Last Great Day─2009

Welcome to the Last Great Day! As you know, the Feast of Tabernacles ended yesterday, but God has this special Holy Day, the eighth day, which tells us an awful lot about the plan of God.

As we are going to see, this is hidden in the Bible in such a way that only those who obey God and follow Him, and understand the Scriptures the way that He's told us to understand them, will be able to comprehend the meaning of this day. There's a reason why it is called the Last Great Day, even though in the Old Testament it is mentioned just as the eighth day. It's because being the least mentioned has the greatest fulfillment; because sometimes in the smallest and most insignificant thing, God hides the greatest meaning! We will see that's the way it is with this day.

As you know, Lev. 23 is the only place in the whole Bible where all the Holy Days, including the Sabbath, are mentioned. This is important for us to understand, because if you're not willing to believe what is written in the Old Testament, as modified by the New Testament and taught by Jesus Christ, then you will never understand why they're all put here. Because most people feel that—especially in Protestantism, and Catholicism is just way off the chart the other way—all of these things have been fulfilled and the Law of Moses is no longer required. Well, the truth is, you can't understand the New Testament without the Old; and you can't understand the Old Testament without the New.

Today we will see that this, the most insignificant Feast of all, is perhaps the most profound of all.

Leviticus 23:34: "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles… [we've already kept that] …for seven days to the LORD…. [we have finished 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….'" (v 34-36)—just mentioned as the eighth day. No meaning given here at all, so we have to search the rest of the Scriptures to find it.

"…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" (v 36). So, this is a Holy Day and this is a Feast of God!

In summary of all the Feasts given in Lev. 23:37 "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." All of those instructions were given in Num. 28 & 29.

Verse 38 becomes a very important thing in a summary of all of this: "Besides the Sabbaths of the LORD…" The weekly Sabbaths and the annual Sabbaths; tie in Exo. 31:13.

"…and besides your gifts, and besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD" (v 38).

Not only are we to tithe, we are to give offerings. Many people who receive an answer to prayer send an offering for that: a thank offering to God!

At this time we will go ahead and pause and we will take up the offering for the Last Great Day. Always remember this: God loves a cheerful giver, and now is the time to express your thanksgiving to God for all that He has done for you through this past year!

(pause for offering)

Let's follow the Bible instructions to see how we can understand what this eighth day means. Isa. 28[transcriber's correction] because here is what is given to us on how to understand the Bible. Especially in the Old Testament, God wrote it in such a way that you have got to search for it. Here's how to search for it. Now, it's quite interesting the way that God has done this, because for those who won't it becomes a stumbling block and an inability to understand.

Isaiah 28:9: "Whom shall He teach knowledge?…." We're all to be taught of God, so it has to come from God, and it has to come from His Word.

"…And whom shall He make to understand doctrine?…." (v 9). That is the basic teachings of God contained in the Bible; and those things necessary for salvation!

Those things that are necessary, as we will see, to understand the plan and purpose of God. That's why we've got the book, God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days. We start right out with the Sabbath and we go through all the Holy Days and there are 36 messages, and even then there are many things that we couldn't include in it, otherwise it would be a bigger, thicker book. That will help you understand things even more.

Who's going to understand? Because the people in the world don't understand! The Christianity of this world is carnal-minded because they hate the Law of God, they are not subject to the Law of God, and throw away the whole Old Testament and make God a liar. You first must understand the basics!

One of the biggest difficulties that I've seen in people trying to understand the Bible is that they immediately go to the complicated, difficult Scriptures and try and understand those right away. Can't do it. Here's the answer:

"…Those who are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts" (v 9). That means simply that you've had 'the milk of the Word' to start with! You have grown and overcome with 'the milk of the Word' and now you're drawn from the breast, and you're ready for solid food. Solid food must likewise come in proportion, because when you start eating solid food as a child. It's all mashed up for you! You don't start out with a cut of steak immediately and give it to a baby who has just been weaned. Likewise with the Word of God! That's why he says this.

Let's notice the two-edged sword of this way of learning. For those who won't understand and for those who will understand.

Verse 10:"For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little."

In many places in the Old Testament that's how it's laid out, inner-woven together, so when someone reads it and is given the book, he says, 'well, I can't understand this,' whether it be just an average person, or a wise, intelligent intellectual.

Here's why—v 11: "For with stammering lips and foreign tongue He will speak to this people." That's for those who won't understand! That's for those who desire not to love God and serve Him.

Verse 12: "To whom He said, 'This is the rest He gives to the weary;' and 'This is the refreshing,' yet they were not willing to hear."

That's especially true of the Holy Days, and especially true of the Last Great Day. Who ever heard of the Last Great Day?

Verse 13: "So then, the Word of the LORD was to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken and snared and taken." Unless you believe God, you're not going to begin to understand.

1-Cor. 2—let's see how in the New Testament Paul defines how we understand the deep things of God. What we're going to cover today is deep, because it solves the greatest problem that atheists and agnostics and haters of the worldly religion of this world, that they slam in the face of those who teach those things and say: 'How can this be?' Because what is taught in the world is not of God! It's of Satan the devil and the antichrist. Why is that? Because, as we will see, they do not have the Spirit of God!

1-Corinthians 2:9: "But according as it is written, 'The eye has not seen…'"—so, you're not going to read and see it; you're not going to search the earth and find it!

As it says in Deut. 30: you don't have to go to heaven and have someone get it for you and bring it back for you to do it. You don't have to have someone go across the sea to get it and bring it back for you to do it, because God says it's 'near to you, even in your heart,' meaning that His Word is put in such a language that you can understand it. Now then, once you begin to understand the basics here is how you go forward to grow in grace and knowledge and understand the 'more complicated' things of God, as Paul brings out here.

"…nor the ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (v 9). That shows that God has a plan; God has a purpose! But in order to understand that purpose, you have to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and being.

A lot of people like to say, 'Oh well, yes, that's good, I'll do that. But, yeah but! 'You mean the Sabbath? You mean Christmas is wrong? I grew up doing all those things, and we're good people.' You fulfill Isa. 28 exactly as it says, because you're not willing to believe and obey God, so therefore, your intention to love God is not sincere; and you're really lying to yourself. You have to love God!

• loving God is keeping His commandments
• loving God is being devoted to Him
• loving God is living by every Word of God

Verse 10: "But God has revealed them…" In other words, this has to be revealed knowledge from His Word, put together: precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little, there a little, so we can understand. That's precisely what we're going to do today.

"…to us by His Spirit…" (v 10). The other ingredient you need is—not only loving God, keeping His commandments, keeping His Feast days; you must have the Spirit of God to lead you, so that God can teach you.

"…for the Spirit searches all things—eventhe deep things of God" (v 10). That's what we're going to cover today, the deep things of God! The great questions that men ask, but none of the religions of this world can possibly answer.

Verse 11: "For who among men understands the things of man except by the spirit of man, which is in him?…. [the spirit that God has given us so we can have intellect] …In the same way also, the things of God no one understands except by the Spirit of God."

Can't come any other way. Notice, he says to those who are true Christians; because there are false Christians; there are pseudo-Christians; there are well-intention Christians; there are casual Christians—normally called 'Laodiceans'; and they keep it cool because they're lukewarm.

Verse 12: "Now, we have not received the spirit of the world… [Where does that come from? Satan the devil!] …but the Spirit that is of God, so that we might know the things graciously given to us by God."

It's a gift! We didn't earn it, we didn't print it in the Bible. All we've done with the Spirit of God is to understand it.

Verse 13: "Which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Holy Spirit in order to communicate spiritual things by spiritual means. But the natural man… [the one without the Spirit of God] …does not receive the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (vs 13-14).

What we're going to do, all of us today, is exercise the Spirit of God that we have; go through the Word of God, and see how this day is the greatest day of all and why it's called The Last Great Day!

Let's come now to John, the seventh chapter where the term, the phrase, The Last Great Day is used. This was at the water festival that they had at the end of the 7th day going on in from sunset into the beginning of the 8th day. Here's what we find and Jesus teaching on this day. This gives us a clue. This tells us something about the meaning of the Last Great Day, or what is called in the Old Testament: the eighth day!

John 7:37: "Now, in the last day, the great day of the Feast… [that's why we call it The Last Great Day] …Jesus stood and called out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water'" (vs 37-38).

This is universal salvation—anyone! We're going to see at the present time, many try but can't succeed, because they're not willing to do what God says.

Verse 39: "But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, which those who believed in Him would soon receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified."

The people there said, 'Oh, those are wonderful words, He's got to be that prophet.' People love to hear the Words of God even though they don't understand them. They walk away and say, 'Oh, wasn't that nice and lovely?'

Let's carry this further; let's understand how we're going to understand.

Psalm 111:10 "…a good understanding have all those who do His commandments…." You understand by doing as motivated by the Spirit of God!

Let's come here to the Epistle of Paul, the epistle to the Ephesians, and he tells us something very important here concerning what God has done. So IF

• you truly love God
• you obey God
• you are converted
• you have the Spirit of God

Something special happens to you as a gift from God! What we're going to understand today is a gift from God. It can't come any other way than God's way! Let's also understand something here that is important for us to realize.

Ephesians 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly things with Christ"—which consist of:

• the Word of Godthat came from heaven
• the Spirit of God that came from heaven
• the love of Godwhich comes from God's Spirit in our heart and mind, to love and believe and to obey God

Those are all spiritual things!

Listen carefully to this, and I want you to understand how personally important you are to God; and especially as you look out and see this world, which is going to hell in a hand-basket and probably a honey-bucket cart as fast as it can! God has personally chosen you! I want you to grasp that! I want you to also realize the responsibility that God lays upon us because He did. Because it was God the Father

Verse 4: "According as He has personally chosen us for Himself before the foundation of the world…"

That means God's plan was set in motion before the foundation of the world. And Christ, the Lamb of God, 'was slain from the foundation of the world.'

"…in order that we might be Holy and blameless before Him in love" (v 4).

That means not only now, converted in the flesh, but for all eternity when we are changed from flesh to spirit.

"…having predestinated us… [according to His plan] …for sonship to Himself through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His own will" (vs 4-5).

In order to justify Protestant doctrine, Calvin said that there are those who 'are predestined, regardless of what they do, to receive salvation; and there are those who are predestined to burn in hell forever, regardless of what they do, because God predestined them.' That is absolutely wrong! That is fatalism! Fatalism takes away choice. That's not the kind of predestination we're talking about here. Pre-determined in God's plan for those who repent, are baptized, receive the Holy Spirit of God, that they will be the sons of God through sonship!

Verse 6: "To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us objects of His grace in the Beloved Son."

We are special to God, regardless of all the trials and difficulties and troubles that you may go through. We're to also share in the sufferings of Christ. Don't worry about it.

• ask God to help you find a way out
• ask God to heal you
• ask God to bless you

Let those things draw you close to God and receive His grace through Jesus Christ.

Verse 7: In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins, according to the riches of His grace, which He has made to abound toward us in all wisdom and intelligence… [understanding so that we may know through the Spirit of God] …having made known to us the mystery of His own will…" (vs 7-9).

Go back and think about all the things that you have learned and know about the will of God, about the plan of God, about the purpose of God.

"…according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Himself" (v 9).

This is why we don't go to church because it's church. We go to church because we are the Church and we assemble together because we are the sons and daughters of God. Never forget that. The world plays church. The world plays religion. We are to be devoted, converted and serving God; growing in grace and knowledge and understanding, preparing for eternal life; because we're going to rule this world and God is counting on you! That's why He's called you!

Verse 10: "That in the Divine plan for the fulfilling of the times, He might bring all things together in Christ…"

That's what this day pictures; bringing all things together, overcoming all obstacles, all difficulties, all things that have plagued men down through history over which they have had little or no control because of the human nature of men that reject God!

"…both the things in the heavens and the things upon the earth" (v 10). That's the restoration of all things; this last day brings us right back to the beginning of the first day.

Verse 11: "Yes, in Him, in Whom we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestinated according to His purpose… [this also helps to interpret v 5: 'predestinated according to His purpose'] …Who is working out all things according to the counsel of His own will" (v 11).

Let's see what the will of God is concerning this day. Why then doesn't the world understand? Think of it! God has provided billions and billions and billions of Bibles. Yet, they don't understand!

Matt. 13 is always in connection with the Holy Days, because it tells us and shows us how this operates in the lives of people. Here is a truism that is absolutely right. The disciples came and said, 'Why are You speaking to them in parables?' So, He gave the answer. I want you to think about this. I want you to put this in first person to yourself, because you're a disciple of Jesus Christ today.

Matthew 13:11: "And He answered and said to them, 'Because it has been given to you…"

Let's understand that we have nothing that hasn't been given to us—nothing physically; nothing spiritually! The very fact that we exist is because God created us, the very process of pro-creation to create new human beings and the miracle of birth.

If you study what happens when a mother is ready to give birth, and what is necessary to take place for you to come out of your mother's womb and to live, is absolutely a fantastic thing! All little babies are sweet, but because of the way they're taught, the way they live, the way they grow up some turn out to be pretty good, some turn out to be real good, some turn out to be real varmints and others turn out to be hateful, demonic, sinful people. That's the way it is in the world, but:

"…it has been given to you… [us] …to know the mysteries… [secret] …of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given."

Now, here's another thing that takes place—and we're seeing this take place not only in the world between us and the world, but also within the Churches of God for those who really do not apply themselves to know and grow and understand and fulfill God's plan for them:

Verse 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."

We're going to see this presents a contradiction in some other Scriptures, and how do you solve that contradiction?

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. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, 'In hearing you shall hear… [Oh, those are wonderful words] …and in no way understand… [I wonder what He really meant?] …and in seeing you shall see, and in no way perceive'" (vs 13-14).

Look at those He fed: the 4,000; the 5,000; fed people three times. What did they want? Physical food! They didn't understand, because here's what happens, because of choices not to believe and obey God.

Verse 15: "For the heart of this people has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; 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."

We're going to read a Scripture here in a little bit: God wants all men to be saved. How's that going to be when Jesus said that they're not going to be converted. How's He going to accomplish that then? Well, we'll see, because God's plan is greater than the thoughts of men!

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 absolutely true in everything in the New Testament!

Let's stretch this out to the end-time when God promised, through Daniel, that at the time of the end 'the wise shall understand'; none of the wicked shall understand. How much understanding do we have? All the understanding we have lays a huge responsibility on us! Because 'to whom much is given, much is expected'!

Let's see how is God possibly going to accomplish His will when He says, right here at that time and in this age right now, there are people who will not understand that He has blinded, that He has cutoff, that He has not given understanding to. This is what the atheists cannot understand. I'll tell you one thing, I agree with all atheists and agnostics when you look at all of these churches of the world that profess to be Christian, and the things that they have as doctrine, and the hypocrisy that is in their lives, you can understand why they hate it. But they don't realize at the same time 'the fool has said in his heart, there is no God'! That's why April Fools Day is their 'holiday.'

1-Tim 2 will tell us some of the intensions of God. If God intends it then, how is He going to fulfill it?

1-Timothy 2:1: "I exhort, therefore, first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all Godliness and respectability. For this is good and acceptable before God our Savior… [that's talking about Christ, Who is God, Who is our Savior] …Who desires…" (vs 1-4).

This is a direct contradiction to what we just read in Matt. 13, and yet, it is not when you understand the plan of God.

"…all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth" (v 4). Whoa! How are we going to solve this one? The answer to this is going to answer the most difficult questions of all!

2-Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not delaying the promise of His coming, as some in their own minds reckon delay…" That's true!

Even in the Church of God people say 'prophecies are speeding up and going faster.' Then when it slows down, they say 'prophecy must be slowing down.' The truth is, prophecy is right on time according to God's schedule. What we are looking at is from our perspective as we see things living in this age and not knowing all that has come before us.

"…rather, He is long-suffering toward us… [listen to this]: …not desiring that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (v 9).

• Does all mean all? Yes, it does, each and every one!
• How is God going to do this when He blinds them?
• How is God going to accomplish this when He's closed their minds?
• How does God blind them?

As we go along, what you'll understand is: We're coming step-by-step to understand the meaning of the Last Great Day and to solve these enigmas that we see. We know the whole world is full of sin. We know the whole world is coming to a climatic end with the return of Christ. Yet, He says He wants them all to come to repentance, He wants them all to be saved, yet, at the same time He says He blinds them! We'll see how God is going to solve it, and this day tells us.

2-Corinthians 4:1: "Therefore, having this ministry, according as we have received mercy, we are not fainthearted. For we have personally renounced the hidden things of dishonest gain… [that has to be for every teacher as well as everyone in the Church] …not walking in cunning craftiness…" (vs 1-2).

He's describing here are those false prophets who are motivated by Satan the devil—and these are the things that they bring out. Is it not cunning craftiness to say: 'Oh, Jesus did away with the Laws of God, didn't you know that? Didn't you know that Paul had a greater gospel than Jesus did? And if we follow all of those Scriptures that have to do with grace and love, we're home free.' Not so!

"…nor handling the Word of God deceitfully… [from the beginning of the New Testament Church] …but by manifestation of the Truth…" (v 2).

Look at the Truth of God, understand the Truth of God; you cannot worship God with a lie and you cannot understand the Truth of God by inserting your own lies and opinions into the Scriptures!

That's why this Bible—The Holy Bible In It's Original Order—is devoted to the Truth of God, to the Word of God, to the righteousness of God. Has nothing to do with a denomination or sect. It has to do with restoring the original Bible in a form that God intended it to be, with the English translation that is the most faithful to the original. That's why.

"…we are commending ourselves to every man's conscience before God. But if our Gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are perishing; in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (vs 2-4). God has used Satan the devil to blind them!

• How are they going to be saved?
• How is it that they're going to come to the knowledge of the Truth?
• What if, in this condition, they die?
• Are they lost?

We'll understand that in just little bit. Let's see how Paul looked at this. Let me just state that because we have the book of Revelation today, we're able to understand more than what the Apostle Paul did.

• Isn't that something?
• Have you ever thought of that?
• Did you ever realize that?

That's something to really contemplate!

Rom. 11 is talking about the Jews; and there's a prophecy which says 'the tents of Judah shall be saved first.' How can that be when the majority of Jews rejected Christ? And still do to this day? The only way to the Father is through Jesus Christ!

Romans 11:12: "Now, if their transgression be the riches of the world, and their failure be the wealth of the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness be? I am speaking to you, the Gentiles, inasmuch as I [Paul] am an apostle of the Gentiles—I magnify my service, if by any means I might provoke to jealousy those of my flesh, and might save some among them. For if their casting away be the reconciliation of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, except life from the dead?" (vs 12-15). This is talking about another time of salvation!

Verse 16: "If the firstfruit is Holy, the lump is also Holy; and if the root is Holy, the branches are also Holy. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and you became a fellow partaker of the root and of the fatness of the olive tree… [the Holy Spirit of God!] …do not boast against the branches; but if you are boasting against them, remember that you do not bear the root; rather, the root bears you" (vs 16-18).

That's precisely what orthodox Christendom has done; they boast! They say God cut off the Jews! God has condemned them to eternal hell, burning forever, because they rejected Christ.

Is rejecting Christ the way that they did, because they were blinded, an unpardonable sin? No, because Paul says here:

Verse 15: …what shall the receiving of them be, except life from the dead?" How and when will that be?

(go to the next track)

Let's see how Paul ended this part; notice, this is something! Let's out all these Scriptures together.

Romans 11:32: "For God has given them all… [including Gentiles] …all [Israel] over to unbelief in order that He might show mercy to all."

• How is God going to do that?
• Why would He put them in unbelief and cut them off (Matt. 13)?

Now he says: 'in order to show mercy to all.' Even Paul did not understand this. He knew it, but he didn't understand it. That's why he wrote in 1-Cor. 13 that we 'look through a glass darkly.' Likewise today, we still do! But we understand a little more—considerably more—and we will see because we have the book of Revelation.

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!…. [Paul is quoting Isa. 40] …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? 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).

Paul didn't know any more than that, that God did all of this in order to show mercy and to save them.

How on earth is God going to do that? Tie in 1-Cor. 15: 'Christ the Firstfruit…' He was resurrected first! '…afterward, those who are Christ's at His coming…. and each man in His own order.'

What does that mean? Let's take that Scripture and let's put it together with a couple of other Scriptures, and let's see what we can draw out of that from the meaning of the Word of God.

John 5 tells us what God is going to do. It also tells us something about everyone who has died. What do we know about the category of people in the world today?

• those who have been called for the first resurrection
• those who have been blinded and not in the first resurrection

Yet, God says He's going to save them by blinding them first and having mercy on them later. All right, let's add to the knowledge. Remember, 'precept upon precept; line upon line here a little, there a little'; this is precisely what we are doing to understand the meaning of the Last Great Day.

John 5:19: "Therefore, Jesus answered and said to them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, the Son has no power to do anything of Himself… [originate from His own physical, fleshly being] …but only what He sees the Father do. For whatever He does, these things the Son also does in the same manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him everything that He Himself is doing. And He will show Him greater works than these… [raising this man who had been infirm for 38-years] …so that you may be filled with wonder'" (vs 19-20).

• When?
• How?

Verse 21: "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" (vs 21-23). That's the big problem with Judaism today! They don't have either the Father or the Son.

Verse 24: "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." Those are the ones who have been called to the first resurrection!

Verse 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. 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 25-27).

Then He told them—and I imagine they were wondering: What is this that Jesus is saying? Remember, He was talking to the religious leaders and scribes and Sadducees and Pharisees.

Verse 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."

The next verse gives us an important precept out of these lines to build together what we have been building here.

Verse 29: "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."

Now we know the first resurrection of those who are Christ's at His coming. But:

• What about those who have basically done good and have not really committed an unpardonable sin, but were not called?
• How many of those are there in that category?

Now we will get the answer!

Let's see what the Apostle Paul said, and then we'll come back and understand what Jesus told us. Here is quite a very important section of Scripture, and he makes a statement here.

Romans 2:11: "Because there is no respect of persons with God."

It seems like with the different categories there is some respect of persons. NO! It is God's response back to that person as the person responds to God. What happens to those who respond to God? Answer the call? They'll be in the first resurrection! Those who don't respond to God, God still has to deal with them because there is no respect of persons; but the timing of when God deals with them is different.

Verse 12: "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law…" They didn't' understand the Law; they lived their lives and died!

"…and as many as have sinned within the law shall be judged by the Law, (because the hearers of the law are not just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which do not have the Law…" (vs 12-14).

God didn't give them the Law at that point. A lot of them have it through the Bible in this age.

"…practice by nature the things contained in the law… [they understand what we would call moral principles today] …these who do not have the law are a law unto themselves; who show the work of the law written in their own hearts, their consciences…" (vs 14-15)—showing that they had in their mind and in their teachings the things that are conforming to the Law of God, which shows what is the equivalent of the work of the Law in their heart!

"…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 15-16).

What day is that? We're going to see it is this day—the Last Great Day—and what this day pictures in the fulfillment of prophecy.

In Rev. 20[transcriber's correction] we will find another clue that we add to it. The truth is none of these Scriptures that we've read up to this point—and some included in the Old Testament—are able to be understood without Rev. 20. Let's see what it says. We've covered this before, then we're going to read some that we did not read at the beginning of the Feast.

Revelation 20:4 "And I saw thrones; and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given to them; and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and those who did not worship the beast, or his image, and did not receive the mark in their foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

All right, let's read the rest of it in vs 5 & 6, because these two verses tell us the important thing that we need to understand: How is God going to reconcile the seemingly contradictory Scriptures and give salvation to those that He 'blinded' and show mercy to all that He 'shut up in unbelief.'

Verse 5: "(But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were completed.)…."

Who are the 'rest of the dead'? All of those in the first resurrection are already spirit beings in the Kingdom of God! We've also covered what happens to those during the Millennium who grow and overcome and are ready to receive eternal life: instantaneous death, transformation and enter into the Kingdom of God as spirit beings!

So the 'rest of the dead' have to be two categories. All the rest of the dead down through history that never knew of God; that God never called. All of those before the Flood that died in the Flood. All of them all the way down through history clear to the beginning of the Millennium. You have two categories of people:

• Those that we just read of that Paul described—the Gentiles—who have the law written in their heart, though they weren't given the Ten Commandments of God.
• Those who have committed the unpardonable sin.

Verse 5: "But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were completed."

That's why Jesus said, 'The day is coming when ALL who are in the grave shall come forth.'

• those who have done good unto a resurrection of life
• those who have done evil unto a resurrection of judgment

Those in the first resurrection will receive eternal life when Christ returns!

Is there another resurrection to life for the rest of the dead who do not live again until the thousand years are finished? The answer is: Yes! But what He wants to do is show the difference between that resurrection and the first resurrection.

So, John says, after the parenthetical statement in v 5: "…This is the first resurrection. Blessed and Holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power…." (vs 5-6).

What does it mean second death? People who believe their souls go to heaven, they say the second death is being cutoff from God. Well, that's a partially true statement, but second death means that in order to die twice what has to happen? You have to live in the flesh twice! Have to be! We can conclude from this, the second death has power over the rest of the dead who live again after the thousand years are completed.

Let's carry this the next step further, after we finish the seventh day of the Feast and Satan is put away forever:

Verse 11: "Then I saw a great white throne… [this day is also called The Great White Throne Judgment] …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…. [so many people] …And I saw the dead… [that's the rest of the dead from v 5] …small and great, standing before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life…." (vs 11-12).

What does this tell us? We know that those who are in the first resurrection are written in the Book of Life! Those who are not in the first resurrection are not written in the Book of Life for eternal salvation, yet! If the Book of Life is opened, and the books, and that would undoubtedly have to mean all the writings of God so they can be taught how to receive salvation!

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

Let's see how this judgment is going to be, because if they were judged by their first works as having committed the unpardonable sin, or that they were sinners, in deed, then if they were judged by the works in their first life before they were brought back to life again in this resurrection—so this has to be called the second resurrection—then they would be condemned to death because 'the wages of sin is death.' So, let's see something that's understanding concerning sin and what Jesus said.

1-John 5[transcriber's correction] tells us the difference between a sin not unto death—that is eternal death, depriving them of an opportunity for salvation. A sin unto death, which is an 'unpardonable sin.' Then we will see how Jesus explained this.

1-John 5:16: "If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin that is not unto death…"

What kind of sin can that be when it says 'the wages of sin is death'? That means a sin that is repentable. But what if you never had a chance to repent because you didn't know the Truth and you died, but yet you didn't commit a 'sin unto death'—that is the unpardonable sin? What's going to happen to people in that category? Which is the vast majority of all people that have ever lived and died!

"…he shall ask, and He will give him life for those who do not sin unto death. There is a sin unto death… [that means eternal death] …concerning that sin, I do not say that he should make any supplication to God. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not unto death" (vs 16-17).

Let's see how Jesus gives us the interpretation of this, combined with what we read in Rev. 20. Let's see what Jesus said concerning sin and forgiveness, and how that relates to what the second resurrection is, and how that also relates to the Gentiles as Paul told us.

Matthew 12:30—Jesus says: "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; that shall not be forgiven to men" (vs 30-31).

Every sin and blaspheme shall be forgiven to men. That's the sin not unto death. But the question is: When will it be forgiven? When they repent! God says He wants all to come to repentance. He wants all to be saved and that's why the rest of the dead live again in a physical life, a second physical life for the first opportunity for salvation. Because they already lived one physical life, but they never sinned a sin unto death; that is the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit; because they didn't receive the Holy Spirit or reject it.

Verse 32: "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him…" Any word, unqualified!

• if you're blinded
• if you're cutoff
• if you're an atheist
• if you choose to turn your back on God

but you do not commit the unpardonable sin in your life because:

• you were blinded by Satan the devil
• you were not called by God
• you lived your life and you died
• you might even be considered a good citizen, a great citizen, or whatever

We read back about 'the small and the great' stand before God in the Great White Throne Judgment!

Then you have to be given an opportunity for salvation, and that's why the rest of the dead live after the thousand years have been completed.

"…but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age nor in the coming age" (v 32).

For those, the rest of the dead, the coming age begins when? When the thousand years are completed. As we saw yesterday, those during the Millennium, will live approximately 100-years. Likewise, shall not these people live a hundred years and have an opportunity for salvation? Since God is no respecter of persons, what applies to one should it not apply to the other? Yes, indeed!

After they wanted to see a sign, let's come down here to v 39: "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.'" That was referring to that generation there!

But also, that goes down to every generation, because how many people who supposedly accept Christ do not believe the three days and three nights in the tomb, as Jonah was in the belly of the whale. That's the sign that God gave, yet, people won't follow the sign. Jesus was resurrected precisely at the end of three days and three nights. It is provable in the Scriptures, and provable in history. IF you don't believe that sign, and you believe in a Friday crucifixion and a Sunday resurrection, you reject the words of Christ!

{note Appendix J: Jesus' Three Days and Three Nights of Entombment and His Resurrection (The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, a Faithful Version)}

Verse 40: "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."

Verse 41 tells us about the Gentiles. And remember: Nineveh, when Jonah was sent to them, they repented in sackcloth and ashes; but that was merely in the letter of the Law. That was not for salvation. So God deferred His judgment against them because they repented.

Verse 41: "The men of Nineveh shall stand up in the judgment… [resurrected] …with this generation and shall condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here." Over a thousand years later:

Verse 42: "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment… [a resurrection—'the rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years are completed'] …with this generation…"—showing in both cases people thousands of years apart will be resurrected together! We will see what it's talking about here in Ezek. 37 and how that's going to take place.

"…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" (v 42).

Let's see what happens when the rest of the dead live again, and how they're going to live—what kind of life, and we will see that it is a second life in the flesh for a first opportunity for salvation. Ezek. 37 tells us the whole story. Remember: to the Jew first—to the Israelite first—and then the Gentile. We saw that Jesus said, 'the Gentiles will rise with that generation and condemn it.' There will be others from other generations. What happens here happens to all people who do not live again until the thousand years are completed.

God told Ezekiel: 'I want you to go to this valley' and he did. It was full of bones, very dry, showing that they had been dead a long time.

Then He told him, Ezekiel 37:3: "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… [that's physical] …and you shall live. And I will lay sinews on you… [more flesh] …and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live….'" (vs 3-6). The rest of the dead shall not live again until the thousand years are completed! There is the fulfillment of that.

"…And you shall know that I am the LORD" (v 6). So you have two things that are very important here:

• you cannot understand Rev. 20 unless you understand Ezek. 37
• you cannot understand Ezek. 37 unless you believe and have Rev. 20

One plus one equates two, and if you're missing one, you can't understand how to get to two. If you have one and not the other one, you can never get to two.

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."

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.'"' 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 9-10).

Just like it says in Rev. 20 that there was no place found for them; there's so many of them.

Verse 11: "And He said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel…."—all 12 tribes!

The truth of the matter is: under the Old Covenant and the covenant before Abraham and going clear back with Cain, they never were given an opportunity for salvation. They died! They knew that they had sinned, but these are resurrected back to life because they had not sinned a sin unto death, and are given an opportunity for salvation.

"…'Behold, they say, "Our bones are dried and our hope is lost; we ourselves are completely cut off"'" (v 11). So, they knew they had sinned and left God.

Verse 12: "Therefore prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves…"'"—he says grave four times!

• Were they dead?
• Were they in the grave? Yes! 'the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were completed'!

Here's where they live again:

"…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. And I shall put My Spirit in you…" (vs 12-14). That's salvation!

These were the ones who died not having 'sinned a sin unto death'; are now resurrected back and given an opportunity for salvation. That's why the rest of the dead live! To fulfill those contradictory Scriptures that He wants to give eternal life to all; He wants all to come to repentance; and here is repentance; they repent!

"'…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).

Now, let's see something else that takes place. Just as the ones during the Millennium lived a thousand years, had a chance to learn, to grow, to overcome, qualify for eternal life, enter into eternal life, so those who are in the category of those who did not commit the unpardonable sin will be raised back to a second physical life for a first opportunity for salvation!

A lot of people get all emotional, especially diehard Protestants and Southern (hard-shelled) Baptists: 'No one gets two chances!' This is not two chances, this is one!

Revelation 20:13: "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 can then add the rest of it: which they did during the 100-years after they were resurrected back to physical life! What happens to those who don't repent? Absolutely refuse to repent? Well, you have two categories of those:

• Those who died unpardonable sin! They have to die the second death. They're resurrected to a second physical life to be sentenced and the judgment of God executed against them that they die the second death.
• Those in the Great White Throne Judgment who, through the hundred years, reject salvation and some of those, as they go down the line, completely reject it; they'll be cast into the Lake of Fire as that time comes to them.

But at the end of the hundred years all the rest of the wicked will be raised and they will die the second death!

Verse 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 13-15). They have turned down their only chance for salvation, even though they had to live two physical lives!

All right, now then, the Lake of Fire sweeps the whole earth, disintegrates everything that there is, evaporates all the oceans and now the earth is prepared for a new heaven and a new earth. God is going to redo it! Now we start the rest of eternity with all of those who are saved; spirit beings now, living on the earth; and those in the first resurrection living in New Jerusalem.

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."

Spirit beings do not need the modulation of the temperature for the oceans. You only need that if you're physical. Here is God bringing down New Jerusalem, sending it down. Remember, Jesus said, 'If I go I will come again to you and I am preparing a place for you that where I am you may be also.'

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; and He shall dwell with them…'" (vs 2-3).

That's the whole story of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation: Will God dwell with His people? Do His people want Him to dwell with them? Here it is, the completion of it.

"…and they shall be His people… [now perfected and spirit beings] …and God Himself shall be with them and be their God. 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).

Now we are ready for everything new! For the rest of eternity!

Verse 5: "And He Who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' Then He said to me, 'Write… [so what we are reading have been written] …for these words are true and faithful.' And He said to me, 'It is done…. [Whenever God has finished a part of His work, a new phase begins—that's the rest of eternity] …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 shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son'" (vs 5-7).

All of those who committed the unpardonable sin are left out. Then it talks about the structure of New Jerusalem. But the most important thing, as we have covered with the Feast of Tabernacles, where is God going to dwell? It says, 'He will dwell with them' (v 3). First place He's going to dwell with them is in New Jerusalem, because that's where God the Father and Jesus Christ are.

Verse 22: "And I saw no temple in it; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it…. [They are living with Their people—all now the spirit sons and daughters of God] …And the city has no need of the sun, or of the moon… [It's still there, the sun and moon.] …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 22-24).

New Jerusalem as big as it is, the rest of the world is composed of those nations that have been saved. They're going to live outside New Jerusalem and come to New Jerusalem.

"…and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it. 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. And nothing that defiles shall ever enter into it… [because that won't be there any longer] …nor shall anyone who practices an abomination or devises a lie; but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" (vs 24-27).

Then He showed him the fountain of crystal, clear water coming out from under the Throne of God and the Lamb. And it flows down in the middle of the main street in New Jerusalem, where there are the trees of life on each side; where it says that the leaves are for the healing of the nations—or the therapy, or for the continuous spiritual maintenance and education of the people, because this is the Tree of Life. If we're going to live forever, we're going to be learning forever, as well.

No more accursed. We're going to serve God; going to see Him face-to-face. We're going to be able to go up to Him and say, 'Our Father' and look Him right in the eyes, and say, 'I love You.' And He says, 'I love you.' Likewise with Christ. Isn't that going to be a fantastic time? That's how God is going to finish His plan and do it!

Revelation 22:6: "And he said to me, 'These words are faithful and true; 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).

He gives a blessing; He says, v 14: "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."

Then He gives the warning: 18: "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. 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…. [the whole Bible] …He Who testifies these things says, 'Surely, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (vs 18-20).

He's going to come and finish His plan. This is why this is the Last Great Day, because it pictures the vast harvest of all of those who can be brought into the Kingdom of God and become the sons of God and live forever in eternity, and carry out the vast plan of God!

Scriptural References:

• Leviticus 23:34-38

• Isaiah 28:9-13
• 1 Corinthians 2:9-14
• John 7:37-39
• Psalm 111:10
• Ephesians 1:3-11
• Matthew 13:11-17
• 1 Timothy 2:1-4
• 2 Peter 3:9
• 2 Corinthians 4:1-4
• Romans 11:12-18, 32-36
• John 5:19-29
• Romans 2:11-16
• Revelation 20:4-6, 11-12
• 1 John 5:16-17
• Matthew 12:30-32, 39-42
• Ezekiel 37:3-7, 9-14
• Revelation 20:13-15
• Revelation 21:1-7, 22-27
• Revelation 22:6-7, 14, 18-20

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Numbers 28, 29
• Exodus 31:13

• Deuteronomy 30
• 1-Corinthians 13
• Isaiah 40
• 1 Corinthians 15

Also referenced:

Book: God's Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days by Fred R. Coulter

Appendix J: Jesus' Three Days and Three Nights of Entombment and His Resurrection (The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, a Faithful Version)

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 7-24-09
Reformatted/Corrected: 6/2020