A Morning Bible Study - The Last Great Day (How It Completes God's Master Plan)

                                                                                                                                              Ezekiel 37

Leonard V. Johnson    About

Back in October 2022, in this series of biblical studies, we covered What the Feast of Tabernacles Pictures. We have learned that the Master of the universe has a Plan for reproducing the LORD God (the family of God; “’ Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.’” – Genesis 1:26) through mankind. The glorious six festivals all show that those called by Father God throughout the ages all play a vital role in God’s Master Plan From the Beginning in expanding ─throughout the known universe ─the Family of God.

“In the beginning was the Word [the Logos], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2) He was in the beginning with God” – John 1:1-2.

This revelation from Jesus Christ may seem redundant to some, yet this is knowledge that so few in this world truly grasp. The Word was a personal being; He was called “the Word.” Originally written in the Greek language, the word was Logos – which translates to Spokesman, or the One who speaks. So, this Word was with God.

God is another being. So now we have two beings. Because then Apostle John says, “and the Word was God.”

One of the greatest of mysteries of which Almighty God speaks of is the TRUTH that the God Family is in the process of expanding the God Family and “plant[ing] the heavens” – Isaiah 45:18; 51:16. And you can become a member of that eternal, spirit-composed Family!

What about the billions of “unsaved” who have lived and died since the time of Adam, nearly 6,000 years ago?

The misinformed and false doctrine of ‘going to Hell’ for the “unsaved” from professing Christianity, which the greater majority of Protestant churches teach and continues to perpetuate – the teaching of being “damned for all time” and tortured in a burning hellfire. Almighty God and Jesus Christ are neither cruel nor wishy-washy. They are merciful and love – 1 John 4:8. They are firm – Galatians 6:7. Our great GOD will give the billions of people who have ever lived and died during the last nearly 6,000 years (including the antediluvian people) a first chance to understand. They are not “lost” forever.

The glorious answer from our living God is revealed to us in the Last Great Day─ the seventh and last of the LORD God’s annual festivals─ showing us the final grand step in God’s Master Plan From the Beginning.

1) Is it the LORD God’s will that all who have ever lived come to the knowledge of this glorious Plan From the Beginning?

“But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day [which is approximately 24 Earth hours in length] is as a thousand years [again, Earth years], and a thousand years as one day.” to the Family of God.

So, our Lord Jesus Christ – who has been in the upper heavenly realms for nearly 1,993 Earth years (counting from A.D. 30) since His glorious resurrection unto life – to Him, it feels more like two Earth years.

9) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that ANY should perish but that ALL come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:8-9.

“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4) who desires ALL MEN to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:3-4.

In our Creators love and concern (John 3:16) for all mankind, the LORD God has planned that everyone who has ever lived and died – or will ever live and die – to receive an opportunity for salvation and eternal life in the glorious Family of God. The same as all the spiritually called and begotten children of God have been given the opportunity.

The number 7 in God’s living word – the Holy Bible – signifies completion. Without knowing the true meaning of this seventh festival, you cannot properly understand God’s Master Plan From the Beginning.

2) Is there an eighth day of convocation and worship immediately following the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles?

“’ Speak to the children of Israel, …’”

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“ … ‘ saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. 35) On the FIRST DAY there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. 36) … On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.’” – Leviticus 23:33-36.

Is it a sabbath-rest?

“’ Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the LORD for seven days; on the FIRST DAY there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the EIGHTH DAY a sabbath-rest.’” – Verse 39.

An annual high Sabbath is observed immediately after the annual seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles. In the New Covenant – New Testament – this eighth day is called “the last day, that great day of the feast” – John 7:37.

It is clearly a separate festival.

3) Did the Apostle John, in vision, see a vital key to the meaning of the Last Great Day?

What about all the people who are not resurrected at the LAST TRUMP!? Will they remain dead forever!? Will they be resurrected merely to be flung into the “lake of fire”!? What about all the unconverted, unsaved, most vile, and wicked, who do not understand God’s living word, or have never heard of the name Jesus Christ!? The Apostle John – under the inspiration of God’s Spirit – gives us the answer to these questions –

“(But the rest of the dead did not live again UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE COMPLETED.) …” – Revelation 20:5, NET.

The first part of this verse is an afterthought and should be in parentheses. “This is the first resurrection” refers back to those in verse 4 who are raised to immortality at the LAST TRUMP – the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Again, are the unjust merely to be resurrected to be flung into the “lake of fire”!? Just what did our Lord Jesus mean when He said, “ … ‘and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of [judgment].’”!?

Also, who are the unjust!? Are those who died in sin really accountable for their actions in their ignorance!? Have they ever had a real chance for salvation!?

Again, verse 5 – “(But the rest of the dead …” – all people who did not know and understand God’s living word and who had never been converted – 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. “ … did not live again [would not come up in a physical resurrection] until the thousand years were finished) …”

Again, the remaining part of this verse is a continuation of verse 4. “ … This is the first resurrection.”

4) How does this revelation of Jesus Christ further speak of the Second Resurrection?

“THEN [“when the thousand years have expired”] I saw a great white throne …” – so, from this, we often say, the Last Great Day pictures 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 that they will be given is the Holy Bible.

“ … 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 that 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. God knows.

5) How did our Lord Jesus Christ refer to this time of judgment for the multiple billions of people who have yet to hear or understand – again, who never had enough knowledge or understanding to be responsible?

“’ Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in THE DAY OF JUDGMENT than for that city!’” – Matthew 10:15. See also Matthew 11:20-24.

“’ The men of Nineveh will rise up IN THE JUDGMENT with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; …’” – and they (that generation), when a Greater than Jonah had come to them, despised, rejected, and even murdered Him.

42) The queen of the South [the queen of Sheba] will rise up IN THE JUDGMENT with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; …’” – and they (that generation) when a Greater than Solomon had come to them, despised, rejected, and even murdered Him.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ mentioned Tyre – a city in Lebanon, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. He mentioned Sidon – the third-largest city in Lebanon. Nineveh in the Prophet Jonah’s time and finally the Queen of Sheba (modern historians identify Sheba with the South Arabian kingdom of Saba in present-day Yemen and Ethiopia). All of these examples of people who lived in different generations are compared to the people that were living in the cities and towns of Jesus’ generation. In which the vast majority did not understand or even believe our Lord Jesus Christ’s message from Father God.

He tells us that they are to be resurrected along with the generation that was living during His human lifetime. He gave enough examples of generations that were living at different times in human history to show us that most of humanity will be alive AT THE SAME TIME ON THE EARTH. There will be pre-Flood men and women – those who lived in the generation of Adam and Eve (they were created a little over 6,000 years ago). Those who lived during the Middle and Dark Ages and the vast majority that are living now. Including unborn babies that were (and are) aborted for one reason or another will be resurrected then. They will all rise in the SECOND RESURRECTION. And books will be opened to them to understand. And eternal salvation will then be offered to them. □

Scriptural Index:

Old Testament: Genesis 1:26; Leviticus 23:33-36, 39; Isaiah 45:18; 51:16; 65:20; Ezekiel 37.

New Testament: Matthew 10:15; 11:20-24; 12:41, 42; John 1:1-2; 3:16; 5:29; 7:37; Galatians 6:7; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:8-9; Revelation 20:4, 5, 12, 13.