[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Escape the World and Its Problems?

Many around the world felt that 2021 was a year to forget. Will 2022 or 2023 be any better? A new kind of reality, a technological virtual reality, is becoming popular to those who want to experience a better life, or in some way experience their dreams of a more exciting life. One of the most popular platforms for the metaverse virtual reality is Roblox. Emerging Tech states this amazing trend: “Roblox’s metaverse is already here, and it’s wildly popular. The platform says that over half of American children use the platform, and counts nearly 50 million daily users” (“Roblox’s metaverse is already here, and it’s wildly popular,” MorningBrew.com, December 10, 2021).

We understand the desire to escape this troubled world and live vicariously in a dream world. But what is the reality? A greater vision and a greater reality IS coming to this world soon. Your Bible describes the glorious transformation the world will experience. That new world to come is REAL! It’s called the Kingdom of God, ruled by the King of kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. You need to know about this new “world to come” as it’s described in Hebrews 2:5.

Unknown even to many professing Christians, your Bible describes a time of world peace among all nations. It outlines the governmental structure, the educational system, the family and cultural values enjoyed by all peoples of all nations on planet earth. Does that sound impossible? You need to know about the amazing real world to come and your place in it.

Stay tuned!

We Need a New World

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

When we review today’s world, we wonder whether it will survive or not. We are threatened with global pandemic, with wars and rumors of wars, record weather disasters, and political and criminal oppression.

When the bad news stresses us, many millions seek escapism through illicit drugs, alcohol, and entertainment. Many seek a better life through virtual reality. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines virtual reality as “an artificial environment which is experienced through sensory stimuli (such as sights and sounds) provided by a computer and in which one’s actions partially determine what happens in the environment.”

The metaverse platforms are very popular. One can vicariously choose to travel to exotic places or strive to experience unachievable goals and dreams through the metaverse. The New York Times reported this example; “Getting Married in the Metaverse. One couple’s recent nuptials in the virtual world known as the metaverse showcase the possibilities of having a wedding unfettered by the bounds of reality” (“Getting Married in the Metaverse,” NYTimes.com, December 10, 2021).

My friends, do you want a life “unfettered by the bounds of reality”? We cannot escape our financial obligations, or employment and family responsibilities. Nor can we escape the real world in which we live day after day. But we can seek the amazing real world to come! That world will be a glorious world of peace, guaranteed by the ruler of that coming Kingdom, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. On today’s program, we’ll describe from the Bible the amazing realities among peoples and nations as they submit to the Prince of Peace, as He is called in Isaiah 9:6. What will that kingdom be like? What form of world-ruling government will prevail? What religion will be practiced by all nations on earth? How will world peace come about?

But just what is the Kingdom of God? We’ve explained this on previous programs, but first of all, the Kingdom has a ruler. And who is that? Describing the Second Coming of Christ to this earth in Revelation 19, we read, “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16). And again in Revelation 17, revealing the time when Christ will conquer rebellious nations.

“These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).

My friends, you need to be on God’s side and rejoice in the coming Kingdom of God. As Jesus said, you also need to “believe in the gospel”—that’s Mark 1:15.

Yearning for Freedom from Suffering

Virtual reality and its many platforms, including various metaverses, avoid the awesome reality of the coming King of kings and a new world of peace and prosperity. Wired magazine featured “The Future of Reality” and presented an argument that “We’re Already Living in the Metaverse” (December 2021/January 2022). The author, Cecelia D’Anastasio, states: “Virtual reality companies say you’ll get there [to an “empyrean, transcendent, immersive, 3D”] through VR headsets, while augmented reality companies say you’ll wear AR smart goggles. And with boyish enthusiasm for science fiction fueling their piety, these preachers are calling this vision the metaverse, after Neal Stephenson’s 1992 dystopian novel Snow Crash” (Wired, November, 10, p. 105).

Will AR, augmented reality, smart goggles, and VR headsets help you experience true reality? The Wall Street Journal featured an article on “The Metaverse’s Mental Toll.” Expressing concern that the virtual realm will affect our emotional health, Rachel Kowart, research director at Take This, a nonprofit focused on mental health in the videogaming community, emphasized this: “If we start to shift into preferring a virtual life, that may then negatively impact our ability to engage in a non-virtual life…” (p. R7, January 13, 2022).

My friends, the REAL abundant life you can live, comes not through videogaming, virtual reality, or augmented reality. It comes from the reality of truth. Your Bible makes this positive claim. The coming King of the kingdom stated this in John 8:32,

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

The Lord prayed the night before His crucifixion, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

Yes, the word of God, written in your Bible, is truth. Jesus Christ also stated, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” That’s in John 10:10.

The coming Kingdom of God will give that opportunity to all peoples and all nations. Thank God for His loving government that will ensure world peace for all nations. The amazing REAL world to come will have a universal system of laws to ensure godly liberty and freedom. Notice that in Micah 4:2,

“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.”

Jesus Christ will rebuke war-like people and nations. Weapons of war will be turned into instruments of peace and productivity. Some of you may have seen the sculpture outside the United Nations in New York, depicting a man beating a sword into a plowshare. Imagine how the world will be transformed from destructive ways to productive ways. Micah 4:3,

“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.”

Who will assist Christ in ruling the nations? The Apostle Peter asked Jesus what their responsibilities would be. Matthew 19:28,

“So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’”

Who else will assist Christ in governing the world? In the inspiring free booklet we’re offering today, Dr. Roderick Meredith writes this concerning “Organization of God’s Kingdom”:

“Who will rule under Christ? God certainly trained Abraham for a top position of high responsibility in the world ahead. Scripture calls Abraham ‘the heir of the world’ (Romans 4:13). Yes, God will reward Abraham for his faith by giving him a position of service over the whole earth!” (p. 4).

Yes, Abraham is the “heir of the world.” And we will participate in this future IF we are truly Christian. As it tells us in Galatians the third chapter:

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:26–29).

Not only will Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob be rulers in the coming Kingdom, but so will ancient King David. God will unite the house of Judah and the house of Israel into one nation. And who will rule over them in God’s coming Kingdom? Ezekiel 37:24,

“David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.”

Ancient King David was a man after God’s own heart, as it tells us in Acts 13:22. King David ruled over the combined kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and he will have that responsibility in God’s coming Kingdom.

The Way of Peace: A Coming Reality?

We’ve seen that millions seek to escape reality and truth. We’ve seen that there are engineers and businessmen who are using their knowledge to provide that escape. New technologies are making it possible to create metaverses, virtual worlds, that offer participants a false reality. The prophet Daniel was told that knowledge would increase in the latter days. We see incredible advances in many forms of technology. Daniel 12:4,

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

We can now understand amazing details in the micro-atomic world on the one hand and the expanding universe with its two trillion galaxies on the other. But we also know that scientific knowledge has produced nuclear weapons of mass destruction, and now powerful laser weapons. We have knowledge to destroy all human life on earth.

Yes, engineers and businessmen are, more than ever before, able to offer their customers an escape into a false version of reality. As part of that escape, our Western nations are increasingly rejecting God and the Bible. And so, the prophecy of Hosea is coming to pass before our very eyes. Hosea 4:6,

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”

But a time is coming when millions and billions in the Kingdom of God will learn NOT the way to destruction, but the way of God. If you have a Bible, turn to the awesome prophecy for knowledge of true education. Isaiah 2:3,

“Many people 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 shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; 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.”

Under the coming Kingdom of God, technology will be used for peaceful purposes. Can you imagine if today’s massive military expenditures were used for peaceful production rather than the production of hypersonic missiles and powerful armies, navies, air forces, and space warfare? But how can humans transform from their natural way of lust, greed, and war, to the way of peace, service, and love?

The answer is in the change of heart and mind. The Messiah, the Prince of Peace, will judge among the nations. They will learn to repent of their evil and carnal nature. The prophet Ezekiel gives an example of the future survivors from the Great Tribulation. Ezekiel 36:24,

“For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.”

Yes, God will give them a humble and teachable heart. A heart that will learn the very love of God. As it tells us in 1 John 5:3,

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

In the coming Kingdom, families will take responsibility for teaching their children. Dr. Meredith comments on “True Education Begins at Home.” He states, “Nearly all authorities acknowledge that education should ultimately begin in the home. Yet far too few parents, today, realize this responsibility or take the time to perform it. As the God of the Bible told His people in ancient Israel, ‘And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes’ (Deuteronomy 6:6–8)” (p. 23).

Yes, a time is coming when parents and teachers will be united in teaching their children the ways of God. Parents will no longer worry that their children are learning wrong values in their schools. And, my friends, if you will become a faithful member of God’s Kingdom and family, you also may serve to bring truth to the world. The prophet Isaiah gives us a vision of this wonderful time of true education:

“For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. And though the LORD gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:19–21).

The whole world will learn the way to peace and true values. You need to seek that coming Kingdom. Jesus stated our very purpose and goal in life:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

My friends, God has called faithful Christians to inherit the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of God and a New World—Filled With Purpose

Will we be floating on clouds all day? Listen to this powerful promise in Revelation 5:9, called the song of the saints:

“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.’”

Yes, my friends, true Christians will be serving all nations as kings and priests, assisting the King of kings in re-educating the world to the way of true love, peace, and prosperity. Revelation 20 also describes the role of faithful Christians during the Millennium, the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth. Revelation 20:4,

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. [That is, genuine Christians] Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. [Speaking of the White Throne Judgment] This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

My friends, you can have [a] part in God’s Kingdom. God is calling people to Christ from all nations to be in His Kingdom. That one world government is coming soon. You need to prepare for it. Study your Bible. Visualize the transformed world under the King of kings.

This amazing world ahead, the glorious Kingdom of God on earth, will produce beauty and productivity the world has never known. God has blessed the earth with awesome, majestic mountains, fertile valleys, and productive plains. We marvel at pristine lakes and churning oceans. We appreciate the variety of flowers, plant life, birds, animals, and sea life. Even the very nature of ANIMALS will change. Isaiah gives us this Millennial vision:

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s 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 11:6).

Thank you for watching!

My friends, an incredible new world is coming soon. Our booklet The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like? reveals what will really happen at Christ’s return and the very real future for which you should be preparing. You can receive your own copy for free by clicking the link in the description. And remember to subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video. See you next time!