Why did God create the earth and mankind?
God created men and angels because one of His primary attributes is love. True love generates the quality of giving. Therefore he formed the earth to be inhabited (ls.45:18) by perfect human beings who would love and serve Him freely and to whom He would freely give life and blessings. This creation was not in vain. There will be harmony throughout all of God's creation when God's plan is complete. His word will "not return to Him void but it shall accomplish that which He pleases..." (Is.55:11).
What is God doing in the earth today?
At present, the Lord has one primary plan being carried out at two levels. His ultimate goal is to bring all who ever lived into harmony with Him again. One part of accomplishing this goal is to permit evil to have full sway in the earth so that man will be fully able to see its painful results. (Eccl.1:13;3:10)
While this evil is being permitted, God is accomplishing the other aspect of His plan - developing the Body of Christ. Having found too few Jews faithful at the first advent to constitute His Church, God is now "visiting the Gentiles to call out a people for His name" (Acts15:14). These are experiencing a special development of spiritual maturity and character, through the Lord's called out Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers and those who stay faithful to God's doctrines "will reign with Him a thousand years" (Rev.20:6). This reigning will be for the purpose of teaching and blessing all the nations of the earth. What a prospect!
What is the Gospel?
There are two scriptures which explain the term Gospel. When the angel appeared to the shepherds at Jesus' birth, he declared in Luke2:10,11, " Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
Acts3:20,21 states that God "shall send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things (all that was lost in Adam), which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." These two scriptures summarize the Gospel message - good news to man that God's original plan has not failed, and that mankind will be restored to life and receive God's blessings eternally on a perfect earth. This is to be accomplished by the promised seed, Jesus himself.
Will the faithful of old be resurrected to heaven or earth?
John the Baptist died before Jesus gave his life for the world. Jesus stated in
Matthew 11:11 "Assuredly I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." These words of Jesus are saying that John will not be included in the first or heavenly resurrection! (Rev.20:6) John instead will have part in a future resurrection right here on earth.
In fact, before the ransom sacrifice of Jesus, all of the ancient faithful were not offered, nor did they ever receive, a spiritual resurrection. They all looked forward to the Kingdom of God here on earth, with Jerusalem as its capital and Israel (the earthly seed) as the nation from which all blessings would flow to other people.
Acts 7:5 clarifies the point that the promise made to Abraham was earthly: God "promised that He would give it (the land) to him for a possession." Although this promise is even now in process of being fulfilled to Abraham's descendants, Israel, yet Abraham did not receive the promise himself: "...no inheritance in it (the land) not even enough to set his foot on." Abraham will return one day to receive the inheritance that was promised him.
This blessing cannot be fulfilled until the still higher heavenly promises concerning Jesus and His Church are fulfilled. The Apostle Paul states of Abraham and all those of faith who lived before Christ: "These all died in faith, not having received the (fulfillment of) the promise, God having provided something better for us (the true Church) that they should not be made perfect apart from us." (Heb.11:13,39,40).
