I believe that all peoples — even from the beginning of time — will be in God's new kingdom. And here is why.
🏙️ The New Jerusalem
Let me start with John's description of the new kingdom that was given to him by God through an angel; written in the book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Bible (Rev 1:1).
In Revelation chapter 21, he describes the holy city, the new Jerusalem. The city is huge and is surrounded by a wall measuring 1,500 miles wide, 1,500 miles long, 1,500 miles tall, and 72 yards thick (Rev 21:16–17). There are twelve gates into the city — three gates on each side (Rev 21:12–13).
🚪 Inside and Outside the City
Those inside the city: The Lord God and the Lamb (Jesus, Yeshua in Hebrew) (Rev 21:22); those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life (Rev 21:27), also known as the bride, the wife of the Lamb (Rev 21:9), also known as God's bond-servants (Rev 22:3).
Those outside the city: the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying (Rev 22:15), also known as the nations (Rev 21:24).
I believe that the reference of those outside the city being dogs, sorcerers, immoral persons, murderers, idolaters, and those who practice lying are actually references to when they were in the old earth.
There are a number of reasons why I believe this.
🌿 The Gates Are Never Closed
In the last two chapters of Revelation, it talks about the people living outside the city who are able to enter through the gates into the city; the kings of the earth bring the glory and honor of the nations into the city (Rev 21:24–26), yet verse 27 says:
"Nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come in, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."
— Revelation 21:27
It seems to me that at least some of those whose names are written in the book of life are living outside the city.
"Favored are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right of access to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates."
— Revelation 22:14 (CEB)
This shows again those who can enter the city.
✨ The City Itself
There is no temple in the city because the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb are its temple (Rev 21:22). There is no more darkness at all because the glory of God illumines it and the Lamb is its lamp (Rev 21:23). The gates of the city are never closed (Rev 21:25).
A river that is the water of life flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev 22:1). The river flows down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stands the tree of life bearing twelve crops of fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations (Rev 22:2).
Sounds like something going on with the people outside the city that needs healing.
There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and the Lamb will be in it, and His servants will worship Him (Rev 22:3). The curse is related to sins — so sounds like no more sinning. There is no longer any night or darkness, and there will be no need of a lamp or the sun for light because the Lord God will illumine them (Rev 22:5).
📖 New Heaven and New Earth
Let's go back to the first part of Revelation chapter 21. For me, I think this sheds light on the things I've just talked about.
Revelation 21:1–8
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "Look! God's dwelling is here with humankind. He will dwell with them, and they will be his peoples. God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more. There will be no mourning, crying, or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." 5 Then the one seated on the throne said, "Look! I'm making all things new." He also said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then he said to me, "All is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will freely give water from the life-giving spring. 7 Those who emerge victorious will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my sons and daughters. 8 But for the cowardly, the faithless, the vile, the murderers, those who commit sexual immorality, those who use drugs and cast spells, the idolaters and all liars — their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."
🔥 Divine Cleansing, Not Eternal Torment
Verse 8 is talking about those same people that chapter 22:15 says are outside the holy city. This verse says that "their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur." I have read that in Greek culture, burning with fire and sulfur (brimstone in KJV) is symbolic for Divine Cleansing. This would go along with several places I remember reading in the Old Testament (the Mikra or Tanakh or Hebrew Bible):
"Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can withstand his appearance? He is like the refiner's fire or the cleaner's soap."
— Malachi 3:2 (CEB)
"And I will turn my hand against you. I will refine your impurities as with lye, and remove all your cinders."
— Isaiah (Yeshayah) 1:25
"But you, God, have tested us — you've refined us like silver."
— Psalm (Tehillim) 66:10
"All you nations, bless our God! Let the sound of his praise be heard! God preserved us among the living; he didn't let our feet slip a bit. But you, God, have tested us — you've refined us like silver, trapped us in a net, laid burdens on our backs, let other people run right over our heads — we've been through fire and water. But you brought us out to freedom!"
— Psalm (Tehillim) 66:8–12
🕊️ God Will Be All in All
There are so many more scriptures that I have found that I believe relate to this subject — that all of God's creation, everyone, even all the angels including Satan, will be with Him in the end, but fixed. In other words, we will be as we should be: God Almighty will be our God and we will be His people.
"When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all."
— 1 Corinthians 15:28
"And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
— Ephesians 1:22–23
📚 More from the Unity Series:
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