Preparing for a New Order of Righteousness

GOD has declared his purpose that mankind will live in happiness on earth governed in righteousness by His laws. But it is not by converting the world that he will accomplish this desirable condition for humankind. This fact is clearly seen when we consider that the nations are constantly drifting farther from the Bible’s standards.

God did not convert the world that existed before the Flood, but destroyed it. The account reads: “Jehovah saw that the badness of man was abundant in the earth and every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time.” Nevertheless, Jehovah in his loving kindness “felt hurt at his heart.” He gave men 120 years before acting against them. Their going into destruction was the result of their own choice of a bad way.​—Gen. 6:3, 5, 6.

This historical fact is of interest to us, because Jesus Christ said: “Just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. . . . they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away.”​—Matt. 24:37-39.

ONLY THOSE PREPARED WILL SURVIVE

When God destroys the present system of things he is not going to leave a vacuum. That is, he is not going to have a depopulated earth. Nor is he going to have a few people left who do not know God’s ways or who do not want to recognize his sovereignty.

When Noah and his family, eight persons in all, stepped out of the ark as the sole survivors of the Flood, they were not ignorant people. They had practiced God’s principles and had lived by them. Noah, in fact, had done so for 600 years. The wisdom he had obtained from ‘walking with God’ enabled him to give right direction to the things to be done as men again began to grow in numbers on the earth.​—Gen. 6:9; 7:11.

God is giving humankind at this time the opportunity to prepare for life in a new order​—the opportunity now to get onto the road to life. Have you heard the proclamation that “the Kingdom is at hand”? Has anyone spoken to you at your home, your place of business, or other place, about the paradise condition of earth near at hand, where one can live everlastingly? If so, you may appreciate that the Kingdom is indeed near. You may identify the proclamation as an educational work that God is having done to inform and train humans for survival.

You can prepare for life in a new order by making a study of God’s laws and putting them into effect in your life now. It is not education in science, politics or the philosophy of this world that is the essential thing. That education will not help one to survive. That knowledge is mere information. It is not real wisdom, for it does not help one to know how to live peaceably with his fellowman and in harmony with his Creator. As the Creator and Architect of the universe, God knows everything about his creation. It is knowing and following his laws that constitute real wisdom.

Many persons today seek after knowledge. But not many have hearts that are willing to obey God. People with good hearts who are loyal and trustworthy through and through are the ones valuable in God’s eyes. These persons God will give, along with wisdom, all the knowledge, technical and otherwise, that is necessary for an organized society on earth in his new order. They will be able to “subdue” the earth, making it a paradise to God’s glory.​—Gen. 1:28.

What does the Bible say about God’s new order and its governmental arrangement?

WHAT GOVERNMENT FOR THE NEW ORDER?

In this present system of things we have governments often made up of large bodies of men. The legislative, judicial and executive branches of a government comprise sizable numbers. Over these world governments, the Bible says, is an invisible body of rulers. Who are these rulers? They are wicked spirit persons, unknown to most of mankind because of being invisible. One of Christ’s apostles counsels Christians that they must stand firm against the machinations of the Devil, then continues:

“Because we have a wrestling, not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.”​—Eph. 6:11, 12.

These wicked spirits, constituting the “heavens,” or invisible ruling power over the “earth” or present-day human society, are to be removed. “The heavens will pass away,” says the apostle Peter. (2 Pet. 3:10) Then the “new heavens” will rule the “new earth” of righteous human society. (Rev. 21:1-4) These “new heavens” the Bible describes as being composed of Jesus Christ the King and High Priest of God and his associate kings and underpriests numbering 144,000 persons. Will there be a visible governing arrangement for humankind?​—Rev. 14:1, 3, 4; 20:4, 6.

At Psalm 45 the inspired writer speaks as addressing the King. The Christian Scriptures make quotations from this psalm, applying it to Jesus Christ. (Ps. 45:1, 6, 7; Heb. 1:8, 9) There the psalmist says to the King: “In place of your forefathers there will come to be your sons, whom you will appoint as princes in all the earth.” (Ps. 45:16) Righteous men like Noah, Abraham and David were among Jesus’ forefathers according to the flesh. These were men of loyalty and proved integrity. They will become “children” of the “Eternal Father” Jesus Christ by reason of receiving a resurrection through Christ’s ransom sacrifice. (Isa. 9:6) With other such men of unbreakable integrity to God they will constitute visible “princes,” just as the prophet Isaiah wrote:

“Look! A king will reign for righteousness itself; and as respects princes, they will rule as princes for justice itself. And the work of the true righteousness must become peace; and the service of the true righteousness, quietness and security to time indefinite. And my people must dwell in a peaceful abiding place and in residences of full confidence and in undisturbed resting-places.”​—Isa. 32:1, 17, 18.

Thus, under the “new heavens” and with the body of “princes” operating according to information transmitted by the “new heavens,” the survivors of this old system’s destruction will make rapid progress toward perfection. Since Christ’s sacrifice is not only for the living, but also for the dead, people will be resurrected and will be taught the same principles that the prospective survivors are observing now.​—Acts 24:15; 2 Tim. 4:1.

The just and righteous principles of the Almighty God are now easily understood by any who want to know them. Those who accept the Bible in its entirety as inspired of God and who earnestly conform their lives to these principles are preparing for life in a new order of righteousness. They can confidently say to God: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” The Kingdom ‘comes’ into collision with the nations to clear the way for God’s will and purpose to take place, with real peace on earth.​—Matt. 6:10.

Do you want such a change? Are you willing to investigate whether such a change in earth’s conditions would require a change on your part?

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Study of God’s Word and conforming to it are vital to preparing for life in his new order