|
[ Back ] [ Up ]
Last Great Day—2010
Fred R. Coulter—September 30, 2010
Greetings, brethren! Welcome to
the Last Great Day! What a great day this is, because this is a day that is
spoken of, perhaps the very least of all the Feast days in the Bible. Yet, it
has one of the greatest meanings. When we understand about this day we will be
able to see God’s answer to all the questions and problems of human nature,
death and salvation that the world’s religions—even ‘Christians’
supposedly, and the philosophers of old—could never understand. This
information is so profound and so meaningful, but we also have to realize that
we have to dig for it. The Last Great Day is mentioned so few times in the
Bible, directly. But when we understand those direct references, then we can
put together all the rest of the pieces of the Bible just like it’s supposed to
be: ‘line upon line; here a little, there a little; precept upon precept’ until
we build the whole case and understanding of it.
Let’s begin here in Leviticus 23
and we will see this is quite a thing that God said concerning the Feast of
Tabernacles and the Last Great Day—they are locked together, just like
the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And isn’t it interesting that
we have seven Holy Days, but eight Feasts? The Passover is a Feast, but not a
Holy Day. Then in Unleavened Bread we have two Holy Days, then Pentecost,
Trumpets, Atonement and Feast of Tabernacles—the first day is a Holy Day
and the eighth day is a Holy Day. Eight is a significant number in the Bible because
it means a new beginning. We’ll see how that fits into the meaning of this day.
Leviticus
23:34—it talks about “…the Feast of Tabernacles on the fifteenth day of
this seventh month…” we already had that, that’s where we began. Then it talks
about concerning the eighth day, v 36: “…On the eighth day shall be a Holy
convocation… [Doesn’t tell us much—does it? What is the ‘eighth day’? and
Why is that a Holy convocation?] (v 37): …These are the Feasts of the
LORD…” These are the ones that the world does not keep, that the world hates,
attacked by Rome as ‘Judaizing.’ So, being such wonderful people that the pagan
satanists are, they decided to have another Jesus and another Christianity, so
they took all of the pagan days, blessed them with ‘Christian’ names, renamed
them and condemned the Feasts and Holy Days of God! Yet, these are the ones
that answer the questions that they know nothing about. It’s kind of like this:
If you have a room full of gold, you exchange it for a bag full of dust and
walk away thinking ‘Boy, I really got the better of deal.’ NO! The Word of God
is what tells us the meaning of this day.
“These are the Feasts of
the LORD which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations to offer an offering
made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice,
and drink offerings, everything on its day” (v 37). And you go to Num. 28-29
and it lists out all the sacrifices that they had at the temple. It was really
quite a thing. We’ll see a couple places where they kept the Last Great Day.
Very rarely did they keep it.
Verse 38: “Besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, and besides your gifts, and besides all your
vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD.” So we do take up offerings. On this Holy Day we
will take up the offering.
(Now, just
let me mention, please, on the envelope that you send it in, for us to take
care of it and process it for you, please put your full name and address
on envelope. That will help us a great deal.)
With this
offering, let’s be thankful to God, and—as we’re told in every one of the
offerings—we are to give ‘according to the blessing of the Lord God as He
has given us.’ Even in times of trouble and difficulty, we must remember God!
Let’s always understand this: There is nothing that we haven’t received
from God! Everything!
- life
- breath
- food
- clothing
- place
to live
- place
to meet
- brethren
to assemble with
All of this comes from God. Yes, we have
physical things that we use and we need and we do. But all of that comes from
God, too. And the very purpose of it is for what? The very purpose is so that we can
- learn of God’s way
- grow in grace and
knowledge
- develop the character of
God
- prepare to participate
as kings and priests in the Kingdom of God
That is a great
and fantastic calling! And as Paul wrote in the book of Hebrews: It
is a superior resurrection! So, all of these things that we do, let’s
keep this in mind. And, as we go through the dark days after the Feast of
Tabernacles and the Last Great Day, we’re going to need that spiritual strength
and that mental strength and that purpose fixed in our minds continuously so
that we don’t get discouraged and be taken down like the rest of the world. We
need to be here to help those in the world that God is going to call and bring
to us that we can help them!
(pause
to take up the offering)
Now, let’s see in the Old Testament, when the Last Great Day was at its
greatest fulfillment; that was during the days of Solomon. It was quite an
event, because it actually started out with the Feast of Trumpets. Turn to
2-Chronicles and we will see what happened. We will see all the events that
came along with it, how these things occurred. And as we’ve already covered in
chapter five—we’ll just review it a little bit—was the first day of
the dedication of the temple, which was and had to be because of the account
here, on the Feast of Trumpets. Let’s see what happened. They had everyone
assembled, it was all planned out: the singers were in their place; the
orchestra with the trumpeters were in their places; the Levites were in their
places; the Ark was carried into the Holy of Holies—and a great and
tremendous thing took place.
2-Chronicles 5:12: “And
the Levitical singers—all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with
their sons and their brethren, being clothed in white linen, and having
cymbals and with harps and lyres—stood at the east end of the altar, and
with them a hundred and twenty priests… [all dressed in their white linen]
…sounding with silver trumpets… [quite an announcement! The Ark is in the
temple! The temple now will be blessed with the presence of God, which the Jews
call the Shekinah.] …It came to pass, as the trumpeters and the singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and
when they lifted up their voice with the silver trumpets and cymbals and
instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, ‘For He is good, for
His steadfast love endures forever,’ that the house was filled with a
cloud, even the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand
to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD had filled the
house of God!” (vs 12-14).
Now, imagine
if you were there watching all of this and saw this happen! What kind of
impression would that make on your mind? You would think—wouldn’t
you?—that it would be so profound; that you would always be faithful,
always be true. But, it didn’t work out that way! So then we have the prayer of
Solomon (2-Chron. 6). I want you to read all of 2-Chron. 6.
Come to 2-Chronicles 7 and let’s see, again, what happened when Solomon
made an end of praying. He built a high scaffolding, so that when he prayed and
he got down on his knees and raised up his hands to heaven and prayed this
prayer—the dedication prayer—for God to sanctify His temple.
Solomon built it, but the very plans he was given was given by God to his
father David to build it. Notice what happened when he made an end of praying.
Here’s another spectacular event that if you were there you would see.
2-Chronicles 7:1: “And
when Solomon had made an end of praying, fire came down from heaven and
consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices. And the glory of the LORD
filled the house…. [Happened again the second time.] …And the priests could not
enter into the house of the LORD because the glory of the LORD had filled the
LORD’S house. And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down,
and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed their faces to the
ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying, ‘For He
is good, for His mercy endures forever.’” (vs 1-3).
Fantastic!
What a tremendous experience! Then it shows all the things that they did, all
the sacrifices that they had, all of the meal offerings, all of the grain
offerings, all of the wine offerings. It was a time of joy and happiness to
start out the Feast of Tabernacles; in this case the Feast of Trumpets. And
then when the dedication of Feast ended in seven days, then they had a break
for eight, nine and ten—a break so they could keep the Day of Atonement.
Then after the Day of Atonement, we have eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen and
fifteen, and the fifteenth day was when this service took place to have the
Feast of Tabernacles start.
Verse 8: “And
at the same time Solomon kept the Feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a
very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath to the river of Egypt….
[that’s the Feast of Tabernacles] …And in the eighth day they made a solemn
assembly… [There it is, the eighth day; doesn’t tell us much about the meaning
of it—does it? How are we going to figure the meaning of it?] …for they
kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the Feast seven days…. [as
well as the eighth day] …And on the twenty-third day of the seventh month…
[Which is what? The day after the Feast of Tabernacles, the Last Great Day]
…he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the
goodness that the LORD had shown to David, and to Solomon, and to Israel His
people” (vs 8-10). So, that was quite a thing! What a way to dedicate it!
Can you
imagine what it’s going to be like; let’s just project forward a little bit
when Christ establishes His tabernacle—it won’t be a temple like a
temple; better than a temple—where Jesus will live as King on the earth
in Jerusalem, and we will be there! We saw that earlier in the Feast (Isa. 4).
So think what it’s going to be like when that is dedicated. That’s quite
something—isn’t it?
After that
the Lord appeared to Solomon again, v 11: “Thus Solomon finished the house of
the LORD and the king’s house, and he prospered exceedingly in all that
came into Solomon’s heart to accomplish in the house of the LORD and in his own
house. And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night and said to him, ‘I have heard
your prayer…’ [Think about this: When we have already seen what Solomon did
when he got old. Human nature does not like to remember. Think about it for a
minute, that’s why God said remember the Sabbath; but people want
to forget it as soon as they’re told about it. Look at this, this is the second
time that God appeared to Solomon.] …and said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer
and have chosen this place to Myself for a house of sacrifice” (vs 11-12) Then
He gives the promise and the answer to his prayer, showing that they can always
look to the temple and God’s presence there; and the people of Israel, in time
of trouble and sin, could repent and God would hear their prayer.
Now, let’s
look at another place where we have the Feast of Tabernacles and another day
associated with it very closely. Let’s come to the book Haggai, the second
chapter. Here it talks about the time of how God spoke to the children of
Israel when they were rebuilding the second temple. There was a time when they
got lack in rebuilding the second temple and God had to inspire them and stir
up the spirit of them and stir up the spirit of Joshua the son of Joshozadak
the high priest, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel. Stir up their Spirit to
get the people and stir up the Spirit to do what God wanted them to do.
Haggai 1:15:
“In the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the
king.” That’s when he stirred them up and said, ‘Go work on the temple. Stop
doing your own business. Stop doing your own thing. You do the temple first and
then do yours.’ Well, that’s pretty much what we need to do in our lives
today—isn’t it? Yes, we need to do the spiritual things first! And
when we do the spiritual things first—prayer, study and yielding to God,
developing and growing in character—then God is with us! Right? Notice
what he said here:
Haggai 2:1: “In the seventh month, in the twenty-first
day of the month… [What day is that according to the calculated Hebrew
calendar, the sacred calendar of God? The 21st day is the last
day of the Feast of Tabernacles, just before the Last Great Day. So, He
told him that the house he was going to build is no going to be compared to the
one that Solomon had built ‘which I destroyed.’ It’ll be small.] (But He said,
v 4): …‘Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ says the LORD. ‘And be strong,
O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong all you people of
the land,’ says the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the LORD
of hosts” (vs 1, 4). So after the Last Great Day they were to get out there and
work! That’s what we are to do, too, brethren. We’re to do the work that God
wants us to do in our individual lives, to do in our collective lives, and let
God do the work in us, because that’s the greatest work of God.
And what we do in preaching the Gospel and feeding the flock, that’s the work
of the ministry.
“‘According
to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit
remains among you. Do not fear.’…. [That’s different—isn’t it? The Spirit
of God is in us as a begettal from God the Father.] …For thus
says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once again—it is yet a little
while—I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry
land. And I will shake all the nations; and the desire of all nations shall
come; and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts” (vs 5-7).
That’s projecting clear on down to the time when Christ returns and we’re going
to be their with Him. So here’s a time right at the end of the Feast of
Tabernacles, just before the Last Great Day, God gave the word ‘work’: Do
what I desire.
Now, let’s
come to the book of Nehemiah, chapter 8, and let’s see again that there was
something they had to do in correcting sin. The children of Israel, when they
came out of Babylon, they were mostly the Jews and the Levites and the
Benjaminites. When they got back there, again, they were lax—even after
the temple was built; even after the ministry of Haggai the prophet. So they
got lax. What happened? When Ezra the priest came with the Book of the Law and
he read in it from morning till night. They kept the Feast of Trumpets; they
keep the Feast of Tabernacles; and on the Last Great Day it just mentions it
just once—it shows what they did.
Nehemiah
8:18: “Also day-by-day, from the first day until the last day, he read in the
Book of the Law of God…. [That’s what we need to do with our sermons, study the
Word of God—Old Testament/New Testament.] …And they kept the feast seven
days, and on the eighth was an assembly, according to the ordinance.”
This doesn’t tell us very much of the meaning of the day—does it?
Let’s come to
the New Testament, John, the seventh chapter. Let’s see what Jesus said, and
here it gives us a beginning clue and understanding concerning the meaning of
the Last Great Day. But, did you know—just like we learned with the Feast
of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles—we need
the book of Revelation to give us the understanding of this day and what it
means. Then we can put it together with the rest of the Scriptures, which is
what we’re going to do just like Nehemiah did when they kept the Feast of
Tabernacles and the Last Great Day.
John
7:37—here was quite a ceremony that was part of the Last Great Day, and
it occurred just right after sunset as the seventh day was ending and the
eighth day was beginning. It was called the day when they poured the water
around the base of the altar. Water is a type of the Holy Spirit of God.
John 7:37:
“Now in the last day, the great day of the Feast, Jesus stood and called
out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink…. [Now, that’s
quite a statement—isn’t it? Anyone! But how many did? Not only is
Jesus explaining a little about the Last Great Day, but He is explaining that
there will be salvation for any number of people—anyone!—and
we’ll see who that includes.] …The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has
said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke
concerning the Spirit, which those who believed in Him would soon receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified” (vs
37-39). So here it gives us just a little hint. It has to do with salvation. It
has to do with the Holy Spirit of God.
Isn’t it
interesting—when was the Holy Spirit given in power? Well, it was
given in power on the Feast of Pentecost—correct? Yes! Not on
the Last Great Day! There has to be a fulfillment of receiving the Holy Spirit
as pictured by the Last Great Day. And what is that going to be? How is that going
to be accomplished? Let’s look at some other Scriptures before we go to Rev.
20, and let’s look at these Scriptures and see some of the desires of God.
1-Timothy
2:4—let’s see what Paul wrote, and yet we’re going to see something
things that look like a contradiction, but it won’t be. Here is the desire of
God our Savior who is Christ: “Who desires all men to be saved… [What does
‘all’ mean? Each and every one! How can that be today? Yet, the Word of
God is true and not one word is going to fail—correct? Right?] …and to
come to the knowledge of the Truth.” That’s what God desires. And
when that happens there has to be repentance—right?
Let’s come
back to 2-Peter, the third chapter, and let’s look at another Scripture which
tells us what God wants to happen. The question is not whether God can do
it—because He will; not whether that Scripture is true—because it
is; but how do the Scriptures explain this so we can understand it? 2-Peter
3:9: “The Lord is not delaying the promise of His coming, as some in
their own minds reckon delay… [And it may be a lot further than we figured,
because it’s not by a time that a man can set, because everything that a man
does, Jesus said, ‘They don’t know.’ It has to be by the defined events that we
find in the Scripture to tell us how close we are to the end-time.] …rather, He
is long-suffering toward us, not desiring that any should perish… [He wants all
saved] …but that all should come to repentance.” How’s that going to happen?
How is God going to make that work? Well, let’s continue on and see.
There would
be some people who would argue the Bible show that that’s not going to happen.
At this time, that is true, but we’re going to see that there is yet, another
time. As it says in 2-Cor. 4, ‘Now is a day of salvation’—not the day. Which then implies and we will see will be answered, there is
yet another day of salvation in which these seemingly almost impossible verses
will be fulfilled.
Matthew
13—let’s see how what Jesus said looks like an apparent contradiction of
what He stated here and of what Peter wrote and what Paul wrote. This is quite
a thing for us to understand. We’ve gone over it before, but let’s really grasp
it in what it is saying. God desires that all men be saved and all to
come to repentance. Also remember, there’s free moral agency in it so
everyone has to choose, and the choice that everyone makes is what God is going
to judge us on. God’s desire then also has to do with our choices as human
beings. So Matt. 13 really becomes quite a situation. A lot of people have
thought—especially in Protestantville out there, and in Catholicismville
out there—that God is eagerly trying to save everyone and get their souls
purged so they can go to heaven. That’s just so much ‘Christianized’ pagan nonsense.
God has a better way to do it.
Yet, you read
this in Matt. 13:10, and it looks like a direct contradiction to the will of
God: “And His disciples came to Him and asked, ‘Why do You speak to them in
parables?’ And He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given
to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not
been given’” (vs 10-11). If it hasn’t been given to them and it’s been given to
us, how are they going to be saved. We can say the same thing today. It’s been
given to us to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but not to the
world. Look at the world! What does God say about the world? Satan the devil
has them deceived! Well, if you would look at it kind of like some sort of
athletic contest, the devil is winning! If we could draw an analogy with
baseball, remember, it’s never over till it’s over, and it’s never finished
until there is the last out. How may times has a baseball game been won in the
last half of the ninth inning? Under extreme odds and circumstances?
It even
compounds it and makes it worse, v 12: “‘For whoever has understanding,
to him more shall be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does
not have understanding, even what he has shall be taken away from him….
[How’s he going to come to the knowledge of the Truth? How’s he going to come
to repentance?] …For this reason I speak to them in parables, because
seeing, they see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand….
[How then are they going to be saved?] …And in them is fulfilled the prophecy
of Isaiah, which says, “In hearing you shall hear, and in no way understand;
and in seeing you shall see, and in no way perceive”’” (vs 12-14).
- How are
they going to come to the knowledge of the Truth?
- How are
they going to come to the knowledge of salvation?
- How are
they going to have an opportunity for salvation?
- How is
God going to call them?
Verse 15: “““For the heart of this people has grown fat,
and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed… [They chose
not to respond. Are they all condemned to death?] …lest they should see with
their eyes, and should hear with their ears, and should understand with their
hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”’” Why doesn’t Jesus
want everyone converted now? Don’t you think the world would be a better place
if that were so? So He closed their eyes. He didn’t give them the
understanding; He just gave it to the few. How’s God going to solve this
problem? How’s He going to fulfill those verses?
All right,
they can’t see because they’re blinded by Satan the devil. You think it’s fair
to judge people who’ve never been given an opportunity for salvation, that have
never understood, that have had false Christianity or been in pagan religions,
or lived down through time and they suffered war, disease, famine and all kinds
of things, they die and never know about Jesus Christ? And that’s the vast
majority of people up until the time that Jesus came—correct? And from
the time of Jesus down to now, it is called what? A little flock; few that
find it—correct? Yes! How’s God going to solve that?
Let’s begin
to answer the question. Just to quote a Scripture we all know: “All have sinned
and come short of the glory of God.” Therefore, all need
salvation—correct? Yes! Another Scripture we all know: “Many are
called, but few are chosen.” Why are few chosen? Because few repent! What’s going to happen to those who may hear this message, as this parable is
talking about, and don’t understand it? Are they lost forever? Is God fair to
give us a chance and not them a chance? Is God righteous to open our minds and
give us His Holy Spirit, but to close and blind the minds of others, and even
use Satan the devil to do it? So all are under sin!
1-John 5:16:
“If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin that is not unto death, he
shall ask…” and God answer. So there are sins that are not unto death, and that
death is talking about the second death (which we’ll answer that a little later
in the sermon). If he sinned a sin unto death, John said don’t pray for him. So
there are differences in sin. If you sin with knowledge you are culpable. If
you sin with the Holy Spirit and reject it, you have committed the unpardonable
sin. But what about the people who didn’t know? What about all those who
suffered horrible things?
Delores told
me of an incident that she heard of just this last week before the taping.
There was a couple out at the zoo and they had their little baby and the father
held the little baby up so they could get a picture of the baby and the zoo
behind them. And as he held the baby up a branch fell, hit the baby on the head
and killed it. What’s God going to do with that? How many other horrible deaths
have people suffered? Knew nothing! Then all of these disasters and wars and
earthquakes and tsunamis and things would take place. What about the innocents
who never sinned? Those who were aborted, the stillborn, little children like
that family trying to have a good time at the zoo and a branch fell on the
baby’s head and killed it? What about those people out here that have
reasonably decent lives and are trying to live in a way that is quite good, but
God never called them? How’s God going to solve that problem?
Before we get
into that, let’s look at what the New Testament defines as an opportunity for
salvation. Many of these Scriptures you know. Here’s an opportunity for
salvation. The calling goes out; you must answer. If you don’t answer you keep
going on your way. If you answer and you repent and you are baptized and you
receive the Holy Spirit and you live God’s way, that is an opportunity for
salvation. We also know that living within the grace of God, that we have
direct access with God the Father and Jesus Christ in heaven above. So, as John
wrote in 1-John, the first chapter, ‘If we sin we confess our sins,’ directly
to God through Jesus Christ and they are forgiven, because He is the
‘propitiation’ of our sins. But John also said, ‘Yes, and for the sins of the
whole world.’ But the answer is, it has not yet been applied to them.
What about
all those people who died before the first coming of Christ? What about all the
children of Israel that lived without the Holy Spirit of God, under a covenant
to live in the letter of the law, who never received salvation—yet, they
were God’s people—correct? Yes, indeed! We’ll answer those
questions.
(go to the
next track)
Let’s see the
fulfillment of God’s great plan, how He is going to solve this problem. Let’s
understand this, it really shows something very important, too, which is this:
God says, ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, and My ways are not your
ways.’ So in spite of all of this, God is going to fulfill His promise
and undo all the works of the devil—annul them! For all of those who are
willing, they will receive salvation. All of those who are not, we will see
will no longer exist.
Let’s look at
this and let’s see the parameters that God gives, and also how Jesus indicated
about the coming age. That’s important to realize. Matthew 12:31: “Because of
this, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men except the
blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; that shall not be forgiven to
men.” What if you already lived and died and you haven’t blasphemed the Holy
Spirit? Yet, you’ve lived a sinful life. Maybe it’s been really sinful. Maybe
it’s been like a past civilization, you’ve lived nothing but in sin. And it’s
that way today, too—isn’t it? There are some people who try to do good.
We’ll answer that question a little bit later, and then we’ll find out when
this is going to take place.
Verse 32:
“And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him;
but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit… [because that comes from God the
Father] …it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the coming age.”
What does that mean? Neither in this age—going clear back to
Adam—but in the coming age. We know the Feast of Tabernacles, but
there’s still one more day: the Last Great Day. That little ’ole day attached
to the end of it. Seemingly the least Feast of all of those of the Feasts of
God. However, as we will see, this is going to turn out to be the
greatest, because God takes the least and makes that the greatest.
That’s what He’s going to do with this day!
They wanted
to see a sign (v 37). Verse 38: “And He answered and said to them, ‘A
wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign shall be given
to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was in the belly
of the whale three days and three nights, in like manner the Son of man shall
be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. The men of
Nineveh shall stand up… [Resurrected! They repented, but were they offered
eternal life? No! They didn’t receive eternal life, they just received
reprieve from judgment from God] ...stand up in the judgment… [What does it
mean ‘the judgment? ] …with… [at the same time as] …this generation… [Here we
have generation separated by hundreds of years. What will they do?] …and shall
condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah; and behold, a
greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south shall
rise up in the judgment with this generation… [Yet, another generation, not at
the same time] …and shall condemn it, because she came from the ends of the
earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here’” (vs 38-42).
Now, how is
God going to do that? Let’s come to Romans, the second chapter, and let’s look
at a verse here that’s really quite an important verse when we understand it
and put it together. This is talking about Gentiles or those of other nations
who never had the Word of God, or heard the Word of God. How does God look down
at those people who, even though they never received the Law of God—yet,
did many things contained in the Law of God—is God going to condemn them
forever in sin
- because
Satan has blinded their minds and they couldn’t understand
- because
Jesus had not yet come
- because
they never had the Word of God
- because
they died in some tragedy: killed as infants, war, flood, famine, pestilence,
disease
and God let all of these things
come upon mankind—didn’t He? Yes, He did! Because we don’t have
anything that didn’t come from God one way or the other. Yes, He used Satan the
devil as an instrumentality, also. But God is the One Who brought the judgment
of the Flood. Did all those people who died in the Flood commit the unpardonable
sin? Well, if the Holy Spirit was never offered, perhaps only a few
committed the unpardonable sin. How about all of those who have died in
whatever circumstances? And we all know, in our own family tree, we all know
the history of things that have gone on in our family; we can read the history
books and see what has gone on in the world; we can see the cruelty of
man-to-man. And, of course, man thinks he has the ability to solve the
problem—when the truth is only God can solve that problem—and
he [man] doesn’t have any ability to solve it at all. So we have the clue back
there: ‘We’re given in this age or in the coming age.’
Romans 2:14:
“For when the Gentiles, which do not have the law, practice by
nature the things contained in the law, these who do not have the law
are a law unto themselves… [every law of God is applicable to all human beings
at all times. How does God view that then? They’re not of Israel. They weren’t
called of God. Yet, they lived decent lives and they didn’t commit the unpardonable
sin.] …who show the work of the law… [the true Law of God] …written in
their own hearts, their consciences bearing witness, and their reasonings also,
as they accuse or defend one another)” (vs 14-15). How’s God going to solve
this? They’re trying to do good!
I was taken
aback one time when all the Church wars and the things were going on. I
remember that I met some Japanese who went to a Buddhist temple over in
Watsonville. You know something, they were kinder and nicer to me than some of
the brethren in the hierarchy! Isn’t that amazing? Yes! And I could not
help but think of this verse: ‘a law unto themselves.’
When is God going
to recognize this? Verse 16: “In a day when God… [as we started
out, today is a day of salvation. We have seen in Matt. 12
that there is a resurrection yet to take place, when then men of Nineveh and
those of the queen of the south will stand in the judgment and condemn the Jews
who had Jesus come to them, had the law, had the Truth—in a day! We’re going to see that this Last Great Day is that day!] …when God shall
judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my Gospel.” That’s an
amazing set of verses: 14-16—isn’t it? Yes!
Now let’s
come to Revelation 20, and let’s see what we have here. We’ve been there many
times. How many times have we kept the Last Great Day in our lives? Well, I’m
going on 50 years—this will be 50 years for me. I get excited about the
Last Great Day every year; even then I have preached about it every year; even
though I’ve written about it. It is such a fantastic and exciting thing that is
going to take place. We know when Christ returns the dead in Christ shall rise
- meet
Him in the air
- be on
the Sea of Glass
- come
down from the Sea of Glass
- Satan
is bound and put away
- the
Millennium takes place
- we rule
and reign with Christ a thousand years
Satan is loosed at the end of
the thousand years to get rid of all the incorrigible sinners who reject
the way of God when it’s right smack in front of them and everyone around them
knows all about it—so those people will have no excuse. They are killed
with the fire of God that comes down out of heaven to destroy them, and then Satan
is cast back into the Lake of Fire to prepare for the next phase of God’s
plan—and the last phase for humanity.
Rev, 20:4
talks about the first resurrection, but notice this parenthetical statement
right smack in the middle of it. Why is this parenthetical statement put right
there? Because the first thing that comes to mind is: What about those
who were not called? What about those who were not in the first resurrection?
What’s going to happen to them? The Scriptures say that ‘all God desires come
to repentance’—but they have to choose it. God desires all men to be
saved—but they have to choose it. Now, what happens to all of those that
God never called, nor were given an opportunity to choose? It’s answered right
here:
Revelation
20:5: “(But the rest of the dead…”—those who are not in the first
resurrection. Let’s understand something: When it talks about the first
resurrection, that shows that there’s an additional resurrection—doesn’t
it? By the very fact that it’s called ‘the first’—correct? If the
resurrection at the return of Christ were the only resurrection it would
be called the resurrection. And in some places it’s referred to
in that way—the resurrection of
the ‘just and the unjust,’ Jesus said. There will be those who will be raised
to a resurrection of judgment and some to condemnation. But Jesus
promised that all who are in the grave shall hear His voice. They
shall come forth. Quite a statement—isn’t it?
Here is the
answer, v 5: “(But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand
years were completed.)” The rest of the dead is everyone who has ever lived and
died who never had an opportunity; who never knew about Christ; who never
committed the unpardonable sin; those who are good and sincere people who, even
without the Law of God, had the works of the Law of God written
in their heart, because they saw that that was the right thing to do. You’ve
heard a lot of people say, ‘It’s the right thing to do.’ When they say that,
they’re really basing it upon a principle that’s in the Bible—correct?
God isn’t going to forget those people. They didn’t live their lives in vain.
We say in Matt. 12 they’re going to be resurrected.
Now, let’s
come back to Ezekiel 37 and let’s see this great and tremendous, and this is
one of the most wonderful chapters in the Bible. It shows right here—and
we’ll answer the questions as we go along with it—the valley of dry
bones. They made even a folk song of it: ‘dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones’
Probably a lot of you know the whole tune, taken from Ezek. 37. This is an
unusual chapter because it talks about those who have been dead who have then
been brought to life. What did it say in Rev. 20? That the rest of the dead
lived not again until the thousand years are finished. And since they’re
going to live again, are they just going to be given blanket eternal life;
raised and changed to spirit beings immediately? If that were so, then why did
we go through all that we go through
- to
suffer
- to grow
- to
change
- to
overcome
- to
build the character of God
- to fight
Satan the devil
- to
fight the world
and everything that we go
through
- to live
by the Truth
- to
stand by the Truth
- to love
God
- to
believe God
- to look
to His hope of the first resurrection
and then if all of these people
are resurrected immediately, given eternal life, what a change that would be!
God doesn’t operate that way. That’s why, as we read this, they are resurrected
to a second physical life for a first opportunity for salvation, because
God desires that all, who choose to do so, repent! And that all who choose
salvation can be saved! But since God has decreed that it must be—and we
can see it by this here—by this kind of growing and overcoming must be
done while we’re fleshly human beings. All the rest of the dead who never had
an opportunity for salvation are going to be given their first opportunity, but
it will be their second physical life.
Just like if
we analyze why did Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead? So he could be in the
first resurrection! If he died not having received the Holy Spirit, because
the Holy Spirit had not yet been given—correct?—then he would have
to wait for what we call the second resurrection. But Jesus wanted him to be in
the first resurrection, so He brought him back to life so he could receive
salvation. Lazarus was a type of what we’re going to read here.
Ezekiel 37:1:
“The hand of the LORD was on me, and brought me by the Spirit of the LORD, and
set me down in the midst of a valley, and it was full of bones…. [Where
do bones come from? From something that has lived! In this case,
people.] …And He made me walk among them all around…. [Ezekiel walked through
the bones] …And behold, very many were in the open valley. And lo, they
were very dry…. [They’d been dead a long time.] …And He said to me, ‘Son of
man, can these bones live?’ And I answered, ‘O Lord GOD, You know’” [Can they
live? They’re all dry, white, broken, disintegrated.] …Again He said to me,
‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the Word of the
LORD”’” (vs 1-4). God can raise them from dead. They had physical life once,
and that physical life, from the instant of conception, is who you are and who
every human being is. The only difference between a newly impregnated life in
the womb of a mother and a full grown human being is development. This is why,
I believe, God is going to resurrect all those who were aborted, stillborn and
so forth. God can do it. He can raise up these dry bones. And if everything
that you are as a human being is locked in by the spirit of man at
conception, then it’s no problem to resurrect you because you’ve already been
created, in a sense, but what you are has already been set at the instant of
conception. Therefore, it wouldn’t be any great problem for God to resurrect
all of those babies who have suffered those things to resurrect them equivalent
to full-term.
“Thus says
the Lord GOD to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you…
[fleshly human beings need breath—don’t they? Yes!] …and you shall
live. And I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover
you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live…. [and
then something else takes place]: …And you shall know that I am the LORD’” (vs 5-6). They didn’t know God before, although the heard of
Him, they didn’t know about God.
So I
prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise. And
behold, a shaking! And the bones came together, a bone to its bone. And as I
watched, behold the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered
them above…. [Here are all these corpses, re-created corpses lying out there.]
…But there was no breath in them. And He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the
wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Come
from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain that they may
live.’”’” (vs 7-9). A second physical life: flesh, sinew, blood, skin, now
breath—right? They already lived once, so whatever they were is recorded
in their DNA, and on the spirit of man that God gave them. So God just
uses the spirit of man with the whole code of that human being. Whala!
Re-created!
“So I
prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived
and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army…. [What a shock! What a
surprise! What a fantastic thing that that is!] …And He said to me, ‘Son of
man, these bones are the whole house of Israel…. [Remember the principle in the
Bible: To the Jew or the Israelite first, then the Gentile.’ And we saw back in
Rom. 2 that God is also going to take care of them in a ‘day of judgment’ which
is pictured by this Last Great Day.] (Notice, they thought everything was
lost): …Behold, they say, “Our bones are dried and our hope is lost; we
ourselves are completely cut off.” Therefore
prophesy and say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, O My people, I will
open your graves… [They were dead once] …and cause you to come up out of your
graves and will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know
that I am the LORD when I have opened your graves… [and He says it four
times] …O My people, and have brought you up out of your graves. And I shall
put My Spirit in you…’”’” (vs 10-14).
Because they didn’t have the Spirit of God in them
and they were not converted in their first life; so here is their opportunity
for it. What did Jesus say, John 7, on that Last Great Day? ‘That all who come
to Me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’ And this He spoke
of the Holy Spirit—correct? He gave it to His disciples on the day of Pentecost.
Here these people who never had an opportunity, never understood the Word of
God, never were called of God, lived and died, now they’re given a chance. Even
though the house of Israel should have known God, they didn’t know God for
spiritual salvation.
“‘And you
shall know that I am the LORD when I have opened your graves, O My
people, and have brought you up out of your graves. And I shall put My Spirit
in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. And you
shall know that I the LORD have spoken it and have done it,’ says the LORD” (vs
13-14).
Now, let’s
come back to Revelation 20. Quite a fantastic thing—isn’t it? Yes,
indeed! That’s quite something! Rev. 20 talks also about ‘the rest of the
dead’ a little further on than what we read earlier. Before they’re
resurrected, what does God do? He casts Satan the devil into the Lake of
Fire! Why? Because they already lived one life under Satan the devil! That’s quite sufficient—really! Some people say, ‘How can they have
salvation when the devil is not around there to try them and test them? Hey,
they’ll remember what they went through. They’ll understand the difference.
It’ll be on the same basis that it was during the Millennium for the people
then. Was Satan removed? Yes! Was there universal salvation granted to
all men? Yes! Well then, here’s universal salvation granted to all those who would
repent.
Revelation
20:11: “Then I saw a great white throne… [That’s why this day is also referred
to as a Great White Throne Judgment] …and the one Who was sitting on it, from
Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and no place was found for
them.” There were so many! He just didn’t know what to do with them
all—billions and billions of people! And by time the Millennium is over,
hey, the earth is going to be all prepared to receive billions of people.
That’s going to be something! This is going to be the greatest and most
fantastic event in the history of mankind for the salvation of those who lived
and died and never had an opportunity for salvation. Isn’t that magnificent!
You talk about
- the
grace of God
- the
love of God
- the
hope of God
- the
fulfillment of the plan of God
That’s really something when you understand that! That’s
quite a thing!
“And I saw
the dead, small and great, standing before God; and the books were
opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of Life….”
(v 12). What are the books that are opened to them? The understanding of the
Word of God! and by that time, I believe, we’re going to have much more
than the Bible that we have today. Won’t we have a whole lot more? Yes,
indeed! This is for our age. What’s it going to be for the Millennium?
What’s it going to be for this age? As Jesus said, ‘In the coming age.’ They’ll
have an opportunity for repentance, because they will remember their past sins,
and they will remember their past lives, and they will repent when they see the
goodness and greatness and magnificence of God to give them a second physical
life for a first opportunity for salvation. Don’t you think that’s going to
bring a tremendous wave of repentance? Yes, it’ll bring the blessing and
forgiveness of God to them; an opportunity to receive the Spirit of God for
salvation. And just like we saw of the Millennium, they will live a hundred
years. They will have an opportunity to grow and to change and to overcome.
They will be given the same opportunity as those in the Millennium. What a
tremendous time this will be!
- undo
every sin
- undo
every disaster
- undo
every abortion
- undo
every terrible thing that has happened to human beings
who, unfortunately, because of the way it turned out with
Adam and Eve, God was not going to let Satan the devil and the sin that Adam
and Eve did that was passed down to all human kind because of their sin, defeat
His plan. God is going to change that!
And another
book was opened: “…which is the book of Life….” (v 12). This
means that now they will have an opportunity to have their names written in the
book of Life for spiritual salvation. I’m sure that God’s keeping record of
human being—Jesus said that even if a sparrow falls, God understands
that—that their names were written somewhere in a book, which we can say
is for the second resurrection. If our names are written in a book of Life for
spiritual salvation, theirs must have been written there for the physical
resurrection for an opportunity for salvation, then the book of Eternal Life is
opened for them and have their names written in it. What a fantastic
opportunity? What a defeat of Satan the devil? What an overwhelming thing? And,
brethren, this is going to be God’s grandest thing! And on the little ’ole day
that’s hardly mentioned in the Bible—the eighth day, the Last Great Day
is truly great!
Now, there’s
one other thing that has to happen. What is God going to do with all of those
who previously committed the unpardonable sin? The Bible shows they have to die
twice, which means they have to be resurrected to a judgment which sentencing
is being cast into the Lake of Fire. So we go through the whole 100-year
period, first phase of the resurrection is resurrected to physical life to
receive an opportunity for salvation. We go through the whole 100-year period
and if there are any who have rejected salvation at that point, they won’t be
changed from flesh to spirit—they’ll remain flesh. Then the rest of the
dead who have committed the unpardonable sin will be resurrected. They will all
be cast into the Lake of Fire. That will end their lives completely.
Verse 13:
“And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead that were in them; and they were judged
individually, according to their works. And death and the grave were
cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death…. [God is going to make
that judgment.] …And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he
was cast into the Lake of Fire” (vs 13-14).
Now, we
continue on with the Last Great Day, because God goes on beyond this. The
finishing of this, the getting rid of all of those who have committed the
unpardonable sin burned up in the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire consumes the
whole earth and prepares it for the new heaven and new earth and New Jerusalem.
After the fantastic thing of the second resurrection, now comes something even
greater and much more wonderful and much more awesome! Now the plan of God for
creating His Family is complete.
Revelation
21:1: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea…. [all evaporated
because the Lake of Fire encompassed the whole earth to prepare it and make it
new for the New Jerusalem.] …And I, John, saw the Holy City, the New
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for
her husband. And I heard a great voice from heaven say, ‘Behold, the tabernacle
of God is with men… [the spiritual tabernacle; the dwelling place. We’ve
gone all the way from the Garden of Eden to the tabernacle with the children of
Israel; to the temple with the children of Israel; to our physical bodies in
the New Covenant—God dwelling in us; Christ dwelling in us; to now
dwelling literally, spiritually with God! Amazing!] …and He shall dwell with
them, and they shall be His people… [perfectly, complete, righteous, spiritual
people] …and God Himself shall be with them and be their God’” (vs 1-3).
It’s going to be a tremendous time! Everything will be healed! Everything will
become joyous and happiness!
Verse 4: “And
God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall not be
any more death… [live forever, immortal beings living in New Jerusalem, seeing
God the Father face-to-face] …or sorrow, or crying; neither shall there be any more pain, because the former things have passed away.’…. [all of that
is gone! We’re going to look back at that time and say for what God has blessed
us with now and how we’re living now, ‘It was worth it.’] …And He Who sits on
the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ Then He said to me, ‘Write,
for these words are true and faithful.’” (vs 4-5). They’re going to come to
pass! They are going to happen!
“And He said
to me, ‘It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the one
who thirsts, I will give freely of the fountain of the water of life…. [and
that goes right back to John 7:37—doesn’t it? Yes!] …The one who
overcomes…’” (vs 6-8). And this is what we need to look forward to, brethren
- to
overcoming
- to
growing
- to
changing
in spite of every circumstance and problem that we are
confronted with.
- God
will provide a way out!
- God
will give the help! God will give His Spirit!
- God
will open the door!
- God
will change circumstances!
- God
will answer our prayers!
Right now, today, so we can be there at this time that
we’re reading of in the book of Revelation.
“The one who
overcomes shall inherit all things… [We’re co-heirs with Christ! We’re going to
inherit the universe! God made that for a purpose, and we’re included in it!]
…and I will be his God, and he shall be My son…. [One last final warning for
those who do the reading]: …But the cowardly, and unbelieving, and
abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars… [All those who will not repent] …shall have their part in the lake
that burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.’” (vs 7-8).
So, one of
the angels came and said, ‘John, I want to show you the Holy City. I want to
describe it.’ It’s quite a tremendous description. It is sort of a spiritual
perpetual history of the plan of God that has been fulfilled and now is going
to open up for all eternity. New Jerusalem is going to be awesome; 1500 miles
square—wide, high and tall! We’ll have our place there in New Jerusalem,
because Jesus said, ‘If I go I will come again and I shall prepare a place for
you so that you may be where I am.’ And where is Jesus going to be? In New
Jerusalem! That is the place. And whatever your ‘place’ is going to be it
is going to be a beautiful, wonderful thing composed of spirit. Just like we
are made of the dust of the earth now, everything we see around us is made of
the dust of the earth, too—is it not? As spirit beings then, are there
not things that are composed of spirit? Is not the throne of God composed of
spirit? Have to be in order to contain His glory! If it weren’t composed
of spirit, and it were composed of physical things, it would have disintegrated
of His just being there. So all of this is talking about spiritual things.
Verse 22:
“And I saw no temple in it; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the
temple of it…. [Direct access to God personally, spiritually, for all
eternity.] …And the city has no need of the sun, or of the moon… [Doesn’t say
that it isn’t there because later it talks about months, and you can’t have a
month without a moon to regulate the month—correct?] (But it doesn’t have
the need of it): …that they should shine in it; because the glory of God
enlightens it, and the light of it is the Lamb…. [Notice what it’s going
to be on the rest of the earth]: …And the nations that are saved shall walk in
its light; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into
it. And its gates shall never be shut by day; for there shall be no night
there. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. And
nothing that defiles shall ever enter into it, nor shall anyone who
practices an abomination or devises a lie; but only those
who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (vs 22-27). What a tremendous thing
that’s going to be—right?
Then
Revelation 22: “Then he showed me a pure river of the water of life…
[Remember John 7 where they poured the water around the altar. Now, here it is
the throne of God—pure Holy Spirit of God as water!] …clear as crystal,
flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb. And in the middle of the street, and on this side and that side of the river, was the tree of life, producing twelve manner of fruits, each month yielding its
fruit; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the
nations…. [the maintenance of the nations.] …And there shall be no more curse…
[Isn’t that something! Why will there be no more curse? Because everyone
will be perfect spirit beings and there will be no more sin! You
have to become a spirit being in order to achieve that.] …and the throne of God
and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him, and they
shall see His face… [face-to-face] …and His name is in their foreheads.
And there shall be no night there; for they have no need of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God enlightens them; and they
shall reign into the ages of eternity” (vs 1-5). In the vastness of the
universe! What a plan that is going to be! What thing that is going to be!
Brethren, this is knowledge that the world does not know. They don’t understand
it.
Verse 6: “And
he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true; and the Lord
God of the Holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things that
must shortly come to pass. Behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is the
one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.’” Revelation being the
last book of the Bible then means the whole Bible. You need the whole Bible to
understand the book of Revelation. So, the message from the angel was ‘Don’t
worship me, John. You worship God.
Verse 10:
“And he said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book because
the time is near…. [So, brethren, with all that’s going on in the world and all
the troubles and difficulties that are there, keep your mind on this, because
the time is coming]: …Let the one who is unrighteous be unrighteous still; and
let the one who is filthy be filthy still; and let the one who is righteous be righteous still; and let the one who is Holy be Holy still.
And behold, I am coming quickly… [On a scale of time by God’s time-schedule,
it’s quickly! In our lifetime a lot of us are coming to the end of the trail.
So it will be quickly. All the saints who have died in the faith, they have a
crown of life waiting for them, a new name waiting for them: a spiritual body,
a spiritual mind, joy and happiness forever. And all of the wretchedness of the
human flesh and the aging and the shriveling and the dying and the disease, all
gone!] …and My reward is with Me, to render to each one according as his work
shall be’” (vs 10-12). Our works are important, but they have to be spiritual
works, motivated by the Spirit of God, led by the Spirit of God.
“‘I am Alpha
and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.
Blessed are those who keep His commandments, that they may have the
right to eat of the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the
city…. [What a glorious thing that is going to be—right? Yes, indeed!]
(Left out? All of these): …But excluded are dogs, and sorcerers, and
fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and devises a
lie…. [That’s for all of those who commit the unpardonable sin. They won’t be
there. We won’t have to worry about fighting sin. We won’t have to worry about
overcoming sin. We will be called the overcomers!] …I, Jesus, sent My
angel to testify these things to you in the churches. I am the root and the
offspring of David, the bright and morning star.’ And the Spirit and the bride
say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who thirsts
come; and let the one who desires partake of the water of life freely” (vs
13-17).
It’s coming! Brethren,
it’s coming and we’re a part of it; God has called you to it!
Verse 18:
“For I jointly testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this
book, that if anyone adds to these things, God shall add to him the
plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of Life, and from the Holy City, and from the things that are written in
this book. He Who testifies these things says, ‘Surely, I am coming quickly.’
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus….” (vs 18-21). When he was about hundred years
old and ready to die and had been given this tremendous vision and
understanding to write it down and to impart all of this knowledge to us!
So, brethren, God loves us! God has called us! We may have some difficult times
ahead of us—guaranteed, we will! But keep this in mind and when we
get through to the end we will say, ‘It was worth all of it.’ Thank you
for being here at the Feast, and I hope that it has been profitable to you.
Until Passover time the festival season for this year has come to an end.
Scriptural References:
1)
Leviticus
23:34, 36-37
2)
2
Chronicles 5:12-14
3)
2
Chronicles 7:1-3, 8-12
4)
Haggai
1:15
5)
Haggai
2:1, 4-7
6)
Nehemiah
8:18
7)
John
7:37-39
8)
1
Timothy 2:4
9)
2 Peter
3:9
10) Matthew 13:10-15
11) 1 John 5:16
12) Matthew 12:31-32, 38-42
13) Romans 2:14-16
14) Revelation 20:5
15) Ezekiel 37:1-14
16) Revelation 29:11-14
17) Revelation 21:1-8, 22-27
18) Revelation 22:1-6, 10-21
Scriptures referenced, not
quoted:
- Numbers
28, 29
- 2
Chronicles 6
- Isaiah
4
- 2
Corinthians 4
- 1 John
1
- Matthew
12:37
- Revelation
20:4
|
