Last Great Day — 2006

Greetings brethren! Welcome to the Last Great Day; the day after the Feast of Tabernacles, and indeed we will see this is a great day. It commemorates and prophesies the ending of the plan of God and the beginning of eternity.

Of course, we always begin with the Holy Days in Lev. 23, because that's where all the Holy Days are listed in order. There are other Scriptures that say we are to keep the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, and that is the Feast of Tabernacles. The Last Great Day in the Old Testament is very little known, it is hardly even mentioned at all and it is more like that the eighth day is just a day of an extension of the Feast of Tabernacles. But when we come to the meaning of it, in the New Testament and especially, with the understanding of the book of Revelation and Ezek, 37, it expands upon the meaning of it and the word is truly the Last Great Day.

We will just review about the Feast of Tabernacles. Leviticus 23:33: "And the LORD spoke to Moses saying, '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've already done 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…. [then it just shifts into the eighth day]: …On the eighth day shall be a Holy convocation to you…. [the last day of the year to you] …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. These are the Feasts of the LORD…"'" (vs 33-37).

So, God summarizes the whole thing, which are all the Holy Days and everything in the whole chapter here.

Verse 37: "These are the Feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be Holy convocations 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; besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows… [this takes into account bringing the offerings] …and besides all your freewill offerings, which you give to the LORD" (vs 37-38). This shows us that they should be taken on every one of the Holy Days, besides during the year

Brethren, you know that on all the Holy Days, we take up an offering, and the offering needs to be according to the blessing that God has given you. That's something that you have to make as a decision between you and God. We don't like to, don't want to, nor do we try to extract any money from anyone. So, your offering has to be

• from the heart
• because you love God
• you want to do His way
• you want to show your love and goodness for Him and other people

(pause for the offering)

Now, let's see how the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles is connected with the Last Great Day. Then we will find the meaning and interpretation of the Last Great Day in the meaning as revealed in the New Testament and then supplement it by the meaning of the Old Testament.

John 7:37: "Now, in the last day, the great day of the Feast, Jesus stood and called out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink'"

They had a ceremony right at sunset, around the altar of burnt offerings, which was called the Ceremony of Waters where they would pour out water around the base of the burnt offering, and this was to signify the blessing of God. Well, Jesus took upon that and is why he said; "…'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.'"

Now He brings in the spiritual meaning of beginning the Last Great Day, v 38: "The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

"…If anyone thirsts…" we're going to see that has a great and expanded meaning in the fulfillment of the Last Great Day in God's plan.

Verse 39: "But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, which those who believed in Him would soon receive…. [they received that on Pentecost] …for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified."

So, after Jesus was glorified, ascended to heaven, on the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came. This signifies salvation. As we saw when we went through the Gospel of John, on days 2 & 3, we saw what it meant here for the Millennium and the Last Great Day, a foretaste of that and what that meant.
Let's see what God desires of all men. God doesn't desire that any be lost. We find, almost a contradiction here. Look around the world and you try and understand what this means. For a lot of people, it is hard to understand this, if this is the only day of salvation.

Speaking of Christ 1-Timothy 2:3: "God our Savior, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth" (vs 3-4).

How could that be in today's world? Especially when you consider, that Satan the devil is 'deceiving the whole world.' Is this a contradiction or does God have a way of fulfilling that?

Now let's see what Peter wrote concerning this. Quite an important thing, and it says that God wants all to come to repentance. Then we will look at some Scriptures that seem to contradict that directly.

How is God going to resolve it because there can't be any contradictions in the Word of God? 2-Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not delaying the promise of His coming, as some in their own minds reckon delay; rather, He is longsuffering toward us, not desiring that any should perish…"

That is God's desire, but He has given free choice. We must exercise that free choice:

• whether we will love God
• whether we will serve Him
• whether we will keep His commandments
• whether we will do the things that are pleasing in His sight

"…but that all should come to repentance" (v9).

Now let's look at a contradiction here, which really has been amazing to a lot of people and it is hard for them to understand.

Let's look at another contradiction and then we will see how God will solve this in the meaning of the Last Great Day. We are going to read some very important Scriptures that we have read before, but we need to read them so that we can understand what God is doing. God is working it out exactly in His own plan, exactly in His own way. This is a mystery, this is a secret on how God is carrying out His plan. And that He doesn't reveal it to the world. We are going to see that God has actually blinded the world and has used Satan the devil to blind them. Who blinds the mind of those, so that the Light of the Gospel will not shine unto them?

After He was speaking to them in parables, Matthew 13:10: "And His disciples came to Him and asked, 'Why do You speak to them in parables?' And He answered and said to them, 'Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven…'" (vs 10-11).

To know the mysteries, that is to know the secrets, the secrets of God, which we have seen before:

• have been hidden from ages
• have been hidden from time
• have been hidden from generations
• but have been revealed to His saints

• Why would God want to hide it, if it is the greatest thing that ever happened?
• Why would God want to hide it from them, if He wants them to be saved and wants them all to come to repentance?
• Isn't that the knowledge which would bring them to repentance?

Some people have asked that question, and not understanding it just threw their hands up in the air and just walked off and given up on God. Well, you need more patience; you need to put it together in the right way.

Verse 12: "For whoever has understanding, to him more shall be given, and he shall have an abundance..." That's where we are today:

• with the whole Word of God
• with the knowledge and understanding that He has given us
• with the opening up of the understanding of His Holy Days to us

Yes, we have a knowledge, not full, but a sufficient knowledge, but as Paul said, 'Looking through a glass darkly.' I hope that we see a little more clearly today than back when the Apostle Paul wrote those words, even though it is still somewhat darkly.

So, "…it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given. 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" (vs 11-12).

We see that operating in the society today, because people don't want God, more and more their understanding has been taken from them. Now then, He said this is why:

Verse 13: For this reason I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand."

How on earth is God going to save the world—He wants them to come to repentance and salvation—IF they can't see and can't hear and can't understand?

Verse 14 is a key and this has been quoted in Mark, in Luke, in Acts 13; 28. John 12; from Isa. 6,

Verse 14: "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'"—because we are dealing with choice; God is dealing with choice. People are dealing with choice:

• choice of loving God and serving Him or the choice of serving Satan the devil.
• choice of knowing and understanding or the choice of not knowing and understanding

God operates on our choices; notice how choice is involved, and how some people, in spite of everything that is told them, in spite of everything that they hear, they don't understand.

Verse 15: "for the heart of this people has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed…" We are dealing with choices.

• Don't people say; well we don't need the Old Testament today?
• Is that not a choice?
• Did they not close their eyes?

'We don't believe in the resurrection, we are all going to heaven, in spite of what the Bible says, I believe we are going to heaven.'

• Haven't they chosen to close their eyes and accept something different? Yes!

So they won't perceive; "…their eyes they have closed…"

God made the decision based upon their own choices, and we are going to see, for a great purpose, later: so that He can fulfill the desire that all come to the knowledge of salvation and that all repent.'

"…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" (v 15).

At this time, God doesn't want all converted. Can you believe that? That is what Jesus said! Now, why would He do that? That is the great mystery that the people in the world don't know!

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 is why He told Daniel 'it is closed and sealed until the time of the end.' This has been a problem that people have groped around and just not understood. They just don't comprehend what it is that God wants. They look at the world and they don't know how it is going to work out. They don't know how God can be a God of love. They look and see all the problems and difficulties that happen and they can't comprehend it because their minds have been closed.

Now let's see what Paul is talking about here and how he understands some of it, not all of it. As a matter of fact, today we should have a better understanding of these things than Paul. Paul did not have the book of Revelation, that we now have, which gives us the understanding. Here is the answer that Isaiah gave after those that were blinded:

• they wouldn't see
• they wouldn't hear
• they closed their eyes
• they closed their heart

Romans 9:27: "But Isaiah cried out concerning Israel, 'Although the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.'" So, there is going to be a remnant. He shows the Gentiles are brought into it along with the remnant of Israel being saved, and of the Gentiles, there are very few that are saved as well.

Verse 28: For He is accomplishing and limiting the matter in righteousness; because the Lord will limit the matter He is doing upon the earth.' Accordingly, Isaiah also said before, 'Unless the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we would have become as Sodom, and we would have been made like Gomorrah.' What then shall we say?…."  (vs 28-30). What is God going to do?

God said He loved the children of Israel and He hated Esau.

• Does that make God unrighteous?
• Does it make God unrighteous because:
  • He blinds certain people?
  • He opens the eyes of certain people?
  • He calls some people now?
  • He hasn't called others?

Verse 14: "What then shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with God? MAY IT NEVER BE!"

It isn't going to! It is a matter of understanding the plan of God!

Verse 15: "For He said to Moses, 'I will show mercy to whomever I show mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I have compassion.'"

So, it is not the one who is going to have the will or the effort or anything, it is the calling of God, it is the choosing of God that becomes important. We are going to see that they have been blinded for a purpose; they have been blinded so that they may be saved. It is a blinding that is temporary.

Romans 11:25: "For I do not wish you to be ignorant of this mystery, brethren, 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; and so all Israel shall be saved…" (vs 25-26).

• When will all Israel be saved?
• What about all the nations of the Gentiles?

God doesn't want any lost, yet, there is choice and we have seen how the choice works. So, there will be some who will choose not to do so.

Verse 26: "…according as it is written: 'Out of Sion shall come the Deliverer, and He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is My covenant, which I will make with them when I have taken away their sins'" (vs 26-27). It is a day that is coming!

Verse 28: "On the one hand, concerning the Gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; but on the other hand, concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes; Because the gifts and the calling of God are never revoked. For just as you once did not believe God, but have now been shown mercy through their unbelief, in the same way also, they have not believed at this time in order that through the mercy shown to you, they also may have mercy shown to them. For God has given them all over to unbelief in order that He might show mercy to all" (vs 28-32).

This is the great wisdom of God, the great mystery of God:

• He blinds them for the purpose that they do not commit the unpardonable sin
• He blinds them at this time so He can show His glorious work that He is doing with the Church

But there is coming a time when:

• they will have their minds opened
• they will answer the call

Jesus said that 'all who are in the grave will hear His voice and shall come forth.' Some to a resurrection of life, some to a resurrection of judgment! We are going to see what that judgment is because that judgment is talked about in Rev. 20. Before we go there we will see what Paul wrote concerning the Gentiles and how looks upon things for those that have not committed the sin unto death. We have discussed that earlier in other sermons.

Romans 2:14: "For when the Gentiles… [this is all the other nations; w saw what God did to Israel in blinding them] …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."

All the nations in the world fall under this category. They have some things that are moral and right; they have some things based on the commandments of God. They really don't understand the Word of God, though now today we have the Word of God in so many languages. But what it is doing, God is looking upon all people, from the point of view of judging them. Just like He is judging the Church now, for salvation, He is judging the rest of the people in the world according to His plan of salvation. We will see what that is.

Here is how it works with them, v 15: "Who show the work of the Law written in their own hearts, their consciences bearing witness, and their reasonings also as they accuse or defend one another); in a day… [there is coming a day]: …when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my Gospel" (vs 15-16).

Jesus said they would come forth to judgment. What kind of judgment are they going to come forth to? That is what we need to understand! If God blinded them, and if God closed their eyes, they closed theirs and then God followed up and blinded them. Just like with Pharaoh, he hardened his own heart, but God hardened his heart. If God blinded them, cut them off, did not send them the knowledge of salvation, and they die in sin, are they lost forever? That is the question that is answered by this Last Great Day. That is why it is called the Last Great Day, because as the answer we will see will be no!

Let's see the category of sin spoken of by Jesus Himself. We will also see that in Matt. 12 that it talks about a resurrection that is yet to take place. Not concerning the resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ, but a future resurrection to judgment.

Matthew 12:30—Jesus said: "The one who is not with Me is against Me, and the one who does not gather with Me scatters. Because of this, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit…" (vs 30-31).

• Book: Occult Holidays or God's Holy Days—Which?, where we have about the unpardonable sin and what that means
• Sermon series: Hebrews (#29 The Unpardonable Sin)

To commit the unpardonable sin is to reject the Holy Spirit of God is:

• to reject the rulership of Christ
• to accept Satan the devil
• to blaspheme God the Father

That is what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is. blaspheming God the Father. Jesus says, 'that shall not be forgiven to men.'

Verse 32: "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age… [at this time] …nor in the coming age." There is a coming an age of forgiveness!

We are going to see that God in the resurrection of judgment is going to give them an opportunity for salvation, because they did not commit the unpardonable sin. They will be eligible for forgiveness but at the time that God determines. Let's see this take place.

Without Rev. 20 we wouldn't be able to understand what on earth is going on here. Just like without Rev. 20 we could not understand the Day of Atonement, because that gives the meaning of the Day of Atonement completely. Rev. 20 also gives us some more understanding about the dead and what will happen to them. Again we see how this ties in with the Feast of Tabernacles and all that is associated with that.

Revelation 20:4: "And I saw thrones; and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given to them..."

All during the Millennium, judgment is upon all people for salvation at all times. God has to deal with those people then who were blinded before the Millennium began and did not commit the unpardonable sin. Then He has to deal with those who did commit the unpardonable sin. We have those in the first resurrection

"…and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were completed.)" (vs 4-5).

We know that those in the first resurrection are those who are Christ's and are raised at His coming (v 4) (But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were completed)" (v 5). Let's see when that is.

That is at the end of the thousand years, and after Satan has had his final judgment! So, when these people are raised back to a physical life, they will not have to contend with Satan the devil. At the end of the Millennium we have the wicked who reject salvation are exiled into Gog and Magog and are destroyed by fire from heaven, from God, to bring them first death. Satan is then sentenced and removed forever. Then there is going to be the resurrection, the rest of the dead. This has to be for those who have not committed the unpardonable sin.

Verse 12: "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened…" This was probably containing the Word of God, the Bible plus everything that was added to it by God all during the Millennium, so that is open.

"…which is the Book of Life…" (v 12). Their names were not written in the Book of Life, for salvation, but since they didn't commit the unpardonable sin they will be raised back to a second life in the flesh. Jesus Himself verifies that.

"…And the dead were judged out of the things written in the books, according to their works" (v 12).

If they were judged just on the works of their first life, then you would say, how could they possibly be eligible for eternal life. They have to have a space of time as we have seen and as we know. Just like during the Millennium, how all people come in into the Kingdom of God, there won't be a repeat of all the rest of the dead that never had a chance to do so.

Here is what it is going to be, v 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."

We will see how Jesus spoke of this. He referred to it, in the same chapter where He talked about, that every sin that anyone speaks against the Son of man will be forgiven except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit!

Matthew 12:38:  Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, 'Master, we desire to see a sign from You.' And He answered and said to them, 'A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, in like manner the Son of man shall be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights'" (vs 38-40).
Now He is talking about the people of Nineveh at the time of Jonah. What happened? When Jonah preached, they repented and God spared the people living in Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire from being destroyed because God's judgment was against them! So, they lived out their lives, and God's judgment finally came 120 years later.

Verse 41: "The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment…" We just talked about the dead shall be raised and the judgment shall begin. And because there is a Great White Throne there (Rev. 20), it is called the Great White Throne Judgment.

Verse 41: "The men of Nineveh shall stand up… [to arise and be resurrected] …in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it…" (v 41). These are thousands of years removed. This applies to any generation from the time of Christ going forward:

"…because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here" (v 41). What does this show? It shows people living at different ages in the past will be raised or resurrected simultaneously!

Jesus gives another example, v 41: "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."

Let's see how we understand this even more, and see what is called the valley of the dry bones (Ezek. 37). Let's see something that men have puzzled over for thousands of years. Remember that Paul said, 'So all Israel shall be saved.' How are they going to be saved if they have lived their lives and died? Because God, in their lives, has judged them and judges every human being this way:

• if He has called them, they are judged for eternal life, right now in this life
• if He hasn't called them, they are judged in two ways:
  • Did they live a life in deception, but did not commit the unpardonable sin?
  • Did they live their life and
    • reject God?
    • reject the Spirit of God?
    • reject the salvation of God?
    • and commit with impunity the unpardonable sin?

Now, we will deal with the unpardonable sin here a little bit later, but let's deal now with those:

• who were deceived
• who were led away of idols
• who had not committed the unpardonable sin though they sinned grievously

Go back and look at and examine some of the examples of how God forgave the sins of the kings who sinned grievously and even David and you will see that it can still be grievous but not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

We find the answer in Ezek, 37 and we are going to see, as we examine this verse-by-verse, this is not a resurrection to eternal life! This is a resurrection to a second physical life!

When Jesus had His ministry, were there those who died that were resurrected to a second physical life? Yes! You have the young man of the widow who died, he was raised to life as Jesus came and put His hand on the briar of the casket they were taking to bury him in. He sat upright and was resurrected. We have the example of Lazarus, the friend of Jesus and brother of Martha and Mary, who died, and Jesus loved him. All the saints knew of Lazarus, but if he died and remained buried before the coming of the Holy Spirit he wouldn't have had an opportunity for salvation for the first resurrection. So, Jesus raised him back to life.

Of course, on the Day of Pentecost he received the Holy Spirit, was converted and will undoubtedly be in the first resurrection with all the saints. Likewise, when Jesus died and the earthquake took place and it opened up many of the tombs where those who were dead, after His resurrection, came back to life and walked into the city and appeared to many as a witness and they undoubtedly were there in the group of people who received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

So, you have those who died but did not have an opportunity for salvation. We need to look at it this way: every human being is going to have an opportunity for salvation, in the fleshly life that they live! If they live and die without being called, because God has to call them, and if they have not committed the unpardonable sin, they die in the category of 'the rest of the dead,' for the judgment that they did not commit the unpardonable sin.

God is going to give them an opportunity for salvation in a second life of flesh, because they didn't have the opportunity in their first life! We can look at it this way: every human being in this life, who has not had an opportunity for salvation and has not committed the unpardonable sin, will live again in the flesh and have an opportunity for salvation! Only living in the flesh do people qualify for salvation!

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. And He made me walk among them all around. And behold, very many were in the open valley. And lo, they were very dry…. [showing that they had been dead for a long time.] …And He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord GOD, You know.' 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 1-5).

Spirit beings do not need breath, but human beings do. So, you have bones showing that they lived once. Now you have the promise that they will live again. Notice what kind of life they will have.

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

In their first life they didn't know that He was the Lord, even though they knew of the Lord. There is a vast difference, because knowing the Lord is a converted state, knowing of the Lord means that you know there maybe a God. So, Ezekiel did what he was 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. 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.'"' 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" (vs 7-10). Didn't Jesus say they shall stand up? '

(Part 2)

This is a tremendous and exciting chapter when you understand it. God is going to undo all the evil and difficulties. He is going to answer all of the perplexing questions that men, in all of their philosophies and all of their religions, have never been able to understand. Yet, would not examine the Word of God, to know it. Also, from the point of view that it wasn't understood, there is no way that Ezek. 37 could be fully understood until Rev. 20 was written, because Rev. 20 unlocks Ezek. 37 and tells us when it will be, and tells us that being resurrected to this judgment is a judgment for an opportunity for salvation. That is God's judgment for these people!

Ezekiel 37:11: "And He said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel." That fulfills what Paul wrote when he said that 'all Israel shall be saved.' That gives us the understanding of it. So, they have all died. All the generations of the children of Israel that have lived and died, that only very few were called to salvation. Most of them lived and died in sin, not the sin unto death, or unpardonable sin, so they are raised back to life. They come to consciousness; they are aware of what they have done in the past and they are aware that they died. Now they are living again.

"…Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried and our hope is lost; we ourselves are completely cut off'" (v 11). Their behavior and their sins, they were cut off and died. Now, here comes grace, mercy and forgiveness:

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] …and cause you to come up out of your graves…"—'to stand up with this generation,' as Jesus said—what happens to Israel, happens to the other nations. The men of Nineveh, the queen of the south—all of those of her kingdom—and those are typical of all the Gentiles in all the world, and they will raised as well as Israel. Paul confirms that they will be.

"…and will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD…" (vs 12-13). They didn't know the Lord before. They died without the knowledge of God, without the knowledge of the Lord.

"…when I have opened your graves, O My people, and have brought you up out of your graves" (v 13).

What is He going to do? He is going to fulfill what Paul said that all Israel shall be saved! In order to be saved, you have to have the Spirit of God.

Verse 14: "'And I shall put My Spirit in you, 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." So, they are going to be given an opportunity to live.

Who are all the rest of the dead? Not only the house of Israel but all the things that have lived down through history! That is why this is called the Last Great Day; the great undoing of every evil, every hurtful and hateful thing that has happened to men.

I am going to read to you from chapter 12 of Occult Holidays of God's Holy Days—Which? the introduction of the Last Great Day, God's Greatest Mystery of the Ages Revealed in the Eighth Day—the Last Great Day. The whole introduction tells us what God is going to undo. Because as you look at the world and you read the Scriptures and you don't understand what we have just covered here, it is impossible for men or women to understand how God can be a God of love. But He, in his love, has decreed that all who did not receive an opportunity for salvation in their first life, regardless of their age, and did not commit the unpardonable sin, or the innocent children who never had a chance to know right and wrong, that they will be raised to a second life in the flesh.

In writing this introduction, I will just have to tell you, to get it perfected, to get it down, to have all the information in there, took me writing and editing over a period of time, not constantly, over two months to finish these three paragraphs. Sometimes writing becomes a lot of work, depending on what you want to say.

from: Occult Holidays or God's Holy Days—Which? by Fred R. Coulter (truthofgod.org)

Chapter 12: Introduction: Last Great Day, God's Greatest Mystery of the Ages Revealed in the Eighth Day—the Last Great Day

When viewing the panorama of human history—from individuals to great civilizations, from the forgotten, unwanted and rejected, to the famous, idolized and celebrated--one is compelled to ask, "Why is there life and death, good and evil? Why does God allow and/or cause disasters, floods, tidal waves, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, destruction, war, famine, pestilence, sickness, disease, pain and suffering, violence and death to befall all mankind, throughout every generation and civilization?

And men have no answer to this. They only have the answer of the Gnostics, which is straight from Satan: your soul goes to heaven. Well, God has a better plan: that if you live a life in the flesh and He hasn't called you, He is going to raise you back to life. Isn't that fair? You think, of all the disasters and things that I read here, think about that for a minute. Then I asked the question:

If God is a God of love, why does He not stop or prevent the wretchedness and misery of human suffering and accidental death—especially of innocent children and babies—and the abortion of the unborn? Why does God allow rape, murder, sadistic torture and cruelties of man against man—the strong against the weak, the wicked against the righteous? If God really hears the mournful cries of desperate humans suffering such horrific tragedies, disasters, sicknesses and death, why does He not intervene?

All men have asked that question and they have rejected the Word of God, which gives them the answer and it couldn't be understood until Rev. 20 was written. This is what they have tried to answer. If you brought back all of the children who died into the existing world that they were living in, would they be better off? or Is it not better and more righteous of God to resurrect those people to a new heaven and a new earth and give them a new life in the flesh?

• where they will be needed
• where they will be wanted
• where they will be loved
• where they can also be with their parents in a loving and good and kind way
• where there will be no suffering
• where there be no sickness
• where there will be no disease
• where there will be no Satan the devil

Is it not much better to resurrect them to that kind of life, to that kind of world, to give them an opportunity for salvation, then to resurrect them back now in this evil, sinful and wicked world?

God knows what He is doing. Yes, He understands what He is doing. This is quite a thing! What happens to Israel happens to all of the Gentiles.

We are going to see something else. We are also going to see that after there is the salvation of those who have not committed the unpardonable sin, then the resurrection of judgment to the second death takes place with those who have committed the unpardonable sin. The unpardonable sin is a predetermined choice and deliberate rejecting of the Holy Spirit of God and the work of God! I mean the work of God in individuals. And the worst kind of unpardonable sin happens to those who have once received the Holy Spirit, were enlightened, tasted of the good Word of God, if they should reject Christ, there is no more forgiveness for those sins!

Here is the second phase of the second resurrection, first phase is for those who did not commit the unpardonable sin, the second phase is for those who did commit the unpardonable sin.

Revelation 20:14: And death and the grave were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire" (vs 14-15).

We need to understand that and realize that. And let's see an example of that. That is why it says, in Mal. 4; that the wicked shall be ashes under the feet of the righteous, they are going to be burned up. A merciful, loving and kind God, even the human beings have committed the unpardonable sin and blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, He is not going to put them in hellfire to be tormented forever and ever. He is going to end their lives. They are going to be burned up.

Now let's see what their reaction is going to be, when they are first resurrected back to life. All the wicked will be resurrected back to life. They are going to come to the reality that they have truly committed the unpardonable sin. They are not going to understand exactly everything that has happened as we will see here in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man.

Let's read about the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. This is the parable, and it does give the appearance that they are going to be tormented in fire, but if we read it carefully, that is not exactly true.

Luke 16:19: "Now, there was a certain rich man…" In this parable he may be rich, in this case—literally, physically rich—but there are a lot of people who figure that they are rich and think that they have salvation, but reject God, and don't. This parable includes a lot more than just the rich man.

"…and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, and daily indulged himself in luxury. And there was a certain poor man named Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores. And he longed to be nourished with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; and the dogs even came and licked his sores" (vs 19-21).

The only healing he had was a dog coming and licking out all of the infection or whatever it is and give him some soothing relief.

Verse 22: "Now, it came to pass that the poor man died…" Remember that God calls the poor of the world and the weak of the world. So, this is a parable of their condition. No one cared for them, not even the dogs. Well, the dogs had a little care for them.

"…and he was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom…." (v 22). When does that take place? When the trumpet sounds and the resurrection takes place, the angels gather the elect and carry them up to the Sea of Glass, where Abraham is, because Abraham will be in the resurrection (Matt. 24)!

"…And the rich man also died and was buried" (v 22). Now he comes back to life and notice v 23 that in the Kings James it says and in hell. Well, the Greek word there is 'hades,' which means the grave. Not in hell, that is an erroneous translation by the translators of the King James Version of the Bible, because they believed in an ever-burning hell and going to heaven.

Verse 23: "And in the grave he lifted up his eyes and was in torment..." Why was he in torment? For two reasons:

• "…for he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom" (v 23),

having just been resurrected

• v 24: "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have compassion on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am suffering because of this flame.'"

He was in torment because he knew that he was going to go into the Lake of Fire.

Verse 25: Then Abraham said, "Child, remember that in your lifetime you received good things to the full, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted, and you are suffering. And besides all these things… [besides what has taken place in the lives of each of you] …between us and you a great chasm has been fixed…" (vs 25-26). The difference between physical life, which is destructible, and eternal life, which in indestructible.

"'…so that those who desire to pass from here to you are not able… [not able to go back in the flesh] …nor can those from there pass to us….. [they didn't know what to do] …And he said, "I beseech you then, father, that you would send him to my father's house" (vs 26-27)—because he didn't know what happened to his family.

Verse 28: "For I have five brothers; so that he may earnestly testify to them, in order that they also may not come to this place of torment."

Jesus said that 'there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' That is why they are tormented! They see this Lake of Fire and there is 'weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Jesus finished the parable here showing that if they pay attention, if people would pay attention to the parable, they would not come into the same fix as the rich man was.

Verse 29: "Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets….'" Abraham died before Moses, so how did Abraham know they had Moses and the prophets? Because they are both resurrected! God told him about them.

"'…Let them hear them.' But he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if one from the dead would go to them, they would repent.'…. [not necessarily] …And he said to him, 'If they will not hear Moses and the prophets, they would not be persuaded even if one rose from the dead'" (vs 29-31).

That is why there is going to be 'weeping and gnashing of teeth.' All of the incorrigible wicked will be raised together and they will be consumed by the Lake of Fire.

We are going to see that this Lake of Fire is going to consume the whole earth and the near atmosphere of the earth, because it is going to pave the way for the new heavens and the new earth.

Peter didn't have the understanding of what John wrote in Rev. 20, so he brings the return of the Lord and the death of the wicked almost in the same sentence. But then Rev. 20 gives us the proper interpretation and the timeframe of that as well as Ezek. 37.

2-Peter 3:10: "However, the Day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night in which the heaven itself shall disappear with a mighty roar… [this current heaven] …and the elements shall pass away, burning with intense heat, and the earth and the works in it shall be burned up." This is a warning of committing the unpardonable sin!

Verse 11: "Since all these things are going to be destroyed, what kind of persons ought you to be in Holy conduct and Godliness, looking forward to and striving for the coming of the day of God, during which the heavens, being on fire, shall be destroyed, and the elements, burning with intense heat, shall melt?" (vs 11-12).

So, what is going to happen? The wicked are standing at the edge of the Lake of Fire, they are cast into the Lake of Fire and the Lake of Fire begins to consume the whole earth:

• melting everything
• evaporating the oceans
• destroying all the works of men
• destroying everything that God built during the Millennium

because as spirit beings we will need new heaven, we will need a new earth! This is going to prepare for it.

Verse 13: "But according to His promise, we look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. For this reason, beloved, since you are anticipating these things, be diligent, so that you may be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless" (vs 13-14). That is so that you be in the first resurrection.

The eighth day also pictures a new beginning. After all those who have committed the unpardonable sin have been destroyed and burned up, two things have been accomplished:

• At the end of the Millennium, Satan receives his final judgments, he is gone, and the demons with him.
• At the end of the 100-year period, all of those who qualify for salvation will enter into the Kingdom of God

Those few who don't and remain will stand there, the second phase of the second resurrection will take place, and all of the incorrigible wicked, all down through the course of history will receive the judgment of God to the second death, because their names were not found in the Book of Life.

The earth is consumed, with the fire to prepare the way for what we read in Revelation 21:1: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… [just like Peter said] …for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away…"

How were they passed away? We read of it in 2-Peter 3, how it is just burned up to prepare the way!

"…and there was no more sea" (v 1)—because spirit beings do not need to have the temperature modulated like human beings in the flesh. We won't need a sea. There is water coming out from the throne of God; there is a Tree of Life and so forth.

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."

Now, we are going to see the bride is not the city, but the bride will be those of the first resurrection who will live in the city.

Verse 3: "And I heard a great voice from heaven say, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men...'"—that's God, the Father here on the earth. The whole Family of God, all the nations that are saved. It is going to be a great and fantastic thing! It is going to be the start of the ages of eternity. The use of all the universe, which God created for our inheritance:

"…He shall dwell with them, they shall be His people…" (v 3). Yes, people made perfect through the process of conversion and the resurrection and the change from flesh to spirit.
"…and God Himself shall be with them and be their God." (v 3). This is going to be a great day when this happens, because all the wrongs, all the evils, all the things that have happened because of men and Satan is going to be completely removed forever.

Verse 4: "And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall not be anymore death… [going to live forever] …or sorrow, or crying; neither shall there be any more pain, because the former things have passed away" (v 4).

Now, we enter into the whole new spirit age of living into eternity.

Verse 5: "And He Who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' [for His spirit family and the spirit nations that are saved] …Then He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful'" We can depend on the Word of God. It is going to happen!

Verse 6: "And He said to me, 'It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the one who thirsts, I will give freely of the fountain of the water of life. The one who overcomes...'" (vs 6-7). This is to encourage us:

• to endure to the end
• to always turn to Christ
• to change
• to repent
• to grow
• to overcome

Verse 7: "The one who overcomes shall inherit all things..." That is co-heirs with Christ, to inherit the vastness of the universe.

Listen, if God didn't create this earth in vain, please understand, He created the heavens, and the galaxies and everything that is out there that we can see with our little itty, bitty telescopes, and we think wow, this is marvelous, which it is. It is a demonstration of God's power, which it is. God didn't make that in vain either! He is going to make that for us. We have an inheritance, out there, as it is pictured, that those who are saved, who are the children of God the Father and Jesus Christ will shine as the stars of heaven forever. That tells us about the inheritance that we will have.

"…and I will be his God, and he shall be My son…. [to make it clear, we always have this comparison]: …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" (vs 7-8). So, God's judgment is just.
Verse 9: "And one of the seven angels that had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, 'Come here, and I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.' And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city…" (vs 9-10).

Remember, Jesus said, 'If I go, I will prepare a place for you that you may be with Me, so that where I am, you may also be. And in My Father's house are many offices, mansions, abodes, or dwelling places.'

And think of this, in the Holy City, New Jerusalem, with the streets paved with gold, built on the foundation of the tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles and having the beautiful, wonderful wall and the twelve gates, which the nations that are saved can come into. On the rest of the earth, there are going to be all the rest of the nations that are saved. They are going to come to New Jerusalem.

Those who are in the first resurrection will live in New Jerusalem, those not in the first resurrection probably will live just in the nations that are saved. Live on the earth as spirit beings. I will let you read about the measure of the city, 1500 miles cube or square, as it were, and without having the need of water and oceans and atmosphere as we know it today. That can be done very easily with the new heaven and earth that God is going to create for it. But notice what is most important thing here:

Verse 22: "And I saw no temple in it…" If we talk about an intimate relationship with God, this is always going to be an intimate relationship with God.

"…for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it" (v 22).

It says in Rev. 22 that we will see Him, face-to-face. Not only can we love God, we can see Him, we can converse with Him. Isn't that something? He doesn't want a temple; He wants you! He doesn't want something so great that He doesn't share with you. Look, He's sharing New Jerusalem and the universe with all of His creation that He is performing right now, preparing the way. That's why it is so important that those of us in the Church really respond and understand the salvation that God has given us. God's plan is that we make this knowledge known as much as we can to the world:

• for a witness
• for the Truth
• for the remnant that God is working with in the Church and in the world

That He will bring them to a greater understanding of His Word and of His way and to be filled the His Spirit now so they can enjoy what God is saying here, that this will be the fullness of joy, this will be the fullness of God's plan for us.

Verse 23: "And the city has no need of the sun, or of the moon…" It doesn't say they won't be there; they will be there because there are months; there will be the moon and the sun.

"…that they should shine in it; because the glory of God enlightens it, and the Light of it is the Lamb. And the nations that are saved shall walk in its light...' (vs 23-24).

Now, they live on the rest of the earth, outside of New Jerusalem. How far they will go, in the universe, we'll just have to wait and see. Now, we don't understand all of this completely. But the goal is to get there and then you will understand. The goal is if you see it as a spirit being you will know exactly what it is.

"…and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it" (v 24). God is going to have some kind of great activity and work for us to do.

If you think we have work to do as human beings now, think of what God is going to have for us as spirit beings so that we are satisfied completely through all eternity. It is going to be amazing. It is going to be awesome indeed.

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).

If someone thinks they are going to get there in any other way than through Jesus Christ, here is a warning:

Verse 27: "And nothing 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 of Life."

• that includes all of those who are written in the Book of Life from the second resurrection
• that includes all of those down through the Millennium
• that includes all of those in the first resurrection

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"—constantly!

• spiritual power
• spiritual life
• spiritual understanding
• spiritual knowledge

continuously through all eternity!

Verse 2: "And in the middle of the street, and on this side and that side of the river, was the Tree of Life..."

This is showing, we are going to constantly be partaking of the way of life that God has for us. It doesn't mean that we receive eternal life from the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is just showing the way that we are going to live for eternity. Not that it gives us eternal life. Now, the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations and remember that ties in with, 'Lest they be converted and I heal them' (Matt. 13). This is also used during the Great White Throne Judgment, during the Millennium, as well.

Verse 3: "And there shall be no more curse… [that is because there is no sin, isn't that something] …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).

So, this Last Great Day, as it comes to an end, opens up the vastness of the plan of God, which He will reveal to us at that time. When New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven, He is going to reveal it to us at that time, now more than ever before when John wrote this.

Verse 6: "And he said to me, 'These words are faithful and true...'" They are going to happen. God has given us an opportunity to have a part in it, the greatest and most fantastic thing that we could ever think of, or dream of, beyond any comprehension that we have.

"…and the Lord God of the Holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things that must shortly come to pass" (v 6).

Verse 8: "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'" (vs 8-10).

That is a prophecy of when it would be understood. We have more understanding of the book of Revelation than ever before, because of the time that we live in and the Word of God. There comes a dividing line.

Verse 11: "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."

Here is another encouragement for us, so as he winds back down to our day again, He says:

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."

We have the opportunity to produce the greatest spiritual works of any people of God in any generation since the beginning of the Church.

• I hope you grasp and realize that
• I hope you understand the calling that God has given us

So that we can do the things that God wants, greater, far more beyond what we have ever expected. God wants us to open our heart and our mind, and let His Spirit be in us, to think big, to understand the reality of God's plan as much as we can. To know that He is going to finish and perform it, because He says:

Verse 13: "I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last…. [then He tells us how to do it] …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 13-14).

• there isn't going to be anymore curse
• there isn't going to be anymore sin

Verse 15: "But excluded are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone who loves and devises a lie."

So every time God gives us a great inspirational, insight into His Word He gives us a warning, that we need to take heed, we need to understand, we need to realize that there is a limit. These are the ones who have committed the unpardonable sin, they won't be there.

Verse 16: 'I, Jesus, sent My angel to testify these things to you in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star.' And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who thirsts come; and let the one who desires partake of the water of life freely. For I jointly testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, that if anyone adds to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book" (vs 16-18).

So, this is a fitting closing to the Last Great Day and we go back to our homes and we begin to live our lives, to grow, change and develop more Godly character. This is a fitting closing for it.

Verse 19: "And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, and from the Holy City, and from the things that are written in this book. He Who testifies these things says, 'Surely, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (vs 19-21).

That is the fullness of the plan of God and the meaning of the Last Great Day!

All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version

Scriptural References:

• Leviticus 23:33-38
• John 7:37-39
• 1 Timothy 2:3-4
• 2-Peter 3:9
• Matthew 13:10-17
• Romans 9:27-30, 14-15
• Romans 11:25-32
• Romans 2:14-16
• Matthew 12:30-32
• Revelation 20:4-5, 12-13
• Matthew 12:38-40, 41
• Ezekiel 37:1-14
• Revelation 20:14-15
• Luke 16:19-31
• 2 Peter 3:10-14
• Revelation 21:1-10, 22-27
• Revelation 22:1-6, 8, 10-21

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Acts 13; 28
• John 12
• Isaiah 6
• Malachi 4

Also referenced:
Book: Occult Holidays or God's Holy Days—Which? by Fred R. Coulter
Sermon Series: Hebrews (#29 The Unpardonable Sin)

FRC: bo
Transcribed: 7/23/17