The whole human race, ransomed by the Lord, will have this opportunity; and the Prophet describes it thus: "The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away".
(Isaiah 35:10) Gradually, throughout the thousand years of Messiah's reign, will the human race march up over the highway of holiness, until all will have had a full and fair opportunity, the willfully wicked destroyed and the obedient ones restored to perfection of body and mind and heart.
[589]The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire.

It does not mean, however, that they went into an endless torture, as we have heretofore been led to believe.

On the contrary, the Lord plainly states that they shall be brought back to their former estate; that is, as human beings on the earth, for the purpose of being given a trial.

"When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate." (Ezekiel 16:55) While the Lord will rule with an iron hand, compelling obedience, yet his rule will be a righteous one, and he will reprove with justice.

He is pictured by the Prophet as ruling in faithfulness and righteousness, thus: "With righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.