Friends, God’s fall festival – the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, which began the evening of October 2nd to the evening of October 10th! And, as I mentioned in the article
“You’re Not Welcome Here!” I was celebrating the Feast in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with my sister (who is a member of the
Intercontinental Church of God with its less than 800 members worldwide), and one of their so-called leaders – a
Duck Dynasty look-alike – became combative with me because he doesn’t like me and didn’t want me there – causing several of the other members to make me feel unwelcome. I came back home. Indeed, disqualifying himself as any servant
of Jesus Christ’s – cf. 1 Timothy 3:1-3.
“ … temperate, … not violent, …” In other words – a true leader and servant
of Jesus Christ CAN’T BE A BULLY!
The Last Great Day was October 10th, but I would like to speak today concerning God’s holy Book of Life.
If you would turn with me to the Book of Leviticus chapter 23 –
“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2) ‘Speak to the children of Israel, …’” – and you can certainly say, ‘the children of God’ either ancestrally or spiritually. The followers of God the Father and Jesus Christ!
“ … ‘and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.’”
Now, the first thing the LORD God mentions is the weekly Sabbath and then the Passover, then the Days of Unleavened Bread, and then the Feast of Pentecost – or the ‘Feast of Weeks.’ Or rather, the ‘Feast of the Firstfruits.’
And, the Firstfruits of all is Jesus Christ. And, we have an awesome chance – as we see in the Book of 1st Corinthians, chapter 15 – to have an opportunity to be part of the firstfruits also. Those people who will be resurrected into eternal wholly spiritual bodies at the SEVENTH TRUMPET – called the ‘firstfruits.’
So, in
verse 24 the
Feast of Trumpets –
“a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.” And
we have tried to point out – the way that you figure out the proper date for God’s holy days HAS NOT CHANGED. The Feast of Passover is on the 14th day of the first month of spring – Nisan. It’s one day before a full moon. The Feast of Trumpets is to be on the 1st day of the seventh month – Tishri. Which is a new moon. All God’s feasts are calculated by the lunar calendar. And, the Day of Atonement is the 10th day of the seventh month. The moon is about 2/3 full. And then, the Feast of Tabernacles is to begin on the 15th day of the seventh month as it says in
verse 34 –
“ …’ The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD.’” And then there’s one more day –
verse 36 – “… ‘On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, …’”
Now, in the Western world, during the winter months, they speak of the ‘holidays’ – meaning from Thanksgiving through to New Year’s Day. It’s the same thing here – the eighth day of the Feast is a separate holy day, ‘a holy convocation.’ It’s a commanded assembly – if you’re able to do it.
Verse 37 – “’ These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, …’”
Verse 39 – mentions once again – “ … ‘on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest.’” And, because of the way that John 7:37 is worded we have often come up with the phrase – ‘the last great day.’ And so, the Last Great Day is a part of the annual holy days – attached to the Feast of Tabernacles.
Now getting back to the fact that these feasts of the LORD God are calculated by the lunar calendar – over the years since I first began to hear God’s FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH’s I don’t know how many times I have heard people who want to make a debate over when the annual holy days are kept. And, it’s almost like a so-called leader wants to ascribe a certain difference to set themselves apart. As an example – I had been reading a book “Shocked By The Bible 2” by Joe Kovacs which argues the definition of when a “day” begins. One of the things that these so-called leaders often fret over is God’s holy day calendar. In my opinion – you can spend a lot of time with worry and energy and in the end miss out on the plain and simple TRUTH OF GOD! The holy days are kept by the annual lunar cycles. God even – through the prophet Moses under the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit – wrote, “’ Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to DIVIDE the day from the night; …’” – Genesis 1:14 NKJV.
Now, to
NOTE Leofranc Holford-Stevens, author of the book
“The History of Time,” as well as any good encyclopedia shows us that it was always custom to end and begin days at sunset - until a few hundred years after Christ. Also - Notice the BIBLE DEFINITION of the expression, "THE THIRD DAY." Text after text tells us that Jesus rose THE THIRD DAY. Here we have a BIBLE DEFINITION which explains and COUNTS UP the amount of time involved in the expression "THE THIRD DAY." It includes three dark periods called NIGHT, and three light periods called DAY -- three days and three nights, and Jesus said they contained TWELVE HOURS for each period -- a total of 72 hours! God made it very simple. Don’t let someone else get you all tied up in knots, and don’t go back and use Jewish traditions. Friends, Jesus Christ WARNED against it, the apostle Paul WARNED against it. If you want to know where to look – LOOK TO JESUS CHRIST!
So,
we – the
Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries – are huge proponents and advocates of a system of ideas and ideals which we can call the New Covenant. Advanced teaching is found within the New Testament.
So, this is why we keep the feasts of the LORD God – they aren’t “Jewish feasts” they are feasts for everyone to keep – if you want to serve Almighty God and Jesus Christ. And as I just mentioned, the Book of John chapter 7 – Jesus kept these feasts and the disciples kept them, and long into the future God’s people will be keeping the feasts of the LORD.
If you would turn to the Book of Zachariah, chapter 14 –
Here is an Old Testament prophecy – and the only way one can get rid of it is to mark through the verses with a marker, or tear it out from the pages of your Bible. A time in the future where there will be great tumult – great disturbances, and much death.
Verse 13 – “It shall come to pass in that day …” – the
Day of the LORD! And,
after this great time of tumult – great disturbances and death –
Verse 16 – “And it shall come to pass that EVERYONE who is left of all the nations …”
Now, at the end of this terrible end-time ‘great tribulation’ – a time which Jesus describes as “ … ‘such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.’ – Matthew 24:21-22 NKJV. Never before in the history of mankind! So, of the human population – and the figure which makes the most sense to me – roughly two-thirds of the population will die in this end-time ‘great tribulation.’
“ … which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” – the Feast of Tabernacles isn’t going away! Now, I know most of you reading this don’t know much about it because you’ve never heard about it before – in fact, the reading of this article or the others on our website might be the first time you’ve heard about the Feast of Tabernacles!? But, just because you’ve never heard of it doesn’t mean it’s not true. And the fact that you’ve not heard of it is most likely because you’ve been in – or are in – a church circle which doesn’t spend a whole lot of time studying the Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God. But rather is of a church culture that continues to put forth human traditions.
So, in the future – in the Millennium, the millennial reign of Jesus Christ spoken of in the Book of Revelation – the people who are left are going to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.
Verse 17 – “And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth [or rather a ‘representative of the tribes of the earth’] do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain.” – they will be cursed by drought.
Verse 18 – “If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19) This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.”
Now, God’s fall holy days – prophetically – are linked to some periods of time in this soon-coming end-time ‘great tribulation.’ As with the Feast of Trumpets – in its most powerful final fulfillment – is the blowing of the SEVENTH TRUMPET. The seven seals – the seven seals being the SEVEN TRUMPETS.
We find in Revelation chapter 10, verse 7, as well as Revelation chapter 11, verses 14-15 concerning the SEVENTH TRUMP – the ‘last’ trump being the resurrection trump. The same which the apostle Paul speaks of in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 and 1st Corinthians chapter 15. Much of
this I spoke of on the Feast of Trumpets –
“Feast of Trumpets – 2020.”
And I can’t stress enough – the SEVENTH TRUMP is the resurrection trump. So many people either don’t know this, refuse to accept it, or just don’t make the connection, with many continuing to teach it incorrectly.
If you would turn to the Book of Revelation chapter 14 –
This chapter talks about the 144,000, and that these are going to be people “who were redeemed from the earth … 4) … These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.”
Here is what Minister Michael C. Garrett wrote concerning the 144,000 –
“ … these one hundred and forty-four thousand are sort-of like what we would call “the Cabinet” – the advisors to the president. And I think these one hundred and forty-four thousand have a similar role, but there’s many more of them. They are with Jesus Christ, they go wherever He goes! When you think about the president – when he takes a trip, he’s got all these people that are on the trip with him. Some people protect him, some people advise him, some people are his spokes-people. And, I just get the feeling that this hundred and forty-four thousand has the same type of role. That they are indeed pillars in the Kingdom of God! They go wherever Jesus goes!”
12,000 people from each of the tribes of Israel – with the exclusion of the tribe of Dan. And, to make up for Dan, the tribe of Joseph includes both Ephraim and Manasseh. Now, the majority of people who make up the 144,000 have already lived, they went through a conversion process, became dedicated to Jesus Christ and the word of God, having their name written in the Book of Life – with a special checkmark next to their name. And they will be resurrected with the blowing of the seventh trump. And, quite possibly all of those positions to be one of the 144,000 are already taken. There may be a few left with the people of Ephraim and Manasseh. Now, they are not – as so many argue – “last-minute repenters.”
Verse 6 – “Then I saw another angel [possibly Gabriel] flying in the midst of heaven [the atmosphere], having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people – ”
Now, again,
we would like to point out – so many people want to continue to teach that their main mission is to teach and preach, “to warn as a witness to all the world” cf. Matthew 24:14 – and by doing
that Jesus Christ could return. It’s almost as if they are teaching – ‘Jesus can’t return until we do our job.’ They are taking way too much upon themselves. Friends – Almighty God doesn’t need human beings to do
this job – He will use His angelic beings! – see Revelation 14:6.
The Two Witnesses (
PDF) – what
we call ‘the end-time prophets’ will be doing a lot of preaching and teaching to ‘every nation, tribe, tongue, and people’ – see Revelation 11.
Verse 7 – “saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment [is coming]; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’”
Verse 8 – “And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’”
Verse 9 – “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast …’” – now we have spoken much about the ‘beast’ – a final end-time military power within a United States of Europe (or whatever they will be calling themselves). And this final end-time leader’s partner is a false prophet. A great religious leader which will provide ecclesiastical backing for this final end-time United States of Europe.
“ … ‘and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand.’”
Just what is the "Mark of the Beast"? Do you realize the "Mark of the Beast" was being used during the Middle Ages!? Bible prophecy WARNS that this satanic "Mark" is in progress even today! You must be sure that you're not using this "Mark" - lest you suffer the consequences. Be sure to watch Minister MC Garrett's God-inspired sermon - Mark Of The Beast. With God's inspired Word's he teaches the true meaning of just what is the "Mark of the Beast."
Verse 10 – “’ he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, …’” – Now, this same final end-time leader of a United States of Europe, as well as this same final end-time false prophet will come to find themselves under the very wrath of Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ! But also, if you’re involved in false religion - “the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” – KJV.
Now, turning over to the Book of Revelation chapter 19 –
Verse 20 – “Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.” – this is the same event as verse 10 of chapter 14.
Now, back to the 14th chapter of the Book of Revelation –
Now, keep in mind here – the SEVENTH TRUMPET has blown! Recall Revelation chapter 11, verse 15, and Revelation chapter 10, verse 7. The seventh trump – the resurrection trump. This means that the people who belong to God Almighty and Jesus Christ – living or dead – have already been resurrected. They will be – in what can be called – ‘low earth orbit’ with God the Father and Jesus Christ, with the angelic beings in what will be the future temple of Jerusalem – New Jerusalem!
Verse 14 – “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man [referring to Jesus Christ], having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. 15) And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time [is coming] for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ 16) So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.”
Verse 17 – “Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven [the atmosphere], he also having a sharp sickle. 18) And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.’”
Verse 19 – “So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.” – very powerful figurative language!
Verse 20 – “And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.” – meaning, about five, six-feet deep! Human blood flowing through the streets at and near Jerusalem!
Now, what
is this ‘great winepress of the wrath of God’!? It is the
final judgment – the seven last plagues. The
Day of the LORD! The day of God’s great wrath – where He punishes
this world. And in doing so He eliminates a large amount of evil and vile people! Individuals who will never repent. Eliminating and getting them out of the way so that the WORLD TOMORROW – the millennial reign of Christ – can begin with order. Now, these people who are eliminated and are out of the way
will live again. And, friends, when you think about the radical Islamic terrorists – do you think they will ever repent to Almighty God – the LORD God of Israel!? Do you think they will lay down their weapons and start worshiping Jesus Christ!? That will not happen! They consider anybody that worships Jesus Christ to be their enemy – an infidel – and worthy of death. There are actually many religious organizations that think
they know God’s religion – but when faced with God’s
living truth, reject that truth outright. I see it all the time, and I witnessed it just this fall.
So, continuing on into Revelation chapter 15 –
Verse 1 – “Then I saw another sign in heaven [the atmosphere], great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.” – the angry judgment against a sin-sick world!
Verse 7 – “Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God …” – an illusion to the seven last plagues.
Also, in Revelation chapter 16 –
Verse 1 – “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.’”
Verse 12 – “Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.” – so, now that the river has dried up, now provides access for these armies from the east as it says here – ‘the kings from the east.’ I believe the majority of this will be ISLAMIC countries! Islamic soldiers, Islamic militants trying to get to the European forces to exact revenge and “justice” for having invaded and took control of the Middle East!
Verse 13 – “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.”
Indeed, the ‘dragon’ is Satan the devil, the ‘beast’ being a final end-time military leader of a future United States of Europe, and the ‘false prophet’ being a great religious leader of that European conglomerate.
Verse 14 – “For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
Verse 16 – “And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.” – or rather Har Megiddo. The hill of Megiddo. Megiddo is a place up north of Jerusalem – a gigantic plain – which could easily accommodate millions and even hundreds of millions of military personnel, their equipment, their tents. And this will be the final human battle attempting to fight one another, but before it’s over they will turn their attention and attempt to fight the returning Jesus Christ!
Verse 17 – “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven [in ‘low earth orbit’], from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’”
Human self-rule will be over!
Verse 18 – “And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.” – see Zechariah 14:4 which speaks of this same event.
Verse 19 – “Now the great city [Jerusalem] was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.”
Verse 20 – “Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21) And great hail from heaven [the atmosphere] fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent [about 75 lbs.]. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.”
Now, God’s living word speaks of the first Babylon and the second Babylon – reading this back in Revelation chapter 14, verse 8 – “’ Babylon is fallen, is fallen.’” BABYLON is representative of FALSE RELIGION. And it’s representative of the false religion which is the mainstay of this invading European military. Babylon also was at one time the headquarters of the caliphate of Islam. And it may turn out that in the very near future “Babylon” will once again be declared as the ‘capital’ of the Islamic caliphate. Indeed, ISIS – the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Babylon is in Iraq! And also, modern-day “Babylon” will be the religious capital of Europe. Well, Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ will destroy BOTH!
Revelation chapter 18 speaks of a great FALSE RELIGION which will be destroyed – all of her churches and edifices! The religious leaders undoubtedly are going to be killed.
Verse 8 – “Therefore her plagues will come in one day – death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her. … 17) ‘For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’”
Now, if you would turn over to Revelation chapter 19 –
Verse 11 – “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.”
Verse 13 – “ … and His name is called The Word of God.” – the Logos, see John 1:1. This is Jesus Christ on the Day of the LORD – the culmination of the seven last plagues.
Verse 14 – “And the armies in heaven [the atmosphere], clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.” – the horse used in figurative language, and as the Unger’s Bible Dictionary states, “the white horse points to the glorious victories of the ministers of the divine judgment.”
Verse 15 – “Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” – as we read in Revelation chapter 14.
Verse 16 – “And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
And the leaders of this final end-time European military power are killed in verse 20.
Verse 17 – “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven [the atmosphere], ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, …” – every vulture and every scavenging fowl which lives off of dead meat –
Verse 18 – “’ that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and [bond], both small and great.’”
Verse 19 – “And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.”
And, after the beast and the false prophet is ‘cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone’ –
Verse 21 – “And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.”
In Revelation chapter 20 it speaks of the very caging of Satan the devil and his demons – being placed into a spiritual prison.
Friends, I know that I jump around – but if you would turn back to the Book of Jo-El. The Book of Jo-El connects wonderfully the correlation between the Day of Atonement and the dreadful Day of the LORD.
Verse 14 – “Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; …” – and the one holy day in God’s annual holy days – which is called a ‘solemn assembly’ is the Day of Atonement. “ … Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land Into the house of the LORD your God, And cry out to the LORD.”
Verse 15 – “Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; …” – the Day of the LORD is, in fact, the MOST prophesied event in all the entirety of the Holy Bible. Whole passages from the Books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and nine of the so-called ‘minor’ prophets speak of the Day of the LORD! Including the Book of Lamentations. “ … It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.”
Book of Jo-El chapter 2 –
Verse 1 – “Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain!”
Again, what precedes the ‘seven last plagues’!? The seven seals – the seven seals being the SEVEN TRUMPETS.
“ … Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand: 2) A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, …” – referring to a Gentile army! “ … The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, …”
Verse 3 speaks of fire and flame.
Verse 4 – “Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; …” – and the Jamison Fausset and Brown Commentary of the Whole Bible says, “Not literal, but figurative locusts.” See Revelation chapter 9, verses 1 and 3.
Verse 10 – “The earth quakes before them, The heavens tremble; The sun and moon grow dark, And the stars diminish their brightness.”
And, verse 11 – “The LORD gives voice before His army, …” – meaning His holy angels and His resurrected saints. “ … For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?”
Verse 12 – “’ Now, therefore,’ says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ 13) So rend your heart, and not your garments; …”
So, this solemn event of the Day of Atonement is linked prophetically with the Day of the LORD!
Verse 30 – “’ And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. 31) The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.’”
And moving into the Book of Jo-El chapter 3 –
Verse 1 – “’ For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, 2) I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat [which is near Jerusalem]; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; …’”
The United States of America and the peoples of the United Kingdom at this time here have been subjugated. Many of the peoples have been scattered around the world.
Verse 9 – “Proclaim this among the nations: ‘Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. 10) Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’”
Verse 11 – “Assemble and come, all you nations [the Gentile nations], And gather together all around. …”
Verse 12 – “’ Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; …” – indeed, speaking of just what we read in Revelation 16:16. “ … ‘For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. 13) Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. …’” – just what we read in Revelation 14. “ … ‘Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow – For their wickedness is great.’”
Verse 14 – “Multitudes, multitudes [millions!] in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.”
Now, this brings us to the fall annual holy days – the Feast of Tabernacles.
Turn with me if you will back to the Book of Revelation chapter 19 –
Verse 7 – “’ Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him [Jesus Christ] glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ 8) And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” – the resurrected saints.
Verse 9 – “Then he said to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.’”
The Book of Revelation chapter 20 –
Verse 4 – “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. … And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
Verse 5 – “ … This is the first resurrection.”
Verse 6 – “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God [God the Father] and of Christ [Jesus the Christ], and shall reign with [Them] a thousand years.”
The Book of Revelation chapter 21 –
The establishment of a ‘new heaven and a new earth.’ Where the very city of Almighty God comes down to the earth!
And, the Book of Revelation chapter 22 –
Speaks of a ‘pure river’ – a ‘water of life.’ “ … clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” – indeed describing the millennial reign of Christ!
So, what about the Last Great Day!?
Let us turn back to the Book of Revelation chapter 20 –
Did you catch that I skipped the first part of verse 5!? Well, now – “But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.” Speaking of an event which is mentioned in –
Verse 11 – “Then I saw a great white throne …” – so, from this, we often say, the last great day represents the great white throne judgment. Now, we are taking some liberty with this verse, but it conveys a thought – it communicates an idea. “ … and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven [the atmosphere] fled away. And there was found no place for them.”
Verse 12 – “And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. …” – now, this word “books” is biblion. And the word, “Bible” is derived from the Greek word, “Biblion”, which means book. So, this great multitude of people who were dead and have now been brought back to life – one of the first things which they will be given are Holy Bibles.
“ … And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books [the Holy Bible].”
Verse 13 – “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades …” – this word “hell” or Hades means “the grave.” “ … delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.” – based on a standard which is contained in the Holy Bible!
And, friends, we’re speaking of a massive group of people – practically everyone who has ever lived – who never knew the TRUTH OF GOD. Or rather, never had enough knowledge or understanding to be responsible. All these people, after living their life and dying – at this time of the conclusion of the millennial reign of Christ – are brought back to life. As human beings. Now, how long will they remain alive!? Not a hundred years based upon an erroneous interpretation of Isaiah 65:20. Now, it might be ten years, it might be fifty years – if God wants it to be it will be a hundred years then it will be. God knows.
All these people will have a second chance to live, they will have their Holy Bible – and then they will be judged according to their works and how they lived their life. Their humility or their resistance to Almighty God and Jesus Christ.
And we (God willing) who are the resurrected saints will have the awesome blessing to have a chance to work with these people! Now, this, friends, is the greatest good news anyone could ever hear! Someday (God willing) we’re going to have the opportunity to work with the resurrected members of our families and friends!
In the Book of Romans chapter 11 – under a great inspiration of God’s Spirit – the apostle Paul wrote –
Verse 25 – “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, …” – the TRUTH OF GOD is indeed a mystery to most of the people on the face of the earth and to most of the human beings who have ever lived.
Now, friends, this mystery was revealed to you!
Until next time, God Speed! □
