The Beginning Is Near

Well, good afternoon, everyone! On this eighth day, the last day of our festival, the Feast of Tabernacles and the last day that we observe as a holy day. Certainly, Bev and I have appreciated being here, being with you, and it's so good to see such a large crowd at the very end. Mr. Mike Joseph said that many people prayed for him. People came up to him.

Well, I was one of those people who came up to him before services. I'm not sure who else came up to him, but we honestly did pray for him and asked God to give him an inspired message, which he did. I really appreciated him covering the points that he did, along with a stir to action for hope, of hope for the world. I didn't pray for Kevin Kennedy, though.

I failed to notice the sermonette speaker. However, I did pray for him after the sermonette. It was a prayer of thanksgiving, of thanksgiving for so well covering the points that he did about the White Throne Judgment period and covering some of the very excellent scriptures in such a succinct way. He's a schoolteacher. I will get an A if I took that test. But that was very, very well done and really appreciated all the messages that we have heard here at this festival time.

I'd like to thank all those who have served in so many different ways as well. Mr. McGrady mentioned the people already, so I won't go through that list. However, I'd like to focus it on one particular list of people that I work with very, very closely at the home office. They're kind of like a group of a team that we work with. And that's the people who have provided the technical and the webcast video services here for the Feast of Tabernacles.

It's from here that we service the entire world with the webcast. And oftentimes these people, they are unseen and only time some people contact them with the question of, I can't get on, I can't get on. That's the only time they may hear from them, not realizing all the technical background work to keep things running smoothly.

And overall, it ran very, very smoothly. We have had a good solid pipe for internet transmission from here. And I'm not sure how it's been around the world. We haven't received detailed reports, but I've gotten reports about how well the webcast came in at the various feast sites around the world. Some came in at night. I'm not sure where that would have been if that was live in Europe or not, because most of those were played on Sunday.

And there was a few that were played on the eighth day as well in the Asian countries that was played in Hong Kong. So anyway, we want to thank them for the work that they have done. Aaron Booth, Tom Disher, who do some of the fantastic work, Tori Trone, Nick Bizik, they not only do the technical aspects, but they also provide a lot of editorial support.

They give suggestions as to what to say, including the video that you saw, The Sermonette, Before the Feast. That is the work of the group here as well. We've had meetings with Peter Eddington and this particular group to discuss what to say, what questions to ask in interviews, how to edit it. And Jamie Scriber is the one who did the final post-editing of The Sermonette. And I thought he did a very, very credible and very fine job. But Nick Bizik, Clint Porter, Clay Thornton, all these people were heavily involved in keeping things running smoothly.

This has been a challenging hall. Just the construction and the shape of it has made it difficult for equalization of sound. But overall, I believe that it's just been a tremendous success here.

Also, I feel there was an emerging theme at this particular feast. We didn't especially have a particular theme, although it was Preparing the Bride, is what we kind of subtitled the video before the webcast. However, there's a lot of discussion about personal righteousness, cleansing. The message by Keith Wilson was excellent. Of course, I talked about righteousness as to what it is and what it's not, and the importance of understanding it in light of what Christ said in Matthew 5. Also, Mr. Pratt McCready's message yesterday, which was very stirring, and the music that followed afterwards was extremely heartening.

I went home and got it down on Amazon and listened to it for probably half a dozen times this morning. Also, the special music, the choir, has been so, so good. The music has really, really been just very inspiring and soothing. And as I sat there, listened to the special music here, I feel totally calm, maybe too calm, but I feel very, very good.

I appreciate especially the awesome solo that was done this morning. I would like to know the name of that gentleman. Somebody may come up to me afterwards and tell me, because he did Elvis yesterday at the seniors luncheon. Not the hound dog type of Elvis, but I was the one. He did a very, very beautiful job with that.

And also, Mrs. Robinson did wonderful, merciful Savior. And there were other presentations as well, but it's just been just a wonderful experience here to be with everyone, to see so many people that we haven't seen in a long time and also new friends that we have made. Our only regret is that we spent half the time at one feast and half at the other with a travel day in between, but we sure got to see a lot of people, both in Oregon and here. There's so much to say about where we've come to on this day. It's the end of the feast. It's the last great day, as some call it, the eighth day.

We talk about the time of the end and the end of the world. Well, I hope that this isn't the end. Probably the end of our money as well. We've come here to celebrate the millennium, which we did. We had seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles that celebrated the seventh-thousandth-year era of mankind after 6,000 years of man's rule, the millennial, one-thousand-year period of God's rule on the earth.

But a natural question that would come up to anyone, came up to me when I first heard about the millennium, how Christ will rule for a thousand years. A thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years. Okay. Now, after that, then what? What's after that? That's a natural question to ask. Anybody would be curious about that. Well, that's what this day is about, because it talks about the beginning of a new era, entirely new era, that is defined in terms of new heavens and new earth, the day of the Lord, which actually begins before that.

But it talks about a new era of existence in mankind, of how an era passes by that was under the control and rule of Satan, the devil, even a portion of the millennium. Because after the millennium, there's a great rebellion by Satan, who stirs up people from the east, that come and attack the unwalled villages of Israel.

There's still one big battle, climactic battle at the end of the millennium. But then after this, there's a new era, a new period. See, King David in ancient Israel had questions about life. As I'm sure we get questions about life. In Psalm chapter 8 and verse 3, Psalm chapter 8 and verse 3, David writes in Psalm, When I consider your heavens, your work of your fingers, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have ordained, what is man that you are mindful of him?

Why do you care about man? What's your plan for him? What are we here for? And the Son of Man that you visit him, that you care about him? We are a species here on the earth that has self-reflection, that has a past in our mind and a future in our mind. I don't think turtles think about the future, or have a 401k plan for their children, for the little turtles, or that they have a history going back to the very, very first turtle.

They just don't have a self-consciousness, their life, but it's not the kind of life that human beings have where we are self-conscious. We're aware of our existence. We have thoughts and purpose. We grow from generation to generation. We draw upon experiences going back historically thousands of years. We also marvel and wonder about the future.

We poke ourselves out of our stratosphere and try to find out more of where are we in this universe? Who are we? And what does it all mean? And David asked this question from an astronomical viewpoint here. He says, you have crowned him with glory and honor. He begins to answer the question that you have crowned man with glory and honor. You have made him to have dominion over the work of your hands. Verse 6 of Psalm 8. You have put all things under his feet.

That's quite a statement. That mankind was made to be a manager, and that all things that are on the earth were intended for mankind to have dominion over. Actually, the first job that God had for mankind was to dress and keep the Garden of Eden, to have dominion over the animals and everything, to name them. God had already delegated responsibility to mankind, as he had not done to any other form of life. Well, to ask the question, where am I going with this sermon? I am going to go now into a sphere, into an area here of where we will go beyond what is the millennium, and go on from the chapter 20, which deals with the thousand-year period, and go beyond into infinity and into eternity. David asked this question from an astronomical viewpoint of when I think about the moon and the stars and so forth, when he could only see maybe three to five thousand stars, or whatever was able to be seen by his naked eye. I don't think they had any magnification equipment at that time. This is long before any optical telescope, and long before what we know now, so much of what we know now. When I was a young boy, back in second and third grade and fourth grade, I had a fascination with astronomy. We had a bookmobile that came by our house, and I would check out every book in astronomy that I could. I knew every telescope or major telescope around the country. I knew about Mount Wilson, about Mount Palomar, about the Lick Observatory, and I found out there was an observatory in Wisconsin called Yerkes, and I tried to get my parents to take me out there, because that was a 40-inch refracting telescope, the biggest one in the world. I so badly wanted to be there just to see it. I didn't want to look through it, because I knew I couldn't get in there. I just wanted to see what it looked like, because I saw all the pictures and all the images that it had been able to photograph of the universe, of galaxies.

I was so excited about that. Mount Wilson Telescope was built in 1917, a 100-inch telescope, Mount Palomar 200-inch telescope between Los Angeles and San Diego, 200 inches, been able to explore way out into the universe. In 1993, a telescope in the Canary Islands, 410-inch reflecting telescope. But the crown jewel has been the Hubble that's been able to reach out into the deep field of space where no one has been able to look into. No one's been able to look into. And I have compared this trying to seek what's out there when we don't know what's out there, but finding out more and more things and comparing it with our gaining knowledge, light, information, knowledge about our future and where we're going.

In scriptures and passages like 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 9, the Apostle Paul says this about the future that's ahead of us. As it is written, 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 9, I has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him. He says you can't imagine what's out there for you. But it's there.

The good news is that it's there. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 1. These are Hubble statements. These are statements about things that are going to be found and will be found. Behold, 1 John chapter 3 and verse 1. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. Think that through. Squirrel that around in your mind that we are his children were made in his image for his children. A cat is not a child of God. A dog is not a child of God. You are. We are all children of the one who created everything there is. Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know him. Beloved, verse 2, now we are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. We don't know fully what we're going to be. But you know something? We're trying to get an idea, just like an astronomer is trying to get an idea about what's out there in the deep field. What's out there in the extreme deep field? And there have been ultimate pictures. Actually, the first field was a deep field in 1993 by Hubble. In 2012, there was a discovery. It was called the ultra-deep field. And then last year, or 2014, the ultra-deep field, where more and more galaxies that just absolutely stun scientists. And I can't see how an astronomer can be an atheist to understand how many galaxies and stars there are and how beautifully they're formed. And they're just out there. And God says, he has things prepared for us that we can't imagine. Let's stretch our mind. Let's go out into the extreme deep field this afternoon as to what God is going to be doing with you, with the world, his plan. Because there is a plan, and that plan we have already spoken of as being part of the Holy Day Plan, which begins in a very tiny way with the Passover, the first feast of the year, where we make a personal commitment, and then moves on towards changing and transforming our lives, receiving the Holy Spirit, the return of Christ, the putting away of Satan, the kingdom of God coming to this earth. And now, in this particular Holy Day, the eighth day, we celebrate the great beyond, the ultra deluxe deep field for all of mankind. That's what this day is about. There are some things that aren't too clear about that deep field. Some things just aren't just so-so. Most of everything that's been written about the deep field is in Revelation 21 and 22. These are books, chapters that have been recorded to give us just an inkling of, it's out there. Can't tell you all about it right now. It won't do you any good.

Just like telling you that there's 123 quintillion stars that have been found that weren't known about before, two years ago. What difference does it make?

But they're out there. There's a purpose for them, and God is including us in that plan. But this eighth day is about the continuation and the continual expansion of God's plan. So let's talk about that. Now, chronologically, I'm going to go through chapters 20, 21, and 22. So if you wonder where I'm going with this, that's the chapters that I will be resting in.

The apostle Paul also, in 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 1, God gave him an experience to encourage him. He knew that he was going to be sending him on a very grueling mission. 2 Corinthians chapter 12.

You might know that at the time of the apostle Paul there was no video, there was nothing electronic, it was verbal, and God did use visions to be able to do the same things that oftentimes some of the video things do today. But chapter 12, 2 Corinthians, verse 1, it is doubtless not profitable for me to boast, and this is the apostle Paul writing to the people in Corinth, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord and tell you some things that I've seen. I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body I do not know, and he's talking about himself, he's self-facing, or whether out of the body do not know, he says, I don't know how this happened, but he did. God knows such a one was caught up to the third heaven. He was caught up into the area that is not known, where God resides. And I know such a man, whether in the body or out of the body do not know, God knows, how he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words which is not lawful for a man to utter. I heard things I really can't repeat. Not that they were illegal, but they were so marvelous and so great as to what he saw. And then God says, this is where you're going. This is where you will be. And it's this vision that kept Paul going from city to city, standing up boldly proclaiming Jesus Christ, talking about the kingdom of God. It wasn't just something that he learned in a dusty book and it was a job or he was a hireling. It was a passion. It was his mission. He had been there. He had seen these things. He saw where everyone was going, where God was intending mankind to go. And so he spoke boldly. And so when he spoke in another place saying, you know, I'd like to be with you, but you know, if my life is cut short, I'll be there.

I'd rather be with you. But I know that the next moment of my consciousness, I'll be there. I'll be in that kingdom that God has. He was so sure of it that he bet his life, so to speak. Every time that he spoke in a public marketplace or in a crowd of people, whether he was stoned or imprisoned, it kept him going. And after this piece of tabernacles, we have to have knowledge and a vision that will keep us going. Okay, let's go to Revelation chapter 20 and verse 1. I saw an angel.

I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid ahold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who was devil and the Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And we know this happened in connection with the Day of Atonement, where Satan is chained and restrained. So we'll have a thousand years without satanic influence that is deceptive and destructive. Those are the two special qualities that Satan has. And he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal on him so that he should deceive the nations no more until a thousand years were finished. So he's sitting there and will be chained.

But after these things, he must be released for a little while.

Satan is going to have one last stand. Verse 4. Here we start into the three resurrections, three resurrections that are mentioned in this chapter. Revelation 20 verse 4. And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus, and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. I hope this whole group is there. After the resurrection, let's get together. Let's get together. But that's the group that we're talking about, the saints today, and those who have preceded us in death. As the resurrection will be taking place, a rolling resurrection on that day, those who preceded us will rise first, and then those who are alive at the resurrection will rise secondly. But the rest of the dead, the rest of the dead, because there's a lot of the rest of the dead, because it talks about a very specific group here, those who had not worshiped the image of the beast, those who were faithful to Jesus Christ, those who had the spirit of God. That's a minority. It's a real small minority. But the rest of the dead, which is the vast majority, did not live again until the thousand years were finished. Interesting that there is a plan for the rest of the dead, and it will be when? At the end of the thousand years.

But that statement here, verse 5, is a parenthetical expression, because he goes back now to the first resurrection. This is a first resurrection. Blessed and holy, who has part in the first resurrection. On such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and Christ, and they shall reign with him for a thousand years. That's us. We're going to be reshaping the earth. There'll be no satanic influence. This will be the toppling of the governments of this world, Russia, Europe, whatever is left of any of the big countries around the world. They'll be gone.

And we're going to set up a new world order, and the kingdom of God will rule over the earth.

Now, verse 7, when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison.

You say, oh no, how come? I don't know. But this is not the end of Satan, but it's also the end in the last instance of his involvement. He will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the world, of the earth. God and Magog to gather them to battle, whose number is the sand of the sea. Now, this is so disappointing, so disappointing. Now, I sometimes wonder, how is it that people get deceived? And, you know, I see people who have been faithful in the church for years, and all of a sudden they become deceived, either doctrinally or through personalities or for believing lies or whatever, but they do get deceived. This is a hallmark of Satan the devil. He deceives people. He was able to deceive one-third of the angels, started whispering about things against God, against his government, and got a third of them convinced. And now, when he's given a chance to go out to affect society after the millennium, he deceives a large number of people, which I refer to as Gog and Magog, and gathers them to battle against Israel. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints in the beloved city.

This is spoken of in two chapters. There's a reference to chapter 37, the Valley of the Dry Bones, which we will not go through at this time, but the Valley of the Dry Bones, where the bones live, the resurrection, physical resurrection of Israel. It becomes a nation. Chapter 38 talks about how they lived in unwalled villages. In verse 11, and what is spoken of here in the book of Revelation is quoting from and referring to chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel.

You will say, I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go to a peaceful people who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates.

And see, and who is it that's doing this? In the first part of that chapter, verse 2, Ezekiel 38, verse 2, Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal, and prophesy against them. So that's who these people are. You know, I honestly can't tell you who those people are exactly. It talks about Gog, Magog, Rosh. There's been allusions to Russia, Moscow, etc. I do not know if that's the only people involved.

We've said it was a union confederation between the Chinese and the Russians and so forth. I do not know. It could be symbolic as well of all the malcontents of people who just are stubborn and don't want God's government even after a thousand years of demonstrating that it works. The earth is at peace, but Satan the devil does the same to them that he did to the angelic beings that became demons. He deceives them and he gets them to mount a huge attack against the people living in unwalled villages. In other words, a society already that no longer has to have defenses, no longer has to have fences. A society that's at peace. But these people are crushed and destroyed.

Fire—this is back now to Revelation 20 verse 9— and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were, should be, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

This is referred to the casting of the demonic creatures in Jude verse 13. They refer to as raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame, wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. And this is the end. This is the last statement about Satan and his demons. They're done for. No more. They had this one last being unchained.

They were kind of like the garbage collector of all malcontents who mounted an attack against people living at peace, and they are destroyed.

Okay, now we come to verse 11 of Revelation 20. Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it, from whom the face of the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 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, which are written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and Hades were delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then dead and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. So this great white throne judgment is a period where the dead are brought up and given their opportunity to live a life of being in a period of judgment. And then after this period, anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Now understand, there are several things that are, there's a lack of clarity as to exactly how things happen chronologically, because there's a reference to the day of the Lord. There's a reference to the new heavens and a new earth. There's a reference to a physical resurrection. These are all events out there which we are still trying to put into focus and to try to fully understand. God is bringing up people who have never had the opportunity for salvation, the vast majority of people who have lived on this earth. Now here, this to me, when I was starting to understand the truth, when I had my first booklets come to me about the Sabbath, about the Holy Days, and began to understand the kingdom of God being pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles. But then on the radio program, there was several programs about, is this the only day of salvation? Here's what made it so interesting. Is this the only day of salvation?

The speaker on the World Tomorrow radio program said, who's responsible for the salvation of people? Is God fair? If a missionary was going into a village and he was going to give a rousing message of repentance but had a flat tire, couldn't make it, a person died. On whose shoulder, on whose head would the responsibility be for that person not being saved? You know, I began to wonder about these questions. I also began to wonder about the fact that how is it that Christianity is not winning? How is it that Christianity is not succeeding more than it should be? This is our faith. There are other religions that have hundreds of millions of followers in India, in China. And why is it that Christianity is not as successful as it should be? How is it that Christianity is so confused? And how is it that people that we know are evil? Is God really wanting to destroy most of mankind? Is it only a very, very few that are righteous and enter into the narrow gate towards salvation?

Is it just those very, very few? This understanding about the fact that there would be a resurrection of this sort, that the dead were raised from all over various places and brought back to life, was a wonderful new truth to me. They had their opportunity. They had their period of being able to learn the truth. This is after this period, is after the millennium, and after Satan's rebellion, final rebellion. And these people now have openness and the light of God shine to them. And they have a period where they are judged by the books. Judged by the books.

We have used Isaiah chapter 65 verses 17 through 22. Again, the references are somewhat vague.

We'll be very honest about the fact that there's not a lot said. But then again, we're going into the deep field. We're going into areas that are way ahead in the future, and not much is said about them. Isaiah chapter 65 and verse 17. For behold, I create a new heavens and a new earth, and a former shall not be remembered to come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create. For behold, I create in Jerusalem as a rejoicing and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and join my people. The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard, nor the voice of crying. This is a reference to the new heavens and new earth, which is a general period of God's working with the world. Verse 20. No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, nor an old man who is not fulfilled his days, for the child shall die 100 years old. This is a reference to that 100-year period. But the sinner, being 100 years old, shall be accursed.

They shall build houses and inhabit them, and shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

They shall not build and another inhabit, they shall not plant and another eat. For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of my people. A hundred-year period is being established. This is a hint towards that 100-year period that comes forward. So now we come down to Revelation 21.

And this is the opening of the new heavens and new earth. Now I saw a new heaven and new earth, but the first heaven and first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a voice, a loud voice from heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. Talking about the fact that now the kingdom of God is coming, and God is coming to dwell with mankind. The kingdom of God already is established on the earth, but now that plan is being fulfilled more. And he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. This is that wonderful time. Then he who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write, for these things are faithful and true, a new beginning. And he said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, and I will give the fountain of water of life freely to him who thirsts. Verse 7, He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God. He shall be my son, but the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable murderer, sexually moral, a sorcerer, a doubters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone, which is the second death. Then we come to a vision of the New Jerusalem.

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled, this Revelation 21 verse 9, seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, Come, I will show you the bride and the lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem. Descending out of heaven from God and having the glory of God, her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone clear as crystal. Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. Three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. We're coming into a period beyond of salvation for all. Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square, its length is as great as its breadth, and he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand furlongs, its length, breadth, and height are equal. It's a huge city, not sure exactly how it would fit. It was 1,400 to 1,500 miles wide on each side, depending upon which of the measurements you used for that measurement, and it was a box 1,400 miles high, 1,400 miles wide, and 1,400 miles the other way. Then he measured its wall, 144 cubits, according to the measure of a man that is of an angel. The construction of its wall was of jasper, and the city was of pure gold like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third calcadon, the fourth emerald, verse 20, the fifth sardonic, the sixth sardius, crystallite, barrel, topaz, caro praise, jack, jacinth, and amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each individual gate of one pearl, and a street of the city was pure gold like transparent glass, the new Jerusalem, the vision of that. But I saw no temple, verse 22, in it. For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it.

The Lamb is its light. We're talking about a life beyond. We're talking about the new heavens and the new earth. We're talking about a time when Satan, the demons, are all put aside, put away. They no longer have any effect. Whatever it is that's happening to them, they're spewing out their hatred and their vitriol for all ages. They are unrepentant, can't repent, their minds have been changed to be irreconcilable and cordial. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor to it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day, but there will be no night there. They shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations to it. But there shall be no means enter it, anything that defiles it, or causes an abomination or a lie, only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

That's what we are striving to enter. We're also coming to a period where God is going to resurrect from the dead all who have lived, all who have had life on this earth will have their resurrect will be resurrected. That is spoken of in Ezekiel, the valley of the dry bones that is the resurrection.

Revelation 22. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of the street and on every side of the river was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, and each tree yielding its fruit every month. Now, to me, the story that God has, the story that God has written through the Word of the Bible, a book that was written over a period of fourteen to fifteen hundred years with more than thirty authors, with with that begins with a tree of life being granted to mankind, now ends with the tree of life being made available once again to mankind. The leaves, this is a continuation of verse two, the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him. They shall see his face, will see God as he is. You know, right now, I just wish so much that God would just kind of appear to us, because he really is not appearing to us as a person.

We pray to him, we pray in silence, and if somebody said, God is talking to me, we would take great exception to that. We'd be frightened about that, because God speaks to us in different ways in which he answers our prayers. But there'll come a time when we all see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no more night there. They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. That's what we are looking to. This is the deep field. This is beyond an all-eternity. There's three chapters at the very end of the book of Revelation that gives us this insight into what will be. Revelation 20 speaks about all the three resurrections. The first resurrection, the resurrection to life, to the period of the 100-year period, and finally, the resurrection of those who are incorrigible. The time is near. Verse 6. He said to me in verse 6, these words are faithful and true. This is the last message of the Bible for us. The Lord God of the Holy Prophet sent his angel to show his servants the things which must shortly come to pass. Behold, I am coming quickly, and God is coming quickly to this earth. It could be just a few years. It could be a generation.

But also, when your life ends, he comes, because your next moment in your consciousness will be seeing him. Blessed is he who keeps, who pays attention to, values, obeys, and responds to the words of the prophecy of this book. Now I, John, this is John when he was on the island of Patmos, writing the book of Revelation, saw and heard these things, and when I heard and saw, fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

He was awed by what he saw. He said to me, see that you do not do that, for I am your fellow servant. The angel says, don't worship me, and of your brethren and prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God. And he said to me, do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still. He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is righteous, let him be righteous still. Who is holy, let him be holy still. Jesus testifies to the churches. Behold, I am coming quickly. My reward is with me to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. It's very interesting that as we wind down to the last verses of the Bible, everyone recognizes that Revelation is the very end, that there are some very, very profound values that are cemented about God, the law, his commandments.

Blessed are those who do his commandments, verse 14, that they may have right to the tree of life.

Some of the strongest language about obedience to laws are stated right at the very end of the book of Revelation. There's no question about, well, maybe we should, maybe we shouldn't, be excused, whatever. Yes, God's law, God's grace is upon us always. God is kind and good to us.

But blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life.

Right now, God is bringing mankind back to the tree of life that he's been removed from. And may enter into the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually moral murderers and adulterers and whoever loves and practices a lie. These are people who are formerly removed. I, Jesus, verse 16, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star.

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come, and let him who hears say, Come, and he who thirsts, come, whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

The book of Revelation ends on a very, very high note, a very high note of triumph to those who stay faithful. Verse 18, For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. This is like a warning to translators who came to the very end of this book, who may have wanted to remove things, to add things. God will add plagues to those that are written in the book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. In Isaiah chapter 65, Isaiah chapter 65 and verse 17, Peter, Isaiah, talk about a new heavens and a new earth. Isaiah chapter 65 and verse 17, Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. The former shall not be remembered or come to mind, but be glad and rejoice forever in what I create. For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and join my people. The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying. This is the beginning of that period of the new heavens and the earth, which includes this hundred-year period. No more shall an infant from there live but a few days. And this is the resurrection of those who have never had the opportunity for salvation, nor an old man who has fulfilled his days. For the child shall die 100 years old. This is the one reference, the one reference we have to this being a hundred-year period, the white throne judgment period. But the sinner, being 100 years old, shall be accursed.

They shall build houses and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

They shall not build in another inhabit. They shall not plant in another eat. For as the days of a tree so shall be the days of my people, and my elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

Isaiah chapter 66 speaks also of the new heavens and the new earth. The beginnings of the new heavens and the new earth are spoken of here as we just read in Isaiah chapter 65, but also in chapter 66. For as the new heavens and the new earth, verse 22 of Isaiah 66, which I will make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your descendants and your name remain. I'd like you to turn to 2 Peter chapter 3 and verse 10.

Chapter 3 and verse 10, because we also here have a reference to the day of the Lord.

Interesting thing about the day of the Lord is this. The day of the Lord is looked upon as a period of tribulation. And maybe when we had read first about how God would begin to intervene in the world's affairs, it's the day of the Lord. But the day of the Lord actually is a period where God is going to be working with mankind from that period on out to all eternity. It will span all time. A day is like an age of the Lord. Second Peter chapter 3 and verse 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. There will come a time when this world will come to a point of yet another resurrection of being burned up, which is called the third resurrection. We have talked about a period which we have been celebrating here at the Feast of Tabernacles, the millennial period, the seventh the seventh thousandth year of mankind's rule. Then we went to this period where there are unwalled villages and mankind is resurrected and people live for 100 years. And then there'll be a time of burning up, which is the third resurrection. And all that which survives that physical will be the spiritual that will continue on forever into the new heavens and the new earth.

Therefore, verse 11 of 2 Peter 3, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?

That's the people who will be saved and be part of that. And it's a message for us today. That's the message of Peter to the churches that he wrote. Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God because of the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. There will come a brand new period of glory, a brand new period of living beyond. In a sense, this day, this eighth day of the feast, is a celebration of what happens after the millennium. It's a celebration of the resurrection to physical, where mankind will be here and will have their opportunity for salvation. And then, after that, everything will be spiritual because the third resurrection will be to cleanse all evil, all physical evil that has ever existed, and the world enters into a brand new era. Verse 14, Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent, as Peter writes, by him in peace, without spot and blameless, and consider that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation, as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You, therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked. This is a message for us today. Stay steadfast to the truth of God. Some of you have been part of the Church and part of this understanding for 30, 40, 50 years or more. I believe in Ben we had a showing of hands. Some were close to 60 years of this understanding. Do not fall from your steadfastness of this truth, and do not be led away by the error of the wicked. Understand the truth of God that he has a plan, that there's a millennium, there's a resurrection, there's a resurrection that we will be a part of, and we will be managers, those of us who have the Holy Spirit of God, the first resurrection leading to the millennium, in preparing this earth, preparing this earth for a huge resurrection of those who had never understood or had the truth.

That'll be coming to the end of the millennium when God is going to bring about the resurrection of millions, billions of people.

Estimates now range somewhere between 25 to 30 billion people will be resurrected in the white throne judgment period. These people have to be cared for, these people will have to be served, and these people will be taken care of by us. God is going to help us be involved in the preparation of this earth. And then after that, we'll be going into an all-spirit world, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. At the very end of the book of Revelation, Revelation 22, verse 20, he who testifies to these things says, surely I am coming quickly. Even so come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Christ be with you all. Amen. That's the way that the Apostle John of the book of Revelation ends the book. It's a vision of a world tomorrow. It's a vision in which he expresses about the resurrection to life, expresses a resurrection also to those who have the opportunity to prove and to show a life outside the spirit of the devil that operates this world. This is a wonderful period, a wonderful era of seeing those who we had known, our family, people who had never understood the truth, who have been blinded by Satan. We could also very much take to ourselves gratitude or gratitude towards God for being called right now, for being in the very front, the ones who were called to the first resurrection. Those who will be in that resurrection to eternal life at the very beginning. Those who will be priests and kings during the millennial period, which we had spoken of here in sermons throughout the Feast of Tabernacles. But also, God knows that there are billions of people, the vast majority, who have never understood and heard the truth.

And that is, wouldn't it be terrible if God just chose us few? But what about our brothers and sisters?

What about our parents? What about all those whom we had known in the past and loved, and we'll just have memories of them perishing? Do you know that God has a plan for them, and they will be brought up in a resurrection? They will be brought up to have an opportunity to know and understand the truth without the influences of Satan the devil. He will be removed. He will no longer have effect upon the people of this world. I don't know what percentage will be saved. I've tried to calculate this because there have been calculations of how many people have ever lived, and it's somewhere between 25 to 50 billion people that have lived. How many people will be in the first resurrection? I don't know, but it's going to be a small percentage, really, of the vast majority of people. But I think of the Aborigines. I think of the people of Africa, some tribes that have become degenerate in this world, and yet to whom God has called them to be made in His image.

God is going to heal these people. God will bring them back. God will provide a society and a world to prepare them for eternal life. He will show them what a world can be like, operated under the government of God, where the kingdoms of this world and their ways are pushed aside, and Jesus Christ is King. He will set up a model government and a model society over a thousand-year period.

And then people from all time past will be brought back to life, and sinews will be collected, and skin will be on them again. And they will learn the truth of God, without the influence of Satan the devil, who is right here in this world, affecting us, and will be affecting us as we drive home.

The billboards that we see, the television stories that we see, the books that we read, the magazines, it's Satan's world. And we have been called to be lights in that world. We've been called to be steadfast in holding on to God's truth. We've been called to be those that are to be the lights to the world, the examples to this world. A great work is being done right now by God in preparing for His kingdom to come to this earth. Yes, we are small right now, but God works in different ways in which to expand His truth to the world. Be faithful to God over this next year. Be faithful to His truth.

Don't allow the spirit of Satan, who is the God of this world, to enter you. Worship the God of all truth. Have that God work in your life through His Holy Spirit, making you the person that He expects you to be. To be a king, to be a priest in the kingdom of God that is just around the corner from us. I have no idea how many months or years it is away, but the way things are in this world, it could be much sooner than further out. Be prepared to bring on the great mass of the resurrection of those who have brought back from everywhere, from all history, your family, people that you have known, people that you work with, and our opportunity to train them and to teach them. What a wonderful opportunity we have. Certainly, I am grateful to God for the wonderful truth that He has taught us. He's taught us so many things that are just unbelievable, things that just are unspeakable as far as where we're going and what we will be doing for the rest of the world.

So may God bless you in your travels. It's been a wonderful feast of tabernacles. I've enjoyed meeting and talking to you. Still, we'll have a little bit of time to talk afterwards. But may God bless you and keep you.