Bible Study No 31 of Revelation

Well, good evening, brethren! We're now, tonight, we're coming to our 31st study on the Book of Revelation. We have covered a tremendous amount of ground, as you may recall, and as you're aware, all these studies are available on the website. And you just have to search for Revelation in my name and you'll find it. But so far, we have completed the prophetic description of events, which basically, as I mentioned in the last few studies, are symbolized by events related to the Feast of Trumpets, in the words Christ's Coming and the First Resurrection. Also, events related to the symbolism of the Day of Atonement, which Satan being put away, and also the symbolism of the Feast of Tabernacles, that's the Millennium. We also covered the Eighth Day, which is the last festival of God's seven festivals of God, and which symbolize the Second Resurrection and events beyond into eternity. It is amazing, brethren, that when we look at the Book of Revelation, we can see all these things fitting together. The Bible is an amazing book that everything fits together from the beginning to the end. It never contradicts itself. And when we don't understand something, we need to look at it in context of the whole Bible, and then the picture makes sense. Think of it as like a jigsaw puzzle. When one piece is kind of puzzling, doesn't quite fit, you need to look at the whole jigsaw puzzle. And when you have most of the jigsaw puzzle put into place, then that piece that you do not quite understand where it fitted, now it becomes quite clear where it fits. So, where we basically stopped last time was run about Revelation 20. And today we want to look a little bit beyond Revelation 20 verse 5.

Not a lot. Interesting. We are not going to cover a lot of verses today, but we're going to review a number of things and put everything together so it becomes absolutely clear. In Revelation 20 verse 5, we saw that the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. So, the rest of the dead will only be resurrected after the millennium, and that's what we call a resurrection to physical life after the millennium. Now, these never had a chance to know God, and so they will have their first chance, or they will have their first opportunity to understand the meaning of true repentance and the commitment which we all need to make with God because of His kindness and grace of what is done for us. We must contribute. We are obliged now for because of His gracefulness towards us to return, in a sense, the favor by being those that obey Him and do the things that are pleasingly sight, and that is only for our good. Now, there is a scripture which is very interesting because it talks about the rest of these dead but in a different way that you may have not really thought about it before, and that is in Romans chapter 11. So let's go to Romans chapter 11. Romans chapter 11.

And there Paul is referring to the Israelites, and we know that in chapter 10, at the beginning of chapter 10, he refers to them as people that have a lot of zeal but not according to knowledge.

Putting that into today's context, we also see a lot of Christians out there that have a lot of zeal for God and for Christ, but it's not according to knowledge because they're not called, because they are spiritually blind in this physical life. And because of that, as it reads in Romans 10 verse 3, a lot of people try and do their own righteousness or their own self-righteousness, and that's really not what we need to do. We need to be submitting to the righteousness of God. But a little later in chapter 11, starting in verse 1, then Paul says, has God then forsaken or cast away his people? In other words, these Israelites, they didn't understand. They've been blinded. Has God cast them away? And put it another way into today's context, the question would be, has God cast away the rest of humanity, the rest of Christians out there that I have to admit, and I think you all have to admit, there are some people out there that are very, very nice, very pleasant, godly people. They're trying to please God, but God is not called them. Are we better because God is called us now? No. God has a plan and has a plan for everybody. And in that plan, you'll call those people at that time. You will call them when the time is right already for them. God knows better when is the time to call different people. But continue to read in Romans chapter 11 verse 2, he says God has not cast away his people. So God has not cast away, looking into today's context, the rest of mankind.

He has a plan for them. Do you not know the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, Lord, have killed your prophets, torn down your altars. You know, what people have done, have put pressure on God's true people. And even so, now today, there are very few people that actually are trying to please God, which is us members of God's church. And I mean God's church as being the spiritual body of Christ. I'm not talking about a physical organization. So there is a remnant. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works. Otherwise, grace is no longer grace. So God in his grace as Paul does, in his goodness and kindness, according to his plan, he has a plan and he has chosen his selecting son to be amongst, let's call it, between inverted commas, the top echelon of God's government. Now, let me give you an analogy. Let me give you a simple analogy that you may want to look at. And again, it's a physical analogy. But if you are selecting the team that is going to represent your country, for instance, the United States, at, for instance, at a world championship, you're going to look for people that you are going to select. They are not going to elect themselves. It's you as the body governing the selectioning process that you're going to select people. And so God in his wisdom has decided to call some people and then as people respond to that calling, they become selected or elected. That's how God elects people to his government. It's not you and I that vote or elect that person into his government. By no means am I saying that choosing or voting is wrong. All I'm saying is, for God's government, it's God that selects us. And so God calls us and as he God calls us, he opens our mind to understanding spiritual truth. He opens the spirit of man in man and starts working with the spirit of man in man through his spirit, through the spirit of God, and human beings start understanding the truth. And as we read here in verse 7, in verse 7 of Romans 11, what then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have obtained it.

Putting it into today's context, a lot of so-called Christians have not really obtained what they seek. They don't really understand the truth, but those that God has elected, those that God has called and those that are responding and applying themselves to respond to that calling, you know, those that are called and chosen or elect, they have obtained what? Have obtained, access to the truth, but the rest were blinded. The rest of mankind is blinded today.

As we read in verse 8, God has given to them a spirit of stupid eyes that they should not see, ears that they should not hear to this very day. How is that possible? Because God has given them the spirit of man in man under the stance of things of man as we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 2. But God is not with them, with the spirit of God, because the spirit of God, that opens our minds to understand the things of God. And so that's what's happening.

They don't understand. And they don't understand by God's design, because God wants to show their mercy at a later time. So this truth to those people becomes a stumbling block as we read in verse 9. And in verse 10 it says, let their eyes be darkened so they do not see. It was their mental eyes, their understanding is blinded, is darkened, so they don't see, they don't understand. Now this is a great mystery. Oops, sorry, yeah. This is a great mystery because the world does not keep God's festivities. So yeah, it is a problem. This is a great mystery. People don't understand this great miracle from God. So let's read that in verse 25. It says, yeah, for I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of gentiles has come in. And so all Israel has been saved. God has got a plan. He wants some people in the top echelons of his government, as we'll go into it a little later. God wants a group of redeemed people from the world, which God calls it the first roots, from every nation, from every nation. And until he has completed that, then the Israelites are temporarily blind, and in fact the rest of mankind, because he's working with specific people. And that is a miracle. And as we keep God's feasts, we understand this miracle better and better every day. So what do we have, brethren, is this picture describes it very simply. What do we have today?

Which we have some people that are cold and some people that are not cold. Very simply, we've got some people that are cold, the blindness is removed. How? Because God, his Spirit is working with them and helping them to understand the truth. And some people that are not cold, and therefore their understanding of the truth is not quite there. Yes, some people may have understanding to a greater or lower degree, depending on different levels of study. But for it all to make sense, God has to call them. And it's not because we're better.

It's not because we're better than anybody else. It's because of God's grace.

But for God's mercy and grace, there go I. If I was to look at somebody in the street, pleading and in misery, I can say, but for God's grace, there go I. Because God has called us and has given us understanding, which is very special because of his grace towards us. So, those who live today from the time of Adam and Eve and are not spiritually blind, those who are called elect, and those that remain faithful to the end, that is, until the Second Coming of Christ, will be resurrected at Christ's Second Coming. That is the first resurrection.

I think this is very clear. I think we all understand that. If you have your mind being open and you understand the truth, that means you're called. You now respond to that call. In a sense, you are now acting and believing and committing. In other words, you now become baptized, and you remain faithful to that baptismal commitment till the end. When is the end? It's when we die or when Christ comes. So, when one of those two happens, which is our hand, if we remain faithful till the end, we will be resurrected at Christ's Coming. That is the first resurrection. Right. So, now let's read Revelation 11, verse 15.

I have cited this section a number of times, not only when I went through that section of Revelation 11, but I've cited it a number of times because it is very important to understand, because this is when the seventh angel sounds. Look at Revelation 11 for 15. It says, then the seventh angel sounded. So, that's the lost trumpet. You know, there are seven trumpets in the book of Revelation. It's talking about the trumpets as described in the book of Revelation, these seven trumpets. It's not saying, oh well, there's a trumpet on Passover, and there's a trumpet on 11 red, and there's another trumpet at the beginning, and at the end, it is... No, it's talking about the seven trumpets of the book of Revelation. Let's not get confused with that. The other day, I had somebody that was confused about that, and I had to explain to them, really, we're talking about the trumpets of the book of Revelation. So, when the seventh angel sounds, and he says he aren't, there is a loud voice in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms now, Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.

So, this is the last trumpet of these seven trumpets of the book of Revelation. That's the seventh angel sounds, and now the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God. In other words, those nations will now be ruled by the kingdom of God, and God is the supreme authority, but he's delegated the execution of being king of kings and Lord of lords to Jesus Christ. So, yes, he's the kingdom of God, but he's also the kingdom of his Christ, of his Messiah. So, the kingdom of God will now be reigning on earth. Now, we need to read also Revelation 11 verse 18, because at that time, it says the nations were angry, so we know it's Christ comes, we know that the nations are going to fight against Christ, the nations are angry, and it says, and your wrath has come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged. Now, what does it mean, the time of the dead that they should be judged? It means that some dead will be judged to be resurrected. That's the first resurrection, and some dead will be judged to stay sleeping for another thousand years.

You see, so the dead, there will be a judgment of the dead, and some will be resurrected, and some not yet. And that is the time, therefore, of the seventh angel, is a time when the nations are angry and fighting Christ, and it's the time that it says that you should reward your servants. It's all a series of events that will happen in that time period, and right at the end of that verse, and it says that the end should destroy those who destroy the earth. So, it is a series of events that will happen in a very specific small capsule of time. Now, we all know 1 Corinthians 15 verse 52. So, let's go back to it. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 22. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 52.

It says, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. Which one is the last trumpet? Is the last of those seven of the book of Revelation. That's the seventh, right, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. The dead will be raised incorruptible. That means, at that resurrection, the dead, that is, the first resurrection, those that are with Christ, at the first resurrection, as we read in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 23. It says, Those who are Christ's, at his coming, sell those. They will be raised incorruptible. In other words, without sin, incorruptible. Now, if we then put together with Revelation 14 verse 1, so let's go to Revelation 14 verse 1, it says, Then I looked in the old, a lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000, having his father's name written on their foreheads. So, Yah is 144,000.

And look at verse 3 and 4, and it says, They sang, as it were, a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one could learn the song except 144,000 were redeemed from the earth. So, these are people that were redeemed.

Look at it. These are the ones who were not defiled with women. We'll talk a little bit more about that. We did talk about that before. We'll talk a little bit more about that again today. So, they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men being firstfruits to God and to the lamb. So, these are firstfruits that have been redeemed among men. In other words, they are the ones that are raised incorruptible. They have redeemed. They have no more sin. They've been redeemed from among men and they are the firstfruits. So, let's look at these firstfruits, these that are redeemed. Now, do not confuse between the firstfruits of the Spirit, which is now, and I'll show you that in a moment, and the redeemed among men, which are the firstfruits to God and Christ. That's the resurrection.

You see, when people confuse these two, they can actually come to mixed understandings which are not completely correct. Where do we get the firstfruits of the Spirit? Look at Romans chapter 8 verse 23. Romans chapter 8 verse 23. Yeah, we read not only that, but we also, you know, it's talking about the whole creation waits for the revealing of the sons of man. That means when we'll be revealed, one will be resurrected beings. And it says, we know that all creation runs and labors with birth bangs together until now. But not only that, we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit. We have the firstfruits of the Spirit. You and I have God's Holy Spirit. And then it says, even we ourselves grown within ourselves eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. So we have the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit. How do we get the firstfruits? How do we get the Holy Spirit? We get the Holy Spirit after baptism, by the laying of hands after baptism.

And that is symbolic of what we receive because as members of the Church, we receive as the symbolism of Pentecost. We receive, we have the firstfruits of the Spirit.

But even so we have that's present. We have it already. But we still are eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. We are eagerly waiting for the redemption of our body. If you look back at what we read a little earlier in Romans, or be a part of it, in Revelation 14, verse 4, where it says, these were redeemed from among man, being firstfruits to God.

You see, these were redeemed. And we today are waiting for redemption. So we become redeemed firstfruits when we resurrected. We now are the firstfruits of the Spirit because we have God's Holy Spirit. So now, this is us now, we have today the firstfruits of the Spirit, which is symbolic of the two loves with leaven, which is that symbolism during Pentecost, two loves with leaven. And you know, leaven represents sin. And yes, you and I have God's Holy Spirit. We are the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit, but we still have sin. We still not perfect. We are in what the Bible calls a process of conversion, of improving, of sanctification, till we reach the end by being faithful till the end, and then we'll be resurrected, and then we will be changed to Spirit beings being redeemed from among man, and that's future. That's the day of trumpets. You see, there's two different things here. We now have the firstfruits of the Spirit, but we are eagerly waiting for the adoption or the redemption of our body. Now, the word adoption could also be translated, sonship, comes from the Greek word heothesia. Heo means son, and tesia means placed in a position of son. It's sonship. When we receive God's Holy Spirit, we are really begotten sons of God, and we are waiting for the resurrection when we will be changed to Spirit being, which then will really become like God. You can read that in 1 John 3, verse 1 and 2.

It explains that in more detail. So, we now have the firstfruits of the Spirit, and that's why we are a kind of firstfruits of these creatures. You see, in James 1, verse 17, let's look there. James chapter 1, verse 17. Talking about that every good gift, and starting in reading verse 17, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. So, all the good gifts come from God the Father through Christ, which is our, let's call it, who the Father delegated to do this act of creation for us. So, it's all through Christ. And then he says, of whom, of his own will, he brought us forth by the word of truth. In other words, he's begotten through the truth, through God's truth, by being called by, as receiving God's early spirit, we have been begotten. We have been brought forth. It's like being begotten by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of these creatures. Today, we're still a kind. We are for taste now of what we will be at the first resurrection. So, we are kind of those fruits, firstfruits that will become, once we have been redeemed. But today, we still, let's call it, in a gestation process, in a maturing process, in a growing process, in the womb of the matter, which symbolically means the church. And so, we're growing in this womb, we're going through this growth process, until we reached a stage of maturity in God's eyes, that then we can be born, literally born, into the family of God, into a spirit being, changed into a spirit being, then we'll indeed be a spirit being, and then we'll indeed be the redeemed, our body would have been redeemed from among men. So, but today, we kind of firstfruits of those creatures. We are building up towards that, and the condition is that we remain faithful till the end. We have to remain faithful till the end. Otherwise, we could, abort, because in the spiritual development process, if we don't remain faithful till the end, then we will not be changed. You see, we are meant to be called, chosen, and faithful. We have to be faithful till the end. So, we are now in a period of the sanctification of the spirit.

Look at 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 2. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 2. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 2.

It says, Peter, an apostle of Christ, saying who he was talking to, who he was writing to, they are elect, according to the knowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the spirit for obedience. You see, God's Holy Spirit is working with our minds, pricking our conscience, and God's Holy Spirit with God's Word, which is the Bible. The two work together. We read the Bible. We say, oh, I must do this. And God's Holy Spirit pricks our conscience, and then we change. And therefore, we are being sanctified. We are being made separate, made different. So, it is this process or sanctification of the spirit for obedience to God, and together with the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Now, remember, what do you mean, sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ? Because when you were baptized, the blood of Christ is like you take a bath, you wash, and you sizzle for giving. But after you come out of the watery grave of baptism, you're now supposed to be a new man or a new woman. But as we read in John, we are supposed to walk in the light, but if we say we have no sin, we lie. That means we still occasionally trip unintentionally, but it's our weakness of our flesh, and we've got to change and repent. As we do that, and as we go there before God's throne, in a new and living way, as it mentions in Hebrews chapter 10, we go before God's throne, representing, in other words, those two loves with leaven going before God. That's what we can do, because we receive God's only Spirit, and we now have access to the throne of God, that symbolism of Pentecost. We can do that. Now, through this time period of the sanctification of the Spirit, we are being sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. You see, we washed at baptism, but thereafter we need to sprinkle. He's like the foot washing. He's not taking a full bath, but it's just the foot washing. We need that sprinkling as we do something that we shouldn't have done, and then we repent, and we confess to God, and then Christ's blood again covers us.

You look in Matthew 16 about the work of the high priest, where he says he's got to sprinkle seven times, means completely that sacrifice, so that they will be ready. And he says, when he's finished cleansing it, then it shows that he comes, which represents Christ's coming. So it all fits together. So what do we have, brethren, is a period, a symbolic period, between Pentecost and trumpets, which is we have received God the Holy Spirit, and now through this period of the sanctification of the Spirit, we have to persevere till the end, which is the end is Christ's coming, symbolized by trumpets. During this period, we have to go through the persevering stage till the end.

Now, looking at Revelation 17 verse 14. Revelation 17 verse 14. It says, those that are with, that will make war, that are of the Lamb, at right at the time of the end, Christ is coming, those that are within, because they're just resurrected, they are the ones that are redeemed from among men. They are those who are with Christ, are called, chosen, and faithful. You see, we have to be called. We have to respond to that calling, and symbolic of that is the baptism. You make a commitment. And then you and I have to remain faithful till the end. So that baptism is symbolic of us receiving our Holy Spirit, obviously it's receiving us as a Spirit, symbolic of Pentecost. And we have to remain faithful till the end, till Christ's coming, or till we die, whichever one comes first. And those are the ones, the ones that are faithful. Those will be with Christ when the nations make war with the Lamb. So it's that symbolism. It all fits together. It is really very, very encouraging. And then we read in Revelation 19 verse 9, 19 verse 9 that it says, then, right, blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. You see, our calling is to be in that top echelon of God's government.

There is a very special group of people. If, as I said, if indeed, and based on what we read, it is, and based on what Mr. Dean, Aaron Dean, told me that Massam Strong, before he died, that's what he believed, that's what he wanted to write an article about. And he believed that those in the first resurrection will be 144,000. If that is the case, indeed, brethren, that is a mighty small number. It is a mighty small number. Therefore, we really have to be very close to God and making sure that we're going to be part of that group.

It's not just, oh well, I'm in the church, I'm okay. Because there are other parables, like it says, there were five wise virgins and five foolish virgins. And the virgins means they were in the church, in that symbolism. But we have to be wise.

So it is very important. God has an enormous responsibility that he wants in that top echelon of his government, which will be eternal responsibility. That's why it's a better resurrection. Brethren, it is an enormous gift or calling that God is calling us to. Do we grasp it?

It is awesome. And I think what happens is, can we get involved with the things of this world? And sometimes we lose focus. We really have to be careful not to lose focus. It's an enormous calling. So what do we have in this little graph that I showed you a little early, and I'm showing it again. We've got people are called today, which is us. The blindness is removed. And we have to be faithful till the end. And that is the first resurrection.

What about, so yeah, we have what about, let's look at it, those who live today and are spiritually blind. Those will have their first chance during the second resurrection, which will occur after the millennium. So in Revelation 20 verse 5, it says, the rest of the dead do not live again until after the thousand years. So the rest of the dead itself a second resurrection. And as you see a third other resurrections, the rest of the dead did not resurrect until after the millennium. But the ones that were resurrected at the coming of Christ at the beginning of the millennium, that's the first resurrection. So let's look at verse 11 and 12. And it says, then I saw a great white frown and him that who sat on it from whose face 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. So those dead were now standing. So what does it mean? They were resurrected. They were dead, but now they're standing. That means they're resurrected.

But this is after the thousand years. So it's the second resurrection before God. And the books were opened. Which books? These books. These 66 books of the Bible were opened. They will be judged according to what is written in the books. It says, and another book was opened. What book is that? The book of life. And so as they go through this period of a judgment period, well let's call it a probation period, where they have to overcome and they are being taught the truth and then they have to repent and then they have to be baptized and then they have to commit and then they have to prove through a period of life that they are overcoming till the end of that period.

Then they'll be given life, eternal life, eternal life, the book of life. And so the book of life was opened and the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the Bible. So, of old and new testament. So what do we have? This is what the Bible calls the white throne judgment. I went through this last week in the study and so I'm just, as a nation, I'm just putting everything together so it becomes nicely together in a big nice capsule and says, this will be the that second resurrection which is also the day of judgment. And if we look at Matthew 11 verse 20 through 24 and if you look at Matthew 12 verse 41 to 42, you can see there'll be people of all the nations who will be resurrected on the day of judgment, will not just be Israelites. And that ties in with Ezekiel 37 which is the Valley of Dry Bones which obviously is a prophecy to the Israelites but taking Matthew 11 and 12 into consideration, that prophecy to the Israelites in Ezekiel 37 is applicable to the whole world, not just to the Israelites. The whole world will resurrect and that's what it says here in Revelation 20 verse 11 and 12 because it says the dead of all nations, all the dead. So what we have here is a probation period and we believe that will be possibly a hundred years. That is based on Isaiah 65 verse 20. I also mentioned that last week. Isaiah 65 itself is indeed applicable to the millennium but Isaiah 65 20 there are a few hints in there. The way it's spoken that it is also applicable to that resurrection because it talks about the old and the young man and the young person. Why the old and then why the young person? Because they were resurrected when they were already old or they were resurrected when they young. And then you tie that in with Ezekiel 37 which shows that the bones get together and then they've given the spirit of man in man. So they start living and then they have to be taught, they have to know the Lord and then they will be given his spirit and then they will have life, what life? Life eternal. So they first have physical life for a period of probation and then at the end of that probation period of possibly 100 years, then they'll have eternal life. That means the book of life as we saw in Revelation 20 verse 12. So those who lived through the millennium will have their opportunity during Christ's millennial reign. But those who died before the millennium and they never knew the truth and are spiritual blind, they will have their opportunity in this period of judgment which is the second resurrection. So now putting that little graph again, those that are blind today, they don't have a chance today. Why? Because God's not calling them. But their chance will be in the period of the second resurrection which ties in to the period of 100 years and to this great white throne judgment.

Right, let's move on. What will happen to people who live today and not spiritually blind and have not remained faithful till the end?

In other words, what happens to the wicked? There were those who did not repent after they had a chance to repent or had a temporary repentance after acquiring the knowledge of the truth, but turned back. They did not remain virgins. We're not faithful till the end. What happens to those?

So back to this little chart where we have those called today and they have the truth, they either are faithful to the end or they're not faithful if they're not faithful.

They will then have a resurrection, but they don't have to be amongst these that have not given a chance. After these have had their chance, then they are resurrected, which we call the third resurrection, which is to the light of fire, to a second death.

So let's read about that. And the first one we're going to read is in Malachi chapter 4, verse 1 through 3. Malachi chapter 4 verse 1 through 3.

Be all, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do, we could will be stubborn, and the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of Lords. They will, that will leave them neither root nor brooch, but to you, fear my name, the son of righteousness shall arise, with healing in his wings, and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed colts. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet. On that day that I do this, says the Lord of Hosts. And so the day is coming, burning like a fire, in which all the wicked will be stubble, and will burn them up, and they shall be ashes under the ones that are faithful, the ones that have turned to spirit beings. The faithful of all generations at that moment have been transformed into spirit beings, and because of that they are not affected by this fire which destroys everything that is physical. Look at Luke 16 verse 20 through 25.

Look 16 verse 20 through 25. He says, talking about Lazarus and the rich man, and you know that story. And what happens?

There is a difference between the rich man that symbolizing him, not necessarily a person that is rich, but a person that do not show love, and a person that by being rich put physical things ahead of spiritual things. So it's just an example, but it is a weakened person, and there is a gulf, a difference between the two, because what is the difference? One is spiritual, and the other is physical, and they'll be destroyed. Now this is paralleled by a very apt description in 2 Peter. So let's look at 2 Peter at the end of 2 Peter chapter 3.

And we're going to start first reading in verse 1. He says, Beloved, I now write to you the second epistle, in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder, that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to the armless, saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. So yeah, this will just go on. It's just another phase. But for this they will willingly forget that by the Word of God, the heavens were evolved, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, and by which world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. So there was a judgment, and there was a flood. But the heavens and the earth, which are now preserved by the same word, the same word of God, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly man. So there's going to be a day of destruction. So the day of judgment and destruction will be that of ungodly man, of wicked man. There's going to be a judgment.

So that is important for us to understand. And then, continuing, verse 8 and 9, says, But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day, the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness. But his long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, perish, but all, that all should come to repentance. God is very patient with us. I think sometimes we say, why doesn't God stop it?

Because God is more patient than you and I are. And yeah, he's allowing him. But you know, when God is going to come to a point when he says it's enough, he has given people plenty of time to repent. So, you know, God has got a plan, and everything will be done his own time. And then let's read 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 to fervent heat both the earth and the words there are in it will be burnt up. Well, some people don't understand that yeah, there's a duality. You see, the day of the Lord in one principle is the beginning, the very beginning, the first year when Christ starts intervening in world affairs, that is, after the heavenly signs, and before Christ's coming.

That's that one year period of those trumpets from beginning the first trumpet till the seventh, that period, which would be a year, which is the last year, the last year of the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation. Thus we went through it great detail in previous studies, and I showed you graphs and pictures with that. So that, in one way of looking at it, is the day of the Lord.

But understand with God, a day is a thousand years and a thousand years is a day. So God also looks that the time period of Christ intervening will be that millennium and those few years afterwards, the probation, all that period of time, at the end of that, that period will come, which is part of the day of the Lord, that will come as a thief in the night, and the heavens will pass away with the correct noise, and the elements will melt to fervent heat.

Both the earth and the worst are in it, will be burnt up. That is the time that is referred to Malachi. This is the Gehenna fire. This is the second death. This is after the millennium and after what we call the 100-year period, and this is right at the end. So that is the conclusion of this whole period of Christ's intervention. And then you can read a little further in verse 12, looking forward and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt to fervent heat.

There will be a complete destruction, not only of planet earth, but of things around planet earth, which the heavens, obviously meaning this second heaven around planet earth. Why? Because there are things of man in the heavens today, like satellites and GPS systems and whatever it is, all that will be destroyed, utterly destroyed, completely destroyed. So it's not just the world, but all those heavens around the earth, all those things of man that have seen sin and of mensons will be completely destroyed.

And then in the middle we have verse 11. But I want you to understand that what we have is every little physical vestige of mensons over this period will be completely destroyed. And then we have in verse 11 a very powerful statement says, therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness? You know, brethren, this is the purpose of prophecy. You see, quite often a lot of us get involved with prophecy and very excited when does this happen and when does that happen and when is Christ coming and when is the day or when is this?

And yeah, I have tried to put everything into a perspective as much as we can understand through the study. But the point that is important about prophecy is that prophecy is making us aware that God is in control and there will be a judgment and we better repent and we need to live in holy conduct and godliness.

We need to change. That is why prophecy. That is the purpose of prophecy that we may repent.

Now, what it says in holy conduct, it basically means holy means set apart, apart from the world and what we have in churches in the world today. Synchrotism. They mix a bit of truth with light and what is that? That is spiritual infidelity. That means they're not virgins. You see, remember I'm early on I mentioned I'll talk a little bit about virgins and what that is. That means when you're a virgin you are not mingling the truth with falsehood and that's why I strongly discourage brethren in the truth to not be listening to things that are of this world, particularly of false religion, because it's gonna, sooner or later, it's gonna cause you to think incorrectly.

So we have to be having a holy conduct set aside, separated, without mixing these false doctrines into the truth in holy conduct, in holy practice, and holy behavior, not allowing these things to affect us. And if we look for instance in Matthew 5 verse 21 through 27, this is in the Seminolean amount, where Christ continuously, let's call it, amplified the law. And when he amplified the law, he took the principles of the law to a higher level of spiritual obedience. In other words, showing that we have to be faithful spiritually, and that implies we've got to be careful in what we say, in what we do, and what we think.

So in Matthew 5 verse 21 through to 47, you see different things like 21. You have heard what was said, you shall not murder. And you can say, well, I don't murder, but he's saying, hey, if you are saying something that is causing an offense to a brother, you are, spiritually speaking, murdering. So he says, well, therefore, be reconciled. Therefore, be reconciled. Make peace with a brother. Now, it also says that if it be possible, be at peace with all men, sometimes it's not possible. Because for you, oh yeah, you and I need to forgive. But to reconcile requires two.

To reconcile requires two. You see, so reconciliation requires, it's like the example, it takes two to tango. In today's modern dances, you may need two to dance, but tango, you need two people to tango. So it takes two to tango. In other words, for having reconciliation, both parties have to do what is godly. We have to do what is godly. That is our job. If the others change or not, that's between God and them. But we have to do what is right.

For instance, look at in verse 27, you have heard that God committed adultery. But he says, if you look at something with the wrong eye, with the wrong way, you are committing adultery. So we've got to be careful. What do we think? What do we look at? And things like that. And then look at verse 31. It has been said, we divorced his wife except for, what do I say, we divorced his wife except for sexual immorality.

And yes, we know in this context, Christ is just talking about that. But as we read through the Bible, there are other situations as well. But he says, he's bringing our principle, unless there is this infidelity in one way or another. And it's a spiritual principle. And the spiritual principle is that we have to be faithful to God till the end. And then look at it, in verse 33, about making a promise and let your yes be yes and you know me no.

Because God is faithful to his word. When God says yes, it's yes. When God says no, it's no. That's why you and I can have confidence in God's promises. Why? Because he doesn't lie. Because he's faithful to his word. You and I need to be faithful to our words as well.

Otherwise, any deviation from yes, be yes or no, be no, is unfaithfulness. He's lying. So we've got to be careful of that. And so, Christ, throughout this sermon on the Mount, used various examples that showed we have to be careful with what we think, with what we do, with what we look, what we say, etc. That is part of us being faithful till the end. And then in this section of 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 11, it is his holy conduct and godliness.

And so I made a reference here being part holy, that being faithful to God, being set apart, that we're not syncretizing the truth or our conduct, our behavior is clean, but also the word godliness means that we strive to become like God. And so, yeah, in Matthew 5, at the end of this very chapter that we're looking at in verse 48, it says, therefore you shall be perfect, just as your father in heaven is perfect.

That means you and I need to strive for perfection. Now, will we ever be perfect in this physical life? No, because we still have leaven. But when we change to incorruptible, to spirit, then we'll be perfect. But as much as we are striving and we're setting and overcoming and persevering till the end, then God at the resurrection will make up that difference and then it will be perfect. And therefore, he has an important point, brethren. He has an important point. And I really want to emphasize this.

As we go in the church and we work with other brethren in the church, we find sometimes other people that don't meet our standards of perfection, of righteousness. Don't judge them. Don't condemn them. Don't speak bad of them. Now, obviously, if they do something wrong, go to them privately and speak to them. Don't gossip to others. Go privately to them and address the subject. Matthew 18, no? But again, he says, go for the spirit of meekness. Don't go in the spirit of Aaron. Oh yeah, you need to do this, you know, you've done this thing for me. No, in the spirit of meekness and teachability. But what we need to do is make sure that if the thing is not that big, just let it go. And don't criticize. You know, it's easy for us in the church, to see, for instance, young people maybe trying to sing a song or trying to play an instrument. And what do we say? We go to them, oh well, it was okay, but you know, you're an afternoon. Do you know what we're doing to that young child or that teenager? We're discouraging them to a point that says, I don't want to sing in church anymore because I'm always criticized.

Brethren, if our children or anybody in church is trying, are striving to do the best, encourage them because what is important is that they are striving, they are persevering. That is what God looks at. Yes, we need to strive for perfection, but don't criticize people if they're not there yet because that can be very discouraging. Now, what do we have in the 40s? Those that are not faithful till the end are condemned to eternal death. But note, all will be resurrected. All will be resurrected, good and bad. In John 5, verse 21, and verse 26 and 28 says, all that they had will hear the voice of Christ and will be resurrected. In 1 Corinthians 15, verse 21 and 22, let's look at that one. 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Corinthians 15, verse 21 and 22. He says, for since by man came death, in other words, by Adam, by man, that's Jesus Christ, also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam, all die, even so in Christ, all shall be made alive. All die, all shall be made alive. Just like all die, all equally will be made alive. So all the dead, good and bad, will be resurrected. And that's what we saw. Some will be for the first resurrection, some will be for the second, some will be for the third. And right at the beginning of the resurrection, that's when the judgment of the dead is done, to say, well, you'll be in the first, you'll be in the other one, will be later, and so on. So that is an important. So what do we have is these un-fateful ones, once resurrected, because we went through the first resurrection, those are the five four ones. We went through the second resurrection, those are the ones that never had a chance. And now we're looking at those in the third resurrection, those that where they knew the truth, or they had an opportunity to know the truth, and they rejected it.

And although they were not faithful to the end, they are actually condemned to death. Therefore, they called death and Hades. And now we read Revelation 20 verse 13 through 15.

The sea gave up the dead, where in it, and death and Hades. You see, these people are named death and Hades. You see, and death and Hades, delivered up to the dead, who were in them. But these are the ones that even though they're resurrected, they still death and Hades. Why? Because they're going to go back to die, and they're going to go back to be burned to the second death. They're going to have that. And says, he gave up, he says, delivered up to the dead, who were in them. And they were charged, each one according to their works. Verse 14, then death and Hades. So it's talking about the same group, death and Hades, were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So what do we have is, there's going to be a resurrection. But we, this resurrection, this death and Hades group, they don't need to be resurrected at the beginning of the probation period. After the millennium, there's that probation period of 100 years. Because those are for the people that never had a chance. These people already had a chance. So they come right at the end, when the earth and everything is going to be burned up, they get resurrected, and they will be judged, and they will be destroyed, utterly, completely destroyed. That is the second death. That is death and Hades. You see, they each one judged individually, according to their works. They judged individually according to their works.

There'll be no more finger pointing, no more blaming somebody else, no further excuses.

They will go to the lake of fire. But they will know. They will know. That's why it says they'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth, because they'll know that there's no way out. And possibly, weeping is... maybe, maybe I'm speculating, maybe they weep because they say, well, I should have done better. And gnashing of teeth, maybe because they're so angry. Maybe it's a different group. They're so angry against God, and they hate God, and they gnash their teeth against God. So they'll be weeping and gnashing teeth. Some will be weeping, some will be gnashing their teeth. Possibly one interpretation of that. This is what we call the Third Resurrection. This resurrection of the wicked. This resurrection of death and Hades.

So again, tying into the story of Lazarus and the rich man, which I made reference to early on, that shows this divide between those that are in this resurrection and the others that are in this parable of Lazarus and the rich man, in the so-called bosom of Abraham. In other words, they actually... it's a different, a different level of people. So when we look at things like Revelation 3 verse 14 through 22, Revelation 3, Revelation 3 verse 13 through...

I think about 14 through 22. It's talking about those that are luquam, those that are in Laudasir, which brethren, indeed, today we are in the age of Laudasir. This age, people are just luquam, they're not interested, and they're just not interested. And a lot of people say, oh well, the church is not growing in numbers because you're not doing this, we're not doing that, or not doing the other. No, the church is not growing in numbers, brethren, because society is Laudasir. They're not interested, they're not interested, and God's going to have to intervene. Look at the case of the days of Noah. He preached for many years, maybe over a hundred years, the period there was 120 years, but let's say he preached for at least a hundred years, or a number of years. How many people repented? Zero! He went in the health of the rest of his family, but there was nobody, nobody else. So we live in an age, like in the days of Noah, that people are not repenting. But you and I have a chance now to look at ourselves and to work in becoming more holy, having a better conduct. Make sure that you and I are trying to change.

Make sure that you and I are watching yourself to become a better person, watching yourself that you don't judge and condemn others in the church that you're kind and loving towards them.

If people are doing things wrong, we need to approach them in a loving way. Do we really always know how to do it? Sometimes we don't, but that's what we gotta do. And so, in conclusion, I want to leave with you Luke 21 verse 36, which says, watch therefore, watch what? Watch yourself, watch ourselves, watch our behavior, and we need to pray and ask God that you and I may be counted worthy. It's not you and I that is going to say, oh, I'm good enough, I'll be in the first resurrection. No, we gotta pray that we may be counted worthy, just to escape these things, to come to pass, but even more important is to stand in the first resurrection, to be amongst those redeemed from among men, amongst, based on Revelation 14, 144,000, that will be redeemed among men, the first fruits, because then we'll stand before the Son of Man and we'll be given a responsibility in the top echelons of God's government for eternity. Forever, God has got an amazing promise for us.

We just have to remain faithful till the end. God, whom they will leave or forsake you, all that you and I have to do is not give up. Just stick to it, not give up, and remain faithful till the end.