A speculative look at our world in 2165 AD...
...through the LENS of the BIBLE, and a FOCUS on ARCPOINT
PREFACE
Except for historical flashbacks, the ArcPoint trilogy is set in the year 2165AD, during the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ. The existence of such an era is debated amongst Bible scholars and theologians. They point out that nearly all of the book of Revelation is about tragic end-time events—the great Tribulation—but only a few verses (Rev. 20:1-4) talk about the thousand years that follow. However, I base the ArcPoint time period—a time of world peace—on over a thousand other verses, taken from 43 different books of the Bible.
My intention here is to put together that puzzle of Bible verses, and create a picture of what a thousand-year-long Sabbath rest for mankind might look like. My purpose is to create a plausible backdrop for the ArcPoint time period. Just as important, however, is to gain an understanding of what God has in store for His creation.
As with a jigsaw puzzle, some verses paint an obvious picture. Others become clear when placed with another, and some only make sense because they fit. It’s easiest to assemble similar pieces, then connect them all to form the bigger picture. I’ll begin by looking at peace.
PEACE
As I write this—in the year 2022AD—the world is experiencing a time of peace. That’s what my dad would call it. But then, he was in the U.S. Navy through all of World War II. He was in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked, and on a ship that sunk in the South Pacific. He was also a boxer. To him, what we’re experiencing now is peaceful in comparison. It’s just a shoving match, not a real fight. Not yet. Except maybe with Russia and Ukraine.
Peace isn’t just a military term—it’s a condition of the soul. We’re in the throes of a worldwide pandemic—fighting neighbors, politicians, news outlets, and even family and friends—on whether to wear a mask or get a vaccine. It’s as if some unknown enemy has looked upon mankind and said, “How can I divide and conquer everywhere at once?” Just like the unknown conqueror in Rev. 6:2-8, this pandemic is taking peace from the earth, disrupting commerce, and causing death.
However, hope can be found in a prophecy in Isaiah:
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:2-4 KJV)
Neither shall they learn war anymore. Can you imagine? How would it affect mankind to have trillions of dollars and millions of people laboring to produce goods rather than destroy? The problem we have today is corrupt people are attracted to a position of power, and once they achieve it, have unlimited resources to gain more. Until every human on the planet puts down their weapons, we will have to learn how to defend ourselves against the violent tactics of war.
WORLD-WIDE PEACE – NO MORE WAR
War, huh? Good God, you all, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing! That was the mantra in the seventies. After two world wars, the Korean war, and the Viet Nam war, people were tired of death and destruction. However, war is the tool some nations use to advance their goals. Even the Bible said spring was the time kings went to war, as if that were the normal thing humans did. But it’s not God’s ultimate plan for mankind. In Micah, He reiterates the removal of war as a means to an end:
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. (Micah 4:1-4 KJV)
None shall make them afraid. That means no more bullying, intimidation, or other threats. People can rest from their labors because they own the vines or trees. Slaves didn’t have that freedom—they didn’t enjoy that level of peace. If you worry about losing your job, your home, your retirement nest egg, or your health, it’s difficult to have peace in your heart.
The ArcPoint Community enjoyed that level of peace. It took many years for them to realize, but God proved He would protect them and provide for them. Whenever they’d seek His help with a problem, His response always began with, “Fear not.”
Many in the Christian community say Jesus came to earth the first time as a peace lord when everyone expected a war lord, and he’ll return as a war lord when we expect a peace lord. More often, the Bible states Jesus came to be the sacrifice lamb of Passover, and will return to be Lord of all the earth. He won’t do that through war, but will do it to end war. That is how I portray it in the ArcPoint book series.
FREEDOM
I’m fortunate to have been born in America, the land of the free. However, freedom is a relative thing. For example, let’s look at a dog’s life. A rural dog has the freedom to roam the countryside. A suburban dog has a fenced backyard to roam free in. A city dog has the run of the condominium, and occasionally the city park. Every pet has a different form of freedom.
Each one also faces unique challenges. The rural dog may encounter rattlesnakes, bee nests, or farm machinery. The suburban dog has to deal with neighborhood children and fireworks. The city dog needs an owner with a leash when he wants to go somewhere. If they’re lucky, each dog will have an owner who’ll strive to keep them happy and safe in whatever situation they’re in. Unfortunately, they don’t have much say in the matter.
Some dogs have no owner. They roam free, tend to travel in packs, and have to fend for themselves. If they could, they’d probably tell you they don’t cherish their freedom. Instead, they’d prefer to have food in a bowl, a fenced yard to run in, a child to sleep next to, and a ball to chase.
The ArcPoint Community lives much like a suburban dog, contained and protected by a fence of thorns. They envision the outside world as a pack of dogs. Their ancestors once lived in that world—some scrounging for their daily meal, others hoarding their excess. But attitudes changed when the Rift separated them from the lawlessness, corruption, and disease rapidly spreading around the world. They stopped snapping at the hand that was trying to feed them—and heal them.
It took many years for some of the Mojave dwellers to grasp the freedom God was offering them. It wasn’t freedom to riot or shoplift without consequence. It was the freedom to live without fear. No need to lock doors, carry weapons, or remember passwords. No one was going to steal your stuff, and not just because God would stop them. Not only the enforcer, God was the provider.
There is also a spiritual threat to freedom. Jesus likened it to a thief who wants to steal, kill, and destroy. Even physically isolated in the Mojave, the ArcPoint people recognized something in their midst wasn’t right. Similar to a dog smelling a gas leak, they didn’t understand the problem or have the power to correct it. All they could do was alert the owner and let Him deal with it. Jesus said:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 NASB)
This particular discourse by Jesus is an interesting one, when taken as a whole. There are five actors in this analogy. First there are the sheep, who simply want to live out their lives in peace. Then there is the owner of the sheep. He has a close relationship with them and calls them by name. They know him well enough to respond to his voice and flee from anyone else. He is their shepherd.
The tenth chapter of John’s gospel was written in the first century. At that time there were no barbed wire fences. Sheep roamed freely on the grassy hills, provided they stayed within the sound of the shepherd’s voice. The main threat to their lives were wolves, but the shepherd was determined to protect them, at the risk of his own life.
When the shepherd had business in the village, his flock would be kept in a fenced area called a sheepfold.
Then there are the thief and the wolf. Both seek to sustain their lives at the expense of the sheep.
