Death Will Be Swallowed by Life

Brethren, I believe that the events these last few weeks have moved the end-time prophetic clock ahead. We know time is short till Christ's coming, but now I am convinced that time is even shorter. The changes happening in the United States are extremely significant, I believe, at a prophetic level. Why? Because it appears that they may create an attitude of peace and safety at an international level through negotiations and possible international accords. But underground, a greater and greater hatred against the United States will develop.

It will be a real, deep hatred, and our enemies will arrogantly rise up and make an uproar. We see that prophesied in Psalm 83, so if we turn to Psalm 83 briefly, and in verse 2, we read, "'For behold, your enemies make a tumult.'" In other words, your enemies are, as it says here, creating an uproar.

And those who hate you have lifted up their head. In other words, they've exalted themselves.

As we look at the world scene, whether internally or externally, we can see this attitude developing.

As we continue reading, then, in verses 3 through 5, we see, they've taken crafty counsel against your people and consulted together against your sheltered ones. They have said, "'Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation.'" Brethren, this is a very serious prophecy to us. And then it says that the name of Israel is not just talking about Judah, but Israel, which includes countries like Ephraim and Manasseh, in other words, English-speaking nations like the United States and others, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more. Brethren, that gives you chills around your spine and around—you know, it gives you goosebumples, because they want to cut down and destroy the English-speaking nations.

And as you read in verses 6 through 8, you can see who they are. In fact, I'm not talking about anything that you don't know, because you all have this information in our booklet, The Middle East in Bible Prophecy, and this is described in page 70. And so yeah, in page 70, as you look at it, prophecy of an end-time anti-Israel conspiracy. Then we have other scriptures that go together with that, which is Hosea chapter 5. In Hosea chapter 5, we read, starting in verse 3.

I know Ephraim and Israel is not hidden from me. For now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry. And that includes Israel and Ephraim, and we can see it includes the English-speaking nations. And they have committed harlotry, both physically and spiritually. That is idolatry. They worshiping other gods. But we can see the nation is full of harlotry and wrong conduct. It says, Israel is defiled. Our nations are defiled before God. They do not direct their deeds towards turning to their God, for the spirit of harlotry is within their midst. It's inside the nation, deep in it. And they do not know the Lord. And brethren, this again is nothing new. It's covered on page 63 of this booklet.

And so, brethren, and then it goes on and says, Yes. The pride of Israel testifies their face. Therefore, Israel and Ephraim. And why Israel? Because it's additional to Ephraim. That includes, therefore, Manasseh and other English-speaking nations. Stumble in their iniquity. Judah, which is what we will call the Israel nation today, Judah also stumbles with them.

With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him. Or they will go to church and pray, but they won't find God's help and intervention. He has withdrawn himself from them. They have dealt treacherously with the Lord, for they have begotten pagan children.

Now a new moon, that means a period of a month, about 30 days, shall devour them and their heritage.

Brethren, a new moon, a period of a month, probably the 30 days between reflected in Daniel 12.7 and Daniel 12.11, between the 1290 and the 1260 days. In 30 days, the English-speaking nations and Judah will collapse. That is sudden. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 3, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 3 reads, For then, for when they say peace and safety. Could we be approaching a period where many people are saying or feeling peace and safety? But it says, they say. It's not just they feel. Then sudden destruction comes upon them. Suddenly, in 30 days, collapsed, invaded, destroyed, as we saw in this confederacy described in Psalm 83.

Brethren, this is the time of the end. And I believe this prophetic clock has moved forward because this is very probably it. My question is, are we awake? The current events, regardless of where you stand in your own opinions, have moved the needle of the end time events of the clock forward. No questions. And as I said, the concern is, are we awake?

Why do I ask this? Because there are many that are not close to God. As we heard in the sermonette, we've got to have that relationship with God. What this means, brethren, is that Christ's coming is sooner than many think. Sooner than many think. In Luke 21, verse 36, Luke 21, verse 36, we read, Watch therefore and pray always. Watch ourselves and pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of Man. In other words, to be amongst those that will be changed and transformed or resurrected at Christ's coming. Pray, watch and pray that you and I may be accounted worthy.

Two verses earlier, in verse 34, we read, Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing. In other words, drinking and loudly partying, happy, happy because of what's happening. Well, this is great stuff. Be careful. And drunkenness and the cares of this life. Don't get involved in these different political ideas. Be careful, brethren. But get closer to God. But get closer to God.

Otherwise, it says the day will come on you unexpectedly. As you and I approach Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, it is appropriate for us to re-examine ourselves. And I encourage we all to put an extra effort this year to re-examine ourselves because we need to prepare ourselves even more this year as we start a new cycle of God's holidays which point towards God's plan.

It's not all bad news because it is good news. Because the good news is that Jesus Christ is coming sooner than you may think. Don't think the Lord Elays is coming.

And you know when Christ comes, that will be the day when death will be swallowed up by life. And that is good news. You and I, however, will not be there if we are asleep.

In Genesis, we see that God created Adam and Eve and he gave us life. And then in Genesis 2, verse 17, there's the first mention of death as the consequences of sin. And then in Genesis 3, we know that man sinned and it was told to Adam and Eve, and to man specifically, that you're going to have to work hard till you return to the ground. That's Genesis 3.19. And then in verses 22 and 24, we can see that Adam and Eve forfeited, in other words, lost the opportunity at that time to live forever without having to first experience death. And that is the case for all of us, because we all sin.

You see, in Romans chapter 5, in Romans chapter 5 verse 12, we see that we are justified by Christ's death and, obviously, by sacrifice and by His resurrection, following that. Romans chapter 5 verse 12, we read, Therefore, just as through one man entered the world, that's through Adam, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because we all have sinned. For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. So sin has been there all the time, and people, the penalties occur regardless whether you know it or not. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who were not sinned according to the likeness of the Transcration of Adam. Yes, they did other sins, but not the same sin as Adam, who is a type of him who was to come. And in verse 15, But the free gift is not like the offense, for if by one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of one man Jesus Christ abound to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one which sinned, for the judgment which came from the offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in us being justified in justification. For if by one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one which is Jesus Christ. And then it says at the end of verse 18, Through one man's righteous act the free gift came to all men resulting in justification of life.

And then at the end in verse 19 says for us, By one man's disobedience made many, for by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous. We are justified by Jesus Christ's sacrifice, brethren. Jesus Christ's sacrifice once and for all makes it possible to bring life out of death. And that is the good news, brethren. You know, this world is dying. The society is dying. You and I, our flesh, are getting older and we in the process of decaying slowly.

But we have a hope because of Christ's sacrifice. Life will come out of death. We read in 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Corinthians 15, in verse 45 through 15 starting in verse 45.

It says, And so for its written, The first man Adam became a living being, and the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit. Christ is a life-giving Spirit to us. And then we read a little later, talking about in verse 52 at the last trump, which is when Christ will come, and then it says, The dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. And when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. And that's why I've entitled this sermon, Death will be swallowed up by life, thanks to Christ.

In Philippians chapter 3, starting in verse 20, we see that our citizenship is in heaven. Philippians chapter 3 verse 20.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior. We wait for Christ's coming from heaven, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. At his coming, verse 21, who will transform our lowly bodies, that it may be conformed to his glorious body.

When Christ comes, he will change our dying bodies into glorious bodies. And he says, yeah, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself. In other words, by the power of God, by God's early Spirit. And using the same power, he will bring everything under his control. And brethren, the good news is that it is soon.

It is soon. In 1 John chapter 3 verse 1 and 2, 1 John chapter 3 verse 1 and 2, it talks about this love of God that God has for us. What manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. And yes, you and I are now called God's children. The world doesn't understand that. And in verse 3, beloved, now we are the children of God. But it has not yet been revealed why. What we shall be. You and I cannot see us yet in the same spiritual body with that glory that is still to come. But we know that when he is revealed, that is, when Christ comes, at Christ's second coming, we shall see him as he is. We will be able to see Christ and the Father as they are. Today we can't. Why? Because when you read in Revelation chapter 1 verse 14 through 16, the glory is so intense and is so great that you and I, with our physical bodies, we could not see them as they are. Look at Revelation 1 verse 14. It says, he said, he's talking about Christ and air where the Son of Man clothed of garment. And it says, he said, and here we're like wool as white snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass as it refined in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. He had in his right hand seven stars, and his mouth was sharp to its sword, and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. You and I today cannot look at Christ how he is because you and I will be completely obliterated with that intensity of glory. And so, brethren, when we will be transformed into spirit beings, we will see him like he is because we will be like him, obviously in lower intensity of glory, but will be of the same kind of glory. But we have to die first.

You know, that's all. When you and I look at the physical world, there is a metaphor in our physical world, for instance, in our plant life. When you read at 1 Corinthians 15 verse 36, 1 Corinthians 15 verse 36, it says, Foolish one, for what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. Death will be swallowed up by life. You see, it asks God to die first. We see that in the plant world, the plants. They have to die, and that seed is on the earth, and then it comes out with, as the Bible calls it, a new body. It is a metaphor for us, for our bodies. But you know what? It's also a metaphor for the nations, and for our nations, and for Israel. Israel has, when I mean Israel, I don't just mean Judah, I mean Greater Israel, and you know what I mean, has to, quote-unquote, die for it to be able to be restored in the world tomorrow.

And that's not going to be an easy time in the next few years ahead. But we have the hope beyond that Christ will come and will restore Israel and will restore you and I to a spiritual body.

In verses 37 and 38, it further describes that, says, And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but you sow mere grain, perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as he pleases and to each seed its own body. You see, we'll have a different body, a spiritual body.

In 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 24, 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 24, 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 24, we can see that all flesh is but grass. Because all flesh is his cross, and all the glory of man as the flower of the cross, the grass with us, and its flower fades away. We have to die. Every year we see that reflected in the seasons, pointing to what is to happen with our bodies. And then in spring, a new life cycle begins in the physical plant life. But that is a reminder of the spiritual, because that's God's plan. We have to die, and you and I will be resurrected with a new body with eternal life. And the metaphor, as I mentioned, it also applies to Israel and to the world's nations. They will collapse, but it will be restored to a better condition when Christ comes.

You see, it is important for us at this time to be mindful of this vital truth, because due to Christ's suffering and death, our temporary death will be swallowed up by eternal life at His Second Coming. And so we go through this annually, this cycle of God's early days, reminding us annually of this very thing. If we turn with me to 1 Corinthians 11, 1 Corinthians 11, verse 23, 1 Corinthians 11, verse 23. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread. And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, Take heed, this is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And so annually, you and I go through this reminder, this anniversary, and we go through this. And that's why it says, Do this in remembrance of me.

The Passover is a memorial of Christ's death. And it is time now, as it was mentioned in the sermonette, for us to really start preparing for this new cycle of God's early days, starting with the Passover. Now, in Romans 3.23, we read clearly that all have sinned, and we all fall short of God's glory. And in Romans 6.23, then it says, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Death will be swallowed up by life. And so, it is a reminder of the three key phases, or the three key seasons, of God's plan of salvation. Basically, the first season around Passover and 11 bread, the second season at Pentecost, and the third and last season of trumpets and the holidays that follow it. Brethren, if you and I are putting sin to death, God will give us eternal life. That we see in Romans 8, verse 13.

You see, if we receive God's early spirit, and we're using God's early spirit to overcome, as it says, the sanctification of the spirit, and we're using it, we will live.

And you and I, brethren, we only have one option, overcome. Now, life is difficult. As I talk to different brethren, each one of you is going through different trials and difficulties. You know the difficulties you're going through. We're all going through them, to one degree or other. And in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 4, 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 4, we see that the God of this age has blinded the people that are not believing in this, or not understanding, so that they don't receive the light of this good news. The good news of God's glory, being in us, being shown and reflected through us, now and ultimately when we have a spiritual body, being part of us. Because this glory of Christ is also the glory of God, because Christ is in the image of God. And so, yeah, we see that the life of Jesus Christ needs to be in us. We have to emulate and imitate what Christ did, and you and I cannot do it by ourselves. We need God's Holy Spirit. So you and I have to be overcoming now. Now is the time.

Brethren, as I mentioned before, I think time is shorter than what we think.

Nobody knows the day or the hour, so I'm not setting dates. But what if you only have a few little years? Now in verse 16, still in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, in verse 16 says, Therefore do not lose heart. Don't be discouraged, because even thou our outward man is perishing. Yes, we are getting older. Yes, we have problems in our families.

Yes, our nation is having problems, but all nations are having problems. But don't be discouraged, because in the inward man is being renewed day by day. You and I need to be using God's Holy Spirit to be changing ourselves day by day. Now, are you perfect? Am I perfect? No. Do you and I slip up? Yes. But you know what? The righteous man falls seven times and stands up again. That's what you got to do. That's what we got to do. Just keep on keeping on. That's what we got to do.

Verse 17. Paul describes it. For our light affliction, do you feel that your personal affliction, maybe it's your health problems, is a light affliction?

Maybe your financial problems, maybe your marriage problems, maybe the peace around is not there. Do you think it's a light affliction? Or no, the others is, but not mine. Well, Paul's speaking about himself, and you know that he was beaten and he was looked up as dead.

And he said, our light affliction is but for a moment. Oh yeah, maybe you've got another year, another five years, maybe another 10 years, whatever number of years you and I have till Christ's coming or until we die. I don't know. But it's a light affliction, but for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. In other words, it will be a lot heavier because this is light, but the glory will be a lot bigger. Than this affliction.

Oh, we say, oh, woe me!

Paul says it's a light affliction. It cannot be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us eternally, forever. You see, don't be discouraged.

You see, we've got to look for the things which are spiritual. And it's hard, but we've got to do it in absolute trust that God's word is true. And you, I have no doubt that God's word is true. And so, don't be discouraged. Our body is dying. Our nation is dying. But Christ will come and will restore it. Death will be swallowed by life. In Romans 8, verse 19, Romans 8, verse 19, we read that all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. All creation. All creation.

You could say it's birds and bees and dogs and cats, but it's human beings as well.

It's this whole nature, but it's us. All waiting for the day that you and I will become really children of God. And that, obviously, tying back to the cycle of God's holy days reminds us of the symbolism of the day of trumpets. See, because you see in Christ dying and us having to overcome the symbolism of Passover and leavened bread, we've seen as having God's holy spirit, the symbolism of Pentecost receiving God's holy spirit.

And then we see Christ's coming. And when we will be revealed as children of God, which is the symbolism of trumpets. You see, in verses 20 through 22, as we see the creation, it was subject to futility, not willingly, but because there's a hope in there that we will learn from it and we'll repent and we'll become better people. You see, the whole creation grounds, our nation grounds, but we ourselves in God's church are also grounding. That's what it says in verse 23. Not only that, but we also, we also in God's church are grounding.

We who have the first fruits of the Spirit. We have, we are the first few that have received God's holy spirit. It does not say we are now the first fruits. It says we have the first fruits of the Spirit.

And we eagerly wait, as it says, for the adoption. But the Greek word is Huiaithysia, which means placing as a sun and could be translated both as adoption or could be translated also as sonship. And understanding that we received the Holy Seed, as you're reading John, 1 John, that we received that Holy Seed, 1 John 3, if I remember correct, verse 18. And we are, because of receiving that Holy Seed at baptism upon the laying on of hands, we now become begotten again and again now begotten again. And therefore, we are really children of God. That's why it says, I'm a father. I'm a father. We are His children, real children. Nothing wrong, brethren, please, against adoption. Please. It's a lovely act.

But we will have God's DNA, quote-unquote. That's a way of maybe explaining what God's Holy Spirit is. It's God's own nature, God's own essence, God's spiritual DNA. So I'm just putting it in more modern terms. We'll be God's real children.

And so, as it says there, continue reading in verse 23, we ourselves in God's church also grown, eagerly waiting for this sonship for us to be redeemed with a new body, with a spiritual body.

You see, brethren, Christ has been raised. We know that. We know that He was raised on a Sabbath, at the end of the Sabbath, not on the first day of the week. The wife sheaf was not symbolic of the resurrection, because the resurrection happened on the Sabbath, not on Sunday. You see? And so, as we read, for instance, in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 52 and 53, etc., which I read a little earlier on, at that last Trump, we will be changed to spirit beings. We will have life, eternal life, at that first resurrection. Death would have then begun to be swallowed by life. You see, current events, brethren, have moved the clock forwards. My humble feeling. I might be wrong. But I think, this is it, brethren. This is it. Serious stuff. I might be wrong. I hope I'm not just saying, crying wolf wolf. Brethren, terrible things are around the corner. We just have to open our eyes. But there is hope, because it means that Christ's coming is sooner than what we think. And so, as part of our preparation for Passover, we need to have this in mind, and then we need to ask ourselves, what is it that I and you and us must do to be accounted worthy? That's a good question. What is it that I must do? Well, I would like to just give one simple scripture. It's a few verses, not just one verse, but it's in one section, which is in 2 Peter chapter 1. 2 Peter chapter 1. And in 2 Peter chapter 1, starting in verse 2.

2 Peter chapter 1 verse 2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know, that's the same, in a sense, as the conclusion of this epistle, where it says, grow in the nice and grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so that is the theme of this whole scripture. But right at the beginning, it gives this nugget of gold, which says, as His divine power, well, you and I know that God's divine power is His Holy Spirit, right, has given to us all things. God's Holy Spirit, God, for the power of His Holy Spirit, has given to us everything you and I need for life, for eternal life, and godliness, that is, be like God. And so that's through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. And by these things that God's Holy Spirit gives us, all these things that all has given us, all these things, and by which these things have been given to us, exceeding great and precious promises that will be the very children of God. Will have life eternal. They will inherit heaven and earth and the universe.

But the biggest promise is that we will be partakers of the divine nature. And yes, you and I now have the guarantee, God's Holy Spirit, which is a guarantee, which is that down payment of that divine nature. We just must not give it up. We must just hold on to it. And so then we may be partakers of the divine nature. Then we may have the same glory. How? Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through us. God's Holy Spirit gives us the help for us, for you and I, to escape the corruption of this world.

How? Back to the question, how? And the next few verses says, Al, for this reason, give all diligence. Really roll up your sleeves and make an effort to add to your absolute faith and trust in God virtue. Make sure that you and I do things clean and right and just. And to virtue knowledge, knowledge of what it is right and what it is just, and how we need to be like Christ, to grow in the knowledge of Christ.

And then, to that knowledge, self-control. Control ourselves. And then to that, we just have to be able to persevere. And then to that, we just gotta stick to it. Perseverance. Stick to it. Patiently. Stick to it. And to that stick to itiveness, perseverance, become like God. Godliness. And with that godliness, we love the brethren and we show kindness to one another. And then, we put on a gap in love, godly love. And if we do these things, it says, if we do these things, you will need a be barren, nor unfruitful.

In other words, you'll be counted worthy by God in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if we lack these things, we are short-sighted, even to blindness. Are we short-sighted? Are we asleep? Drowsy? Do we see the serious impact of what's happening around us? Remember, we are in difficult times, and our enemies, as I mentioned to you at the beginning, will rise up arrogantly and will make an uproar.

Our enemies will rise up arrogantly and will make an uproar. I showed you that from Psalm 83. It's prophesied. It's prophesied. And then there will be a sudden destruction. It's time for you and I to re-examine ourselves as we prepare for the Passover. Therefore, verse 20, be even more diligent. Therefore, because of this, it is a fact. Try even harder to make your calling and election sure. Sometimes we don't think. We don't understand what our calling and election is.

I'll give you a very simple analogy of what our calling and election is. Okay, granted, it's based on a comparison to human things, but the Bible does a lot of things compared to human things. But it is like God is creating, is setting up, is selecting through Christ his governing cabinet. His bride. We are going to be the governing cabinet of God's government forever and ever. God's calling is to make you and I ready to assume that responsibility as a righteous, uncorrupt cabinet of first fruits that we have overcome, that we have used the Holy Spirit until the end, and we have qualified and been faithful till the end, so that at Christ's coming we're ready to assume that responsibility and accountability as righteous, uncorrupt leaders under Christ.

That is our election and calling. But for if you do these things, you will never stumble. You will never leave the church, and you'll never fall so that you're then not in the kingdom of God. Because this way, verse 11, an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly, abundantly. An entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into God's kingdom. That's how you and I can enter the kingdom of God. So yeah, we have in these few verses a very simple formula of how we need to change and how we can re-examine ourselves before the Passover.

How are we doing against these steps with the ultimate goal to have godly love? You know, brethren, as we read in Psalm 23, verse 4 says, Yes, though I walk in the valley of shadow of death, brethren around us, soon it's going to be like a valley of shadow of death. I'll fear no evil. For you, God, are with me, because you and I need to have a relationship with God, and that is prime as we heard in the sermon.

Don't despair, brethren. God will protect you and your family when we are near the shadow of death. If we are doing our part.

I'm sure a number of you can relate near-death experiences that God protected your life.

I can relate, and I'm sure many of you can, because God is faithful and is working with you and I to prepare a people to rule in the kingdom of God and the Reem. Let us examine ourselves lest we be disqualified. As we approach this Passover season and the new cycle of God's early days, let's understand that death is an enemy, but God's early days remind us through God's plan that there is a hope and that you and I will have eternal life. You can bet your life on it.