[Greetings friends and listeners.]

Have you ever wondered why, if God is the ruler of this world, and if God is love, and if God is powerful, why is the world like it is? Full of trouble, problems, war, violence, terrorism, poverty, hunger, and many other problems.

Where is God in all of these? Many people have wondered about this, and as a result many also have turned atheists. They think that the concept of God is a foolish thought, it is an idle thought, it does not mean anything in this world because indeed if there is God and this God is alive, and active in human affairs, we should not see a world like this. If we are going to describe this world in one word, it is evil. Full of evil, wickedness, murder, and all of the negative things attributed to our society nowadays.

Certainly, this is not the kind of world that God has envisioned for us. Something is wrong or rather, probably something went wrong or something is causing it to go wrong. What is the reason why we see a different world from what we know about a God of love has in mind? Maybe we need to look into a Bible or rather we should look into the Bible to find the answers. Because in the minds and ideas and opinions of man, they have all ideas why it is the way it is. But the only authoritative source is to go into the Bible and find out what is causing it to go wrong and what went wrong. Many people don't realize that the concept of God and the rulership of this world is not exactly what the Bible has stated. It has been the concoction on the thoughts of man that has prevailed on this world. It's time that we open our Bibles and to really see what it really says because many people have misrepresented what the Bible says without really knowing what the plan of God is and what the Bible really says.

Now let's first settle the question what is causing this world to go wrong, and what went wrong? As it has been stated, "for every effect, there is a cause." What is the cause of all this world's trouble? What is the cause of all this world's problems? What is the cause of all this world's evil?

Certainly, it begins to pinpoint and describe an evil mind, an evil intent, and an evil ruler. Now, that could not be God. It is a different god. I'd like us to look into our Bibles and I'd like to encourage everyone listening to check into your Bibles. I repeatedly say, don't believe me for what I said but believe what you read in your own Bibles with your own eyes. And if you don't have a Bible nearby or handy, I'll encourage to get a piece of paper and pen or pencil and jot down the verses that I am mentioning and please follow it up in your own Bibles as soon as possible.

There is a cause to this world's problems. The word of God tells us what it is and identifies who he is. Let's open to Revelation 12 (that's in the last book of your Bible). We find a verse which gives us a key to understanding the problems of this world. It says in Revelation 12:9, it says, "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world..." It did not say 50 percent of this world, it did not say ten percent of this world, or 75 percent, but it says the whole world. And "…he was cast into the earth, and his angels [which are if course, the demons] were cast out with him."

We therefore see a great force, a spiritual force working upon the whole earth. From every continent which has deceived the whole world of mankind and has caused all these problems that we see around us. Many people don't realize that. Many people say, "but we are worshipping the god of this world. We love the god of this world. We obey the god of this world." Yes, that is true. But there is an impostor. Many people don't realize that some power has taken over control of this world and has become and assumed the title and the label as the 'god of this world'. But that is not the God, the Creator of heaven and earth. It's another being, a powerful being, yet a very wicked and evil being.

The Bible identifies that usurping power, the one who became the god of this world. In fact that is what the apostle Paul called him, the god of this world. I'd like you to open with me to 2 Corinthians 4:4. In his epistle to the Corinthians, he mentions about Jesus Christ here and His work. But I'd like you to zero in verse 4 where the apostle Paul wrote and said, "In whom the god of this world…" We see here the god of this world here spoken about. Now what is this god of this world and what did he do? Or what has he done and continues to do? He said, "…[he] has blinded the minds of them which believe not…" Now that ties up with what we just read in Revelation 12:9 about deceiving the whole world. And here he talks about blinding the minds of them which believe not, "lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ…" Now, this gospel that we continue to talk about, they have not understood it, they have been blinded from it, it has been hidden from their eyes. And talking about this Christ who wrote that gospel, it describes Him as the image of God who should shine unto them, them that should believe.

Now, we see here indications that this world is under another kind of rule. Another kind of rulership. Not certainly the God of heaven and earth, it certainly not the God of love and might, but temporarily God has allowed a usurping power to come and rule this earth. And that is Satan the devil, together with his host of demons, billions of them, which we call the wicked or evil spirit of this world.

Now, what is God going to do with this? Will it be continuing forever? Will it always be like this? The Bible, your Bible, says it will come to an end. When will it come to an end? I'd like us to get the words here in Acts 3. Because this is the good news that we are talking about. The good news for humanity and mankind. Talking about Peter giving a message on the Day of Pentecost, he said in verse 19 of Acts 3, "Repent you therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come [now, it talks about a time of refreshing. Where will this come from? It says, it shall come] from the presence of the Lord." It will be brought by God. It will not be because of man, it will be in spite of man. And in verse 20, he said, "And he [that is God the Father] shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you. (21) Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things…" So there is a time, there is time limit when Jesus Christ is going to come back and do what? Restore all things, and it talks about the restitution of all things. It's not just some things. It's not just setting the heart of Christians right. It's not just working in some Christian groups. It's not working in some Christian fellowship, but it talks of the restitution of all things. Meaning, the entire world, and this is prophesied because it says further, "… which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." This is not a new idea. It was not a new concoction. It has been a master plan of God for mankind from the beginning since the world began. But many people don't know about that. They are not aware about all of these things. Because as we said earlier, there is a power which has deceived and blinded the whole world. And the Bible is true when it says that. And God is not telling a lie. He is making us understand the reality of what is happening in this world which many people are ignorant about.

Now, we talk about this restoration of all things. What will happen when God through Jesus Christ, when Christ comes back and restores all things--what will it be like? Now that is the true gospel, the gospel, the good news of the Kingdom of God. God will send Jesus Christ back to restore all things to this earth on its pristine things, much greater than the beauty and the peace of the garden of Eden. Only that, while it was limited at that time, the garden of Eden will be a worldwide phenomenon. It will be a situation and it will be a condition around this world.

What would it be like when that will happen? Let us see certain prophecies in the Bible which talk about these because last time I talk about Bible prophecies consisting of one-third of your entire Bible not just the New Testament. The prophecy of the Bible is even thicker than all the New Testament books and verses combined. And as I mentioned, 90 percent of that is still to be fulfilled.

Now, what does the Bible prophecy say about the restoration of God's Kingdom on this earth, or rather, establishment of God's Kingdom on this earth? First of all, there will be healing on this world. One of our biggest problems nowadays has to do with disease and illness. It is a plague. It's growing. Man does not seem to have the power. The medical profession seems not to be gaining much ground. The pharmaceutical companies keep on inventing new drugs but it seems that we have not conquered after all these years, diseases on this earth.

Let us see Isaiah 35, and see what God will do on this earth. I'd like you to follow with me in verse 5, it says here, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. (6) Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." And it talks further about more of the transformation of this earth. Aside from the healing of the peoples of this world, what else do we see? "(7) And the parched ground [meaning the dessert places] shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: [and] in the habitation of [jackals or] dragons [or wild animals], where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes." So in the dessert places, there will be grass. "And a highway shall be there [crossing the desert places], and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it [so in other words, people will be cleansed from their ways, from their habits, from their diets.]; and it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not enter therein." So we could see here that there will be great transformation of this earth. And there will be...wild animals will be restricted at that time. "No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up there, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there." It's talking that there will be no carnivorous animals which will begin to prey upon people which will be the fear of people, but rather it will be a place of peace. And in verse 10, what will be the people do? "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return [return to their places, return to their lands; Israel will return to their possessions], and shall come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."

Now, these things are not happening in our day. They are just a fantasy. They are good stories probably for novels or writings but not a reality of our time. So we see here something that has not been accomplished on this earth. But the Bible prophecy talks about this, coming to pass in the future.

Another prophecy that gives us other ideas about how this restoration of all things be like, I'd like you to open with me to Isaiah 2. And in verse 4, we read also here, and talking about Jesus Christ will come back and rule and establish His kingdom from Jerusalem. In fact, the previous verses talk about that. I'd like to read the previous verse to give us a little bit of context here. In verse 2, it says here, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain [mountain is a prophetic word for government] of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains [meaning, on top of the other governments of this world], and shall be exalted above the hills [hills talks about lesser governments]; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come you, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD [to his government], to the house [or to the temple] of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." There will still be law in the Kingdom. Many people are anti-law, antinomian, against law to this day, but God will institute this. One of the causes of the problems of this is disregard for the laws especially the laws of God. Not to mention the violations of human laws. And in verse 4, it says, "And he [that is, Jesus Christ] shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares…" Right now, people or not just right now but for many centuries and millennia of years, nations and peoples have been preparing for war, gathering armaments preparing to fight. But at that time, it says, "they shall beat their swords into plowshares." Sword here is symbolic for armaments of fighting and war and killing. "… and their spears [another type of armament or weapon, they shall beat that] into pruninghooks [which is an agricultural tool]: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

If you read the news at this time, nations are preparing for war. The greatest power of this world's nations is preparing for war while other lesser nations are preparing for war. Many nations now have nuclear weapons. It's the goal of many nations to acquire the ultimate weapon, a nuclear device we consider a nuclear weapon.

Let's open to Isaiah 11 as well and find other prophecies here. Actually, there are so many things that we can read. I'm just showing you some of the highlights of what we can read from our Bibles which many people are not aware. It's time to open our Bibles and blow the dust off our Bible and read what it really says, not just believing what others say but what the Bible really says. In Isaiah 11, we see another description of that world. Jesus Christ will rule at that time. And it talks here in verse 2, "And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him [that is, the spirit of the eternal 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 Eternal."

Many people don't have the fear of God now. They despise Him, they reject Him, and they don't want [Him] meddling in their own personal lives and business. And God will "make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD…" Again, the fear of the LORD which is the beginning of wisdom is continually stressed here. "…and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears." Which our courts of justice now depend on, on physical evidence or probably in some cases, circumstantial evidence. Our courts now deal on testimony; what they hear, testified based on the hearing of their ear, but at that time, it will not be based on those things. It will be based on righteousness. It says, "But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth [right now, the meek of this earth or the weak of this earth in many cases are being disadvantaged in the law]: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." Right now, the wicked go rampant and carry on their activities, whether in mass murder, or many other wickedness. But at that time, "righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins." This is talking and describing the kingdom which shall be administered by Jesus Christ. What else do we read? Verse 6, "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." You cannot find this scenario in this world except in pictures which have been put together by electronic means and by paste-up. But this will become a reality on that world. In verse 7 of Isaiah 11, it says, "And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox." You don't find that now. In verse 8, "And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den." Now cockatrice here, I'm reading from the King James Version, this is talking about a poisonous snake, probably cobra. And in verse 9, "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain [again I said, mountain is a prophetic word for government]: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the ETERNAL, as the waters cover the sea." Right now, this is not the case. The world is full of deception, ignorance, paganism, evil and all of the wickedness that we find in this world. So we see here in verse 10, "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which [this is talking about Jesus Christ] shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious." This is talking of that millennial rest. And what will we do with civilizations like Israel for example? "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time [the first time He did that, He delivered the nation of Israel out of Egypt, but this time, He will again deliver them the second time and] recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea." It's talking about modern times when many of these peoples will be dispersed in various parts of this world.

Now you could read the rest of your Bible, its full of these prophetic events that will tend to happen in the end time when God will set His rule on this earth. Now, there are many other things that characterized this. How about teaching? One of the great things now is ignorance in this world.

Let's open to Isaiah 30, we find other verses here which describe the conditions at that time. Isaiah 30, I'd like to start in verse 18. "And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him." Verse 19 of Isaiah 30, "For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem…" It's not talking about going up to heaven and dwelling in the clouds, or pluck harps in the clouds. That cannot be found in a Bible yet that is popular in the minds of people. What it says here, the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem. "…you shall weep no more: [this is talking about a new transformed world] he will be very gracious unto you at the voice of your cry…" Now, even people screamed and weep, there is no deliverance, but at that time it shall not be so. And "… when he shall hear it, he will answer you." Verse 20, "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity [we will pass through great tribulation], and the water of affliction [this world will suffer great suffering prior to the establishment of God's kingdom], yet shall not your teachers be removed into a corner any more, but your eyes shall see your teachers." It's talking about those who will be co-ruling with Christ, the elect who have been designated by Christ to rule with Him in His Kingdom. They will become the teachers, and we hope and pray that you will be one of them. If you continue listening in this broadcast, you will learn the way to be in that kingdom. "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk you in it, when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left."

Such the good news listeners and friends about this gospel of the Kingdom of God. This is the real good news. This world will end in chaos and death and destruction. But there is good news ahead. There is good news for us. There will be a transformation of the human heart which is not found now.

I'd like you to open [one more], to another prophecy in Ezekiel 36:26. And it says here, "A new heart will I give you…" Now, this is not the kind of heart that we have. You listen and let us try to compare with the kind of heart that we have in this world. "…and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh." Meaning, a kind, loving heart, not hateful, not murderous which we could see reflected in everything even in media, television, movies, novels; it's all... many of the accounts are on hate and murder and killing. And in verse 27, "And I will put my spirit within you…" Right now, the spirit of God is not among humanity. It's in a few but not in all of humanity. Only in a very few. "…and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments, and do them." Right now, people are bent on doing away with the laws of God. But at that time, it will be a different world.

We would like you to listen to all of these things and continue listening to this program because we have much to show you from the Bible. We don't speak of our own words but we show what the Bible has to say.

Now, for more of these things, we encourage you to listen to the booklets that will be advertised in this program as well as the address.

[And until next time, friends and listeners, thank you for listening. In behalf of the Good News of the World Tomorrow, this is Ed Macaraeg.]