Eternal Life Offered to All

Thank you very much, Mr. Dalton. Wonderful rendition. One of my favorite all-time hymns and pieces of music. Great to have sung here on this eighth day of the feast, this last day of this year's Feast of Tabernacles and last great day period. I wish you all a good afternoon and greetings. I would also like to thank Mr. Dunkel for his work that he's done this year to make this feast site be such a resounding success. So thank you, Mr. Dunkel, as well. He's done a great job. I mentioned to him that he's kept the energy level going.

He's been so well organized. And I'm just going to put this down just a tad. There we go. He's been so well organized. And he's been excited about everything and played dress-up, as well as many of you know.

But I did get a couple of memos from his wife before the feast about the brochure being printed for us. And it's true, she was behind the scenes doing a lot of the work. So thanks to the Dunkel's. I'd like to thank those who took the Home Office tour the other day, too. We had about 30 of you that came up and enjoyed the tour. And Lot commented on how peaceful and quiet and serene it is up on top of the hill.

And it really is a beautiful spot to have our Home Office, our headquarters for the United Church of God. A number also commented on how crowded it seemed in the video studio. So I appreciate Mr. Kubik mentioning that the other day, that at some point we'd like to go ahead with our plans to expand the facility when we can, when we're able. And to be of even more service then to the church and to the brethren and in preaching the Gospel. I might just bring you a couple of updates. Something you may not have heard. I think I mentioned this to some on the tour.

No, I didn't mention this on the tour. I mentioned it to my brother-in-law who's here visiting. But if you look at the rankings of ucg.org online, and you look at the Alexa rankings. Alexa is a company that ranks websites. If you type in ucg.org at Alexa.com and see how we are ranked among Christian denomination websites.

Last time I checked, we were number 13th in the world among Christian denomination websites. Most of the ones above us are like the Vatican. There are several Catholic websites. The Mormons have a couple above us. And Jehovah's Witnesses, I think, have one. But of course, those organizations like the Catholics have a billion members. And millions and millions of dollars, hundreds of millions of dollars that they spend on their outreach and on their proclamation.

So if an organization as small as us to rank that high is very encouraging. We pray that God will continue to bless us in that regard. One of these days, I hope we break into the top 10. There is quite a leap to get from 13th or 14th into the top 10. Those are some pretty hefty organizations that own those websites.

Like I said, you know, like the Vatican and the Catholic Church themselves. But that's our goal, of course, is to eventually be the number one go-to place when people want the truth. Biblical truth. And maybe one day that will happen. We'll see. If not, asking the two witnesses will take care of it for us. But that's our goal to do that. You think of companies and stores like Home Depot, Best Buy.

They've actually been around for decades. But it's only in the last 10 years or so that anybody's heard of them. Especially Best Buy, Home Depot, maybe 15 years, 20 years. They were around a long time, but then they finally made it and got noticed and then broke out onto the national scene. So maybe one day we'll get noticed and they'll say, where did these guys come from? Who's this church that's in the top 10 of all religious denomination websites?

And we'll say, we've been around a little while. About 2,000 years, actually. But we've had some good results to be on today since the fall season started. And you may have heard of the Four Horsemen program that we aired a few weeks back. It was our highest response program to date. Almost double our previous highest response. So that was really encouraging. But there is a need for a larger recording space, larger studio space at some time. Whenever we can do that. So certainly we'd appreciate your prayers for the ongoing success and hard work being done by the media staff.

And of course everyone at the Home Office, including the ministry that serves you. That's the other half of our mission as well. He's taking care of the congregations, taking care of the brethren. What we preach, what we proclaim, what we put out on the web, what's on television and in print, and what we preach here in services truly is good news. The understanding we have of God's message is really hopeful.

It's really good news. And what we've been hearing here so far today is certainly good news and something that you won't hear anywhere else outside of the Church of God. The meaning of this day is a unique belief, a very unique belief. Because there's a major religious dilemma facing this world. What happens to those who lived and died without being saved? Some would say, without being born again in some denominations.

There's a website called religious tolerance. It's found at religioustolerance.org. Under the subject of salvation, they ask a question and then give answers to the question based on different faiths and how they would answer the question. The question is, can non-Christians be saved?

And they ask, what about those who have never heard of Jesus or the Gospel? And so I have some of their answers here for you. And as I read them, keep in mind the understanding that you have been blessed with at this time about this eighth day of the feast. Keep in mind what we understand from these words that are inspired by God from Genesis to Revelation.

So here we go. Can non-Christians be saved, especially those who have never heard of Jesus or the Gospel? The agnostic would say, we have conflicting and or inadequate information in the Bible and cannot reach a definitive belief about salvation. Then there's the doctrine or the belief of inclusivism. Non-Christian believers will avoid hell if they worship a deity of some sort because God works through all of the world's religious faiths, whether they are agnostic, atheist, Buddhist, etc.

Anybody who does not believe in a God will go to hell. So that's the inclusivist belief. Here is the belief of middle knowledge. God, having infinite wisdom, knows who would have rejected the Gospel if it had been presented to them. As a result, they never have had the opportunity to accept the Gospel. Those people will be transported to hell when they die, if they would not have accepted it, if they'd heard it.

Post-mortem evangelism, guess it's evangelism after you die, right? Post-mortem evangelism. They believe those who have never heard the Gospel will be exposed to it after death. And thus, given the opportunity to get to heaven, and this is sometimes called divine perseverance, then there's unitive pluralism. All of the world's great religions offer salvation to their members in different ways. A knowledge and acceptance of Jesus and the sacrifice of Jesus are not needed for a person to be saved. And that's a fairly popular belief, by the way. Then there's universal opportunity. All those who are not saved during their lifetimes will be given a vision of the Gospel at the time of death, and will be able to accept salvation at that time.

And then, universalism all will eventually be accepted into heaven by some process after death. Roman Catholics. The non-Christian may not be blamed for his ignorance of Christ and his church. Salvation is open to him also if he seeks God sincerely and if he follows the commands of his conscience. For through this means the Holy Ghost acts upon all men.

This divine action is not confined within the limited boundaries of the visible church. And then there's a very liberal Christian view. Liberal Christians believe the most liberal Christian faith groups generally reject the necessity of salvation. They also reject the entire concept of eternal punishment in hell for anyone, saved or unsaved. You may have noticed on September 11th, just a couple of weeks ago, that Pope Francis made a startling statement to some. He said that atheists don't have to believe in God to go to heaven.

Here's a quote from the Independent newspaper in the UK. In comments likely to enhance his progressive reputation, Pope Francis has written a long, open letter to the founder of La Republica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, stating that non-believers would be forgiven by God if they followed their consciences. And he got quite a bit of flack for making that statement on September 11th. So he's even leaving the door open just for people to be saved any which way. The Princeton Religion Research Center estimates that 6 in 10 Americans completely agree that the only assurance of eternal life is a personal faith in Jesus Christ.

So the majority of Americans do believe, 6 out of 10, that you do need to have a faith in Jesus Christ. According to the Varna Research Group among adult Americans, 40%, which is exactly the opposite of what Princeton says, it's the corresponding figure, but believe that if you don't accept Christ as Saviour, you will go to hell.

Of course, if you ask someone, do you think you're going to go to hell when you die? Most people say no, not me. They'd like to see some other people there, but they don't think they'll be there. So most people think, no, that's not for me. And I can maybe at the last second say, I'm sorry and everything will be okay, except Jesus or something.

A growing number of evangelicals are embracing a position known as inclusivism, which teaches that while the redemptive work of Jesus may be necessary for salvation, it is not necessary for people to know about Jesus or the Gospel to receive the benefits of that salvation. This is very similar to the last statement made by the Pope. Former President George W. Bush revealed his personal universalist belief during a televised interview, and the interviewer asked him, do we all worship the same God, Christians and Muslims? And Bush said, I think we do.

We have different routes of getting to the Almighty. And so the interviewer said to President Bush, do Christian and non-Christians, do Muslims go to heaven in your mind? And Bush said, yes, they do. We all have different routes of getting there. It's very much a universalist approach. However, if you'll turn to Acts 4, we'll read verses 8-12 and see what the Word of God has to say in that regard.

Acts 4, verse 8. Then Peter, this is his famous sermon, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, verse 10, Let it be known to you all and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, by the way, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man stands here before you whole.

There was a healing. Verse 11. This is the stone which is rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. And verse 12, Nor is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven, given among men by which we must be saved. This particular passage raises troubling questions for anyone who believes that God is desperately trying to save the whole world now.

And, pretty much 99% of Christianity does not understand the truth when it comes to God's plan of salvation, which is outlined by these holy days that we're keeping.

And it's a troubling question for people of other faiths, like Muslims and Buddhists and Shintoists and Taoists and whoever else. If this is the only time for salvation, we would have to conclude that Christ's mission to save humanity has pretty much completely failed.

After all, billions have lived and died without ever even hearing the name Jesus or Jesus Christ. Billions. Thousands die every day in our lifetime, never hearing of Christ. Millions die every year from disease and AIDS and epidemics. What is the fate of such people?

The overwhelming majority of whom we would have to conclude have not received salvation. And so there's a real push of missionary zeal to get people to just say the name Jesus or something before they die. And many churches have missionary departments and missionary ministries that try to reach the unbeliever. And this has been going on for centuries.

And you would have to say these missionary campaigns are failing because more souls have been lost than saved, is what they would say. If God is truly all-powerful, why have so many not even heard of the true Gospel of salvation? The traditional portrayal of conflict between God and Satan over mankind at the moment leaves God on the losing side of the battle, if you don't know what you're looking for. In Pasadena, California, there's the U.S. Center for World Missions.

And they say that there are 429,000 missionaries from all branches of Christianity. 429,000 people right now out there as missionaries.

And in all that work, they're only able to reach 1 or 2 percent that are unbelievers. In other words, most of the people they reach already believe in Jesus. Two, three percent are new. 140,000 are Protestant missionaries. In the U.S.A., there are 64,000 Protestant missionaries.

When they go overseas, they spend 87 percent of their funding among those already Christian. Twelve percent for work among already evangelized but non-Christian so far. And one percent for work among the still-unevangelized and unreached people groups. So these missionary groups, of all the money they spend, really only about one percent of it goes toward those who have not yet heard about Jesus. Now, listen to the cost involved to reach this one new convert. And they say that the U.S. Center for World Missions in Pasadena says this is the cost in U.S. dollars to get one convert baptized. In Mozambique, in Africa, $1,400. That's actually the cheapest country to evangelize someone. The average cost in the Christian world is $32,000 per baptism. For the evangelized world but not yet Christian, $48,000 per baptism. For the unevangelized world, $490,000 per baptism. In Oceania, now I'm not too far from where I am, from $634,000 per baptism. In the U.S.A., it costs for a new convert $1.5 million per person. So you can see the challenge that even we have in the United Church of God when it comes to preaching the Gospel and having people turn to God and accept the truth. Because our message is even less popular than what they're preaching.

It seems that such missionary zeal is failing.

Missionaries are spending a lot of money, some losing their own lives in dangerous countries while not saving many. And that's just the Christian missionary zeal. We have millions and millions of people who follow Islam, Buddha, and the Hindu religions. What is the fate of these people? What does God have in mind for those who have never believed in Christ as Savior or understood any of God's truth? How does God provide for them in His plan?

Are they lost forever without hope of salvation? Well, you know the answer to that, don't you? And that's why we're here today.

There's a very powerful scripture in Isaiah, Isaiah 9, that I read the other day to you. And we went through it in detail. It's Isaiah 9, verses 6 and 7. It's a very forward-thinking passage. And it brings the awesome power of God into focus. Because in Isaiah 9, verses 6 and 7, we read, I'll just break into verse 7, of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end.

So the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Well, how on earth is He going to do it?

As we know, what we're reading here in Isaiah 9 is the ultimate solution. But how will God bring it about for those who have died not knowing Jesus Christ, let alone accepting His sacrifice for their sins? We have to remember that God will bring it about. We're told the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

This is not fiction. This is not fantasy. This is the truth. We should never doubt the power of God to save humanity.

The amazing truth we understand is pictured by this Holy Day, the eighth day.

When eternal life will be offered to all. That's kind of what I titled this, eternal life offered to all.

We are blessed to understand God's plan now, as the firstfruits in His plan of salvation, as pictured by the Feast of Pentecost. I have five questions to ask you today, and I'll answer them, obviously, as we go along. The first one is, how do we resolve the dilemma of those who never knew Jesus Christ? How do we solve that dilemma? Because we read in 1 Timothy 2, the first four verses, this. 1 Timothy 2, verse 1, Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. So we are to pray for our brother, we are to pray for all men, for kings especially, who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. Verse 4, Who desires all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. And so missionaries today will take verse 4 and say, I've got to do it then, I've got to get out there and help God save everybody right now. Paul tells us that God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

You could turn to 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 9 and read something similar. 2 Peter 3 verse 9, The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering or patient toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Turn with me to John chapter 7. We're going to read a passage here that is a history recorded of one of the feasts of Tabernacles that Jesus kept, and also the eighth day as well is included here, because Jesus explained how this will come to pass, how all men will be saved, and how all will come to repentance.

John chapter 7 describes how Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. He first went secretly, but He later appeared publicly and preached and stood in the midst of the people. So John 7 verse 8, we're going to break into the story here, He says to His disciples, You go up to this feast, go ahead, head up to Jerusalem, I'm not yet going up to the feast, for my time is not yet fully come. Verse 9, We had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee. Verse 10, But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were, in secret.

And then verse 14, Now at the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught, and different ones were allowed to preach. They're in the synagogue or in the temple. The jump ahead to verse 37. John 7 verse 37.

Here Christ is in the middle of His message, and on the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. And what was this living water? Verse 39. But this He spoke concerning the Holy Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. So here Christ talked about anyone who thirsts could come to Him and have the Holy Spirit. A Christ message recorded here most likely was given on the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Scholars vary on whether this was the seventh day of the day following, but the weight of evidence and the series of events indicate that John 7 describes the incidents on the seventh day, while the setting moves to the eighth day in John chapter 8 and John chapter 9. It's also possible that Christ's teaching here, recorded in verses 37 and 39, came at the end of the seventh day at sunset, maybe the beginning of the eighth day at sunset.

The theme of Christ's teaching then continues into chapter 8, which is clearly the next morning, as we read in John chapter 8 verse 2. And once again then He offers the salvation to all of mankind. Let us John 8 verse 2. Now early in the morning, so now it's the next day, He came again into the temple, and everybody was gathered there, no doubt for the eighth day of the Feast. And all the people came to Him and He sat down and taught them. And notice verse 51, Most assuredly I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he shall never see death. Now what's interesting about John 7 and John 8 is that, other than for a small group of people that became the Church of God, the Holy Spirit has not yet been opened up to all of mankind. This promise has not yet been completely fulfilled. Let's go back to Leviticus chapter 23, and start in verse 34. Leviticus 23 verse 34. Because here we see that this day, the eighth day, immediately follows the Feast of Tabernacles, but it's a separate festival. When I was a little kid, keeping the Feast of Tabernacles in Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia in the sixties, we had a big church building Tabernacles there. I just thought the whole eight days was the Feast of Tabernacles. I didn't understand the eighth day or the last great day was anything different. I thought it was just all the Feast of Tabernacles. But here we see that there is a different understanding to the eighth day.

Often we refer to this festival as the last great day. The Bible simply calls it throughout the eighth day. Leviticus 23 verse 34. Speak to the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of the seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. So the Feast of Tabernacles is only seven days. On the first day, they shall be a whole of the convocation. You do no customary work on it.

Verse 36. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, and then on the eighth day you shall hold the Lord. You shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It's a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it. Verse 39. Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the Feast of the Lord for seven days. On the first day there shall be a Sabbath rest, and on the eighth day a Sabbath rest.

So how can all of humanity be saved? The dilemma of those who die without knowing Christ is resolved by the meaning of the eighth day. As we'll see here as we continue, and this is a reminder of what we believe, so that you can give an answer yourself of those who may inquire.

What was the symbolism of Christ's teaching back in John chapter 7 and John chapter 8? When you said you'd pour out water for any who would thirst.

What was the symbolism of Christ's teaching?

In Christ's time, according to tradition, during the Feast of Tabernacles, the priests would bring golden vessels of water from the stream of Siloam that had flowed from the Temple Hill and pour it onto the altar.

A joyous celebration, along with the sounding of trumpets, marked this ceremony, this water-bringing ceremony, as the people sang.

So Jesus stood near where all could hear Him, and He drew a lesson from that water ceremony.

It was something that the local Jews had been watching and seeing every year during the Feast.

And Jesus revealed that all who were thirsty could come to Him and be refreshed forever.

And in Christ's analogy, as they all looked at that water being poured on the altar by the priests, the water represented God's Holy Spirit, which those who believed in Christ would receive.

And we read about that in John 7, verse 39. But when would this happen? As I said, the Holy Spirit really has only been made available to very few that have been called into God's Church over the last 2,000 years, and even fewer before that.

When would this happen? Because within 6 months of Jesus Christ making that statement, His own countrymen pressured the Roman authorities to kill Him.

Within 6 months, Christ was dead of saying that. Missionaries of today would think that was a failed campaign too, probably.

And less than 40 years after that, the entire temple and all of its ceremonies were gone too, as Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD.

That water ceremony? Gone. Gone. The altar? Gone. The priests scattered.

Well, as we know, humanity does still thirst and has an emptiness in their life that needs yet to be filled with that water of the Holy Spirit. God's promise to pour out His Spirit on all flesh has not yet fully taken place, because billions have died without the deepest spiritual needs being realized. When will they get that refreshing water?

When will they receive that life-giving, spiritual life-giving power of the Holy Spirit?

Let's turn to Joel 2 and read a little bit about this a little more. Joel 2, verses 27-31.

Joel 2, 27, Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, I am the Lord your God, and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame. In verse 28, Then shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. Verse 29, And also on my men servants and my maid servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days. So Joel was prophesying of a day yet to come. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke, the sun shall be turned into darkness. Now we're starting to get a little perspective for you now as to when this will be. The moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.

So this here in Joel is a prophecy of God's Holy Spirit being poured out on all flesh in the end time when Christ returns. So that's the message of the Feast of Tabernacles when for a thousand years the earth will be filled with God's Spirit as much as the waters cover the bottom of the ocean floor. In verse 32 it shall come to pass that whoever calls in the name of the Lord shall be saved.

And those days are at the return of Jesus Christ after those heavenly signs that we can correlate with the Book of Revelation and the last plagues. So the symbolism of Christ's teaching is that at a time yet to come all people will have the opportunity to understand the plan of God and to know Jesus Christ and receive the Holy Spirit. But you know it's still leaving out a big group of people.

Those who aren't raised in the millennium, those who aren't raised after Jesus Christ returns. What about those who lived and died before Jesus Christ was even born? And those who have not heard it in more recent times? So that raises the question, is there a physical resurrection to an opportunity for salvation?

Will anybody be resurrected to have an opportunity of eternal life? To find the answer, we must consider a question that the disciples put to Christ just before He ascended to heaven. So He had been resurrected Himself and appeared to the disciples. And just before He then left them for the final time, in Acts 1 verse 6 where He read, Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?

You see, the disciples knew that the Old Testament, the scrolls that they had at the time, prophesied of a restored Israel. And I know in Branson we heard about this, and I think you may have here too, about the restoration of Israel after Christ returns. So the disciples said, so is it going to be now? Are you going to do it now? Restore Israel? You'll be our king? And of course the answer was no, not yet, and He disappeared and was ascended to heaven. And so when the disciples spoke of this restoration of Israel, they understood it in the context of the many prophecies of a reunited nation of Israel.

When Judah and the lost ten tribes would once again be back together. And one such prophecy like this is in Ezekiel chapter 37. Let's just read verses 3 through 6. Ezekiel 37 verse 3. See, this is one of the prophecies that Jews would turn to when wondering when will the nation of Israel be restored, reunited.

And here's the prophecy that they would have been thinking about. Ezekiel 37 verse 3. He said to me, Son of man, as he looks out on a graveyard, can these bones live? So I answered, O Lord God, you know. And again he said to me, verse 4, prophesy to these bones and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. And thus says the Lord God to these bones, Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin, put breath in you, and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.

In this vision, in this prophecy, a physical resurrection takes place of people that had died long ago. The account acknowledges the hopeless situation in which these people now find themselves. Verse 11 shows their hope lost, that they are spiritually lost. But their Creator, however, offers them a hope of a resurrection. When the bones will come back together, they'll get flesh on those bones and they'll have the breath of life.

And, guess what? The gift of the Holy Spirit in the setting of a reunited nation of Israel. This is something that has not yet happened. And this is something that doesn't happen right away when Christ returns, either. This is a little bit later on. In this dramatic vision, ancient Israel serves as the model for other peoples that God will resurrect a physical life. Notice verse 12, Ezekiel 37 verse 12. Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves and bring you into the land of Israel.

And you notice these are not people in the first resurrection to eternal life. These people are being brought back into the land of Israel, to a physical life. This is not God's people. This is the physical nation of Israel. Verse 13, Then you shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up from your graves. And verse 14, I will put my spirit in you and you will live. See, this is what Jesus Christ was talking about. And this is the ultimate fulfillment of what the prophet Joel was talking about. Verse 14, I will place you in your own land.

Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it, says the Lord. And at this future time, God will make freely available the life-giving spiritual water of His Holy Spirit, as we read there in verse 14. It's a striking parallel to what we read in John 7. And the water ceremony in Christ commenting and preaching about that and what it really would come to mean. These lost people in Ezekiel 37, people actually who died in sin without the redemption of Jesus Christ, He, Liv, and me born yet, will come to have the Lord as their God.

Notice verse 27. My tabernacle also shall be with them. God says I will dwell with them. Indeed, I will be their God, and they shall be My people. This is a reunited restored Israel in the future.

The apostle Paul then later referred to this event in Romans 11. Romans 11 verse 1. Paul referred to this yet future event.

Romans 11 verse 1, Paul asks the question, I say then, has God cast away His people? Paul knew of all the Jews that had died over the decades, over the centuries, and over the millennia. The apostle Paul knew that millions and millions of people had not been saved, and it appeared like God had cast them off. He says, certainly not. For I am an Israelite of the seat of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin, and God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Paul is saying, there's a time coming when the Jews will believe in Christ too. Because as you know, that's not part of the Jewish religion today, to believe in Jesus Christ as a Messiah. They think He's still yet to come.

God has not cast away His people. Verse 26, if you skip down to verse 26. And so, all Israel will be saved.

As it is written, the deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is My covenant with them, when I will take away their sins. So, at a future time, the descendants of Jacob, Israel, as He became known, will have the opportunity for their sins to be taken away. Paul said, God has not cast away His people Israel, talking of the physical nations especially, the twelve tribes.

But Paul then also has an additional understanding in Romans chapter 9. Amazingly, not only Israel, but all who have never had a chance to drink from those living waters of God, and to receive His Holy Spirit, will at last be able to do so. Notice Romans 9 verse 22. What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy which He had prepared beforehand for glory? Verse 24. Even I assume He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. Verse 25. And as He says also in Hosea, I will call them My people who are not My people, and to be loved who is not beloved. And as you come to pass in the place where it was said to them, you are not My people, there they should be called the sons of the living God. So it's not just the nations and the descendants of Israel who were considered to be, you know, God's people, but it's everybody, including the Gentiles. It's all of humanity will be called the sons of the living God. And of course, that's the New Testament understanding of salvation. Everybody becomes a Jew inwardly. Everyone becomes a spiritual Israelite until all of mankind is offered salvation. But as that valley of dry bones showed, it comes at a later time. It's not right when Christ returns that even perhaps the majority is saved. So that leads us to the question, what is the great white throne judgment as we put this puzzle together? What is the great white throne judgment? We'll turn to Revelation chapter 20, which was read earlier today, because in Revelation 20 verse 5, John writes, The rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. Aha! So that valley of dry bones, the Gentiles and Israelites that died, never knowing Jesus Christ, will not live again until the thousand years are finished. And here John is making a clear distinction between what is called the first resurrection, which occurs at Christ's second coming, and is for the saints, and the second resurrection, which takes place at the end of Christ's millennial reign.

Because you remember that the first resurrection is a resurrection to eternal life. What we saw in Ezekiel is not a resurrection to eternal life, it's a resurrection back to physical life.

And then John discusses this same second resurrection to physical life that Ezekiel wrote about in verse 11, Revelation 20 verse 11. So we didn't get this far this morning in some of the quotes. Then I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And then verse 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books. And the sea gave up the dead, verse 13, who were in it. And death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one according to his works.

So this is at the end of the resurrection, end of the millennium, when there's a second resurrection, when the dead are raised to life again, and given the books to read. The books are opened. In other words, the Word of God is shown to them. We have the Word of God in this book right now. In fact, the word books here in the Greek is biblia, here in Revelation, where we get our name, our term Bible. But the dead will be raised, and they'll be judged from the books when they're opened. And they'll be judged by the Word of God, by the Book of Life.

The dead who stand before their Creator are all those who died never knowing the true God. Like Ezekiel's vision of dry bones coming back to life, these people emerge from their graves and begin to know their God. The books are the Scriptures, the source of knowledge of eternal life. And finally, all will have an opportunity to fully understand God's plan of salvation.

In the United Church of God, we get accused of teaching a second chance for salvation. And when people receive our Holy Day plan booklet that they've requested, they'll write in and say, you know, we like Feast of Pentecost, we know what you mean about Passover, and even the Feast of Trumpets when Christ returns, but what's this eighth-day thing? That's a second chance. That's unbiblical. And we have to write back and explain that, no, this is their first chance to really know the truth. In fact, most of Christianity today has not yet had their eyes open properly, and it will be a first chance for them, too. It's not a second chance. This is the first opportunity to truly know the Father and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. And this judgment will involve a period during which they'll enjoy the opportunity to hear, understand, and grow in God's way of life, and then eventually have their names inscribed in the Book of Life. That's in verse 15. They, too, then, will get their names inscribed in the Book of Life. And during this time, thousands of millions, in other words, billions of people, will gain access to eternal life. This final festival of the year, this eighth day, shows how deep and far-reaching are the merciful judgments of God. Revelation calls it the Great White Throne. ...of Judgment. Jude puts it well. I'll read it to you from Jude, verse 6. When Jude says, And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. So this is one of the reasons we call it the Last Great Day. Even though in John 7, they were talking about the seventh day of the Feast when they said the last day of the Feast, or the great day of the Feast. Jesus Christ actually alluded to this in Matthew 11 as well, that many people do not realize what He was saying. Because Christ spoke of the wonderful truth depicted by this day, this eighth day, when He compared three cities that failed to respond to God, that failed to respond to His miraculous works. These were three cities of the ancient world, and you'll be familiar with them here when we read them in Matthew 11. Because what we read about these three cities of the ancient world is that they're all going to be brought back to life. When does that happen? When do those bones come back together? That's at the end of the millennium. It's the time of the second resurrection to physical life. Matthew 11, verse 20. Christ says, then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works have been done because they did not repent. So the local Jews of Christ's time were not getting it. Verse 21, Woe to you, Corazun! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you, if what I'm telling you today had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Well, Tyre and Sidon, those people were dead long ago. Verse 22, But I say to you, it would be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. What do you mean in the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon? You mean they could come back and be judged? Yeah!

Verse 23, A new Caponium, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to the grave, or Hades. For if the mighty works which I preach to you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until his day. He says, if Sodom and Gomorrah had heard what I'm telling you today, they would have done a whole lot better than you are doing, by the way. Caponium. Verse 24, But I say to you, that I should be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. See, the inhabitants of ancient Tyre, Sidon, and Sodom, cities that had incurred the anger of God for the depravity, will receive mercy in the day of judgment. And the only way that can happen is if they then hear the message, repent and change and follow God. And that's the opportunity they will be given. Christ says it right here.

They will receive mercy in the day of judgment. Unlike Corazin, Bessedah, and Caponium, these cities of old had little opportunity to know God. God will resurrect those people and include them in the time of judgment, that is beyond the 1000 year reign of Christ, when even those who lived in bygone ages will be reconciled to God. And what's encouraging about this is that we understand that most of them will turn to God when they are given the opportunity to do so. Most of humanity just hasn't had their time come yet. It will be a time of universal knowledge of God, including not just Israel, but the Gentile nations, as we read earlier. Let's turn to Hebrews 8, verses 10 and 11. If you would just turn over to Hebrews 8 with me, verses 10 and 11.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. So after those days is once again an end-time scenario. I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. None of them shall teach his neighbor and none his brother, saying, no, the Lord. For all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them. So this is a time when the whole planet will know who God is, and will have his teachings. The citizens of these cities and countless more just like them will experience their opportunity for salvation. This period pictured by the great white throne judgment of Revelation.

Think of all the people around the world who have died without yet being called. We heard some wonderful stories this morning about just some of them. But you have your own stories of your relatives and friends and co-workers and family members that thought you were crazy, probably still do, if they're still alive. And they've not yet been called. But they're also those who have had untimely deaths. You know, a drunken driver loses control of his car and careens headfirst from a van killing a family. What an untimely death for that family. Mothers die of breast cancer, leaving confused children and grieving husbands. Little babies succumb to birth defects. And then the elderly sometimes just die quietly in their sleep, never quite grasping what God had in mind for them. One of the biggest problems among teenagers is suicide, depression among teenagers. They will be given opportunity for a proper shot at things.

And when a family member or friend dies, there's no denying the sense of loneliness and emptiness and the feeling of unfinished business. Something we should have said, or something we should have done more. But here today, on this eighth day, we find courage, we find comfort, and hope by viewing life in this larger context. A time is coming when we will reunite with those who have died and renew our relationships.

You know we're disturbed when young children's lives are cut short by accidents or illness. We shake our head in bewilderment when an airplane crashes and the innocent die in a crash, a house burns. We look at those in Nairobi that were at the wrong place at the wrong time and terrorists attacked. And their lives were snuffed out too early. Victims of tragedies. God didn't single them out for punishment. Sometimes it's just a matter of time and chance. As Ecclesiastes says in chapter 9, time and chance.

We have an overall perspective because of God's Holy Day plan. We can look at the news. We can look at what's happening in the Middle East, in Syria. We can look at what's happening to our own country, our own government, our own economy, and say, Yeah, I see what's going on and I know what the outcome will be. We can look back at history and understand why. We can look at our society today and figure out what's happening. And we can look into the future of prophecy and know how it will all end. As God's people, we have a unique perspective of life and death. And the eighth day really adds to that. When we know those who died an untimely death, those who died never knowing the truth, are not lost, as most churches would have you believe, as most missionaries in the Azeal would fear. Why does this great white throne judgment? This final period of resurrection and judgment completes God's plan of salvation for the world. It will be a time of love, deep mercy and compassion, as God teaches and then judges the remainder of humanity. The chance to drink of the life-giving waters of the Holy Spirit will indeed then truly quench the deepest thirsts that men and women will have. Spiritual thirst. This time of righteous judgment will bring back to life those long forgotten by humanity, those who died thousands of years ago that we don't even know. And yet, you know, not one of them has been forgotten by God. Every single person will be given that opportunity for salvation. Nobody has been forgotten. Nobody will be forgotten. And you'll have to directly say no to God in order to not be saved.

And most people will see it and want it. There, no doubt, will be a few that will rebel and say, I'm not listening to you, God. I'm going to do it my own way. But that will not be the majority. God wishes that all will come to repentance and receive eternal life. But there will be a few that will be cast into the lake of fire. So the fate of those who won't repent is actually very, very merciful. Even that is a different understanding than what most churches will tell you. Most will tell you that the unrepentant sinner will burn forever in pain and agony in hellfire. That's not what the Bible teaches. Those who are given the opportunity, those who God brings back and resurrects and says, here's the way, walk in it. Those who go against that will just simply cease to exist and be... their life snuffed out in an instant in a fiery furnace. They'll probably hardly even feel it. You know, like a dying in a nuclear explosion or something. And they'll be gone.

Those who are not found written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire. That's the bottom line. And we pray that that will be the minority of mankind. It's in Revelation 20, verse 15, cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 21, verse 8 adds a list of those who unfortunately will not be given eternal life. So there will be a few not given eternal life. Revelation 21, verse 8 gives a listing there, and they'll be cast into the lake of fire and will not live any longer. But their fate is clearly death, not eternal life in fire. Revelation 21, 8 says that they'll die. They'll have the second death.

Malachi 4, verse 1 says they'll be burned up and become like ash under the feet of the righteous. So that's very merciful, too. If you don't want eternal life, if you don't want to go along with the plan, if you want to do it your own way like Satan the Devil did, then that's your choice.

But you will not suffer forever in pain as a result.

In Hebrews 2.10 we read that God has a plan of bringing many sons to glory, many sons and daughters to glory. He does promise to pour out His Spirit on all flesh. It's not just those raised in the millennium, it's those raised up at the end of the millennium.

The thirst-quenching waters of the Holy Spirit will be available to all in the time depicted by Jesus Christ when He spoke during the Feast of Tabernacles, read about in John 7 and John 8. What a marvelous plan these biblical festivals portray. And how great would be our lack of understanding without them! Mr. Kubik talked the other day about the Sabbatarian groups in Eastern Europe that keep the Sabbath and about everything else except the Holy Days. And they're missing an element. There's a big lack of understanding without keeping these days. These Holy Days, which we've just observed this season, are annual occasions in which we gather together with other believers. And as with the weekly Sabbath, God commands special worship services on each of these Holy Days.

I'd like to close with Hebrews chapter 10. And remind us all here now as we make our plans to depart from the Holiday Inniscape to hold fast, to make plans to be here again next year keeping God's feasts. Hebrews 10.23. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. What better time to encourage and exhort each other than on the days that depict God's great plan of salvation?

And when we assemble at the times of these annual festivals, we allow ourselves a wonderful opportunity to learn more about God's plan of salvation. And this day is so wonderful in its meaning. Let's hold fast to the truth over the coming year. Let's not waver. Let's not get distracted or sidetracked by issues so we can meet again at the Feast of Tabernacles observing God's Holy Day plan. Because we are heirs of God's wonderful kingdom, and we are joint heirs together with Jesus Christ. We have to remember to take this very seriously. How seriously do we want to be a part of the ultimate solution for mankind?

And so we ask, how will we live over the next 12 months?

Actually, I would like just to turn to Romans 8 and just read a couple of verses in Romans 8. Romans 8 and 9. Because here's the description of us as we sit here, filled with the Holy Spirit. Romans 8 verse 9, You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. Verse 11, If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit which dwells in you. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

Will I inherit the kingdom? Am I a son of God? Am I a joint heir with Jesus Christ? Yes. If I am filled with his Spirit, I am. And I will be counted in that number when Christ returns.

The annual feast days are a time of happiness, not just because of their meaning for us, but because of the wonderful hope they portray for all of mankind. Observing the Holy Days reminds us of God's great love for humanity, and worshiping him in this way is a joyful experience. These festivals truly are a gift to God's people, to you and me. So I ask, what is our hope? And what is the fate of those who die with no real knowledge of Jesus Christ, the son of God? What hope is there for billions of people who have lived and died without the knowledge of God's purpose? Are today's Christian missionary efforts in vain? Absolutely not. The Scriptures show that the world is not cut off without hope, and as God's Holy Days portray, he will bring them back to life and give them an opportunity for eternal salvation. And this is the astounding truth depicted by the eighth day, the last of God's annual festivals. So start planning for next year. We're already thinking about what we're going to do next year. Getting excited about next feast now. Seven or eight days is a good amount of time to spend together. We've all got to get back to work and back to doing what we need to do with our families and preaching the gospel and preparing for God's kingdom. So start thinking about next year and plan on being here, being together as God's family. And I certainly wish you safe travels, especially those of you who are not from Cincinnati, that you'll have a safe drive up the road. And a good Sabbath in a couple of days. And it's been a pleasure being here with you at this feast. And we look forward very much to the meaning of the eighth day coming to fruition, when all who've ever lived will be offered salvation.