Let’s begin with a three-question quiz; a Q&A for eternity.

The choices are: Yes___, No___, I don’t’ know___.

Is there life after death?

If so, will there be a bodily resurrection of the dead?

If we live forever, will everyone be in heaven with God?

For those who selected, “No” to the first question (now or at any time in their life), the next two questions would be irrelevant to them. Why? Because it’s evident they haven’t read the Bible or don’t believe what it says if they have? Even if they acknowledge the Bible as God’s Word, it’s apparent that they prefer the temporary enticements of this world to the incomparable paradise of everlasting life in heaven.

Scripture is crystal clear that the answer to the first two questions is a resounding, “Yes!” With the answer to the third question a solemnly sad, “No.”

For believers in Messiah Jesus, Heaven awaits us. For unbelievers when they die … Hell. Followed by the “second death” (eternal separation from God) in the Lake of Fire after they, too, are raised from their graves. They remain under God’s wrath for not believing and receiving God’s Son as personal Savior (John 3:36).

The promise of Romans 8:1 applies only to believers: “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

As does, “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of underserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory” (Romans 5:1-2).

If you answered, “I don’t know” to one or more of these questions, my response would be, “Why? Don’t you want to know? Don’t you want to be sure?” The Bible plainly states that we can know, we can be sure.

Why is that? Because the historical fact is that Jesus Christ arose from the dead, attested to by many who saw him and were with him.

“…Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died” (I Corinthians 15:3-6, italics for emphasis).

In addition to this greatest miracle of all time, the Bible is replete with numerous other miracles performed by God and by His Son. As well as hundreds of prophecies that have come to pass, with 100% accuracy. Such mighty miracles and perfectly fulfilled prophecies cannot be found in any man-made religion or so-called sacred texts. Nor can their adherents be certain of where they will spend eternity, because all man-made religions and cults are based on self-worth or good deeds. They cannot know for sure if they’re good enough or have done enough.

In stirring contrast, God’s salvation is a matter of believing and receiving Messiah Jesus as Lord and Savior, who did for us what we could do for ourselves. Who was and is what we could never hope to be without him.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (II Corinthians 5:21).

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle John says, “I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life” (I John 5:13).

Concerning the third question in the quiz, let’s look at:

The Righteous (Saved) & the Unrighteousness (Unsaved)

When the Lord bodily appeared to Abraham as the Pre-Incarnate Messiah and confided in Abraham his intentions to judge Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham asked God to reconsider if there were but 10 righteous people in the city. Said Abraham: “…Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (Genesis 18:25, a rhetorical question).

Hundreds of years later after God chose Moses to deliver the Israelites, we read:

“Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and he called out his own name, Yahweh. The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, ‘Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty…” (Exodus 34:5-7a).

Who are the guilty … the unsaved, the unrighteous according to God? Numerous Bible passages answer that question, both Old & New Testament. The guilty are those who have refused to place their trust in God’s simple yet profound plan of redemption. A plan that began when God shed the blood of an innocent animal to provide clothing for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21). Clothing necessary because their sinful disobedience had taken away their innocence (exemplified by their nakedness) and had exposed them to God’s guilty verdict of death … both physical and spiritual. Remember, the word death throughout Scripture means separation, not annihilation.

A plan culminating in the once for all substitutionary sacrifice of God’s own Son, Messiah Jesus; to replace the Old Covenant of the Law which required ongoing animal sacrifices to cover the sins of the people.

The Bible is decidedly clear that God divides people into two human hemispheres: the righteous and the unrighteous … believers and unbelievers. And it is by faith in the Lord’s gift of salvation through His Son that gives us right standing with God … righteousness. The same faith through which God declared Abraham righteous long ago also saves us today.

The only difference is that Abraham and Old Testament saints were looking forward to Messiah’s redemptive remedy for sin. The truth of which was foreshadowed in the Levitical Sacrificial System; though offerings to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were already underway before the Law of Moses. Thus, Jesus’s once for all sacrifice is adequate for all people—past, present, and future. However, we must make that salvation personal.

Resurrection in the Old Testament

God’s creation plan of eternal existence for every person ever born has not changed, except for one thing: RESURRECTION!

A bodily resurrection … for both the saved and the unsaved.

The New Testament offers considerable testimony regarding the resurrection of the dead. But there is also ample evidence in the Old Testament, as God systematically revealed his plans to the prophets.

Messiah Jesus definitively declared: “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying” (John 11:25). Before that dynamic disclosure, even the prophets didn’t completely comprehend how the unrighteous could stand before God one day and the righteous would live with God forever.

Would it be a literal resurrection of the body, or in spirit only? Would there be a single resurrection for both the righteous and unrighteous, or more than one … separated by time and space? The prophets and those who listened to them and followed the Lord faithfully didn’t know all the details; still, they believed God and his promises.

“All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

Said Jesus to his disciples about the many who didn’t believe in him: “…For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand” (Matthew 13:13).

Then a few verses later: “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it” (Verses 16-17).

“All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had planned. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us” (Hebrews 11:39-40).

Despite his great suffering and despair because he had done nothing wrong to deserve the loss of his family, possessions, and health, Job believed that God would vindicate him. Despite not knowing why these things happened, and despite coming up with inaccurate cause and effect correlations and conclusions (by both Job and his “friends”), Job uttered an astounding affirmation of faith and hope.

“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!” (Job 19:25-27).

I, too, am overwhelmed with this terrific truth: Resurrection … body, soul, and spirit!

King David (along with Isaiah) understood eternal life as well or more than anyone in Old Testament times, including the remarkable revelation that the Messiah would die for our sins and be raised again bodily.

(Words of King David from Psalm 23, that begins with “The Lord is my Shepherd.” This Psalm is known by many, including unbelievers)

In the first Gospel message preached after Christ ascended to heaven, Peter emphasized above everything else the resurrection of Jesus from the dead—to prove that he was the Messiah, the Son of God. In part of his message to the crowd (of which 3,000 would accept Jesus as Savior that day) Peter quoted David, “For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave” (Acts 2:27, quoting Psalm 16:10).

Peter went on to say: “…David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us… David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection… God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this” (Acts 2:29-32).

Both Elijah and Elisha raised a boy from the dead. However, like a handful of resurrections recorded in the New Testament, those raised (for example, Lazarus by Jesus) died again. Thus, many observant Jews believed that resurrection was possible; yet most refused to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead, let alone that his resurrection would be permanent … forever!

See Eye of Prophecy article, There’s Resurrection … And There’s Resurrection! (Posted 3-19-16). Which is a comparison of Old and New Testaments resurrections to the once for all resurrection of Messiah Jesus.

Will There Be More Than One Resurrection of the Dead? If so, How Many?

To eliminate suspense or to confirm what you may already know (but can you explain your answer?), the question will be answered now; then supported with examination of some decisive passages.

There are TWO (types of) Resurrections. However, there will be three separate times when these two resurrections take place. That is not a contradiction!

In Revelation Chapter 20, the return to life of the Tribulation saints is called the “first resurrection.” There’s also the resurrection of the dead in Christ that occurs at the Rapture, which precedes the tribulation believers. Then, after the Millennium, Revelation 20 dramatically describes yet another raising of the dead—those who are unbelievers.

First (foremost) we need to remember that the Rapture and physical return of Messiah (Zechariah 14 and Revelation 19) to the earth are separate events. Please see Eye of Prophecy article: Messiah’s Return & The Rapture (Same or Separate Events?) Published 12-3-16. And, End of the World Events … In Chronological Order! (2-25-17) Also, Armageddon and Messiah’s Return … An Amazing Sequence of Events. (2-3-18).

Let’s examine the chronological order of these three resurrections. With documentation and commentary to show that the first two are bundled together in what the Bible labels the “first resurrection.”

(1) Resurrection of Believers at The Rapture

After the risen Messiah ascended back to heaven, 1^st century believers eagerly expected him to return any day. Though 2,000 years have gone by, the reality of his imminent return (at any moment) is as relevant today as then. In fact, his return is more imminent that ever, considering other Biblical prophecies unfolding in the 20^th and 21^st century, paramount of which is the rebirth of the State of Israel. (See Eye of Prophecy article: Just How Imminent is Messiah’s Imminent Return? Posted 1-18-17).

For unbelievers who have ridiculed Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world as well as his return, and for some believers who sometimes wonder when and even if this will happen, let’s not forget what the Apostle Peter said not to forget:

“Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, ‘What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created’” (II Peter 3:3-4, emphasis added). *Note: the italicized words are rendered “first” or “first of all” in several Bible translations. Later, you’ll see the importance of this as we analyze the first resurrection.

Peter continues: “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends. A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly as a thief…” (II Peter 3:8-10a).

Like many of my brothers and sisters in Christ, I am so eager for that day to arrive. On the other hand, I’m eternally grateful that the Lord has waited this long. Because the question (thought) is: If he had returned before I was born, then would I have been born … let alone born-again to experience the Rapture? Note: Thanks to one of my sibling sisters for that thought/question.

Including this week’s post, 42 Eye of Prophecy articles in the category of The Rapture deal extensively with this spectacular subject. Such as: The Tremendous Transfiguration of Believers, posted 7-23-16. And, of course, the first five articles published in July/August 2013; concerning the What, Why, When, Who, and How of the Rapture. Since the purpose of today’s article is to clarify the number of resurrections, discussion of the Rapture will be limited.

Beginning with an excerpt from Why the Rapture? In italics:

Primary Purpose: Resurrection (both dead and living believers) with a spiritual body equipped to live forever.

Secondary Purpose: Sparing believers from the tribulation. And giving unbelievers one last chance (up to seven years) to accept the true Messiah over the false Messiah….

If Jesus had not arisen from the dead, there would be no credibility to his or the Bible’s claims that redemption comes exclusively by God’s grace (unmerited favor). But Christ did arise, so all the Biblical truth and promises about salvation in Christ are true….

Perhaps the most absorbing is the Apostle Paul’s introductory use of the term, “spiritual bodies.” Think about it: Aren’t these two words mutually exclusive? How can there be any such thing as a “spiritual body.” Our earthly bodies are flesh and bone; they house our soul and spirit, which are anything but physical. Has anyone ever seen the spirit of another human being? Have you ever seen your own soul?

See Eye of Prophecy articles, Spiritual Bodies … A Contradiction of Terms? Part I & II. Posted 9-26 & 10-3-15.

Continuing with the excerpt:

But for Paul, through inspiration of the Holy Spirit, a spiritual body is a perfectly “natural” fact that will one day be physically experienced by all who have been raptured … not virtual, computer-generated, or cybernetic reality, but actual reality. Just how real is the new resurrected body? Jesus, himself, showed us how awesomely real it is: After he arose from the dead, he walked, he talked, he ate with his disciples, and he could be touched! How real is that?

Listen to what Paul says, “It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised in glory … They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies” (I Corinthians 15: 42-44).

I see this spectacular change taking place in the same light (pun intended) of what happened to Jesus during his transfiguration on the mountain, when Elijah and Moses appeared with him (Matthew 17: 1-7). In fact, I believe the term transfiguration is the best way to describe what will take place at the Rapture. Why transfiguration? Webster’s Dictionary defines transfiguration as, “a change in form or appearance….”

How will this transfiguration take place? The question concerns only the transfiguration itself, not the chain events of the Rapture as explained in I Thessalonians 4. For a detailed account of the fascinating sequence of the Rapture and approximately how long it could take, please read Eye of Prophecy article: The Shout Heard Around the World (4-22-17). Which expands on the older article, How the Rapture (will take place).

(In trying to depict believers ascending to heaven artists have inadvertently corrected the prevailing premise that the entire Rapture sequence will happen in the blink of an eye. Only the actual transfiguration will be that quick. Those left behind will hear and see the entire sequence of the Rapture)

Read with me the Apostle Paul’s second revelation of the Rapture, following the entire sequence of this extraordinary event as first disclosed in I Thessalonians Chapter 4:

“But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It (the transformation or transfiguration) will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown, for when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed” (I Corinthians 15:51-52, parenthesis mine).

One more excerpt from Why the Rapture?

To live on this earth requires a special kind of body that God so wonderfully, uniquely, and masterfully created: one that can breathe life-giving air; drink life-sustaining water; eat life-growing food; feel life-producing pleasure and life-warning pain; see and hear life-enabling sights and sounds; produce life-perpetuating children; and know life-changing truths. However, the bodies we currently possess are not in any way, shape, or form adequate to live forever in the new earth and the new heavens that the book of Revelation so majestically portrays.

God has promised and will give us a brand new “heavenly body.” One that far surpasses the limitations of our earthly space suit. One immune to pain, sorrow, suffering, sin, disease and most of all, death itself. (See Revelation 21:4). One that can “leap tall buildings with a single bound and is faster than a speeding bullet!” Okay, a little facetious here; but isn’t that the underlying idea of Superman? Christ is the only “Super Man” who ever lived, and he will give us a heavenly body like his, to enable us to do extraordinary things, above and beyond our wildest expectations. I, for one, want to fly! And I’m not talking about jumbo jets.

Now for the other well-known passage that describes the Rapture’s startling sequence of events.

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words” (I Thessalonians 4: 16-18, italics to emphasize the Greek word, harpazo).

As clearly indicated by Paul, this resurrection applies only to believers in Messiah Jesus—the saved; those declared righteous by God, both Old and New Testament saints. See article, Old & New Testament Saints … Is There A Difference? (Published 7-7-18).

In I Thessalonians Chapter 5, Paul continues with more details on the Rapture that triggers the Day of the Lord, which encompasses the Tribulation and the Millennium.

“For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever” (I Thessalonians 5:9-10).

This is one supporting passage for those of us who ardently believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of true believers in Christ. The anger of God referenced by Paul in this verse is in the immediate context of the Rapture and the Day of the Lord—which includes God’s final judgment (wrath, anger poured out on the world) during the Tribulation.

(2) Resurrection of Tribulation Saints

“…And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

“This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4-6, parenthesis in the text).

Two integral features of the passage just quoted will be clarified to hopefully eliminate any confusion even among Bible scholars and teachers. One is whether the resurrection of believers at the end of the Tribulation (those who “had not worshipped the beast … nor accepted his mark…”) is exclusively the “first resurrection.” If it is, then what do we do with the Rapture resurrection of believers? This will be discussed under Part A to follow.

The other focal point of this passage: whether only the Tribulation saints will reign with Christ during the Millennium. Which, in turn, would presumably (absent astute analysis and careful correlation of this passage to other passages) exclude hundreds of millions of believers, both living and dead who will be caught up to heaven before the Tribulation begins … at the Rapture. This will be covered in Part B to follow.

(A) First Resurrection

There are two (main) reasons to conclude that the first resurrection identified in Revelation Chapter 20 includes all believers … those raptured before and those who died during the Tribulation. They are: (1) The Greek word translated first; (2) Other key phrases in the text itself.

A (1) Greek Word for First:

There are over a dozen Greek words in the New Testament conveying the concept of first in succession, one (of many), principal, prototype, etc. In Revelation 20, the Greek word employed by John is: Protos. This translated Greek word is found frequently in the New Testament. For example: 156 times in the New American Standard Bible.; sixteen times in the book of Revelation.

Thayer’s Greek Dictionary contains three applicable definitions for protos.

*Note: Whenever there are two or more meanings (variations thereof) for any defined word, the context of the passage—compared to other passages if necessary—will determine the primary or best application.

Protos is defined as: “1. first in time or place. a. in any succession of things or persons. 2. first in rank. a. influence, honor; b. chief; c. principal; 3. first, at the first.”

This multiple application of the Greek word protos is affirmed by its English translation.

First is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as: “preceding all others in time, order, or importance.”

Protos—translated as first (resurrection) in Revelation 20—is (should be) the key application or meaning of rank, influence, chief, principal; a prototype but not necessarily first in chronology. The secondary application of protos in Revelation 20 does relate to sequence, but in contextual contrast to the next (2^nd) resurrection, which is that of unbelievers at the Great White Throne Judgment.

The primary contextual meaning is that of chief in rank or honor, because raising of the Tribulation believers is part of the preeminent resurrection of all believers … vital extraordinary events during the end times Day of the Lord. Both of which (Rapture and Tribulation saints) precede the 2^nd resurrection, which is also an important event (at the end of the Millennium). But one without the prominent eternal joy and triumph of the resurrection of all believers, beginning with the Rapture and culminating with the raising of the Tribulation saints seven years later. Both of which are components of the “first resurrection.”

Instead, the second resurrection (of unbelievers) will be one of hopeless gloom and eternal doom, as every one of them will be thrown into the Lake of Fire along with Satan (and the Antichrist and False Prophet, who were consigned to the Lake of Fire before the Millennium begins).

In Revelation 20, the pyramid order of protos (first) is that of principal, chief, or first in rank; secondarily, that of chronology—both of which are in the immediate context of and comparison to the 2^nd resurrection of the unbelieving dead in Christ.

It’s the predominate meaning in some other New Testament passages where protos is used.

Such as: “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking…” (II Peter 3:3, NASB). *Note: Recall, this verse was quoted earlier from the NLT with the wording that of “most importantly” instead of “first of all.”

The “first” (of all) is not primarily referring to chronological order; rather it’s applying to what is foremost important to understand. We sometimes blend the two together in a common English phrase: First and foremost.

Although the resurrection of believers at the Rapture and those at the end of the Tribulation take place at separate times, that doesn’t mean they are two DIFFERENT resurrections, which are separate or distinct in rank, i.e. a first then a second kind. In fact, they are the same type or in the same category (in contrast to resurrection of dead unbelievers). Both are part of the first resurrection of the dead in Christ. The only thing that makes these resurrections of believers distinctive is that of knowing (or not) when they will take place. The Rapture will happen without warning; whereas the Tribulation believers will be raised as part of an exact enumeration of events during the last days of the Tribulation.

A (2) Key Phrases of the Text:

Other wording in Revelation 20 is also of vital importance to realize both raptured and tribulation believers are part of the first resurrection.

To wit: “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power…” (Revelation 20:6a, italics for emphasis).

Although the immediate reference is that of the Tribulations saints being raised to life again, the broader context of Revelation 20 includes a sequence of events: Satan imprisoned in the Abyss for a thousand years; bodily resurrection of Tribulation saints; the Millennial reign of Messiah; release of Satan for the final battle of all time; and the raising of the unbelieving dead in preparation for the Great White Throne Judgment and their 2^nd death in the Lake of Fire.

John is classifying the resurrection of Tribulation saints as the “first”; but is doing so in the general succession of events and in specific juxtaposition to the subsequent (next, or second) raising of the (unbelieving) dead.

In fact, immediately after he employs the term first resurrection, we find the following in parenthesis—highlighting this contrast: “(The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.)” (Revelation 20:5).

Hence, John extended and incorporated the first resurrection to all believers, not just those at the end of the tribulation. He does so with the all-important phrase of those, “who share in the first resurrection.” Who else could John have been referring to but those who were already in heaven having been raised from the dead at the outset of the Tribulation (Rapture). This sharing convincingly combines both set of believers into the first resurrection. It is the resurrection of the saved that happens first and foremost; to be followed by the (2^nd and final) resurrection of the unsaved.

Do you see that … first and foremost?!

B. Reigning with Messiah During the Millennium

The question of whether just the Tribulation saints will reign with Messiah throughout the Millennium has already been answered by amplification of the scope (sharing) and inclusiveness of “first resurrection.”

Of course, Raptured believers will rule with the Lord during his magnificent Millennial reign as King of all kings. This is cemented by the wording of the last part of verse 6:

“Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death hold no power; but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6, emphasis added).

Early in the book of Revelation, we read:

Who are the “us” of this verse? None other than all believers (both dead and alive) when Revelation was written and all those who would become believers thereafter. (Also, see I Peter 2:5).

(3) Resurrection of Unbelievers

Indeed, this is the third resurrection that will take place in chronological sequence. However, it is still the second resurrection concerning prototype or rank or principal. With the Rapture and Tribulation believers’ part of the first (type of) resurrection.

“And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it… I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne… The sea gave up its dead and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15).

These verses expand on what was revealed earlier in verse 5: “The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.”

John doesn’t specify this Great White Throne Judgment as a (the) second resurrection. Rather he refers to the eternal fate of all unbelievers as the, “second death.” Nonetheless, the passage is crystal clear that all those standing before God had been raised from their graves. Because this takes place 1,000 years after the Tribulations saints are raised from the dead and because it comes after the first resurrection which we’ve already covered, it must by default be the second (the one to follow the first) resurrection of the dead.

Things to Ponder

In his breathtaking description of the resurrection of believers, then transfiguration and transportation of both the living and the (raised) dead in I Corinthians 15 and I Thessalonians 4, the Apostle Paul didn’t use the term, first resurrection. He didn’t need to; it was understood that this was the resurrection spoken of by Old Testament prophets and by Jesus, himself—the one that is first and foremost in rank.

On the other hand, John in Revelation labels the resurrection of believers who died during the Tribulation as the first. But he did so in the immediate context of and contrast to the ensuing resurrection of unbelievers. John also says that (all) those who “share in the first resurrection” will reign with Christ for a thousand years. Therefore, all believers—those at the Rapture and those raised seven years later—will participate in the first resurrection.

Officially, however, the first resurrection in a body that would live forever was that of our Lord and Savior, Messiah Jesus.

“But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection. Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back” (I Corinthians 15:20-23).

When does Messiah return (come back)? Answer: during the Day of the Lord. Which begins with the Rapture (resurrection, transfiguration) and culminates with his majestic bodily return to the earth, seven years later. Both of which include resurrection of dead believers, all of whom share in the first resurrection.

The first (foremost … most significant) resurrection is unto eternal life. The second resurrection is unto eternal death … the living dead as it were.

Except for one thing, both pre-Tribulation and Tribulation believers in Messiah Jesus have everything in common, which includes partaking in the (first) resurrection.

What is that one thing?

Tribulation saints were unbelievers with everyone else on earth the moment after the Rapture.

They did not heed the warnings of Scripture; thus, they will not be spared from the Great Tribulation.

However, the Lord is so loving and merciful.

He is the God of second chances!

“Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7, NASB, italics for emphasis).

“Breath of life” and “a living being” helps us to better understand and deeply appreciate all of God’s creation, especially his final (6^th day) crowning achievement: “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27, NASB).

God’s creation of plant and animal life is of dazzling variety and complexity; however, the human race is (using space science terminology) light years above animals. Human attributes of inductive and deductive reasoning; creativity in multiple areas of life, including the arts, sciences, industry; intentional (as opposed to instinctive) love and hate; and paramount of all—language (speech); exceedingly surpass the most intelligent of animals, e.g. dolphin, chimpanzee, elephant.

Though every form of life has a body and (sadly) we humans sometimes act like animals, it’s the intangible that makes all the difference.

It’s the eternal existence of the human soul and spirit that identifies us in the image of God and vastly separates us from the animal kingdom.

To Be or Not to Be … In Heaven (A Revisit)

That is the title of Eye of Prophecy article posted 5-6-17. In italics, the following is an excerpt:

According to Scripture, every person was born (created) to live forever. That is what is meant when God breathed life into Adam (and Eve) and they became a “living soul.” (Genesis 2:7, KJV). Soul, person, being … all convey the idea of infinity, of time without end. That’s one reason we’ve conceived the expression human being. We don’t say that about animals, i.e. animal being.

Shakespeare’s statement of, “To be or not to be; that is the question,” is, indeed, a profound reflection. A living soul will always “be.” To be born is to be, and be, and be….

However, there is a dissimilarity where someone will spend that eternal existence … heaven or hell. Thus, there is a distinction whether a person will experience eternity in life or eternity in death. Indeed, there is an existence of eternal life and the equally clear Biblical teaching of eternal death, which is not an oxymoron. Death means departure—the body from the soul at physical death and subsequent separation from God forever, which is called the second death in Scripture.

We are all born spiritually dead. The only way we can pass from that spiritual death to life is to be born-again, which is accomplished when we believe and receive Christ Jesus, who IS life.

“And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life” (I John 5:11-12).

Although the Right to Life comes from God alone, because God is the author of life itself … God does give each person the right to choose where he or she will spend eternity. Thus, if a person rejects God’s invitation to believe and receive the pardon purchased by Jesus, they have chosen (eternal) death … to remain forever separated from God. But even that death is a continuation of existence. It’s a death-like absence from all that is right and good and beautiful.

The Greatest Hope of Mankind

Can you think of any higher hope of humanity than that of eternal life? It’s a longing not just for a better life, but for one that’s perfect. For the irreligious, I suppose it’s mostly to extend and even enhance the pleasures of this life forever and to eliminate the displeasures! (See Eye of Prophecy article, Fountain of Youth & Fountain of Life … Is There a Difference? (Posted 3-31-18).

Most people on Planet Earth are religious to some extent or another; and every religion has some form and place of ethereal existence. With exception of the Christian faith (which is not a religion, rather a personal relationship with the Triune God), every religion and cult has a common thread: hopefully good deeds will outweigh the bad to qualify the members for their version of paradise. However, each religion also sets itself above and apart from competitive religions by the premise that unless you belong to that belief system, you have essentially no chance of reaching whatever desired afterlife is presumed by its adherents.

As for me, I have staked my eternal destiny on the Omnipotent Triune God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and in His Word … the Bible. No other “religion” offers a Savior, who did for me (all of us) what I could not could not do for myself: pay the penalty of my sins to restore me to my Creator and make me right with Him. Furthermore, that Savior, Messiah Jesus, arose from the dead to prove that he is who he said he is.

Moreover, the God of the Bible is the only One who even dares to frequently predict the future; with hundreds of those prophecies coming to pass (100% accuracy) and more awaiting certain fulfillment. Who has performed miracle after miracle to demonstrate that he is the only true and living God. There is a glaring absence of prophecies and miracles (real-life as opposed to mythical) in every religious text, except the Bible.

As is said: What more evidence do we need?

Scripture is replete with precious promises of redemption and a glorious (eternal) life in heaven and the New Jerusalem, for all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

Said Messiah Jesus to his disciples (and for all subsequent believers in him) just hours before his crucifixion and resurrection three days later:

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3).

Before we explore eternity and answer the question posed by this week’s Eye of Prophecy title, let’s revisit the:

Magnificent Millennium

“Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge…

“Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection (at the Rapture … completed by the resurrection of Tribulation saints). For them the second death (eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire) holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4 & 6, parenthesis mine).

The following is an excerpt from Eye of Prophecy article, The Magnificent Millennial Reign of Believers with Messiah (Posted 7-15-17). In italics:

There will be responsibilities and activities assigned to all believers during the Millennium, yet not all may be judges as such. With our wonderful new spiritual bodies and minds and hearts, there will be no competition or complaints among believers as to who does what in the Kingdom of God on earth. Obviously, The Lord’s delegated duties to his people will be distributed perfectly; for example, like he assigned 72 pairs of disciples to preach the Kingdom of God during his ministry on earth.

In our Millennial reign with Messiah as joint-heirs with him, we will all be priests of God and of Christ as quoted earlier. Indeed, as soon as we are born-again, we are given that privilege while still here on earth. Yet, that is for a short time and our “priesthood” is often limited and sometimes blemished because we are still fighting a spiritual battle with Satan, with the world, and with ourselves … our flesh and sin nature (See Romans Chapter 7).

Not so in the Millennium. Our re-created spiritual bodies in Christ will enable us to praise, worship, and serve the Lord undefiled. But serve him we will, as opposed to the misconception of unbelievers and even some believers that Christians will have nothing better to do than drift along on clouds playing harps! Don’t get me wrong … there will be the most beautiful music imaginable in heaven!

Or the misunderstanding that the Millennium will be absent any human imperfections … things that cause discord and conflict. The first part of the Millennium will be near perfect, as even unbelievers still alive at the end of the Great Tribulation will acknowledge and bow down to Messiah Jesus as King of all kings and Lord of all lords. But slowly and surely, even though Satan will not be able to exert his influence on earth, people will once again rebel against God’s truth, even as Christ Jesus rules from Jerusalem. This will lead to the final battle of the ages, as found in Revelation Chapter 20.

(I’ve posted this picture a few times before, as it is one of, if not my favorite. Notice the people from ages past and present)

That article briefly covered one of Jesus’s many parables, that of investing in the Kingdom of God as found in Luke Chapter 19. I went on to say:

If you are a believer in Messiah Jesus, you will share in his inheritance. Among other things, Jesus has inherited the nations of the earth and will begin his literal rule and reign over them upon his glorious return to Jerusalem.

“People from many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.’ For the Lord’s teachings will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore” (Isaiah 2:3-4).

Our King will grant authority to believers—Jews and Gentiles alike—to be his assistants, ambassadors, emissaries, judges, administrators; and, when and where necessary, his disciplinarians (by the best and purest example of tough love) in establishing his extraordinary Divine Monarchy on Planet Earth.

Although under different conditions, a parallel Old Testament precedent is when Moses, “…chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves” (Exodus 18:25-26).

Where did we read about resolving disputes? Oh yes, Isaiah 2:4: “Settle international disputes.” The really big international disagreements will mostly be arbitrated by Jesus, himself. But there will be a whole planet full of more “common disputes,” that believers will handle. We will even judge angels! (I Corinthians 6:3).

In the greater context of this week’s topic and also concerning the Millennium, please permit one other excerpt from Eye of Prophecy article: Messiah’s Millennial Reign … Incredible Changes on Earth (Published 12-30-17).

When the curse is cancelled at the glorious Second Coming of Christ, even the animals will undergo an extreme makeover. The full nature and extent of these internal (temperament) and external (perhaps fewer or no fangs in predators) changes remain to be seen. The Lord’s magnificent plan of redemption is not only for people who place their personal trust in the Redeemer, but also for the entire earth and all living things. Everything will come full circle back to the beginning … even better!

…Some of this restoration will take place during the Millennium; some not until after the 1,000-year epoch, which is the beginning of what many Bible scholars simply call “Eternity.” Such as:

I then quoted one of those Eternity passages: Revelation 21:1-4, which will be reserved for the latter part of today’s article.

Regarding the renovation of the animal kingdom, listen to this incredible prophecy from Isaiah:

“In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm … for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord” (Isaiah 11:6-9, parenthesis mine).

(One of several lion/lamb pictures, which is still a reliable representation of Isaiah 11; even though the lamb is actually juxtaposed to the wolf in the passage. I believe the reason for the lion/lamb combination is because Messiah Jesus is both the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and the Lion from the tribe of Judah who will return as King of all kings)

The Final (Post-Millennial) Battle on Earth

I (and others) have written much about Armageddon. For example, see Eye of Prophecy article: Armageddon & Messiah’s Return … An Amazing Sequence of Events (2-3-18).

Virtually all unbelievers and even some Christians think that Armageddon is the final war of all time. It is not. There is a Post-Millennial battle, albeit one that is anti-climactic in its conclusion. One that is given only a short passage in Revelation, compared to the lengthy account (several chapters in Revelation and passages in the Old Testament) of the Tribulation turmoil leading to and including Armageddon.

Remember, the devil will be imprisoned in the Abyss for the entire 1,000-year duration of Messiah’s reign. Yet, even during the absence of Satan—the very source and personification of evil—people all over the Globe will once again rebel against God and Messiah Jesus. Which (pathetically) speaks volumes about the self-reliant, self-indulgent, self-righteous defiance of those who refuse to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord, even though he will have brought unparalleled and unprecedented peace, prosperity, and justice to the earth.

“When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army as numberless as sand along the seashore. And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city…” (Revelation 20:7-9a).

Before we examine the last part of verse 9, which abruptly concludes this short passage about the final Gog/Magog campaign (the same emblematic name as found in Ezekiel 38 & 39, but not the same coalition of nations/armies … with time/space not permitting a more detailed explanation), let’s ask the question:

Why and how will Satan “deceive the nations” and “gather them together” one last time?

Answer: Like Armageddon, the same way in which Satan duped even the enemies (kings of the east) of his man of sin—Antichrist and his ten-nation confederation—to join forces against Messiah Jesus who has returned to earth.

“And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouths of the dragon (Satan), the beast (Antichrist Nero), and the false prophet (identity to be determined during the Tribulation). They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty…. And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon” (Revelation 16:13-14 & 16; italics in the text, parenthesis mine).

By the time of Armageddon, the entire world will know beyond any doubt that the supernatural plagues of divine judgment were caused by Almighty God, yet the unsaved will still not repent and turn to the true Messiah, Jesus. Actually, they realize God’s intervention early in the Tribulation …the sixth seal judgment, which is the first catastrophe from God himself.

As follows:

No sensible ruler, general, or army would dare take on Jesus as he descends through the sky on a white horse; along with the host of heaven—believers, also on white horses (Revelation 19). No matter how many millions of troops or how great the firepower, how does anyone do battle with something (Someone) so transcendentally powerful? Unless, that is, they are persuaded to do something irrationally reckless: Attempt to defeat a heavenly King and his army, both of whom are indestructible. When common sense says that they should be waiving a white flag of surrender as they look up to the heavens from the Valley of Megiddo.

This is exactly what the unsaved on earth will consider yet again in their increasingly hardened hearts and convoluted minds, during the last phase of the Millennium. All they need is a little help from their friends. From, “…evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world … from mighty powers in this dark world … evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Satan’s warped deception of unbelievers at Armageddon and then again at the Post-Millennial final battle of all time is that of convincing entire nations and armies that God’s people can be defeated, even though the Son of God is personally (on earth) defending his people.

Think again Satan and those who want to “break their chains from God” (Psalm 2). With a short but not so sweet ending (for the Millennial rebels) here’s what will happen:

“…But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them. Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:9b-10).

That’s the swift and decisive end to the final mutiny of man against the Lord and his people—Jewish and Gentile believers.

Revelation Chapter 20 concludes with the Great White Throne judgment in which all unbelievers will be raised from the dead. Only to be judged for having rejected their only hope of redemption and eternal life … Messiah Jesus; thereby, deliberately choosing to be separated from God—eternal death in the Lake of Fire.

It’s Time for Eternity!

Revelation Chapter 21 begins with what is commonly referred to as: Eternity.

A time of astounding alterations for the better, even more so than during the Millennium. A time of boundless beauty; of tremendous tranquility; of exceptional existence; of a phenomenal paradise; of…. Well, the Bible says it much better and in more detail. With promises that even our imagination can’t keep up with.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:1-2).

The next two verses are equally, if not more stunning. They refer to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—dwelling in the new Jerusalem (a city which essentially merges heaven and earth … to whatever degree is yet unknown). It will be as is sometimes said about outstandingly good things that we see or experience in this life, yet pale in comparison to what it will truly be throughout eternity: “Heaven on earth.”

Continuing: “…Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people … He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever!” (Revelation 21:3-4).

There’s more!

“And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new! And then he said to me, ‘Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.’ And he also said, ‘It is finished! I am Alpha and Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious (believers, whose victory is that of being redeemed by the blood of Messiah Jesus—Revelation 1) will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children” (Revelation 21:5-7, parenthesis mine).

It doesn’t get any better than that. Right?

“Of course, right!” you reply. Which also has been my response, with one (minor) mystery, but certainly not to the point of worry or doubt. Nonetheless, an enigma which cannot be dismissed as though it’s not in the text. One that confronts us in the very next verse of Revelation 21. However, a puzzle that can be solved with a little dose of spiritual insight.

That paradox is presented in the title of this week’s article:

Will There Still Be Unbelievers Throughout Eternity?

First, you may want to scroll back a few sentences and read Revelation 21:5-7, that ends with: “…and they will be my children.” Let’s pick it up with the next verse:

“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshippers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

If we anticipate that eternity is to be picture perfect in every way including absence of evil, then what about the verse we just read? What about the men and woman whose lifestyle described clearly shows they are not believers? Those who are rejecting life-changing salvation through Messiah Jesus like all those who were judged at the Great White Throne Judgment that had already taken place.

One explanation is that the verse (in fact) refers retroactively to those unbelievers at the Great White Throne judgment in contrast to believers who, as the passage describes: “inherit all the blessings” (of eternity). If this was the last verse in Revelation to describe all those who HAD ALREADY been judged, then this application is feasible. But it’s not the last reference to such people in Revelation. Plus, the factual sequence that Revelation Chapters 21 & 22 depict Eternity, which begins after the White Throne Judgment.

Immediately following Revelation 21:8 (“But cowards, unbelievers…”) John portrays the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:9-27) in dramatic detail, including its shape and size—1,400 miles in length, width, and height. His description contains one of the most-well known and oft quoted features of the New Jerusalem: “…And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass” (Revelation 21:21 … streets of gold as is said).

John continues: “And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will enter the city in all their glory. Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city” (Revelation 21:23-26).

[*Note: The passage says, all the nations. However, several times when the Bible says, “all,” or “every” it is clearly referring to the greater majority. We can understand the difference between all (every single person or nation) and the majority by the context and comparing the text to other similar passages and patterns in Scripture. For example, concerning the Antichrist (Nero): “…And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7).

We know that doesn’t mean every single person or nation because other Bible passages explicitly explain that Antichrist will have enemies, those that oppose him … on both a personal and national level. Thus, the every in that passage means everyone who yields to him, willingly or unwillingly. When they submit, then he will rule over them.]

This is just one of several passages in Scripture that state directly or strongly imply that the cycle of humanity—birth, life, and death—will continue on this present earth (during the Millennium) and the new earth throughout Eternity.

“Wait a minute!” you say. “Didn’t the Lord tell us that there will be no more sorrow, crying, pain, or death?”

Yes, he did, but with a specific application. I’ll get to that in the closing remarks.

Let’s continue. As we just read: Nations (people of those nations) will still inhabit the earth and (some of) their kings will be permitted entrance to the New Jerusalem. But not all kings will be allowed to enter nor all people “walk in its light.”

How can we draw that conclusion? Answer: From the very next verse.

“Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27). Meaning that unbelievers (the unsaved) will be confined to the earth and not ever allowed to step foot in the New Jerusalem … until or unless they personally acknowledge Messiah Jesus as Lord and Savior.

To reinforce this fact, Revelation distinguishes yet again (for a third time) between the saved and unsaved.

“Blessed are they who wash their robes (analogy for salvation through Messiah Jesus). They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs (symbolism for the unclean … unsaved)—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshippers, and all who love to live a lie” (Revelation 22:14-15, parenthesis mine).

Remember, all three of these passage that refer to unbelievers take place after the Millennium, when “Eternity” begins. The sequence is unmistakable.

The Lord will continue to allow every person born on (the currently old and then the new) earth to exercise free will—to choose between eternal life or eternal death … the Lake of Fire. Some will choose wrongly.

(The choice between life and death began in the Garden of Eden, continued with God’s chosen people in the above passage, still relevant today and will be extended throughout Eternity)

Does the existence of unbelievers (graphically depicted in the language of these passages, i.e. sexually immoral, murderers, idolaters, etc.) diminish, disturb, or disrupt in any way the exceptional eternal existence of believers (“God’s people” … Revelation 21:3-4)?

Absolutely not.

For one thing, I’m convinced that the number of unbelievers will be few and far between (literally on the earth). It will be just the opposite of today’s world and certainly during the Tribulation in which unbelievers greatly outnumber the Tribulation Saints. To validate that observation, here is the last part of a passage quoted earlier in today’s article: “…so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord” (Isaiah 11:9).

Another reason is that believers will have the freedom to move (live) between the New Jerusalem and the new earth. The “presence” of unbelievers will have no adverse effect, whatsoever, on the heavenly quality of eternal life for believers.

Unlike today’s world, there will be no more war or subjugation of entire peoples and nations by other rulers and nations whose people are ruthlessly wicked. On the contrary, the relatively few unbelievers will be justifiably shamed, shunned, and segregated for all the right reasons of separating evil from good. Satan will be in the Lake of Fire, unable to ever again deceive and galvanize (in demonic ways) these unbelievers together, as he had done for thousands of years on national and international levels… culminating at Armageddon, then one last time at the final Gog/Magog war.

Individually, they will be stigmatized for what they are: foolish, stubborn, and unrepentant—despite the treasures of the purest and perfect life, liberty, and love staring them in the face. Freely given by the source of all light and truth … God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Nor will believers have anything to fear from unbelievers. With our new eternal spiritual bodies, we will be impervious to harm or pain and certainly to death.

Summary

In addition to perpetual free will, another reason the Lord will allow the existence of unbelievers is for contrast. Why loving and following God in all his holiness (truth) and goodness (gracious blessings) is infinitely better than wickedness conceived and practiced by those who want to be completely independent of God.

Also, the Lake of Fire will be a reminder of the terrible fate of those who preferred and will say (literally or in their heart), “I did it my way.” Ever so tragically, they will get their way … what they wished for—nothing to do with (separated from) the Lord.

Lest anyone thinks this is speculation or just one teacher’s opinion, listen to God himself as he speaks (graphically concerning Eternity) in the last three verses of the book of Isaiah:

“As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear, says the Lord. All humanity will come to worship me from week to week and from month to month. And as they go out, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me. For the worms that devour them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never go out. All who pass by will view them with utter horror” (Isaiah 66:22-24).

Things to Ponder

So, what about, “no more death?”

I’m glad you reminded me!

It’s true, there will be no more death. But for whom? That is the eternal question.

Let’s read the passage again.

“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever’” (Revelation 21:3-4; italics for emphasis).

However—whether now, or during the Millennium, or throughout eternity—once an unbeliever dies there is no second chance of eternal life. There will only be eternal death.

The text is positively plain. This powerful and precious promise from the Lord applies exclusively to his people. It is the consummation of so great a salvation freely given to those who believe and receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior … Jew and Gentile alike.

“For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:6-10).

Amen and Hallelujah!

 

Timeless Truths in the Bible

From the beginning of creation as dramatically documented in the book of Genesis through the final revelation of God’s Son, Messiah Jesus, remarkably recorded in the Book of Revelation, the Bible abounds with God’s truth for humanity.

For example, the comprehensive moral laws of the Ten Commandments applicable to all nations, even though they were given first to God’s people the Jews—chosen to bring the light of God’s truth (ultimately through Messiah Jesus) to the entire world. Contrasted to the civil and ceremonial laws, including the seven Jewish Festivals and the Levitical Sacrificial system, given exclusively to the Jews.

And then perfected and extended to all people through the New Covenant, in which God’s Son has fulfilled (four spring feasts) and will fulfill (three fall feasts) the very purpose of the Jewish Festivals. Two thousand years ago, Messiah Jesus replaced the repeated sacrifices of the Levitical system with his final once for all sacrifice for sins and the penalty of sin. He alone qualified as that sacrifice by perfectly keeping (fulfilling) the Mosaic Law which no other human being has ever done.

Regarding the unconditional covenants, these powerful Biblical principles apply in perpetuity:

With Abraham—the Jews forever possessing the Promised Land of Israel. With King David—the restoration of David’s dynasty by God’s Messiah, the ultimate King of all kings (Isaiah 9, Revelation 17). And through the New Covenant of Grace—implemented by this same Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. These covenants reveal God’s majestic attributes (including his moral and spiritual laws) and his magnificent design and destiny for humanity. Truth that can mean the difference between eternal pardon or perpetual judgment; everlasting life or unending death; the glory of heaven or the torment of hell; blessings or curses during our existence on Planet Earth.

Such as the one and only condition the Lord imposed on our original parents, Adam and Eve (given the freedom of choice) after creating them in a Paradise that contained everything they could possibly need or want. Along with a severe sentence for rejecting that one restriction.

The Death Penalty

“The Lord placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, ‘You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die’” (Genesis 2:15-17).

And die they did, as has and will every person since.

Paraphrasing the well-known adage: “Two things in life are certain … death and taxes.”

However, that’s not entirely true. Some have not paid taxes or are exempt from taxes. Not so with death. There are no exceptions. One of every one person will die.

“We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:22-23, italics for emphasis).

“All people will die for their own sins” (Jeremiah 31:30a).

We deserve physical death because we’ve all earned it, though it’s a payment no one wishes to collect.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Even with the wonderful news that Messiah Jesus offered himself as the substitutionary sacrifice for the penalty of our sins, then proved that he was who he claimed to be (Son of God, Son of David, Son of Man) by rising from the dead, this stunning sacrifice does not (yet) set aside the universal law of bodily death. The complete cancellation of physical death will not take place until after the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ, which will usher in Eternity.

Remember: Even though the Lord enforced the death penalty for sin, he says: “…As I live! Declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked (unsaved)…” Ezekiel 33:11, NASB, parenthesis mine).

Concerning the saved:

Now for the central passage of today’s article:

“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that the judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27-28, emphasis added).

Many are more familiar with the King James Version which says the same thing, but with slightly different wording. “And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27, KJV).

Note: “To bring salvation” (Hebrews 9:28) is not the justification and guarantee of eternal life imparted to everyone the moment they believe and receive Jesus as personal Savior. Rather, it is the culmination of our redemption through two tremendous privileges given to all believers: (1) transformation of our earthly bodies to immortal spiritual bodies at the Rapture; (2) Exemption from the final wrath of God poured out on an evil world hell-bent on defying and denying the true and living God and his Messiah.

Trying to Find Contradictions in the Bible

Although the subject of this week’s article as presented in the title is mainly for believers—the resolution (explanation, clarification) of an “apparent” ambiguity between two teachings in Scripture—I want to take a moment to comment on secular or pseudo-Christian attempts to find inconsistencies or outright contradictions in the Bible.

With an up-front unequivocal statement: There are none!

The ulterior motive of so-called “higher critics” of the Bible is to try to prove that the Bible is not the Inerrant Word of God. They do so primarily in three ways:

(1) Disproving the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies mostly by trying to post-date the time when the Lord revealed these predictions to the time of their fulfillment. The book of Daniel is one of their favorite targets. Time and space do not permit elaboration, except to say they have failed miserably with this tactic.

(2) Concerning miracles in the Bible, they attempt to discount the divine origin of the miracles by using natural explanations to explain away supernatural events. This is done even by those whose agenda is not necessarily to discredit the Bible.

For example, there are those who have tried to rationalize the first nine plagues God through Moses dispensed against Egypt, by relating them exclusively to natural phenomena, beginning with the Nile River turning to blood. With one huge problem on that first plague alone. They reach the conclusion that it really wasn’t blood, but a “blood-like” mixture of this or that. There is absolutely no symbolism taking place in the Ten Plagues of Egypt. I’m sure the Egyptians wished they had been metaphorical!

Strangely enough they do agree that, for example, the flies are flies and the frogs are frogs and so on. However, each of these plagues was of exceedingly greater magnitude than any “natural” catastrophe could have been. The frogs were so bad that they were even in Pharaoh’s bed!

For sure, there are many miracles recorded in Scripture in which God uses nature. With one huge difference: The Lord supernaturally altered the natural course of nature with a result that the event would and could never had occurred (in such scale) without God’s sovereign supervision.

Essentially, that’s the definition of a miracle.

There are other miracles in Scripture which indisputably transcend the laws of physics, such as the tenth Egyptian plague that the “expert critics” simply cannot explain. Why only the firstborn males of the Egyptians and their livestock? Why not the firstborn of the Hebrews also, why not females, or why not random deaths of a second-born or third-born child? Why the sudden death all in one night’s time? And so forth.

(3) Another favorite tactic of the critics—one in keeping with today’s article—is that of finding Bible passages that are seemingly contradictory, especially if there are two or more accounts of the same incident. Here, the Four Gospels are their favorite target.

Even believers sometimes question what appears to them as conflicting descriptions. The critics operate with the presumption that the gospels are contradictory, not complementary. They conveniently overlook or dismiss the time-tested template of investigative reporting: not all accounts of a story match up one with the other.

Does that automatically mean that one version of the event is false, and another is true? Of course not.

It simply means, for example: If 10 journalists report an event, there could be 1 to 10 varying highlights on certain features of the episode. Unless there is a glaring discrepancy between the reported facts (such as some reporting that the U.S. President replied, “Yes,” to the question, and other articles indicating the President said, “No,”), the fact that only a few or perhaps none of the articles contained ALL of what was seen and heard doesn’t mean that the reports were contradictory. And certainly, doesn’t mean that the event never happened.

For instance: Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospels mention only one angel at the empty tomb of Jesus. With Luke and John specifying there were two angels. For that matter, the gospels differ as to how many women went to the tomb that Sunday morning.

Does that mean that their accounts are contradictory, in terms of what really happened? Once again, absolutely not. Matthew and Mark identify just the angel that spoke to the women. That doesn’t mean the second angel wasn’t there. There’s not a reputable news editor on the planet who would accuse an investigative journalist from another news source of inaccurate, faulty, or false information just because that reporter mentions (for example) only the woman who shook hands with some dignitary, even though there were several other women attending that luncheon.

Even when reporters record an entire event via audio or video, their actual (summary) report or film clip may or may not include everything they saw and heard. In other words, leaving something out of the story doesn’t mean that the reporting of it is either false or contradictory.

In years of studying Scripture, I and many other Bible scholars, teachers, and students have come to the resolute conclusion: The Bible never contradicts itself. I repeat for emphasis: NEVER.

Seemingly conflicting passages can be more than satisfactorily understood if you thoroughly examine all segments on any given subject or event in Scripture. Comparing Scripture with Scripture and scrutinizing the Biblical context of the topic or story at hand, i.e. the whole counsel of the Lord our God.

Whether a person does this directly on their own, or whether he or she looks to the gift of sound Biblical teaching given to some believers to help with this correlation and clarification is up to the individual. Or a combination of both.

An Inconsistency Between the Rapture of “Living” Believers & Every Person Must Die?

Have you ever thought about the ostensible (for that is what it is … apparent) difference found in the Scriptural truth that every person must experience physical death as found in the passages quoted earlier; compared to the powerful and precious promise given to all believers in Messiah Jesus:

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words” (I Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Otherwise known as The Rapture!

Whether you’ve contemplated a potential discrepancy or not, at face value there is a perceived problem between (with) the Lord’s promise through the Apostle Paul that, “we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up…”; contrasted to Bible passages that every person will (physically) die for their sins.

Is there an answer to this paradox?

Absolutely, there is. No different than any other apparent variance (of which there only a small handful) in the Bible that can ALWAYS be explained (resolved) without the need for undue speculation. We’ve already looked at some of these in rebuttal to the agenda of the “higher critics” of Scripture.

Before we explore this intriguing contradiction, we need to look at the most tragic thing that has ever befallen humanity: DEATH. It is a self-inflicted condition caused by the congenital disease of sin; totally avoidable and unnecessary had our original parents simply obeyed the Lord.

Why death? Is it too harsh of a penalty? Is it a punishment that fits the crime?

The overriding answer has already been cited earlier in this article. It is a commensurate consequence of disobedience if for no other reason than God says so: “If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die” (Genesis 2:17b).

However, in nearly all truth and consequences found in Scripture, the Lord discloses a reason (often directly or sometimes indirectly through deductive and inductive human reasoning that God has given to mankind—an integral component of being created in His image) for cause and effect.

The fall of humanity resulting in death is no exception. Read with me:

“Then the Lord God said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever’—therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken” (Genesis 3:22-23, NASB).

The Tree of Life

There are two main reasons why the Lord banished Adam and Eve from Paradise: (1) They had forfeited their God-given privilege of a life and land in which the Lord had provided everything for them. Now they must work hard for a living by struggling with the elements from which Adam was created. (2) The answer to the question of proportional punishment (death) for disobedience, lies in the fact that if Adam and Eve had been allowed to remain in the Garden of Eden, they would have eaten from the tree of life and their existence on earth would have continued indefinitely.

By eating of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve’s eyes (by the very act of seeing, listening to, and agreeing with the source of all evil, Satan) were opened experientially to evil itself. It was a foregone conclusion that this evil would spread to subsequent generations, which is exactly what happened. God, in his mercy, allowed Adam and a few generational descendants to live hundreds of years before they died. The Lord was proven right (he’s always right!), when subsequent generations became so wicked that the Lord eliminated them from the face of the earth and started over again with Noah and his family.

To this day the only thing that prevents mankind from self-destruction (which those left behind at the Rapture will come perilously close to), is that each generation has passed from this earth.

And the only reason that this world has any measure of hope is the passing down of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from generation to generation. This Good News assures us of everlasting life in Messiah Jesus and promises that one day death itself will be no more; if we accept Christ as our personal Savior. Jesus is the only Way, the ultimate Truth, and the (heavenly tree of) Life.

God chose not to take away the tree of life from Adam and Eve; instead he took them away from that tree (from the entire Garden), as it was part of their punishment.

Some say that this tree is symbolic. However, the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that the tree of life was as real as the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve actually ate of the forbidden fruit; there’s no indication whatsoever that there was anything symbolic going on. In fact, a “figurative” eating of the fruit of either tree makes no sense at all.

We see this tree of life in the first book of the Bible. In the last book, Revelation, we find two trees of life in the New Jerusalem—which will hover over the earth throughout eternity.

“Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. No longer will there be a curse upon anything…” (Revelation 22:1-3a).

In between, we learn of the rebuilt Temple (during the Great Tribulation) and of the remarkable changes in the earthly Jerusalem (during the Millennial Reign of Messiah Jesus) including “fruit trees of all kinds” (See Ezekiel 47).

(For an in-depth examination please refer to the two-part Eye of Prophecy article, A Third Jewish Temple, posted 4-26 & 5-3-14).

Solving the Puzzle

One of the problems experienced by Christian believers in Corinth was their questioning of a literal bodily resurrection of the dead, or of any resurrection at all. Paul begins his negation of this deceptive notion with a blunt (all the while expressing love for his brothers and sisters in Christ at Corinth and all the churches) challenge, followed by a lengthy explanation that life (eternal) springs from physical death … that death must precede such life.

“But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead” (I Corinthians 15:12-15).

Because all the apostles, including himself—on the road to Damascus—and hundreds of others (I Corinthians 15:1-9) had personally seen the risen Christ, Paul plainly states:

“But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died” (Verse 20).

Paul goes on to present examples that God’s creation is composed of distinctive bodies.

“…When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first … Then God gives it the new body he wants it to have. A different plant grows from each kind of seed. Similarly there are different kinds of flesh—one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory (essence) of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies” (I Corinthians 15:35-40, parenthesis mine).

The life-giving, life-changing subject that stands out more than any other in the New Testament (also referenced in the Old Testament) is none other than:

Without our Savior’s magnificent resurrection, there would be no forgiveness of sin, no reconciliation with God, and no hope for anything beyond the grave, except an eternity separated from God—the second death. No one would be equipped to live in heaven forever, because this heavenly existence is impossible in our earthly bodies.

“It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever…. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies” (I Corinthians 15:42-44).

And, “What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever” (Verse 50).

(Please see Eye of Prophecy two-part series: Spiritual Bodies … A Contradiction of Terms? Posted 9-26 & 10-3-15).

Now let’s come to terms with the Biblical truth that it is appointed for every person who has ever been born to die, a prototype that goes all the way back to the Lord’s pronouncement of this verdict to Adam and Eve. In contrast to the catching up to heaven of both dead and living believers at what is commonly called the Rapture.

In this 15^th chapter of I Corinthians, Paul expands and expounds on the Rapture passage in I Thessalonians … written 3-4 years before his first letter to the Corinthians.

Fasten Your (Spiritual) Seat Belt … Here We Go!

“But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!” (I Corinthians 15:51).

“STOP!” You shout. Didn’t Paul just say that “we will not all die.” Doesn’t that mean, then, that those alive at the Rapture won’t die after all—no matter that the author of Hebrews (which most Bible scholars and teachers also believe to be the Apostle Paul) says everyone must physically die. Which, by default, also includes believers in Messiah Jesus.

Stay with me:

“It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed” (Verse 52).

*Note: The “it” of the above verse refers to the actual transformation itself, not the entire sequence of the Rapture events. (Please see Eye of Prophecy article: The Shout Heard Around the World, posted 4-22-17, for a detailed sequence of the Rapture, projected to take several minutes).

Now, I’ll ask you to pause for a moment before we continue. Please pay close attention to the next part of the passage as well as the commentary offered concerning the juxtaposition of all must die (Hebrews 9:27 and other passages) with Paul’s statement, we will not all die.

“For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting.’

“For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:53-55, italics for emphasis).

*Note: Death is swallowed up (defeated) only AFTER the transformation of all believers.

First, a reminder of what death is or what is means. The Greek word for death (Thanatos, used 119 times in the King James Version) is defined as separation, not annihilation or cessation of existence. In Hebrews 9:27, the Greek phrase “to die” is apothnesko (ap-oth-nace-ko), which means just that, to die. Which is defined as, the natural death of a person. Thus, when someone dies he or she has entered the state of death (Thanatos) which is separation of their spirit from their physical body.

Spiritual death is separation from God eternally for those who have not accepted God’s (Biblical) salvation by believing and receiving his Son’s substitutionary death (and resurrection!) as the only remedy for the penalty of sin and rebellion against the Lord (John 3:16).

The conceptual meaning of death is vitally important to grasp before we can resolve this paradox.

Notice: Paul says that our “dying bodies” will (need to) be transformed. As we’ve already seen, the Bible proclaims that all must die.

We begin to die the moment we are born. It’s just a matter of time, longer for some than others. Without intending to be morbid (as opposed to celebrating life with gratitude for God in giving us that life) we could accurately say, “After we’re born, we’re as good as dead.”

Which is exactly what Paul is saying: “For our dying bodies must be transformed…”

Here, Paul is expanding on his prior statement that, “We will not all die…”

This clarification is not merely a technical distinction between those who have (actually) died before the Rapture and those who are dying … having not fully reached the otherwise inevitable point of death. In the context of what death is and means, Paul is saying that even those “alive” at the Rapture will experience death.

Seriously? Yes, seriously. Even living believers will encounter death the instant they are transformed. Just like the “dead in Christ” they, too, will be resurrected from that death.

The moment the dead in Christ are raised then shortly thereafter the “living in Christ,” the body of both groups of believers will be “transformed into bodies that will never die…”

Which unmistakably means that even the spirit of those believers who are alive when this transformation takes place will be separated (Thanatos) from their earthly body and intricately united with their glorious new spiritual body that will never die. Nonetheless, a body recognizable by friends and family as the same person (the new replacing the old) but with an amazingly altered appearance.

Of no small significance: Nowhere in I Corinthians 15 or any other passage does the Apostle Paul state or even imply that the Biblical statement/principle that every person must experience death has been set aside, or otherwise exempted (exception made), even by the Rapture of those who are alive and remain. If that were the case, I’m convinced that Paul would have clearly clarified and meticulously mentioned that this Biblical precept (all must die) didn’t apply to the Rapture.

Thus, when he says, “we will not all die,” he’s referring to those believers who are not actually in the grave. And why he continues by describing those alive are nevertheless in “dying bodies” that must be transformed (from death to life) precisely like those who have preceded them in death. With the action and result of this tremendous transfiguration that of each “living” believer’s spirit separated from their earthly body and placed into a glorious spiritual body that will never ever die or even begin to die in any way, shape, or form.

The only difference is the timing of it all. The spirit of believers whose body is in the grave have been waiting (some much longer than others) for this reunion of their spirit into a transformed spiritual body. Whereas those alive at the Rapture will experience this instantly. Still, there will undoubtedly be some believers who will “die” (not yet buried) just a few seconds or even a split-second before the Rapture takes place. In that regard, their transformation will be on par with those who are alive and remain.

In either case, the heart of the believer will beat one last time; each will draw one last breath in this earthly body.

Paul reinforces this fact with his all-important analogy of our earthly bodies being equivalent to a seed planted that must die before it can be transformed into a living plant.

Do you see(d) that?!

Things to Ponder

No believer should fear death. For death is only a passage to our heavenly home. What most believers fear is the pain that sometimes precedes death, especially if we succumb to a dreadful disease or debilitating injury; and, of course, leaving loved ones behind. Even then, the pain remedies in today’s advanced medical treatment lessen that physical distress.

So, you see: The Biblical truth that all must die (physically) is not contradicted or set aside by the Rapture of living believers. It’s true that those believers will not experience the full measure of the original death penalty (“planted in the ground”); however, they will still die when their earthly body is separated from their spirit. Then, just like the dead in Christ, the spirit of all believers will be indivisibly joined with a wonderful transfigured body, just like our Lord’s.

“…we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved…” (Romans 8:23-24).

“…Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words” (I Thessalonians 4:17b-18).

OUR REDEEMER LIVES!

Hallelujah!

Did you really believe it would happen?

If just one current event had dominated world headlines, you would probably know to what this question refers. However, considering the recent flurry of global incidents, the normal response would be: What happening … which one?

To the ominous increase of missile strikes between Iran and Israel? To President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the infamous Iran Nuclear Deal? To the scheduled summit between the United States and North Korea? To U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s skillfully orchestrating the release of three Americans unjustly imprisoned by North Korea? To the extraordinary espionage pulled off by Israel’s foreign intelligence agency Mossad—removal of a huge volume of incriminating Iranian (nuclear) documents from Tehran, right under Iran’s nose?

Notable as these events are, I’m referring to a milestone achievement that will take place this coming Monday. One that was set in motion when U.S. President Trump announced this past December 6, 2017: the U.S. Embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Thereby, affirming Jerusalem as Israel’s (eternal) capital. Even with Trump’s disclaimer that Jerusalem’s geographical borders are still a matter of negotiation, it was still a courageous decision, considering global resistance to such a move.

Not only did our President make good on his campaign promise, he accelerated the Embassy transfer by several months, if not years. Instead of waiting for the cumbersome process of selecting a suitable site in Jerusalem, then the zoning and building process, our Executive staff decided to utilize the existing U.S. Counsel facility in Jerusalem as the temporary headquarters for the Embassy.

There was only one reason for this lightning-quick (as these things go) opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. The reason is the date itself: May 14^th.

Do you recognize the monumental significance of that date? May 14^th is the 70^th anniversary of Israel’s remarkable rebirth as a sovereign nation in 1948.

Technically, Israel has already celebrated her 70^th birthday that falls on the Jewish calendar 5^th of Iyar, which occurred a few weeks ago on the Gregorian calendar of April 19^th, a Friday. If, however, the 5^th of Iyar falls on a Friday—beginning of Jewish Sabbath at sundown—then Israel’s anniversary as a nation is celebrated on Thursday (this year beginning at sundown on the 4^th of Iyar).

Most of the Gentile world uses the Gregorian calendar, thus we identify May 14^th as the historical event when Israel was reborn from the floods of dispersion and the fires of Nazi death camps.

Neither U.S. President Trump nor Vice President Pence will be able to attend; however, there will be dozens of dignitaries representing the United States such as Senator Ted Cruz and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. As well as the usual U.S. Executive Staff delegation to Israel—Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Jason Greenblatt and, of course, U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. Plus, several journalists, educators, business leaders, congressional representatives, and religious leaders.

The 70^th anniversary of Israel’s prophetic rebirth as a sovereign nation is nearly as stunning as the rebirth itself. One of, if not the main reason: the striking significance of the number seventy. Whenever we encounter that number in Scripture it applies directly to Israel. And concerning Biblical prophecy, it refers specifically to Israel in the context of the end times, the final (Omega) generation of which we are living. With a generation defined in Scripture as 100 years; also, the more common time-frame of 70 years (Psalm 90:10).

(One of the celebrations when Israel declared Statehood in 1948; Centered is Israel’s First Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion)

Here is an except from Eye of Prophecy Article, The Omega Generation (Posted 2-15-14):

Some Christians are confused about or don’t entirely understand the role of the Church and Israel during the last days beginning with the Rapture. Please fathom one critical premise/truth: Although the Mount of Olives discourse indirectly applies to the Church (composed of all Jews and Gentiles who have been redeemed by Messiah Jesus), the whole purpose of Christ’s majestic return is to set up the Kingdom of Heaven (Kingdom of God) on the earth IN the Holy Land and THROUGH / FOR his chosen people, the Jews. And what triggers the need for Christ to return to Israel is none other than the ultimate and final rescue of the Jews (Israel) from conquest and destruction at the hands of Antichrist.

Concerning the Church, the sole purpose of the Rapture is to snatch away believers from the earth so that we do not have to experience the final wrath of God poured out on an ungodly generation of unbelievers. Otherwise, ALL Old Testament prophecies concerning the Last Days or End Times focus on Israel, not the Church; in fact, the Church (consisted of all Jews/Gentiles who place their trust in Christ’s sacrificial death) doesn’t even come into existence for over 400 years after the last book of the Old Testament was written. Moreover, from the 4th Chapter through the 18th Chapter of the book of Revelation, the Church is not even mentioned, as such.

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel

Virtually all Biblical prophecy focuses on Israel and the Messiah who would come from the tribe of Judah, through the lineage of King David. Let’s begin with a passage that I described as, The Most Panoramic Prophecy in the Bible. (See Eye of Prophecy articles of that same title, Part I & II posted in January 2018).

The following is one of the most recognized prophecies in all the Bible … obviously important for all believers, both Jew and Gentile. However, seldom do commentators indicate that the prophecy is directed specifically to and primarily concerns the Jews and Israel. For now, we’ll examine just the first verse of that passage, the composite of which is found in Daniel 9:24-27.

“A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place” (Daniel 9:24, italics for emphasis).

Some Bible translations describe the seventy sets of seven as “seventy weeks.” A prophetic week in the Hebrew Scriptures is seven years. Thus, a total of seventy weeks would be 490 years. However, the passage divides these seventy weeks into two basic periods of time. Fine tuning it even more, there are three periods; two of the three (seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven—Verse 25) combining to make sixty-nine weeks (483 years).

Then later in the passage (Verse 27), Daniel refers to the final week of the seventy by equating it to the seven-year treaty that the same ruler—whose armies destroyed Jerusalem and the (2^nd) Temple—would make with Israel. As documented in my book Out of the Abyss and many of the 50 Eye of Prophecy articles in the category of Antichrist, that ruler is the Roman Emperor Nero … who as the beast of Revelation will return from the Abyss (Revelation 17:7-8).

For purpose of this week’s article, we want to concentrate on the fact that Daniel’s prophecy in Chapter 9 is specifically addressed to (like so many other Old Testament prophecies) “your people and your holy city (Jerusalem).” It encompasses the prophetic timetable of Israel’s future in the panoramic context of Messiah’s First and Second Advent, as well as the appearance and reappearance of the Antichrist.

All but one of the six specific events detailed in Daniel 9:24 will be finally fulfilled during and shortly after the 70^th week—the seven years of the Great Tribulation followed immediately by the beginning of the Millennial Reign of Messiah Jesus. During that time: (1) any rebellion (of remaining unbelieving Jews in Messiah) will be finished; (2) their (national) sin of rejecting Messiah will come to an end; (3) everlasting righteousness will commence with the Millennial Reign of Messiah who will establish justice, righteousness, and peace on earth; (4) the prophetic vision (all prophecies concerning the end times) will be confirmed—realized; (5) the rebuilt Temple (Most Holy Place) will be anointed … by the very presence of Messiah.

The one prophecy in this list of six that would come to pass before the 70^th week (the final seven years) is: “to atone for their guilt.” This took place when Messiah Jesus died on the cross as the final, once-for-all substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of God’s people, the Jews, but also for the Gentiles. How do we know this atonement would take place before the 70^th week began to unfold? We know because of verse 25:

“Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes…”

This was exactly 173,880 days or 483 Jewish years … 30-day months of the Jewish calendar.

Astounding!

Several Eye of Prophecy articles have discussed this phenomenal date-dedicated prophecy, beginning with the article, An Incredible Time-Lapse Prophecy (Posted 1-18-14).

Later, we’ll return to the Daniel 9 passage specifically in the context of Israel’s 70^th anniversary, as part of the final generation just before the Rapture will take place. Which then ushers in the 70^th and final week (seven years) of Daniel’s prophecy, having been interrupted (postponed) for 2,000 years by what believers call the Church Age—the New Covenant of Grace for personal salvation to both Jew and Gentile. For now, let’s look at more examples of the number seventy in Scripture to see its significance as pertaining directly to Israel.

*Note: Including the phenomenal 70 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy, there are a total of seven (7) substantial Biblical episodes involving the number seventy. Imagine that! Truth be known, I didn’t realize that until I counted them.

Jacob & His Family Move to Egypt

When Joseph invited his brothers, his father (Jacob), and their families to move to Egypt, do you know or recall the size of Jacob’s extended family?

Though Israel (the Lord had already changed Jacob’s name to Israel) was not yet a nation, Jacob and his family consisted of and represented God’s chosen people, the Israelites—who would later be called Jews after Jacob’s fourth son, Judah.

“These are the names of the sons of Israel (that is, Jacob) who moved to Egypt with their father, each with his family: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. In all, Jacob had seventy descendants in Egypt, including Joseph, who was already there” (Exodus 1:1-5, parenthesis in the text, italics for emphasis).

(Depiction of the Wrestling Scene when the Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel … Genesis 32:22-30).

Obviously, this number of seventy applied exclusively to God’s chosen people through the Patriarch Jacob, whose twelve sons would be the ancestral catalyst of Israel’s exponential growth during their 400 years of bondage in Egypt, leading to the nation of Israel.

“In time, Joseph and all his brothers died, ending that entire generation. But their descendants, the Israelites, had many children and grandchildren. In fact, they multiplied so greatly that they became extremely powerful and filled the land” (Exodus 1:6-7).

By the time Israel became a nation (when they agreed to God’s Covenant with Moses in the wilderness or when they entered the Promised Land 40 years later under Joshua—either time could be considered Israel’s inception as a nation), her population was around two million people. From seventy to two million!

God’s Special Invitation to Select Elders of Israel

Beginning with a question. Where and to whom did God give the Ten Commandments? Most would answer that question with a roll of their eyes: Practically everyone knows God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai.

True enough: “By the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18) the Ten Commandments were emblazoned on two tablets of stone; given along with other commandments to Moses while he was on Mount Sinai. But that was not the only occasion, nor was it even the first time.

The initial disclosure of the Ten Commandments was given by God in an audible voice (thunderous, Exodus 19:19 … you can bet that all two million Israelites heard God!) at the foot of Mount Sinai. The people were so terrified of God’s majestic voice, they pleaded with Moses: “…You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” (Exodus 20:19).

Later, Moses ascended the mountain where the Lord engraved the Ten Commandments on solid stone, as a written testimony of those Commandments.

Do you recall what happened while Moses was on Mount Sinai?

Correct: The people became impulsively impatient and decadently rebellious by crafting a golden calf idol (with Aaron’s help no less); thereby, breaking at least two of the Ten Commandments they had already promised to keep. As a result, three thousand Israelites died that day. Because Moses broke the stone tablets in anger, the Lord told him to ascend Mount Sinai a second time, where God again etched the Ten Commandments in stone. This, then, would have been a third bequeathing of the Ten Commandments.

Shortly after God’s audible presentation of the Ten Commandments directly to the entire camp of Israel and before Moses ascended alone to the summit of Mount Sinai, the Lord said that a select group of Israelites could accompany Moses part way up the mountain. Prior to and after that special exemption, no one was to set foot on the mountain (except for Moses and Joshua) on pain of death. Just before this unique invitation, God (through Moses) had reaffirmed to the people his covenant with their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Said the Lord:

“And I will fix your boundaries from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the eastern wilderness to the Euphrates River. I will hand over to you the people now living in the land, and will drive them out ahead of you. Make no treaties with them or their gods. They must not live in your land, or they will cause you to sin against me. If you serve their gods, you will be caught in the trap of idolatry” (Exodus 23:31-33).

In the very next verse we read the Lord’s special summons; however, it came with conditions:

“Then the Lord instructed Moses: ‘Come up here to me, and bring along Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders. All of you must worship from a distance. Only Moses is allowed to come near to the Lord. The others must not come near, and none of the other people are allowed to climb up the mountain with him (meaning to the summit)” (Exodus 24:1-2, italics for emphasis, parenthesis mine).

Before these “VIPs” began to climb part way up Mount Sinai, Moses read aloud to the people those laws which God had already given to him, prior to Moses (40-day/night) stay on the mountain to receive much of the Law, including the engraved Ten Commandments.

The people responded, “…We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey” (Exodus 24:7).

After Moses confirmed the Covenant between God and the Israelites with blood from animal sacrifices made earlier that day, we read one of the most amazing scenes in all of Scripture. An event that this select group was extremely lucky (using that word in its optimum connotation, i.e. favorable, fortunate, or privileged in a providential way) to witness.

“Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel climbed up the mountain. There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. And though these nobles of Israel gazed upon God, he did not destroy them. In fact, they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in his presence!” (Exodus 24:9-11).

Incredible!

This was one of the Pre-Incarnate appearances of God the Son (Messiah Jesus), of which there are several recorded in the Old Testament. Please refer to Eye of Prophecy articles, Does God Really Have a Son? Part I & Part II (Posted 10-31 & 11-7-15).

Thus, whether it was Jacob wrestling with the Lord, or Joshua meeting Him just before the battle of Jericho, or Abraham visited by the Lord to reaffirm that Abraham and Sarah would miraculously conceive a child (Isaac) in their old age—all were appearances of God’s Son in human form.

Scripture is unequivocally clear that God the Father is Spirit and that no one can look on Him and live. That even applied to Moses. Said the Lord to Moses: “But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live…. Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen” (Exodus 33:20 & 23).

(Exodus 33:9:  “God spoke with Moses face to face” (a figure of speech) on a regular basis. However, Moses was shielded from God’s glory by a dense, dark cloud. Even then, God’s brilliant light caused Moses’ face to glow)

A Second Selection of Seventy Jews … To Assist Moses

Fairly soon after the Israelite’s Exodus from Egypt, Moses heeded his father-in-law Jethro’s advice to appoint administrators to help Moses with the judging of disputes among the people. Then about 14 months after the Exodus, the Lord lifted the cloud (by day, pillar of fire by night) over the Tabernacle. “So the Israelites set out from the wilderness of Sinai and traveled on from place to place until the cloud stopped in the wilderness of Paran” (Numbers 10:12).

Shortly thereafter, the Israelites again began to grumble and mumble against the Lord and against Moses because they were fed up (pun intended) with their diet. “…Oh, for some meat! They exclaimed … Our appetites are gone. All we ever see in this manna!” (Numbers 11:4 & 6).

Reading on: “Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. And Moses said to the Lord, ‘Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? Did I give birth to them? … Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? … The load is far too heavy. If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!’” (Numbers 11:10-15).

I thought to myself: Could even Moses talk to God like that? I’m not sure I would or could, no matter how miserable. Then realizing: I’m certainly no Moses. Not only Moses, but David, other Psalmists, and several prophets sometimes bluntly expressed their feelings to the Lord and did so in a way that seemed to give up on or even challenge God. Such as Elijah: “…He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life…’” (I Kings 19:4).

I/We also realize that the Lord can certainly “handle” those challenges and does so with compassion and sovereign wisdom. If, that is, they are from a sincere (hurting) heart and they are not intended to, as such, defy God.

Seldom did the Lord respond directly to the precise words of the prophet’s or the king’s complaint. Nor did he engage them in a detailed (therapeutic-like) discussion of their problems, nor reprimand them for being so abrupt. He let them get it off their chest (so to speak) and then proceeded to give them practical solutions to alleviate their predicament. In fact, with Elijah, it was a gentle whisper from the Lord.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone” (Numbers 11:16-17, italics for emphasis).

Although Scripture doesn’t tell us, quite likely some of the 70 elders who accompanied Moses on Mount Sinai were part of this group of 70 administrators who would assist Moses in bearing the burden of the people.

Have you heard the term, Sanhedrin? If so, do you know what it is? One of the most well-known scenes in the New Testament is that of Nicodemus coming secretly to Jesus at night to determine just who Jesus might really be. Was he the Messiah? From that encounter, we get the most quoted verse of Scripture, at least in the New Testament (John 3:16).

Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, an organized Jewish council (the Greek word means assembly) of 70 men, with its reintroduction traditionally believed to be by Ezra after the return of some Jews from the Babylonian captivity. But historically (records) traced only to the 3^rd century B.C.

During the 400 silent years the (Great) Sanhedrin consisted mostly of Sadducee nobles and priests, with a few Pharisees, scribes, or elders of Israel. It was patterned after the 70 leaders of Israel of whom we just read. Subsequently, the Sanhedrin expanded to 71 members, primarily to break any tie in voting. But the original design was that of a 70-member body. Subsequently, due to Roman Empire suppression and oppression, the Sanhedrin dissolved in 425 A.D.

However, the Sanhedrin has been revived in today’s Israel. Though it doesn’t possess the political or even religious power it once held, it is nevertheless recognized symbolically as a viable organization in Israeli society. Observant Jews ardently anticipate that when the 3^rd Temple is built, the Sanhedrin will be the governing authority over religious life in Israel, perhaps even replacing the (secular) Supreme Court of Israel.

Also, it was members of the Sanhedrin who had Jesus arrested and who violated their own laws by an illegal mock trial in the middle of the night. Then they handed him over to the Romans to be crucified.

(Scene from the Acclaimed Movie, Passion of the Christ, showing the High Priest and members of the Sanhedrin. Film released in 2004, which happened to be the year that the Sanhedrin was reinstituted in Israel)

The Seventy Jewish Disciples

Many, even unbelievers, know that Jesus chose twelve men to be his inner circle of disciples. But that wasn’t the only group of followers whom our Lord selected for a special purpose.

“Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come” (Luke 10:1, NASB).

Messiah Jesus sent the seventy specifically to towns in Israel to, “…heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’” (Luke 10:9, NASB).

Then Jesus issued a severe warning of (final day) judgment to those towns that rejected the message of the Kingdom of God, which would have been established then and there in Israel had Messiah’s own people not spurned him.

Said Jesus to the seventy: “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me” (Luke 10:16, NASB).

I don’t believe it’s mere happenstance that Jesus selected seventy of his Jewish followers to proclaim that Israel’s Messiah had arrived. Seventy, the same number of Jewish elders who assisted Moses in the administration of the Old Covenant. The new set of seventy would announce that Jesus was God’s Son who had come to mediate the New Covenant announced by Jeremiah hundreds of years earlier.

Seventy Times Seven

The following is another widely known passage of Scripture.

(I’ve even heard unbelievers quote “seventy times seven!” Including some Hollywood movies)

Obviously, Jesus’s reply was figurative in principle. We need to forgive others as many times as it takes—something that is sometimes hard to do even once. However, Jesus did literally say, “until (up to) seventy times seven.”

Thus, it was no coincidence that our Lord selected seventy (times seven) in this formula for forgiveness. In fact, I’m convinced the correlation to the passage with which we began today’s article, concerning the seventy weeks of Daniel’s prophecy, is crystal clear.

“A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to…” (Daniel 9:24).

To what?

In the context of what Jesus told Peter concerning Peter’s brothers (the Jews): “to atone for their guilt…” (Same Verse 24). This took place 69 weeks or 483 years after Daniel’s prophecy (up to that point) culminating in Messiah Jesus’s sacrificial atonement for sin once and for all. Next would come the (final) 70^th week—the seven-year Tribulation preceded immediately by the Rapture which is precipitated by the final (Omega) generation that includes the rebirth of Israel and the restoration return of Jews to Israel foretold in many Old Testament passages.

Seventy times seven said Jesus. A period of seventy sets of seven as prophesied by Daniel.

Returning to the Old Testament for our last example, which is:

Seventy Years of Babylonian Exile

A frequently quoted verse in Scripture, treasured by Jewish and Gentile believers and by non-Messianic Jews alike, is one of the most (and there are many) encouraging promises the Lord makes to Israel.

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me … I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land” (Jeremiah 29:11-14, emphasis added).

The italicized words (Verse 11) is the part of this passage most often quoted. But in reading the following verses, we see that the plans, future, and hope are specifically linked to the return of exiled Jews to their Promised Land … the final restoration of the Jews, of Israel, and of Jerusalem. The beginning of which took place when Israel was reborn as a nation in 1948, seventy years ago!

Many also overlook the verse immediately preceding verse eleven. Examining the context of this passage more closely, we read:

“This is what the Lord says: ‘You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again” (Jeremiah 29:10, italics for emphasis). Then verse eleven begins with: For I know the plans I have for you…

Because God’s people never really returned to him, nor did most of them even return to Israel from Babylon or from Persia; and because hundreds of years later they rejected their very Messiah (Jesus), the ultimate fulfillment of this prophetic promise (the plans I have for you) would not begin to unfold for another 2,500 years.

In advance, the Lord (through Jeremiah) not only told the Jews that the southern kingdom of Judah would fall to and the Temple demolished by Babylon, he also specified the precise time of their exile—70 years.

The fact that what God says will happen, always happens; what he says he will do he always does, doesn’t diminish the drama of the Jews returning to Israel after seventy years captivity in Babylon. Then the even more dramatic return of Jews from the four corners of the earth when Israel was reborn in 1948. Since then Israel’s population has increased tenfold—from approximately 600,000 in 1948 to 6.5 million today. Well over a million Jews have made Aliyah to Israel from many nations, especially from Russia. Over six million Israelis in modern Israel to poignantly represent the six million Jews ruthlessly killed in the Holocaust.

(Aliyah–Immigrants Coming to Israel)

Is there a (prophetic) correlation between the 70 years of Israel’s exile in Babylon and the (ultimate) fulfillment of God’s promise to return his people to Israel, which began to take place 70 years ago? I would answer that question with a question: How could there not be?

The full passage (Jeremiah 29:10-14) establishes that link.

In that regard, was it mere chance that the 2^nd Temple was destroyed in the year 70. A.D.?

The Bible is replete with the significance of some numbers and their pattern connection with events and/or examples of God’s interaction with humanity. Such as the number three, seven, twelve, forty, seventy, and four hundred. Several Eye of Prophecy articles have focused on this Biblical emphasis regarding certain numbers.

For example, the article: Countdown to Armageddon … End of the Fourth 400-Year Era (Posted 7-29-17). Here is an excerpt from that article:

Jesus of Nazareth is the prophesied Messiah who came to this earth to accomplish the two providential plans that God conceived for the human race, to the Jew first and then to the Gentile:

(1) To bring salvation, through the Jews, to every Jew and Gentile who believes and receives Messiah Jesus as Lord and Savior.

(2) To fulfill God’s promise that Abraham’s descendants would possess the Promised Land of Israel forever.

In the last 70 years both of these magnificent plans have been in high gear and are now in the final stages. Tens of thousands of Jews have come to Christ especially since the Six-Day War of 1967, as have millions of Gentiles the world over. Israel has been reborn as a sovereign nation, with Jews immigrating to or being born in their homeland in great numbers.

Things to Ponder

What an amazing time of history we’re living in!

Israel born in a single day, May 14^th, 1948 … a direct fulfillment of Isaiah 66:7-9.

Jews returning from virtually every nation on earth. A miraculous accomplishment, one foretold by dozens of Bible passages.

The Gog/Magog terrible trio of Russia, Iran, and Turkey forming an unheard-of alliance, considering the animosity of these countries one toward another just a few years ago. Precisely as predicted by Ezekiel (Chapters 38 & 39).

Alongside their Gentile brothers and sisters in Christ, tens of thousands of Jews believing and receiving Jesus as Messiah and Savior, especially in the last 70 years. Waiting for Messiah’s return to, “…lead his flock with the Lord’s strength, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. Then his people will live there undisturbed, for he will be highly honored around the world. And he will be the source of peace…” (Micah 5:4-5a).

Israel’s economy is booming and agriculture flourishing unlike any time in her history since the glory days of King David and King Solomon. Not only bountiful crops, lush vineyards, and beautiful gardens planted and blooming, but the Jews themselves planted and prospering in their ancient home.

There’s still trouble ahead. The seven-year Tribulation will be more terrifying than anything ever experienced on Planet Earth. But after it’s over, all Israel will be saved (Romans 11).

For those, Jew and Gentile alike, who have believed and received Jesus as Messiah and Savior, God will spare us from this time of great misery and calamity.

If you don’t know Messiah Jesus as your personal Savior, I implore you to call upon the name of the Lord. You will be saved immediately (from your sins and the penalty thereof) and from the Great Tribulation soon to come.

Are you in awe of the spectacular 20^th and 21^st century end-times fulfillment of Biblical prophecy? I certainly am.

“Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!…” (Psalm 96:4).

Let’s rejoice with Israel over her 70^th birthday!

A Quick Quiz

Has anyone not heard about the Fountain of Youth?

Next question, multiple choice this time: Which famous explorer allegedly searched for this elusive fountain: (A) Ferdinand Magellan; (B) Marco Polo; (C) Rocky Balboa; (D) Ponce de Leon?

Fairly easy question, especially if you live in Florida.

Answer: Ponce de Leon. If you’re not at all interested in things historical, perhaps not so easy.

If you picked up on Rocky Balboa as a choice, at least you’re paying attention; Sylvester Stallone would have appreciated that. On a more serious note: What was the explorer Balboa’s full name? Answer: Vasco Nunez de Balboa.

Whether searching for a Fountain of Youth or not, exploring was sometimes hazardous to one’s health. At the ages of 41 and 47, respectively, in the territories they explored Ferdinand Magellan and Ponce de Leon were killed by natives. Christopher Columbus contracted either gout or arthritis (through food poisoning) that eventually caused his death 14 years later at the age of 55.

How about a harder question? Does the Fountain of Youth exist? Yes. No.

How can that possibly be harder, you ask? Because whether you answered yes or no, you would be wrong. After finishing this article, you can decide if it was a trick question.

One final question: Is the whole idea of the Fountain of Youth absurd, including anyone who would search for it? Yes. No.

Historians agree that Ponce de Leon’s search for the Fountain of Youth was a myth, though he may have half-way believed Native Americans (in Florida) who said there were springs of water in the land of Bimini that restored one’s vitality. Only problem: Bimini was a fictional place. Thus, the obvious answer to the final question is: Yes.

Or is it?

(In St Augustine, Florida)

Whether the Fountain of Youth is real or not, borders on the irrelevant. Because billions on this planet have searched for “a” Fountain of Youth, in whatever form or substance they think it exists. It all depends upon what people imagine it is or want it to be; how a fountain of youth is perceived or defined. However, one thing is undeniably clear: people want to be “forever young.” Why anyone would want perpetual life on this earth filled with incessant evil and death and all the ills of humanity is beyond me.

The idea of such a fountain goes back a long way before Ponce de Leon. For example, Alexander the Great purportedly searched for a “Water of Life.” There are known locations of springs that (seem to … perhaps the placebo phenomenon) slow (the signs of) aging or restore vitality to the body inside and out; however, there is no known Fountain of Youth to prolong one’s life and certainly none that has ever preempted death.

All Must Die, But Do We Know (Accept) How and Why?

This past Tuesday (March 27^th) marked the anniversary of Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon’s first sighting of present-day Florida in 1513. Did he hope that he would discover the Fountain of Youth there? Or should such a wonder be called the Fountain of Life? Is there a difference?

Tomorrow (April 1—because Easter, fluctuating from year to year, has in the past sometimes fallen on the same day as de Leon’s sighting) is the anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, which is the greatest event in human history. One that truly gives those who believe in Christ hope of eternal life and one that guarantees the eternal life hoped for. To keep us forever young, because we will never again grow old again, once we are transfigured in the same fashion as Jesus Christ in his glorification preview on the Mount of Transfiguration. Then permanently (forever) upon his resurrection from the dead.

Eternal life is a no-strings-attached gift; the source of which only needs to be believed and received. We don’t need to literally or symbolically travel to the ends of the earth, or astrologically look to the planets and stars, or explore exotic, esoteric places to find it. Nor can everlasting life be earned through good works or self-merit.

The Problem: Billions on this earth don’t believe that anything, let alone their eternal destiny, can be as simple as Biblical salvation. And the reason for that is because mankind refuses to believe God himself and the redemptive truth found in His Word, the Bible. Just like our original parents, Adam and Eve, they refuse to concede that physical death would be (is) a direct result of disobedience to and sinning against God. Rather, death is “just a part of life.” Which it obviously is, but not why they think it is. Some go as far as to say that they don’t sin against God, or even sin at all. If they do anything wrong, it’s only against another human being; even then, it’s a “mistake in judgment.”

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth … If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts” (I John 1:8 & 10).

Even the most brilliant of scientists still don’t know why we age to the point of death. The general idea that our body (cells, organs, tissues) breaks down and wears out is only an explanation of the symptoms, not the original root cause of death. And that’s only for those who aren’t killed by others (war or murder), or take their own lives, or succumb to life-shortening diseases and catastrophic natural disasters, or even simple accidents.

All God asked of Adam and Eve was to trust him, which included only one command not to do something—imposed because the Lord gave them the freedom to choose to obey him or not.

However, death would not be an end to their existence (oblivion). Rather death is a separation of soul and spirit from the body, plus a separation of body, soul, and spirit from God for eternity. Unless and until God’s gracious (free) remedy is accepted by simple faith in the redemptive sacrifice of God’s Son … Messiah Jesus.

So many people are confused because they look to myriad sources of explanation other than the God who created them, and his revelation of truth as found in Scripture … especially concerning salvation and eternity. Accordingly, they consider life on this earth as all that really matters, presuming that they have no final say in their eternal existence. They attempt to control and cling to their life and treasures on earth as though it and they would last forever. Nothing really matters after death, they muse; it’s all over then.

Some believe in heaven, but not hell. Others believe in neither. They wonder if existence is eternal at all.

The following is an excerpt from Eye of Prophecy article, To Be Or Not To Be … In Heaven (A Revisit) posted on 5-6-17. In italics:

…But the fact remains: Every person is eternal. Every soul will continue into and throughout eternity.

According to Scripture, every person was born (created) to live forever. That is what is meant when God breathed life into Adam (and Eve) and they became a “living soul.” (Genesis 2:7, KJV). Other translations read, “A living person” or “a living being.” Soul, person, being … all convey the idea of infinity, of time without end. That’s one reason we’ve conceived the expression human being. We don’t say that about animals, i.e. animal being. But a human is a being, made in the image of God. Part of that image is the eternity breathed into us by our Great God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.

Shakespeare’s statement of, “To be or not to be; that is the question,” is, indeed, a profound reflection. A living soul will always “be.” To be born is to be, and be, and be….

Those (and there are many) who subscribe to good deeds outweighing bad deeds as the formula to get to heaven never know for sure on what side of the scales God will find them. How could they, when the Bible clearly shows there is no such sliding scale that measures the relative weight of good and bad as a determination of where we will spend eternity. And when there is no other religion or philosophy that can tell them just how good they must be to merit whatever paradise they think awaits them.

Whereas some unbelievers might concede to the Biblical truth that physical death is a result of original sin, they stop short of acknowledging another vital Scriptural truth: That every person is born with a dead spirit (separated from God). That both physical and spiritual death is inherited from our original parents. Physical death takes varying lengths of time. But spiritual death begins at birth, because we are born with a sin nature. Which is why we must be “born again” (spiritually)

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” (Ephesians 2:4-5, parenthesis in the text).

The Fountain of Youth Paradigm Presumption

To unbelievers, the concept of living forever is pretty much confined to life on this earth. Many people have said something to the effect, “Well, you can’t live forever.” Which, obviously reflects their priority of this life over the next one, at all costs. They refuse or are afraid to look past their time on earth. They do so despite the inescapable truth explicitly conveyed in Scripture and indelibly planted in the human heart … there is life after death. Death is only a change of address, not a cessation of existence. Life on this earth is merely a drop in the ocean of eternity.

Their concept of eternity is that it be lived on the earth in this earthly body … a Fountain of Youth mentality. Only the pleasures of this life experienced in this earthly body are worth considering and pursuing. As expressed, for example, with another saying (paraphrased) you’ve probably heard:

(Derived from the Song, “In Heaven There Is No Beer” … “that’s why we drink it here”)

Am I saying that all pleasures on earth are bad? To be avoided or suppressed at all costs? Of course not. God created such pleasures—to be appreciated as gifts from God and enjoyed in moderation, as we all know what excess can do. Such enjoyments as food, drink (including alcoholic beverages if so preferred), reading a good book next to a warm hearth in a cozy home, transportation, sex, recreation, and so on.

Speaking of excess, there is one story after another of famous people who had all these pleasures (and more), whose life ended empty. Not to mention the Biblical principle and age-old adage: “You can’t take it with you when you die.” Or those who ended their own life despite having a surplus of everything by which the world measures success and satisfaction.

(See Eye of Prophecy article, The Right to Life? Posted 8-16-14. Written soon after Robin Williams ever so sadly took his own life. His Fountain of Youth had apparently gone dry).

We’re talking here about a Biblical PERSPECTIVE on PRIORITIES. Putting it another way: God’s viewpoint contrasted to the world’s.

All these delights (and more) will be experienced one way or another in the new earth and heavens that God will recreate (Revelation 21:1-2), to a much higher and nobler degree … with exception of marriage and matrimonial intimacy (Matthew 22:30). For that matter, we certainly won’t miss the horrendous heartache and revolting repercussions caused by infidelity and divorce; nor will there be any battle of the sexes.

At the Last Supper, Jesus said: “For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come” (Luke 22:18).

Living Water

The Fountain of Youth? People live in denial as though there was such a source of perpetual existence. We grow old but wish we were still young, in body and mind. We know we’re going to die, yet preparations we make for death are limited to this life—financial, family, and such. Why is it that most people give little or no thought to “estate planning” for eternity? Because they believe they have no ultimate control over their eternal destiny, or because they mistakenly assume that a loving God (conveniently forgetting that he is also a Holy God), couldn’t possibly send anyone to hell forever.

The Bible clearly shows that we send ourselves, because hell is simply a place where God isn’t. It is a place reserved for all who deliberately reject God’s universal truth as found in the Bible. It is a place prepared for those who don’t want (not really) any part of God, certainly not on His terms. For those who see no need to accept the greatest sacrifice ever made by the highest price ever paid to pardon us from our sins—Christ’s death on the cross and total victory over death by his astounding Resurrection. Instead, they long for and pursue their Fountain of Youth.

I repeat: Who would seriously want to live forever on this earth in its current uncertain, volatile, sin-saturated condition? A condition that is getting worse, not better. Fortunes can be lost in the blink of an eye. Families can be torn apart in a flash of unbridled passion. Cities and nations can fall with the breath of a nuclear blast or a burst of intercontinental missiles. Terrorism, war, murder, and brutality of all sorts erupt daily. In a moment of distrust, pride, anger, or frustration, we wrong others and are wronged by them. With one more heartbeat, our life can suddenly end.

An article in Psychology Today, entitled: America’s Obsession with Never Growing Old is one of many written on the subject; the title says it all. Americans, Europeans, people all over the world spend billions on rejuvenation health products … liquids, ointments, supplements, and cleansing treatments for the body (inside and out) of all kinds. What if all this money was given to alleviate poverty and hunger?

Who needs a Fountain of Youth to perpetuate life on this earth, when there’s something so much better. Something not found in “magic potions,” sparkling mountain brooks, soothing hot springs, subterranean reservoirs, crystal-clear lakes, or deep pure wells.

We’re talking about a Fountain of Life-giving, eternal-destiny altering living water that changes our heart, transforms our soul and spirit, and one day will even transfigure our bodies to live with God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As opposed to eternal death to which vain pursuit of a Fountain of Youth will lead.

The Greek word for eternal is the same in such passages as Matthew 24:41 (eternal punishment) and John 3:16 (eternal life).

Thus, it’s a matter of WHERE and WITH WHOM we will spend eternity.

Which is why eternal existence WITH God is called everlasting life. Where? In heaven and on a new earth.

And why eternal existence without God and the host of heaven is called eternal death … the Second Death. Eternal death doesn’t mean annihilation—the cessation of existence. It means eternal separation from the Lord. Where? In the Lake of Fire—whatever and however horrible that will be. (See Revelation 20).

So great a salvation (from eternal death) is freely given through the Living Waters of who Messiah Jesus is and what he has done. It’s available to God’s chosen people the Jews, also to Gentiles. The first mention of such a living fountain is when Jesus graciously spoke with the Samaritan woman (part Jew, part Gentile … whom Jews despised and vice versa) at the well.

“…Jesus said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

“…She said to Jesus, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?’

“Jesus replied, ‘If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.’

‘But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket … and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?’

“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.’

‘Please sir … give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water’” (John 4:7-15).

A short time later, the Samaritan woman would realize that she would still need to draw water from the well, but only to quench her physical thirst. Her eternal thirst for spiritual cleansing through thirst-quenching salvation leading to eternal life would forever be satisfied. Reading on:

“Jesus replied, ‘Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.’

“The woman said, ‘I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’

“Then Jesus told her, ‘I AM the Messiah!’” (John 4:21-26).

Obviously, the Samaritan woman didn’t at first realize that Jesus was talking about eternal life-giving spiritual water, which is infinitely more lasting than physical water, as important as the elements (H2O) are to sustain life. Which is why she referred to ropes, buckets, and the physical well dug by Jacob long ago. No different than all the ropes and buckets we use to draw what we think is the satisfying source of life’s necessities and pleasures from man-made religions and philosophies. And/or by indulgent pursuit of material gratifications—systems and sources of all kinds that can never quench the innate thirst and hunger in our hearts. Things that will imprison us in and poison us with polluted waters of self-righteousness and stagnant self-reliance that make us totally independent of God, who alone can cleanse and free us from the stain and penalty of sin.

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent’” (I Corinthians 1:18-19).

Manna from Heaven

We’ve all read or seen or heard factual and fictional accounts of people dying from hunger and thirst. Books and movies are full of (mostly near-death) these episodes. Except for the excruciating death on a cross (the word excruciating comes from cross), experienced by our Lord and Savior (shortened because of the savage whipping he received by the Romans before being nailed to the cross), I can’t imagine a more horrific death than from thirst or starvation.

We pamper ourselves with food and drink as much or more than any other need or want. For many that’s pretty much what life is all about. We wouldn’t dream of withholding either from our daily existence, nor would we tolerate for a minute someone else who would deprive us of either.

Naturally, food and water are essentials of life. Without them, we die. Which is why Jesus also (in addition to living waters) utilized the analogy of food to illustrate the supreme need for spiritual sustenance. Without which, we also die … eternally.

The day after Jesus miraculously fed five thousand men (along with woman and children which would have doubled or tripled the number), many in that crowd hopped in their boats to look for Jesus on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had earlier slipped away from the crowd without his disciples. Later that night Jesus walked on water toward his disciples who were frantically trying to cross the lake during a fierce storm. Two mighty miracles in less than 24 hours!

Let’s pick it up with a question from the crowd when they found Jesus.

“…Rabbi, when did you get here?”

*Note: It was a reasonable question followed by (as we shall soon see) an unreasonable demand. It’s like, Okay, what’s with this … your disciples got here in a boat and we also got here in boats. But you didn’t take a boat!

The walking on water miracle was between Jesus and his disciples, so he didn’t answer the crowd’s question. Jesus often did this; a response that got to the heart of the matter, exceedingly more perceptive and profound than answering the question at hand. And almost always, it was a matter of directing people’s attention to the miracle of who Jesus is (God Incarnate … Messiah Savior), not just the miracles he performed.

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.’

“They replied, ‘We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?’

“Jesus told them, ‘This is the only work God wants from you. Believe in the one he has sent.’

(*Note: Jesus’s answer constitutes the universal fundamental difference between the Christian faith and ALL man-made religions, cults, and philosophical systems).

“They answered, ‘Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! … Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat’” (John 6:25-31).

*Time out!

Seriously? They insisted on a “miraculous sign” a day after they and thousands of others had been stuffed with all the fish and bread they could eat (including leftovers) with only five small loaves of bread and two fish at the Lord’s disposal. The smallest of restaurants would become multi-million-dollar corporations with that kind of food and its preparation! Come to think of it: Farmers and fishermen wouldn’t do so well!

What if Jesus had looked up to heaven (Mark 6 … another gospel account of the feeding of the five thousand) in response to their demand? Only this time, instead of blessing the food (thereby multiplying it exponentially), he brought down huge lightning bolts that struck the ground. And before that he told them to stand still; if they moved they would be struck by lightning. Of course, some panicked and moved. (“Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me!” Psalm 81:8).

Or what if he had thrown his staff to the ground like Aaron did before Pharaoh? Only this time, the staff broke into hundreds of pieces, and each piece became a poisonous snake!

(After Ten Mighty Miracles (plagues), That Smirk on Pharaoh’s Face Was Gone)

As the saying goes: Be careful what you wish for…. Better yet: What more proof to you need?

Wouldn’t a miracle of love and compassion that fed so many with so little food (to begin with) be as equally convincing and so much better than a miraculous sign that might terrify them. Like God speaking in a thunderous voice from Mt. Sinai, prompting the people’s panicked plea for Moses to (please) make God stop it.

Continuing in the text, it’s clear that Jesus ignored their demand for a miraculous sign. Knowing full well the problem was not with their eyes, but with their heart.

“Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’

‘Sir,’ they said, ‘give us that bread every day.’ (*Note—sound like the woman at the well regarding water?).

“Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:32-35).

He then said, “For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day” (Verse 40).

For those who have never seen Jesus in the flesh, yet believe in him, Jesus said to Thomas (and all the disciples in that poignant scene when Thomas doubted that Jesus had risen from the dead):

“You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29).

Scripture also tells us there’s a way to see him without seeing him.

To see is to believe, and to believe is to see. Right? Of course, right!

Birth and Rebirth

In addition to water and food, Jesus also used the illustration of birth to explain that life is more than just time on this earth. Life is eternal; where and with whom we spend that eternity depends entirely on another birth. A second birth that Jesus said was from above, of the Holy Spirit.

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Then, “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So, don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:6-7).

In that same amazing scene with the Jewish religious leader Nicodemus, Jesus went on to say how we are born again and the result thereof:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

A new birth which gives us a potent position (inheritance) in the family of God. One that assures the precious privilege of everlasting life with our Awesome Creator in the Kingdom of God.

During the wilderness temptation attack against Jesus—who as the Son of Man was extremely hungry and thirsty—Satan said, “…If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.

“But Jesus told him, ‘No! The Scriptures say, People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:3-4, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3).

God’s Word(s) is found in the Bible, which also tells us about His Son, the Messiah—the Living Word (John 1:1).

Not the Koran, not the Book of Mormon, not Jehovah Witness pamphlets, not Roman Catholic catechism, or any so-called sacred writings of other religions. They all say that people must earn God’s favor. Instead, the Bible presents God’s Grace imparted through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son … doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Making us right with God! Because we have no righteousness of our own.

“We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind” (Isaiah 64:6).

“For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are … We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with underserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood…” (Romans 3:20-25).

Sadly, so many remain spiritually hungry and thirsty, a hunger and thirst that will result in spiritual death throughout eternity. All the while accumulating anything and everything they think will bring them happiness and satisfaction, by drinking deeply from a fountain of youth.

They will be born only once, but tragically will die twice.

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:25-26).

*It doesn’t get any worse than that.

Thanks be to God. Those who accept Jesus as personal Savior will be born twice but die only once. Isn’t birth so much better than death?

“…And because of his (Messiah-Jesus) experience (death and resurrection for our life-giving forgiveness), my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins” (Isaiah 53:11, parenthesis mine).

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, italics for emphasis).

*It doesn’t get any better than that!

Things to Ponder

Today’s article is posted on March 31^st, 2018. Tomorrow, millions upon millions will celebrate Resurrection Day.

Just before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he said: “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die (the Second Death). Do you believe this, Martha?” (John 11:25-26).

Do you believe Jesus? Do you believe IN Jesus?

The tomb where Jesus was buried is EMPTY.

Said the angels to the women who came to the tomb taking all the spices they had prepared: “…Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!” (Luke 24:5-6).

Just what kind of miracle do we need to believe? Or how many spectacular signs? Does resurrection from the dead qualify?! Not just a resurrection in which the person must die again while on earth, as did Lazarus and a handful of others as recorded in Scripture. Rather, an ad-infinitum resurrection in an imperishable body that will live forever. Christ was the first. Those who believe in him will follow:

“…For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died (believers in Christ) will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed … into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’

“For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:52-57, parenthesis mine).

Why keep searching for fountains that will never satisfy. Enticing, but deceptive fountains that contaminate our body, soul, and spirit. Fountains that poison us with alluring pleasures, prestige, power, and possessions. Soon dried up temporary fountains that blind us to eternity.

Instead, believe the Lord: “With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!” (Isaiah 12:3).

“…No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (I Corinthians 2:9).

Fountain of Youth & Fountain of Life. Same or different?

As for me, I will continue to drink from the Fountain of Living Waters.

Because:

He has risen! He has risen, indeed!

“The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow…” (Isaiah 65:25).

Hold that thought … we’ll get back to it.

Meanwhile, it’s that time of the year. So shout it out: Happy New Year!

Cherishing and celebrating the Savior’s (Christmas) birthday or not, one week later many of us look forward to a new year. Whether a person’s year begins on January 1^st (for most of the world), or the 1^st day of Tishrei (Jewish calendar), there’s something about a new year that seems to renew or continue our hope for a meaningful life, and rekindle aspirations for a finer world with some measure of peace. People still make resolutions (some seriously) to be a better person to themselves and others.

Longing for better days ahead is enhanced in multiples of ten, then hundreds, and even thousands. A new decade for years that end in zero—with the average life expectancy in most nations of the world allowing many to see eight, nine, or even ten decades in their lifetime. Some actually experience the beginning of a new century, or have lived for a century or more. However, the human race has undergone only a few transitions from one millennium to another. Including our generation! We have witnessed the first number of the calendar switch from 1 to 2!

Epochs (millennia) of time don’t necessarily take place precisely on the Gregorian calendar year ending with three zeros. Nonetheless, the pivotal milestones of God’s interaction with man—as recorded in the Bible and documented by secular history—in accomplishing his plans for the human race are pretty close to those millennial markers.

For example: God chose Abraham as the progenitor of the Jewish race—through whom the Child of Promise would come to save both Jew and Gentile—around 2,000 B.C., the third millennium. From the tribe of Judah through the lineage of King David, Messiah would descend; David ruled as Israel’s greatest king from 1010 to 970 B.C. … onset of the fourth millennium.

Two thousand years ago marked the fifth millennium of recorded human history, when the miraculous birth of Jesus changed time itself. The number five in Scripture represents God’s grace. And that’s exactly what happened: the advent of the New Covenant of Grace foretold by Jeremiah (Chapter 31). God’s grace through the gift of his Son Messiah Jesus, who died to forgive sin and pardon the penalty of our sins—eternal separation from God. And God only requires one thing of us: to believe and receive the substitutionary death of His Son as the Gospel truth.

Very close to a thousand years after King David, “The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11) was born in Bethlehem. Just a few years and months before the world-changing birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, many Jews brimmed with enthusiasm for Messiah’s arrival. That same Messianic fervor—for believers the Second Coming; for non-Messianic Jews, Messiah’s first arrival—has exploded all over the world once again.

(See Eye of Prophecy articles, Great Expectations for Messiah and Amazing Anticipation for Messiah. Posted 8-8-15 & 8-29-15. Also refer to, The World Wants a Messiah … But It Needs (The) Messiah, posted 1-28-17).

Beginning with the estimated time when God created Adam and Eve (using the Roman, then Gregorian calendar), we became part of the 7^th millennium in the year 2,000. Seven, the Divine Number found throughout Scripture constitutes the conclusiveness, completeness, and providential sovereignty of God’s interaction with his creation. Beginning with the Lord setting aside the 7^th day as a day of rest, remembrance, and recognition of our awesome God and his majestic creation.

The year 2,000 was also the beginning of the third millennium (A.D.). Which is a meaningful milestone correlation to the fact that Messiah Jesus arose from the grave on the third day.

The Apostle Peter reminded us:

I’m convinced that this one-day-to-a-thousand years model is not only a symbolic comparison, but also a literal time-measurement of and connection to the third-day resurrection of Messiah and his soon glorious return (in this 3^rd Millennium A.D, also the 7^th Millennium overall).

The second Millennium (marked by the year 1000) and sixth overall, was a continuation of the Age of Grace. Six represents the number of man. In the same passage we just looked at, Peter provides the reason why the Lord might (in the 1^st century) have delayed his return—explained by the one day/thousand-year paradigm.

“The Lord isn’t really slow about his promise (to return to the earth), as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (II Peter 3:9, parenthesis mine).

But now the time has come. We are almost eighteen years into the Third Millennium A.D. End-time prophecy is being fulfilled or is unfolding in the 20^th & 21^st centuries in unparalleled fashion since the first century. (See Eye of Prophecy articles, Look Up … Redemption Is Near, Part I & II. Posted 7-11 & 7-18-15, for twelve Biblical prophetic signs occurring in the last 100 years).

Imminent Arrival of the (Lord’s) New World Order

This new world order (not the kind that man-made conspiracies are made of) begins with the Rapture of believers; followed by the greatest time of death and destruction the world will ever experience, culminating with the triumphant return of Christ at the end of this disastrous seven years. (See Eye of Prophecy article, Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation, published 6-6-15).

Whatever time of year that Messiah returns to earth, the following year will bring a whole new meaning to Happy New Year.

There will be the need for only one all-encompassing resolution, which is expressed in many ways throughout Scripture. And that will be to acknowledge the Lord when he says: “For my people will serve the Lord their God and their king descended from David—the king I will raise up for them” (Jeremiah 30:9).

Although that passage is directed to Israel regarding her last day’s restoration, it will also extend to the whole world, because salvation comes through the Jewish Messiah (Jesus) to the Jew first, then to the Gentile (Romans 1:16).

“Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it” (Romans 11:12).

No matter what year it takes place—2018, 2019, 2020, or soon thereafter—it will be the beginning of the glorious one-thousand year reign of Messiah Jesus on earth. He will usher in a remarkable era of righteousness and justice. Whenever it begins, the 1000-year reign of Christ will finally be: Peace on earth, good will toward men.

“Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6). See Revelation 20:11-15 for God’s Great White Throne Judgment and the second death.

Blessed, because Messiah Jesus will graciously and generously share his inheritance with believers, including the awesome privilege of reigning with him. Holy, because those who are given the incomparable benefit (through faith in Christ) to be children of God (John 1:12) will be separated just for that purpose—empowered to represent and serve our Lord all over the earth. The “first resurrection” takes place at the Rapture, and then continues with the resurrection of Tribulation Saints, many (probably most) of whom will be murdered by the Antichrist during the Tribulation. (Refer to: The Magnificent Millennial Reign of Believers with Messiah. Posted 7-15-17).

Christ, himself, will establish the Kingdom of God on earth and he will settle international quarrels, the kind that make a cold war hot. All wars will cease, even the cold ones. And the weapons of war will be no more.

(Jesus First Had to Reconcile Man to God)

“The Lord will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore. Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise!” (Micah 4:3-4).

Concerning Israel: “…Then I, the Lord, will rule from Jerusalem as their king forever. As for you, Jerusalem, the citadel (capital) of God’s people, your royal might and power (as seen in the glory years of King David and Solomon … only better) will come back to you again. The kingship will be restored to my precious Jerusalem” (Micah 4:7-8, parenthesis mine).

Nothing like what Jesus will do when he returns has ever occurred in the long, painful, and all too often evil expression of the human heart throughout mankind’s sordid history. Man’s attempt to govern without acknowledging that, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12) has resulted in unimaginable misery, destruction, and death of hundreds of millions of people (by the end of the Tribulation it will be in the billions) at the hands of other human beings.

Think about it for a moment; pick a time, any time, in history. In anyone’s lifetime (using 70 years as the most common measurement of a generation) when was there peace everywhere on earth? Or even in their sphere of the world? Perhaps once or twice; even then, all too fleeting.

But one day (soon), Jesus will return to make all things right. And, oh, how different and right they will be!

Not only will the phenomenal 1,000-year government of Messiah Jesus (until the very end when God will release Satan from his imprisonment in the Abyss to lead one last rebellion … quickly crushed by God—Revelation 20) eliminate all aggression on earth, the hostility of nature itself will be a thing of the past. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, tornadoes, and famine will be few and far between, if at all. In fact, Zechariah both states and implies that the Lord will use nature only to discipline (no rain) those nations who refuse to go to Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Shelters and worship the King (Zechariah 14:16-19).

It’s true: Messiah Jesus will “rule with an iron rod” (Revelation 19:15). No more or less (but with perfection) than any benevolent king would do to preserve the peace in his kingdom. But Messiah’s peace will blanket the earth during the Millennium! “His government and its peace will never end.” (Isaiah 9:7a).

Continuing with that verse, Jesus will also: “…rule with fairness and justice…” (Isaiah 9:7b).

Here is an excerpt from Eye of Prophecy article, Kingdom of God, posted 1-17-15. (In italics):

Jesus spoke often of the Kingdom of God; for example, comparing it to a mustard seed … the smallest of seeds that when planted grows into an enormous tree. Which is exactly what has happened to the body of Christ; an exponential growth down through the ages, to now consist of believers from virtually every nation and language on earth. It is the Kingdom of Heaven in the hearts and minds of those who have been redeemed by the shed blood of Christ. Next, will come the final physical Kingdom of God on this earth; at which time all people, all governments, all nations will be brought under the authority of God’s magnificent Son. He will rule the nations with firmness, but fairness.

Isn’t that what most people want? They want: law, order, equality, safety, peace. And they want someone who has the kind of authority to realize those dreams, but also someone who is kind and considerate with that authority. One who truly cares about people and what’s best for them; who can rule and judge with impartiality and kindness. A truly wise and benevolent King whose attributes perfectly reflect who and what he is: Love, Truth, Justice, Mercy.

Spiritual Bodies

Speaking to believers, the Apostle Paul discloses this powerful promise about our amazing inheritance in the Kingdom of God on earth, but also the radical reversal of the curse on nature … a direct result of our original parent’s rebellion against God.

“For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us” (Romans 8:16-23, italics for emphasis).

(Scene in Movie, Ben Hur. Charlton Heston–Playing Judah Ben Hur to the Left; Jack Hawkins–Playing Roman Naval Commander Quintis Arrius in Center. Arrius Adopted Judah Ben-Hur. Romans knew full well (as did Christians at the time) That Adoption Bestowed All the Rights of Inheritance)

Here is an excerpt from Eye of Prophecy article, Spiritual Bodies … A Contradiction of Terms? Part II (10-3-15). Beginning with Paul’s message to believers who were questioning a physical resurrection from the dead, even though that’s exactly what Christ accomplished.

“It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory … They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies” (I Corinthians 15:42-44).

…So, Paul is saying that it’s silly to think that there is no resurrection. Didn’t Christ, himself, rise from the dead? Or, once past that point of doubt, to think that we would be raised with the same earthly body in which we were born. As a result of sin, it was all too clear that our bodies grow old, deteriorate and eventually die. And why on earth would God raise us in spirit form only; when in fact he originally created us with a spirit and body to live forever… Furthermore, this everlasting life will be lived in and with a superbly superior body … a spiritual body!

Then in the final Things to Ponder portion of that article:

By and large, Scripture doesn’t elaborate on the new glorified spiritual bodies that believers in Christ will possess when the dead in Christ are raised from the dead and those alive will also be transformed and immediately follow them. Suffice to say, our spiritual bodies will far exceed anything we could imagine. Neither, however, does the Bible leave us clueless.

There is a general overview and reliable supposition that we can make about our glorified bodies: They will be multi-dimensional. How many more dimensions than we currently have is unknown for now.

But here are a few of the distinguishing characteristics:

Physical Barriers Are No Problem

We’ve already touched on this earlier in the article … Luke Chapter 24. That account is also recorded in John’s Gospel. Even after they had been told that the Lord had arisen, his disciples were still in hiding from the Jewish leaders—meeting behind closed and locked doors.

“…Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! ‘Peace be with you,’ he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side…” (John 20:19-20). Jesus didn’t knock or break down the door. He was just there! Picture entering the famous Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico without going through or down the entrance shaft.

Time and Space Are No Barriers

Remember Jesus walking with the two men on the road to Emmaus, after his resurrection. He verbally took them through all the prophetic Scriptures that spoke of him as the Messiah, then agreed to go to their home to eat dinner with them. Jesus, “…took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them … And at that moment he disappeared!” (Luke 24:30-31).

One minute he was there and the next second he was gone! Gone, as in abruptly vanishing. How long it took him to get to his next destination is not known. But a spiritual educated guess tells us it was fast, very fast. Perhaps we will be able to travel at the speed of sound, or light, or even thought.

Eating, Drinking (Presumably Sleeping) Will Still Be Possible, but Optional

Notice in the account we just looked at with the two followers of Jesus that Jesus chose not to eat. He blessed the bread, gave it to the two men, and disappeared. The very evident implication in this scene is that the seven-mile walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus followed by the time spent at the house preparing dinner and whatever else occurred would have taken several hours. The men were hungry and so could have been the Lord. But he chose not to eat most likely because he didn’t need to.

On the other hand, he ate with his disciples in the account later in Luke Chapter 24. Our spiritual bodies will be such that eating, drinking, and probably sleeping will be optional. With exception that we will periodically partake of the water of life and tree of life in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22). Thus, we will have the pleasure of eating … who doesn’t want or like to eat! On the other hand, there are times when we just don’t want to take the trouble to eat. We will eat when we want to; won’t eat when we don’t want to!

Gravity Does Not Affect the Spiritual Body

“Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider (Jesus) was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses” (Revelation 19:11, 14).

During the final epic battle of Armageddon, believers will follow our Lord directly from heaven; with the obvious conclusion that it will be from the sky above to the earth below, all the while riding white horses. Included in all the glorious features our spiritual bodies will possess, gravity will have no power over us. Suspended animation? Any time or place we choose.

Flying fast or flying slow. Look out earth, away we go!

Back to this week’s article.

The scourge that has affected nature for thousands of years will be over; even the behavior of animals will change drastically for the better.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

I recall quoting this famous line from the Wizard of Oz once before. Why or in which article I have no clue, but it must have been for a (good) reason! It certainly fits today’s theme. Though lions and other predators prefer natural game, they have from time to time attacked people. With the advent of the gun, these and other menacing animals are not as much of a threat as they were centuries ago, especially in Biblical times. Yet even in today’s high tech arsenal of weapons, people can still find themselves, in the blink of a tiger’s eye, on the food chain.

Despite what man has done to man especially during the 18^th, 19^th, 20^th, & 21^st centuries (think the Napoleonic Wars, two World Wars including genocides, terrorism, and all of the other “lesser wars”), at least we’ve improved our disposition towards animals—a partly serious and partly cynical observation. We’ve placed some animals under protection, such as the buffalo, hump-back whale, and sea-lion; thereby, alleviating their endangered species predicament. Through excellent conservation efforts (for example, bringing wolves back to Yellowstone National Park) we’ve better balanced the (unnatural) increase in the elk population.

(American Buffalo Herd–technically Bison as opposed to the African Water Buffalo. There was truly a “slaughter” of bison in the “Wild West” reducing their numbers from the millions to about 1,000 in 1890. Today, their population is estimated to be nearly 1/2 million).

One day soon, the King of kings and Prince of Peace will return to enact his own conservation program, one that will protect and preserve human life from ruthless predators—tyrants, terrorists, corrupt leaders, and everyday murderers. And also protection from wild animals.

When Adam named all the animals, it’s apparent that none of them were “wild” to the extent of being afraid of or threatening to people. This continued to Noah’s time, as the animals were not food for each other during the twelve and a half months that Noah, his family, and the animals were on the ark. However, it’s evident that the judgment of the Great Flood changed much of the earth’s topography, and also the dynamics of the animal kingdom. That is a reliable conclusion because of what God told Noah after the flood.

“I have given them (fish and animals) to you for food, just as I have given you grain and vegetables. But you must never eat meat that still has the lifeblood in it. … If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die … For God made human beings in his own image … Now be fruitful and multiply, and repopulate the earth” (Genesis 9:3-7, parenthesis mine).

When the curse is cancelled at the glorious Second Coming of Christ, even the animals will undergo an extreme makeover. The full nature and extent of these internal (temperament) and external (perhaps fewer or no fangs in predators) changes remain to be seen. The Lord’s magnificent plan of redemption is not only for people who place their personal trust in the Redeemer, but also for the entire earth and all living things. Everything will come full circle back to the beginning … even better!

Scripture only tells us about some of these remarkable transformations. Some of this restoration will take place during the Millennium; some not until after the 1,000-year epoch, which is the beginning of what many Bible scholars simply call “Eternity.” Such as:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people… God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever’” (Revelation 21:1-4).

The rest is left to our imagination; but even that is inadequate to fully comprehend it all.

This applies to the wonderful benefits of salvation during our journey on this earth, but also to the millennium following the Great Tribulation.

Concerning the renovation of the animal kingdom, listen to this incredible prophecy from Isaiah:

“In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow (which is the way it was in the beginning). The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm … for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord” (Isaiah 11:6-9, parenthesis mine).

Have you watched the National Geographic or Smithsonian Channels or the series called, Planet Earth, or other documentaries on wildlife? Have you seen the marvels of nature, but also the grisly sights of fierce animals seizing and killing their prey? Some of us realize that this is the way of things and has been for a long time. Others recoil in horror, wondering why it must be this way … what or who could possibly eliminate the existence of food chains.

No matter your disposition or your viewpoint, we all could respond to Isaiah’s astounding prophecy with something like, “Wow! How is that possible?”

In that same passage (and others) we’re told who can and will make such a thing happen.

“Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot—yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord… He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together…” (Isaiah 11:1-6).

Because of Jesus’s triumphant victory over sin and death—fully accomplished when he arose from the dead—he has power and authority to do such things. In this life, in the Millennium, and throughout eternity: “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church (born again believers) and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).

As God the Son, that power was also his before the world began.

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and the authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together” (Colossians 1:15-17).

Yes, even the animals will once again (innately) obey their creator.

Think about the possibilities.

A young boy will ask, “Dad, can I play with the tigers today?”

“Sure son, and be sure to give them some fresh hay when you’re done playing.”

A young girl will say, “Mom, I’m going to explore the cave where the snakes live.”

“Okay, honey, but be careful.”

“Mom, come on, you know what the Lord has done,” the little girl playfully chides.

“Of course,” Mom remembers as her eyes light up. “Have fun, and put them back where you find them!”

(Go Hippo Hopping During the Millennium, Or Just Slide Onto a Hippo’s Back and Enjoy the Ride!)

I’ll be amazed but not surprised (there’s a difference), if my white horse (Revelation 19:14) speaks to me and says, “Just hold on, I’ll do the rest.”

Things to Ponder

Personally, I have planted my life and placed my eternal destiny in the promises of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so wonderfully and powerfully proclaimed in Scripture. Hundreds of prophecies have been fulfilled with 100% accuracy. Why wouldn’t or shouldn’t the remaining prophecies come to pass?

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son” (Romans 5:8-10).

That Jesus arose from the dead is a historical fact. He was seen by hundreds of people after his death and burial. But there’s even greater evidence than eyewitness accounts.

“Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life” (I John 5:9-12).

Is Messiah Jesus your personal Savior? Is it really worth an eternity separated from God by disregarding or denying that Jesus is who he said he is, or that there’s another way to God and heaven? Do you believe Messiah’s exclusive claim that inclusively says to all who believe in him:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Said the Apostle Peter to his people, but also to the entire world:

“…Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved’” (Acts 4:8-12).

Do you believe that? Do you want to be in heaven and watch the Lord do what he said will be done: “And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’” (Revelation 21:5)

If you do—while you and I and other believers are waiting eagerly for Jesus to inaugurate his Millennium—then have a Happy New Year! For those who don’t believe in Jesus as the Messiah, Son of God, I pray that they will find new life and joy in Him this coming year.

Said the Gentile jailor to Paul and Barnabas, “…Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved…’” (Acts 16:30-31).

Such an easy question posed in the title of this week’s article, with an equally obvious answer: Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Were it not for Messiah Jesus and what he did before, during, and after the cross, there would be no entrance into heaven nor any place for us in the future Kingdom of God on earth. Believers will have the awesome privilege of going back and forth between heaven and earth during the Millennium and throughout Eternity.

Next question: After Jesus, is there anyone you especially want to see soon after your arrival in heaven? Keep reading for the opportunity and reason to think about that question, which extends beyond loved ones. But first, let’s get back to Jesus.

“Jesus replied (to Nicodemus), ‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God’” (John 3:3, parenthesis mine).

And in order to be born again (spiritually), there is only one thing that the Lord requires of us:

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.’

“They replied, ‘We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?’

“Jesus told them, ‘This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent’” (John 6:26-29, italics for emphasis).

Years later the Apostle Paul reinforced this profound yet simple truth of salvation to reconcile us back to God and, thereby, seal us with that same approval that God has for his beloved Son, Messiah Jesus.

“For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for our sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood… God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus” (Romans 3:25-26).

That is the Good News of the Gospel.

Is there bad news? Unfortunately, there is. Not the news itself. Rather, for those who have not believed and received Jesus as personal Savior, the question posed in the title of this week’s article is irrelevant. In order to see or be with anyone in heaven, they must first be born-again.

Other than Messiah Jesus

Next to Jesus, the question of whom believers most want to see in heaven also has an obvious answer: family or, perhaps for some, very close friends. With, of course, the compassionate hope that their loved ones will be in heaven. I think the majority of people—both believers and unbelievers (who are mistakenly relying on the presumption that they will qualify for heaven based mostly on their good deeds outweighing the bad)—look forward to being reunited with their spouse.

Which, however, poses a problem. If, that is, there will be problems as such in heaven. Which there won’t be because we can’t even imagine how wonderful or how much better all things will be in our eternal paradise. But we can know this: heaven is problem-free!

For example: “…Look, God’s home is now among his people. He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. And the one sitting on the throne said, ‘Look, I am making everything new!’” (Revelation 21:3-5).

(Please see Eye of Prophecy article, To Be or Not to Be in Heaven (A Revisit). Posted 5-6-17. Scroll down near the end of the article to heading of Heaven is a Place, But Not For Some Things!)

Spouses

The “problem” alluded to can be best understood by those who have had more than one spouse in their lifetime. Which one would they like to greet first in heaven? Or not at all—in case of a divorce! Actually, even divorced couples will rejoice that both are there. What about a woman who remarries after her first husband died? Who, at the end of her life, realized she loved both men the same.

Let’s look at what Jesus, himself, said about this issue. His explanation was in the context of the question of resurrection of the dead, which the Pharisees of Jesus’ time believed in, but not their rival group, the Sadducees. In one of several attempts to trap Jesus into saying or doing something that the religious leaders could hold against him or even prove him wrong (which they never were able to do, including some amazingly awesome answers from Jesus), we read:

“Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: ‘Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name. Well, suppose there were seven brothers…” (Mark 12:18-20).

The religious leaders went on to say (their example wouldn’t have been so absurd had they stopped with say two or three brothers) that the seven brothers married her in succession, but each died without conceiving a child with the woman. She then died, childless. Their question:

“So, tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her” (Verse 23).

Jesus corrected them:

“Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. For when the dead rise, they will neither marry or be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels of heaven. But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error” (Mark 12:24-27).

Jesus plainly told the religious leaders (of all people) that their most serious error was not knowing their own Scriptures. The single greatest error made by so very many, then and now, is passively ignoring the Bible or actively rejecting it as the source of God’s absolute truth. It is sixty-six books of accurate history, detailing people, places, and events; telling us about the fall of man, and God’s remedy through the prophesied Messiah who would bring salvation to all who would believe what he said and did.

All beginning with God choosing Israel as his special people and land to bring forth a Redeemer for Jew and Gentile alike. The Bible is replete with astounding miracles that God and His Son have performed, alongside the astonishing fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies to prove that He alone is God, and His Son is the only Savior.

“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Even the best of long-term marriages are imperfect and can’t compare to the ultimate rapport and unity of all believers in heaven. If a man or a woman deeply loved their spouse during two (or maybe even three) marriages on earth, then which one should they be with in heaven? Answer: Both, but not as husband and wife. Rather, as transfigured believers with new spiritual bodies and minds—worshipping, praising, and serving the Lord undefiled forever. Along with the host of heaven; with, perhaps, a little more bond to those they loved while on the earth.

Mothers, Fathers, Children, Sisters, and Brothers

Next to Jesus and then spouses, it’s logical that most people will first want to see their immediate family members or perhaps a very dear friend in heaven. For many it would be a mother and/or father, or child, followed by siblings. Or, maybe all at the same time. Once again, let’s put this in perspective of what Jesus said and did. Let’s get his view on family, but with a warning: His standpoint is in the context of something that supersedes even family—immediate or extended–relationships.

Before we look at a couple of passages on that subject, we can better grasp the dynamics of what’s going on with a brief review of where it all began.

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

Along with human beings and everything else that God created (which was everything!) we read: “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Genesis 1:31).

One day soon, it will be as good as or even better than it was in the beginning!

God created Adam from the dust of the ground (all the component parts of a human being can be found in the elements of the earth). Then the Lord gave the man the best gift that any man could or should ever want or need, in terms of human companionship on this earth.

“So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep (God’s anesthesia!). While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:21-22, parenthesis obviously mine).

And what was Adam’s response? “At last! … This one is bone from my bone and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one” (Genesis 2:23-24).

Then we’re told about Cain, the first child born to Eve.

“Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel…” (Genesis 4:2)

Most people, even unbelievers, know the story of the first murder when Cain killed his own brother—a direct second generation result of the sin nature that had been inherited by Adam and Eve’s children … passed down to this very day. But then we read:

“When Adam was 130 years old, he became the father of a son who was just like him—in his very image. He named his son, Seth. After the birth of Seth, Adam lived another 800 years, and he had other sons and daughters” (Genesis 5:3-4).

Thus, we see the vital significance of husband and wife and children—brothers and sisters—as the foundational bedrock of the God-given institutions of marriage and family. In fact, the Lord draws on that paradigm to illustrate that all believers in Christ are his bride (Ephesians 5:21-33). If we accept God’s salvation, then we also have the awesome privilege of being reborn into the family of God after we are born the first time into the family of man. Believers are not only Messiah’s bride, but we are God’s children.

“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God” (John 1:10-13).

The Lord gives us life and then gives us life again … everlasting!

Jesus and His Family

“Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. They stood outside and sent word for him to come out and talk with them. There was a crowd sitting around Jesus (something that happened frequently, sometimes crowds of thousands), and someone said, ‘Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.’

“Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ Then he looked at those around him and said, ‘Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother’” (Mark 3:31-35, italics for emphasis, parenthesis mine).

Did Jesus mean that his mother, brothers, and sisters were unimportant or irrelevant to him? Of course not. There are other scenes in the Gospels where it’s clear that Jesus honored his mother and father, and respected his siblings. Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Law—perfectly (without sin) keeping all commandments. One of which is to:

But there is something and someone higher and eternally more important than family bonds and identity. Jesus clearly said who and what that was: anyone who does God’s will. They are Messiah’s true family.

And what is God’s will? There is a plethora of both Old and New Testament passages that convey the ultimate will and plan of God for his creation. Beginning with the Messianic promises in the Old Covenant (Testament) and ending with the accomplishment of those prophecies/promises in the New Covenant—centered in Messiah. I’m going to quote just one, but it happens to be the one most are familiar with (both believers and unbelievers).

“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NASB).

“Whoever believes in Him” (Christ) is doing God’s will.

Let’s look at one more passage comparing the human to the spiritual family of God.

One of the more well-known stories in the Gospels is the rich man who asked Jesus, “…what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17).

After Jesus quoted some of the Ten Commandments, including honor your father and mother—with the rich man’s response that he had kept those commandments—we read: “Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. ‘There is still one thing you haven’t done … Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me’” (Mark 10:21).

It was not a happy ending for the man: “At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions” (Verse 22).

Many know what Jesus said next. “…How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God … In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God” (Verses 23 & 25).

We read on: “The disciples were astounded. ‘Then who in the world can be saved?’ they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, ‘Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.’

“Then Peter began to speak up. ‘We’ve given up everything to follow you,’ he said” (Verses 26-28).

Then Jesus drives home the point of this entire scene, which is the truth that he and the Gospel he brought with him to mankind are much more essential and eternal than earthly possessions, prestige, and power.

What every person does with and about Messiah Jesus will literally determine their eternal destiny. It will also determine eternal rewards for those who do believe in Jesus and choose to follow him. Moreover, in his reply to Peter, Jesus includes family relationships that also must be prioritized in the light of who Jesus is and what he would do for the human race.

{In the very next scene Jesus reminded his disciples what would soon happen to him: “…the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again” (Mark 10:33-34)}.

Getting back to Peter’s question, Jesus went on to say:

“Yes … and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be the least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then” (Mark 10:29-31).

Because the Lord has graciously given me the gift of teaching (all believers are given a special gift to serve the Lord—see Romans 12 & I Corinthians 12), I almost always provide my own commentary on Scripture or secular sources quoted in Eye of Prophecy articles. However, the following commentary on the above passage in Mark is from the New Living Translation (Application Study Bible) that I normally quote from unless otherwise noted:

Jesus assured the disciples that anyone who gives up something valuable for his sake will be repaid a hundred times over in this life, although not necessarily in the same way. For example, someone may be rejected by his family for accepting Christ, but he or she will gain the larger family of believers. Along with these rewards, however, we experience persecution because the world hates God. Jesus emphasized persecution to make sure that people do not selfishly follow him only for the rewards.

Jesus explained that in the world to come, the values of the world will be revealed. Those who seek status and importance here will have none in heaven. Those who are humble here will be great in heaven…

As important as spouses and children and our extended families are, our ultimate purpose for being on this earth is to prepare us for eternity. That preparation begins by being “born-again” through total trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Messiah Jesus for forgiveness of sins. In that regard, believer’s brothers and sisters in Christ are our real family. Which makes a flesh and blood brother or sister (or any family member) who is also a believer, even more precious. After we are saved, it’s also by regular reliance on the Holy Spirit that we love, worship, honor, serve, and in general seek the Lord above all else.

“So don’t worry about those things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all you needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:31-33, Words of Jesus).

Jesus Takes the Family Analogy a Step Further

Husbands, Wives, Fathers, Mothers, Children, Brothers, or Sisters. Natural born or adopted. Full or step or half siblings. Blended or unblended families. As wonderful and enduring as family relationships can and should be, the truth of the Gospel exceeds such bonds. One of the greatest joys in any believer’s life is when a family member comes to Christ for salvation. One of the greatest sorrows is when a loved one dies without Christ as their personal Savior.

And who doesn’t want to go to heaven or not go to hell when they die, whether a person believes in either place or not? For God and Christ and heaven and hell are as real as the words you are reading right now. I say this on the authority of God’s Word, in which the God of that Word says, “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1).

The world longs for lasting love and perpetual peace, but not for absolute truth. Most search for the elusive qualities of love and peace in people without including God who IS LOVE (I John 4:8 & 16). Without Christ who IS Peace (Isaiah 9:6). One day soon he and only he will bring permanent peace to the world. However, the first time Jesus came to Planet Earth, he came to bring peace with God. For without peace with God there can be no enduring peace between peoples.

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1).

That’s why Messiah Jesus was so blunt when he said:

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword (referring to the spiritual sword which is the Word of God—Scripture). I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own households! If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it” (Matthew 10:34-39, parenthesis mine).

Here is an excerpt from Eye of Prophecy article, One Nation Under (the wrath of) God, posted on 7-4-15, soon after and primarily on the subject of the United States Supreme Court Decision that legalized same-sex marriage:

“Pilate said, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus responded, ‘You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.’ ‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked…” (John 18:37-38).

We see two things happening in this crucifixion passage: (1) Jesus explaining his mission on coming to this earth … to testify of the truth. Earlier in his ministry he had said that he, himself, was The Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). He also said the truth would set us free, meaning himself. God’s truth for mankind is that his Son is the only Way to God, his son is Truth itself, and his Son is Life (salvation that comes from God’s great love for the human race which leads to eternal life, John 3:16). (2) Pilate diverted and deflected Messiah’s declaration and explanation of truth by facetiously asking, “What is truth?” With his clear inference that truth is relative to anything and everything; what is true for one isn’t true for another.

Messiah Jesus came to show us God and God’s love. He provided the only Way to God by giving us everlasting Life through his once for all sacrifice for our sins. Notice that the Truth is in the middle of John 14:6. Christ as THE TRUTH connects the way of salvation to the life it produces. Without recognizing that Jesus Christ is absolute truth that everyone needs, there is no way to God or everlasting life from God.

Continuing with the excerpt from the aforementioned article:

Many people (particularly unbelievers and especially those who practice or promote homosexual behavior and/or assert equal rights to a marriage license) claim that love trumps everything else, including truth. Of course it would, because there is no longer any such thing as absolute truth, i.e. given to us by God, himself as found in Scripture, the very Word of God. They refuse to consider real truth; accordingly, they really don’t understand what love is.

First comes truth, then comes love. Scripture tells us in no uncertain terms that it is the Truth that sets us free, not love. Without universal divine truth as found in Scripture, we simply cannot and do not understand what love is. We confuse it and substitute it with passion or at the very most, a deep brotherly type affection that is good among people, but apparently not enough to overcome the racial, political, cultural, and religious differences among people, including men and woman.

In fact, marriage is the least likely relationship in which the basic motivation and subsequent words of, “I love you,” or “I promise to love, cherish….” will stand the test of time. The 50% plus divorce rate should tell us that much. We are much more likely to say and mean those same words to a brother, sister, child, parent, or friend forty years from now than a spouse.

Institutions are characterized by and predicated on relationships.

The fundamental components of any relationship are love, honor, and respect; but here we must defer to Scripture’s definition of love and how that love determines the boundaries of relationships, particularly marriage.

Rephrasing the Question of Today’s Article Title

Those of us who are believers in Messiah Jesus passionately anticipate the soon to be glorious return of our Lord, to see him as he really is at the Rapture. Or if by death, to see him first and foremost in heaven. We will also rejoice to be reunited with loved ones, including dear departed friends.

But what about those mighty (in faith and service) men and women of God whose lives and stories are dear to us as found in the Bible. Or, post-Biblical figures down through the ages who have given their all to proclaim the Gospel and to confirm and defend the truth of the Good News? Have you ever thought about which of them you would want most or first to meet in heaven?

The last of the seven major Jewish Festivals—Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles—just ended day before yesterday, October 12^th. Many Jews, especially the Orthodox, invite one person in the Bible to “tabernacle” with them each of the seven basic days of this festival, also called the Festival of Shelters. Jewish tradition recommends the invited guests to be: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and King David.

All of the above people except Aaron are also identified in the New Testament book of Hebrews Chapter 11, in what many Bible scholars and teachers call the “Hall of Faith.” Plus ten others such as Noah and Enoch and lesser known names such as Jephthah and Rahab. But also included are, “all the prophets.” As well as: “the people of Israel” when they “went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground.”

Which Bible heroes and heroines of faith would you want to meet right away in heaven? Out of intrigue, curiosity, excitement, to ask them to tell you more about themselves and the stories you’ve read or heard about them.

Who wouldn’t want to listen to Moses depicting in great detail how the waters of the sea stood up like walls? Or to describe the finger of God writing the Ten Commandments on solid stone tablets on Mount Sinai? Or ask Noah how long it took for two of every pair of animals to come to the Ark, and just how amazed he was when they did?

Or an up close and personal explanation by Daniel, spending the night in a den full of hungry lions. Did the lions give him a soothing sleep by purring all night? Could have happened that way!

(Their Given Hebrew Names Were: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Would You Ask Them What Jesus Said to Them While in the Fiery Furnace? Yes, it was the Pre-Incarnate Messiah With Them!)

Pick your favorite man or woman in the Bible and think what they could tell you about what they saw, did, and said that isn’t recorded in Scripture. Just how dumbfounded was Saul when the risen (and ascended) Christ appeared in a blinding light, and jolted him out of unbelief on the road to Damascus … forever changing Saul’s life and even his name to Paul?

My Choice

My personal preference is a man who isn’t even named in Scripture. Other than my Lord and my loved ones—family and a couple of friends—the person I would like to meet and talk to first is found in the following passage:

“At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’

“…Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, ‘This man truly was the Son of God!’” (Mark 15:33-39).

This is nothing short of amazing. The Roman officer was a centurion in charge of the death squad that crucified Jesus. Undoubtedly, he had been hardened by many other executions. Most assuredly he was convinced that every man crucified was guilty as charged, including the two thieves on either side of Jesus.

In Luke’s gospel we read: “When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshipped God and said, ‘Surely this man was innocent’” (Luke 23:47).

Between these two accounts, it’s exceptionally evident that this Roman centurion believed on the spot that Jesus was completely innocent of any crime or wrongdoing. Even more: This Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God! Thus, the centurion was born-again that very day along with one of the two thieves on the cross. Astonishing!

I want to ask this Roman: “Why?”

“Why did you believe that Jesus was the Son of God? What made you think he was innocent of trying to overthrow Rome as the King of the Jews? Had you talked to Pontius Pilate or were you there in the courtyard when Pilate said he could find no fault in Jesus? Was it the three hours of total darkness in the middle of the day, or the earthquake that made you think this was no ordinary crucifixion? That this was no ordinary man? Was it anything or everything that Jesus said while dying an excruciating death?

I would say to him, “All of the words of Jesus before the cross and on the cross and after the cross had a powerful influence on my life. But none more so than when he said (after your men had nailed him to the cross): Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing. Did those words soften and change your heart, too?”

I would ask him: “When you acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God and praised God for that fact, did you also realize that his sentence that you carried out would be the source of eternal life for you and for all who would believe in him?”

There are a ton of questions I’d like to ask this commander of Roman soldiers. Or just the one question “Why did you believe?” And let him tell his poignant story of how a Roman officer could possibly believe (let alone publicly say so with his words and actions of worshipping God) Jesus was/is the Son of God before Jesus even arose from the dead!

Things to Ponder

We’ll have literally forever to talk one on one or in groups with every Biblical character in heaven, known and unknown. But that’s certainly not all. Eternity is a very long time! I’m convinced that we will meet every single believer in heaven at one time or another, sooner or later. Actually—since heaven will be timeless—will there be such a thing as sooner or later? Well, we’ll have plenty of time to think about that one!

Then there are the angels. Why wouldn’t we want to pick their angelic mind on what it’s like to be an angel; and listen to their stories about watching over us and protecting us from danger while on earth? Or how good angels fight the bad angels and such things.

Most of all we will echo the words of John:

“…All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6).