This chapter speaks in detail about the end times. In fact, all book of the Bible talk about the end times. God did not create heaven and earth to last forever. They exist as a part of God’s plan. And the result of His plan is the Kingdom. In the Kingdom, God’s words dwell forever in His people. Only God’s words remain forever. Thus, people who are united with the Word live forever.

 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. (v. 35)

Earlier I mentioned that anyone who is united with Christ by the Holy Spirit is like Christ, and we do not follow those who claim themselves Christ. All saints understand God’s words through the Spirit and are not enticed by false teachings. Even if we get tempted and fall into a trap because of our stupidity and pride, God still saves His saints. We no longer live in the fear of being separated from God because Christ removed the issue of sin and death completely.

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short
That it cannot save;
Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear. But your wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear. (Isaiah 59:1-2)

The only way to prepare for the end is to read the Bible and to pray. It is impossible for saints not to bear fruit because the Holy Spirit dwells inside. We do not do good works because we fear of what others might think of us. Good works come naturally from the Spirit. He makes us endeavor to know God through His words.

People boast of their works then say, “Do you mean we should just sit and relax and don’t do any good works? What does the Book of James say?” They are often aware of what they have done and do in terms of good works. But saints often do not know what we have done well. We do not boast of our good works. We are ashamed when people praise us. It is because we know that our good works do not come from us but from the Holy Spirit. Only God receives praises from all His creatures. Yet, our merciful God lets us be glorified with Him.

Not to us, LORD, not to us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, because of Your truth. (Psalm 115:1)

the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” (Revelation 4:10-11)

Another thing that I’d like to talk about is the four winds in Matthew 24:31. Ezekiel 37 and Revelation 7 also mention of the four winds. Wind is often considered as the Holy Spirit. Some may interpret that the four winds are the four corners of the earth, meaning the whole earth. It is different from the breath that God blew into Adam although breath can also be interpreted as the Holy Spirit. In Adam’s case, it is more logical to think that he did not receive the Holy Spirit because he could not overcome the temptation and did not have faith in God. What Adam received was a physical and spiritual life. When he committed the sin, he became dead to God.

Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living person. (Genesis 2:7)

of all that was on the dry land, all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died (Gen 7:22)

Ezekiel 37 describes that the dry bones are brought back to life by the breath from the four winds (v.9). And Revelation 7:1 tells us that the winds stop. This happens just before the sealing of the saints. The winds stop because the number of the saints are filled. In all this, there is nothing a man can do.

After sealing of the saints, the rest receive the mark of the beast. Many Christians think they would be saved if they do or don’t do certain things. For example, there has been much confusion and fear around the coronavirus vaccine. I think it should be left to everyone’s conscience. Most people do not understand the Bible and think their salvation depends on their actions. Dry bones are dead. There is nothing that dry bones can do. It is not those who do not receive the vaccine receive the seal of God. Some believe that the vaccine is the mark of the beast and we must not get it to be saved. But the Bible says the sealing of the saints comes first. The mark of the beast is about false teachings of the Bible, men-made doctrines. Anyone who believes the work-based salvation and refuses to accept Sola Gratia receives the mark of the beast. Saints anointed with the Holy Spirit do not receive the mark of the beast because we do not accept false teachings or false teachers. God makes us impossible to accept the mark of the beast.