The Last Great Day—2012

Fred R. Coulter—October 8, 2012

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Greetings, everyone! Welcome to the Last Great Day, the eighth day; the most important day in the plan of God that is going to undo every wrong.

It's very interesting, because God delights in doing things where it appears it's the very least and that it's not really important at all. We can say that of the Last Great Day. In Lev. 23 we know we have all the Holy Days of God, and yet, this day that caps off the Feast of Tabernacles is merely called 'the eighth day.' Let's review about the Feast of Tabernacles:

Let's come to Leviticus 23:34: "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD…. [we just completed that] …On the first day shall be a Holy convocation. You shall do no servile work therein. Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day shall be a Holy convocation to you…. [that's all it's called, the eighth day!] …And you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a solemn assembly. And you shall do no servile work therein…. [notice the summary of this]: …These are the Feasts of the LORD…" (vs 34-37).

We need to always keep that in mind, brethren. These are not of men, the ministers, the Levites; these are the Feasts of the Lord! They're not the Feasts of the Jews. Maybe some Jews keep them, that's fine, but they don't own them. It's not their property. It belongs to God!

• God is the Creator of time!
• God is the Creator of the Holy Days!
• This Holy Day is His!

"…which you shall proclaim… [What was to be done on it when they had the temple service?] …to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, everything on its day" (v 37). We find all of those listed in Num. 28-29.

Verse 38: "Besides the Sabbaths of the LORD…" We know the weekly Sabbath; every Holy Day is a Sabbath; so it's talking about all of them together. All the Sabbaths and all the Holy Days are the Lord's.

"…and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD" (v 38). God wants us to bring these gifts and these offerings, and all of these are to be based upon:

• our love of God
• our relationship with God
• what we are doing
• how we see that God
  • has blessed us
  • has watched over us
  • has provided for us
  • has given to us

All of these things! We need to count all of that.

Verse 39: "Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep a Feast to the LORD seven days. On the first dayshall be a Sabbath, and on the eighth dayshall be a Sabbath." Every day that is a Sabbath is a Holy Day.

We know that God wants us to take up an offering. And everyone give as you have proposed in your heart. Thank God for the blessings that He has given to you. Look to God for all the blessings and protection and everything that you need in the coming year. God says that His 'grace will provide the sufficiency for you in all things.'

We're not going to get rich; that's not what we're looking to. We're not bringing an offering to bribe God. We're not giving lots and lots of money so that it will be impressive to God or anyone else. We give from the heart because we love God. What we do, we take great care of it, brethren, because we know that these are God's offerings. We're just merely stewards of what God has given us. It is HIS property, and we need to use

• to His glory
• to preach the Gospel
• to feed the flock
• to provide the things that are necessary so we can grow in grace and knowledge and attain to the Kingdom of God

(pause for the offering)

Today we're confronted with a world filled with contradiction hard to understand. A lot of people who believe in Christianity like to quote John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but may have everlasting life."

But people look around and they hear religionists say that, supposedly claiming to be Christian. They see death and destruction, drought, famine, earthquakes, floods, accidents, abortions, pain, misery, suffering, crying tears, broken lives, broken hearts! Where is God? This is what the atheists say, 'If God is a God of love, why can't He look down on this misery and stop it?' or 'If God would have been here this would not have happened.'

But you know that's not just the way that it is! Remember the song, Jesus loves the Little Children. You can probably even sing it. But look at all the children that die. Look at all the abortions that take the innocent life before it's even born.

• Wars!
• Droughts!
• Famine!
• Kidnapping!
• Sex slave trading!
• Perversion!
• Drugs!
• Untimely deaths!

All of those things; and people want to know

• If God loves the world, when is He going to save the world?
• Where is the love of God in all of this?
• How can this be?
• How long is it going to be?

Well, that's a good question, and we're going to answer that today. Let's see that's one of the laments of this Psalm:

• How long, Lord?
• When's it going to be, Lord?

Psalm 89:46: "How long, LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever?…. [If You love the world, what are You going to do about it?] …Shall Your wrath burn like fire?…. [he pleads with God]: …Remember how short my time is; for what vanity have You created the sons of men?"

• What vanity?
• What is it?
• What about life?

Life in some areas is so cheap. Death swallows up men. Wretchedness, suffering and pain.

Verse 48: "What man lives and never sees death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah." When will You show your loving kindness?

• We live in a world of contradictions.
• We live in a world of trouble.
• We live in a world of hate.
• We live in a world that unless Christ returns there isn't going to be one single human being left alive.

Why all of this in the first place? It goes clear back to Adam and Eve! They did not want to live by God's way. They wanted to do it their way. They must have known enough about the plan of God, because Satan came along and said, 'If you eat of this fruit you'll be like God, deciding good and evil.' So, they ate of the fruit.

They listened to someone they should not have listened to. That was Satan the devil! As we saw, the very last thing that happened to fulfill the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Satan has been bound forever! There's one thing in this whole equation that people forget: God has given free moral agency to every human being! Even though Adam and Eve had sinned, that doesn't mean that they couldn't have contact with God. Even though they were going to die when they came to the end of their lives, that doesn't mean that it had to be that way.

But since it is, God in His plan has provided for those things. Time and chance, yes, does happen to everyone, but in the overall scheme of things in the lives of human beings, here is what God has given every human being to do, there's no escaping it, absolutely no escaping it: you have free choice and you must choose!

If you know the way of God, the Truth of God, then that makes the choices a little bit different. But nevertheless, in those choices there's the pull of human nature, because 'every way of man is right in his own eyes.' and 'There's a way that seems right to a man'; and everyone thinks they're doing right, but the end result is death and destruction because they don't do what God says.

Especially today, since we have the whole Bible, and the witness to the world, notice what God says, Deuteronomy 30:15: "Behold, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil… [that is the whole story of humankind and how they live] …in that I command you this day to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments so that you may live and multiply. And the LORD your God shall bless you in the land where you go to possess it" (vs 15-16).

Wherever you live in the world, if you do this, God will bless you. You may not be called, but we're going to see there's a difference between being called and not called, and a difference between the uncalled and those who commit the unpardonable sin.

But here's the basis for it, and this is a warning to every human being, v 17: "But if your heart turn away so that you will not hear, but shall be drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I denounce to you this day that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days on the land where you pass over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that…" (vs 17-19). Heaven and earth are still here; this is the record, the witness, the testimony of God. He's the One Who has set it before us.

"…I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore, choose life, so that both you and your seed may live, that you may love the LORD your God, and may obey His voice, and may cleave to Him; for He is your life and the length of your days, so that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers—to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob—to give it to them" (vs 19-20).

That's the whole thing in a nutshell right there, brethren. God did not offer eternal life to the children of Israel. That was not offered to any before the coming of Christ except the prophets and the priests and certain ones that God used. All the rest were not given eternal life, yet, they were judge by this how they lived their lives individually and with the kingdoms.

What did God do when they disobeyed? Let's see something that is very important, which is also quoted in the New Testament. In Isaiah 6 we find something very powerful. After the death of King Uzziah, Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on His throne. Isaiah knew how fantastic this was, and it just brought him absolutely to his knees. He said:

Isaiah 6:5: "…'Woe is me! For I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.'…. [What a fantastic thing that was.] …Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth and said, 'Lo, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin atoned for.'" (vs 5-7). A special way of doing it, because here's a prophet of God. He was going to have to bring a tremendous amount of prophecies. And a lot of them, as we have seen during the Feast of Tabernacles, having to do with the Millennium.

Here is what he was told to do, v 8: "And I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here am I; send me!' And He said, 'Go, and tell this people, "You hear indeed, but do not understand; and you see indeed, but do not perceive." Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and return, and be healed'" (vs 8-10).

That's a prophecy of what was going to take place. But this is just the way it is with people in the world. This is why this Last Great Day! This is why this is so important!

Jesus said the same thing to the disciples. He quoted Isaiah, because they wanted to know, 'Why do You talk in parables?' So the people can't understand it!

Matthew 13:11: "And He answered and said to them, 'Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries [secrets] of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given.'"

Let's understand something: God is in charge! God is One Who gives the knowledge! We are the ones who must receive the knowledge. But there's something we need to do when we hear it:

• we need to have our eyes open
• we need to have our ears open
• we need to have a repentant heart and yielded to God

If we don't, then we cut off ourselves from being called. That puts those people in the category of the uncalled. We'll talk about the uncalled and what will happen to them, but for the time being, unless they repent, they're not going to be called. They're not going to have the knowledge and the Truth of eternal life.

Then He continues on, v 12: "For whoever has understanding, to him more shall be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have understanding, even what he has shall be taken away from him."

• Not only are they blind, but they become more blind!
• Not only are they deaf, but they become more deaf!
• Not only are they hardhearted, but their hearts become more hard!

So, Jesus says, v 13: "For this reason I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, 'In hearing you shall hear, and in no way understand; and in seeing you shall see, and in no way perceive; for the heart of this people has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed… [Why does God do that? So He can save them at a later time! How is God going to do that?] …lest they should see with their eyes, and should hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them'" (vs 13-15).

That's an astounding statement! Most people don't really grasp that.

• they don't understand the firstfruits
• they don't understand the way of God
• they don't understand the Passover, Sabbath, Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles and the Last Great Day

They have substituted every pagan thing in its place and have said, 'We have been delivered to do these things.' That cuts them off!They are the uncalled! You would think that Jesus would be interested in saving as many as possible as He could. He is, but on His schedule! Not on what men think; no way!

Verse 16: "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men have desired to see what you see, and have not seen; and to hear what you hear, and have not heard" (vs 16-17). That's something!

How about us today living in the end-time, and having understanding of seeing the prophecies literally being fulfilled in our eyes? Furthermore, having such rapid communication we can know when these things are happening anywhere in the world at any time—can't we? Yes! This is something! This is quite a thing! The Bible shows that everyone that is in this category have been locked up unto sin. They are under law and guilty before God, and God hasn't called them!

Even the Apostle Paul did not understand what we understand. Remember, he died before the book of Revelation was written. Remember: when the book of Revelation was written it was not understood. Maybe the first five chapters they could comprehend, but everything after that having to do with events that encompassed with the full scope of everything in the world, they had no idea; they couldn't grasp it.

But today, according to the promise given to Daniel, that in the end-time 'the wicked should do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand.' But the wise shall understand! That's what it is with us today.

Concerning Israel, and what the Apostle Paul says about Israel, Romans 11:25: "For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this mystery, brethren… [that's the Jews and the Gentiles he's talking to, but in particularly the Gentiles] …in order that you may not be wise in your own conceits: that a partial hardening of the heart has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." That hardness of heart that we read about in Matt. 13 is going to be taken away when Jesus returns.

• What happens? God has done this! God is responsible for it!
• Is He not? Yes!
• Has God consigned them to eternal death? No!
• What is He going to do about it to show His love and kindness?

Verse 26: "And so all Israel shall be saved…" When? That's what this Last Great Day is all about! How about the rest of the world? To the Jew or to the Israelite first and then to the Gentile! We are all counted the seat of Abraham if we've been baptized into Christ? Yes, indeed! They have not been given that opportunity.

Verse 27: "For this is My covenant, which I will make with them when I have taken away their sins." Hasn't happened yet. Paul doesn't know when it's going to be because they have been cutoff.

Verse 32: "For God has given them all over to unbelief in order that He might show mercy to all." Paul knew it was going to be solved, but he didn't understand the details of it. It was never given to him to understand.

Verse 33: "O the depth of the riches of both the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unfathomable are His judgments and unsearchable are His ways! For who did know the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who first gave to Him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?…. [Paul leaves the question hanging] …For from Him, and through Him, and unto Him are all things; to Him be the glory into the ages of eternity. Amen" (vs 33-36). He never answered the question: How is all Israel going to be saved? How is it that we are going to be saved? Through the resurrection!

Now let's see something very interesting that we need to understand. Here again is a small, little verse, but we need other Scriptures to give us the understanding of it. It doesn't tell us; it only makes a mention here in Rev. 20. We know about the first resurrection. Of course, that's how we're saved—right? Yes, indeed! That's the final work of the salvation to bring us into the Kingdom of God.

• What about all of those that God never gave an opportunity to?
• What about all of those that God just cut off?

It says that those in the first resurrection are going to live and reign with Christ a thousand years (Rev. 20:4).

One little statement here, Revelation 20:5: "(But the rest of the dead… [Who are the rest of the dead?] …did not live again until the thousand years were completed.) This is the first resurrection…. [referring to v 4] …Blessed and Holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection… [it doesn't say theresurrection, but it is the first resurrection. If there is a first resurrection, there is also a second, because v 5 says, "…the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were completed…."

Those in the first resurrection, "…over these the second death has no power…." (v 6). It implies that the second death has power over those who are in the resurrection when the thousand years is completed.

It tells us very importantly that every single person is going to be raised from the dead. They're not all going to be in the first resurrection. That's only for those who are called and chosen because they answered the call. What about the uncalled? They just live their lives. Yes, they're all under sin. Are they under sin to eternal death? Let's see what Jesus taught:

John 5:20: "For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him everything that He Himself is doing. And He will show Him greater works than these, so that you may be filled with wonder. For even as the Father raises the dead and gives life, in the same way also, the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son so that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him…. [Very interesting!] …Truly, truly I say to you, the one who hears My Word, and believes Him Who sent Me, has everlasting life and does not come into judgment; for he has passed from death into life" (vs 20-24)

Notice what He says after this, because this is really a tremendous thing to understand, v 25: "Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear shall live." It doesn't say the saved dead. It says the dead!

Verse 26: "For even as the Father has life in Himself, so also has He given to the Son to have life in Himself; and has also given Him authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of man" (vs 26-27).

Then He makes an astounding statement and clarifies it a bit, v 28: "Do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming in which all… [each and every one] …who are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth: those who have practiced good unto a resurrection of life, and those who have practiced evil unto a resurrection of judgment" (vs 28-29). What will that be? Resurrection of judgment, but all are going to come forth! This is a tremendous thing for us to understand and realize.

Remember what we read in Rev. 20, that 'the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.' We're going to see that they're all going to be raised just exactly as Jesus said. Let's find out something that's important for us to realize. We have to ask a couple of questions and answer them.

It's given unto men once to die, and after that the judgment. Rom 2. will help us to understand that

• even though they've been 'shut up under sin'
• even though they've cutoff from God
• even though they have been blinded, deliberately by God to save them for another time for salvation

God is the One Who is going to undo all things.

Let's see what Paul says. We have a category of people that are Gentiles that were never given the Law of God, but they have seen that there are certain things of the laws of God that they ought to do. Let's see what Paul wrote about this:

Romans 2:14: "For when the Gentiles, which do not have the law, practice by nature the things contained in the law, these who do not have the law are a law unto themselves; who show the work of the law written in their own hearts… [they're trying to do the best that they can, but they didn't understand] …their consciences bearing witness, and their reasonings also, as they accuse or defend one another); in a day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my Gospel" (vs 14-16).

What do we have? All who are in the grave are going to come forth!

• some to life
• some to judgment
• some to condemnation.

We know that the first resurrection takes place when Christ returns. But the rest of the dead: How do they fit into the equation? How is God going to work this?

In Matt. 12 we find something very interesting, because here the Gentiles who kept certain parts of the Law were commended, yet, God is going to judge them on that, also. Let's see the category of sin that is not a sin unto death; that is not an unpardonable sin. It is a forgivable sin! It may be heinous, it may really be awful, but it's not an unpardonable sin.

Let's read something here very important, Matthew 12:31: "Because of this, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; that shall not be forgiven to men…" That's not distinguishing between Jew or Gentile. That's all men. Remember, Jesus said that the 'hour is coming when all who are in the grave will hear the voice of the Son of man and shall come forth.'

"…every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit…" (v 31). That shall not be forgiven unto men! Why? Because you are rejecting God the Father! If you commit the unpardonable sin, you will have a hard, callused, Godless, unconscionable rejection of God! Those who commit that are satisfied in their sin, and they have rejected the Holy Spirit of God; they have rejected the sacrifice of Christ openly and knowingly!

Verse 32: "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him… [whatever sin, every sin and blaspheme EXCEPT the unpardonable sin. Every word spoken against Christ, it shall be forgiven him.] …but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the coming age." That's what the time is after the thousand years are over.

There is a new age in which God is going to resurrect the rest of the dead. That's called the second resurrection!

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Let's come back to Revelation 20 and let's piece the rest of the story together to understand exactly how God is going to do this. This is one of the greatest secrets of God. Protestantism believes that if you're not saved the way the Protestants do it, you're going to hell. Well, that's not what God says.

If you sin the unpardonable sin you're going into the Lake of Fire, that's true. But how many will have committed the unpardonable sin?

Revelation 20:11: "Then I saw a great white throne and the one Who was sitting on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and no place was found for them…. [Who are the dead?] …And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God…" (vs 11-12).

• Who are those dead? The rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years were completed!
• Who are the rest of the dead? All not in the first resurrection when Jesus returns!

That's most of everyone who ever lived and died; all the rest of the dead. Let's see who that includes; let's see what Jesus said. He was talking to the Jews about that very thing, we've covered part of it already.

Matthew 12:41: "The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment…" That's what the second resurrection is called: the judgment! There are two parts to the judgment:

• those who are uncalled and never committed the unpardonable sin
• all the incorrigible wicked

All of the incorrigible wicked must die twice. God has decreed that! All together in the Lake of Fire!

That's why at the end of the Millennium Satan is loosed to deceive those who have been exiled to Gog and Magog to come to gather in battle against Jerusalem. God destroys them with fire from heaven. That's their first death. All of those in that operation will be cast into the Lake of Fire. They will be raised from the dead, but raised to condemnation! Final judgment! All of the others are those who have not committed the unpardonable sin.

Verse 41: "The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment… [raised from the dead] …with this generation… [that goes back to the time of Jonah] …and shall condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here." Resurrected at the same time with this generation.

Verse 42: "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here."

• This generation of Jews, are they part of the house of Israel? Yes!
• Are the Ninevites Gentiles? Yes!
• Queen of Sheba, Gentiles? Yes!

Remember, the rest of the dead! That includes all!

Here is a chapter in the book of Ezekiel that without the knowledge of book of Revelation to give us the keys to understand this chapter and the knowledge of the New Testament, there would be no way we could understand it. The Jews who rejected the New Testament cannot understand it. They do not know how to apply Ezekiel 37

This is really something that God explained to Ezekiel, and this was so phenomenal that Ezekiel didn't know what to do, except to do as God told him to do. This shows God's great work! This shows the rest of the dead! Remember where we have come from: those who would not listen, or those who were not called were cut off. But being cutoff did not mean that they were condemned to never having an opportunity for salvation. God deliberately blinded them

• so that they wouldn't understand
• so they would not commit the unpardonable sin
• so they would be able to be resurrected in the second resurrection

The rest of the dead!

Here's this great chapter. I really love reading this and understanding this, because it shows the hope of the world, that the world does not know. It shows the hope for all who died without Christ: for all of the uncalled, for all of those who died in horrible accidents, wars, death and abortion. Abortion is death—is it not? Is that not a new life in the womb of the mother? Yes, indeed! The only difference between life in the womb and those of us who were born and have grown up is that it never had a chance to grow up.

Now, if God does not resurrect the aborted babies—the most innocent who have been killed, who never had an opportunity to even hear or see—then indeed Satan has a victory—would he not? Yes, he would! God will resurrect them!

This tells us an awful lot, and this helps interpret—let's put it this way: Revelation 20 interprets Ezekiel 37. This gives us the details that are left out in Rev. 20.

Ezekiel 37:1: "The hand of the LORD was on me, and brought me by the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of a valley, and it was full of bones…. [Bones means that they had lived once and died.] …And He made me walk among them all around. And behold, very many were in the open valley. And lo, they were very dry" (vs 1-2). Showing that they had been dead for a long time.

Verse 3: "And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord GOD, You know.'" God knows everything! 'Lord, You know; I don't know. All I know is that I'm looking at bones.'

Verse 4: "Again He said to me, 'Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, "O dry bones, hear the Word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live'"'" (vs 4-5). Bones don't breathe. This is telling that that the bones of these people will be brought back to life and they will be given breath, and they shall live!

• Here's God's promise.
• Is the Word of God true? Yes!
• Can the Word of God be broken? No!

Verse 6: "'And I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live. And you shall know that I am the LORD.'"

Let's stop here and analyze this verse for just a minute. They lived once, their bones are there, they lost all their flesh—correct? So, God says, 'I'm going to give you flesh. I'm going to give you sinew; I'm going to give you skin; I'm going to put breath in you and you shall live!' Is that not a resurrection? Yes! 'And you shall know the Lord?' What does that mean? An opportunity for salvation! They may have been God's people, but they didn't know the Lord. Here's Ezekiel, all he's doing is saying, 'I'm going to do what I'm told to do.'

Verse 7: "So, I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise. And behold, a shaking! And the bones came together, a bone to its bone. And as I watched, behold the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them above. But there was no breath in them" (vs 7-8). Here's now a whole valley of corpses. New flesh, new skin; the resurrection is not complete unless they begin to breathe. It is the breath of life!

Verse 9: "And He said to me, 'Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, "Thus says the Lord GOD, 'Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain that they may live.'"'" The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years are over or completed! 'I saw the dead stand before the throne, small and great, and there was no room for them.' In other words, there were so many.

Think of all the billions that have been born and died in the whole history of mankind. After a thousand years, the whole earth is prepared for them, because God doesn't do anything without preparation, without work and without it being ready. When these people are resurrected they're going to need clothes, food, water; they're going to have to have people help them. Just think about how many billions there will be, but think about how many will have entered into the Kingdom of God through the thousand year period and all of those combined with those in the first resurrection. What are we going to do?

• We're going to take care of them!
• We're going to comfort them!
• We're going to tell them
  • it's all right
  • don't fear
  • God loves you
  • this is not heaven, but God brought you back to life for an opportunity for salvation

That's what it means to know the Lord, because they didn't know the Lord in their first life, even though they were the children of Israel.

Just like Jesus told he Jews, that they will be raised at the same time that the Ninevites and those of the Queen of the South will be raised, which means that all the other Gentile countries at the same time. Therefore, it is true that every human life is precious before God! So precious and so great is the plan of God that He's going to give them a second physical life for the first opportunity for salvation:

• because they were blinded
• because they never were called
• because they were not offered salvation

Verse 10: "So, I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army." Looking out at the vast multitude standing there! Who are these people? God told him:

Verse 11: "And He said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel…. [That's where Paul knew that all Israel should be saved. But he didn't know how, because the book of Revelation was written 30 years after Paul died.] …Behold, they say… [they didn't think there would be any opportunity for eternal life] …"Our bones are dried and our hope is lost; we ourselves are completely cut off."'" Not so! God is greater than men! God is greater than their gods!

Verse 12: "'Therefore prophesy and say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, O My people, I will open your graves… [they were dead once, now they're alive] …and cause you to come up out of your graves, and will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD when I have opened your graves, O My people, and have brought you up out of your graves'"'" (vs 12-13). It mentions graves four times!

Where were they? In their graves! But in this vision God had to show the valley full of dry bones so that Ezekiel would know this is a mammoth, fantastic thing that God is doing for the whole house of Israel! Then all the Gentile nations, as well, because Jesus said they would rise with this generation!

Verse 14: "'And I shall put My Spirit in you…'" Conversion! Opportunity for salvation that they never had in their first life! Some people just get down right mean and nasty and angry and say, 'Nobody gets a second chance.' They miss the whole point. They were never given the first chance. Don't you think a God of love will give them a first chance? Don't you think that God has been grieved because of what men have done? Yes! This is God's plan to undo and annul all the works of men and Satan the devil.

They're going to be brought back to life where there is no Satan the devil! Even some people don't agree with that. Doesn't matter if you don't agree. Is not one life under Satan the devil quite sufficient to learn? Yes, indeed! They need to be resurrected for peace, understanding, salvation, because God had cut them off, closed their eyes, stopped their ears.

"'…and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. And you shall know that I the LORD have spoken it and have done it,' says the LORD" (v 14). Isn't that an amazing thing? Yes, indeed!

We know that we can go to Isaiah 65, because the same will apply as applied to those during the Millennium. They're raised back to life. How long will they live? How long were the people during the Millennium given to live? Let's see, it's right here; we read it. This applies to the Millennium and it also applies to the second resurrection.

They're going to be raised to what will be a new heavens and a new earth as far as they are concerned. This is not the new heavens and new earth of spiritual Jerusalem and the spiritual earth.

Isaiah 65:17: "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. And the former things will not be remembered, nor come to mind." They'll remember enough, but it's not these things that count. It's whether they will repent and love God, and whether they will come to the understanding so they can be the sons and daughters of God, the saved of the nations of the earth (Rev. 21).

Verse 18: "But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and I will joy in My people; and the voice of weeping will no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying" (vs 18-19). The infant is going to live out its days and they're going to live 100 years.

When they are resurrected, here is the whole earth, because a thousand years of the rule and reign of Christ and the saints, is going to be its most plush, productive, absolutely magnificent earth, physically speaking. Here are going to be billions of people who are going to need food, water, housing, clothing, and those in the Millennium will have prepared this for them.

• What are they going to do?
• Were their names ever written in the book of Life for eternal salvation?
• No!If it had been they would have been in the first resurrection!
• Were their names written and recorded by God?
• Probably in the book for the second resurrection! Not for eternal life, but to be raised for an opportunity for salvation!
• What kind of opportunity will they be given?
• What does salvation require?
• Salvation requires living, just like us!
• Do we have to live, overcome and grow in grace and knowledge?
• Yes!

This is why they're resurrected to a physical life, so they can have that opportunity.

Revelation 20:11: "Then I saw a great white throne and the one Who was sitting on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and no place was found for them." Billions and billions of people!

Verse 12: "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God; and the books were opened…" The books on how to be saved—the Word of God! Probably very much expanded from what we have with the Bible for today. Don't you think there's going to be more that God is going to add to it? Of course!

"…and another book was opened, which is thebook of Life…." (v 12). Now they have an opportunity to have their names written there. The question is: Will they repent and be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit of God? And during the 100 years that they're going to live they will have an opportunity to prove their faith by their works, which God will give to them through His Holy Spirit so that they can enter into the spiritual Kingdom of God.

All of these are the nations that are saved, Revelation 21:24[transcriber's correction]: "And the nations that are saved shall walk in the light of it…"

Revelation 20:12: "…And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books, according to their works." In their first life their works were that they did not qualify for eternal life for the first resurrection, so here's their first opportunity. They're going to be judged just like us.

• How do we love God?
• How do we keep His Sabbath?
• How do we take care of our families?
• How do we love our wife?
• How do we love our children?
• How they keep the commandments of God?
• How they overcome all the things that they experienced in their first life.

All of that will be part of it.

Verse 13: "And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead that were in them; and they were judged individually, according to their works."

Then at the end of that time it will be exactly as it would be as we went through those who went through the Millennium. At the end of 100 years they would be changed from flesh to spirit. They already died once, so this is going to be an instantaneous change. Then those who are the incorrigible wicked are going to have to be raised so that they can be cast into the Lake of Fire and be burned up!

Verse 14: "And death and the grave were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death." What does that mean? Some people say that means to be cutoff from the Lord. NO!

• What is death? If you die, you're dead!
• What is the second death? A second death means that you're brought back to life and you die again!

God has decreed that all of those who have committed the unpardonable sin will be resurrected to judgment, to be cast into the Lake of Fire.

Verse 15: "And if anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire." That's what we have.

Now what happens? The rest of the Last Great Day unfolds in Revelation 21-22! Let's see what it tells us here. The whole earth is going to be changed. Just like the Apostle Peter said, 'This earth and the heavens around it are going to be burned up with intense heat. When they're cast into the Lake of Fire then that spreads around the whole earth to make the earth new. Satan is removed into outer darkness to be tormented forever and ever. Never again to be loosed!

All of those who have committed the unpardonable sin have died the second death. The earth needs to be prepared for the whole spiritual Family of God. That's going to be a sight to see! We'll see that happen! Don't ask me how it's going to be, but we'll see that happen.

Revelation 21:1: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea." Think about that! This fire is so intense that burns up the earth that it's going to get rid of the oceans. As spirit beings we won't need the oceans. Temperature will not affect spirit beings. The seas are needed to modulate the temperature on earth. No more sea!

Verse 2: "And I, John, saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from heaven say, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men… [Men and women made perfect now spirit beings; no more flesh.] …and He shall dwell with them…'" (vs 2-3). We come full circle from the beginning where God was dwelling with Adam and Eve, and now God has His spiritual Family grown great through the very power of God to accomplish His work.

"'…and they shall be His people; and God Himself shall be with them and be their God…. [We're going to see God face-to-face (Rev. 22).] (Notice great healing emotionally, spiritually, everything): …And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall not be any more death, or sorrow, or crying; neither shall there be any more pain, because the former things have passed away'" (vs 3-4).

God's plan for all eternity, into the ages of eternity, is ready to unfold, v 5: "And He Who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' Then He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.'" It will happen! God is going to make sure that it does happen! True and faithful is going to be carried out.

Verse 6: "And He said to me, 'It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End….'"  Look how great Christ is! Look at what He has done! Look at how all of this unfolds through the knowledge of the Sabbath and Holy Days. What a marvelous thing, brethren.

Never let anyone tell you that the Sabbath, Passover and the Holy Days and Feasts of God are a burden. They're not! These are the keys to give us knowledge and understanding in everything we need to know. How many people—think of this, brethren—down through time have ever, ever understood these things. Not until the end-time!

"…To the one who thirsts, I will give freely of the fountain of the water of life" (v 6). That's interesting—isn't it? Yes, indeed! Continuously receiving the Holy Spirit of God from "…the fountain of the water of life."

Verse 7: "The one who overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son." We're going to share the universe with the whole Family of God, with all the nations that are saved. Now we're able to see things out in the vastness of the universe, and God is

• a God of purpose
• a God of Truth
• a God of love

and he has made these thing for His Family. It's going to be an awesome thing, indeed! God did not make the heavens in vain, just like He did not make the earth in vain. There's a purpose for it and we are going to be part of fulfilling that purpose in ways that we cannot even comprehend today. Then we will live at the level of God.

Here's a warning to anyone who disbelieves, v 8: "But the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death." A warning! No one is going to share in this glorious eternal life, or live in New Jerusalem—the most beautiful creation that God is making for His Family.

All of those in the first resurrection are going to live in New Jerusalem. It's going to be a fantastic city, 1500 miles square, built of the greatest things that could possibly be. All the riches and wealth, the stones and gold, everything right there. But what is more important than anything else is this: The fulfilling of the Feast of Tabernacles we find right here, since God is dwelling with His people!

Verse 22: "And I saw no temple in it… [No temple because we're going to have a personal spiritual relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. There doesn't need to be a temple. We come right before God Himself.] …for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city has no need of the sun, or of the moon… [doesn't say that the moon will no longer exist, just have no need of it for light] …that they should shine in it; because the glory of God enlightens it, and the light of it is the Lamb" (vs 22-23).

Notice the nations that are saved; what's going to happen here. They will be spirit beings, as well. And then again at the end we have a warning in v 27, but let's read:

Verse 24: "And the nations that are saved shall walk in its light; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it." What all that means we'll have to see, but it's going to be something! We are going to have, for all eternity, the greatest work, the greatest thing that we can do, the greatest fulfillment, far beyond anything we can imagine, what God is going to do to make this possible for us.

Verse 25: "And its gates shall never be shut by day; for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it" (vs 25-26). Here's a warning. Don't anyone think that they're going to get in any other way but God's way.

Verse 27: "Andnothing that defiles shall ever enter into it, nor shall anyone who practices an abomination or devises a lie; but only those who are written in the Lamb's book ofLife." A tremendous thing, brethren! Greatest glory we could have.

Revelation 22:1: "Then he showed me a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb…. [Flowing from both Their thrones. Isn't that something?] …And in the middle of the street, and on this side and that side of the river, was the tree of life, producing twelve manner of fruits, each month yielding its fruit; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations" (vs 1-2). That means the maintenance and therapeuon of the nations.

Verse 3: "And there shall be no more curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him, and they shall see His face; and His name is in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; for they have no need of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God enlightens them; and they shall reign into the ages of eternity" (vs 3-5). Think of that, brethren. That's why we're here! That's why we keep these days! We are looking forward to this time and to reign into the ages of eternity! Fantastic, isn't it?

Verse 6: "And he said to me, 'These words are faithful and true…'" It's going to happen, brethren; we will be part of it. God loves you and Christ loves you. They are doing fantastic things in our lives:

• to guide us
• to help us
• to watch over us
• to teach us
• to train us

—so that we can understand how we can rule and reign with Christ. Just think how much is going to be added to us when we're resurrected from the dead.

"'…and the Lord God of the Holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things that must shortly come to pass. Behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book'" (vs 6-7). Oh, what a tremendous thing!

John was just so taken back, v 8: "Now I, John, was the one who saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who was showing me these things. But he said to me, 'See that you do not do this! For I am a fellow servant of yours, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.' And He said to me, 'Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book because the time is near…. [Then He says it's going to come down to the final thing]: …Let the one who is unrighteous be unrighteous still; and let the one who is filthy be filthy still; and let the one who is righteous be righteous still; and let the one who is Holy be Holy still'" (vs 8-11). A complete separation!

All of the incorrigible wicked will have been burned up in the Lake of Fire. So, in this life, you either become righteous through Christ, or you stay in your unrighteousness and suffer the consequence and the penalty of it.

Verse 12: "'And behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me to render to each one according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last…. [The Lord God, Jesus Christ and the Father.] …Blessed are those who keep His commandments, that they may have the right to eat of the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city'" (vs 12-14). Don't every forget that! The commandments of God are Holy, righteous, spiritual, good and true. We need to always keep them!

Another warning, v 15: "'But excluded are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and devises a lie…. [here we are, right toward the end] …I, Jesus, sent My angel to testify these things to you in the churches…. [All the Churches of God need this testimony every year.] …I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star.' And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.'…. [That's what we're going to do all during the Millennium!] …And let the one who hears say, 'Come.'…." (vs 15-17).

• Come to God with repentance!
• Come to God asking forgiveness!
• Come to God with love, joy, praise, uplifting, righteousness and goodness that comes from Him!

"…And let the one who thirsts come; and let the one who desires partake of the water of life freely" (v 17). Then John gives a warning again, don't add to or take away from.

Ephesians 3—one of the most glorious writings of the Apostle Paul. Here we have a promise that these things are going to take place. Whatever we can think, whatever comes into our mind is not to be compared with what God is going to give to us. This is what we need to do: Ephesians 3:14: "For this cause…"

• everything we've just read
• everything that we've covered
• everything that we have learned during this Feast
• all that we have learned in our lifetime as true Christians with the Spirit of God
• and for the thing that God is doing that we may be in New Jerusalem and see God the Father and Jesus Christ, talk to Them face-to-face

"…I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named" (vs 14-15). We are part of that family, and your name is written in the book of Life, and your name is there for the first resurrection.

Verse 16: "That He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power by His Spirit in the inner man."

• yes, the Feast is going to be over
• yes, we have to go back into this world and live, grow, change and overcome

But we do it with His power in us!

Verse 17: "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith… [the very faith Christ ruling in your life] …and that being rooted and grounded in love, you may be fully able to comprehend… [God wants us to know! This is the only time in the history of man, before the coming of Jesus Christ, that these things we're able to comprehend as never before. Think how glorious that is, brethren.] (to comprehend): …with all the saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height… [in the great plan of God] …and to know the love of Christ, which surpasses human knowledge; so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (vs 17-19).

• Keep this vision, brethren!
• Keep this understanding!
• Never let it go!

Here's a promise, v 20: "Now to Him Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us, to Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all generations, even into the ages of eternity. Amen" (vs 20-21).

Scriptural References:

• Leviticus 23:34-39

• John 3:16
• Psalm 89:46-48
• Deuteronomy 30:15-20
• Isaiah 6:5, 7-10
• Matthew 13:11-17
• Romans 11:25-27, 32-36
• Revelation 20:5-6
• John 5:20-29
• Romans 2:14-16
• Matthew 12:31-32
• Revelation 20:11-12
• Matthew 12:41-42
• Ezekiel 37:1-14
• Isaiah 65:17-19
• Revelation 20:11-12
• Revelation 21:24
• Revelation 20:12-15
• Revelation 21:1-8, 22-27
• Revelation 22:1-17
• Ephesians 3:14-21

Scriptures referenced, no quoted:

• Numbers 28-29

• Revelation 20:4