Restoring Eden: His Kingdom, Our Reign
A Sneak Peek at My Upcoming Biblical Novel About Life After the Great Tribulation
Have you ever wondered what life will be like after Jesus returns—when the Great Tribulation is behind us and His kingdom begins?
That’s exactly what the third book in my end-time trilogy explores, from a biblical perspective. We won’t be sitting on clouds or playing harps. In fact, it’s going to be a lot more exciting and challenging than most Christians imagine.
Also in this issue, I’ll be sharing a fascinating resource from the nation of Jordan—where a Christian family of nine is preparing the way for the Lord’s return and offering a biblical calendar and in-depth teaching on end-time topics.
What to Expect After Jesus Returns
Not all believers will be glorified in the first resurrection. Revelation 20:4 reveals who qualifies.
How will mortal survivors of the Great Tribulation, and those born later, attain immortality during the millennium?
Why will some people suffer and die during the millennium, while others won’t?
How will nature be transformed in the millennium, so that lions and lambs lie down together in peace?
A Positive Apocalypse Trilogy
Here’s a quick review of my Positive Apocalypse trilogy. These books are essentially the same content as my weekly Substack posts between March and November 2024, but they’re in convenient eBook and paperback formats.
Book One:
Book One dramatizes the ‘birth pangs of the age to come,’ happening from now until Satan is cast down, just before the Great Tribulation begins during a future Passover.
Book Two:
Book Two covers the role of Christian overcomers during the Great Tribulation, from the abomination of desolation during a Passover until Jesus’ second coming at the Battle of Armageddon on a future Day of Atonement.
Book Three:
Release Date: Between March 29 - April 5, 2025 (eBook & Paperback)
Focus: The millennial reign of Christ and the transition to eternity.
This Book Includes:
The glorified saints and their role
The path to immortality for mortals
The sources and remedies of death during the millennium
The Great White Throne Judgment
Redemption in the ages to come
Book Description:
The war is over. The Antichrist and his followers are cast into the Lake of Fire. But the greatest battle has just begun—the battle for the human heart.
As Jesus Christ establishes His millennial kingdom, Katie and her resurrected brethren step into their divine calling—to reign with Him as kings and priests.
God gathers the mortal survivors of the Great Tribulation in Jerusalem for the long-awaited separation of the sheep from the goats.
Under the rule of Christ and His immortal overcomers, the world enters a thousand years of justice, peace, and restoration. But many resist the ways of the Kingdom.
In this stunning conclusion to the Positive Apocalypse trilogy, Restoring Eden unveils the destiny of the saints, the renewal of God’s creation, and a glimpse into the ages to come. The Kingdom has come. Will humanity embrace it?
Chapter One: Restoring Eden: His Kingdom, Our Reign
Armageddon’s Aftermath
Katie stood atop the Mount of Olives, her eyes scanning the desolate landscape below. Across the Kidron Valley, Jerusalem's broken walls and ruined buildings jutted from the scarred earth like broken teeth. A plume of black smoke marked where the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque once stood on the Temple Mount.
A gust of wind whipped Katie's hair. She trembled, not from the chill, but from the vista of death and destruction before her. The holy city, once teeming with life, now laid silent and still.
In the Kidron Valley—between the Mount of Olives and the Temple Mount—a small group of haggard survivors trudged along a makeshift path, their eyes cast downward as they picked their way through the debris of a broken world. Katie’s heart ached for them, for all of humanity. The words of Isaiah came to her, written 2500 years ago but now fulfilled before her eyes:
The earth is utterly broken and split apart, the earth is violently shaken. Desolation in the city. Its gates are battered into ruins… All joy has grown dark. The gladness of the earth is banished.
Across the valley, a flicker of movement near the city caught her attention. Focusing on it, she saw hundreds of large black vultures blanketing the carcasses of the Antichrist’s army. The scavengers created a dark shroud, swarming like insects, consuming the mounds of corpses that ringed the city.
She grieved for the lives lost. Yes, they were the enemy, and they fought for Satan and Hussein. So, they had to be defeated. But every one of them had a mother who now grieves for a lost son . . . this is the end result of believing Satan and Hussein's lies.
Katie took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come next. The desolation before her was heartbreaking, but she encouraged herself with the hope of global restoration the Bible promised.
She mounted and sat tall in the saddle, ready to play her part in what was about to unfold.
Nearby, enthroned on a white stallion, Jesus peered down from the summit of the Mount of Olives, his white robe stained with blood. Katie’s eyes opened wide with awe as she watched Him raise his hands toward heaven. He proclaimed, “The first heaven and the first earth have passed away. Now, we begin restoration.”
A sudden wind blew, and she heard a sound like a raging river. When the earth trembled, Katie instinctively reached for Ethan's hand.
"Look," Ethan whispered, pointing towards the horizon.
In the distance, streams of people materialized from over the horizon, their forms coalescing as if from mist. They appeared by the thousands, then tens of thousands, filling the vast expanse of the Kidron valley. Katie's breath caught in her throat as she realized what she was witnessing—the supernatural gathering of all the world's tribulation survivors.
Ethan inhaled sharply beside her. “This isn’t just Jerusalem’s survivors…”
Katie shook her head. “No. This is all of them.”
From around the earth, every tribulation survivor had been supernaturally gathered to this place. The survivors from every nation, every tribe, and every people stood before the King.
Jesus guided his stallion down toward the valley. Katie and Ethan followed, along with thousands of resurrected saints, forming a glorious assembly behind their Lord as they descended the Mount of Olives.
Katie marveled at the organization unfolding in the valley below. Angels efficiently sorted the multitude into groups, based on their language, ethnic, and tribal identity. She knew they were angels because they all looked like handsome, business-like young men, aged 20 to 35, who wore clean human clothing. In contrast, the survivors were males and females of all ages, who looked dirty and tired, and most had ailments.
"It's like a reverse Tower of Babel," Katie said, watching as tribes and nations clustered together. She could make out the rhythms of different languages—the tonal patterns of Chinese, the rapid-fire syllables of Spanish, the guttural sounds of Arabic, and many others she couldn't identify.
Some groups had thousands, others only a dozen. They all looked gaunt, exhausted, and apprehensive.
The survivors stood in awe, their faces a mixture of confusion, fear, and wonder. Some fell to their knees, while others craned their necks to gaze at Jesus and his glorified entourage. The groups hummed with whispers as they realized the magnitude of what was happening.
Jesus rode down to the edge of the assembled multitude. The contrast was stark—Jesus and his resurrected saints, in clean white robes shining with heavenly glory, versus the mortal survivors, who displayed the grunge and wounds of their tribulation ordeal.
Katie watched as Jesus surveyed the crowd, his eyes filled with both love and severity. She sensed the weight of this moment—the culmination of 6000 years, and the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. They all waited in hushed anticipation to hear what the King of kings would say or do next.
The Sheep and the Goats
Jesus addressed the glorified saints behind him. His voice, both gentle and commanding, carried with supernatural clarity.
"Brethren," Jesus said, "ride down and join your tribal groups."
Katie felt a gentle nudge from Ethan. They exchanged a look of excitement and trepidation before urging their horses forward. Katie marveled at how effortlessly she guided her steed, despite never having ridden before this day.
Katie, Ethan, and 86 other glorified saints approached the survivors assembled from Southeast Alaska. Looks like about 500 survivors in our group.
The 86 were comprised of all the region's Christian martyrs, plus everyone who refused to submit to the Antichrist's dictates, choosing instead to live in remote, primitive, self-sufficient Christian communities. Ten days before, on the Day of Trumpets, the martyrs' bodies were resurrected and glorified. Katie and the others immediately joined them in the air, their bodies glorified without passing through death.
As the 88 saints approached, the 500 survivors' eyes were all wide with a mix of wonder, fear, and anticipation. Katie dismounted, her feet touching the earth with a grace she was still getting used to. She scanned the faces around her, searching for familiar features.
Jesus' voice rang out again, "Now, brethren, identify those people who ministered to you during your time of need. Gather them and lead them to stand here, at my right." Katie looked up to see Jesus pointing up the valley, to his right.
Katie's mind raced back to her mortal life as she tried to recall faces and moments of kindness. Strange . . . it's only been ten days, but it seems like such a long time ago.
Her gaze fell upon a young woman whose features seemed familiar. With a start, she realized it was Sophia. She looked older, and weathered, but it was her.
As Katie stepped toward Sophia, she noticed Ben Wilkins doing the same. Ben looked back at his glorified brethren, then specifically addressed Ethan, David and Anna Kusteel, Miguel, and Sophia's parents, saying, "After Lilith destroyed the Kataan and Eagle Claw communities, Sophia stayed in Ketchikan and risked her life helping new people find their way into the In-Processing Center for our Christian communities."
Ben had addressed his comments to Ethan, David and Anna Kusteel, Miguel, and Sophia's parents because they were all martyred soon after Sophia left the remote Eagle Claw community to enjoy civilized life in Ketchikan.
Shortly after Sophia's arrival in Ketchikan, Lilith bombed Kataan and Eagle Claw, killing them, so they assumed Sophia was the one who enabled Lilith to locate and target the two Christian communities.
Sophia hung her head, in shame, but two dozen of those she helped were now glorified, having been 'caught up' in the rapture with Ben and Katie. They all said "Amen" to Ben's testimony.
Ethan looked around, surveying the faces of his glorified brethren. Sophia's mother's eyes silently cried out, appealing for sympathy and forgiveness for her wayward daughter.
Sensing a silent consensus among the martyrs, Ethan said, "Sophia, we forgive you. Come out from among them." Sophia humbly and thankfully walked to Jesus’ right.
Katie's gut clenched when she spotted Lilith and Jake. The Antichrist's regional ruler who'd caused so much pain now stood trembling, her eyes nervously darting between Katie, Rachel, and Jesus.
Katie felt a complex mix of emotions—compassion, anger, and a lingering echo of fear that her glorified state couldn't quite erase.
Then Katie followed Lilith's and Jake's eyes. They were looking at Chuck Blackwood, the man Jake replaced as Lilith's lead henchman.
Chuck was now a glorified saint, riding alongside Ben, Claire Hansen, and Pastor Philip. After Chuck became a Christian, Jake arrested him and then Lilith had him beheaded. Katie watched as Chuck looked down on Lilith and Jake. Lilith snarled at him, but Chuck's face was expressionless.
Katie thought, Lilith and Jake chose their path, and Chuck chose his. Now, they’ll each get their reward.
Katie watched as her fellow saints identified all those who'd helped them during the tribulation years.
Katie and Rachel identified eighteen people who'd sacrificially shared their supplies, fuel, and food, or provided them shelter during their 'gospel ultimatum' travels over the last three years. When all the survivors from Southeast Alaska were sorted, forty adults and nineteen children were guided to the spot Jesus designated on his right side.
When all the groups had been sorted, ninety percent of the original survivors remained on Jesus' left, and only ten percent were chosen to stand on Jesus' right.
Jesus’ voice thundered across the gathering to his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Katie's gaze was drawn to those on Jesus' left. Their faces reflected a dawning horror as Jesus turned to them, his voice filled with finality as he pronounced their fate.
He said, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me."
This crowd gasped in shock and horror.
Katie heard one of them shout, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?"
Pointing at his glorified brethren, Jesus replied, ‘Truly, I say to you, when you did not do it to one of the least of these, my brethren, you did not do it to me.’
Agonizing screams of terror momentarily filled the air when the ground under them split open, revealing a chasm of fire, molten lava, and sulfur smoke that swallowed everyone on Jesus's left. It churned with a gurgling sound, the stench was overwhelming, and Katie felt the blast of heat. Then the earth closed over them, leaving everyone who watched in stunned silence.
In the next silent moments, Katie considered the importance of this day in the history of the world. On this day the Devil, the Antichrist, and all their followers had been judged and removed from the realm of the living. And on this day she’d participated in God’s wrath, justice, and mercy, all intertwined in a way her mortal mind could never have imagined.
She felt hope climaxing as she realized, Now we begin the new age, the age of righteousness, peace, and abundant life—the restoration of Eden. But this time there’s no Devil—he’s imprisoned in the bottomless pit, with no power to deceive—and we're no longer naïve regarding sin. Jesus is establishing his kingdom of righteousness and peace over mankind. It’s going to be wonderful!
Then Jesus addressed Katie and her glorified brethren. “You are my brethren, the firstfruits of the new creation. You are kings and priests in my kingdom, which is now among men.”
Deafening cheers erupted from the glorified saints. They raised their hands in praise, shouting,
“We praise you, Lord!”
"We worship you!"
Katie wiped tears of joy from her cheeks. The war was over. The age of restoration had begun.
Help Shape the Future
Having read chapter one, please give me your thoughts. Did anything surprise or move you? Was anything confusing or flat? Your input matters as I finalize this book!
End-Time Resources from the Nation of Jordan
As I shared in this article on my StandInFaith.org website, I believe the Zadokite solar calendar is God’s true calendar—not the Jewish lunar calendar adopted in 164 BC under Hellenistic pressure.
Here’s a Zadokite solar calendar created by an American Christian family now living in Jordan to help prepare the way of the Lord. Their website includes great resources on topics like:
The Second Exodus
Bozrah: The Place of Protection
The Great Tribulation
The Fall of Babylon
The Bride of Messiah
As you can see below, according to their calendar the 70th Jubilee year began on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. The 10th day (3/28) and Passover (4/1) are key watch dates.
Heather R (on YouTube) believes the 10th day holds prophetic significance.
I expect the Great Tribulation to begin on a future Passover, triggered by the final abomination of desolation—exactly 3.5 biblical years before Jesus returns on a Day of Atonement.
During this Jubilee year, I’m hoping we reclaim our spiritual inheritance. More on that in a future newsletter.
Passover Seder Invitation
Finally, if you live near Fredericksburg or Richmond Virginia, I’d like to invite you to a Christian Passover Seder feast I’m leading on Saturday, April 12 from 6-8 PM EST.
It’s free, but seating is limited to 80 people. So, let me know if you’d like to attend and I’ll save your seat(s). I’ll be using my Passover Seder Haggadah as the program.
Thank you for being part of this journey. May we all be ready for the Kingdom that’s coming soon.
Thank you for including the Zadokite calendar. I'm going to look into it.
I enjoyed reading your trilogy on substack, and as soon as the third book goes on sale in print, I'll purchase all three. I know several people who would enjoy reading them.
Thank you Tom for promoting our family in Jordan and the wall calendar available for this biblical year! Our family is in a particular time of need right now so meeting a brother in Messiah like you is a blessing.