A Possible Timeline Involving The Revelation 12 Sign

Guacamole is one of my favorites, all4himtim! Can you imagine perfect bean dip and perfect corn tortilla chips with perfect guacamole? I can hardly wait to taste perfection! I can also imagine awesome breads with thick, beautiful butter and sweet, berry jam!

Hi, watchmanjim! I guess what it comes down to for me is that there will be no death in heaven or in the new world. From what I understand, there will be a restoration to the perfection of the beginning. At the time of creation, according to Genesis 1, mankind and the creatures God made were given plants for food. Meat wasn't apparently on the menu, as that would have required something to die. Genesis 1:27-30 says, So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

Well there will still be animal sacrifices during the Millennial reign, as detailed in the end chapters of Ezekiel. As for the eternal state, who knows-- plants have to die too, you know, and so there would still be death--I always took the no dying to mean for humans, not for animals. Either way, I have a hard time imagining the marriage feast of the Lamb without meat! But I'll be content, whatever the arrangement is. There's always coffee!

I dont think there will be a need for the covering sacrifices--but that they will be far more memorial in nature. In a sense, the sacrifices of the OT never really covered the sins, they only demonstrated the faith and obedience of the person bringing the sacrifice. However, I do realize there is difference of opinion on this matter.

I've heard the Hebrew makes a strong connection in Genesis between the "breath of life" and red blood. In other words, creatures that have red blood have spirits, while plants/insects/fungi/bacteria and other creatures do not.

We know God did not tell the animals to eat other animals until I think Genesis 9 and originally they could only eat plants (Gen. 1:30). I think Genesis 3:21 records the first animal death (as a foreshadowing of Christ's death). There are definitely fossils indicating animals eating other animals that I suppose were from the Flood, but I think it wasn't God's command to eat meat, but just the natural consequence of brokenness and sin in the world through Adam.

I bet there will be some meat eating in the millennium, but here's to hoping no more death in the new heavens and new earth!

I'm counting on every desire, craving, or need being 'met'. I hope I won't think about anything other than serving my Lord. He could not eat for 40 days, coins popped out of fishes' mouths, bread was multiplied, water poured... There will not be any urgency for anything there. I hope oh I hope -

That's what I'm "talkin 'bout "!!!!