Leonard V. Johnson About
In A Morning Bible Study “God’s Definition of a True Christian” we briefly went over the fact that He will not be ruling by Himself. God’s living word – the Holy Bible – shows us that His Spirit-born saints will co-rule with Him.
His begotten children – true Christians – are now ‘growing in His grace and knowledge’ (2 Peter 3:18) for the exciting responsibilities God has in store for us! – 1 Corinthians 2:9-11. Co-ruling His government on Earth! – cf. Matthew 5:5; Revelation 5:10.
In this Bible Study, we’d like to go over a little about what we will be doing in this soon-coming kingdom of God. Along with how our Lord Jesus will begin to establish true world peace.
Perusing YouTube the other day I came across a religious channel proclaiming that after Jesus died He went to Hell. Is this in fact where He went!? Does Hell even exist!? In a Letter to our Friends dated July 2nd, 2021, we go over the fact that God’s living word – the New Testament – was originally written in Greek. Also explaining that there is a major problem with properly understanding because of the 1611 version of the Bible – commissioned by King James I. The English word “hell” is translated from three different Greek words. These words are tartaroo, hades, and gehenna. And they all have different meanings.
1) Yet, in truth, where did our Lord Jesus Christ actually go after death, and after His resurrection!? Let’s answer this in two parts.
Part A: A grave misunderstanding – and one which a good friend of mine had actually believed took place just after our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified [1] – is where the apostle Peter writes –
“By whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison” – 1 Peter 3:19.
Yet, all one needs to do is read the very next verse to properly understand when He came down to “prison” – which for these evil spirits is the earth itself.
“who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, …” – v. 20.
So, these passages of Scripture show us that tartaroo is – that the earth is a “prison” in which disobedient and evil angels are kept to await the judgment of the resurrected and immortal saints of God – cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
Let us take a look at this Greek word – tartaroo.
“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell [here the Greek word is tartaroo, meaning “hold captive in Tartarus; a derivative of the Greek noun ‘Tartarus’] and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment” – 2 Peter 2:4.
This is the only place in the New Testament where this Greek word is used.
So, where was our Lord Jesus after He died!? The Apostle Mark tells us that about the third hour – which was 9 o’clock in the morning – they went out and crucified Jesus. And about the sixth hour, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour – which was about 3 o’clock in the afternoon – and we know that that was exactly the time when the high priest slit the paschal lamb and spilled its blood. Exactly the time when the Roman soldier jammed that spear into the side of Jesus, and Jesus said, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ And ‘bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.’ He died. And that centurion soldier standing there said, ‘Truly this Man was the Son of God!’ That was a Wednesday.
That evening – before the sun went down – the account in the Book of John tells us that it was a ‘Preparation Day.’ You remember Joseph of Arimathea was in a hurry to get the body down before the Sabbath day. Most people believe that that was the weekly Sabbath. But John’s recording here – the only apostle; the one that Jesus loved – said in John 19:31 “ … (for that Sabbath was a high day), …” Most people don’t understand what that means. We do. We keep the ‘Preparation Day’ before the first day of Unleavened Bread – the ‘high day,’ the ‘holy convocation.’ Jesus died on a Wednesday afternoon – probably right at 3 o’clock. By sunset, on Wednesday He was in the tomb.
Thursday was a ‘high day,’ the first day of Unleavened Bread. There was no work permitted. He was ONE DAY in that tomb on that Thursday.
Friday. Another ‘Preparation Day’ – the preparation for the weekly Sabbath day. “And the women who had come with Him from Galilee … 56) returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. …” He was DAY TWO in that tomb on that Friday.
Saturday. “ … And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.” The weekly Sabbath. There was no work permitted. He was the THIRD DAY in that tomb on that Saturday. And by 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon, the 72 hours would have been complete. As Jesus said, “ … ‘and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40) For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’”
Do you believe our Lord JESUS CHRIST!?
To Note: ‘in the heart of the earth’ – “means simply the grave, but this is considered as the most emphatic expression of real and total entombment.” [2]
So, sometime AFTER 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon Jesus Christ stood up and walked through solid rock and came out of the tomb! And, Sunday morning comes around.
Our Lord Himself said to the apostle John and to us all – “ … ‘I AM He who lives, and was DEAD, and behold, I AM alive forevermore. Amen. …’” – Revelation 1:18.
When someone is DEAD, they “know nothing” – for “there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom IN THE GRAVE where you are going.” – Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10.
And, for those that claim only the body sleeps in death, only God has immortality – cf. 1 Timothy 6:16.
Part B: We come to the final time that the disciples saw Him, which is often called ‘the ascension.’ Luke 24:51 – “Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven [into the atmosphere].” – and eventually all the way back to the Third Heaven.
Now, the Book of Acts talks about the same event. Acts 1. Do you know who the Book of Acts was written by!? It’s sometimes called the second book of Luke. Apostle Luke. Verse 1 – “The former account I made …” – referring to the Book of Luke. Now he says, ‘I’m going to write you another document.’ “…O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach” – he’s writing this to someone who specifically asked him to do it. Verse 2 – “until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3) to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days [He came and went about forty days; and we just have NINE of these events recorded, we don’t know how many more there might have been] …” Such as John 21:25. “… and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”
“She [referring to the tribe of JUDAH – which today is called ISRAEL] bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.” – Revelation 12:5.
Is Jesus Christ going to return to earth!?
Let’s notice John chapter 14 – classic Scripture, known by many, known by millions, read by millions, preached at many a funeral, sometimes not the whole three verses.
Verse 1 – “’ Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2) In My Father’s house [the Kingdom of God is what He’s referring to; in the Kingdom of God] are many mansions [dwellings, positions, or places]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.’” – at many funerals, that’s the last they read of John 14. It’s sad because verse 3 is a powerful nugget of truth.
Verse 3 – “’ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again …’” – that’s the greatest promise in the Bible!! In fact, nothing comes close to that promise, and yet, many churches – so-called Christian churches – don’t even talk about this, don’t even think about it. It’s not even a part of their doctrine. But here He says, ‘I will come again!’ And there are some church groups that believe that Jesus Christ will return. Again, there’s a lot of confusion about when, where, and how. “…’ and receive you to Myself; that where I AM, there you may be also.’” – those are very encouraging Words, but He said, ‘I WILL COME AGAIN!’ Jesus Christ, someday, in the not-too-distant future, is going to return to this Earth, and when He does – or just before He does and as He does – there will be the Day of the Lord. It is a date in future history where Jesus Christ directly confronts rebellious evil sinful mankind and will punish this world, and quite literally, break it down, and then He will start over! Building a society that is often called the Millennium, the World Tomorrow, it will be the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ! Where finally, after things are cleaned up and straightened up, the Earth will become the utopia that God the Father and Jesus Christ always meant it to be. And that’s what the Day of the Lord is. The time when Jesus Christ intervenes and He stops all of the anger and all of the killing, all of the issues, false governments will be destroyed, false religions will be destroyed, false philosophies will be destroyed, false leaders will be destroyed, false religious leaders will simply be – well, they either change real quick or they will be eradicated. We’re going to get this EARTH cleaned up and the place God always wanted it to be!
2) Until when will our Lord Jesus Christ remain in the Third Heaven!?
Here, listen up – hear what the Spirit has to say – “’ Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it [sinning against God – denying the Holy One and the Just] in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18) But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ [listen up our brethren the Jews] would suffer, HE HAS THUS FULFILLED. 19) REPENT therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that TIMES OF REFRESHING may come, from the presence of the Lord, 20) and that He may send JESUS CHRIST, WHO WAS PREACHED TO YOU BEFORE, 21) whom Heaven must receive UNTIL THE TIMES OF RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” – Acts 3:17-21. Including Prophet Enoch! – cf. Jude 1:14.
Is our Lord coming with power and great glory!?
Luke 21:27 – “’ Then they will see the Son of Man [another phrase for Jesus Christ] coming in a cloud with power and great glory.’” – in fact, He will be with God the Father and all the angels of God. Verse 28 – “’ Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.’” – and I ask, “In what form!?” In the form of the returning Jesus Christ! Verse 29 – “Then He spoke to them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30) When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.’” – like here at my home. We planted seven pots of Crown of Thorns in front of our home which truly begins to thrive between March and April until September. So, in March and April, these beautiful plants begin to produce more buds!
Verse 31 – “’ So you also, when you see these things happening [all the things He spent talking about in the “Olivet Prophecy” Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13], know that the kingdom of God is near. 32) Assuredly, I say to you, this generation [there would be one generation to whom this would specifically apply – I’m thinking and I’m hoping that and it’s a good chance, this generation is the one] will by no means pass away till all things take place.’”
Our Lord Jesus Christ enters and gets involved directly with human beings at the END of the Day of the LORD. However, the saints have ALREADY been resurrected. And we know from the Wedding Supper of the Lamb that the saints – the resurrected saints – and Jesus Christ, and God the Father, and the holy angels have ALREADY spent some time in New Jerusalem – the throne of GOD – in low earth orbit. And it’s hard to say HOW LONG that will occur. cf. Revelation 19, Jesus Christ directly engages in the battle. Now, Zechariah 14:1 – “Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, …”
NOTICE Zechariah 14:5b – “…Thus the LORD my God will come AND ALL THE SAINTS WITH YOU.” All the resurrected saints. This is AFTER the resurrection! So, friends, IF you understand that the RESURRECTION is on the SEVENTH TRUMP the LAST TRUMP, and then you’ve got the SEVEN LAST PLAGUES (which is another name for the Day of the Lord), now you understand that during the Day of the Lord the resurrected saints are ALREADY in the Kingdom of God. Already members of the Family of GOD. [3]
But, let’s read and study Revelation 19 – “Now I saw heaven [the atmosphere] opened, and behold, A WHITE HORSE. …” - A white HORSE! An animal. Many mistakenly believe – “There will be no animals in the Kingdom of God!” “There will be no need for animals.” “Well, the sacrifices will be over, so there’s no need for any animal.” Really!? Well, without getting into it here, we can take you to passages in the Book of Joel and the Book of 2 Kings and show you that there will be animals in the kingdom of God.
“ … And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and MAKES WAR.” – Revelation 19:11-16.
Notice that even the Prophet Enoch (who lived contemporaneously with Adam) prophesied that our Lord Jesus the Christ would be forced to begin His rule with WAR – “ … ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15) to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’” – Jude 1:14-15.
“’ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.’” – Matthew 24:30.
Friends, it is so very satisfying and humbling to us that when we read God’s living word, understanding the truth of God, we don’t have to sit wrestling with God’s word. A little while back – I had said that the subject of the “rapture” had come up – I was asked, “Why don’t you believe in the rapture?” And though I was asked while having a friends and family get-together at the pool and the question came out of left field – cf. 1st Peter 3:15 – I didn’t have to struggle with the question, because I know what God says, or rather doesn’t say, concerning the “rapture.”
I began to slowly explain some things about what God’s living word actually says, but was stopped by my wife, “No one came here to talk about God!” So, I told her that I could go over some Scriptures which could help her out at a later time. God’s living word fits perfectly and always fits in place. And, when we read and study these Scriptures here God is saying there will be a great time of end-time ‘tribulation’ – and immediately after that ‘the sign’ of Jesus Christ coming will appear in outer space. And I describe it this way - when the throne of God, when New Jerusalem, begins to return to this earth, at some point, it will be a little small light in the night sky. And the next night it will be a little brighter – like the star Betelgeuse. And then, it becomes more and more obvious – and people will look up and go, “What is that!?” Now, most of the people of the world will think it is – and they really will – an invading alien force. Because the United States of America – especially since the mid-'40s – has been fascinated with space aliens and extra-terrestrials. In fact, in the Book of Revelation, John wrote – “the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every [bond] man and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, [think of such places as the Cheyenne Mountain Complex], and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!’” – Revelation 6:15-16.
“’ The TEN HORNS which you saw are TEN KINGS [or rather, TEN KINGDOMS as God views kingdoms] who have received no kingdom yet, but they receive authority for one hour [a short period of time] as kings with the beast [an end-time final United States of Europe – for additional information, be sure to read “Prophecy Series – The Last Crusade”].”
Verse 13 – “’ These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14) These will MAKE WAR WITH THE LAMB, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are [or rather, who will be] with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.’” – Revelation 17:12-14.
Our mighty and powerful and living Lord Jesus Christ is soon coming to finally administer the government of God over all the EARTH! Lucifer – who became Satan the Devil – refused to complete the beautification of the earth for the preparation of mankind – cf. Genesis 1:2; Hebrews 2:5. And the First Adam failed to begin the administration of the government of God on the earth. THE ‘SECOND ADAM’ SUCCEEDED WHERE THE FIRST ADAM FAILED! – cf. 1 Corinthians 15:45-47.
However, when our Lord Jesus returns the majority of nations will refuse to yield to His authority and will actually try to attack Him!
3) Will our Lord JESUS CHRIST (of whom no other name under heaven can be saved) be the SUPREME RULER in the kingdom of God ON EARTH!?
Jesus Christ comes back and RULES from the throne of the earth – on which Satan the Devil is currently residing (cf. John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9) – just as the angel told Mary, “’ He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob [a united kingdom of Israel as well as all other kingdoms of the world] forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’” – cf. Luke 1:32-33.
“Then the SEVENTH ANGEL sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven [the atmosphere], saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord [God the Father] and of His Christ [Jesus the Christ], and He shall reign forever and ever!’” – Revelation 11:15.
Just WHERE will He establish His headquarters on earth!?
In New Jerusalem!
Notice: “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven [the atmosphere], prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” – Revelation 21:2.
“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain [which represents the kingdom of God], and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem [the New Jerusalem], descending out of heaven from God. … 22:3 the throne of God [God the Father] and of the Lamb [our Lord Jesus Christ] shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.” – Revelation 21:10; 22:3.
“’ At that time [the Millennium Reign of Christ] Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations [all the leaders of these nations] shall be gathered to it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem. No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts.’” – Jeremiah 3:17.
4) Will God’s Spirit-born children – the Spirit-begotten true Christians – who ‘overcome’ and are faithfully obeying Him and prove their loyalty to Him during their mortal lives – co-rule with Jesus Christ in His Millennial Reign!?
Notice the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ – “’ And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations – 27) ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ – as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the Morning Star [a reference to Himself].’” – Revelation 2:26-28. See also Revelation 3:21; 5:10; 20:4.
The Prophet Daniel – inspired by the Spirit of God – wrote of our Lord Jesus’ coronation! –
“’ I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, [our Lord Jesus Christ], Coming with the clouds of heaven [the atmosphere]! He came to the Ancient of Days [to God the Father; cf. Ezekiel 1:26], And they brought Him near before Him. 14) Then to Him [our Lord Jesus Christ] was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.’” – Daniel 7:13-14.
Verse 18 – “’ But the saints of the Most High [God our Father] shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.’” – see also Daniel 7:22, 27.
God’s holy and resurrected saints are said to be given crowns –
“’ Behold, I AM coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12) He who overcomes, I will make him [or her] a pillar [or rather, leader] in the temple [or rather, kingdom] of My God, …’” – Revelation 3:11-12.
Our Lord Jesus Christ’s holy saints will have God the Father’s name written upon them –
“ … ‘I will write on him [or her] the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him [or her] My new name.’” – vs. 12.
As Jesus Christ teaches us in His Parable of the Talents – Matthew 25:14-30; as well as Him speaking of the glorious kingdom of God in Luke 19:15-27 – if you’ve been given God’s Holy Spirit, you’ve been given a great amount! – whether you have more or less of His Spirit – you’ve been entrusted with great wealth!
Now, we, dear brethren, are a very ‘special people’ – whether we realize it or not – we are the begotten children of God, we are the chosen ones – the ones who possess God’s revealed truths. And, it’s vitally important that we use this great wealth – and stir it up!
So, as Jesus Christ Himself teaches us, many will be rulers over ten cities, or five cities – “’ For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.’”
So, to be a good and righteous holy priest – making judicial decisions for cities, or even nations – you will be given the grave responsibilities to lead in the very Way of God.
Now, you ask, “Me!? How can I attain that level of knowledge, wisdom, and righteousness to be co-ruler with Jesus Christ in that way!? Without making any mistakes in my decisions of which I may hand down!?” Now, you say of yourself!? “I feel so weak, so inadequate.” And, yes, you are right brethren. If you are looking at yourself with only the human spirit within you. Because we all fall short. The Apostle Paul knew this. And he said so. He had concluded, “There is none righteous – no not one.”
5) As the nations in His Millennial Rule begin to witness positive results of the righteous and loving rule of God’s government, will they then begin to seek the rule of the kingdom of God and God’s Way of life!?
Prophet Micah was inspired to record the following:
“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days [the Millennial Reign of Christ, see also Isaiah 2:1-4] That the Mountain of the LORD’s House [speaking of the kingdom of God] Shall be established on the top of the mountains [speaking of human governments], And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. 2) Many nations [minus “Gog and Magog” – which today is known as Russia and its provinces – see “Ezekiel 38- Gog and Magog” along with our article “Gog and Magog In Prophecy”; Revelation 20:7-9] and China and its provinces along with the likes of Siberia and numerous other Gentile allies] shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go to the Mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His Ways, And we shall walk in His paths.’” – Micah 4:1-2.
Will the nations finally learn true peace!?
Verse 3 – “’ He shall judge between many peoples, And REBUKE STRONG NATIONS AFAR OFF; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks [meaning, implements of war will not be made anymore]; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.’”
O' praise the great and merciful God, the God of gods—physical people are going to flow into His AWESOME Kingdom! You see, all this terrible bad news will lead right into THIS! "In the last days." See!? "In that day," "In those days," all of this terrible disgusting vile! All of this vile is going to lead right into this-most inspiring Good News you could ever hear! PRAISE ALMIGHTY GOD AND OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST❗❗❗
In short: The physical people of Israel, AFTER the return of Jesus Christ, will be brought back to their homes, their ancestral home – the land PROMISED to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – and there they will be assembled into a new nation, the new nation of ISRAEL. And there they will have an army, and those physical human beings guided by their Ensign Jesus Christ, guided by their ensign the resurrected King David, will go forth and will destroy the heathen, which are around them. THIS IS A PART OF THE WORD OF GOD AND THE PLAN OF GOD!
6) Just how successful will the Spirit-born children of God be in teaching the Way of God to the world during His Millennial Reign!?
On our Facebook page notes titled “The Word of God is the FOUNDATION of Knowledge” is a photo representation of the great city of New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:16. Isaiah the 11th chapter says that in that day, “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.” As Revelation says, they “who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. [rather instead having been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14)]. 15) And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Now, the majority of people think that they’re going to go off to heaven. And yet the living word of God over and over talks about the kingdom of God is going to be established here on this earth – an ‘everlasting kingdom’ – and that even the nature of the animals is going to be changed (cf. Isaiah 11:6-9). See also our article “’ Mysteries’ of God”.
Jeremiah 31 – this is an inspiring chapter. You’ve heard it read I’m sure many times. Even the writers of the New Testament quoted it on a couple of occasions. God said through Jeremiah 31:31 – “’ Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah – 32) not according to the covenant that I made with the fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33) But this is the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel AFTER THOSE DAYS [meaning after the Day of the LORD], says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people.’” – that’s the relationship God has truly ever wanted! For Him to be God, and for human beings to be completely dedicated to Him. Verse 34 – “’ No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘[Do you know the LORD?],’ for they ALL shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’” – He will redeem them! He will restore them!
There will be no religious confusion during the Millennial Reign of Christ – first off because Satan the Devil and his minions will have been completely restrained – cf. Revelation 20:1-3. Satan will no longer be the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), “who deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). Once God lifts the spiritual blindness from humanity, they will all become teachable – their eyes will be opened to God’s revealed TRUTH!
Friends, tomorrow's world of love, peace, cooperation, good health, prosperity, and joy is pictured by the LORD’s Feast of Tabernacles, taught and observed annually by the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries and our affiliated churches.
7) What about health in tomorrow’s world!?
Notice what the Prophet Isaiah wrote – under the inspiration of God’s Spirit –
“’ Look upon Zion [New Jerusalem], the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, A tabernacle that will not be taken down; … 34:1 ‘Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth, and all that is in it [people in their graves], The world and all things that come forth from it. 2) For THE INDIGNATION OF THE LORD IS AGAINST ALL NATIONS, And His fury against all their armies; HE HAS UTTERLY DESTROYED THEM, He has given them over to the slaughter. 3) Also their slain shall be thrown out; Their stench shall rise from their corpses, And the mountains shall be melted with their blood. … 35:4 ‘Say to those who are fearful hearted, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.’
Verse 5 – “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped [both spiritually and physically]. 6) Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. …” – Isaiah 33:20; 34:1-3; 35:4-6. □
1) The Open Bible Standard Churches believe there is an actual place of hell and it is a place of “remorse” that is reserved forever for the devil and his angels and those whose names are not written in the book of life.
2) Jamison Fausset and Brown Commentary of the Whole Bible, Jamison, R., Fausset, A.R., Brown, D., Zondervan Publishing House, 1982, pgs. 924-925.
3) We have a six-part series entitled “Revelation – A Book of the Past and the Future” which covers much of this.
Scriptural Index:
Old Testament - Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Isaiah 11:6-9; 33:20; 34:1-3; 35:4-6; Jeremiah 3:17; 31:31-33, 34; Daniel 7:13-14, 22, 27; Micah 4:1-2, 3; Zechariah 14:1, 5.
New Testament - Matthew 5:5; 12:39, 40; 24:30; 25:14-30; Mark 15:34; Luke 1:32-33; 19:15-27; 21:27, 28, 29-30, 31, 32; 24:51; John 12:31; 14:1-2, 3; 19:31, 56; 21:25; Acts 1:1, 2-3; 3:17-21; 1 Corinthians 2:9-11; 15:45-47; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Peter 3:15, 19, 20; 2 Peter 3:18; 2:4; Jude 1:14-15; Revelation 1:18; 2:26-28; 3:11-12; 21; 5:10; 6:15-16; 11:15; 12:5, 9; 17:12-14; 19:11-16; 20:1-3, 4; 21:2, 10, 16; 22:3.
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