The Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead

Brethren, we live in very stressful times. During the course of the last week, we have seen terrible sadness, particularly in the Bahamas, for instance, with the Hurricane Dorian. But it's also in the coastal areas of the Carolinas. A lot of devastation, even recently, and tornadoes that spawned from that. Strong winds, a lot of sadness. But it's not only in the States Brethren, you know that very well. In the Amazon, there's big fires in the Amazon area.

Obviously, this time of the year is usually a fire-prone season, but it's particularly more intense this year. Then we see the demonstrations in Hong Kong, which are quite big and a lot of change could happen there, a lot of things could happen. And then, if you listen to BBC, you can see they're going through a big crisis at the moment because of Brexit and Boris Johnson and I know what else is just a big crisis. And could seriously, in fact, they could have early elections as much as next month.

Another set of elections is just all of it. If you watch foreign news, you hear about trade wars. And if we go back to back home, we see shootings in people going to malls or into this or out in the street. And the car is stopped with a pure, simple traffic violation, next thing, you're shooting people and people are dying. The world has changed. I mean, the world has changed. I remember when I was small, I was about 17, 18 years old. I used to hitchhike, believe it or not, from Whitbank in South Africa, which is a town outside of Johannesburg, all the way to what's now called Maputo, which is another country across the border, about seven or eight hours on the road.

And I was safe. I wouldn't dare to do that today. I wouldn't dare to do that today. Things have changed. Attitudes have changed, perceptions have changed. And I just don't stop thinking about Matthew 24, what it talks about. And you want to maybe just turn to there while I talk. Matthew 24, when it talks about that, this is only the beginning of sorrows. You're looking in verse 8, you know, and it's building up there in verse 5 and 6 and 7, saying that you have these wars and then you'll have...

Then you have nation will turn against nation, there'll be famines and pestilences and earthquakes. And by the way, brethren, the word earthquakes is elsewhere, translated as tempests, like when Christ was in a boat sleeping and then there was a storm and the boat. Then it's the same word that was translated as earthquakes. So it does not necessarily just mean earthquakes. It is basically shakings of the earth and of the weather and things like that. And you and I can see that. But these are only the beginning of sorrows. And we can see it. Because then it says, the love of a man will wax cold.

And you know, you talk to people today and the small little thing, it becomes like an explosion. It becomes a big thing. You got a small little thing. And next thing, this is... people are arguing about little things. Because the love of manning is wax cold. As we heard in the sermon, we got to be committed. We got to endure to the end.

Always remember, you got to just hold on. You got to hold on. In South Africa there is a word called fastbite, which means bite hard. You just have to bulldog tenacity. Just hold on and bite and don't let go. To the hope and to the promise that you and I have. We just have to fastbite, bite hard. Just hold on. And brethren, we do know the gospel of the kingdom is being preached. So therefore, the end is near. There's no questions about it. And then it goes on that it will be great tribulation as you read YAH.

And then there will be after the tribulation, there will be heavenly signs. You can read YAH in verse 29. And then we see Christ coming. And then we read right at the end of that section, not of the chapter, but the end of that section before he starts giving a few parables. In verse 31 he says, you will send these angels with the sound of a trumpet. In other words, then there will be the resurrection.

Now brethren, there are many ideas about the time of the end. Some believe in a rapture, a secret rapture, a few years before Christ's coming. But yeah, it clearly says, well, there will be a resurrection at Christ's coming as a trumpet. And one of the challenges that when we talk to people in the world, one of the big challenges that people in the world have is a belief that is so ingrained in Christianity, that is difficult to dislodge. You know, you talk to average, normal type Christianity out there. But not only Christianity, in other religions they have similar belief, which is the belief in the immortal soul. That belief is so ingrained into people that you just, people talk about it as if it, oh well, you know, a person died and now he is there looking down at you, and things like that, because of the belief in the immortal soul. But that belief makes it difficult for people to fully understand the resurrection of the dead.

Really? Because if you are already living and you've got immortality, why resurrect? You're already living! All are now, and they twist and come out of some contortions trying to explain that.

The moral, the really ground basis point is, the two are irreconcilable. An immortal soul and a resurrection are irreconcilable.

It's either one or the other. And the Bible is very clear about the resurrection.

You see, there is a scripture that says very clearly that because we sin, we will die. You know what that is, probably? Well, turn there, if you know. If you don't, let me tell you. It's Romans 6.23. So let's go to Romans 6.23. It says, the wages of sin is an immortal soul.

Romans 6.23. Read it for yourself.

There is my Romans 6.23. It's disappeared. It's not in my Bible. Oh, there it is. It's at the bottom of the page here. For the wages of sin is an immortal soul. No! The wages of sin is death. Really, actually, is eternal death.

Unless we are redeemed and brought back. But, but, why do we need the gift of God, which says the gift of God is eternal life? Why do we need the gift of God if we already have an immortal soul?

I mean, if you already have an immortal soul, why do you need the gift of God? Because it says eternal life. You already have eternal life. You have an immortal soul.

So, you see, we've got here a dichotomy. Something which is one is opposed to the other.

Now, if people die and they need to be resurrected, right, to live again because you're dead, then when they die, do they go to heaven? What about the thief in the cross? He says, oh well, the thief in the cross, he says, today you'll be in heaven and in paradise with me. People say, oh yeah? So Christ didn't die for three days and three nights?

I mean, he says Christ was dead for three days and three nights. So he wasn't, quote-unquote, in heaven for three days and three nights because he was dead. So how could the thief in heaven be with Christ in heaven? That's a bigger part. How could the thief on the cross, a bigger part of it, could it be with Christ in heaven, that same moment that he died, if Christ was dead?

And obviously you and I know that is a point of putting a komeyao there. It's just because you know what I mean. It was a stake or a pole or whatever it is. We can't prove one way or the other. But because everybody talks it that way, so let's just keep it that way. But, okay, it's in the stake. But why was the thief in the stake? The thief in the stake?

How could he go to paradise that same day? He couldn't. So what happens when you die? The Bible is very clear that when you die, you're dead.

Man, is that difficult to understand? When you die, you're dead.

And the Bible puts it, compares it, that you're asleep. In fact, look at John chapter 3 verse 13. John chapter 3 verse 13. John chapter 3 verse 13.

No one has ascended to heaven. No one has ascended to heaven, but he who came down from heaven, that is the Son of Man, who is in heaven. Nobody has gone up to heaven. Now, does nobody mean nobody? Or just means just somebody? I think nobody means nobody. Which means it's not Enoch. Which means it's not the thief on the cross. Which means it's not Moses. Which means it's not Elijah. Oh, yeah! We've got a few copies there at the back, and I've got one here. Heaven and Hell. It addresses those difficult scriptures that people usually twist to mean they've gone to heaven. But they're not. So, they're not in heaven today. They're dead. Nobody. Nobody. Then how can we attain the resurrection?

Through Christ. That's what we read. The gift of God is eternal life through Christ. Christ is the one that can give us the resurrection. In fact, He resurrected and He opened a way, led the way for that path for us to follow Him if we follow Him. Like we heard in the sermon, if we commit it. So, let's look at 2 Timothy chapter 1. 2 Timothy chapter 1.

Verse 8. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 8. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of Me His prisoner, but share with Me in the sufferings for the Gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us from death and called us with a holy calling. And when I say from death, I mean from eternal death, of course, because we're going to have the possibility of have eternal life. Not according to our works, but according to His own purpose.

It is God's purpose. It is God's goal. It is God's desire that you and I have eternal life. That's why He calls us and puts us into the body of Christ, which is the Church of God, so that we can grow in this body, so that we can have eternal life at the end of this race. Or let's call it this marathon. So it's according to His purpose and grace. In other words, it's His loving kindness, His generosity, it's His desire and want and will and everything or the best for His children. Like you, if you're a mom or if you're a dad, you only want the best for your children, don't you? You just want to give everything for the well-being of your children.

And when they do things right, you are so pleased.

And so it's God's grace, like us as parents have grace towards our children, which was given to us. This grace is made available to us in Christ Jesus. Why? Because Christ Jesus died for us and therefore He resurrected and opened up the way that you and I can have this great promise of eternal life.

And this was planned before time began. Now, when did time begin? Now, what is time? Time is days, months, years, centuries. What tells us days and hours? It's the heavenly clock. It's the sun, the moon, the stars and the movement that gives time. So before time begins means before the sun, the moon, the stars were made. So time as we understand it today is based on the movement of the heavenly stars. Before that there was no time as we understand it today. So before the creation of the sun, the moon, the stars, the universe, that's when the Father and Christ decided, purposed, that you and I would be in His family. And therefore, they planned this whole thing. And they created the universe and the plants and the trees and the animals and all these days, so that you and I can live physically and can have a physical life and learn some physical lessons. So then, ultimately, we can become part of His family. A long plan. Millions of years. But you know what? We are near, very near, the completion of that phase one of the first born, of that first resurrection. Because that first resurrection is when, for the first time, other human beings will be in the family of God. Do you think the Father is looking forward to that?

I think He is. I think He is. It will be such a wonderful ceremony that you and I cannot even begin to contemplate. That's why not much is said about it, because we're not allowed to speculate. Always think of the little story. Life is like a box of chocolates. You don't know what's going to get into it. So this, God has kept it under hood because it's going to be such an amazing box of chocolates. And you're going to love it. And it's going to be a wonderful surprise. But, verse 10, has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ. In other words, this great mystery plan has now been made a little bit understood. Yeah, we know it a little bit more than it was understood at the time of Moses. Because Christ has come, and now He has abolished death and brought life and immortality. What do you mean He brought immortality? We've got an immortal soul, don't we? So we don't need to bring immortality. We already have it. Of course not. I'm saying it with tongue in cheek. Right? So He brought immortality to light through this good news. The good news of what? Of the resurrection. Of the resurrection. This is what the apostles got stirred up. Do you know what stirred the apostles up? To preach about the resurrection.

That was the spark that stirred them up.

You know, Christ kept telling them, well, I'm going to die, and three days later I'll resurrect. It went right over their head. When Christ died, they all said, oh, well, let's go fishing.

And then when Christ appeared to them, can't be. I don't believe it unless I touch it with my own hands. Isn't that what we call doubting Thomas said? So they didn't believe it. But once they saw it, then their whole motivation changed. They gave their lives for it. To the point they were crucified or whatever they were doing, done or killed. All of them, bar maybe John, they all had a terrible death. Because they were committed, they said, I am going to die for this because I seen it. I know it. I am committed. Like we heard in the sermon, are we all in? Well, they were all in. They were all in. Look at Acts 2. Acts 2. Acts 2.29.

Man and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is now both dead and buried, is not in heaven. That's what Peter is saying. Look, David is dead and he's buried. He's not in heaven. And he still be with us this day. Therefore, being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with enough to him that the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would rise up the Christ, the Messiah, to sit on his throne. He foreseen this spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah, of Christ, of that Christ. That his soul, and it was his life, his whole life, was not left in the grave, in Hades, in the grave. No, it wasn't left there. He was there for three days and three nights, but that was it. And his flesh did not see corruption. Why? Because flesh, in three days and three nights after death, doesn't corrupt yet. It takes a little longer to corrupt. This Jesus, verse 32, God has raised.

God has resurrected, of which we are witnesses. They had witnessed that for forty days or so, and now Pentecost came. They were convicted that Christ had resurrected.

The apostles were witnesses. First-hand witnesses, not one, not two. At one time, thousands of people saw it. This is a fact. It's not a fable. I know some historians try to say, oh well, this is a fable, but if you're really big, you know it is a fact. Full stop. Fact. And so they were so convicted that they said, we are witnesses. And they died for it. Paul later said, I am preaching about the resurrection. Look at Romans chapter 6. Romans chapter 6.

Verse 4 through 6. Therefore, we were buried within through baptism into death. So, symbolism of baptism, we are buried, the old man dies. That just as Christ was raised from the dead, by the power of God, by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in a new man. So, it's a commitment we make and after that we gotta walk as a new man in newness of life. Not going back and doing the same thing. We're gonna be committed. Make a promise. Make a pledge. Make a pledge. For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be in the likeness of his resurrection. We will be resurrected. So, Christ opened up the way because he's resurrected. We will be resurrected.

Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him. In other words, our old way of life, our old habits, they must be put to death. Our old way of thinking must stop. Oh, I know we struggle, but we must stop. Are we all in or not?

That the body of sin might be done away. Done away with. And that we should no longer be slaves of sin. Brethren, Paul was preaching about the resurrection. This was such an event, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that because of that, that was, think about it, the starter engine, the motivating force to start the Church of God.

That's it!

In fact, Paul later defended his position before the Pharisees and Sadducees by saying, I believe in the resurrection. Look at Acts 23. Acts 23 verse 6 through 8. Acts 23 verse 6 through 8. But when Paul perceived that one part of the people that were there in front of him were Sadducees, you see the Sadducees were sad because they didn't believe in the resurrection. Think about that. Now you know why they were sad. Now just joking with Henry. And the other way, Pharisees, and he cried because he knew there was this difference of opinion, he cried out in the council, that was the St. Hedron, men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.

Interesting. Paul doesn't say I was. You see, the Pharisees were very committed, albeit maybe at times in the wrong direction, but they were very committed. The Sadducees were more politically inclined and corrupt. So he says, and then he continues, concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead, which is what the Pharisees believed in, and the Sadducees do not believe in. Therefore he says, so now he's creating a wedge between the two that are accusing him. He says, concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead, I am being judged. You guys are judging me for resurrection of the dead, which you believe. That's what he said. And so, the two start fighting amongst themselves. And then, when he had said this, a dissational rose between the Sadducees and Pharisees, and the assembly was divided. But you see, Paul defended this position, his belief, his motivation of what, of the work that he was doing of God's work, based on the belief of the resurrection of the dead. Look a little bit lighter in the following chapter, in chapter 24, verse 14 through 16.

Now is the pharisees in front of Felix? And he says, in verse 14, in Acts 24, But this I confess to you, that according to the way, that's God's way, the way, God's way, it's a way of life, which they call a sect.

Have you ever been called a sect? Well, the way the Church of God, at the time of the Apostles, was called a sect. So if you've been called a sect, so nothing new, the Apostles were also called a sect. Kick, okay, so we've got that one. Alright, go on.

According to the way, which they call a sect, So I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets. I am hoping God, which they themselves accept, that they will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense towards God and man. Because there's a resurrection of the dead, and following that there's a judgment, and whatever comes beyond that, I strive, you strive, we all strive, to have a clear conscience before God and man. That's it. Isn't that so? We all do, because there's a day of reckoning, and there will be a resurrection, fact, of good and bad, because Christ died for everybody, for good and bad, and he'll bring them all back to life. You read elsewhere, it says, like in one man, Adam, they all died. In the second Adam, they all become alive. All good and bad. The worst man that you, or woman, that you could put a name to, will come alive because of Christ. But it was, he would be dead. But Christ brought that life back.

And therefore, we strive to have a clear conscience.

So, there are resurrections. There's a resurrection of good, of the just, and a resurrection of the unjust. But there is an order. God does things in order. So, let's go to 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15. Verse 20. But now Christ is risen from the dead. Fat, tick, we've got witnesses. They died for it. They gave their lives for it.

Fat. And has become the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep. He's the first one of those who have fallen asleep. Of those that have died, they've fallen asleep. For since by man came death, that's by Adam, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. That's Jesus Christ. As in Adam, all die. You see, anybody in your family, ancestors, great-great-great-great-great parents that hasn't died, they're still living like 300 years old and still going around and you're going to visit them, they all die.

Reality, fact. Even so, in Christ. All. All means all. Does not mean just a few or some or the good. It's the good, the bad and the ivy as it says, you know. It's all. Shall be made alive. But each one is an order. There's an order. First Christ, Yah is the first, first fruit.

After that, those that are He is at His coming. So those that are true Christians, faithful, committed Christians, will resurrect at Christ's coming. Then comes the end and then those other ones will come then afterwards. So, so there is an order. Christ is first and that has happened.

At His second coming, and the way we look at things happening around the world and we see all these sad things around and we all sigh and cry for what's happening around us. We know time is short. No man knows the day or the hour. Yeah, I don't know. You don't know. Nobody knows. But we know it's short. It might only be a few years. I may have more fingers than years to go. Maybe there's more years. I don't know. But then when Christ comes, it will be the first resurrection. Look at verse 15 in the same chapter. Now, this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

Brethren, you and I are flesh and blood. You just have to be in the kitchen or wherever it is and accidentally cut the little thing on your finger and you soon realize that you are flesh and blood. We are flesh and blood and that means you and I cannot inherit the kingdom of God with this physical body, nor this corruption ineriting corruption. Verse 51, but it has a mystery. A mystery. We all, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.

In other words, some of us are still going to be living at the time that Christ comes back. Those that are dead, yes, they are asleep, but those that are still living at Christ's coming, they are not asleep. They are living at Christ's coming. Those that are in Christ either will be resurrected or will be changed.

And that's what it says. In a moment that it says, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. Those that are dead will be resurrected and changed to spirit beings. Those that are alive in Christ will be changed to spirit beings. In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. How fast is a twinkling of an eye? I don't know. I'm sure the scientific people say that so many macroseconds. I don't know. But anyway, it's that fast.

When? At the lost trumpet. At the lost trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, that's the lost one. And 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. So when this corruptible is put on incorruption, this mortal must put on immortality, then we shall be brought to pass the sign that it's written.

Death is swallowed up in victory. Why? Because people have resurrected and now they have eternal life because it will be the first resurrection and you know it's a better resurrection. Because it's a resurrection straight like express. Bypass all other stations. It's express to eternal life. It's a better resurrection.

This is supported with other well-known scriptures in 1 Thessalonians 4. 1 Thessalonians 4. 13-18. 1 Thessalonians 4. Verse 13-18. But I do not want you to be ignorant brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep. You know those that have died. Lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. I don't want you to be sad as other people that don't have hope because there is a hope. It says everybody's gonna die. Yeah, we all have to die. But don't be overly sad. Yes, our loved ones are not there. We are sad that they're not with us now, but we have a hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again. We know. We've seen. We are witnesses. And so even so, God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. So when Christ comes back, a dead lost trumpet, the dead will resurrect, and therefore He's gonna bring with Him those who are asleep because after that will be with Him forever. And we're gonna reign on earth as it says elsewhere. So that says, verse 15, For this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain, so those that have not died yet, but they living at the time when the Christ comes back, remain living until the coming of the Lord will by no means proceed those that are asleep. In other words, those that are dead will resurrect first. And we that are alive at the next split second or whatever amount of time it is, we will be changed. But those will be first. And then those that are alive will be next and then will join together. In the clouds as it says, yeah. We are alive and remain until the coming Lord will by no means proceed those asleep. Verse 16, For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven, so Christ Himself will descend from heaven, with a shout, the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of God. And we saw in Corinthians is the lost trump. And the dead in Christ will rise first. So He's repeating Himself to make it absolutely clear. Then we are alive and remain will be caught up together with them.

In the clouds to meet the Lord in the egg. And that's how from there on, words will be always with Him. Now you've got to look at other scriptures where we're going to be because it says we're going to reign on earth. So that's where we're going to be reigning for a thousand years. Therefore comfort one another with those words. And that's supported again in Revelation 20. So let's look at Revelation 20, verse 4 through 6. Revelation 20, verse 4 through 6.

And then I saw thrones, and they that sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. You see, what are these? These are the resurrected people that have resurrected with Christ. And now they're going to be ruling with Christ as we're going to read in a moment. They're going to live in reign with Christ for a thousand years. You see, so that's what we're going to be doing. So we're going to be resurrected. And so then He explains a little bit in detail where these people are. Then I saw the souls. It was the lives of those who had been beheaded for the witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image. It was put God first, committed to put God first in their lives and had not received the mark on their foreheads or in their hands. It was they had not received that mark of worshiping God at the wrong time. That's basically what it means. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. So those that have resurrected then meet Christ on the clouds. And then from there they are of Christ forever. They're going to be reigning over mankind, physical human beings, mankind that are still living. And but those reigning with Christ will be spirit beings. So we'll have spirit beings reigning on earth, whilst human beings are living on earth. And that will be the government over those human beings. And it will not be a corrupt government like today. It will be a perfect government. Thank God! Why? Because we have been prepared and tested that we're not corrupt in this life. We've qualified to be faithful till the end. So we're not corrupt. So that's what it is. But the rest of the dead, the other dead, you see the resurrection will be in their own order, as we said. The rest, the others, did not live again. It was not resurrected until the end of the thousand years.

So the ones that resurrect with Christ, when Christ comes, that is the first resurrection. The others, resurrection after that, so usually the one after the first is the second. Right. So the second resurrection will be a thousand years later.

So the rest will be after the thousand years. So we've seen there is a resurrection. Christ opened the way for resurrection. The apostles witnessed the resurrection. They preached the resurrection. They died for it. And we've seen it's an order. There's a first one at Christ's coming. Thank God that time is near, because it's our only hope, Christ's coming and establishing of the kingdom of God. That's why it says, let thy kingdom come and thou wilt be done on earth. Because that's what it will be done on earth. It's God's will done under the authority of the government of God, with God the Father as the Supreme, then Jesus Christ as the one that executes all the action as the king on earth, and under him others like King David and others, and then the resurrected saints, each one of their own different responsibilities. Some of the 10 cities, some of the five cities, some of the 10s, some of the hundreds, some of the thousands, whatever. So they'll be, all they have, they are in little positions of authority, all well organized, and then they'll rule on earth for a thousand years. At the end of the thousand years, the rest will resurrect. That will be the second resurrection. So let's read about that second resurrection, and we're going to read it in Matthew chapter 11. Matthew chapter 11.

Matthew chapter 11, we're going to read from verse 20 through 24. Matthew 11, 20 through 24. Then, He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because, why? Why?

Well, because they believed, oh, I believe in you. Yes, many of them believed. They were following Him, they believed. But they did nothing about it. They did not repent. And therefore, it was a shallow belief. Like many Christians today, I have a shallow belief. Oh, I believe. Oh, I believe in Jesus. But you're not practicing it, not repenting. And therefore, He told them, because of the works I've done, and you are not repenting. Let me tell you something. Look at verse 21. Woe to you, people in this city, Corazim. Or woe to you, people in that other city at the time of Christ, Bethsaida. For if the mighty works that I, Jesus Christ, have done, were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon. In other words, if the works that Christ did, which He did in these cities, if He had done the same works in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, which were destroyed, they would have repented long ago, long ago. And they would have repented in Sakhlaf and ashes. You know, when I go to some countries, like for instance, I go to Angola and I see the people, they're so humble, so submissive, you tell them something and say, yes sir, what do you want me to do? It's just a different spirit. You know, in some of these Gentile countries, Christ said, if He had done that work in those Gentile nations, they would have said, yes sir, how far do you want me to do it? But you, you realize, are stubborn!

And God is still working with us. But He's saying, if it had been done in those cities, it would have repented long ago. But I say to you, let me add, says Christ, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. What do you mean the day of judgment? It means that they will be resurrected. For it to be tolerable to them, they're going to be alive, right? They can't be dead.

So it's a day of judgment and the two will be together. In other words, those people that lived in those ages, as well as the people that lived during Christ's time, they'll be together. And you, another city, a Jewish city, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, you know, it was you, such a big, proud city. Maybe they had a lot of money, maybe it was an affluent city, whatever. Will be brought down to the grave, to Hades. For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, you know Sodom and Gomorrah, they were destroyed by fire.

If that had been done in Sodom, Sodom would be around today. Would have been remained to this day. But I say to you, said Christ, verse 24, that it shall be more tolerable to the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than to you. They'll be together. And it will be more tolerable for those Gentiles than to you stubborn Jewish Israelites that are living, yeah, at the time of the day. Yeah, at the time of Christ. And look at the next chapter, chapter 12, verse 41 and 42. It says, the men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment.

Rise up means resurrect in the judgment. The men of Nineveh, Ninevites. Remember what happened to Nineveh? They had a prophet there called Jonah. Remember Jonah? Jonah went there and he says, I don't want to go there and he's swallowed by that big fish. I don't want to go there and they repented. He says, the men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation.

They'll rise up together at the same time and condemn it. The Ninevites will condemn you, stubborn Jews or Israelites or people that were living at the time of Christ. Because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. And indeed, one that is greater than Jonah is Rachah. The queen of Sheba, another Gentile, will rise up in judgment, will resurrect in the judgment with this generation and condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to year the wisdom of Solomon, and indeed a greater than Solomon is young.

So there will be a day of judgment. And how will they be judged? How will they be judged? Look at John 12. John 12, verses 47-50. And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, if you hear my words and you really don't put it to practice and do, because when you believe, you're going to apply and do it.

If I say jump because there's a big hole there, if you believe, you're going to jump. So believe means doing. Keep the God's laws, do. I do not judge him, for I do not come to judge the world but to save the world. But he rejects me and does not believe my words. Has that which judges him. The words that are spoken will judge him in the last day. Christ's words will judge us. Where's Christ's words? Right here. Right here in the Bible. These are Christ's words. Christ's words, the Bible, will judge us. At the last day.

That's what it says. The last day. That's the day of judgment. The last day. And you know, after the millennium, the Feast of Tabernacles, we have the last day. The eighth day. The last day. The last day. The day of judgment. Look at also in Acts 17. Acts 17, verse 30-33. Acts 17, verse 30-33. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked. But now God commands all men everywhere to repent.

Now that you get it, now that you understand it, now that Christ has done this, has opened our minds, are we all in? He commands everyone to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world. There's going to be a judgment. And for you and I to be judged, we've got to be alive.

We can't be dead. To stand before Christ's judgment seat. And He'll judge the world by the man whom He has ordained, which is Christ. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him, which is Christ, from the dead. So we will be judged. Continue reading. Now, when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked.

While others said, we'll be here again of this matter. So Paul departed from them. However, some men joined Him and believed among them a few others. So there is some believed and said, right. Some actually acted on it. But there is a day of judgment in righteousness. Look how Paul puts it in Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27 and 28.

And He disappointed for man to die once, but after this to judgment upon the resurrection. And so, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many to those who eagerly wait for Him. You'll appear a second time apart from sin for salvation. There's gonna be a judgment. Man's gonna die. Men, all men are gonna die. There will be a resurrection. There is an order. Those that are Christ at Christ's first coming, a thousand years later, the rest. When is that?

That's what the Bible calls it. The Great White Throne Judgment. At the last day. And that is in Revelation chapter 20. Revelation chapter 20. Look at verse 11 and 12. Revelation chapter 20 verse 11 and 12. Then I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away.

And it was found no place for them. And I saw, so this is Christ sitting on the throne, because the judgment will be done by Christ, as we read in other scriptures. Verse 12. And I saw the dead, small and great. And it was those that are dead, whether they be important people, and it was great, or whether they small, little jungle citizen out there, like you and I, both will stand before God. And the books will open. What books? These books. The Bible. The books will open, because we'll be judged by Christ's words.

The books will open. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And so that means there'll be a time of probation, a time of evaluation, a time of overcoming, of learning the truth, of committing, of changing, remaining faithful. And then, as they are faithful, their names are written in the Book of Eternal Life. You know, was they given eternal life? And the dead were judged according to their works? Well, they did.

They went there, but now they're resurrected. They'll be judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books, which is the Bible. Christ's words. So, yeah, we have. There's a first resurrection, that Christ's coming, at the last trumpet. Then, a thousand years later, there's the Judgment, which we call the last great day, the eighth day of the feast. But, indications then are of another resurrection for the final destruction of the wicked. And that you can see in Malachi chapter 4, verse 1 and 3, where the wicked are destroyed. Malachi chapter 4, verse 1 to 3.

Malachi chapter 4. And it says, for the day is coming, so there'll be another day, a day burning like an oven. So, it'll be a day where things will be burning like an oven. And all the proud, and yes, all the wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts. And they will leave them neither root nor branch, but to you, fear my name, the son of righteous will arise, with healing in his wings, and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed cows.

And you, the righteous ones, the saints, because they are a spirit being, they're not affected by the flames. And you shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet. On the day that I do this, says the Lord of hosts. There'll be a day that the wicked will burn. Look at Hebrews chapter 10.

Hebrews chapter 10 verse 26 through 21. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 26 says, If we sin willfully, after we receive the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. If we sin willfully, that means if you and I say, I don't want to obey God, I don't want to please God, that's it. I will not. I reject. I obey God. I want to go against him. No longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses, Moses' law dies without mercy, the decimal two or three witness.

How much more worse punishment do you suppose? Will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God and the foot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace. For we know him who said, vengeance is mine, I'll repay it, says the Lord. And again, the Lord will judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. So you don't want to be part of that group.

That's the group that is discussed here in Revelation chapter 20. The second group, Revelation chapter 20. That's the ones that are dead and gone. The sea gave up the dead, who were in it, verse 13, and Hades delivered up the dead, they were in it, and they were judged, each one according to his works. Then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. There was death and Hades was resurrected, and death and Hades was cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.

And anyone not found in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. So we have the period of judgment. At the end of that period of judgment, those that still rebel, they are condemned. But the ones that have rebelled in these ages and have thrown away the hope, they'll come up with those, and then they'll be burned in that second death lake of fire.

Look at Revelation 21, verse 7 and 8. Revelation 21, verse 7 and 8. And it says, He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I'll be his God, and he shall be my son. But the cowardly. Brethren, we have to have initiative, we have to have guts, and we have to stand up and do what we need to do. You and I can't be cowardly about the truth.

We've got to stand up. The unbelieving, the abominable, the murderous, the sexually immoral, the societies full of it, sorcerers, idolatries, and all liars. I've had people come to me say, well liars will not be in the lake of fire. What do you mean? It says, all liars. Because they say, oh well, the commandment says, you shall not be false. What this doesn't say, you shall not lie.

Brethren, all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Brethren, we live in days of great sorrow. And the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, starting with the first resurrection at Christ's coming, is our great hope. Brethren, it's a hope. It motivated, energized the early church. We've got to be energized with this. And that basically symbolized by the day of trumpets.

It symbolized Christ's coming and that resurrection symbolized by the day of trumpets. Then Satan is put away, which is the day of atonement. Then Jesus Christ will establish His kingdom on earth for a thousand years. And those that are in the first resurrection will reign for a thousand years over the physical beings that are still living on earth. And they have children and great children and great-grandchildren, so generations for a thousand years. And that is symbolized by the Feast of Tabernacles. That is clearly explained in our booklet about God's early days.

And after that, we have the eighth day, which is the day of judgment. That last great day, that great white throne judgment. Brethren, as you and I practice the Holy Days, as you and I live there, year by year and year by year, this becomes more and more clear in your mind. That's a fact. As you go through this, and next year you go through it, and following you go through it, every year it just becomes a little clearer in your mind.

God's plan of salvation, which is in fact the basic doctrines, as you read them in Hebrew 6, verses 1 through 3, those basic doctrines, God's plan of salvation is vital for us. And are of those basic doctrines, one of them is the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Thank God for His mercy, His love, and His grace to us, because He has a plan to give us and to bring His kingdom to earth, and to bring peace to the whole earth, which is our only hope, Christ's coming.

Thank God for that.

God bless!