What Is Your Destiny?

Have you ever wondered why you are alive? Many people don’t really take the time to ask the hard questions about life and death.

Introduction

Perhaps while attending a funeral for a loved one you might have noticed that people are more reflective.

1. Have you ever attended a funeral service?

2. What questions did you have about life and death?

3. Explain some of the theories people that you know have about what happens when you die?

In Psalm 8:3When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
See All...,4 King David marveled: "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?"

4. What do you think King David was thinking?

5. Does it seem that there is more going on than what man often sees? How so?

Clue to our destiny

In a prophetic passage in the book of Daniel, God inspired a clue to our destiny that is overlooked by many. Speaking of the resurrection of the dead, read Daniel 12: 2,3.

1. What does it mean in this passage to be "asleep"?

2. What is the difference between "everlasting life" and "everlasting contempt"?

3. Who are the wise?

4. What does this scripture imply about a reward after death?

Purpose of human life

Read Hebrews 2:10For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
See All...,11 (NIV) and answer the following questions.

1. Who are "sons to glory"?

2. What family is being discussed?

3. Is it possible that God wanted to add members to His family?

Read Romans 8:29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
See All... and comment.

4. What does "first" imply about more to come after?

5. Who are the "many brethren"? Are they angels?

NOTE: God has designed us to be members of His own family, His very children, possessing His own divine nature (2 Corinthians 6:18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
See All..., 2 Peter 1:4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
See All...).

Sons to be revealed

Read Romans 8:18-23 [18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
[19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
[20] For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
[21] Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
[22] For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
[23] And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

See All... NKJV and comment.

1. Who are the sons of God?

2. What evidence is there that this is an event that the whole creation is awaiting?

3. Would you think this is important? Why?

Note: The entire creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

Changed into Spirit

God will ultimately change our bodies from flesh to spirit (1 Corinthians 15:42-44 [42] So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
[43] It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
[44] It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

See All...) because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption (verse 50).

1. How are our bodies corrupted?

2. Can a man live forever in the flesh? Why or why not?

3. Do you think science could keep people alive forever in the flesh?

4. Does God say that death will be destroyed? Read 1 Corinthians 15:53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
See All...,54).

Is lifestyle important?

God wants us to be a part of His family and to live long and enjoy good things.

1. Do you think God would give the gift of eternal life to anybody no matter how they treated others? Why or why not?

2. Do the commandments make it easier to keep relationships healthy? Explain and give an example.

Note: Take ANY commandment and show what impact it would have if everyone in society followed it.

Satan’s Influence

Satan deceives the world according to Revelation 12:9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
See All....

1. What does Satan have to gain if people are deceived?

2. Are Satan’s goals to help or hurt?

(1 Peter 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
See All...,9).

3. What does it mean to devour?

4. What kind of being is Satan? Read Isaiah 14:12-14 [12] How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
[13] For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
[14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

See All..., Ezekiel 28:13-16 [13] Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
[14] Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
[15] Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
[16] By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

See All....

5. What do these scriptures tell you about Satan the Devil?

Note: Satan is responsible for deceiving and leading the whole world astray and for corrupting and polluting the minds and hearts of people. Satan is called the "god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4:4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
See All...).

Feast Days explain God’s plan for man

God’s feast days, called feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23:2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
See All...) teach us the great master plan that God has for mankind.

1. List the Holy days (Leviticus 23).

2. In regard to God's plan, explain the meaning of each of the Holy Days.

Passover

Christ atones for man and becomes his Passover Lamb (John 1:29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
See All...).

Feast of Unleavened Bread

Sin is made analogous to leaven in bread. This festival encourages us to put sin out of our life. Seven is a number representing completion.

Pentecost

Church receives the Holy Spirit, a celebration of the Firstfruit harvest.

Trumpets

Announces the return of Jesus Christ to stop war and usher in a way of peace.

Day of Atonement

Day of fasting. God deals with Satan

Feast of Tabernacles

Seven-day Feast, a special time for assembly and rejoicing. It pictures the 1,000 year rule of Christ as King of kings to continue the harvest of human lives to eternal life (John 4:35-36 [35] Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
[36] And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

See All...).

The Last Great Day

Depicts the Great White Throne judgment, described in Revelation 20:11-13 [11] And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
[12] And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
[13] And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

See All....

Hope for mankind

The knowledge that God is working in the lives of man is most exciting and helpful. Continue your study of God’s way of life to find wisdom and understanding about YOUR future!