Christ descends upon the Mount of Olives, where, after His resurrection, He ascended, and where angels repeated the promise of His return. Says the prophet: “The LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You.” “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, . . . Making a very large valley.” “And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be— ‘The LORD is one,’ And His name one.” Zechariah 14:5, 4, 9. As the New Jerusalem, in its dazzling splendor, comes down out of heaven, it rests upon the place purified and made ready to receive it, and Christ, with His people and the angels, enters the Holy City. (GC 662.3)
Reading Plan, Week 52
The Acts of the Apostles
Chapters: 40–42
Monday: 635.1–643.4
Tuesday: 644.1–652.2
Wednesday: 653.1–661.2
Thursday: 662.1–669.2
Friday: 670.1–678.3
All page/paragraph numbers are the original page numbers and can be used with any edition of Conflict of the Ages (shown in gray on the inside margin within The Conflict Beautiful).
The following is an overview of this week’s reading. Each chapter is introduced with a short paragraph, followed by a couple of thoughts/questions for you to consider.
Chapter 40: God’s People Delivered
At darkest midnight for the faithful followers of Christ, Heaven’s light dawns one final time on a planet in enemy hands. God’s glory and power shatter the fetters of rebellion’s evil to at last restore the Prince of Heaven to His long lost children. The family of God, separated from one another by death and sin, are reunited for all eternity.
As you read this chapter, watch for the ways God reveals Heaven’s ultimate goals for both human and divine relationships.
What promises in this chapter fill you with joy? What is cause for concern?
Chapter 41: Desolation of the Earth
With the rescue of God’s people, only evil remains. Faced with the truth of their own wickedness, rebellious humanity turns on itself and is destroyed by its own hand and God’s glory. The rebel Satan is trapped among the ruins of the world he falsely claimed as his own.
In this reading, consider the importance of judgment to God’s character. How is God’s patience and grace demonstrated even in the desolation of Earth?
How do you resist the temptation to complacency that undermines faithfulness?
Chapter 42: The Controversy Ended
The time for Earth’s restoration comes at last. As Heaven approaches the desolate planet, the evil dead rise to join with their rebel leader and prepare a desperate assault on God’s city, but there will be no battle, no siege. The glory of the King of Kings shines forth, and every heart must recognize with utter clarity the rightness of the Lamb’s judgement. The last remnants of sin turn inward and are obliterated in blood and fire, and a new, eternal era of peace and joy is ushered in as the rebel planet is restored as the home of its Creator.
In this chapter, note the way the justice of God is finally played out.
Where do you see God’s love of mercy in the final judgment? How do the Divine actions contrast with the actions of those who have rejected redemption?
What catches your attention in the promise of the New Earth? What surprises you about the eternal plans God has for you?
How are you embracing the Kingdom of Heaven today?