To understand the end times and the future of the world, we need to go back to the beginning of the story. In fact, even before the beginning. We see in John 17 how the Son of God existed with the Father in glory and love before this blue marble popped on the scene (vv. 5 & 24). It’s so important to understand this aspect of where we come from, for it reveals where we’re ultimately headed. 

The apostle Paul expounds on this mystery in the first chapter of Ephesians. He told us that before the world began, God chose us to be adopted into sonship, and to be holy and blameless in love. Here’s the mystery of why God created us . . . He wanted to expand His family of the Trinity. Father, Son, and Spirit wanted more sons and daughters. That’s why we’re here. This is the destiny of the world. 

The earth is groaning for the sons of the Trinity to be revealed (Romans 8:19). God created the earth to be taken care of by His sons and daughters in love, and until that happens, the earth is restless. Jesus is the One and Only Son who is God and eternal, but He and the Father decided to share the glory of “sonship” with us. This is why Jesus also said in John 17 that he was sharing his glory with us (v. 22). This is cause for absolutely wild celebration. 

We need to ascend our thoughts to the throne where we are seated in Christ. We need to see from God’s perspective and understand His heart. He desires that all people come to the knowledge of this truth (1 Timothy 2:4). The knowledge of our predestined sonship. Of course, there is great mystery here. Some things we can’t fully understand on this side of eternity. We see in part, and we hope that all people will come to this faith-filled knowledge. And we have this hope because of another story from the book of beginnings–Genesis–where we learn of God’s original covenant with the patriarch Abraham. Through him, the Father promised: All the families of the earth will be blessed.

Ephesians 3:14 goes on says that every family on planet earth derives their name from the Father. This is why Jesus told his disciples to call no one on earth “father.” He was calling us to a higher reality. To see God Himself as our Father, and to call all people to wake up to their origin, their source. It’s truly the Father, Son, and Spirit who created all people. 

In Psalm 95 we’re reminded that God is our Maker and therefore we are the sheep in His care. This is why Jesus came, to seek out the lost sheep who originally and rightfully belong to their Maker, the Shepherd of heaven and earth. He came to destroy the lies of the serpent who told us we don’t truly belong to Him. 

God desires one big happy family. All nations, Jew and Gentile, are invited to sit at the table and call God their Father through His Son, Jesus. The new world is the full celebration of this reality where all will joyfully honor the God who created all things for His pleasure.

In Psalm 96 we read this, “Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes; he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness” (v. 13). Jesus is a very good judge, and we can trust Him. He knows true righteousness is of the heart. He knows faithfulness for all people. When He comes and establishes His one big happy family, it will be the reason for all creation to rejoice.