledge so we can bury it in a field and wait until He returns. God expects us to educate ourselves continually. But we must do it God’s way. True education is part of our reward. We will inspire this world. We will give them purpose and direction. God’s way won’t be an elective! We will answer their questions.
The big question is, how will we do this? What will be so different about God’s system of education? We will be God’s eternal teachers, ruling and teaching from the throne of Jesus Christ here on Earth. But how will we teach? God teaches us through His revelation and our observation. We study it and then practice it in our lives.
Our lives are about making choices, building character. Mankind has always had a choice to make. “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Spiritually speaking, God wants us to choose His way so that we can have eternal life in His Family. God’s advice for us is to take that knowledge, to take that law, to take His way, and receive eternal life. That is all He asks us to do. That is His great appeal to us now.
Notice how we will teach in the World Tomorrow. “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Do you understand this? We will be living and teaching God’s way all the time. We will start with the youth and teach them all the time: when they are lying down, when we walk with them, when we play with them.
We don’t have to wonder what we’ll do in God’s Kingdom. As God’s teachers, we will educate God’s children so they can make right decisions. This will be accomplished in a manner totally new to mankind. This is our future. This is what we should be preparing ourselves for right now.
Notice this totally different way of educating mankind. “And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:20-21). As God’s teachers, we will always be there to help them.
That doesn’t take place in today’s education. It doesn’t matter if you’re in preschool, grade school or college. Students go to school for a few hours, receive instruction from their teachers and then are given the remainder of the day off. After five days they’re given two more days off.
That is not God’s way. He knows we need to be taught more directly. God plans that we teach all mankind, all the time. We will not be removed from our students. When they make decisions, we’ll be right there helping them learn to live God’s way.
God will not instantly impart knowledge to us or to our students. We develop experience now to better counsel them through their character development.
If we take this pound of understanding that God has given us and turn it into 10 pounds, we will have 10 times as many students, and give them 10 times as much understanding straight from God. That’s our future.
God’s knowledge and revelation shall fill this Earth as the waters fill the sea (Isaiah 11:9) because we will be here, and the throne of Jesus Christ will be here! We will take a personal approach in educating this world—always being there to help our students.
Now, Visualize It!
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the reign; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the reign: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: …. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. … And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:1-3, 5-6, 8-9).
Interesting? Exciting? Wonderful? Yes, it certainly is. Ask yourself, Where will I be? What will I be doing in the World Tomorrow?
From the archives: Royal Vision, July/August 2002