Restoring Eden: His Kingdom, Our Reign
Book 3 in the Positive Apocalypse Trilogy is now available for Pre-Order
Contents of this week’s newsletter:
There’ll be three kinds of people in the millennium?
Chapter three of Restoring Eden: His Kingdom, Our Reign shows the relationship between the three kinds of people in the millennium.
My Trilogy Release Plan, including a special pre-order offer.
The Bible reveals there’ll be three kinds of people in the coming millennium:
Mortals like we are today. Most will die after 80-120 years because they choose not to walk in the path of righteousness that results in endless life. Some will actively resist or rebel against God’s kingdom. Isaiah 65:20, Zechariah 14:17–19, Revelation 20:8-9
Mortals with ‘conditional immortality’ who live on and on, as Adam and Eve could have done before they sinned. Some may live the entire 1000 years, to receive their glorified body at the Second Resurrection of Revelation 20:12. Zechariah 8:4-5
Immortal, glorified saints of the first resurrection. These immortal, glorified saints will rule and reign over all mortals in Christ’s millennial kingdom. What will this look like? How will it work? Revelation 20:4-6
Chapter three of Restoring Eden: His Kingdom, Our Reign explains how these three kinds of people will interact during the millennium, and it’s developed in more detail in later chapters.
For those who’ve read the first two books in the trilogy, you’ll learn the fate of many of your favorite characters.
Here’s chapter three.
Restoring Eden: His Kingdom, Our Reign
Chapter Three
Jesus Assigns the Immortal Saints Their Responsibilities
The sun hung low in the southern sky, casting golden light across the still waters of the channel. The air was warm and humid, rich with the scent of flowering vines and loamy earth. Moss crept thick over the roots and stones, and broad-leafed plants rustled gently in the breeze. From the canopy above, unfamiliar birds sang in wild, syncopated melodies. A pair of jewel-colored birds flitted through the trees, their feathers shimmering in the sunlight. The world felt alive, but calm—as if creation itself had exhaled.
The group gathered in a wide circle at the prompting of a radiant angel who had appeared just after dawn. “Wait here,” he had said, his voice both gentle and commanding. “You will receive instruction from the King.”
Katie stood beside Ethan, scanning the faces of her immortal brethren and the mortal survivors interspersed among them. The angel had told them the King would speak, and her heart beat a little faster with expectation. Though Jesus could appear at any time, in any place, she still felt the same awe she had at His first arrival on the Mount of Olives.
A heavenly light spread across the meadow. It wasn’t just above or beside them—it was within everything. The trees glowed. The rocks gleamed. The very grass pulsed with light as Jesus appeared in their midst. He didn’t descend. He simply was. Standing among them. Smiling. He turned slowly, His eyes meeting every face.
And then, the impossible happened. Katie heard Him speak her name. But at the same time, she heard Him speak to Ethan, and to Rachel, and to Sophia, and to every saint—and every survivor—gathered around the meadow. Each one heard their own name spoken with unmistakable love and clarity. Each heard a unique word of greeting, a moment of connection, as though they were the only person in the world. The greetings happened not one after another, but all at once, like a great symphony in perfect harmony.
Katie trembled, her heart full. This was their King. This was how He ruled—with intimacy, not bureaucracy. With presence, not distance.
Jesus’ voice carried over the meadow without force, yet it reached into every soul. “Now begins your stewardship. You will shepherd the earth as My representatives. Not as overlords, but as servants—guardians of peace and truth. The Kingdom of God is among men, and you are its foundation.”
He turned toward a man with strong features and kind eyes—Philip—and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Philip, you will be my regional leader over this region. Serve as a point of unity among your brethren, not as their superior. Lead with wisdom, humility, and strength.” Philip bowed his head, overcome.
Jesus looked to the others—Katie, Ethan, Rachel, Moses, Andy, Claire, and the rest. “Let there be no throne but Mine. And let there be a table, like that of Arthur of old—a round table for My kings and priests. Speak with one another. Pray always. I am with you. I will guide your decisions and confirm what is true. I am only a prayer away.”
Katie glanced at the others. There were no titles to be given, no lording of authority. Only shared responsibility, bound together by obedience to the King. “Your authority,” Jesus continued, “is for the good of the people. To uphold righteousness. To protect the innocent. To lift the lowly.
If rebellion rises, speak my word and it will carry power. Where justice is needed, ask, and I will act.”
He turned to the mortal survivors and smiled. “You are the first of a new world. Learn the ways of the Kingdom. Walk in righteousness, and you will flourish. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened.”
Then He was gone. Not faded. Not vanished. Just… gone. As though He had always been everywhere, and now He was simply not visible.
The wind rustled the treetops again, and the sounds of birds returned to the meadow. A holy stillness lingered.
Philip turned to the group. “Let’s meet,” he said simply. “No one sits above the others. We sit together.” Katie smiled. Yes. A table, not a throne. A fellowship of the risen. She took Ethan’s hand, her eyes already looking to the horizon. There was work to do.
Establishing Local Governance
The morning mist lifted slowly over the meadow outside what was once the Ketchikan schoolhouse. The air was warm and damp, heavy with the scent of moss, fruiting vines, and distant cedar smoke from breakfast fires. Unfamiliar birds called through the trees, and insects buzzed low over the soft, spongy ground. Glorified saints and mortal survivors gathered again—not for worship, but for work. Word had spread that Philip wanted to convene a planning meeting.
A large chalkboard salvaged from a nearby classroom stood upright on a driftwood easel, now positioned at the center of the meeting space. A few wooden benches had been fashioned from broken beams, while others sat on logs, crates, or the moss-covered earth. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.
Philip stepped forward and drew a simple circle on the chalkboard. "This," he said, "is our new community. Let’s begin laying the groundwork for how we will live, work, and thrive together."
Katie sat beside Ethan, quietly observing. Around her, the other saints looked focused, while the mortals seemed both curious and uncertain. The air buzzed with nervous energy.
Philip continued, "We'll need land allotments for every family. We also need to allocate building materials for homes, gathering centers for worship and learning, a food distribution plan, and access to clean water. Let's talk through each area."
Claire Hansen stood. "For construction, we can start by salvaging from the wreckage. There’s reusable lumber, intact glass panes, and hundreds of usable tools and materials in the tsunami shelters and caches."
Moses added, "We should designate higher ground as permanent homesteads. Nothing below 1000 feet should be rebuilt."
Andy nodded. "I agree. Let the lowlands grow wild again. They're no longer stable."
From the mortal group, a man named Jared raised his hand. He was middle-aged, strong but wary. "And what about those of us who don’t want to be told where to live or how to build?"
Philip offered a gentle smile. "There are two ways we can do the land allotments. We can all agree on which land each family will own. Or, if people can't agree, we can all agree on a map with equally-desirable parcels and then draw lots for who gets each parcel, like they did in the Book of Joshua. Let's see if we can all agree first. If not, we'll do option number two. That is, Jared, unless you have a third option?"
"No, not that I can think of right now."
Looking around at all the mortal survivors, Philip smiled and said, "No one will be forced. But the King has appointed us to guide and teach. We’re not imposing control, we’re offering wisdom."
A younger woman named Lina chimed in from the back. "But what if we don't agree with your definition of wisdom? What if we want to do things our own way?"
There was a pause. Katie felt tension ripple through the group. She glanced at Sophia, seated off to the side. The young woman said nothing, but her eyes were locked on Lina, and Katie could see her jaw tightening.
Philip didn’t flinch. "You're free to choose. But, as in any other kingdom, rebellion brings consequences. Not from us, but from the laws of creation itself. Rebellion will result in sickness, drought, and unrest—these won’t be punishments, they'll be the consequences of your choices."
Claire stepped beside him. "We’re here to help you live and prosper, not control you. But this is a theocracy. Jesus reigns. And He has asked us to serve you in that reign."
Silence settled over the camp. The wind stirred the lush canopy overhead. Then a woman named Ruth, one of the older mortals, rose to her feet.
"I had a dream last night," she said quietly. "In the dream, I saw our community from above, glowing with peace. But a dark mist crept in from the edges whenever people turned away from the saints’ counsel. It looked like sickness. And fear. But when people returned to the path of righteousness, the mist vanished."
Philip nodded slowly. "Thank you, Ruth."
Philip turned back to the chalkboard and began mapping zones for housing, gardens, livestock, and shared community buildings. Others contributed insights—where to plant crops, where to construct fish traps, how to store perishables in spring-fed cold storage.
Even those who had voiced objections found themselves contributing. Lina pointed out a useful nearby rockslide for building stone. Jared suggested organizing labor crews based on skills.
Katie watched it all unfold, a sense of awe rising within her. The Kingdom had begun—not with trumpets or fanfare, but with humble collaboration, spiritual tension, and prophetic insight. A table, not a throne. A gathering of equals, led by the Spirit.
By the end of the meeting, all agreed on the land allotments drawn on the chalkboard. Every family knew where their family's property was, and what supplies, tools, and skills would be available to them.
As the meeting closed, the group joined hands as Rachel led them in prayer. Her voice trembled with reverence. "Lord, let this place become an outpost of Your glory. Let our work and our unity reflect Your reign."
As they prayed, sunlight pierced the thinning clouds and fell upon the meadow, illuminating the chalkboard, the circle of saints and mortals, and the wildflowers blooming at their feet.
Katie opened her eyes and smiled. It was beginning.
My Trilogy Release Plan
Here’s my release plan for the Positive Apocalypse trilogy
Before April 1st you can pre-order the Restoring Eden: His Kingdom, Our Reign eBook for 99 cents.
Publish the Restoring Eden: His Kingdom, Our Reign eBook on April 1st at $4.99
Publish the paperback version by April 4th. Price is TBD, depending on printing cost.
Publish the trilogy box set of paperbacks by April 18th.
Publish the trilogy in audible versions and foreign translations by Christmas 2025.
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