#141 Shake and Bake
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once
more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more,
signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are
made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. - Hebrews 12:26-27
Text: Haggai 2:6-7; 2 Peter 3:10-13
Prop: a box of Shake-N-Bake® coating mix
Summary: God will shake heaven and earth when the Lord Jesus returns to earth.
He will destroy the earth by fire and create a new heaven and
earth.
Today I brought a box of Shake 'N Bake® coating mix. [Show box.] When Kraft
Foods introduced this product in 1965 it was a convenience breading to make meal
preparation faster. It has a plastic bag in the box. You place the meat and
breading in the bag, shake it up, and lay it out in a baking pan, and it is ready to bake.
That reminds me of a verse in the Bible about a time in the future
when God will shake and bake the earth!
About 520 B.C. the prophet Haggai encouraged the people of Israel (exiles who
returned from Babylon) to finish building the second temple in Jerusalem. This
temple was much smaller and more modest than the first temple built by King Solomon.
Haggai gave the people hope and preached that God would come with power to rule the world. When God
returns he will shake heaven and earth.
[Read Haggai 2:6-7.] At some point (it could happen any time), the Lord Jesus
will return to earth. There will be an earthquake and a
heaven-shake that will rock the world. The book of Hebrews says this
shakeup will be so devastating that only unshakeable things will
remain. [Read Hebrews 12:26-27.] The unshakeable things are the souls that
belong to Jesus. At that time the Lord will build a new temple in Jerusalem and
rule the world for a 1000 years. All the desirable treasures from around the
world will add beauty to his temple. The apostle Peter wrote that we should live godly lives because God would destroy the world by
fire.
[Read 2 Peter 3:10-13.]
After 1000 years of peace on earth, God will judge the ungodly. Then God will destroy the
earth by
fire. Long ago God destroyed it by water. Noah and his family and the animals
were saved during the great flood. The next time the earth is destroyed,
it will be by fire -- melting everything. Finally, God will create a new heaven and earth for us to live with him forever!
Let us pray. Dear Lord Jesus, help me to be ready for your return so I may live
with you forever. Amen.
©2005 by Jim Kerlin. All rights reserved.
Shake 'N Bake® is a registered trademark of Kraft Foods.