Work Shop Restoration

The concept of restoration is central to the Gospel of the Kingdom of God . In the beginning God gave us a wonderful world—all that heart could desire. In addition, God Himself was present on the earth. Then, due to the evil suggestion of Satan, we lost our paradise on the earth. The Divine curse fell on us. Adam's descendants were born in sin and rebellion. Sickness, death, and every other corruption soon took the place of the peace and joy of the Garden of Eden.

But all is not lost. God has given us a program through Jesus Christ by which all that we forfeited shall be restored—and much more added. There will be a new sky and a new earth—probably vastly larger than the original. It will be a new world of righteousness. All sin will be gone forever. There will be no more sea of people who do not have a portion of Christ and God in them. This we have to look forward to.

Instead of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, the glorified Church will descend from Heaven through the new sky to rest forever on the new earth. God will be present on the earth once again, this time dwelling in Christ and the saints. God in Christ in the saints will be available to whoever chooses to come up to the new Jerusalem and ask for life, healing and guidance. Jerusalem will be the very Throne of God.

The story of mankind is that of restoration. We receive the blessing freely; we forfeit through our foolishness what was given to us; then we begin the long process of seeking to regain what we lost. Once we regain our inheritance we do not lose it again because we have come to understand the value of it.

Primary Scriptures

Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem , and we will no longer be in disgrace." (Nehemiah 2:17)

At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. (Jeremiah 3:17)

When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you." (Luke 15:17,18)

He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. (Acts 3:21 )

Essential Points of Emphasis

God is not going to restore eternal residence in Heaven to us because the spirit-Heaven is not what we lost. What we lost was visible fellowship with God and Paradise on the earth. What will be restored is visible fellowship with God, and Paradise on the earth.

Suggested References

Created to Play; Not Retreat but Restoration!; Rebuilding the Wall

Follow up Activities

Answer Review Questions for this topic. 9

List additional Scriptures which support this concept.

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