So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. HEBREWS 9:28, NIV
As I drove through Europe on a recent trip with my family, it was amazing how quickly everything would change: the style of buildings, the language, the climate, and the culture. One moment we’d be driving through the Alps, the next we’d be driving through rolling covered in vineyards.
Europe also contains a lot of history. Once, we arrived in a city called Granada in the south of Spain.
Granada is home to a huge palace and fortress perched up on a hill overlooking the city below. As we explored this amazing complex, we learned that the first part of this fortress was built more than one thousands one hundred years ago by the Spaniards. A few hundred years later, the Moorish people came and rebuilt and expanded the palace dramatically. Then a few hundred years after that, the Christians took over again and more of the palace was added. Not long after, the palace was abandoned for a while, until finally in the 1800’s it was rediscovered by historians and turned into palace, it was clear which parts were from the different kingdoms that controlled it and added on to it.
Many parts of our world have been conquered by various kingdoms over the years. A new one rises, dominates for a while, and then it’s replaced.
The Bible prophecies found in Daniel and Revelation tell us about different kingdoms that will rise and fall leading up to the final judgment and the Second Coming. Many prophecies have already been fulfilled. The first time Jesus came, He died for our sins on the cross. We are now waiting for Jesus to return to take us to heaven. The good thing is that His kingdom will last for eternity. I definitely want to belong to that kingdom! Don’t you?