When the Church Flourishes: Redemption in an Age of Peace | Jonathan Edwards

Deep Dive into A History of the Work of Redemption by Jonathan Edwards - From Christ's Resurrection to the End of the World - The Success of Redemption through That Space wherein the Christian Church Shall, for the Most Part, Be in a State of Peace and ProsperityJonathan Edwards describes a future era of unprecedented peace and spiritual prosperity for the Christian church following the fall of Antichrist. This period is identified as the primary fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies regarding the kingdom of heaven on earth. It is characterized as a "harvest" time compared to all previous historical ages, which served merely as the preparatory "seed-time".This era will be defined by an explosion of divine knowledge, reaching even the most remote nations and clearing up long-standing scriptural difficulties. Holiness will become general rather than exceptional, with every aspect of common life and labor dedicated to God's glory. Furthermore, the church will achieve a position of worldly honor as holy men and kings use their authority to promote Christ’s kingdom. Global conflict will cease as nations replace instruments of war with tools for agriculture, fostering a society bound by harmony and charity. This spiritual excellence will result in significant temporal prosperity, including health, longevity, and a vast increase in population, such that the reign of Solomon serves only as a minor image of this future success.Despite this long-lasting glory, the period concludes with a massive apostasy when Satan is released to deceive the world once more. This falling away is particularly heinous because it occurs among those who enjoyed the greatest spiritual light, making it comparable to the fall of the devils. These apostates will mock the second coming and surround the church, bringing it to a point of extreme distress. This crisis triggers Christ’s immediate return in judgment, which finally completes the work of redemption by gathering the full number of the elect. In this view, the era serves as the world's great harvest and wedding-day, where the seeds of grace sown throughout history finally bloom into a universal celebration of Christ’s union with His people.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainerSpotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdwhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730