According to some Bible scholars, prophetic Scriptures seem to speak of two separate events—the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ.
The Rapture will occur when Jesus Christ returns for his church. This is when all true believers in Christ will be taken from the earth by God into heaven (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
The Second Coming is when Jesus Christ returns with the church to defeat the antichrist, overthrow evil and then establish His thousand year reign (Revelation 19:11-16).
Answer:
In the study of Eschatology, these two events appear to be similar but separate. Both happen during the end times and both describe a return of Christ. Yet there are key differences. The following is a comparison of the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ, highlighting the key differences noted in Scripture.
1) Meeting in the Air - Versus - Returning with Him
In the Rapture, believers meet the Lord in the air.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (NIV)
In the Second Coming, believers return with the Lord.
• Revelation 19:14
The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. (NIV)
2) Before Tribulation - Versus - After Tribulation
The Rapture will happen before the Tribulation.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:9
• Revelation 3:10
The Second Coming will happen at the end of the Tribulation.
• Revelation 6-19
3) Deliverance - Versus - Judgment
In the Rapture believers are taken from the earth by God as an act of deliverance.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
• 1 Thessalonians 5:9
In the Second Coming unbelievers are removed from the earth by God as an act of judgment.
• Revelation 3:10
• Revelation 19:11-21
4) Hidden - Versus - Seen by All
The Rapture, according to Scripture, will be an instantaneous, hidden event.
• 1 Corinthians 15:50-54
The Second Coming, according to Scripture, will be seen by everyone.
• Revelation 1:7
5) At Any Moment - Verses - Only After Certain Events
The Rapture could happen at any moment.
• 1 Corinthians 15:50-54
• Titus 2:13
• 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18
The Second Coming won't happen until certain events take place.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:4
• Matthew 24:15-30
• Revelation 6-18
Of course, as is common in Christian theology, there are conflicting views regarding the Rapture and the Second Coming. One source of confusion over these two end times events comes from the verses found in Matthew chapter 24. While speaking of the end of the age, I believe this chapter references both the Rapture and the Second Coming.
However, it's important to note, the purpose of Christ's teaching here is for believers to be watchful and live each day as though Christ's return is imminent.
The message is simply,
"Be Ready."
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009
LORD JESUS CHRIST SECOND COMING IS VERY SOON.....R U READY...
Because of my personal experience with Jesus, I have learned to long for His soon appearing, the second coming of Jesus Christ. One day soon, we will be living very different lives because Jesus will be with us in person.
Jesus is coming again! And it is to happen soon! The unrest we find in the world today speaks of our need for a Saviour to finally bring the trouble we have in our world to an end.
It will be a very visible event! it will not be done in secret. Jesus Himself tells us what His return will be like. (please note: I have two parallel accounts of what Jesus told His disciples, and they are placed side by side.)
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Behold, I have told you before.
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Matthew 24:23-28.
And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. Luke 17:22-25.
Apparently, there is going to be a lot of deception about Jesus' second coming. People saying they are one of the dead prophets or even Christ! We are told not to believe any of these reports. Because His coming will be a very public event! For as lightning comes from the east to the west, covering the entire sky; This is what it is going to be like when Jesus comes. No matter where you are on earth, the lightning will cover the sky announcing His coming.
So, if someone says Jesus has already come, you will know that it is not true! When Jesus comes back, everyone will see it over the whole earth.
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7.
Yes, this is a very public event. every eye will see Him, and all the people of the earth will mourn because of Him. All will know that He is coming! In the next Bible text, we see that very dramatic events will be happening when Jesus comes:
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 2 Peter 3:10-13.
Paul describes the day of the Lord as a fearful day when the heavens pass away with a great noise, and fire melts the earth. The works of man will be burned up. Paul then adds meaning to these events by asking: What kind of people should we be? Who's side should we be on? So, I am reminded of Psalms 91:7-8. Where it reads "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."
It is a marvelous thing to be a Christian!
Now, when Jesus comes at the end of the world to collect His Saints, He gathers them together from all the parts of the earth. Here we have three parallel accounts of what Jesus told His disciples about His second coming:
29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew 24:29-31. 24. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25. And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Mark 13:24-27. 25. there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26. Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27. then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:25-28.
Jesus comes after the tribulation of the time of sorrows. Once the sun and the moon darkens, and the stars fall; the wicked will be fearful because everything will be shaken. It is at that time, that Jesus come.
When Jesus comes with power and glory, His own people will be scattered over all the face of the earth, but they will look up and see their redemption coming to them. So His angels will gather His elect and bring them together when the trumpet sounds. (Elect means: His chosen ones)
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.
He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people:
"Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."
Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge. Selah Psalms 50:3-6
And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isaiah 25:9.
So, when the saints look up to see their redemption coming to them they will cry out" Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation. At this time, the saints are gathered together by the angels.
Now, it is clear from the next few verses that Jesus will not only take all His people who are living, but He will also raise from the dead all of His chosen ones who died. This will happen when He comes again, at His second coming, when the trumpet of God sounds.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
Concentrating on verses 16 and 17, we see that Jesus Himself comes down from heaven at His second coming. This is the big event at the end of the world when Jesus comes to get His people and take them back with Him. With a shout of the archangel's voice and the trumpet of God, the dead in Christ rise up first. Then, all who are still alive in Christ, are brought up together with those who had died in the clouds and they meet the Lord in the air to be always with Him.
It is at the second coming of Jesus, the time of the end, when both those who died and those who are alive, will be taken up into heaven.
This was the wonderful news that Paul had to tell those who lived in Thessalonica, because they were crying for the dead as if they had no hope of the future!
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
If Jesus rose from the dead, then we know that those who sleep in Jesus will also rise in the last day. In verse 14, it should be clear to us that Paul was saying that even those who sleep in Jesus will God take back with Him to heaven. Paul did not say that Jesus would be bringing the dead people from heaven because of what he said in the next few verses. Paul gives an order of events of what will happen on the day that Jesus comes:
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
The dead in Christ are raised up to life when Jesus comes! So, it looks like Jesus is taking all His people back to be with Himself. From that time on, all the saints will always be with the Lord!
The idea in 1 Thessalonians 4:14 is a common theme: that if Jesus died and rose again, so will God rise us up. In Romans, we see paul saying it again but in a different way.
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11
Looking at 1 Corinthians, we find that Paul is consistent. Jesus is the firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep in Jesus and here again Paul says that the dead in Christ will be raised at the time of His coming:
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
All who have died in Christ, shall be made alive at Christ's second coming. It doesn't happen before His coming at all.
So, it looks like Jesus is taking all His people back to be with Himself, because there are places for His saints to live and He wants us to be with Him. We will see this in the next Scripture.
In the book of John, there is a discussion that Jesus had with His disciples about His leaving them. In that discussion, Jesus told them that they could not go with Him then, but that they would be able to follow Him when He comes back to take them Home with Him.
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 13:33,36-14:3
So, Jesus agrees with Paul. When Jesus comes again, He will take us unto Himself! In His Father's house, in heaven, there are many mansions. And if He goes to prepare places for us, Jesus will come again and take us unto Himself, so that where ever He is, we may be with Him. There are places for His saints to live and Jesus wants us to be with Him.
At an earlier time, Jesus told His purpose in coming to our world. He specifically points out that His people will be raised up at the last day.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:38-40
Again, we repeatedly see in the Bible that all those who believe in Jesus and are His; Jesus will raise him or her up at the last day, when Jesus comes to take His people Home with Him to Heaven.
Here is more Scripture concerning those who have fallen asleep in Christ:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57.
Remember, those who are living when Jesus comes will not see death. We saw that was true in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Now, Paul talks to the Corinthians more specifically about those who will not see death when Jesus comes.
So Paul tells of a marvelous mystery concerning all those who would be alive when Jesus comes: "We will not all sleep". You see, they all thought they were living in the very last days and they figured that they would experience immortality without seeing death.
They were not living at the end of time, but maybe, we might be able to experience immortality without seeing death, 2000 years later.
We need to realize that ultimately, it is the last generation that will have the blessing of not seeing death when that day comes!
The following verses are short descriptions and expressions of joy and hope, looking forward to that day.
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:11.
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Matthew 16:27.
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Matthew 26:64.
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Thessalonians 1:10.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. John 18:36.
Daniel describes one like the Son of man (Jesus Christ) who is given dominion and power from the Ancient of days (God the Father). Here it is described that all people will serve him. However in most of the other passages we see that it is the righteous only who are left. They will receive the kingdom under Christ.
and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:1-3.
Here in Daniel, we see that it is those whose name is written in the book of life only, who are delivered. We also get a glimpse that there are two resurrections. One for the righteous and one for the wicked.
What will Happen to the Wicked When Jesus Comes?
Let's look to see what the wicked will experience when Jesus comes. However, before we do, we must realize that we do not need to look at the coming of Jesus with fear and uneasiness. Don't find yourself among the wicked when Jesus comes! Click on: Are You Saved? How do you know if you are saved? Is it a feeling or is there a more sure way to know?
Please find out for yourself what the free gift, that Jesus has for us, is all about. Jesus wants us to experience the same joy that the righteous will feel when they see Him coming in the clouds. And they will be able to say: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isaiah 25:9.
OK, now what is it that happens to the wicked when Jesus comes? It is going to be a very traumatic experience. When Jesus comes, all will be rewarded according to what they have done in their life.
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Matthew 16:26-27
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. Revelation 22:12.
He will be coming with great power. There will be a fire around Him and it will be tempestuous which means, wild, raging, furious, and angry.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. Psalm 50:3.
Jeremiah speaks of the Lord as roaring from on high. It will be very tempestuous.
The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout." Jeremiah 25:30.
The earth will start to respond to this tempestuous God coming toward it.
The earth is violently broken, The earth is split open, The earth is shaken exceedingly.
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, And shall totter like a hut; Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, And it will fall, and not rise again. Isaiah 24:19-20.
The earth will be self-destructing in front of the eyes of the wicked and their hears will fail them for fear. And they start to realize that it is going to get worse.
men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Luke 21:26-27.
In terror, the wicked will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud and they will hunt for holes and caves to craw into so they don't have to see what is coming.
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Isaiah 13:19-21
It is the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb that they want to hide from.
And the heaven [sky] departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Revelation 6:14-17
And God will kill the inhabitants of the earth. The dead bodies will be everywhere on the face of the earth.
. . . Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.
Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. Jeremiah 25:29-33
The wicked, those who are left, will mainly be destroyed by the brightness of God who is coming. All the wicked will perish in that day.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:.
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
Here is the description of the final battle as it is described in Revelation. In verse 21 we see that the remnant of the wicked are slain with the sword.
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:19-21
If you were to read Revelation 19 starting with verse 11, you would find that the one who rides the horse is Jesus. Because of His great wrath all the wicked are slain and no one is left on the earth.
Friend, I do not want you to die with the wicked. Please consider the fact that Jesus loves you and that He would rather have no one experience destruction.
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 should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:9-12
Jesus has such strong love for us, and he longs to gather us together and to take us up with Him to Heaven. When Jesus was on earth the disciples asked Him to look at the wonderful buildings of Jerusalem. When He looked at the place of the temple and Jerusalem, He broke down and cried.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Matthew 23: 37 NIV
Jesus came to die for us that we might be saved from sure destruction.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
I pray that we are willing to be part of this gathering that is taken to Heaven because the things that He has planned for us is unimaginable.
But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
Yes the wicked are destroyed, but the righteous are taken to God's home!
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:2-3
Friend, why don't you try out what God has planned for you? Click on: Are You Saved? to find out if you are saved? Is it a feeling or is there a more sure way to know?
When Jesus comes, you can be among the group that exclaims: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isaiah 25:9.
Jesus is Given the Kingdom
So, lets look to heaven where something special happens to make it possible for Jesus to come again:
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14.
Daniel describes one like the Son of man (Jesus Christ) who is given dominion and power from the Ancient of days (God the Father). Here it is described that all people will serve Jesus because He has received the kingdom from His Father. As we will see, from the other passages of the Bible, that it is only the righteous who will be present when this happens, and they will receive the kingdom under Christ.
In Revelation, John describes the same event. In this event The Earth will become part of the kingdoms of Jesus, and He will reign forever and ever. It is at this point that Jesus rewards his people and He also destroys all the wicked people who destroy the earth.
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
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." Revelation 11:15-18.
When Jesus comes to the earth the first thing He does is to reap the earth of His righteous people.
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. Revelation 14:14-16.
In Revelation, John's visions of the end, that there will be a great reaping. Reaping usually involves good grain, not tares etc. So this must be the gathering of the righteous.
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Jesus is coming again! And it is to happen soon! The unrest we find in the world today speaks of our need for a Saviour to finally bring the trouble we have in our world to an end.
It will be a very visible event! it will not be done in secret. Jesus Himself tells us what His return will be like. (please note: I have two parallel accounts of what Jesus told His disciples, and they are placed side by side.)
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Behold, I have told you before.
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Matthew 24:23-28.
And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.
For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.
But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. Luke 17:22-25.
Apparently, there is going to be a lot of deception about Jesus' second coming. People saying they are one of the dead prophets or even Christ! We are told not to believe any of these reports. Because His coming will be a very public event! For as lightning comes from the east to the west, covering the entire sky; This is what it is going to be like when Jesus comes. No matter where you are on earth, the lightning will cover the sky announcing His coming.
So, if someone says Jesus has already come, you will know that it is not true! When Jesus comes back, everyone will see it over the whole earth.
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7.
Yes, this is a very public event. every eye will see Him, and all the people of the earth will mourn because of Him. All will know that He is coming! In the next Bible text, we see that very dramatic events will be happening when Jesus comes:
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 2 Peter 3:10-13.
Paul describes the day of the Lord as a fearful day when the heavens pass away with a great noise, and fire melts the earth. The works of man will be burned up. Paul then adds meaning to these events by asking: What kind of people should we be? Who's side should we be on? So, I am reminded of Psalms 91:7-8. Where it reads "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."
It is a marvelous thing to be a Christian!
Now, when Jesus comes at the end of the world to collect His Saints, He gathers them together from all the parts of the earth. Here we have three parallel accounts of what Jesus told His disciples about His second coming:
29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew 24:29-31. 24. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25. And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Mark 13:24-27. 25. there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26. Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27. then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:25-28.
Jesus comes after the tribulation of the time of sorrows. Once the sun and the moon darkens, and the stars fall; the wicked will be fearful because everything will be shaken. It is at that time, that Jesus come.
When Jesus comes with power and glory, His own people will be scattered over all the face of the earth, but they will look up and see their redemption coming to them. So His angels will gather His elect and bring them together when the trumpet sounds. (Elect means: His chosen ones)
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.
He shall call to the heavens from above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people:
"Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."
Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge. Selah Psalms 50:3-6
And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isaiah 25:9.
So, when the saints look up to see their redemption coming to them they will cry out" Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation. At this time, the saints are gathered together by the angels.
Now, it is clear from the next few verses that Jesus will not only take all His people who are living, but He will also raise from the dead all of His chosen ones who died. This will happen when He comes again, at His second coming, when the trumpet of God sounds.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
Concentrating on verses 16 and 17, we see that Jesus Himself comes down from heaven at His second coming. This is the big event at the end of the world when Jesus comes to get His people and take them back with Him. With a shout of the archangel's voice and the trumpet of God, the dead in Christ rise up first. Then, all who are still alive in Christ, are brought up together with those who had died in the clouds and they meet the Lord in the air to be always with Him.
It is at the second coming of Jesus, the time of the end, when both those who died and those who are alive, will be taken up into heaven.
This was the wonderful news that Paul had to tell those who lived in Thessalonica, because they were crying for the dead as if they had no hope of the future!
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
If Jesus rose from the dead, then we know that those who sleep in Jesus will also rise in the last day. In verse 14, it should be clear to us that Paul was saying that even those who sleep in Jesus will God take back with Him to heaven. Paul did not say that Jesus would be bringing the dead people from heaven because of what he said in the next few verses. Paul gives an order of events of what will happen on the day that Jesus comes:
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
The dead in Christ are raised up to life when Jesus comes! So, it looks like Jesus is taking all His people back to be with Himself. From that time on, all the saints will always be with the Lord!
The idea in 1 Thessalonians 4:14 is a common theme: that if Jesus died and rose again, so will God rise us up. In Romans, we see paul saying it again but in a different way.
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11
Looking at 1 Corinthians, we find that Paul is consistent. Jesus is the firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep in Jesus and here again Paul says that the dead in Christ will be raised at the time of His coming:
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
All who have died in Christ, shall be made alive at Christ's second coming. It doesn't happen before His coming at all.
So, it looks like Jesus is taking all His people back to be with Himself, because there are places for His saints to live and He wants us to be with Him. We will see this in the next Scripture.
In the book of John, there is a discussion that Jesus had with His disciples about His leaving them. In that discussion, Jesus told them that they could not go with Him then, but that they would be able to follow Him when He comes back to take them Home with Him.
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 13:33,36-14:3
So, Jesus agrees with Paul. When Jesus comes again, He will take us unto Himself! In His Father's house, in heaven, there are many mansions. And if He goes to prepare places for us, Jesus will come again and take us unto Himself, so that where ever He is, we may be with Him. There are places for His saints to live and Jesus wants us to be with Him.
At an earlier time, Jesus told His purpose in coming to our world. He specifically points out that His people will be raised up at the last day.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:38-40
Again, we repeatedly see in the Bible that all those who believe in Jesus and are His; Jesus will raise him or her up at the last day, when Jesus comes to take His people Home with Him to Heaven.
Here is more Scripture concerning those who have fallen asleep in Christ:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57.
Remember, those who are living when Jesus comes will not see death. We saw that was true in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Now, Paul talks to the Corinthians more specifically about those who will not see death when Jesus comes.
So Paul tells of a marvelous mystery concerning all those who would be alive when Jesus comes: "We will not all sleep". You see, they all thought they were living in the very last days and they figured that they would experience immortality without seeing death.
They were not living at the end of time, but maybe, we might be able to experience immortality without seeing death, 2000 years later.
We need to realize that ultimately, it is the last generation that will have the blessing of not seeing death when that day comes!
The following verses are short descriptions and expressions of joy and hope, looking forward to that day.
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:11.
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Matthew 16:27.
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Matthew 26:64.
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Thessalonians 1:10.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9.
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. John 18:36.
Daniel describes one like the Son of man (Jesus Christ) who is given dominion and power from the Ancient of days (God the Father). Here it is described that all people will serve him. However in most of the other passages we see that it is the righteous only who are left. They will receive the kingdom under Christ.
and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Daniel 12:1-3.
Here in Daniel, we see that it is those whose name is written in the book of life only, who are delivered. We also get a glimpse that there are two resurrections. One for the righteous and one for the wicked.
What will Happen to the Wicked When Jesus Comes?
Let's look to see what the wicked will experience when Jesus comes. However, before we do, we must realize that we do not need to look at the coming of Jesus with fear and uneasiness. Don't find yourself among the wicked when Jesus comes! Click on: Are You Saved? How do you know if you are saved? Is it a feeling or is there a more sure way to know?
Please find out for yourself what the free gift, that Jesus has for us, is all about. Jesus wants us to experience the same joy that the righteous will feel when they see Him coming in the clouds. And they will be able to say: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isaiah 25:9.
OK, now what is it that happens to the wicked when Jesus comes? It is going to be a very traumatic experience. When Jesus comes, all will be rewarded according to what they have done in their life.
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Matthew 16:26-27
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. Revelation 22:12.
He will be coming with great power. There will be a fire around Him and it will be tempestuous which means, wild, raging, furious, and angry.
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. Psalm 50:3.
Jeremiah speaks of the Lord as roaring from on high. It will be very tempestuous.
The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout." Jeremiah 25:30.
The earth will start to respond to this tempestuous God coming toward it.
The earth is violently broken, The earth is split open, The earth is shaken exceedingly.
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, And shall totter like a hut; Its transgression shall be heavy upon it, And it will fall, and not rise again. Isaiah 24:19-20.
The earth will be self-destructing in front of the eyes of the wicked and their hears will fail them for fear. And they start to realize that it is going to get worse.
men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Luke 21:26-27.
In terror, the wicked will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud and they will hunt for holes and caves to craw into so they don't have to see what is coming.
And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;
To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Isaiah 13:19-21
It is the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb that they want to hide from.
And the heaven [sky] departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Revelation 6:14-17
And God will kill the inhabitants of the earth. The dead bodies will be everywhere on the face of the earth.
. . . Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.
Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. Jeremiah 25:29-33
The wicked, those who are left, will mainly be destroyed by the brightness of God who is coming. All the wicked will perish in that day.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:.
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
Here is the description of the final battle as it is described in Revelation. In verse 21 we see that the remnant of the wicked are slain with the sword.
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:19-21
If you were to read Revelation 19 starting with verse 11, you would find that the one who rides the horse is Jesus. Because of His great wrath all the wicked are slain and no one is left on the earth.
Friend, I do not want you to die with the wicked. Please consider the fact that Jesus loves you and that He would rather have no one experience destruction.
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 should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 2 Peter 3:9-12
Jesus has such strong love for us, and he longs to gather us together and to take us up with Him to Heaven. When Jesus was on earth the disciples asked Him to look at the wonderful buildings of Jerusalem. When He looked at the place of the temple and Jerusalem, He broke down and cried.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Matthew 23: 37 NIV
Jesus came to die for us that we might be saved from sure destruction.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
I pray that we are willing to be part of this gathering that is taken to Heaven because the things that He has planned for us is unimaginable.
But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
Yes the wicked are destroyed, but the righteous are taken to God's home!
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:2-3
Friend, why don't you try out what God has planned for you? Click on: Are You Saved? to find out if you are saved? Is it a feeling or is there a more sure way to know?
When Jesus comes, you can be among the group that exclaims: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isaiah 25:9.
Jesus is Given the Kingdom
So, lets look to heaven where something special happens to make it possible for Jesus to come again:
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14.
Daniel describes one like the Son of man (Jesus Christ) who is given dominion and power from the Ancient of days (God the Father). Here it is described that all people will serve Jesus because He has received the kingdom from His Father. As we will see, from the other passages of the Bible, that it is only the righteous who will be present when this happens, and they will receive the kingdom under Christ.
In Revelation, John describes the same event. In this event The Earth will become part of the kingdoms of Jesus, and He will reign forever and ever. It is at this point that Jesus rewards his people and He also destroys all the wicked people who destroy the earth.
Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!"
And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
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." Revelation 11:15-18.
When Jesus comes to the earth the first thing He does is to reap the earth of His righteous people.
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. Revelation 14:14-16.
In Revelation, John's visions of the end, that there will be a great reaping. Reaping usually involves good grain, not tares etc. So this must be the gathering of the righteous.
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What happens when people die?....
Before we talk about where the dead are, why don't we first look at some of the promises that God has given us. Death is a terrible thing, yet we can know from the Bible that death does not have to be the frightening thing to end all frightening things in our life.
I love this first verse. There is a promise in this text that is all encompassing and I think it relates to our topic of death.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Does this promise, that all things work together for good to them that love God, also include death? Yes it must. It says all things doesn't it? God's promises must include everything. He is the answer to all our problems!
Actually, death is the one big problem that we all have to face eventually. It can be the most troubling of all questions that we have to face in life. Is this the end? Is there anything more or does everything go to black nothingness?
So, the promise that "all things work together for good to them that love God" means that our death does not take God by surprise. He has something planned for us that is yet to occur, following death or after the second coming of Jesus. Actually, God Himself is looking for the day when He will come to take us home with Him.
Now, the following verses have also meant a lot to me, especially since the time I lost both my mother and sister, and now I have lost my father. You might also delight in the joys of God's promises.
Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5 (last part)
The joy that comes in the morning is speaking of what happens when we wake up after we have died. It is then that we will see Jesus and we will realize that He is responsible for this joy.
. . . "Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?"
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57
So, when our friends die or even if we are having to face death, yes, there can be bitter weeping, because death is awful; But we must remember that in the morning, when Jesus comes as He has promised; It is then that there will be joy and happiness!
I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that Day. 2 Timothy 1:12 (last part).
At times, death seems very permanent, especially as we see our loved ones lowered into the ground. However, I know that God is able to keep me until the day of His soon coming because I have committed myself to Him. He will do that for our loved ones as well.
Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. Psalms 103:13
I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5 (last part)
All these promises include death. God will never leave us nor will he forsake us. He pities all those who fear him (respect and honor) and since we have placed our worries on Him, He will care for us. Even in death!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4.
All of us will have to face death, but even though we pass through the valley of the shadow of death, there will be no need to fear because God is with us!
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10.
I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you. John 14:18.
As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted. Isaiah 66:13 (first part).
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (first part).
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalms 34:7-8.
Because of His promises to us, God is a comfort to us even as we approach death.
Most of these promises we have looked at actually refer to when Jesus comes again. When Jesus comes all wrongs will be righted and He will speadily release all His people from the grave. Look at my page concerning the second coming of Christ. In the descriptions of Christ's final coming are some of the most powerful promises found in the Bible!
Jesus speaks of death as sleep
Jesus always referred to death as a sleep. This is comforting because we know that sleep is not permanent. When Lazarus died, He told His disciples that Lazarus is now sleeping.
These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. John 11:11-14.
It is interesting that when Jesus used the word "sleep" that the disciples misunderstood his meaning. Apparently, in Christ's time, people did not understand the temporary nature of death. The Sadducees could have been the cause of this since they did not believe in the resurrection. They believed that once they were dead, that was it. But it is clear that Jesus did not think this way at all and He used this situation to teach His disciples.
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, in order that you may believe. But let us go to him.
Then Thomas (he being called Twin) said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Him. John 11:15-16.
There is much that Jesus needed to teach His disciples. When Jesus talked to Martha, He told her that whoever believed in Him, even if they die, they will yet live. They will never die.
Then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
But I know that even now, whatever You will ask of God, God will give You.
Jesus said to her, Your brother shall rise again.
Martha said to Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?
She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world. John 11:21-27.
Jesus does not even consider that death is really death:
And when Jesus came into the ruler's house and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
He said to them, Go back, for the little girl is not dead, but sleeps. And they laughed Him to scorn.
But when the people were put out, He went in and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.
And this report went out into all that land. Matthew 9:23-26.
Now the girl was dead. But Jesus does not even consider that death is actually death. He told them that the girl was not dead but only sleeping. Jesus sees death as only a sleep. That is why, if we believe in Jesus, though we die, yet we will live. All this is because Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
The people had seen Jesus heal people. When someone was sick, Jesus is the one whom they thought to call for help. But to have Jesus raise someone from the dead was not thought of yet. They did not even think to ask.
Then when Mary had come where Jesus was, seeing Him, Mary fell down at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. John 11:32.
But Jesus had something special to teach them.
And He said, Where have you laid him? They said to Him, Lord, come and see.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, Behold how He loved him!
And some of them said, Was not this Man who opened the eyes of the blind able also to cause that even this one should not have died?
Then Jesus, groaning in Himself again, came to the tomb. And it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who died, said to Him, Lord, by this time he stinks. For it is the fourth day.
Jesus answered her, Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?
Then they took away the stone where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
And I know that You hear Me always, but because of the people who stand by I said it, so that they may believe that You have sent Me.
And saying these things, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, Here! Outside!
And he who had died came out, bound hand and foot with sheets, and his face was bound with a cloth. Jesus said to them, Untie him and let him go! John 11:34-44. MKJV
No one believed that Jesus could do anything in the death of Lazarus. Even Martha objected when He asked that the stone be taken away. But Jesus wanted to show the glory of God to them and He groaned within Himself at the hopeless attitude of the people. And so He brought Lazarus to life so that they may believe that God the Father has sent Him to us and that He has power over death because He is the resurrection and the life.
It is because Jesus has power over death that he sees death as only a temporary state. Jesus always referred to death as a sleep.
Look at Paul's assurance to the Christians in Thessalonica. He also describes the dead as sleeping, and that they will rise again!
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14.
Death is referred to as a sleep 66 times in the Bible. I have listed them here.
Thou (Moses) shall sleep with thy fathers. Deuteronomy 31:16.
Thou (David) shalt sleep with thy fathers. 2 Samuel 7:12.
The king (David) shall sleep with his fathers. 1 Kings 1:21.
So David slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 2:10.
David slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 11:21.
He (Jeroboam) slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 14:20.
Rehoboam slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 14:31.
Abijam slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 15:8.
Asa slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 15:24.
Baasha slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 16:6.
Omri slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 16:28.
Ahab slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 22:40.
Jehosaphat slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 22:50.
Joram slept with his fathers. 2 Kings 8:24
Jehu slept with his fathers. 2 Kings 10:35.
Jehoahaz slept with his fathers. 2 Kings 13:9.
I should have slept. Job 3:13.
Now shall I sleep. Job 7:21.
They have slept their sleep. Psalm 76:5.
And sleep a perpetual sleep. Jeremiah 51:39.
Them that sleep in the dust. Daniel 12:2.
Is not dead, but sleepeth. Matthew 9:24.
Lazarus sleepeth. John 11:11.
Some are fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:6.
Concerning them which are asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:13.
Since the fathers fell asleep. 2 Peter 3:4.
"Sleep" is clearly the biblical term for death. Here are the rest of the texts which refer to death as "sleep." They are:
2 Kings 13:13; 14:16,22,29; 15:7,22,38; 16:20; 20:21; 21:18; 24:6;
2 Chronicles 9:31; 12:16; 14:1; 16:13; 21:1; 26:2,23; 27:9; 28:27
2 Chronicles 32:33; 33:20; Job 14:12; Psalm 13:3; 76:6; 90:5
Jeremiah 51:57; Matthew 27:52; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52; Acts 7:60
Acts 13:36; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:18,20; 1 Thessalonians 4:14,15.
Clearly, both in the Old and New Testaments, "sleep" is used to describe death. To them it was a sleep till Jesus or the Messiah comes!
Man Became a Living Soul
To better understand what happens to us when we die, let us look at what happened when the first man, Adam was created.
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7.
It looks like God did two things to create Adam:
1) He formed man from the dust (dirt or clay) of the ground.
2) He breathed into the form of dust the breath of life.
And so, Adam, the first man, became a living soul! Adam became a living being or a living person.
It is important to notice that Man is not given a soul. Instead we read that He became a living soul when the breath of life was added to the dust of the ground! As we look at more Bible, we will see that this is an important difference.
That we are made of dust and have the breath of life is mentioned by a variety of Bible writers. Here are just a few quotes:
But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8
As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. Psalms 103:13-14.
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4
As we can see, Job mentions that the Almighty gives him life. So, When God formed dust out of the ground and then gave it the breath of life, man became a living soul.
Now, what happens when we die?
When the Soul Dies, The Breath Returns to God and the Dust Returns to the Ground.
When we die, we loose the breath and the dust decays into the ground.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7.
Notice that we now have the dust returning to the ground, this makes sense. But we now have the spirit returning to God. This almost sounds like our soul is returning to God. But if we look at the Hebrew word or "ruwach" (Strongs No. 7307) which is pronounced (roo' -akh), we find it can mean spirit, wind, breath, or even mind on a few occasions. So this word not only means spirit but it also means breath!
Here is another text that has the same two parts (dust and the breath of life) come apart when we die. Except now the translators have actually called it the breath.
Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Psalms 104:29.
The same Hebrew word, or "ruwach", that is translated as "spirit" in Ecclesiastes 12:7 is now translated as "breath" in Psalms 104:29. The translators seem to use "spirit" and "breath" interchangably. In Psalms 104:29, we see that God takes away the breath when people die. The body itself returns to dust.
So we see the same two parts come apart as we saw come together when man became a living soul. In the next verse the consequences of sin is described:
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Genesis 3:19
When Adam and Eve sinned, God told them that since they came from the ground, and since they had sinned, they will return to the ground.
So, when we die, our body returns back to dust and the spirit or breath of life returns to God.
Now, what is it that returns to God? We have two possibilities:
1) If man becomes a living soul when we are born or created, then when we die, if we cease from being a living soul; It would make sense that we would stop knowing anything when we die. We would have no thoughts from that point on.
2) On the other hand, if our soul goes back to heaven when we die as a disembodied being, it would make sense that we would continue to think and to know that we exist. Our thoughts would continue.
What is it that happens? Do all our thoughts stop when we die, or do we just go to Heaven when we die without our bodies?
The Dead do not Know Anything
The Bible is very plain. It says the dead do not know anything. Look at this text:
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Ecclesiastes 9:5-6,10.
Now for the first time we see death described. "The dead know not any thing!" Everything about them is gone, their memory, their love, their hatred, their envy, and they no longer act. They are asleep. They are nonexistent.
His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Psalms 146:4.
Again we see that when the breath of life goes back to God and the body returns to dust, that their thoughts perish. It should be clear that the dead cannot talk, or think or do anything. They essentially no longer exist as a living thinking person.
This agrees with what we saw before. Adam became a living person. He became a living soul. So now, when we die, we cease from being a living person. We cease from being a living soul. We no longer exist because our thoughts perish.
There is more.
The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD. Psalms 115:17-18.
So a major difference is made. The dead cannot praise God at all but those who live can.
Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? Psalms 6:4-5.
Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. Job 38:17-19.
Apparently a few of the writers in Psalms and also Job, are pleading to be delivered by God. They are saying to God that they can praise Him if they are alive but if they die they can no longer give God thanks.
Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb. Job 21:31-32.
As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Job 7:9-11
Job sees that his only future is the grave and death. Job sees this fate of his as depressing to the point that he is anguishing in bitterness over his death and does not stop complaining to God.
However, as we will see in the next few verses that there is indeed a promise of a bright future for God's people who descend into the sleep of the grave.
The sleeping dead will one day rise again!
This is the great event that many of us are waiting for:
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15.
In verse 14 it almost sounds like Jesus is bringing the dead who are sleeping in Jesus with Him from Heaven to earth. However if we keep reading we find that the opposite is actually happening.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
When Jesus comes, He will descend from heaven and shout, and all those who have died (fallen asleep in Christ) will rise. So, this verse tells us that those who have fallen asleep in Christ are raised to life on the last day at the second coming of Christ and not before.
Then those who are still alive when Jesus comes will be caught up together with those who have died and are now risen. From that time on, we will always be with the Lord!
We can see that the dead in Christ are sleeping until Jesus actually descends from heaven. That means they have been sleeping in the grave until that time. It is then that they are raised up to ever be with the Lord. So, it is then that Jesus brings those who have died with Him. Jesus then takes them to heaven with those who were yet alive.
Jesus also spoke of this time. He also says that the dead will rise up at the last day.
This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:39-40.
In the last day there will be victory!
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57.
This is wonderful! Paul is telling us that not all people will die, but that they will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye when Jesus comes.
Then Paul shifts his attention to those who have died: When the last trumpet sounds, all the dead who died in Christ will be raised with perfect bodies that are not damaged by sin. At this point they cry out "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" The wonder of living again and with perfect bodies overwhelms them; And they give thanks to God who gave them the victory through Jesus Christ!
So, at the last trumpet, the dead will be raised with totally new bodies (the living will also be changed having totally new bodies). At that time, there will be no more death nor sickness nor aging!
In our sinful world, we are all getting old and we can see it in our bodies. We have wrinkles and cracked skin. We might even have missing parts. Maybe a leg had to be amputated. We might have lost our sight or our hearing has been greatly affected or lost all together. As we get even older we get additional spots and our skin no longer is smooth, but rather it starts to become translucent and hangs from our bones. We really start to look ugly!
Can you imagine what the righteous might look like in their new bodies. Old people will be young. In our sinful world, even teenagers and people in their 20s, yes they look pretty good to us; However, even at their age, their skin no longer looks like it did when they were babies. Yes, our skin is already showing its age by the time people are 20!
Can you imagine what our new bodies might look like? Adults will have full heads of hear like youths and smooth skin like very young children, yet they will have the form of a fully developed adult. For the first time, we will have bodies without the signs of sin!
Verse 53 above says that the righteous must put on immortality. It is at that point that God's people will become immortal. You see, they were not immortal before, they were only mortal before this event. The Bible is very clear on this point. Before this time, all those who died, slept in the ground with no thoughts at all.
John also remembers Jesus speaking about this same event:
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John 5:26-29.
Both the righteous and the wicked will be brought back to life. So everyone who now dies, only sleeps temporarily. However we will see that the righteous will rise to eternal life. The wicked will be raised as well, but only long enough for them to face judgement.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2.
The following verses in Isaiah are very interesting. We know that the last days of this world are going to be trouble. And so, God tells many of His people that they will quietly rest in the grave until all the trouble is past. Then, at that time, the Lord will come out of Heaven and punish the wicked inhabitants.
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Isaiah 26:19-21
So even Isaiah has talked about the dead arising again. All that live in dust, awake and sing. Thy dead men will live and they will arise because the earth will cast out the dead!
Verse 20 seems to say to the righteous, rest a little while, enter thou into thy chambers (grave), and shut thy doors about thee and hide yourself as it were for a little moment until all this trouble is ended. This could be describing the purpose for death. It allows the righteous to sleep while trouble covers the Earth. After that: Behold, the LORD cometh out of his place. . . so that the dead in Christ can arise!
Hosea also speaks of the redeeming of the righteous from the dead.
I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. Hosea 13:14.
Paul speaks of Jesus being raised from the dead and that He will raise all those who are in Christ. So, God will redeem His righteous from their sleep of death.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.
Because Jesus has risen from the dead, we know that those in Christ will also be made alive.
In fact, some people have already been raised from the dead. When Jesus died on the cross, a group of people rose out of their graves.
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Matthew 27:50-53.
Here is a time when people all throughout Jerusalem saw people who were once dead but were now alive. This is another assurance that God can raise us up since He has already brought others up from their sleep.
John 3:16 is perhaps the most famous verse in the Bible.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
We are promised that he (or she) who believes in Jesus, will not perish but they will have everlasting life!
At various times, Jesus has spoken about those who will be raised in the resurrection.
And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Luke 20:34-36.
The righteous will be like the angels after they rise again.
The Two Resurrections
We already saw that there were two resurrections. Remember this text?
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John 5:26-29.
The first resurrection is for the righteous and the second resurrection is for the wicked. If you remember.
In Revelation, we have additional information, the wicked are resurrected 1000 years after the righteous are resurrected.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:4-6.
For 1000 years, the righteous will live and reign with Jesus. It must be that something special is done for the righteous during this time. What ever it is that the righteous learn in this period of time, they apparently see the wisdom in the complete destruction of the wicked at the end. They are able to praise God for His victory.
We see that the rest of the dead, the wicked dead, do not live again until after the thousand years are ended. That must be the second resurrection, the resurrection of damnation which occurs a thousand years after the righteous are raised.
Since the wicked experience the second death, it must mean that they will either die or be killed. However the righteous will never again experience death. Those who are raised in the first resurrection of the righteous, the second death has no power!
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Revelation 2:11.
The second death is only for the wicked. Those who overcometh will not be hurt at all. They are of the first resurrection. But the wicked are raised after the 1000 years and they will be hurt by the second death. They will face judgement.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8.
The wicked are described as having all sorts of sinful practices. All these will be destroyed in the second death. Please note that it does say death. They do not live forever. Only the righteous live for ever. Instead, the wicked face the second death in the fire and brimstone.
Remember that in one of the most beloved text of the Bible, John 3:16, people will either perish (the second death of the wicked) or they will have everlasting life (the righteous who have overcome).
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:7-10.
Some people think this text says that Satan will again tempt the righteous to sin against God, but this doesn't make any sense at all. Are we to expect that the righteous who have just lived and reigned with Jesus for a thousand years are going to be tempted to go against God all over again? No that does not make sense.
Remember, the righteous have already been raised in the first ressurection. That means they cannot be hurt by the second death, which means they will not die! They are free from sin forever because they have overcome! In fact, they have been judging the wicked for the last 1000 years. Would God allow them to fail after all that?
No, we must remember that the wicked are raised after the 1000 years. This is the same time that Satan is loosed out of his prison.
But the rest of the dead [the wicked] lived not again until the thousand years were finished. . . . . Revelation 20:5.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, Revelation 20:7.
If we look at Revelation 20:7-10 again we can see that Satan deceives the nations which are called Gog and Magog! This is the wicked. Now lets see what they do: They compassed the camp of the saints! The saints are not being tempted to sin, they are being attacked! So the wicked surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city! Satan is not tempting the saints, he is tempting the wicked to attack the saints once again!
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:7-10.
So, Satan deceived the wicked nations of the world to attack God's people once more. That is when they moved to surround the beloved city.
The wicked are so numerous that they number as the sand of the sea. But it is then that they are destroyed. in verse 9 it says the fire devoured them.
Some seem to think that Satan is in charge of Hell. However, in this text, we see that both Satan and his prophet, both are also thrown into the fire to be destroyed. Satan can not be in charge of Hell if he himself is destroyed in Hell.
Now, in verse 10, The fire is said to torment the wicked day and night for ever and ever. However this is a translation problem. believe it or not, "forever and ever" can be translated more than one way. If you are interested, I have a special web page that deals with this issue: What is meant by for ever and ever in the Bible?
Also, the Bible is very clear that the wicked do NOT suffer for ever and ever and ever. In the Bible we repeatedly see that the wicked are destroyed. They will perish, they will be burned up until they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, they will be no more, they will cease to exist, etc. to see the Biblical evidence click on this link: Hell Fire, Does it last forever?
The righteous who are in the New Jerusalem when the wicked are destroyed will at that time then see the world made new.
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I love this first verse. There is a promise in this text that is all encompassing and I think it relates to our topic of death.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Does this promise, that all things work together for good to them that love God, also include death? Yes it must. It says all things doesn't it? God's promises must include everything. He is the answer to all our problems!
Actually, death is the one big problem that we all have to face eventually. It can be the most troubling of all questions that we have to face in life. Is this the end? Is there anything more or does everything go to black nothingness?
So, the promise that "all things work together for good to them that love God" means that our death does not take God by surprise. He has something planned for us that is yet to occur, following death or after the second coming of Jesus. Actually, God Himself is looking for the day when He will come to take us home with Him.
Now, the following verses have also meant a lot to me, especially since the time I lost both my mother and sister, and now I have lost my father. You might also delight in the joys of God's promises.
Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5 (last part)
The joy that comes in the morning is speaking of what happens when we wake up after we have died. It is then that we will see Jesus and we will realize that He is responsible for this joy.
. . . "Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?"
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:54-57
So, when our friends die or even if we are having to face death, yes, there can be bitter weeping, because death is awful; But we must remember that in the morning, when Jesus comes as He has promised; It is then that there will be joy and happiness!
I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that Day. 2 Timothy 1:12 (last part).
At times, death seems very permanent, especially as we see our loved ones lowered into the ground. However, I know that God is able to keep me until the day of His soon coming because I have committed myself to Him. He will do that for our loved ones as well.
Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. Psalms 103:13
I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5 (last part)
All these promises include death. God will never leave us nor will he forsake us. He pities all those who fear him (respect and honor) and since we have placed our worries on Him, He will care for us. Even in death!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalms 23:4.
All of us will have to face death, but even though we pass through the valley of the shadow of death, there will be no need to fear because God is with us!
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 23:10.
I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you. John 14:18.
As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted. Isaiah 66:13 (first part).
For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 (first part).
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Psalms 34:7-8.
Because of His promises to us, God is a comfort to us even as we approach death.
Most of these promises we have looked at actually refer to when Jesus comes again. When Jesus comes all wrongs will be righted and He will speadily release all His people from the grave. Look at my page concerning the second coming of Christ. In the descriptions of Christ's final coming are some of the most powerful promises found in the Bible!
Jesus speaks of death as sleep
Jesus always referred to death as a sleep. This is comforting because we know that sleep is not permanent. When Lazarus died, He told His disciples that Lazarus is now sleeping.
These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. John 11:11-14.
It is interesting that when Jesus used the word "sleep" that the disciples misunderstood his meaning. Apparently, in Christ's time, people did not understand the temporary nature of death. The Sadducees could have been the cause of this since they did not believe in the resurrection. They believed that once they were dead, that was it. But it is clear that Jesus did not think this way at all and He used this situation to teach His disciples.
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, in order that you may believe. But let us go to him.
Then Thomas (he being called Twin) said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Him. John 11:15-16.
There is much that Jesus needed to teach His disciples. When Jesus talked to Martha, He told her that whoever believed in Him, even if they die, they will yet live. They will never die.
Then Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
But I know that even now, whatever You will ask of God, God will give You.
Jesus said to her, Your brother shall rise again.
Martha said to Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?
She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world. John 11:21-27.
Jesus does not even consider that death is really death:
And when Jesus came into the ruler's house and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
He said to them, Go back, for the little girl is not dead, but sleeps. And they laughed Him to scorn.
But when the people were put out, He went in and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.
And this report went out into all that land. Matthew 9:23-26.
Now the girl was dead. But Jesus does not even consider that death is actually death. He told them that the girl was not dead but only sleeping. Jesus sees death as only a sleep. That is why, if we believe in Jesus, though we die, yet we will live. All this is because Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
The people had seen Jesus heal people. When someone was sick, Jesus is the one whom they thought to call for help. But to have Jesus raise someone from the dead was not thought of yet. They did not even think to ask.
Then when Mary had come where Jesus was, seeing Him, Mary fell down at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. John 11:32.
But Jesus had something special to teach them.
And He said, Where have you laid him? They said to Him, Lord, come and see.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, Behold how He loved him!
And some of them said, Was not this Man who opened the eyes of the blind able also to cause that even this one should not have died?
Then Jesus, groaning in Himself again, came to the tomb. And it was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who died, said to Him, Lord, by this time he stinks. For it is the fourth day.
Jesus answered her, Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?
Then they took away the stone where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
And I know that You hear Me always, but because of the people who stand by I said it, so that they may believe that You have sent Me.
And saying these things, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, Here! Outside!
And he who had died came out, bound hand and foot with sheets, and his face was bound with a cloth. Jesus said to them, Untie him and let him go! John 11:34-44. MKJV
No one believed that Jesus could do anything in the death of Lazarus. Even Martha objected when He asked that the stone be taken away. But Jesus wanted to show the glory of God to them and He groaned within Himself at the hopeless attitude of the people. And so He brought Lazarus to life so that they may believe that God the Father has sent Him to us and that He has power over death because He is the resurrection and the life.
It is because Jesus has power over death that he sees death as only a temporary state. Jesus always referred to death as a sleep.
Look at Paul's assurance to the Christians in Thessalonica. He also describes the dead as sleeping, and that they will rise again!
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14.
Death is referred to as a sleep 66 times in the Bible. I have listed them here.
Thou (Moses) shall sleep with thy fathers. Deuteronomy 31:16.
Thou (David) shalt sleep with thy fathers. 2 Samuel 7:12.
The king (David) shall sleep with his fathers. 1 Kings 1:21.
So David slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 2:10.
David slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 11:21.
He (Jeroboam) slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 14:20.
Rehoboam slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 14:31.
Abijam slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 15:8.
Asa slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 15:24.
Baasha slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 16:6.
Omri slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 16:28.
Ahab slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 22:40.
Jehosaphat slept with his fathers. 1 Kings 22:50.
Joram slept with his fathers. 2 Kings 8:24
Jehu slept with his fathers. 2 Kings 10:35.
Jehoahaz slept with his fathers. 2 Kings 13:9.
I should have slept. Job 3:13.
Now shall I sleep. Job 7:21.
They have slept their sleep. Psalm 76:5.
And sleep a perpetual sleep. Jeremiah 51:39.
Them that sleep in the dust. Daniel 12:2.
Is not dead, but sleepeth. Matthew 9:24.
Lazarus sleepeth. John 11:11.
Some are fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:6.
Concerning them which are asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:13.
Since the fathers fell asleep. 2 Peter 3:4.
"Sleep" is clearly the biblical term for death. Here are the rest of the texts which refer to death as "sleep." They are:
2 Kings 13:13; 14:16,22,29; 15:7,22,38; 16:20; 20:21; 21:18; 24:6;
2 Chronicles 9:31; 12:16; 14:1; 16:13; 21:1; 26:2,23; 27:9; 28:27
2 Chronicles 32:33; 33:20; Job 14:12; Psalm 13:3; 76:6; 90:5
Jeremiah 51:57; Matthew 27:52; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52; Acts 7:60
Acts 13:36; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:18,20; 1 Thessalonians 4:14,15.
Clearly, both in the Old and New Testaments, "sleep" is used to describe death. To them it was a sleep till Jesus or the Messiah comes!
Man Became a Living Soul
To better understand what happens to us when we die, let us look at what happened when the first man, Adam was created.
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7.
It looks like God did two things to create Adam:
1) He formed man from the dust (dirt or clay) of the ground.
2) He breathed into the form of dust the breath of life.
And so, Adam, the first man, became a living soul! Adam became a living being or a living person.
It is important to notice that Man is not given a soul. Instead we read that He became a living soul when the breath of life was added to the dust of the ground! As we look at more Bible, we will see that this is an important difference.
That we are made of dust and have the breath of life is mentioned by a variety of Bible writers. Here are just a few quotes:
But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8
As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. Psalms 103:13-14.
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33:4
As we can see, Job mentions that the Almighty gives him life. So, When God formed dust out of the ground and then gave it the breath of life, man became a living soul.
Now, what happens when we die?
When the Soul Dies, The Breath Returns to God and the Dust Returns to the Ground.
When we die, we loose the breath and the dust decays into the ground.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7.
Notice that we now have the dust returning to the ground, this makes sense. But we now have the spirit returning to God. This almost sounds like our soul is returning to God. But if we look at the Hebrew word or "ruwach" (Strongs No. 7307) which is pronounced (roo' -akh), we find it can mean spirit, wind, breath, or even mind on a few occasions. So this word not only means spirit but it also means breath!
Here is another text that has the same two parts (dust and the breath of life) come apart when we die. Except now the translators have actually called it the breath.
Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Psalms 104:29.
The same Hebrew word, or "ruwach", that is translated as "spirit" in Ecclesiastes 12:7 is now translated as "breath" in Psalms 104:29. The translators seem to use "spirit" and "breath" interchangably. In Psalms 104:29, we see that God takes away the breath when people die. The body itself returns to dust.
So we see the same two parts come apart as we saw come together when man became a living soul. In the next verse the consequences of sin is described:
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Genesis 3:19
When Adam and Eve sinned, God told them that since they came from the ground, and since they had sinned, they will return to the ground.
So, when we die, our body returns back to dust and the spirit or breath of life returns to God.
Now, what is it that returns to God? We have two possibilities:
1) If man becomes a living soul when we are born or created, then when we die, if we cease from being a living soul; It would make sense that we would stop knowing anything when we die. We would have no thoughts from that point on.
2) On the other hand, if our soul goes back to heaven when we die as a disembodied being, it would make sense that we would continue to think and to know that we exist. Our thoughts would continue.
What is it that happens? Do all our thoughts stop when we die, or do we just go to Heaven when we die without our bodies?
The Dead do not Know Anything
The Bible is very plain. It says the dead do not know anything. Look at this text:
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Ecclesiastes 9:5-6,10.
Now for the first time we see death described. "The dead know not any thing!" Everything about them is gone, their memory, their love, their hatred, their envy, and they no longer act. They are asleep. They are nonexistent.
His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Psalms 146:4.
Again we see that when the breath of life goes back to God and the body returns to dust, that their thoughts perish. It should be clear that the dead cannot talk, or think or do anything. They essentially no longer exist as a living thinking person.
This agrees with what we saw before. Adam became a living person. He became a living soul. So now, when we die, we cease from being a living person. We cease from being a living soul. We no longer exist because our thoughts perish.
There is more.
The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD. Psalms 115:17-18.
So a major difference is made. The dead cannot praise God at all but those who live can.
Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.
For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? Psalms 6:4-5.
Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. Job 38:17-19.
Apparently a few of the writers in Psalms and also Job, are pleading to be delivered by God. They are saying to God that they can praise Him if they are alive but if they die they can no longer give God thanks.
Who shall declare his way to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?
Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb. Job 21:31-32.
As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.
He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Job 7:9-11
Job sees that his only future is the grave and death. Job sees this fate of his as depressing to the point that he is anguishing in bitterness over his death and does not stop complaining to God.
However, as we will see in the next few verses that there is indeed a promise of a bright future for God's people who descend into the sleep of the grave.
The sleeping dead will one day rise again!
This is the great event that many of us are waiting for:
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15.
In verse 14 it almost sounds like Jesus is bringing the dead who are sleeping in Jesus with Him from Heaven to earth. However if we keep reading we find that the opposite is actually happening.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
When Jesus comes, He will descend from heaven and shout, and all those who have died (fallen asleep in Christ) will rise. So, this verse tells us that those who have fallen asleep in Christ are raised to life on the last day at the second coming of Christ and not before.
Then those who are still alive when Jesus comes will be caught up together with those who have died and are now risen. From that time on, we will always be with the Lord!
We can see that the dead in Christ are sleeping until Jesus actually descends from heaven. That means they have been sleeping in the grave until that time. It is then that they are raised up to ever be with the Lord. So, it is then that Jesus brings those who have died with Him. Jesus then takes them to heaven with those who were yet alive.
Jesus also spoke of this time. He also says that the dead will rise up at the last day.
This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:39-40.
In the last day there will be victory!
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57.
This is wonderful! Paul is telling us that not all people will die, but that they will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye when Jesus comes.
Then Paul shifts his attention to those who have died: When the last trumpet sounds, all the dead who died in Christ will be raised with perfect bodies that are not damaged by sin. At this point they cry out "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" The wonder of living again and with perfect bodies overwhelms them; And they give thanks to God who gave them the victory through Jesus Christ!
So, at the last trumpet, the dead will be raised with totally new bodies (the living will also be changed having totally new bodies). At that time, there will be no more death nor sickness nor aging!
In our sinful world, we are all getting old and we can see it in our bodies. We have wrinkles and cracked skin. We might even have missing parts. Maybe a leg had to be amputated. We might have lost our sight or our hearing has been greatly affected or lost all together. As we get even older we get additional spots and our skin no longer is smooth, but rather it starts to become translucent and hangs from our bones. We really start to look ugly!
Can you imagine what the righteous might look like in their new bodies. Old people will be young. In our sinful world, even teenagers and people in their 20s, yes they look pretty good to us; However, even at their age, their skin no longer looks like it did when they were babies. Yes, our skin is already showing its age by the time people are 20!
Can you imagine what our new bodies might look like? Adults will have full heads of hear like youths and smooth skin like very young children, yet they will have the form of a fully developed adult. For the first time, we will have bodies without the signs of sin!
Verse 53 above says that the righteous must put on immortality. It is at that point that God's people will become immortal. You see, they were not immortal before, they were only mortal before this event. The Bible is very clear on this point. Before this time, all those who died, slept in the ground with no thoughts at all.
John also remembers Jesus speaking about this same event:
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John 5:26-29.
Both the righteous and the wicked will be brought back to life. So everyone who now dies, only sleeps temporarily. However we will see that the righteous will rise to eternal life. The wicked will be raised as well, but only long enough for them to face judgement.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2.
The following verses in Isaiah are very interesting. We know that the last days of this world are going to be trouble. And so, God tells many of His people that they will quietly rest in the grave until all the trouble is past. Then, at that time, the Lord will come out of Heaven and punish the wicked inhabitants.
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Isaiah 26:19-21
So even Isaiah has talked about the dead arising again. All that live in dust, awake and sing. Thy dead men will live and they will arise because the earth will cast out the dead!
Verse 20 seems to say to the righteous, rest a little while, enter thou into thy chambers (grave), and shut thy doors about thee and hide yourself as it were for a little moment until all this trouble is ended. This could be describing the purpose for death. It allows the righteous to sleep while trouble covers the Earth. After that: Behold, the LORD cometh out of his place. . . so that the dead in Christ can arise!
Hosea also speaks of the redeeming of the righteous from the dead.
I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. Hosea 13:14.
Paul speaks of Jesus being raised from the dead and that He will raise all those who are in Christ. So, God will redeem His righteous from their sleep of death.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.
Because Jesus has risen from the dead, we know that those in Christ will also be made alive.
In fact, some people have already been raised from the dead. When Jesus died on the cross, a group of people rose out of their graves.
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Matthew 27:50-53.
Here is a time when people all throughout Jerusalem saw people who were once dead but were now alive. This is another assurance that God can raise us up since He has already brought others up from their sleep.
John 3:16 is perhaps the most famous verse in the Bible.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
We are promised that he (or she) who believes in Jesus, will not perish but they will have everlasting life!
At various times, Jesus has spoken about those who will be raised in the resurrection.
And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Luke 20:34-36.
The righteous will be like the angels after they rise again.
The Two Resurrections
We already saw that there were two resurrections. Remember this text?
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. John 5:26-29.
The first resurrection is for the righteous and the second resurrection is for the wicked. If you remember.
In Revelation, we have additional information, the wicked are resurrected 1000 years after the righteous are resurrected.
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:4-6.
For 1000 years, the righteous will live and reign with Jesus. It must be that something special is done for the righteous during this time. What ever it is that the righteous learn in this period of time, they apparently see the wisdom in the complete destruction of the wicked at the end. They are able to praise God for His victory.
We see that the rest of the dead, the wicked dead, do not live again until after the thousand years are ended. That must be the second resurrection, the resurrection of damnation which occurs a thousand years after the righteous are raised.
Since the wicked experience the second death, it must mean that they will either die or be killed. However the righteous will never again experience death. Those who are raised in the first resurrection of the righteous, the second death has no power!
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Revelation 2:11.
The second death is only for the wicked. Those who overcometh will not be hurt at all. They are of the first resurrection. But the wicked are raised after the 1000 years and they will be hurt by the second death. They will face judgement.
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8.
The wicked are described as having all sorts of sinful practices. All these will be destroyed in the second death. Please note that it does say death. They do not live forever. Only the righteous live for ever. Instead, the wicked face the second death in the fire and brimstone.
Remember that in one of the most beloved text of the Bible, John 3:16, people will either perish (the second death of the wicked) or they will have everlasting life (the righteous who have overcome).
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:7-10.
Some people think this text says that Satan will again tempt the righteous to sin against God, but this doesn't make any sense at all. Are we to expect that the righteous who have just lived and reigned with Jesus for a thousand years are going to be tempted to go against God all over again? No that does not make sense.
Remember, the righteous have already been raised in the first ressurection. That means they cannot be hurt by the second death, which means they will not die! They are free from sin forever because they have overcome! In fact, they have been judging the wicked for the last 1000 years. Would God allow them to fail after all that?
No, we must remember that the wicked are raised after the 1000 years. This is the same time that Satan is loosed out of his prison.
But the rest of the dead [the wicked] lived not again until the thousand years were finished. . . . . Revelation 20:5.
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, Revelation 20:7.
If we look at Revelation 20:7-10 again we can see that Satan deceives the nations which are called Gog and Magog! This is the wicked. Now lets see what they do: They compassed the camp of the saints! The saints are not being tempted to sin, they are being attacked! So the wicked surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city! Satan is not tempting the saints, he is tempting the wicked to attack the saints once again!
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:7-10.
So, Satan deceived the wicked nations of the world to attack God's people once more. That is when they moved to surround the beloved city.
The wicked are so numerous that they number as the sand of the sea. But it is then that they are destroyed. in verse 9 it says the fire devoured them.
Some seem to think that Satan is in charge of Hell. However, in this text, we see that both Satan and his prophet, both are also thrown into the fire to be destroyed. Satan can not be in charge of Hell if he himself is destroyed in Hell.
Now, in verse 10, The fire is said to torment the wicked day and night for ever and ever. However this is a translation problem. believe it or not, "forever and ever" can be translated more than one way. If you are interested, I have a special web page that deals with this issue: What is meant by for ever and ever in the Bible?
Also, the Bible is very clear that the wicked do NOT suffer for ever and ever and ever. In the Bible we repeatedly see that the wicked are destroyed. They will perish, they will be burned up until they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, they will be no more, they will cease to exist, etc. to see the Biblical evidence click on this link: Hell Fire, Does it last forever?
The righteous who are in the New Jerusalem when the wicked are destroyed will at that time then see the world made new.
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The Second Coming of Jesus Christ......
R u ready to Lord Jesus Second Coming....if not get ready immediately....
2 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV) "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
"prepare to meet your God, O Israel." Amos 4:12c (NIV)
John 3:16 (NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Matthew 24:36 (NIV) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
Matthew 24:42-44 (NIV) "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
Only God the Father knows the exact "day" and the exact "hour" that Jesus Christ will return to the earth. However, prior to the return of Jesus Christ to the earth, God will show "wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below" in order that the "Born Again" Children of God may be fully prepared, and expecting Him when that "day" and "hour" does come.
Acts 2:19-21 (NIV) "I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 (NIV) Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (NIV) Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
In the perfect order of God, everything in creation can be viewed as a mathematical formula, IF, YOU can formulate the equation, and identify and understand the variables. When God directed the Holy Spirit to place a restriction on the secret power of lawlessness, referenced in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 printed above; then in perfect mathematical order, God also placed a reciprocal restriction, by veiling some of the knowledge and understanding about certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy, even from the "Born Again" Children of God. The wicked have never been able to understand about righteousness and prophecy (1 Corinthians 2:14), but even the "Born Again" Children of God's knowledge and understanding of certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy, have heretofore been veiled. At the time that God gave visions to Daniel, referenced in Daniel 12:1-12 printed below; and John the Revelator, referenced in Revelation 10:1-4 printed below; God sealed up the knowledge and understanding about certain aspects of those visions, even from Daniel, and even from the "Born Again" Children of God.
Daniel 12:1-12 (NIV) "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. 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. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge." Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?" The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed." I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?" He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days."
Revelation 10:1-4 (NIV) Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down." Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."
The fact that God has directed the Holy Spirit, to withdraw the Holy Spirit's restriction on lawlessness, is irrefutably evidenced by the exponential increase in sin that has occurred in the world within the last few months!
Mathew 24:12a,b (NIV) "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,"
The fact that God has directed the Holy Spirit, to withdraw the Holy Spirit's restriction on lawlessness, mathematically exposes the fact that God has also reciprocally directed the Holy Spirit, to withdraw the Holy Spirit's restriction on knowledge and understanding, of certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy, that have heretofore, been veiled even from the "Born Again" Children of God!
The fact that God has directed the Holy Spirit, to withdraw the Holy Spirit's restriction on knowledge and understanding, of certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy, that have heretofore, been veiled even from the "Born Again" Children of God; is clear proof that YOU are now in, "the time of the end", referenced in Daniel 12:1-12 printed above; and clear proof that "the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet", referenced in Revelation 10:1-4 printed above!
YOU are now in "the time of the end."
"the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet"
Now that the certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy that have heretofore been veiled, have been unveiled to the "Born Again" Children of God,
it is NOW TIME for the "Born Again" Children of God to prepare themselves as a Bride, for the SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST!
My prayer is that this prophecy will aid you in that preparation process.
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During the presentation of this prophecy, among other facts, I will show that:
YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN THE SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD THAT IMMEDIATELY PRECEDES
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST!
In order to establish any mathematical, or physical point, YOU must adhere to the laws of that specific discipline of science, while utilizing cross-triangulation of known specific physical points. In order to understand where, or at what point YOU are in time, YOU must adhere to the Word of God, while utilizing cross-triangulation of known specific, prophetic points. Which is another way of saying, "If YOU want to see the picture, YOU must connect the dots." The greater the number of dots that YOU have, that are connected, the clearer the picture will be, that YOU are able to see.
1. The Seven Year Tribulation Period began with a "peace agreement" on July 9, 2009, which was the 17th of Tammuz on the Jewish calendar. The "peace agreement" primarily involved Bashar al Assad, who is the King of Syria, Antichrist, Muslim "Mahdi", and head of World Terrorism; and Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the Prime Minister of Israel. The "peace agreement" will allow the Jewish people to rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem, in order for the Jewish people to re-establish the ritual of daily sacrifice in their attempt to atone for the Jewish people's sin. Information concerning the existence of that "peace agreement" has not been made available to the general public, as it is necessary for the Islamic governments to prepare the Islamic public for the fact that the Islamic people are going to share the Temple Mount in Jerusalem with the Jewish people; and the government of Israel must prepare the Jewish people to accept the concessions that the Israeli government made in order to facilitate the "peace agreement". There is also a delay while various politicians posture themselves prior to the public announcement of the "peace agreement" in order for the various politicians to claim a percentage of the credit for the "peace agreement". One of the politicians who is posturing himself in order to claim credit for the "peace agreement" is Barack Hussein Obama. We are in a very short time period before information concerning the "peace agreement" must be made available to the general public, as the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt and completed, and daily sacrifice will begin following sundown on March 15, 2010. The Jewish day begins at sundown, consequently, sundown on March 15, 2010 is the beginning of the Jewish day of March 16, 2010. March 16, 2010 is the 1st of Nisan, the first day of the new Jewish sacred calendar year of 5770. The Jewish people will re-establish daily sacrifice in the new Jewish Temple on the first day of their new sacred calendar year of 5770. March 16, 2010, the 1st of Nisan, is also exactly 250 days after July 9, 2009, which was the 17th of Tammuz; the day on which the "peace agreement" was agreed to. The 250 day time period between July 9, 2009 and March 16, 2010 is the 250 day difference between the 2550 days of the Seven Year Tribulation Period referenced as the "seven" in Daniel 9:27; and the 2300 "evenings and mornings" referenced in Daniel 8:9-14 for "the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot". The 17th of Tammuz has been a historic day of calamity for the Jewish people. July 9, 2009 was still another day of great calamity for the Jewish people, but the Jewish people will not recognize it as a day of great calamity until exactly 1,260 days later on December 21, 2012.
2. At the beginning of the Seven Year Tribulation Period, two "witnesses" who are men with the spirit of Moses and Elijah will emerge, and testify for a period of 1,260 days. The two "witnesses" will testify for God; and against the devil, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, Organized Religion, and SIN. The two "witnesses" will testify to the Jewish people that the act of re-establishing daily sacrifice by the Jewish people, in order to atone for their sin, is not an act of righteousness, but is an act of sin; because the re-establishment of daily sacrifice is a continued rejection of Jesus Christ, whose Crucifixion was the ultimate sacrifice for the Jewish people, and for all of mankind. The two "witnesses" will also confront the Jewish people by stopping the rain in Israel, turning Israel's only fresh water source, Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee) blood red, and by effecting various plagues in Israel and around the world.
3. Sometime after the "peace agreement" is made public, Bashar al-Assad, will survive a mortal "great head wound" assassination attempt. (Revelation 13:3,12,14)
4. On Friday, December 21, 2012, exactly 1260 days after July 9, 2009, the 17th of Tammuz, the Antichrist will invade Israel, conquer Jerusalem, and kill the two "witnesses", simultaneous with a terrorist nuclear attack that will destroy the United States of America. The Antichrist's invasion of Israel, and terrorist destruction of the United States of America will mark the opening of the First Seal of Seven Seals (Revelation 6:1-2). The people of the world will celebrate the death of the two "witnesses", by sending each other gifts. (Revelation 11:1-14)
5. Three and one-half days after Friday, December 21, 2012, on Tuesday, December 25, 2012 - Christmas Day, the Antichrist will "put an end to sacrifice and offering (Daniel 9:27 NIV)" by the Jewish people; set himself up in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, and call himself god. The Antichrist will set himself up in the Jewish Temple, and call himself god, at the exact time that the two "witnesses" come back to life and ascend to Heaven while their enemies look on (Revelation 11:1-14 ). The Antichrist setting himself up in the Jewish Temple and calling himself god, is a sinful act that will precipitate a great earthquake in Jerusalem that will kill 7,000 people. The earthquake will split the Mount of Olives into two parts, forming a great valley through which many of the Jewish people will "flee" (Zechariah 14:5) east to the caves in Petra, Jordan, "where she will be taken care of" (Revelation 12:8,14) for the last half of the Seven Year Tribulation Period, or the three and one-half year Great Tribulation Period. Jesus' recommendation that people pray so that the Jewish "flight" (Matthew 24:22) would not take place on the Sabbath was answered, as the Jewish "flight" will occur on Tuesday, and not on the Sabbath, but the Jewish "flight" will occur in winter.
6. At Mid-Tribulation, when the Antichrist sets himself up in the Jewish Temple and calls himself god, the opportunity WILL BE FOREVER OVER, for people who are NOT Jewish, to establish a relationship with God by becoming "Born Again", "Saved", or "Redeemed". From Mid-Tribulation forward, the avenue to God will be closed FOREVER for any Gentile who is not already a "Born Again" Child of God. "And the door was shut." (Matthew 25:10d) Any Gentile who is not "Born Again" by Mid-Tribulation, will have crossed the Deadline of God's Mercy. After Mid-Tribulation, during the final three and one-half years of the Tribulation Period, ONLY the Jewish people will have the opportunity to return to God for restoration and redemption. (Romans 11:25)
7. The Antichrist will be supported by the False Prophet. The False Prophet is the Roman Catholic Pope. The Antichrist and the Pope will blend Judeo Organized Religion, Judeo-Christian Organized Religion, and Islam into one loosely-united Organized Religion. The loosely-united Organized Religion will support the Antichrist, and the False Prophet. The Antichrist and False Prophet will persecute the "Born Again" Children of God throughout the world, transition the loosely-united Organized Religion into the worship of the Antichrist, set up an image of the Antichrist, and require all people to worship the image of the Antichrist. The proof of worship of the image of the Antichrist will be accomplished by a person's acceptance of the "Mark of the Beast - 666". No one will be able to buy or sell without the "mark" as proof of their worship of the image of the Antichrist (Revelation 13:11-18). When a person accepts the "Mark of the Beast" they will be doomed to Hell forever with no chance for redemption (Revelation 14:9-11).
8. At the opening of the Second Seal of the Seven Seals, the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers will effect peace to be taken from the earth, and men will slay each other (Revelation 6:3,4). Peace will be taken from the earth world-wide; but it is certainly easy to predict that following the destruction of the United States of America, when the survivors in the major cities in the United States lose electrical power, and run out of food and water, the people will attack and slay each other. Widespread cannibalism will surely follow, as it has throughout the history of man, when people got hungry enough.
9. At the opening of the Third Seal of Seven Seals, the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers will effect a world-wide famine, whereby a person will have to work all day for a quart of wheat, or for three quarts of barley (Revelation 6:5-6).
10. At the opening of the Fourth Seal of Seven Seals, the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers will effect exactly one-fourth of the approximate six billion people who are alive on earth to die. Approximately 1.5 billion people who are alive at the beginning of the Great Tribulation will die at the opening of the Fourth Seal (Revelation 6:7-8).
11. The opening of the Fifth Seal of Seven Seals reveals the souls of the martyred, "Born Again" Children of God in Heaven, who were martyred because of their righteousness, by the sinful Antichrist and his followers. The Fifth Seal will be opened well after Mid-Tribulation, and reflects that the living, "Born Again" Children of God will still be on the earth, and will be continuing to be martyred during and after that time (Revelation 6:9-11).
12. The opening of the Sixth Seal of Seven Seals reflects that nature will be greatly disturbed because of the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers. (Revelation 6:12-17); 144,000 Jewish male virgins will be sealed by God (Revelation 7:1-8), and the souls of the martyred, "Born Again" Children of God who were given white robes at the opening of the Fifth Seal, will then be standing and praising God in Heaven (Revelation 7:9-17).
13. At the opening of the Seventh Seal of Seven Seals, the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers will effect the First Trumpet of Seven Trumpets to sound, and the First Bowl of Seven Bowls of God's Wrath to be poured out on the earth (Revelation 8:1 through Revelation 16:7).
14. Because of the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers, exactly one-third of the approximate 4.5 billion people on earth who survived the opening of the Fourth Seal will die at the pouring of the Sixth Bowl of God's Wrath (Revelation 9:13-18). The Sixth Bowl of God's Wrath is a nuclear war in Asia. Because of the Fourth Seal, and the Sixth Bowl of God's Wrath; approximately three billion people, or exactly one-half of the people who are alive on earth at the beginning of the Great Tribulation, will die during the three and one-half year Great Tribulation. Because of the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers, DEATH WILL TAKE EXACTLY ONE-HALF OF THE PEOPLE ON EARTH DURING THE GREAT TRIBULATION PERIOD! (Luke 17:26-37, Matthew 24:37-41)
15. Mark Biltz, pastor of El Shaddai Ministries in Bonney Lake, Washington has discovered an interesting phenomenon while collating the Jewish Calendar and NASA's eclipse website. A total lunar eclipse produces a "blood red moon." According to NASA's eclipse website, the year 2014 has two "blood red moons" or total eclipses of the moon; one occurring on April 15, 2014 (the Feast of Passover) and one occurring on October 8, 2014 (The Feast of Ingathering). These two eclipses are immediately followed by two additional "blood red moons" in the year 2015; one occurring on April 4, 2015 (the Feast of Passover) and one occurring on September 28, 2015 (the Feast of Ingathering). According to the NASA/GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, four total lunar eclipses in a row is known as a tetrad. After the four "blood red moons" of 2014 and 2015, there are no more tetrads occurring on Jewish holidays in this century. Biltz discovered that there have been seven, Feast of Passover/Feast of Ingathering tetrads since 1 A.D. These began in 162/163 A.D., and occurred thereafter in 795/796 A.D., 842/843 A.D., 860/861 A.D., 1493/1494 A.D., 1949/1950 A.D., 1967/1968 A.D., with the eighth tetrad scheduled to occur in 2014/2015 A.D. Biltz also noticed that there are two solar eclipses coming in the year 2015, where the sun will be temporarily blocked out. (The Jewish Calendar has two new-years days during every twelve months. One new-years day marks the beginning of the civil year; six months later, the beginning of the seventh month is new-years day for the sacred year.) NASA's eclipse website reflects that one solar eclipse will occur on March 20, 2015 which happens to mark the first day of the sacred calendar for the Jewish New-Year, and is 14 days before the "blood red moon" lunar eclipse coming on April 4, 2015 (The Feast of Passover). The other solar eclipse will occur on September 13, 2015 which happens to mark the first day of the civil calendar (Rosh Hashanah/Tishri) for the Jewish New-Year, and will occur 14 days before the "blood red moon" lunar eclipse coming on September 28, 2015 (The Feast of Ingathering).
Joel 2:30-32a (NIV) I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved;
In His precise and perfect order, God is giving the "Born Again" Children of God a message in the "blood red moon" lunar, and solar eclipses. It is by God's design that there are four "blood red moons" in a row beginning with the Feast of Passover, then the Feast of Ingathering, then the Feast of Passover, then the Feast of Ingathering. The Feast of Passover denotes the Lamb of God; the Feast of Ingathering denotes the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. God has given the "Born Again" Children of God signs in the heavens above for nineteen hundred years that are now rising to a crescendo:
THE LAMB OF GOD IS COMING TO THE WEDDING SUPPER OF THE LAMB!
THE LAMB OF GOD IS COMING TO THE WEDDING SUPPER OF THE LAMB!
16. The Battle of Armageddon will occur, because of the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers; when nuclear-armed Russia (the king of the North), and nuclear-armed China (the king of the East), attack the nuclear-armed Muslim Antichrist in the Valley of Megiddo (Revelation 16:16). Not any single one of those three armies will accept defeat and return home without using their nuclear weapons.
17. In accordance with Daniel 9:25, forty-nine years after "the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem" occurred on June 28, 1967; when those three nuclear powers are gathering into the Valley of Megiddo for a nuclear showdown at the Battle of Armageddon, at the precise moment when the first human in one of those three armies, reaches for the control device to begin detonating nuclear weapons, which would result in a retaliatory nuclear chain reaction among those three armies to the extent that they would destroy every human on the face of the earth; Jesus Christ will return at the sounding of the Seventh (Last) Trumpet (Matthew 24:31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 15:52, Revelation 11:15), and at the pouring of the Seventh (Last) Bowl of God's Wrath (Revelation 16:7) and destroy those three armies that are gathered at the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus Christ will NOT come on June 28, 2016, which is to the day, exactly forty nine years after "the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem" occurred; because Jesus Christ will be forced to "cut short", the Seven Year Tribulation Period. - "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Matthew 24:22 (NIV)" Unlike every other point of time in prophecy, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:36 NIV) because "that day" and "hour" is not ordered by God. The timing of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is contingent upon when man, with man's free-will, will reach for the nuclear control device that would destroy all of mankind; and no one, other than God the Father, can accurately predict when man, with man's free-will, will reach for that nuclear control device. God the Father knows, because God is omniscient. (God knows all things.)
18. At the sounding of the Seventh (Last) Trumpet, which is simultaneous with the pouring of the Seventh (Last) Bowl of God's Wrath, the bodies of the martyred-dead, "Born Again" Children of God will come back to life and unite with their individual souls of the martyred, "Born Again" Children of God. The martyred dead-come-back-to-life, "Born Again" Children of God will join the living, "Born Again" Children of God to form the complete Bride of Christ; and the complete Bride of Christ will then rise to meet Jesus in the air. Jesus Christ will then judge everyone who is alive on the earth, marry the Bride of Christ, celebrate the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, and establish His earthly kingdom which will last for one thousand years.
WHEN THE PROPHECY CONCERNING THE "PEACE AGREEMENT" THAT WAS FULFILLED ON JULY 9, 2009, IS MADE PUBLIC, AND THEREBY PROVES TO BE CORRECT, AND DAILY SACRIFICE BEGINS AGAIN BY THE JEWISH PEOPLE ON MARCH 16, 2010; THEN YOU CAN KNOW THAT THE PROPHECY CONCERNING THE ANTICHRIST INVADING ISRAEL, CONQUERING JERUSALEM, AND KILLING THE TWO WITNESSES SIMULTANEOUS WITH HIS TERRORIST DESTRUCTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON DECEMBER 21, 2012, WILL ALSO BE FULFILLED!
The Holy Spirit did not give this information to the "Born Again" Children of God in order to mock, trick, taunt, or tease the "Born Again" Children of God. The Holy Spirit gave this information to the "Born Again" Children of God in order that the "Born Again" Children of God will know and be prepared.
MOST IMPORTANTLY PREPARE YOUR SOUL! GET YOUR WEDDING GARMENT READY!
The truly important question is not, "WHEN will Jesus Christ Come Again?" The truly important question is, "What will YOUR relationship be with Him, when YOU do meet Him?" It is absolutely irrelevant, whether YOU face God, and are judged for YOUR actions at His Second Coming before YOU physically die, or whether YOU face God and are judged for YOUR actions after YOU physically die. The vitally important fact that YOU should always keep at the front of YOUR mind is that; YOU will face God, and YOU will be judged for YOUR actions.
Hebrews 9:27 (NIV) Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
When YOU physically die, YOU will be judged according to what YOU have done, and according to the words YOU have spoken.
Revelation 20: 11-12 (NIV) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV) "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
If YOU continue committing acts of sin, and if YOU continue sinning by telling lies, death will claim YOUR soul, and YOU will be thrown into Hell.
Revelation 20:13-15 (NIV) The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
JESUS CHRIST has opened THE WAY, THE ONLY WAY for YOU to be ready for the Judgment of GOD!
John 14:6 (NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
YOUR only hope, is for YOU, through faith in Jesus Christ, to become "Born Again" spiritually.
John 3:1-22 (NIV) Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." 9 "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. 10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." 22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.
Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and was Crucified on a cross in order to atone for YOUR sins with His Sacrificial Blood. All that is required for YOU to claim this unmerited favor and become "Born Again" is to:
Repent - Feel sorry for YOUR sin; turn from YOUR sin.
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Acts 3:19-20 (NIV) Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus.
Acts 17:30 (NIV) In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
Believe - in YOUR heart that Jesus is the Lord God, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. Believe that Jesus' Sacrificial Blood has the power to cleanse YOU from YOUR sins.
John 3:36 (NIV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
Confess - YOUR sins in prayer to Jesus Christ, and ask Jesus to forgive YOU for sinning. Pray/talk to Jesus Christ wherever YOU are physically located, like YOU would talk to another man; Jesus Christ is YOUR High Priest, and He will hear YOU.
1 John 1:9 (NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Confess - to others that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and YOUR Lord.
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Receive - Pray/talk to Jesus Christ like YOU would talk to another man, and ask Jesus Christ into YOUR heart as YOUR Lord and God; then receive Him.
John 1:12 (NIV) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
Comply - with God's law, which includes baptism. (The only way that YOU can know God's law is for YOU to read God's Holy Word, which is the Bible.) Be very, very careful of who YOU get to baptize YOU, as Judeo-Christian Organized Religion is full of the children of the devil who may dispute, twist, and/or misuse God's Holy Word in order to damn YOU to Hell. Judge what anyone says by whether what they say is in total compliance with the entire Bible. If a person disputes what the Bible says, do not listen to them, do not get them to baptize YOU, and get away from them before they mislead YOU into their sin.
2 Timothy 2:19 (NIV) Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
John 8:10-11 (NIV) Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
God has guaranteed through God's Holy Word, that YOU will find Him when YOU seek Him with all of YOUR heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
While YOU are seeking God, and before YOU become "Born Again", YOU will not be able to stop from sinning; because, like Simon Peter prior to the Day of Pentecost, YOU will still have a dead sinful spirit.
1 John 2:1 (NIV) My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
When YOU become "Born Again" YOU will become a complete new person, because YOUR formerly dead, sinful spirit will have come to spiritual life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
When YOU become "Born Again" of the Holy Spirit of Life, YOU will be able to live without committing ANY sin.
1 John 3:4-10 (NIV) Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
Insure that YOU are a "Born Again" Child of God, evidenced by the ONLY Biblically referenced proof, found in 1 John 2:3-4 printed below:
1 John 2:3-4 (NIV) We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
God's commands were illuminated by Jesus Christ in Matthew 22:37-40 printed below:
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
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2 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV) "First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
"prepare to meet your God, O Israel." Amos 4:12c (NIV)
John 3:16 (NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Matthew 24:36 (NIV) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
Matthew 24:42-44 (NIV) "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
Only God the Father knows the exact "day" and the exact "hour" that Jesus Christ will return to the earth. However, prior to the return of Jesus Christ to the earth, God will show "wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below" in order that the "Born Again" Children of God may be fully prepared, and expecting Him when that "day" and "hour" does come.
Acts 2:19-21 (NIV) "I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
1 Thessalonians 5:1-4 (NIV) Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (NIV) Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
In the perfect order of God, everything in creation can be viewed as a mathematical formula, IF, YOU can formulate the equation, and identify and understand the variables. When God directed the Holy Spirit to place a restriction on the secret power of lawlessness, referenced in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 printed above; then in perfect mathematical order, God also placed a reciprocal restriction, by veiling some of the knowledge and understanding about certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy, even from the "Born Again" Children of God. The wicked have never been able to understand about righteousness and prophecy (1 Corinthians 2:14), but even the "Born Again" Children of God's knowledge and understanding of certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy, have heretofore been veiled. At the time that God gave visions to Daniel, referenced in Daniel 12:1-12 printed below; and John the Revelator, referenced in Revelation 10:1-4 printed below; God sealed up the knowledge and understanding about certain aspects of those visions, even from Daniel, and even from the "Born Again" Children of God.
Daniel 12:1-12 (NIV) "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. 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. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge." Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?" The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed." I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?" He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days."
Revelation 10:1-4 (NIV) Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down." Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."
The fact that God has directed the Holy Spirit, to withdraw the Holy Spirit's restriction on lawlessness, is irrefutably evidenced by the exponential increase in sin that has occurred in the world within the last few months!
Mathew 24:12a,b (NIV) "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,"
The fact that God has directed the Holy Spirit, to withdraw the Holy Spirit's restriction on lawlessness, mathematically exposes the fact that God has also reciprocally directed the Holy Spirit, to withdraw the Holy Spirit's restriction on knowledge and understanding, of certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy, that have heretofore, been veiled even from the "Born Again" Children of God!
The fact that God has directed the Holy Spirit, to withdraw the Holy Spirit's restriction on knowledge and understanding, of certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy, that have heretofore, been veiled even from the "Born Again" Children of God; is clear proof that YOU are now in, "the time of the end", referenced in Daniel 12:1-12 printed above; and clear proof that "the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet", referenced in Revelation 10:1-4 printed above!
YOU are now in "the time of the end."
"the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet"
Now that the certain aspects of righteousness and prophecy that have heretofore been veiled, have been unveiled to the "Born Again" Children of God,
it is NOW TIME for the "Born Again" Children of God to prepare themselves as a Bride, for the SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST!
My prayer is that this prophecy will aid you in that preparation process.
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During the presentation of this prophecy, among other facts, I will show that:
YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN THE SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD THAT IMMEDIATELY PRECEDES
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST!
In order to establish any mathematical, or physical point, YOU must adhere to the laws of that specific discipline of science, while utilizing cross-triangulation of known specific physical points. In order to understand where, or at what point YOU are in time, YOU must adhere to the Word of God, while utilizing cross-triangulation of known specific, prophetic points. Which is another way of saying, "If YOU want to see the picture, YOU must connect the dots." The greater the number of dots that YOU have, that are connected, the clearer the picture will be, that YOU are able to see.
1. The Seven Year Tribulation Period began with a "peace agreement" on July 9, 2009, which was the 17th of Tammuz on the Jewish calendar. The "peace agreement" primarily involved Bashar al Assad, who is the King of Syria, Antichrist, Muslim "Mahdi", and head of World Terrorism; and Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the Prime Minister of Israel. The "peace agreement" will allow the Jewish people to rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem, in order for the Jewish people to re-establish the ritual of daily sacrifice in their attempt to atone for the Jewish people's sin. Information concerning the existence of that "peace agreement" has not been made available to the general public, as it is necessary for the Islamic governments to prepare the Islamic public for the fact that the Islamic people are going to share the Temple Mount in Jerusalem with the Jewish people; and the government of Israel must prepare the Jewish people to accept the concessions that the Israeli government made in order to facilitate the "peace agreement". There is also a delay while various politicians posture themselves prior to the public announcement of the "peace agreement" in order for the various politicians to claim a percentage of the credit for the "peace agreement". One of the politicians who is posturing himself in order to claim credit for the "peace agreement" is Barack Hussein Obama. We are in a very short time period before information concerning the "peace agreement" must be made available to the general public, as the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt and completed, and daily sacrifice will begin following sundown on March 15, 2010. The Jewish day begins at sundown, consequently, sundown on March 15, 2010 is the beginning of the Jewish day of March 16, 2010. March 16, 2010 is the 1st of Nisan, the first day of the new Jewish sacred calendar year of 5770. The Jewish people will re-establish daily sacrifice in the new Jewish Temple on the first day of their new sacred calendar year of 5770. March 16, 2010, the 1st of Nisan, is also exactly 250 days after July 9, 2009, which was the 17th of Tammuz; the day on which the "peace agreement" was agreed to. The 250 day time period between July 9, 2009 and March 16, 2010 is the 250 day difference between the 2550 days of the Seven Year Tribulation Period referenced as the "seven" in Daniel 9:27; and the 2300 "evenings and mornings" referenced in Daniel 8:9-14 for "the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot". The 17th of Tammuz has been a historic day of calamity for the Jewish people. July 9, 2009 was still another day of great calamity for the Jewish people, but the Jewish people will not recognize it as a day of great calamity until exactly 1,260 days later on December 21, 2012.
2. At the beginning of the Seven Year Tribulation Period, two "witnesses" who are men with the spirit of Moses and Elijah will emerge, and testify for a period of 1,260 days. The two "witnesses" will testify for God; and against the devil, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, Organized Religion, and SIN. The two "witnesses" will testify to the Jewish people that the act of re-establishing daily sacrifice by the Jewish people, in order to atone for their sin, is not an act of righteousness, but is an act of sin; because the re-establishment of daily sacrifice is a continued rejection of Jesus Christ, whose Crucifixion was the ultimate sacrifice for the Jewish people, and for all of mankind. The two "witnesses" will also confront the Jewish people by stopping the rain in Israel, turning Israel's only fresh water source, Lake Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee) blood red, and by effecting various plagues in Israel and around the world.
3. Sometime after the "peace agreement" is made public, Bashar al-Assad, will survive a mortal "great head wound" assassination attempt. (Revelation 13:3,12,14)
4. On Friday, December 21, 2012, exactly 1260 days after July 9, 2009, the 17th of Tammuz, the Antichrist will invade Israel, conquer Jerusalem, and kill the two "witnesses", simultaneous with a terrorist nuclear attack that will destroy the United States of America. The Antichrist's invasion of Israel, and terrorist destruction of the United States of America will mark the opening of the First Seal of Seven Seals (Revelation 6:1-2). The people of the world will celebrate the death of the two "witnesses", by sending each other gifts. (Revelation 11:1-14)
5. Three and one-half days after Friday, December 21, 2012, on Tuesday, December 25, 2012 - Christmas Day, the Antichrist will "put an end to sacrifice and offering (Daniel 9:27 NIV)" by the Jewish people; set himself up in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, and call himself god. The Antichrist will set himself up in the Jewish Temple, and call himself god, at the exact time that the two "witnesses" come back to life and ascend to Heaven while their enemies look on (Revelation 11:1-14 ). The Antichrist setting himself up in the Jewish Temple and calling himself god, is a sinful act that will precipitate a great earthquake in Jerusalem that will kill 7,000 people. The earthquake will split the Mount of Olives into two parts, forming a great valley through which many of the Jewish people will "flee" (Zechariah 14:5) east to the caves in Petra, Jordan, "where she will be taken care of" (Revelation 12:8,14) for the last half of the Seven Year Tribulation Period, or the three and one-half year Great Tribulation Period. Jesus' recommendation that people pray so that the Jewish "flight" (Matthew 24:22) would not take place on the Sabbath was answered, as the Jewish "flight" will occur on Tuesday, and not on the Sabbath, but the Jewish "flight" will occur in winter.
6. At Mid-Tribulation, when the Antichrist sets himself up in the Jewish Temple and calls himself god, the opportunity WILL BE FOREVER OVER, for people who are NOT Jewish, to establish a relationship with God by becoming "Born Again", "Saved", or "Redeemed". From Mid-Tribulation forward, the avenue to God will be closed FOREVER for any Gentile who is not already a "Born Again" Child of God. "And the door was shut." (Matthew 25:10d) Any Gentile who is not "Born Again" by Mid-Tribulation, will have crossed the Deadline of God's Mercy. After Mid-Tribulation, during the final three and one-half years of the Tribulation Period, ONLY the Jewish people will have the opportunity to return to God for restoration and redemption. (Romans 11:25)
7. The Antichrist will be supported by the False Prophet. The False Prophet is the Roman Catholic Pope. The Antichrist and the Pope will blend Judeo Organized Religion, Judeo-Christian Organized Religion, and Islam into one loosely-united Organized Religion. The loosely-united Organized Religion will support the Antichrist, and the False Prophet. The Antichrist and False Prophet will persecute the "Born Again" Children of God throughout the world, transition the loosely-united Organized Religion into the worship of the Antichrist, set up an image of the Antichrist, and require all people to worship the image of the Antichrist. The proof of worship of the image of the Antichrist will be accomplished by a person's acceptance of the "Mark of the Beast - 666". No one will be able to buy or sell without the "mark" as proof of their worship of the image of the Antichrist (Revelation 13:11-18). When a person accepts the "Mark of the Beast" they will be doomed to Hell forever with no chance for redemption (Revelation 14:9-11).
8. At the opening of the Second Seal of the Seven Seals, the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers will effect peace to be taken from the earth, and men will slay each other (Revelation 6:3,4). Peace will be taken from the earth world-wide; but it is certainly easy to predict that following the destruction of the United States of America, when the survivors in the major cities in the United States lose electrical power, and run out of food and water, the people will attack and slay each other. Widespread cannibalism will surely follow, as it has throughout the history of man, when people got hungry enough.
9. At the opening of the Third Seal of Seven Seals, the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers will effect a world-wide famine, whereby a person will have to work all day for a quart of wheat, or for three quarts of barley (Revelation 6:5-6).
10. At the opening of the Fourth Seal of Seven Seals, the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers will effect exactly one-fourth of the approximate six billion people who are alive on earth to die. Approximately 1.5 billion people who are alive at the beginning of the Great Tribulation will die at the opening of the Fourth Seal (Revelation 6:7-8).
11. The opening of the Fifth Seal of Seven Seals reveals the souls of the martyred, "Born Again" Children of God in Heaven, who were martyred because of their righteousness, by the sinful Antichrist and his followers. The Fifth Seal will be opened well after Mid-Tribulation, and reflects that the living, "Born Again" Children of God will still be on the earth, and will be continuing to be martyred during and after that time (Revelation 6:9-11).
12. The opening of the Sixth Seal of Seven Seals reflects that nature will be greatly disturbed because of the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers. (Revelation 6:12-17); 144,000 Jewish male virgins will be sealed by God (Revelation 7:1-8), and the souls of the martyred, "Born Again" Children of God who were given white robes at the opening of the Fifth Seal, will then be standing and praising God in Heaven (Revelation 7:9-17).
13. At the opening of the Seventh Seal of Seven Seals, the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers will effect the First Trumpet of Seven Trumpets to sound, and the First Bowl of Seven Bowls of God's Wrath to be poured out on the earth (Revelation 8:1 through Revelation 16:7).
14. Because of the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers, exactly one-third of the approximate 4.5 billion people on earth who survived the opening of the Fourth Seal will die at the pouring of the Sixth Bowl of God's Wrath (Revelation 9:13-18). The Sixth Bowl of God's Wrath is a nuclear war in Asia. Because of the Fourth Seal, and the Sixth Bowl of God's Wrath; approximately three billion people, or exactly one-half of the people who are alive on earth at the beginning of the Great Tribulation, will die during the three and one-half year Great Tribulation. Because of the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers, DEATH WILL TAKE EXACTLY ONE-HALF OF THE PEOPLE ON EARTH DURING THE GREAT TRIBULATION PERIOD! (Luke 17:26-37, Matthew 24:37-41)
15. Mark Biltz, pastor of El Shaddai Ministries in Bonney Lake, Washington has discovered an interesting phenomenon while collating the Jewish Calendar and NASA's eclipse website. A total lunar eclipse produces a "blood red moon." According to NASA's eclipse website, the year 2014 has two "blood red moons" or total eclipses of the moon; one occurring on April 15, 2014 (the Feast of Passover) and one occurring on October 8, 2014 (The Feast of Ingathering). These two eclipses are immediately followed by two additional "blood red moons" in the year 2015; one occurring on April 4, 2015 (the Feast of Passover) and one occurring on September 28, 2015 (the Feast of Ingathering). According to the NASA/GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, four total lunar eclipses in a row is known as a tetrad. After the four "blood red moons" of 2014 and 2015, there are no more tetrads occurring on Jewish holidays in this century. Biltz discovered that there have been seven, Feast of Passover/Feast of Ingathering tetrads since 1 A.D. These began in 162/163 A.D., and occurred thereafter in 795/796 A.D., 842/843 A.D., 860/861 A.D., 1493/1494 A.D., 1949/1950 A.D., 1967/1968 A.D., with the eighth tetrad scheduled to occur in 2014/2015 A.D. Biltz also noticed that there are two solar eclipses coming in the year 2015, where the sun will be temporarily blocked out. (The Jewish Calendar has two new-years days during every twelve months. One new-years day marks the beginning of the civil year; six months later, the beginning of the seventh month is new-years day for the sacred year.) NASA's eclipse website reflects that one solar eclipse will occur on March 20, 2015 which happens to mark the first day of the sacred calendar for the Jewish New-Year, and is 14 days before the "blood red moon" lunar eclipse coming on April 4, 2015 (The Feast of Passover). The other solar eclipse will occur on September 13, 2015 which happens to mark the first day of the civil calendar (Rosh Hashanah/Tishri) for the Jewish New-Year, and will occur 14 days before the "blood red moon" lunar eclipse coming on September 28, 2015 (The Feast of Ingathering).
Joel 2:30-32a (NIV) I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved;
In His precise and perfect order, God is giving the "Born Again" Children of God a message in the "blood red moon" lunar, and solar eclipses. It is by God's design that there are four "blood red moons" in a row beginning with the Feast of Passover, then the Feast of Ingathering, then the Feast of Passover, then the Feast of Ingathering. The Feast of Passover denotes the Lamb of God; the Feast of Ingathering denotes the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. God has given the "Born Again" Children of God signs in the heavens above for nineteen hundred years that are now rising to a crescendo:
THE LAMB OF GOD IS COMING TO THE WEDDING SUPPER OF THE LAMB!
THE LAMB OF GOD IS COMING TO THE WEDDING SUPPER OF THE LAMB!
16. The Battle of Armageddon will occur, because of the sinfulness of the Antichrist and his followers; when nuclear-armed Russia (the king of the North), and nuclear-armed China (the king of the East), attack the nuclear-armed Muslim Antichrist in the Valley of Megiddo (Revelation 16:16). Not any single one of those three armies will accept defeat and return home without using their nuclear weapons.
17. In accordance with Daniel 9:25, forty-nine years after "the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem" occurred on June 28, 1967; when those three nuclear powers are gathering into the Valley of Megiddo for a nuclear showdown at the Battle of Armageddon, at the precise moment when the first human in one of those three armies, reaches for the control device to begin detonating nuclear weapons, which would result in a retaliatory nuclear chain reaction among those three armies to the extent that they would destroy every human on the face of the earth; Jesus Christ will return at the sounding of the Seventh (Last) Trumpet (Matthew 24:31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 15:52, Revelation 11:15), and at the pouring of the Seventh (Last) Bowl of God's Wrath (Revelation 16:7) and destroy those three armies that are gathered at the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus Christ will NOT come on June 28, 2016, which is to the day, exactly forty nine years after "the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem" occurred; because Jesus Christ will be forced to "cut short", the Seven Year Tribulation Period. - "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. Matthew 24:22 (NIV)" Unlike every other point of time in prophecy, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matthew 24:36 NIV) because "that day" and "hour" is not ordered by God. The timing of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is contingent upon when man, with man's free-will, will reach for the nuclear control device that would destroy all of mankind; and no one, other than God the Father, can accurately predict when man, with man's free-will, will reach for that nuclear control device. God the Father knows, because God is omniscient. (God knows all things.)
18. At the sounding of the Seventh (Last) Trumpet, which is simultaneous with the pouring of the Seventh (Last) Bowl of God's Wrath, the bodies of the martyred-dead, "Born Again" Children of God will come back to life and unite with their individual souls of the martyred, "Born Again" Children of God. The martyred dead-come-back-to-life, "Born Again" Children of God will join the living, "Born Again" Children of God to form the complete Bride of Christ; and the complete Bride of Christ will then rise to meet Jesus in the air. Jesus Christ will then judge everyone who is alive on the earth, marry the Bride of Christ, celebrate the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, and establish His earthly kingdom which will last for one thousand years.
WHEN THE PROPHECY CONCERNING THE "PEACE AGREEMENT" THAT WAS FULFILLED ON JULY 9, 2009, IS MADE PUBLIC, AND THEREBY PROVES TO BE CORRECT, AND DAILY SACRIFICE BEGINS AGAIN BY THE JEWISH PEOPLE ON MARCH 16, 2010; THEN YOU CAN KNOW THAT THE PROPHECY CONCERNING THE ANTICHRIST INVADING ISRAEL, CONQUERING JERUSALEM, AND KILLING THE TWO WITNESSES SIMULTANEOUS WITH HIS TERRORIST DESTRUCTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON DECEMBER 21, 2012, WILL ALSO BE FULFILLED!
The Holy Spirit did not give this information to the "Born Again" Children of God in order to mock, trick, taunt, or tease the "Born Again" Children of God. The Holy Spirit gave this information to the "Born Again" Children of God in order that the "Born Again" Children of God will know and be prepared.
MOST IMPORTANTLY PREPARE YOUR SOUL! GET YOUR WEDDING GARMENT READY!
The truly important question is not, "WHEN will Jesus Christ Come Again?" The truly important question is, "What will YOUR relationship be with Him, when YOU do meet Him?" It is absolutely irrelevant, whether YOU face God, and are judged for YOUR actions at His Second Coming before YOU physically die, or whether YOU face God and are judged for YOUR actions after YOU physically die. The vitally important fact that YOU should always keep at the front of YOUR mind is that; YOU will face God, and YOU will be judged for YOUR actions.
Hebrews 9:27 (NIV) Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
When YOU physically die, YOU will be judged according to what YOU have done, and according to the words YOU have spoken.
Revelation 20: 11-12 (NIV) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV) "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
If YOU continue committing acts of sin, and if YOU continue sinning by telling lies, death will claim YOUR soul, and YOU will be thrown into Hell.
Revelation 20:13-15 (NIV) The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
JESUS CHRIST has opened THE WAY, THE ONLY WAY for YOU to be ready for the Judgment of GOD!
John 14:6 (NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
YOUR only hope, is for YOU, through faith in Jesus Christ, to become "Born Again" spiritually.
John 3:1-22 (NIV) Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." 9 "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. 10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." 22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.
Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, and was Crucified on a cross in order to atone for YOUR sins with His Sacrificial Blood. All that is required for YOU to claim this unmerited favor and become "Born Again" is to:
Repent - Feel sorry for YOUR sin; turn from YOUR sin.
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Acts 3:19-20 (NIV) Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus.
Acts 17:30 (NIV) In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
Believe - in YOUR heart that Jesus is the Lord God, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. Believe that Jesus' Sacrificial Blood has the power to cleanse YOU from YOUR sins.
John 3:36 (NIV) Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
Confess - YOUR sins in prayer to Jesus Christ, and ask Jesus to forgive YOU for sinning. Pray/talk to Jesus Christ wherever YOU are physically located, like YOU would talk to another man; Jesus Christ is YOUR High Priest, and He will hear YOU.
1 John 1:9 (NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Confess - to others that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and YOUR Lord.
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Receive - Pray/talk to Jesus Christ like YOU would talk to another man, and ask Jesus Christ into YOUR heart as YOUR Lord and God; then receive Him.
John 1:12 (NIV) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
Comply - with God's law, which includes baptism. (The only way that YOU can know God's law is for YOU to read God's Holy Word, which is the Bible.) Be very, very careful of who YOU get to baptize YOU, as Judeo-Christian Organized Religion is full of the children of the devil who may dispute, twist, and/or misuse God's Holy Word in order to damn YOU to Hell. Judge what anyone says by whether what they say is in total compliance with the entire Bible. If a person disputes what the Bible says, do not listen to them, do not get them to baptize YOU, and get away from them before they mislead YOU into their sin.
2 Timothy 2:19 (NIV) Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
John 8:10-11 (NIV) Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
God has guaranteed through God's Holy Word, that YOU will find Him when YOU seek Him with all of YOUR heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
While YOU are seeking God, and before YOU become "Born Again", YOU will not be able to stop from sinning; because, like Simon Peter prior to the Day of Pentecost, YOU will still have a dead sinful spirit.
1 John 2:1 (NIV) My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
When YOU become "Born Again" YOU will become a complete new person, because YOUR formerly dead, sinful spirit will have come to spiritual life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
When YOU become "Born Again" of the Holy Spirit of Life, YOU will be able to live without committing ANY sin.
1 John 3:4-10 (NIV) Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
Insure that YOU are a "Born Again" Child of God, evidenced by the ONLY Biblically referenced proof, found in 1 John 2:3-4 printed below:
1 John 2:3-4 (NIV) We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
God's commands were illuminated by Jesus Christ in Matthew 22:37-40 printed below:
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
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