One of my favorite movies is The Matrix. Not because it’s a SciFi movie, but because the story line forces you to think out of the box. But it’s even more than that. Neo the main character, has a sense there is something strange and wrong in the world he lives in but he has no idea what it is until he is contacted by Morpheus;
Morpheus: What is real? How do you define ‘real’? If you’re talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then ‘real’ is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.
Morpheus: Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?
Morpheus then gives Neo the option to learn what the Matrix is;
Morpheus: This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.
It turns out that the Matrix was a computer simulation of the old world being directly fed into the brains of every human on the earth which kept them in a false virtual reality. In the real world, machines had taken over the world and were using their human bodies as energy sources. Neo, taking the red pill, awoke from this simulation and was now in the real world destined to fight against the machines.
This story line, believe it or not, has many similarities to our world and universe. How so?
First, from the standpoint of eternity, what is real? GOD created this material universe and created man to live in it however, this material universe was not designed to last forever and neither was the human body. GOD is spirit, eternal, and he created other eternal beings such as angels who exist with HIM. They can see and interact with us but we cannot see them. So if things that are eternal reside in the spiritual realm, wouldn’t that suggest that this temporary material universe is our simulation aka the Matrix? But, what about us, our bodies? Our human body is material, temporary, but it is not us. It is an avatar in a way, a temporary dwelling place for our soul/spirit which is us and is eternal. A believer and follower of Jesus Christ will receive his or her eternal body when Jesus returns to the earth in the last days. (1 Co 15:53). Until that time, our eternal spirit/soul resides with GOD and Jesus in heaven when our temporary material body dies.
The problem however, is that there are many people that live in the Matrix of this world and believe that this is all there is. They have taken the blue pill, rejected or ignored the gospel of Jesus Christ, and they are perfectly happy with the idea of this temporary life while making themselves their own god. That of course is until something actually happens in their life that forces them to face their mortality and then terror sets in. So what happens to their eternal soul/spirit? Hell/Hades is the first destination, and then the lake of fire after facing judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment. (Rev. 20:15)
After all of this, this earth, and the entire universe, will be destroyed by fire. But at that time, GOD will then create a new heaven and a new earth for Him to dwell with us on earth for eternity. The temporary Matrix is no more.
So the next question is why? Why did GOD create a temporary universe and non-eternal humans? Why not just skip to the end and make everything eternal from the start?
The answer is “free will”.
GOD could have easily created a type of being that would do whatever he wished or asked for, like a robot, but that is not what HE desired. HE desired a creation that HE could love, have the same character as HIM, and would choose to love HIM of their own free will. The plan for this creation is to ultimately make them co-heirs with HIS Son Jesus and give them the authority that goes with that honor.(Rom 8:17) But first things first. HE cannot give that kind of eternal life, authority, and power to those that would ultimately become HIS enemy. This already had happened with satan and one third of the angels who have rebelled against HIM. However, being all knowing and knowing the end from the beginning, HE uses what they intend for bad to accomplish HIS purpose. By allowing satan and his fallen angels some authority over the earth, they accomplish exposing those humans that will choose to reject GOD and follow their own desires and, they cause the purifying of those who will choose GOD through trials (as allowed by GOD) which help them to die to self and seek GOD in everything.
If you haven’t done so already, I urge you to take the red pill. Believe, give your life to Jesus Christ, turn away from sin, and receive eternal life. Your name will be entered into the who’s who of heaven, the Lamb’s book of life!
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Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
Rev 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Rom 8:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Rom 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Rom 8:19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
2Ki 6:15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
2Ki 6:16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
2Ki 6:17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
1Co 15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Rev 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.
Rev 20:14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Rev 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Forgivenman 