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THE DAY OF THE LORD

- The END of this age -

- Judgment Day -

compiled by Rachel Cory-Kuehl, July 2012

Last edited February 10, 2023

Scripture quoted from the NKJV unless otherwise noted

At His glorious return:

      1. Christ will rescue His own to everlasting life - the dead raised, and the living translated.

      2. He will resurrect the rebellious to “everlasting contempt(Daniel 12:2-3).

These, along with the still living rebellious, will face Christ for judgment. They will be left behind to die in the plagues. They are “cut off” from His kingdom. Their bodies will be burned up as the earth is consumed in fire.

      3. The Book of Life will determine those to receive eternal life (Rev. 21:7, Dan. 12:1).

      4. The “rest of the dead” will NOT be resurrected on this day (Rev. 20:5).

            They will not “live again” until the 8th millennium.


Matthew 13:41-42The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His     kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them     into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

NOTE: The “beast” and the “false prophet” are thrown “into the lake of fire” on the day that Christ returns for judgment (Rev. 19:20). “The beast” and “the false prophet” are not two individuals. They are systems of Satanic deception and oppression, composed of millions in the service of the Evil One, who have fought against the LORD and against His people using every means possible - lies, religious falsehoods, false prophetic interpretations, censorship, social pressure, political pressure, bribes, police, imprisonment, fines, and threats of death.

Matthew 13:49-50So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

 

The final 7 plagues begin on the day that Christ appears for judgment. The “furnace of fire” will be this earth. According to Peter, this earth will be “burned up” (2Pet. 3:10).


CONTENTS OF THIS STUDY


At His Glorious Return . . . pg1

The Return of Christ . . . pg3

Both the Justified, and the Condemned . . . pg3

The Just and The Unjust . . . pg4

Both the Just and the Unjust . . . pg5

Sheep and Goats . . . pg5

Those in Christ will Not face Judgment . . . pg6

He Comes to Deliver His Own – He Comes to Execute Judgment . . . pg7

The DAY of His Wrath . . . pg7

More Light - More Guilt . . . pg9

The DAY of Atonement . . . pg10

Written in the Book . . . pg11

The Book of Life . . . pg11

Dominion - and Judgment . . . pg11

The Rest of the Dead . . . pg13

The Ignorant - not Judged . . . pg14

The Justice of God . . . pg14

Our God does Not - and will Not - Manipulate Minds . . . pg16

The Battle will Continue . . . pg16

Summary . . . pg17

RELATED STUDIES . . . pg18








continued next page











THE RETURN OF CHRIST


      1. In a cloud (Luke 21:27)

2. With His angels (Matthew16:27, 25:31; Mark 8:38, Jude 14-15, Luke 9:26)

3. With power and great glory (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27)

4. With a great sound of a trumpet (Matthew 24:31; 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)

5. With a shout (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

6. With the voice of the Archangel (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

7. With brightness (2 Thessalonians 2:8)

8. With great noise (2 Peter 3:10)

9. In the glory of His Father (Matthew 16:27; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26)

10. In His own glory (Luke 9:26 Matthew 25:31)

11.In flaming fire (2 Thessalonians 1:7,8)

      12. As the lightning flashes from East to West (Matthew 24:27)  

      13. He is coming with clouds (Revelation 1:7)

14. Every eye will see Him (Revelation 1:7)

 

Acts 1:11-12 [Two angels speaking to the disciples.] “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”


Revelation 1:7 “Behold He is coming with clouds; and every eye will see Him.”

 

He went up into the clouds. They saw Him go. He will come back on the clouds. Everyone will see Him.


Where are the Dead? Hell - What It’s Not

The Book of Life Who are Israel?


      If you are not familiar with these foundational studies,

            you are not ready for this study.



BOTH THE JUSTIFIED

     AND THE CONDEMNED

            At the end of this age, when Christ returns in glory, there will be a great resurrection!

      BOTH the justified AND the condemned will be resurrected on that day.

 

Daniel 12:1-3 “There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your peopleeveryone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” NIV


 

“Multitudes” will wake up. That’s a resurrection! Christ promised to raise those who belong to Him “at the last day” (John 6:40, 53-57). Paul describes the event (1Thes. 4:15-17).

 

Concerning those raised to “shame and everlasting contempt” - that is a forever judgment. Those “cut off” will be left behind to die in the last plagues. There is no reason to wake them AGAIN, to execute them AGAIN a thousand years later.

 

The Book of Life will determine who is raised to shame, and who is raised to everlasting life. We will get to the special “Lake of Fire” in another study.

 

Daniel 12:2-3 does NOT say that every person who has ever lived, will be raised on that day. It says “multitudes who sleep in the dust will awake.” Multitudes is a whopping lot of people, but it is NOT everyone. This leaves room to ask. Are there some who will NOT be raised on that day? I believe so. Revelation 20:5 says “the rest of the dead lived not again until the 1000 years were finished.” We will consider “the rest” further on in this study, and in our study “The 8th Day.”

At the Glorious Return

THREE groups are detailed:

the redeemed - the wicked - the rest

         


THE JUST and THE UNJUST

 

John 5:28-29 “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

 

This verse might seem to speak of two resurrection events - one to life, and the other to condemnation - but Daniel 12:2-3 tells us that this is ONE resurrection event - at “the hour” - when TWO types of people are raised - those who have remained faithful to covenant, and those who have refused or have forsaken covenant (Hebrews Chapter 6).

 

In context, Jesus was talking to Jews about judgment day. “All” of Israel would be raised to face judgment at “the hour.” Some would be raised to everlasting life, others to condemnation. That was a radical teaching for His day. All Jews thought they would go to paradise, just because they were Jews, and had brought the correct sacrifices.

 

Anciently, the informed “mixed multitude” were also judged on the Day of Atonement. One LAW applied to everyone who came out of Egypt (Num. 15:16). For an understanding of the term “Israel” in the context of the Second Coming please see our study “Who are Israel? Since the death of Christ, every person who believes in Him (and serves Him accordingly) is “grafted in” to Israel.


BOTH THE JUST AND THE UNJUST

 

Acts 24:15 “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.”


          NOTE: “a resurrection” - singular - involving BOTH the just and the unjust.



SHEEP AND GOATS

 

Matthew 25:31-34 & 41When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then the King will say to those on His right hand,`Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’... Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:’”

 

See studies: “Hell - What it’s NOT” and “Final Judgment - Lake of Fire.”

                  Links at end of this study.

 

Romans 2:5-11 “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God ‘will repay each person according to what they have done.’ To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” (NIV) [Paul then says that both Jews and Gentiles will receive their due reward or punishment.] “For God does not show favoritism.”

 

From Romans 2:5-11, we conclude that: The “day of God’s wrath” is THE DAY “when His righteous judgment will be revealed.” This is THE DAY when He “will repay each person according to what they have done.”

 

But what if some are not righteous because they never heard of Yahweh? They never understood His law. They never heard the Gospel of Christ? They died before missionaries could reach them. They didn’t rejected the truth, because they never heard it. They may have died as children. Will they be judged on that day?

 

My answer is NO. They will not. Whatever sins they have committed, are covered by the blood of Christ UNTIL they have HEARD and UNDERSTOOD the choice they must make - to believe in Christ, to serve God, or to refuse Him. They are “the rest of the dead,” who will not be resurrected until the 8th millennium. (See study: “The Rest of the Dead.”)

2 Timothy 4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:”

 

Remember. This applies only to the wicked. The redeemed will not face judgement.



THOSE IN CHRIST

     WILL NOT FACE JUDGMENT

 

John 5:24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

 

John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”

 

John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

 

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

 

I want to quote a portion of the 91st Psalm. I find it very comforting, when subjects like the Second Coming, and judgment, and last plagues - comes up.

 

Psalm 91:5-9:

         “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,

        Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

        Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,

        Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

        A thousand may fall at your side,

        And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.

        Only with your eyes shall you look,

        And see the reward of the wicked.

        Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,

        Even the Most High, your dwelling place . . .”


HE COMES TO DELIVER HIS OWN

     HE COMES TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT

 

Jude 1:14-15 “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints [holy ones], 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.’”

 

Some say the “saints” or “holy ones” who return with Christ, will be the righteous dead. I disagree. The righteous dead are sleeping in the dust. Christ will wake them. The “holy ones” execute judgment. They will actually throw the wicked into the furnace of fire. They are the holy angels who serve Christ and the Father.

 

Matthew 13:47-50 “So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

 

The “furnace of fire” will be this earth, which “will be burned up” (2 Pet. 3:10). In the study “Hell - What It’s NOT” - I discuss the “gnashing of teeth.”



THE DAY OF HIS WRATH

 

Revelation 11:15-18 [The seventh Trumpet sounded.] “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever!’” [This is Daniel 7:14!] . . .

The nations were angry, and your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.’”

 

Dominion has been given to “the Son of Man” (Daniel 7:14). The time has arrived to judge and to execute the stubbornly rebellious - both those living, and those resurrected to face this judgment. The time has also come to reward the faithful servants. It all happens at the same event!

 

And by the way, if the wicked were consciously consigned to “Hell” when they died, then why resurrect them just to hear judgment pronounced, and then throw them back into Hell? That seems like overkill. It makes no sense! See our study: “Hell - What it’s NOT.”


 

The 7 last plagues are called “the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured out full strength” (Rev. 14:10, 16:19). They begin on THE DAY that Christ returns for judgment. See our study: “Trumpets and Vials.”

 

Zephaniah 1:14-18 “. . . On the day of the Lord’s wrath; And all the earth will be devoured in the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.” NAS

 

I have dialoged with folks who believe that only a small portion of “the earth” will be consumed in fire, at Christ’s return. This verse and the next, point to a whole world judgment, involving even “the heavens.” The current battle for space, with nations fighting wars using satellites, certainly would point to the destruction of all such weapons and man made devices in “the heavens.”

 

2 Peter 3:7 “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire UNTIL the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

 

In context Peter is definitely writing about the Glorious Return. “Perdition” simply means destruction. The “ungodly” are judged ON THIS DAY - the day that the final plagues begin - the plagues which will “destroy those who destroy the earth.” The heavens and the earth will finally be consumed in fire. Some believe that only our galaxy will be involved. Others believe this entire physical dimension will be cleansed by fire.

 

2 Peter 3:10 & 12 “However, the Day of the Lord will come ‘like a thief.’ On (or at) that Day the heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will melt and disintegrate, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up.” . . . as you wait for the Day of God and work to hasten its coming. That Day will bring on the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt from the heat; (CJB)

 

Read this passage a couple more times and then tell me how any human being left on this planet could survive. This is WHY Jesus returns - to REMOVE His own people from this planet! This is the story of Noah, and the story of Lot/Sodom. The LORD removes His own, just as doomsday arrives. The wicked - who are judged and then left behind - will die. Their bodies will burn up in the fire that consumes this planet.

 

When Jesus said His angels will gather the rebellious and the lawless, and throw them into a lake of fire, He was talking about this earth - on fire and burning up (Matt. 13:41-42, 49-50). John the Revelator saw “the Beast” and “the False Prophet” “thrown alive into the lake of fire” (Revelation 19:20). “The Beast” is not just one person, or even one seriously evil angel. The Beast is an entire system of evil, led by Satan, which has persecuted the people of God. The “False Prophet” is the system of lies, which has deceived the people of earth into false worship.


ALL OF THIS will happen ON THE SAME DAY.

NOTE: Some believe “the earth” described in these judgment passages, is only “the land” area promised to Abraham. They believe the final judgment plagues will effect only the Middle East - specifically “the land” that was promised to Abraham’s descendants. The Hebrew word that is translated as “earth” is the same word that is elsewhere translated as “land.” It is the same in the Greek. I understand that reasoning, but I cannot accept that interpretation, because all the wicked who have ever lived on this planet, do not, and have not, lived within the confines of that small land area.



MORE LIGHT - MORE GUILT

 

Matthew 10:14-15 “And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 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 12:41The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation (the generation of the Christ) and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.”

 

Matthew 12:42The Queen of the South 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 indeed a greater than Solomon is here.”

 

The Queen of Sheba, and the people of Nineveh (both of whom sought the LORD) will be resurrected on the day of judgment, with the generation of Christ’s day. Once again, we see all of the wicked from all of history to that point, resurrected on the same day.

 

            And why do the men of Nineveh and the Queen of the South condemn the people of Christ’s day? Because the people of Christ’s day had more “light.” They actually heard Christ teach. They saw Him. They heard the Apostles explain how Christ fulfilled the prophecies. They saw the miracles. More light means more guilt, if we refuse it. We use the same standard today. Those trained in a speciality are held to a higher standard.

 






 

Matthew 11:23-24 “And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, (by the presence of Christ Himself) will be brought down to Hades (at the judgment); for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

 

Mark 6:11 “And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

 

The verses from Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us that all those who heard the truth (or refused to hear the truth) will be judged at the same day - “the day of judgment.”


Revelation 1:7 “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, and they also     who pierced Him.

 

Those who “pierced Him” were the Jewish authorities, who urged Pilate to give the order for execution. The LORD did not hold the Roman soldiers responsible for His death. Their sin was one of ignorance. It was “covered” until these men could HEAR the truth.

 

Matthew 26:64 Christ told the high priest who condemned him: “hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

 

Caiaphas will be resurrected to face judgment on the DAY that Jesus returns in the clouds of heaven, along with all of the multitudes “raised to shame and everlasting condemnation.”



THE DAY OF ATONEMENT

 

Let’s go to the prophecy of the Tabernacle, the priesthood, and the LORD’s “appointed times.” Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) was THE DAY when ancient Israel (along with the informed “mixed multitude”) faced judgment. Those who refused to bring a sin offering prior to that day, and to humble their hearts toward the LORD were “cut off” from the people on that day (Lev. 23:29). The Lord would no longer bless them, or protect them. Persons who were identified as “cut off” were banished from the community.

 

Let’s bring this prophecy TYPE forward to our day. The Day of Atonement prophecy points forward to the great final Day of Judgment. Those who have refused God’s Son - the only “way” to the Father, will be “cut off” from the Kingdom of God.

      See our studies: “The Only Way” and “The Book of Life.”


 

In the Book of Exodus, the “mixed multitude” followed Moses to the Mountain of God. That “multitude” was made up of non-Hebrews, fellow slaves along with some of the Egyptians. They heard God speak His Ten Commandments. They traveled alongside Israel, through the wilderness. They understood His Law. They could not claim ignorance. Many from that multitude choose to obey the God of Israel. Most did not. Today I equate the “mixed multitude” with all of those who live and work alongside committed believers. They will not be able to claim ignorance.



WRITTEN IN THE BOOK

 

Daniel 12:2-3 “There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people everyone whose name is found written in the book will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” NIV



THE BOOK OF LIFE

 

Exodus 32:33 “And the LORD said to Moses (concerning Israel), ‘Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.’”

 

The obvious inference is that the LORD has a “book.” All of Israel had entered into Covenant with Yahweh. Their names were in His book. The names of those who had broken covenant with Him (without repentance) would be “blotted out” of His Book.

      (There is a study at this website titled “The Book of Life.”)



DOMINION - AND JUDGMENT

 

We see the event in Daniel Chapter Seven. Thrones are put in place, and the Ancient of Days is seated (v.9-10). The Son of Man is brought before a “court” - the high council of Heaven. The verdict of this court condemns Satan and transfers all authority over the earth, to “the Son of Man.” Jesus was looking forward to this moment in John 5:22, when He said, “The Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the son.” He knew this day would come. This is the day when “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ” (John 11:15). Christ will then have the right to judge. He will give eternal life those who belong to Him. He will leave behind - to die, those who ignored or snubbed or hated Him.

            We know this is the END, because the 7th Trumpet sounds at this very moment (Rev. 11:15).

 

Look at the events:

 

Daniel 7:14Then to Him 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 7:21 [In the same context] “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came (to the Court of Heaven), and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.”

 

Daniel 7 describes last day events. The Beast with its Little Horn, will seriously persecute the people of Christ for 3.5 years (42months/1260days) - leading up to this final moment when the judgment is handed down by the Heavenly Court. This judgment in favor of Christ is a judgment for those who belong to Christ. They will share His dominion. This is how they will “reign with Him.”

 

The saints do not presently possess the kingdom. They will not possess the kingdom until “the time”comes. Christ does NOT YET have the dominion. He cannot proceed with the Day of Judgment, and deliverance. Not yet. At this time, Satan is still the ruler of this world.

 


 

The court must meet in Heaven.

The Son of Man will stand before the court.


         The Dominion must be taken from Satan, and given to Christ.


THEN


Christ can return to judge the wicked,

                           and to rescue His own.

      



















LET’S LOOK AGAIN AT Daniel 12:2-3

 

Daniel 12:1-3 “There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your peopleeveryone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” NIV

 

Everlasting contempt is a forever judgment. I have found no evidence that the LORD, having judged them, and given them to destruction, will resurrect them AGAIN at a future time to punish them AGAIN.



THE REST OF THE DEAD

 

Revelation 20:5The rest of the dead did not come to life UNTIL the thousand years were ended.” (NIV)

 

Question: What “thousand years?” Answer: The same 1000 years during which Satan is imprisoned in “the abyss” (v.2). It’s the same time period. The 7th millennium.

 

Three groups of people are identified in the portion of Revelation, describing events at the end of this age: 1. The righteous (in Christ Jesus)

                                         2. The wicked who serve the Beast (and therefore Satan)

                                               3. “The rest” (those who lived in ignorance or immaturity)


      “The rest” will take more words to explain.

            They are not the redeemed who have chosen to serve Christ.

They are not the stubbornly and knowingly rebellious, who ignored, snubbed or fought against the LORD and His people.

 

Growing up, I was taught that “the rest of the dead” will be all of the wicked from this earth’s 6000 year history. They will be resurrected to live again after the 7th millennium, just for final judgment and annihilation. I don’t believe that any longer. In this study, we’ve seen that the wicked are raised and judged and executed at the Glorious Return. They’re gone. They will not “live again.”

 

I now believe “the rest” will be those who lacked the knowledge or the maturity to make an informed choice either for, or against the LORD during their lifetimes. They will be the uninformed, the children, and the mentally disabled in this life. These people will “live again” - but not until 1000 years have passed. When they are resurrected at the 8th millennium, they will live on the earth restored back to life by Jesus, where He is reigning as King of Kings. They will grow up and they will learn the ways of the LORD.


 

Then they will have to choose whether to serve Christ, or to rebel against Him. Those who rebel will join the army of Gog/Magog. They will be consumed by divine fire from Heaven, as they come up to attack Jerusalem, the center of Christ’s government.

      See our studies: “The 8th Day” and “Gog and Magog.”

 

Everyone will have to CHOOSE, and everyone will be TESTED. Those who choose to serve God and His Son, in the face of testing, will be granted eternal life.

 

My study into how God deals with sins of ignorance, supports my belief concerning “the rest of the dead.”



THE IGNORANT - not Judged

 

1Timothy 1:12-13 [Paul writes.] “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”

 

Acts 17:30 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent . . .” (When they hear the truth.)

 

John 9:41 “Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say,`We see.' Therefore your sin remains.’”

 

Hebrews 9:7 “But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance;”

 

NOTE: On Yom Kippur - sins “committed in ignorance” were covered by the blood of the Lord’s goat - which symbolized Yeshua our Savior.

 


THE JUSTICE OF GOD

 

It would not be justice, for God to condemn someone who does not understand what is expected of him. It would not be justice to condemn babies and ignorant pagans to “Hell” because they were not baptized. Most would agree.

 

By the same standard, is it right or just to give eternal life to babies or ignorant pagans, because they were judged to be ignorant? They did NOT choose to serve Christ. They did NOT choose to obey the Law of God. They were not tested.


 

How then, could the LORD then guarantee the eternal peace of His kingdom? How would such people live in harmony with the rest of the “saved” (those who chose to serve God) unless the LORD were somehow to manipulate their minds. Personally, I don’t believe the LORD would ever manipulate minds. If He were to do that - Oh my. Well - He should have done it in the beginning, and skipped this whole painful mess! This whole awful sin mess is ABOUT free will - free choice. Our God has given us the freedom to choose.

 

            Human beings must all be judged by the same standard - their willingness to serve their Creator. To do that - to serve Him - they must know that He exists. They must know what He expects of them. That is only right. They must know how much He loves them. Knowing how much He loves us is THE great factor that wins hearts and minds.

 

The Apostle Paul wrote that the Gentiles MUST HEAR before they can be saved (1Thes. 3:16).

 

He describes the Gentile Ephesians, before they believed. “Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world(NIV Eph. 2:12).

      Doesn’t sound very “saved” - does it?

 

Passages such as these convince me that “the rest of the dead,” at the Glorious Return, will be those who have lived and died in ignorance or immaturity. They will not be raised, either to condemnation, or to everlasting life. They did not rebel against the LORD knowingly, but they did not enter into covenant either - BECAUSE they had no understanding.

 

Think of individuals raised in an ancient pagan culture, or in a Muslim culture with no exposure to Christian thought, except in derision. The Jesus Film Ministry testifies of thousands today who have never heard the Gospel or known of Jesus the Son of God. Think of children raised by atheist parents, in an atheist school system.

 

In our study of “The 8th Day,” are passages describing many from the nations, who will come up to Jerusalem to learn the ways of the LORD. Many from these nations will choose to enter into covenant with God through Christ. Others will refuse, and will rebel against the governance of Christ. This will be the Gog/Magog Battle. We will look more closely at that battle in a future study.



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OUR GOD

     DOES NOT - AND WILL NOT - MANIPULATE MINDS

 

I must make a very important point here. Salvation is not about keeping score - sins committed vs sins forgiven. It is about a trust relationship - which includes obedience. Our God very much wants that relationship. He cannot have a relationship with manipulated minds. The very painful history of this earth, is the greatest evidence that our God will not manipulate minds.

“Then Peter said unto them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ’ (Act 2:38 KJV). Young children cannot make the informed, intelligent decision to “repent.” That is why I do not believe that babies should be baptized. This is why I believe that each human being who died as a child - before the age of responsibility - will NOT be raised at the Glorious Return, but rather at the 8th millennium. He (or she) will then grow up in the Kingdom of Messiah on earth, to then choose whom he will serve.

 

In the study titled “The 8th Day,” I site passage after passage describing Gentiles from the nations” living on the earth with Israel resurrected and returned to the land - with Israel serving as priests of the LORD, with Christ reigning and the House of the LORD restored. I hope you will take a look at that study. You may begin to consider a different scenario for the “unreached” and the young, then the one most often taught.


THE BATTLE WILL CONTINUE

 

The battle for humanity is NOT FINISHED at the Glorious Return. Yes - a judgment and a cleansing will take place when Christ returns, just as a cleansing took place at the time of Noah’s flood, but our Savior will not abandon any created human being, simply because he or she lacked the information, the maturity of age, or the intellectual capacity to choose Him as Lord. He died for those people. He will resurrect them 1000 years later, to continue their lives. He must teach them, and then allow them to choose - whether to serve Him or not.

 

The 8th millennium resurrection is entirely for “the rest.” They are the reason that Satan is released from the pit for awhile. Because the contest for souls and minds is not finished. “The rest” do not belong to Christ - not yet. When they are raised at the 8th millennium, Satan will still have the right to tempt and to deceive them. He will succeed with most.

 

Those raised to everlasting life at the Glorious Return, will become “priests of God and of Christ,” to govern and educate “the rest” during the 8th millennium. Think about it. Why the need for “priests” (who were educators and governors and judges) IF there are no more people to win for Christ, after the Glorious Return? It is precisely because there are more souls to win, that the redeemed will become “priests of God and of Christ” (Rev. 20:6).

      (See our study: “A Kingdom of Priests.”)

 

SUMMARY


1. Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) will return in glory at the end of this age.


2. Christ will resurrect every adult person who knew of God’s existence and His Law.

(This includes the intentionally ignorant - those who would not listen.)


3. He will reward those who entered into Covenant and remained faithful to that covenant.

 

4. He will judge and condemn those who have forsaken their covenant with God,

            without repentance.


5. He will judge and condemn those who refused to honor Him by obeying His Law.


6. He will judge and condemn those who have knowingly persecuted His people.


7. Some will be “consumed by the brightness of His coming” (2 Thess. 2:8).

Others will die in the seven last plagues.

            Their bodies will be “burned up” as the earth is consumed in fire.


8. The condemned will never be resurrected again.

      Their cases will be reviewed in the final Great White Throne Judgment,

but these persons will never be resurrected to continued life.

 

We will consider the final judgment and the final“lake of fire” in an upcoming study.

      I believe that judgment will be for the benefit of the redeemed, for final closure.

 

9. Christ will NOT - on that day, resurrect “the rest of the dead.”

 

The ignorant (“the blind” - the unaware - the uninformed - including children) will sleep on - through the 7th millennium. They are “the rest of the dead” who will be raised to continue their lives at the 8th millennium - The 8th Day.




We pray this study will prove a blessing.

Prophecy Viewpoint





RELATED STUDIES


Where are the Dead?Hell - What it’s NOT


The Only WayThe Book of LifeWho are Israel?

 

MillenniumThe 8th DayA Kingdom of Priests


  “Final Judgment - Lake of Fire



With trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn--

shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.

Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;

let them sing before the LORD,

for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness

and the peoples with equity.

                                      (Psalm 98:6-9 NIV)






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