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LAST GREAT DAY - 2000
Fred Coulter - October 21, 2000
And greetings, brethren. This is the Last Great Day for the year
2000. And I know every year it’s a wonderful feast. And I’m sure
you’ve had a wonderful feast, and I’m sure that it’s like everything else,
it goes too quickly and it’s over with. And in a way it’s just right
and God has the exact proper length of time so that we won’t wear out and
that we can learn as much as we can. And the thing about the Feast
ending in such a way is this, is that you’ll miss fellowshipping with the
brethren. And that is especially so when we understand that many of us
are scattered and some of us don’t even have a fellowship group to attend.
And we’ll try and do the best we can. Just pray about it and ask God
to raise up more people and always remember this: if you’re alone, someone
has to be first. And what we’ve been able to do with God’s help and
God’s inspiration down through the years, the knowledge that God has given
us has just been marvelous and fantastic, brethren
And so now we come to the time where we read the scriptures in Leviticus 23
concerning the Last Great Day. So let’s go ahead and to Leviticus 23.
And I think it’s really profound and interesting that God has put all the
holy days together there in Leviticus 23 so that only those who really
desire the truth, only those who really believe God, only those who really
truly love Him will understand that we are to keep these days today.
Especially when you consider the way that the world is going, and the way
that even some of the Churches of God are going. And it’s sad to see
the things go that way and what has happened to the Church. But
brethren, God is still there. God is right there with Christ at His
right hand and He is here to show us, to teach us, to lead us, and Christ is
the head of the Church. And so let’s always keep that in mind.
Now let’s begin here in Leviticus 23:33 again. “And the LORD spake
unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying…” So these are
instructions for all the children of Israel. These are not just
instructions for the priests alone. “…The fifteenth day of this
seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days
unto the LORD.” Now we’ve already had that. “On the first day
shall be a holy convocation [which we had]: ye shall do no servile work
therein. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire…”
(Lev. 23:33-36). Now we don’t make one every day of the Feast of
Tabernacles, the reason being is because those sacrifices were given then.
And some were on the first day and they would eat the first day, second day,
third day. Some would offer on the second day, and they would eat on
the second day, and the third day, and the fourth day. And some would
offer on the third day and they would eat on the third day, and the fourth
day, and the fifth day, so forth all the way down through the feast.
Now it says, “…on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you…”
And this is the eighth day. And as we will see number eight is the
number of new beginnings. Now that is true according to God’s word.
Now don’t be disturbed if some people come along, who are false prophets,
and they steal some of the information concerning numbers in the Bible and
cause you confusion. They’re just still the same false prophets though
they have that point of truth. “…And ye shall offer an offering made
by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall
do no servile work therein” (vs. 36). Now servile work is the
kind of work that you get paid for. Or that you do in the normal
course of your way of living. And so whatever is necessary for keeping
the Feast, that’s what we can do. And that is what makes it so
important concerning the holy days.
Now, verse 37, “These are
the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy
convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt
offering, and a [meal] meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings,
every thing upon his day: besides the sabbaths of the LORD…” Now let’s
understand something here very important. All of the holy days are
called sabbaths. And so if you believe in the seventh day Sabbath,
then you also have to believe in the rest of the Sabbaths because those
belong to God just like the seventh day Sabbath. “…And beside your
gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings,
which ye give unto the LORD. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh
month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast
unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath [there
it is called a sabbath directly], and on the eighth day shall be a
sabbath [there it is, today is an annual sabbath]” (vs. 37-39).
“And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees,
branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the
brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days” (vs. 40).
Now this has been a really rejoicing feast for us. And I want you to
be uplifted and inspired so that you can face the things when you go back
home. And the feast being over, the Last Great Day being over, and you
go home and have to face the world, which is run by Satan the devil, have to
face all the trials and difficulties that you may go through, and just
remember the greatness of God and the purpose of His plan, and what He is
doing. And also, as we are going to be taking up an offering today,
let that be expressed in your offering. That you love God, that you serve
God, that you worship Him.
Now verse 41, “And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the
year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall
celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all
that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths” (vs. 41-42). Now what
they do in Jerusalem is this even to this day. And I’ve seen pictures
of the temple area, booths and dwellings that they make there. Most of
the homes in what we call Israel today, or Palestine as would be more
properly called because it’s not Israel, because only when God is there can
it be called Israel again. We need to understand that. An
Israeli means, Israel without God, when you truly understand the meaning of
the word.
But never the less when they have their Feast of Tabernacles they set up
these little booths. And they’re like tents. And then they
decorate the front of it and on the inside of it with all of these boughs.
And then what happens is those who come and travel to Jerusalem are able to
stay in the rooms of the people who now have the temporary dwelling out on
the top of their flat-top house. And so it makes a good feast that
way. Now today, it’s perfectly all right as we know to go ahead and
rent a motel room or a hotel room or to rent a house and stay there because
it’s a temporary dwelling. And when you really come to understand it
all, even our homes are temporary brethren. Because our hearts, as far
as our thoughts and our minds and what we are going to do are toward God the
Father and Jesus Christ at His right hand, which is in heaven where we look
for Christ to return and to bring the Kingdom. And so when we give the
offering here let’s just keep that in mind.
We’ve covered concerning the offering many, many times, and we know
brethren, that this is all a part of our worship and service of God on the
holy day, and so you give according to as you’ve proposed in your heart, and
you give with rejoicing before God to serve Him in love for all the good
things that He has done, and the things that come in the way of offerings
and tithes are all used to go back and serve the brethren. And so just
keep that in mind. So at this time we’ll take a pause and we’ll go
ahead and take up the offering.
(Pause)
Now if you caught me speaking a little bit as the pause went on and you
heard me say just in time. Well it was just in time, because there was
an airplane flying over and we didn’t want to get that on the tape.
[Laughter] So we have all these things we need to fight when we do it.
But anyway brethren, this is a great and a marvelous day, and a special holy
day for God. And it’s very interesting that the Bible says, as we
covered before, Christ said, “I’m the beginning and the ending, the first
and the last.” And the Last Great Day will be the greatest day because
there are so many things that are going to take place on this day, and this
knowledge is the knowledge that is hidden from the world. They don’t
know it. They don’t understand it. They don’t recognize it.
They don’t realize God’s plan because they don’t keep His holy days.
Now let’s just take a review of all the holy days beginning with the
Passover, which we know is not a holy day but it is a commanded convocation.
Now I’m going to break it down according to Israel, and the Church, and the
millennium. Now, I’m going to go quite rapidly on this so don’t worry
necessarily about taking notes on it. You can if you are a good speed
writer, but just listen to it and just see how that God’s plan is revealed
step by step by step, first to Israel, then to the Church, and then to all
the people during the millennium.
Now the Passover for Israel pictured the sparing of the firstborn of the
children of Israel. That means that God is Savior, He saved them.
And He destroyed all the firstborn, killed them, of the Egyptians both man
and beast. This also shows that God will fight for us. So this
shows that Christ is our Savior.
Now for the Church the Passover is that Jesus is the Passover Lamb of God,
who takes away the sins of the world. And we look to Christ for
forgiveness, for His mercy, for His kindness, or His love, for His grace.
It also pictures the institution of the New Covenant on the night of the 14th.
Jesus took the bread and broke it and said, “Take eat, this is My body,
which is broken for you.” And likewise He took the cup of the wine and
He gave it to them and said, “All of you drink of it for this is My blood in
the New Covenant.” And we are to do this as often as we do until
Christ returns. And likewise with the footwashing. And the
footwashing shows that we have part with Christ, and it shows also that it
renews our baptism. So the whole Passover for us is really a
tremendous time because of renewing of the Covenant and accepting the body
and the blood of Christ to cover our sins, and to renew the Covenant every
year.
Now in the millennium it will also picture the New Covenant during the
millennium, or we could call this the Millennium Covenant that God is going
to make with the children of Israel and the rest of the world. And
it’s going to show that only through Christ do they have forgiveness of sin.
And I’m sure some of the things that apply to the Church, such as a renewing
of the covenant, renewing of their baptism, accepting the truth and love of
God to overcome their sins. That will all be part of it for all the
people during the millennium.
Now the Days of Unleavened Bread. Of course you know we have two holy
days in this. That’s interesting. It’s the only feast where we
have two holy days. Now the Feast of Tabernacles is seven days, one
feast. And there is one holy day, which is the first day. And
the eighth day is a special separate feast. So we have seven plus one.
And when we come to the Passover, which is one day, which by the way also is
an unleavened bread day. Then we have plus seven days, so we have a
total of eight.
Now for Israel the Feast of Unleavened Bread pictures the deliverance from
the bondage of Egypt. It also pictures the leaving of Egypt with the
night much to be remembered. And the last day of the Feast of
Unleavened Bread they crossed the Red Sea. And it also shows in Exodus
13 that they are to keep this feast so that the commandments and laws of God
would always be before them. And so likewise some of these things
carry over for us.
For the Church the Days of Unleavened Bread picture that we are delivered
from the bondage of sin and Satan the devil. This also shows that we
have been given a new nature, which is putting out the sin, receiving the
Holy Spirit of God. That pictures the unleavened bread that we eat.
And it is that now we live in grace and we have access to God the Father.
We have justification from our sins. And also we have keeping the
commandments in the spirit of the law now, and we also our hearts and our
minds changed by the Spirit of God being converted and having the laws and
commandments of God written in our hearts and in our minds now. And
also that we are going to overcome and get rid of human nature. So
that’s quite a bit for the Church.
Now for the millennium. We will have some of the same things with it,
which is this: physical life is temporary, and that human nature is filled
with vanity. And that’s why they keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
to overcome the vanity that they have as we studied that part of it with the
book of Ecclesiastes. Now it shows also that Christ only can forgive
their sins. Salvation only is through Jesus Christ. And there is
also a great gulf fixed between those who are spiritual, those who are in
the first resurrection and serve as kings and priests and the bride of
Christ, between the flesh of the human beings then and the spirit beings who
will be ruling an controlling it. And during the millennium it’s going
to be where there is not going to be Satan at all. There is going to
be also a change even in human nature cause Satan won’t be there to tempt
them.
Now then let’s come to the Feast of Pentecost. Now here’s the meaning
for Israel. For Israel it’s a receiving of the Ten Commandment at Mt.
Sinai the very first Pentecost that the children of Israel kept after they
left Egypt. It also pictures when they entered into the land that they
would reap of the harvest and they would have the harvest of the
firstfruits. Now the harvest of the firstfruits ties in with the wave
sheaf offering that they did on the first day of the week after the regular
Sabbath during Unleavened Bread. That pictured the beginning of the
acceptance of God of the harvest and for the Church that pictures Christ
ascending to be the first of the firstfruits accepted by God the Father for
us for the offering of sin.
Now for the Church. Pentecost has greater meaning for the Church.
Receiving of the Holy Spirit, as we find there in Acts 2. The beginning of
the Church. It pictures the spiritual harvest of the firstfruits by
the first resurrection, and we are the Church of the Firstborn. It
also pictures the marriage of Christ and the bride. It also pictures
the saving of the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude in Revelation
7, which happens on the day of Pentecost.
Now then, during the millennium the firstfruits in the first resurrection
will always be first. And they will always have a special and
different relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ than the rest of
the human beings who come into the Kingdom of God through the operation of
the millennium. And it will also picture, I am sure that it will be a
remembrance of what each one of them received the Holy Spirit whenever they
were baptized.
Now let’s come down to the Feast of Trumpets. Now the Feast of
Trumpets is a very interesting feast and one of the most important things it
does, it shows that God is King. God is warrior. He will fight
for us. And also it is the day which is the beginning of the
calculated Hebrew calendar.
And let me just say right here brethren, please do not let anyone lead you
astray with their own invention with their own calendar. God gave to
the Levites the method in operation of calculating the calendar. It is
valid going clear back to the 5th
and 6th century B.C., and all of those things follow right through
down on through our time. And please understand this, nowhere did God
give any authority to any other man to give the calendar, other than through
the Levites. So when we come down to the time of Hillel the second in
the 300’s A.D., please understand this, as a Levite he made it known to all
the world how that the holy days can be calculated with the method given to
the Levites and so in fact it has been perpetually proclaimed by the proper
Levitical authorities from that time unto this. And don’t let anyone
mislead you or deceive you on this. So the Feast of Trumpet pictures
the calculated Hebrew calendar for us.
Now also for the Church it pictures the first coming of Christ and the
second coming of Christ. And it pictures the beginning of the
destruction of Babylon the Great. And it is also the day in which God
is going to take vengeance upon the Beast and the false prophet, destroy
their armies, and cast them into the lake of fire. Now it also is the
installation of Christ as King, the beginning of the Kingdom of God on
earth, and the beginning of our reign as kings and priests with Christ.
Now for the millennium it’s going to always picture the proper calendar.
And of course there is probably going to be a restoration of all things and
at that time in the restoration of all things during the millennium, I am
sure that God is going to give us a 360 day calendar and a 30 day month, and
12 equal months so we won’t have to fight all the problems that we do today,
which by the way brethren is a result of sin. It’s also going to be a
continuous remembrance for them during the millennium of Christ’s return,
that Christ is King. And also a continuous remembrance to them that
the kings and priests of God reign and rule on the earth.
Now the Day of Atonement for Israel. It pictured a special day when
all of their sins were atoned for. And with the two goats, one for the
Lord and one for Azazel showing that in order to get rid of sin you have got
to remove the author of sin. Now the children of Israel didn’t quite
fully understand that but nevertheless it was there. And for them it
showed that as a nation and a people that they could be at one with God
through the covenant that God established with them at Mt. Sinai, and that
would be then in the letter of the law.
Now for the Church. It pictures the removal of Satan the devil and
binding him in the abyss. It pictures us being at one with God through
having received the Holy Spirit. And to be at one with God shows then
that we can have the mind of Christ. And that’s all pictured by the
day of Atonement. Plus there is something very important for the world
and that is the Day of Atonement pictures when God, after removing Satan the
devil, has the sacrifice of Christ then made available to the whole world.
Now for the millennium, the world will be living in a state of at-one-ment
with God, because Christ will be on the earth, the saints will be ruling,
and they will be at one with God. And as we have covered for the
meaning of the feast during the Feast of Tabernacles, and so forth, we’ll be
teaching them. And also there’s going to be a special thing that will
be for the millennium, which will be also for the Day of Atonement, which is
that Satan is bound, no longer influencing the world. And it will show
that the flesh must inherit eternal life, and there is no permanence in the
flesh.
Now the Feast of Tabernacles for Israel pictured, number one, living in the
land and dwelling in booths while they were on their way from Egypt to the
Promised Land. It was the great ingathering of the physical harvest of
all the crops that they had. And it also shows that God dwelling with
them dwelt in a tabernacle. And we also saw, as we did on the first
day of the Feast of Tabernacles, that God put His presence in the temple on
the first holy day of the Feast of Tabernacles.
For the Church it shows that Christ dwelt on earth in the flesh, and John
1:14 says, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us”, and the word
there is “tabernacled”. And He did, He dwelt among us
temporarily. It is also a time where it is picturing for the Church
that Christ is dwelling in us by the power of His Holy Spirit. And
also it shows for the Church there in 2 Corinthians 5, that our bodies then
are temporary tabernacles for the housing of God’s Holy Spirit within us
that we may grow in character and grow to have the mind of Christ. Now
it also pictures for the Church when we will live with God. When we
will be dwelling with God. Now that’s a tremendous meaning. And
it also pictures Christ and God the Father living and dwelling in New
Jerusalem and we are dwelling there with them. And there will be no
more temple. Now we’ll see that a little bit later on.
For the millennium, for the people on the earth, they will know that they
are dwelling with the sons and daughters of God, who are also dwelling with
them as their teachers and leaders, and priests and kings. And also
pictures when we will be dwelling with men. Now, universal salvation
will be given to all who repent and come to desire it. It’s not going
to be given to everyone, but the vast majority during that time will choose
salvation. It shows for all the people during the millennium that this
physical life is temporary, and it is going to be the great spiritual
harvest for all the nations.
Now the Last Great Day. Now I don’t think Israel understood too much
about the Last Great Day because they did not understand about the first
resurrection, and they didn’t understand about the second resurrection.
But for Israel it pictures their day of salvation because God did not give
and grant salvation to the children of Israel when He brought them into the
Promised Land, or when He called them out of Egypt, and so forth.
Now for the Church. It pictures a time of the second resurrection,
God’s final judgment, and we will judge. And one of the first things
we are going to do on the Last Great Day when Satan is cast into the lake of
fire, we are going to judge the angels. Paul said, “Know you not that
we shall judge angels.” That’s when we will judge them, on the Last
Great Day. And then it also shows for all of the sinners, the lake of
fire because they will be judged, and cast into the lake of fire. And
then the whole earth will be burned up.
Now for the millennium, which will actually be the day after the
millennium, if we could put it that way. This brethren, will be the
greatest harvest of all which we will see. And it will undo all sins.
God is going to make right, or justify all sins. And at the end of it,
end of the meaning of the Last Great Day there will be a new heaven and a
new earth, a new Jerusalem, and then God will reveal His plan for all
mankind, now born into the Kingdom of God, now all spirit beings. And
what are we going to do for all eternity? And please understand this,
and just think on this. If God made this world so marvelous, and
wonderful, and beautiful, and fantastic, and how much it’s going to be
improved all during the millennium, don’t you think and know that God is
busy working and building and planning for the fulfillment of the Last Great
Day when New Jerusalem comes down, when the whole universe then will be
opened up to us? Yes, He will. So this is going to be really a
tremendous thing.
So just think how this comes down step-by-step all the way through.
And in bringing out these things in even just a summary, we are talking
about things that the world does not know and the world does not understand,
and cannot understand because they won’t yield and submit to God.
Now let’s come to John 7, and we will see that Jesus kept the Last Great
Day. Now one thing that’s interesting concerning the gospel of John is
that it’s centered all around the holy days. Now many people don’t
even catch that or even know that. And John is trying to tell us
something very important. Now we are to follow Christ’s example,
aren’t we? We are to do as He did, aren’t we? We are to keep the
days that Jesus kept. Yes.
Now here in John 7:37. Now it’s important that we understand the
timing of this because this was a special ceremony. This was called
the ceremony of water. And it was done right as the sun was setting
ending the last day of the feast, and beginning the Last Great Day of the
feast, which is today. So it carried over into the eighth day.
Now let’s pick it up here in verse 37, “In the last day, that great day
of the feast [this is today], Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man
thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.” And yet this verse has never
been fulfilled. This is a prophecy of what’s going to happen during
the Last Great Day, and it is also for those who God calls that comes to Him
will receive the Holy Spirit, come and drink. “He that believeth on
Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
water” (John 7:37-38). And brethren that’s also a prophecy for us too.
That when we are in the Kingdom of God and we are teaching the people who
are resurrected in the second resurrection for the Last Great Day.
Yes, that God’s Holy Spirit is going to be flowing out to all of them, and
it’s going to be a great and a marvelous harvest.
Now verse 39, “(But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on
Him should receive: for the Holy [Spirit] Ghost was not yet given;
because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” Again, another point that
is true. God did not give the Holy Spirit to them back then under the
Old Covenant because it was not yet given. We find in 1 Peter 1 that
it was given to the prophets and to the kings, but not to the people in
general. And now during the Last Great Day, in order to undo
everything that has been done in this world by the way of Satan the devil
and human beings. Then there has to be the Holy Spirit of God to do
it. And it’s going to be the greatest time of the Holy Spirit of God,
even greater than the millennium. That’s why this is called the Last
Great Day. And we are going to have a profound part in it. And
God has called you to do this. And God has called you so that you
are going to take the place of all of these people that are running the
world today. Now I want you to think about that. And I want
you to remember that. And I want you to understand that God has called
us to teach us, to educate us, to prepare us for these things. And
brethren, the knowledge of the Last Great Day is such a marvelous and
fantastic thing, because it answers the question about how is God going to
save all people.
Now let’s go to 2 Peter 3, and let’s read that here. I remember one
man that I talked to the very first time. He said, “Now I want you to
answer me one thing. You say no one is saved now except those that God
calls. Well then, what about here in 2 Peter 3? Now what does
this mean?” Now let’s read it, verse 9, “The Lord is not slack
concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.” And he said, “Now when I look out and I see this world I
see that it’s Satan’s world. Now how is God going to do this?”
Obviously then, if God hasn’t done this then Satan is more powerful than
God. And many people believe that. Because of all the things going on
in the world, that’s certainly not of God, is it? Well, you see, God
does not think as a man. God does not do things as a man does.
God has His plan and His purpose, and He is going to do it in His way, and
His time, and that’s what this Last Great Day pictures.
Now let’s go to Matthew 13, and I want you to understand how precious this
knowledge is. I want you to realize what a great thing that it has
been, as we started out with the Feast of Trumpets, that God has a purpose
that He’s working out on this earth. And brethren, God’s purpose is
being worked out on this earth and He has called you first to know, to
understand, to realize. And that began with the apostles and carries
right on down to this day. And we have the whole word of God, and we
have the knowledge of God, and we have the holy days of God. And
that’s why, because it’s so profound in understanding that God’s purpose and
how He lays it out step by step, that one of the first things that Satan
wants to do is to move you away from the holy days. To move you away
from the right and proper Passover. To move you away from the Sabbath.
To move you away to his way and to bring you back into darkness.
Now let’s understand how profound this is here in Matthew 13. And
let’s pick it up here in verse 9. He says, “Who hath ears to hear, let
him hear.” Now here is what the people didn’t understand because He
spoke to them in parables. “And the disciples came, and said unto Him,
why speakest Thou unto them in parables? He answered and said
unto them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom
of heaven, but to them it is not given” (Matt. 13:9-11). So brethren
do you understand that the knowledge you have is what God has given you?
And the understanding that you have comes from His word through His Holy
Spirit so that you can know the things of God. Now that’s a tremendous
thing. That is an absolute marvelous blessing. And it’s one that
we have to continually grow in. One that we have to continually
exercise.
Now notice verse 12, “For whosoever hath, to him shall be given…” and God
wants to give us more. God wants to give us greater understanding.
God wants to give us greater faith, greater hope, greater love to fill us,
as we will see, with the fullness of God. That’s a tremendous calling.
“…And he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall
be taken away even that he hath.” And in the end it will be nothing
because they will be turned to ashes and dust. “Therefore speak I to
them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of
[Isaiah] Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear and shall not
understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive…” (vs. 12-14).
And people can have their Bibles, they can study their Bibles… Now I
talked to a woman here this summer, who one of the most important things for
her was her Wednesday night Bible study. And I said, “Well, oh, what
church do you go to?” “Well,” she said, “we’re fundamentalists.”
“Oh,” and I said, “that means you keep the seventh-day Sabbath?”
“Oh, no.”
I said, “Well, you’re really not a fundamentalist or a scripturalist unless
you do.”
“Oh, well I don’t think God will hold me to that. We keep Sunday.”
And I looked her right in the eye and I said, “Do you think that God is
going to hold people responsible for murder, and adultery, and lying, and
thievery, and idolatry, and taking God’s name in vain, and having other
gods, and you don’t think that God is going to hold you responsible for the
fourth commandment to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy?”
And you talk about…it was something. She just bristled up just like
that. Brethren, I want you to understand how great it is that you have
the knowledge of God through the holy days.
Let’s continue on here. “For this people’s heart is waxed gross…” Oh
yes, they love to use the name of God. Oh yes, they love to tell God
what to do and think they are righteous, as we’ve seen with what we covered
with the mystery of lawlessness. Oh yes, yes. “…And their
ears are dull of hearing…” Just like this woman. She didn’t hear.
She had no ears for hearing. She already had her eyes closed and here
ears shut but just so she could look on the things that she wanted.
“…And their eyes they have closed…” Now it’s kind of a joint operation.
If you close your eyes and close your heart and mind, God will also close
them just like Pharaoh hardened his heart and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s
heart. So it’s a dual operation here, same thing. “…Lest at any
time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their
ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be
converted, and I should heal them” (vs. 15). Why if God wanted all of
them healed, now why didn’t He do it here? Because in God’s plan, now
is not the day of salvation for everyone. Now is the day of salvation
for His Church and those that God calls. Not for the world. The
world will have its day in this Last Great Day, as we will see. So that’s
why God did it, because God is able to undo it. And He will undo it.
Now notice verse 16, “But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and
your ears, for they hear.” And it’s very important that we always keep
our eyes open and our ears clean so we can hear, so we can see. And
that is a spiritual operation through prayer, through study, through
fasting, through yielding to God and loving God and maintaining that
relationship continuously day by day, and week by week, and month by month,
and year by year.
Now notice how profound this knowledge is that you have. “For verily
I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to
see those things
which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those
things
which ye hear, and have not heard them” (vs. 17). That’s how
wonderful and fantastic the holy days of God are brethren, because they
reveal these things to us.
Now let’s continue on here. Let’s come to Romans 11. Now
remember brethren, as we’re turning to the book of Romans, we are told by
Christ in John 6 that none come to Christ except the Father draw him.
And none come to the Father except through Christ. So it is a joint
operation, and it is a joint thing that God is doing. Ok, let’s come
to Romans 11 because this gives us further understanding about what happened
to Israel and about what is happened to the whole world here.
Now let’s pick it up here in verse 7, “What then? Israel hath not obtained
that which he seeketh for?” No, Israel did not attain under the
righteousness of God and salvation. “…But the election hath obtained
it…” And we are the election. That is we have been called, we have
been chosen, and few are chosen because many are called, so it actually ends
up that even though many are called few are really called because few
respond. “…But the election hath obtained it, and the rest were
blinded…” Now if God blinds them and yet He says He wants all to come to
repentance, how is God going to solve this problem? And the answer is
in the Last Great Day.
“(According as it is written, God hath given then the spirit of slumber…”
So we see how God has done it and they have done it, both. “…Eyes that
they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.”
And so that is a prophecy continuing down unto now. “And David said,
Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a
recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and
bow down their back always. I say then, Have they stumbled that they
should fall: God forbid...” (vs. 8-11). In other words,
has this happened to Israel, so that they are cast off forever and have no
salvation? Paul says, “God forbid: but rather through their fall
salvation is come
unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them
be
the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the
Gentiles; how much more their fulness? (vs. 11-12) And their fullness will
take place during the millennium, and during the Last Great Day. Both. How
much their fullness?
So he says, “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of
the Gentiles, I magnify mine office…” (vs. 13) Now then he says here, “If by
any means I may provoke to emulation them which are of my flesh, and
might save some of them...” (vs. 14) So, he was still interested in that,
brethren. That’s really tremendous. “For if the casting away of them be
the reconciling of the world, what shall
the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” (vs. 15) Now that’s
something.
Now, let’s continue on here to verse 21. “For if God spared not the natural
branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.” (vs 21) So you see,
God’s judgment falls on all alike. “Behold therefore the goodness and
severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if
thou continue in his
goodness…” (vs. 22) Did you catch that? If you continue. That’s why it’s
constantly emphasized all through the New Testament. “If ye love me, keep my
commandments.” (Jn. 14:15) If you do the things that I say. If you believe
me, Christ said. “…otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they also, if
they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to
graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is
wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree:
how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed
into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be
ignorant of this mystery…” (vs. 22-25) Which it is, which this Last Great
Day pictures. And brethren, let me just say this. The details of what Paul
gives here as an outline, we understand today and Paul did not understand it
back in his day. And isn’t that a marvelous thing? That’s something.
Here’s what he knew about it. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be
ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that
blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles
be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved…” (vs. 25-26) And
this Last Great Day answers when
shall they be saved; how shall they be saved. And that’s a tremendous
thing. “…as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and
shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto
them, when I shall take away their sins.” (vs. 26-27) And that’s when God is
going to remove it. Now we saw all that beginning with the millennium. All
the way down through the millennium that’s going to happen to Israel and
Judah. And all during the Last Great Day that’s going to happen to Israel
and Judah that were cut off for their parts; that were turned over to the
hardness of their hearts; that were cut off because they refused to see and
refused to hear. So this is a great and marvelous thing that God is doing.
Part 2
Now, let’s continue on here with verse 27. “For this is my covenant
unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Rom. 11:27) So when is He
going to do it? Now we’ll see and it’s a great and wonderful thing. “As
concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as
touching the election,” because of God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob “they are beloved for the father's sakes.” (vs. 28) And the
father here you’ll notice then is plural, meaning Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (vs. 29) In other words, God isn’t going to repent of
what He is doing as well as to us. The gifts of God and His calling are
without repentance. You can’t change your mind on it. “For as ye in times
past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their
unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy
they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief,
that he might have mercy upon all.” (vs. 30-32) And we will see when in just
a minute. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding
out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his
counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto
him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things:
to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (vs. 33-36) And brethren, that’s a tremendous thing.
Paul died with this knowledge, but he didn’t have it complete because John
was the one who wrote for us the keys to understanding this.
Now, let’s come back to Revelation the twentieth chapter. And let’s
continue on with what John was inspired to write here. And we’ll put it
together with the other scriptures, so that we will know exactly what’s
taking place here.
Now let’s pick it up beginning in verse 4. We’ll review just a little bit.
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto
them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of
Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast,
neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in
their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Rev.
20:4) That’s the whole millennium. Verse 5. “But the rest of the dead lived
not again until the thousand years were finished.” (vs. 5) That’s a key and
important thing. Now let’s understand also what else it’s telling us here
concerning the rest of the dead when they are raised. And that is found
beginning in verse 6. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death hath no power…” Now this is telling
us, as we will see verified with other scriptures, that those in the
resurrection at the end of the millennium, which is the second resurrection,
the second death has power. Now, if the second death has power that means
that they have to be raised to a fleshly existence, because spirit cannot
die. So they have to be physical human beings as we will see and we’ll it
see verified here in just a little bit.
Now, we’ve gone through the rest of the scriptures and we have come down
here to, let’s come down to verse 11. And then let’s understand something
here very important. “And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on
it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was not
place found for them. And I saw the dead [that is the rest of the
dead], small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and
another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to
their works.” (Rev. 20:11-12). Now this tells us an awful lot here
brethren.
Let’s see if we can understand this now. First of all we are dealing
with people then who have had their eyes closed, their ears stopped, and
their hearts hardened and God did it. Now in that then there has to be
an understanding concerning sin, because not all of those who are raised
will be raised for an opportunity for salvation because there are two phases
to the second resurrection, as we will see. The first phase will be
for those who have sinned but have not committed the unpardonable sin,
therefore their lives are worthy to be raised in the second resurrection for
an opportunity for salvation, which God did not give them during their first
life. And as we will see concerning the wicked, they will be raised to
be cast into the lake of fire because there will be no forgiveness of their
unpardonable sins.
Now let’s look at two things to understand this first of all. Let’s
come to Romans 2 and let’s understand concerning those who have done some of
the things according to the laws of God in their lifetime but they were
never called. And if God did not call them and they have not committed
the unpardonable sin, then God is going to give them an opportunity for
salvation as the rest of the dead who are raised after Satan is cast back
into the lake of fire. And remember, as I said yesterday, all of those
who come up in the second resurrection will not have to live their lives
again under Satan the devil. As I’ve said before, once is plenty
enough, don’t you think? And you just look at your life and you look
at the world and you can say yes, amen, that is true.
Now let’s pick it up here in Romans 2:14. “For when the Gentiles,
which have not the law [God never gave them the law], do by nature the
things contained in the law [so even though they are sinners of Gentiles,
they were not sinners in sinning the sin unto death], these, having not the
law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in
their hearts…” Now that’s a very interesting phrase, isn’t it? And
it’s the only place in the whole New Testament where in the Greek it is “the
works of the law”, showing that it has to do with basically the Ten
Commandments of God and it does not have to do with works of law, which then
were those things which the Jews did, those temple things which were done,
and works of law which other religions have in their own way. So this
is the works of the law, “…written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and
their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the
day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my
gospel” (Rom. 2:14-16). Now how is that going to be? Ok, we’ll
see.
Let’s come to Matthew 12 and let’s see that they will be raised.
Let’s see that this fits right in with the rest of the dead living after the
thousand years. This also tells us about the unpardonable sin which we
covered yesterday, but let’s understand it a little bit more. Let’s
come here to verse 31. “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin
and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy [Spirit] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” Why?
Because the Holy Spirit comes from God the Father, and when you blaspheme
what God the Father is doing there is no forgiveness because you have
blasphemed the highest authority. God the Father who reigns supreme
and sovereign in the whole universe. There can’t be any forgiveness of
that.
Now notice, “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall
be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy [Spirit] Ghost, it
shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come” (vs. 32). And the Greek is “the coming world”, and the coming
world is the Kingdom of God. “But the rest of the dead lived not until
the thousand years are finished” (Rev. 20:5). So this is telling us
that there are two parts to it, as we will see.
Now then He told the scribes and Pharisees who accused Him of casting out
demons and healing the sick by the power of Beelzebub, He says to them,
“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree
corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For
out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out
of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil
man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say not
you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account
thereon in the day of judgment” (vs. 33-36). Now for us that Day of
Judgment is now, cause Peter says, “Now is judgment on the house of God.”
It’s on us brethren. God is judging you day-by-day, week-by-week,
month-by-month, year-by-year. That’s why we have to live under the
grace of God, and we walk by faith, and we grow in the love of God, and grow
in the relationship and fellowship with God. And that’s why when we
repent our sins and our iniquities are removed from us and forgotten.
And that’s profound and very important for us to maintain this relationship
with Jesus Christ and God the Father.
Now for people in the world who are going to be raised in the second
resurrection, they have not yet been judged on any of this. Now if
they have not committed a sin unto death, that is eternal death, the
unpardonable sin, then they will be raised back to physical life and we’ll
see that here in just a minute.
“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master,
we would see a sign from Thee. But He answered and said unto them, an
evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign
be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three
days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three
days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (vs. 38-40). And
brethren, that’s a profound thing and absolutely true.
Now verse 41, “The men of Nineveh…” Now let’s understand the time setting
here. “The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this
generation…” Now they were separated by nearly 1000 years in time. And
because it says, “…they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a
greater than Jonas is here.” Now this is telling us that the men of Nineveh did not sin sin
unto death. They will be raised. They will be given a second
physical life. Now notice, “The queen of the south shall rise up in
the judgment with this generation…” Now here we are many hundreds of
years removed again. “…And shall condemn it: for she came from the
uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a
greater than Solomon is here” (vs. 41-42). And so this shows
that they are going to be raised.
Now then, since there is the book of life for us today, of eternal life,
then there has to be a part in the book of life where God records those
people who are going to be worthy of the resurrection for an opportunity for
salvation. That’s why the books were opened. And then the book
of life was opened, and we will see what’s going to happen when the book of
life is opened for them. It says they’re going to be judged according
to their works. Now then let’s understand something. Since all
are sinners and the wages of sin is death, if God would judge them solely on
their first physical existence they would be condemned to death, condemned
to the lake of fire. There would be no opportunity for salvation
because they were not called, they were never given an opportunity for
repentance, God did not lead them to repentance, and as a matter of fact, He
closed their eyes, and He closed their ears, and He hardened their hearts.
Now let’s come back to Ezekiel 37, and here is the other part of the
answer. And this is how we put the scriptures together in a proper way
to understand them. And Ezekiel 37 tells us an awful lot. Now
keep in mind that Paul wrote, “so all Israel shall be saved.” When?
Ezekiel 37 answers it alongside with Revelation 20. At the end of the
millennium the rest of the dead shall live again.
Now we find that right here in Ezekiel 37. This is the valley of dry
bones. And Ezekiel saw this whole valley of dry bones and God caused
him to walk around in it. God said to Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these
bones live?” And he said, “Lord you know, you know.” Now if
you’ve ever seen a human skeleton or even a picture of it say on television,
or in a photo, or in a book, or something like that, you ask the question,
Can these bones live? So then God told him… let’s pick it up in verse
4, “Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O
ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto
these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall
live: and I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and
cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall
know that I am the LORD” (Ezek. 37:4-6).
Now let’s understand what this is telling us. If there are bones
there, that means they already lived once, correct? Otherwise there
wouldn’t be any bones, right? Now they’re going to live. And
what kind of life are they going to have. Flesh, breath, sinew, and
skin. A physical existence, correct? Yes. Can flesh die?
Yes. That’s why in the second resurrection the second death can have
power over them if they don’t repent. Now let’s continue on and see
this and let’s understand, all through the scriptures it shows us this: to
Israel first and then to the Gentiles, or all the rest of the nations.
So what happens here with the children of Israel happens also to the
Gentiles, as we saw in Matthew 12, that the men of Nineveh, who were
Gentiles, will rise in the judgment with this generation. And the
queen of Sheba shall rise with this generation. So they will all be
raised together.
Now let’s read it. “So I prophesied as I was commanded…” It doesn’t say
that Ezekiel disbelieved God, but it shows that Ezekiel really didn’t
understand what was going on here. And so God had to tell him as it
occurred. “…And as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a
shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I
beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered
them above: but there was no breath in them. Then said He unto me, Prophesy unto the wind,
prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come
from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may
live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into
them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army”
(vs. 7-10). Now they have a second life, don’t they? Because
they were dead once, now they are alive.
Now let’s read it and get the proof of it. Verse 11, “Then He said
unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel…” And didn’t
Paul say, “so all Israel shall be saved.” Yes, here’s the answer.
“…Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut
off for our parts.” In other words they died because of their sins.
But they weren’t sins unto death to the lake of fire. “Therefore
prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O My people, I
will open your graves…” Now you’re only put in the grave if you are dead.
Now if you’re put in the grave while you’re still alive, know for sure it
won’t be long until you’re dead. “…And cause you to come up out of
your graves. And bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall
know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people,
and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put My spirit in you, and
ye shall live…”. Now that is the Spirit of God for salvation because
they were already raised to the second physical life and they lived and they
were talking and saying that they were cut off of their part. In other
words they had remembrance of their former life. That’s what it’s
telling us. “And shall put My spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I
shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have
spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD (vs. 11-14). So there we
go. That’s really something, isn’t it, to understand it. That
answers the question of Revelation 20, what is going to happen when the rest
of the dead are raised at the end of the millennium.
Now then let’s understand what’s going to happen there with them.
Come to Isaiah 65. Now we’ve covered this several times but let’s go
back and let’s just review that again. Because we’ve covered it and
seen how it applies to the millennium. Let’s see how it applies to the
great white throne judgment, the second resurrection. And for these
people when they come up, it’s going to be a new heaven and a new earth,
isn’t it? Yes it will be. “For, behold, I create new heavens and
a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for,
behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.” And
just understand the joy that’s going to take place then. That is going
to be something. All of these dead resurrected to life. And of
course one of the greatest sins that has to be undone is to raise all of
those children that have been aborted, because you see the only difference
between newly conceived life and a full-fledged human being is the
maturation in the womb, and growing to be a physical life. Now that’s
something.
Now as I’ve said before and I’ll say this again, that I believe that God is
going to resurrect all of them, because if not then Satan will have defeated
God in His purpose for those human beings. Now what’s He going to do
with all of them. Well, let’s read here. “There shall be no more
thence an infant of days [that is which will not live out it’s life]…”
And of course at this time during the great white throne judgment, you
cannot have any more babies come into production. And that’s why all
of these babies who have died of abortion or pre-mature death, or children
who have died early in life will be raised back to life and there will be
plenty of adults to take care of them. There will be plenty to give
them a full life. No doubt about it. So the question is: how is
God going to resurrect these infants which were aborted. Well I think
it’s very simple. Resurrect them to what would be the equivalent of a
full-term baby. In other words one that would be the equivalent of
being born on that day. And I think that God is going to give them
back to their mothers. What a thing that is going to be. What an
absolute healing that is going to be.
You talk undoing every evil. You talk about women who have died in
child-birth. Babies that have died in child-birth. You talk
about going down through all the history of the world and all those who have
been killed in wars. All of those who have been slaughtered, all of
the innocent victims who have been killed, all of those who have died from
the plagues and sickness and disease. And just think of the Black
Plague that hit Europe. Think of those that were disintegrated at
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Think of all of those who have been killed in
the wars in whatever nation and whatever time of history. God is going
to resurrect them and give them life. And all the babies will live,
and live to be 100 years old. Of course now at this time then they
won’t die. They will be changed if they accept eternal life. And
if they live this 100 years and receive the salvation of God then they will
be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.
Now the sinner who then does not repent, then he is going to die accursed.
And that accursing is going to be the second death from which there is no
resurrection. And we’ll see that here in just a little bit. Ok,
then they’re going to live a normal life, they are going to have 100 years
which to be judged according to their works. Now let’s go back to
Revelation 20 and let’s pick up where we left off and then we will look then
at the second part of the second resurrection, which will be the judgment of
the wicked.
Now let’s read again verse 12. “And I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Now
this means according to the works that they have during the time that they
have a second life in the flesh. Now some, almost all Sunday-keepers
get real mad at this when they hear this the first time, because they say,
“Well God is giving them a second chance for salvation.” No, that’s
not true. It is a first opportunity for salvation, but a second
physical life because God never called them in their first life. See,
so please always understand that. The reason that Sunday-keepers don’t
believe this is because they believe they are going to heaven. And you
better be saved now, or you’re going to ever burning hell. They don’t
understand the scriptures. Now, God is no respecter of persons, as we have
seen, and they have this opportunity and most of them are going to take
advantage of it.
Now then here is the continuation of this. “And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were
in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And
death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second
death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was
cast in to the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:13-15). That is the second
death. And then what’s going to happen? The whole earth is going
to then be consumed, just like Peter said in 2 Peter 3, that the heavens and
the earth will melt in fervent heat and all of the wicked will be burned up.
That is their judgment. And God has given His judgment on it. If
they are not found written in the book of life it’s going to be to the lake
of fire with weeping and gnashing of teeth. And they will be burned
up. And they will become dust under the feet of the righteous.
Now it’s necessary that that happen, that the whole earth be consumed to
prepare the way for now the final new heaven and the final new earth for all
of those who have received salvation. And let’s pick it up here in
Revelation 21. And Revelation 21 tells us the finality of the plan of
God. Revelation 22 brings us into the understanding of how we’re going
to live with God and dwell with God forever and ever.
Now let’s pick it up here in Revelation 21:1, “And I saw a new heaven and a
new earth [totally new]: for the first heaven and the first earth were
passed away; and there was no more sea.” Meaning that all who live
here now are spirit beings, because only flesh and blood human beings need a
sea to keep the temperature on the earth moderate. Temperature won’t
affect spirit beings.
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” As a bride, not
the bride. “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold,
the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them…”
Now this is men made perfect. Men now living forever as spirit beings.
“…And they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and
be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He
that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He
said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful” (Rev. 21:1-6).
That’s why we have them brethren, so we can know the plan of God. And
God has opened our minds, and opened our hearts and given us the
understanding of His word. And this is a tremendous thing for us to
realize brethren.
“And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of
the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all
things…” And all things is equivalent to the inheritance of Jesus Christ,
who rules over all things. That’s the equivalent of the universe.
“…And I will be His God, and he shall be My son. But the fearful [and
the fearful means those who do not have the courage of their conviction to
stand for the truth], and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have
their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death” (vs. 6-8). And this is given here as a warning so that
we will not fall into those things.
“And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials
full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying , Come hither, I
will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Now he’s not going to show
exactly the bride. But he is going to show where the bride will live,
which is in new Jerusalem as well as the apostles, as well as all the twelve
sons of Jacob, and Abraham, and Isaac, will all dwell in new Jerusalem.
“And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and
shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from
God…” (vs. 9-10). Can you imagine what that was like to see this in
vision?
“Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most
precious, even like jasper stone, clear as crystal; and had a wall great and
high, and had twelve gates and at the gates twelve angels, and names
written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the
children of Israel: on the east three gates; on the north three gates; on
the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city
had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb” (vs. 11-14). So that’s a fantastic thing, brethren. And
that is showing how great that the city is going to be.
“And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the
gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare,
and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the
reed, twelve thousand furlongs [which we would say 1500 miles square].
The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal” (vs. 15-16).
Amazing city, composed of spirit, but not as spirit beings because you see
spirit, God makes things of spirit. And let’s see what it is here.
Verse 18, “And the building of the wall was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.” Now I can’t feature pure
gold as clear glass. But nevertheless, I want to be there to see it,
and I know you want to be there to see it. “And the foundations of the
wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones” (vs. 18-19). And then it
lists every one of them. That’s why…now I want you to notice, tie this
in with 1 Corinthians 3, that we build on the foundation of Jesus Christ,
gold, silver, precious stone. And look all of that is used here in the
holy city.
Now let’s come down here to verse 21. “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was on one pearl…” Can you imagine a pearl
that big for a gate? “…And the street of the city was pure
gold, as it were transparent glass.” Now that must have been an
awesome sight. And when he wrote this I imagine he had a difficult
time really comprehending what it really was. You know, just like we
started out, we see through a glass darkly. Here the darkness is
lifted a little bit for him to see a little bit more. Now notice, “And
I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the
temple of it” (vs. 21-22). And that’s the whole story beginning going
clear back to Adam and Eve and the garden of Eden that God wanted to dwell
with His people, and it’s taken this whole program coming down now to the
ultimate fulfillment of it with the spirit sons and daughters now ready to
move into and live in new Jerusalem, and be there with God the Father and
with Jesus Christ. And they bring the light, and they bring the truth,
and we are to dwell with them brethren. That is something, that is
exciting, and only those in the first resurrection and the bride of Christ
will be living in new Jerusalem. The rest of those who are saved are
going to be the nations who are saved, and they will live on the rest of the
earth, but not in new Jerusalem. They can come to it but they won’t
live there. That’s why Christ said that, “I will write upon you the
name of My Father, and the name of new Jerusalem, which comes down from out
of heaven. And I will write upon him My new name.” So we can dwell
here. and that’s what Christ said, when he said “I go to prepare a
place for you.” And this place is in new Jerusalem. And He’s
going to give us spiritual garments, spiritual clothes, a spiritual place to
live. Now that’s going to be magnificent brethren.
Let’s read on. “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the
moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved
shall walk in the light of it [not live in it]: and the kings of the earth
do bring their glory and honour into it” (vs. 23-24). and who will be
the kings of the earth? We will be. Ruling over those nations
which have been saved. And the glory and honour means all the
spiritual substance… Now I don’t know what kind of light we’re going
to be living, in the sense that what are we going to be producing, what are
we going go be making. How are we going to be active and productive
through all eternity and the entirety of the universe? That’s the
unanswered question. But here it gives us just a little inkling of it.
Now notice, “And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there
shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of
the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any
thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a
lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (vs. 25-27).
And all of the rest, as we have seen, whosoever was not found in the book of
life was cast into the lake of fire. This meaning then, all of those
who enter into the new heaven and new earth and new Jerusalem will have the
perfect spiritual character. None of these things will ever be done.
Satan will have been removed forever to inherit the blackness of the
darkness forever, and ever. And that will be something for us to
always understand. That we will never rise up against God. That
we will never go against God. But we will live in perfect harmony and
perfect love, and perfect unity, and we will have a whole eternity to grow.
Think of that brethren. What a marvelous thing that God is doing.
Now chapter 22. “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb…” Now
this is showing what we will be doing during the millennium. This
shows that there is always a maintenance of eternal life and receiving of
the Spirit of God through all eternity. “In the midst of the street of
it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life,
which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit
every month…” In other words month-by-month, year-by-year, all through
eternity we are going to constantly be partaking of the tree of life so that
we will constantly grow in the knowledge and the understanding of God.
Constantly have all the things that we need to maintain eternal life.
“…And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Rev. 22:1-2). The Greek there is therapeuon, which then is the continuous maintenance of the nations.
“And there shall be no more curse [because there will be no more sin]: but
the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall
serve Him: and they shall see His face…” Isn’t that a marvelous thing?
I wonder what it’s going to be like when we first see Jesus Christ and God
the Father face to face. And this means this depicts our relationship
forever, that it will be forever that He is our Father, that we will come to
Him and see Him face to face. And Christ face to face. No more
estranged relationship, no more cutting off, but direct with God the Father
and Jesus Christ. “And there shall be no more night there; and they
need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them
light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me,
These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy
prophets sent His angel to shew unto His servants the things which must
shortly be done” (vs. 3-6). Now this brings us back to the very
first part of the book of Revelation, correct? Yes. So there we have
the beginning and the ending. And let’s see how profound this is,
brethren.
Let’s come down here to verse 12. Jesus says, “Behold, I come
quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his
work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first
and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,
and may enter in through the gates into the city. For [excluded]
without…” Again to let us know, no more sin. “…[Excluded] are dogs,
and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever
loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto
you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of
David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the
bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him
that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take the water of
life freely” (vs. 12-17). And this is the universal salvation that
will be given to all during the millennium and the great white throne
judgment.
Now let’s come back to Ephesians 3 and let’s finish here brethren, so that
we understand the greatness of God’s plan. The tremendous thing that
God is doing. And that God has planned this, and this is His purpose,
and this is what He has given us to understand, the greatest and most
fantastic knowledge in the world, which cannot be purchased with money,
which cannot be understood by the use of the mind, which cannot be
understood by reading the great writings of men. But can only be
understood from the word of God and the power of His Spirit and the opening
of your mind. Brethren, understand the great riches that God has for
you, the great life that God has opened for you to take and to receive, and
to live, and to be with God the Father and Jesus Christ forever.
Now let’s come back here to Ephesians 3:11, and brethren this is the whole
purpose of the gospel. This is the whole reason why we live and
breathe, and eat, and sleep, and draw breath, and grow and overcome.
“According to the eternal purpose…” And we’ve seen it, all through the holy
days beginning with the Passover on down to the Last Great Day.
“…Which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and
access with confidence by the faith of Him” (Eph. 3:11-12). And I want
you to resolve, even right now today, as we are going through this that you
and when this feast is over, and the Last Great Day is done and you go back
home, and when the next Sabbath comes that you will resolve to grow, to
change, to overcome, to draw close to God, to really let God’s Spirit stir
you up to develop that relationship. To grow in loving God with all
your heart and mind and soul and being, that you can be filled with all of
these things that God’s purpose in your life will be fulfilled in this
tremendous and awesome way. You can have that boldness, you can have
that confidence.
“Wherefore…”, Paul said in his condition while he was in prison. “…I
desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.”
So he looked upon them entirely differently, didn’t he? And I want you to
look upon the trials and tests and difficulties that you will experience in
this coming year, that it’s for your good, it’s for your glory, it’s for
your eternal life, and help God to help you understand the purpose in them.
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is name, that He would grant you…”
And this is my prayer for you brethren, this is Paul’s prayer for you, this
is Christ’s prayer for you. “…That He would grant you, according to
the riches of His glory [right from the very power of God], to be
strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man…” (vs. 13-16).
That Christ dwells in you, that you have the heart of David and the mind of
Christ to be strengthened. Brethren that is so great.
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love,” Built upon that love of God, built upon that with all
your heart, and mind, and soul, and being. That you “May be able to
comprehend…” And brethren it is my prayer every year that we understand more
of God’s way so we can comprehend because only God can give it to us to
know, that you may know, that you may comprehend, that you may understand.
Notice, “…With all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height…”, that is of God’s plan, of
what God is doing with you. “And to know the love of Christ, which
passeth knowledge…” That means it passes all human knowledge. There is
nothing on this earth that it can even compare to the love of Christ and
love of God the Father. Now notice, “…that ye might be filled with all
the fulness of God”(vs. 17-19). To be that spirit being, to be that
son and daughter of God. To be filled with strength and power and
radiance and glory, and to be in new Jerusalem, to love God, to love Christ,
to see them face to face, to talk to them personally, to understand your
part and your plan in it. That you be filled with all the fullness of
God.
Now here is a promise, verse 20. “Now unto Him that [that has the
power] is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think…”
That’s how great God’s plan is for you. That’s how marvelous it is
brethren. “…According to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
Amen” (vs. 20-21). That brethren, is the meaning of the Last
Great Day.
God bless you, have a save trip home, stay close to God, love Him in truth,
and I hope to see you sometime this year as I travel.
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