Introduction

Does God care for all people? If so, then why hasn't He made sure that everyone who has ever lived has known man's only savior, Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12)? The Feast known as the Last Great Day carries the answers to those questions and its meaning. What the Last Great Day depicts and teaches us is the subject of this study guide.

Evidence From Scripture

MARK 4:11-12 "And He said to them, ‘To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, (12) so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.''

1. Why did Jesus speak in parables?

2. Are there people who are prevented now from repenting and having their sins forgiven?

3. Would God be fair not to give these people an opportunity for salvation?

4. Is it God's will that they have a chance? Read I Timothy 2:4 and II Peter 3:9 and comment.

LEVITICUS 23: 34-36 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord.' (36) '... On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation .... It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it."

5. Is the eighth day a holy day distinct from the preceding seven-day festival?

6. What is the significance of it coming immediately after the Feast of Tabernacles?

7. Should it also be considered a harvest festival?

8. Do harvest festivals picture spiritual harvest -- times of resurrection into God's Family?

JOHN 7:37-39 "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. (38) He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (39) But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

9. What did Jesus teach on this holy day? Did it have to do with people receiving the Holy Spirit?

MATTHEW 11:20-24 "Then He began to upbraid the cities in which most of His mighty works had been …."

10. Did the people of cities such as Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom have the same opportunity to repent?

11. When will they have the opportunity to know Jesus Christ and be judged?

EZEKIEL 37:4-6, "Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones….’"

EZEKIEL 37:10-14 "So I prophesied as He commanded me….'"

12. Will those Israelites who died without knowing God also be resurrected?

13. Is this a physical resurrection?

14. Is physical life necessary for judgment? Consider I Peter 4:17 and II Corinthians 5:10, and comment.

REVELATION 20:11 "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books."

15. When does this take place?

16. Who is in this resurrection?

17. Is it a time of judgment? How are they judged?

18. What books were opened?

19. What does it mean "the Book of Life" was opened?

20. What is judgment? Is it the pronouncement of sentence? Is it a time of trial and testing?

21. What happens to the judged?

Summary

1. What does God want us to understand from the Last Great Day concerning His plan of mankind's salvation?

2. What explanations do people have for the fate of those who lived and died never even having the opportunity to know Jesus Christ?

3. What do you believe? Do you think God is fair? Is His plan wise and just?

For a more comprehensive study, we recommend the booklet, "God's Holy Day Plan - Hope For All Mankind".