The Best Is Last, an Author Reflection

NOTE: We have a sweet Valentine’s Day Sale coming up Feb 12-14! Be sure to see our news after the post!

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Dear Friends, this is David Telbat. I'm working steadily on my next novel, Hidden Humanity, in the new Never Lost Series. Dee will start editing soon, but I also need to work on the front & back matter, a book description, character sketch, glossary, possibly a map if there’s a need for one, an author note, and a resource guide for the back. Will this be the final book or the last series I write? It could be! Why? Because I believe the Lord will make His appearance quite soon! That's what I want to talk to you about today.

We all know that Jesus taught that the last will be first and the first will be last. We may even joke around with others that the last will one day be first when we allow others to precede us in a grocery line, or when we accept little so others can receive more of something.

Certainly, Jesus was teaching the disciples in Matthew 19:27-30 that there is more honor in self-denial now in anticipation of what awaits us in glory later. What a truth to cling to in today's 2022 social climate! While everyone is scrambling to return to a past "normal," we believers should be quite content to wait for that future nobility with the King of kings!

What is our goal in this newsletter? Our goal today is to realign our faith in this one exciting area of the first and last truth of our mighty God's promises that transcends (exists above) any comfort or satisfaction based on this present earth. God's Word reveals that He is a Person who loves to save the best for last for His Son's followers.

This principle for us to anticipate our future in heaven rather than our presence on earth is taught all through the Bible. Let's look at a few examples below.

1. Do you miss yesterday? Just wait!

"The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former," Haggai 2:9.

The prophet Haggai spoke for God to the Israelites when they were rebuilding the temple after their Babylonian captivity. Many who remembered the former temple of Solomon looked at this new post-exilic temple as if it were sub-par. And it was! They missed the temple of yesterday.

But God didn't want the Israelites to move backwards to something better than what was current. He wanted them to look forward to the future where His plans would reveal what is best during the Millennial reign!

     2.  Do you miss the things of the past? Just wait!

". . . But you have kept the good wine until now," John 2:10.

When Jesus turned the water into wine, His first miracle, we shouldn't miss the conclusion of this historic miracle found in the last couple verses in the story narration. There was a headwaiter who tasted the water and declared that Jesus had saved the best wine for last for the wedding guests, instead of saving the worst for last when everyone had already drunk the best.

A lot could be said about this wedding and its symbolism, but we must not miss the connection to the rest of Scripture, especially Revelation 19:7. That is the marriage ceremony between the Church and the Lamb, Jesus Christ, taking place in heaven. Today, the Church has been betrothed, or engaged, to the Son of God. Surely, Jesus, who saved the better wine for the end of an earthly wedding in John 2, will have the best gift for the heavenly marriage feast in Revelation 19. That's actually His promise throughout Scripture! It's only going to get better for believers. Are you getting ready for that day?

     3. Do you miss your youth or your health? Just wait!

"However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual," 1 Corinthians 15:46.

The best of your past physical body cannot compare to the most elemental least (if there could possibly be a least) of your future heavenly body. This whole chapter written by Paul was reinforcing for the church of Corinth to grasp the resurrection of all believers.

At the resurrection, a new physical (but not earthly) body will be given to the souls in heaven—to all believers. We could wish for our past youth or even our past health. But wishing leads only to self-pity and pointless depression, and maybe some coins down the wishing well. Rather, God allows this natural body to wear out for a reason. That reason is for the development of our faith to yearn, reach for, and anticipate the heavenly body which He promised!

Conclusion: The next time someone says they wished things were “normal,” or they miss the “good ol' days,” remind them of the future that God promises those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior from the penalty of sin. Fallen humanity could expect nothing good in the future if not for the sacrifice of Jesus that rescues us from not only the penalty of sin, but also from the power of sin (our current battle), and the absence of sin (our future reality).

See you on the next page! Er, I mean, in the air . . .

David Telbat

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NEWS: Mark your calendar for our Sweet VALENTINE’S DAY 3-DAY SALE – FEB 12-14! Best-selling, Award-winning Book One of The COIL Series, DARK LIAISON, will be FREE for 3 DAYS! What a sweet time to introduce your family & friends to David Telbat’s clean Suspenseful Fiction with a Faith Focus! 😊 BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! We’ve decided to put the other four books in The COIL Series on SALE FOR $.99 EACH for those three days as well! [Dark Hearted (#2), Dark Rule (#3), Dark Vessel (#4), Dark Zeal (#5)] You can also find these book links on our DITelbat.com website.

COMING UP: Join us next time (Feb 21) for D.I. Telbat’s short story, “Unpopular Opinion.”

*If you missed our last newsletter, you can find it here.

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