Commentary On Revelation – Chapter 20

THE MILLENNIUM OR 1,000 YEARS

In the last part of Rev 19:14-21 we see that Jesus and His High Command army completely defeat the forces of darkness of this world, namely, Satan and his 1/3 of evil angels who left heaven with him over 6,000 years ago. The last seven years of this earth’s history has now ended. It consisted of two 3 1/2 year periods of time. The first 3 1/2 years is the Little Time of Trouble during which the Lord’s Elect give a final message to the world, which most people reject but a few will believe. There are 24 designations or titles for this group such as The Elect, or the Barley or The Christos, etc. This has been explained several times in this book already so we do not need to repeat it.

Let us understand the picture that is being painted here in Rev 19:19, 20. “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against His (Jesus) army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” The “Lake of Fire and Brimstone,” signifies a fire burning with brimstone; the word “brimstone” or sulfur defines the character of the fire. The word theion translated “brimstone” is exactly the same word (theion) which means “DIVINE.” Now isn’t that amazing. Sulfur and Divine=same thing. Now, sulfur was sacred to the deity among the ancient Greeks; and was used to fumigate, or to purify, cleanse and to consecrate to the deity. And that is why they burned sulphur it in their incense. In Homer’s Iliad (16:228) a person is spoken of as purifying a goblet with fire and brimstone. The verb derived from theion is theioo, which means to hallow or to make divine, i.e. to dedicate to a god. (See Liddell and Scott Greek-English Lexicon, 1897 Edition.) Now that we understand all of the above it is clear that in the Greek language the phrase, “Lake of fire and brimstone” clearly means “A Lake of Divine Purification.”

Now we are ready to look at the Rev 20:10. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” What does “forever and ever” mean in the original language here? It is from the Greek word “Aion” which simply means “Age or eon.” So, it should be translated “Into the age of the ages.” In other words, this fiery torment is only going to last for one age, that is about 100 years according to Isaiah 65:20. Rev 20:3 says that Satan is going to be loosed for “a little season,” after the 1,000 years. The torment of Satan, and his angels and all of the wicked is not going to on and on without any end. That is not the true meaning of the Greek word “Aion” at all. This same word “Aion” is translated “World” in a number of scriptures. Here are a few examples. “God that cannot lie, promised before the world (age) began.” Here “world” is from Aion. Titus 1:2.

2 Tim 1:9 says “before age (or eonian) times.” The ages or time clearly had a beginning and therefore are not meant to signify eternity. The word “age” and “ages” in the Bible clearly have a beginning and are not meant to signify eternity. In Matt 13:39 we read: “The harvest is the end of the world.” Here again the word that is translated “world” is the word “age.” The text should simply read: “The harvest is the end of the age.” The same is true for Matt 13:40; 24:3; 28:20. I Cor 10:11 Paul says: “Upon whom the ends of the world are come.” The Greek word “Aion” again should be translated: “Upon whom the ends of the ages are come.” So we see that the ages have an end and are not eternal. Once you understand and see the difference between time and eternity, you will understand that by making time endless, we do not get eternity, for eternity means the absence of time, viz., timelessness. Eternity in its absolute sense will not happen until time, as we know it, ceases to be. Charles Pridgeon says in his classic book: “Is Hell Eternal or Will God’s Plan Fail?” “There is no word in the Bible, nor in the nature of the case can there be, for a ‘forever’ or an ‘eternity’ of time, because time ends when God becomes ‘ALL IN ALL’ and then only is there the full eternity…the words translated ‘ever’ and ‘forever’ and ‘eternal’ cannot possibly mean either ‘forever’ or ‘eternal’ or ‘eternity.'” Pg 54. The translators in many places in the KJV Scriptures translate the word for “age” in various ways. If “Aion” or “age” actually meant “forever” or “eternal” in an absolute sense, this would not have been necessary. In fact, if the word “age” means “forever” or “eternal” in the singular, a plural would be an impossibility. But the word “ages” in the plural occur quite frequently. In Eph 2:7 Paul states: “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Age cannot mean “forever” in this passage. In Col 1:26 “ages” is again used in the plural. The translation would be nonsense if it was translated by “forever,” because the “mystery” would be “hid forever,” and hence could never be made know. In I Cor 2:7 we read “which God ordained before the world unto our glory.” The word translated “world” is this same word “ages.” Here the apostle is speaking of something “before or prior to the ages.” This certainly indicates that the world “age” does not mean eternity, and also makes plain the fact that the ages have a beginning, which eternity does not have. In Titus 1:2 we read, “God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” This word translated “world” is the same word “age” in a plural, adjective form joined to the word “times” in the plural. The clause should be translated “God, that cannot lie, promised before the age times.” This text also signifies that the ages are temporal in their meaning.” The same is true of 2 Tim 1:19 where we have a similar expression, which should also be translated “before age (or eonian) times.” The ages or time clearly had a beginning and hence are not meant to signify eternity.

Let us now examine carefully the experience of Saul of Tarsus who became Paul. What really happened to Saul that day Jesus appeared to Him? This is a question that has never fully been explained to us by the theologians of organized religion. So, let’s take a close look at this story. Saul was a Pharisee. He was raised in the religious environment of his time, and he says of himself that he was, “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”( Philippians 3:5-6) He also claims that he was excelling beyond his fellow Jews, as to the Law. Galatians 1:13-4 says, ” For ye have heard of my conversation (conduct) in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.”

So what we have here is THE perfect example of the type of people Jesus called hypocrites, sons of the devil, whitewashed tombs, white on the outside but on the inside full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In fact, of the Pharisees and scribes, there was no one Jesus seemed to be harder on. He called them vipers and liars and we know that out of jealousy and envy they plotted to kill Jesus. So now we have Saul, strolling down the road to Damascus, with orders in his hands to capture and bring back in chains anyone he finds who call themselves Christian. The account of what happened to Saul is covered three times in the bible, each account adding a little more detail. This is the full account with all the details from all three; Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, And as I journeyed, I came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about me a light from heaven: above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Now, that was quite an amazing experience, wouldn’t you say? Now let us take a look at what Saul was like in his own words, after he met Jesus and was converted or converted into the apostle Paul. 1 Timothy 1:13 : Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did [it] ignorantly in unbelief. 1 Timothy 1:15 :This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

So from Paul’s own mouth we know that before his experience on the road to Damascus he was a blasphemer, persecutor, injurious to the church of Christ, ignorant, unbelieving, and the chief sinner of the world. Now consider what God says is the end of ALL who do these things. Leviticus 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, [and] all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name [of the LORD], shall be put to death. Even Paul said, “For the wages of sin [is] death;…” (Romans 6:23 )

Now what we have to understand is that God does not make exceptions, or go back on something He said. God said if you sin, you die. So did God all of a sudden change His mind in the New Testament? Absolutely not. He can’t change His mind. The one thing that it is impossible for God to do is lie. What I hope to bring to your mind is the fact that God killed Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. He had to or He would have been violating His own commandments. I believe the reason the account of Paul’s conversion is even in the bible is to teach us this mystery. Saul, of all people on earth, didn’t deserve what Jesus did for him. From the Old Testament we read, “For the LORD thy God [is] a consuming fire, [even] a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:24) Ezekiel 1:27 describes the appearance of God,

“And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.” That is the brightness that Saul saw on the road. That is the Fire of God, brighter than the sun in full strength. That is the fire which burns forever, that is everlasting. Saul, on the road to Damascus, had that fire poured full strength on him. You know another place in the bible that talks about that fire? Let me show you.

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. It is my position that the second death, the lake of fire, is the Fire of God. Read what it says. It says the unbelieving and all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire. Now go back to what Paul said in 1 Tim 1:13. He said he obtained mercy because he did what he did in unbelief. Rev 21:8 says that qualifies you for the lake of fire.

On the road to Damascus, Paul was baptized in the Lake of Fire. The result was that all the darkness in him was burned up and left as ashes under the soles of his feet. You see, I believe what Paul wrote to Timothy. Most Christians don’t, but 1 Tim 4:10 says, “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” Here we have an example of God being the Saviour of an unbeliever, Saul. Specially, or chiefly for us believers because those that God pours out His fire on while they are still in their mortal bodies rule as kings in this life, and have the benefits of knowing God and preserving their souls into the world to come, among other blessings. Paul lost his soul on the road to Damascus, the soul he had that didn’t know God, or His Son Jesus. It was dark and full of hatred and bitterness. By having that tormented soul burned up by the fire of God, he received a brand new soul, full of life and love. That is the result of God’s Judgment upon Man. I believe that will be the same result for everyone who is thrown into that fire, because as it is written, “God is no respecter of persons.” Then what is written will be fulfilled, “For it is written, [As] I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”(Romans 14:11), and again,

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him (Jesus), and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”( Philippians 2:9-11), just like Paul did. The end result is the entire race of Adam, from first to last, coming to the knowledge of God. God says that is what His Will is. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 says,

“For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” We Christians have a special place, for we were chosen before the foundation of the world, so that, “…in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”(Ephesians 2:7) We will rule over the nations with Jesus, and I for one look forward to ruling over more than ashes. I will leave you with a very applicable quote from the bible. “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. (Philippians 3:15).

Now let us talk about the Lake of Fire which we read about in Rev 19:20-21. We read that there will be a “Lake of Fire” before the 1,000 years begins as well as after the 1,000 years is ended, as we shall see in our study of Rev 20. We also see from v 21 that everyone on this earth will be dead who were not translated by Jesus when He comes again to take His faithful ones home to heaven with Him. “And the rest were killed with the sword (Words of Christ) which came from the mouth of the Him who sat upon the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.” Rev 19:21. This phrase, “A Lake of Fire” or “the Lake which is fire” is a parallel to Rev 20:10 which reads: “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Let us permit the Bible to interpret itself in regard to the term “Lake.” Rev 17:15 tells us that “The waters…are (or represent) peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” So this Lake simply means a multitude of people who are suffering mental and emotional torment. Jesus described this in Luke 13:24-28 when He said that many who strive to enter the “narrow gate” into God’s kingdom will be told, “depart from Me, all you evildoers. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being cast out.”

The “Fire of God” has two meanings and two aspects. The first meaning is fire that is literal. An example of this is the destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah, two cities which were destroyed by literal fire. I want you to notice in the following text that there are two Lords. The first Lord is the true Lord who is in control of all things. Satan rules over this earth by His permission alone. This is clearly seen in the story of Job whom Satan falsely accused of serving God with impure, false and selfish motives. Here’s the story: “One day when the angels came to report to God, Satan, who was the Designated Accuser, came along with them. God singled out Satan and said, ‘What have you been up to?’ Satan answered God, ‘Going here and there, checking things out on earth.’ God said to Satan, ‘Have you noticed my friend (servant) Job? There’s no one quite like him–honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil.’ Satan retorted, ‘So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart? Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does–he can’t lose! But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He’d curse you right to your face, that’s what.’ God replied, ‘We’ll see. Go ahead–do what you want with all that is his. Just don’t hurt him.’ Then Satan left the presence of God.” Message Bible.

Shortly after this council meeting one disaster after another fell upon Job’s servants and property. One of the messengers reported “The fire of God (probably lightning) has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the herdsmen, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” Job 1:6-22. In spite of all that Satan caused to happen to Job he did not blame God but blessed His name. My point here is that Satan was the one who sent the literal fire down from the sky to destroy Job’s property. Rev 13:13, 14 is another instance in which literal fire is sent down from the sky or atmospheric heavens for the purpose of deceiving people. This is literal fire which did not exist until after Adam’s fall. All literal fire is an aberration of nature. God has nothing to do with literal fire. Here is a very insightful statement which illustrates clearly how Satan works throughout our planet’s atmospheric heavens (the first heaven) to destroy nature and people.

“Satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as God allows. When he was suffered to afflict Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants, houses, children, were swept away, one trouble succeeding another as in a moment. It is God that shields His creatures and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer. But the Christian world have shown contempt for the law of Jehovah; and the Lord will do just what He has declared that He would–He will withdraw His blessings from the earth and remove His protecting care from those who are rebelling against His law and teaching and forcing others to do the same. He will favor and prosper some in order to further his own designs, and he will bring trouble upon others and lead men to believe that it God who is afflicting them. While appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast. ‘The earth mourneth and fadeth away,’ ‘the haughty people…do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed he ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” Isa 24:4, 5. And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing these evils.” Great Controversy, pgs 589, 590.

We also know that while Jesus was on earth in a body of flesh He never once hurt or killed anyone but only went about doing good, healing all were oppressed of the devil. Acts 10:38. When James and John requested for him to destroy the Samaritans by bringing fire down from the sky, like Elijah did in his day, Jesus refused to agree to such a violent act but declared that He had come to save men’s lives not to destroy them. Luke 9:51-56. Now, I am going to give you the formula for discerning and distinguishing between the true and false Lord/lord and between God’s fire and Satan’s kind of fire in the Bible. When it is the true God and creator of this earth the fire is life giving and harmless. But when it is the “Fire of Satan” the false god of this earth, it is harmful and destructive. So what about the fire that came down to consume the sacrifices in the O.T.? Was that from God or Satan? Well, just ask this question. Was the animal sacrifice system God’s idea or Satan’s? Whose voice spoke that law of animal sacrifice? Isa 1:10-12; Isa 66:1-4; Jer 7:21, 22; Hosea 6:6, 7; Matt 9 and 12; John 5:37. Jer. 23:18-20 shows why “whirlwinds” come on us, who they will hit the hardest, how long they will last and when we will know what these things mean. “Who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord? Who hath perceived (known or understood) and heard His word? Who hath marked His word and heard it? Behold (look or stare), a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth, even a grievous whirlwind, it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord shall not return (stop) until He hath PERFORMED the THOUGHTS of His heart. In the LATTER DAYS ye shall consider (understand) it PERFECTLY.” We can see or hear about these whirlwinds coming some place daily in the form of fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, wars, mass murders by teens in schools, kidnaping, rapes, bank robberies, arsons, race riots, etc. ad infinitum.

Yet, God inspired the prophets to put the responsibility or blame on Himself for what He allows Satan and man to do. So, the wrath of God is simply when He lets go, allowing us to go our own way and do our own thing, until we are ready to do what is right, after we have suffered enough to bring us to our senses and realizing that we brought our troubles on ourselves by our own disobedience, rebellion and stubbornness.

For over two years I earnestly prayed and studied on these things God had shown me concerning the wicked and Satan and his angels. I did not even tell my best friends because I knew how much they hated Satan. Of course, I hated him too for causing all of the suffering in this world, especially to Jesus on the cross. We were all looking forward to the day when he will be burned to ashes and never exist again. Then one day the Lord helped me to see something I had never seen or thought of before. The prophet Ezekiel predicted the final end of Lucifer in chapter 28 of his book. From vs. 9 to 19 we read about the death of a being that once was in the garden of Eden, and was the “anointed cherub that covereth,” v. 14. Obviously the prophet is speaking directly to his first angel, Lucifer, (now Satan) under the title of the “Prince of Tyrus,” an earthly prince who was never in Eden or called the covering cherub nor wiser than Daniel, v. 3. But Ezekiel prophecies the utter end of this first sinner and master deceiver. “Thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” v. 19.

Through my investigation of this subject the idea of Satan being brought to ashes has been brought to my attention. This raises a number of questions. Lucifer, Satan, is a spirit being, so how could he be literally burned up or brought to ashes without a body? It finally occurred to me that the word ashes is being used here as a symbol for something else and is not to be understood literally, just as the word “fire” in the Bible is symbolic of truth and righteousness and love. For example, Jesus said, “I have come to bring fire on the earth.” What he meant was that His coming would bring light, truth, righteousness and love but there would also be a “fiery” reaction of anger, hatred and rejection of the truth leading up to His trial and crucifixion. Jesus truly did start a lot of fires in this earth. But the way He used the word fire is obviously not meant to be interpreted as a literal fire, per se. So, it is with the fire that brings Lucifer to ashes. “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries (palaces or dwelling places, such as the souls of men) by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic (evil works or business): therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, (Satan) and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” Ezek. 28:18, 19.

Now, let’s go back to Ezek. 28 regarding the fire (a fiery revelation of truth from the Panoramic view in the sky) that Jesus predicts He will bring forth from the midst of Satan that will set off this whole chain reaction of dying to self and then being resurrected in newness of life after he bows down and confesses and has a genuine conversion experience. This will all be done publicly before the universe. Jesus tried to warn Lucifer (Satan) that this would happen but he wouldn’t listen. The prophet Isaiah also predicted that Lucifer’s pride would lead him down to hell. Five times he uses the vertical pronoun “I” in his selfish, egotistical campaign to exalt himself above the stars of God to become like the most high. “Yet thou shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof;” Isa. 14:12-17. Notice the phrase, “thou shalt be brought down to hell” which is simply the grave or death. But it is not a literal death but a death of the ego for him which v. 18, 19 proves by stating that although all the kings of the nations are dead and “lie in their glory…thou shalt not be joined with them in burial.” Satan will be “entombed” as it were, in this bombed out crater of a planet lying in ruins which he caused. He will remain here in “chains” (circumstantial chains) for 1,000 years to stew in the remembrances of his many failures and defeats during his long rebellion against Christ and His saints. This will be his “quiet time” as it were for him to consider all of his evil deeds. So, being brought down to “hell” or the grave fits in perfectly with the idea of a resurrection from the grave which Paul uses to illustrate the meaning of baptism. Of course, Satan does not bow down right away. It takes awhile.

After the 1,000 years and the resurrection of the wicked he once again incites them to rebel and even leads them in an assault on the holy city, New Jerusalem. But that is when God “Brings forth a fire from inside of him (from the midst of thee).” This is what brings all of the wicked human race outside the city to their knees and according to GC 666 this same panoramic view or movie in the sky also brings Satan (and all of his angels) to their knees as well. This movie in the sky is a history of the human race specifically detailing God’s loving watch care and efforts to reveal His love through various means, especially through the earthly ministry of Jesus. EGW goes into great detail about this movie in the sky explaining that when Jesus eye looks upon all of the sinners standing outside the city they become conscious of every sin they have ever committed. Whether they all bow at the same time or at different times is not relevant to the final, bottom line. Eventually they will all bow down and confess or avow and come back to their Creator. But it is this revelation of love, inside of every heart, even in Satan that causes him to become remorseful, sorrowful and grieve over his sins to the point that even he bows before the throne of God and confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. Thus, he is led him to ashes or repentance.

So, when Satan truly repents he will never be Satan again but will be reborn or born again into the kingdom of God as what God created him to be in the first place, his covering cherub, Lucifer. So, it is true after all, Satan will never enter heaven. But after he truly repents, and is born again, he will have the same right to be in heaven as the thief on the cross for God’s forgiveness has no limits or expiration dates. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God but when we repent, like the prodigal son we are welcomed back with open arms. And Lucifer is the first prodigal son and the last to finally come back home.

As I was reading in the book, The Story of Redemption, I read where Satan asked Jesus to let him go back to heaven, saying he was sorry and had repented. I also read that Jesus wept. This helped me to realize Jesus still loved Lucifer. Why else would He weep? In His weeping I saw a future hope for Lucifer. Just as Jesus wept over Jerusalem and the lost Jews of His days and no doubt over you and me at times. An understanding of the word “Aion” or age and ages has helped me to understand how the word eternal and everlasting refer to only one time segment or age of history. So, Jesus saw into the future that Lucifer was lost for the age of this world and it made Him sad and He wept for His first created angel. But in the great age of the ages after the 1,000 year age Lucifer will repent and come back home. But when I read those words, “Jesus wept” my heart was touched, causing me to change how I felt toward Satan. It was then that I was able to see that it is the sin in Satan, as well as all sinners, including each of us, that makes Jesus weep. And that is why He hates the sin but loves the sinner. God is no respecter of persons, James tells us. He loves each of us the same always holding out his hand to us. No, Jesus does not hate Satan, nor should we. He is a fallen son like the prodigal whose Father yearned every day for his return, looking and longing for him to come home. Is it possible God’s heart is filled with a lot more pain than we could ever realize? Jude 9 tells us that when Satan disputed over the body of Moses Jesus refused to make any “railing accusations” against Satan. Nor should we for even the holy angels, “which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.” 2 Pet. 2:11.

Because of what we are told in TM 106 regarding being careful in presenting new views of Scripture I was slow in telling others what I had learned. We are counseled that we should study carefully first and be prepared to sustain them from the Bible so that the evidence is clear and will not cause dissension but will be plain that God is bringing forth a “special message for this time.”

Then I read in Selected Messages 355. “The understanding of the people of God has been blinded, for Satan has misrepresented the character of God. Our good and gracious Lord has been presented before the people clothed with the attributes of Satan and men and women who have been searching for truth have so long regarded God in a false light that is difficult to dispel the cloud that obscures His glory from their view.” So, this plus what I read in COL 414, 415 really put me on fire to tell others about God’s true character of love. “It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing the knowledge of his character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message of God is to be proclaimed…His character is to be known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy and truth.”

Here are some other statements that also made me want to tell others this wonderful message of truth: “Do not trust the wisdom of any man, go to the Scriptures for your self, search the inspired word, lay aside your preconceived opinions.” R & H Mar. 25, 1890. In TM 105 EGW made it clear that we are not to put doctrinal positions and ideas in concrete. She advised that “an idea once advocated can not under any circumstance be relinquished. There is only one who is infallible—He who is the way, the truth and the life.”

“Some matters have been opened before me will be fulfilled ere long. We are to know more than we do at the present time. We are to comprehend the ‘DEEP THINGS’ of God. There are themes to be dwelt upon that are worthy of more than a passing notice—as we near the closing scenes of this earth’s history STILL MORE WONDERFUL PRESENTATIONS WILL BE MADE.” Manuscript 75, 1890.

Notice carefully what our prophet said before she died in 1915…There are some “HIDDEN THINGS” in the inspired writings. Isa. 48:6 says, “Thou hast heard, see all this, and will ye not declare it? I have showed thee ‘NEW THINGS’ from this time, even ‘HIDDEN THINGS’ and thou didst not know them.” In this age, will He not show us these hidden things? I think He will and already has. Evidently, one of these hidden things is in Jer. 31:4. Several times I had read this chapter without noticing or understanding what it really says. “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying: Yea, I have loved thee with an EVERLASTING LOVE, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee… and thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets and shall go forth in the dances of them that make merry.”

Lucifer was the only angel I ever read in the bible about who was adorned with those beautiful stones and the “Workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee the day thou was created.” Therefore, I believe Jer. 31:4 is referring to the reconciliation of Satan. Let’s look also at v. 9. “They (all the lost) shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.” This reference to Ephraim has two important applications. First of all, I believe this is a direct reference to Lucifer for he also is the first born of the angels. Secondly, Ephraim was the first born of Joseph yet his tribe is excluded from the 144,000 because his character was flawed. Read about it in Judges 19 regarding the homosexual affair.

Furthermore, in verses 18-20 we can see there are two individuals talking. “I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.” Hosea 7:8 refers to Ephraim as a “cake not turned.” In other words Ephraim has not been thoroughly cooked, not ready to eat. He is not perfect or complete, a symbol of how God looks at all of the lost, human beings and angels as well. Ephraim is referred to throughout the book of Hosea. “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I set thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One (Jesus) in the midst of thee:” Hosea 11:8, 9.

I know this is entirely different from what we have believed and taught in the past but COL 108, says, “In every age there is a new development of truth. A message of God to the people of that generation. New truths are not independent of the old but an UNFOLDING of it. It is as the old truths are understood that we can comprehend the new.” Cf. Ezek. 16:53-55; 47:9. (Editor’s Note: The healing of the “desert and “sea” here are referring to people who are thirsting for Jesus’, the water of life. The sea here is also the “dead sea.”) And Ezek. predicts the “waters” or people will be healed. The waters issuing from the house in v. 1 and 9 represents the saints flowing out of the New Jerusalem after the 1,000 years to heal the wicked who are outside of the city. This will be their special work in the future life. Knowledge is progressive from age to age. Science alone proves this with the airplane, automobile, radio, TVs, computers, etc. Anyone born before WW II can remember the days when we had no TV and those born in the 50’s and 60’s remember what it was like without computers. Knowledge is being increased rapidly as the end approaches just as Daniel 12 predicted.

So, it is also in the spiritual realm. We know that the New Testament gives us much more information about God, especially about His character, than the Old Testament. Sister White, living 1900 years later, in the very last segment of time, gives us even more truth and expands on that which was given in the New Testament. This is the “Gift of Prophecy” Rev. 19:10 refers to which the Lord has given (showers of spiritual rain or knowledge of God’s character so we can be like Him) to ripen the harvest in this last hour. Eleventh Hour workers are needed to go into the vineyard to finish the work. In order to receive these showers we must be willing to let go of our preconceived ideas and beliefs and allow the “still small voice” of God’s Holy Spirit to teach us. GW 310 says: “While we must hold on to the truths we have already received, we must not look with suspicion upon any new light He may send.” This is what the Jewish leaders in Christ’s day did and look what happened to them. It is a terrible thing to reject light. We have not yet seen, felt or experienced the full results of the sin of rejecting the light in 1888. But it will soon be known.

Now, I am coming to the end of this study and have a few closing thoughts I wish to share. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever thought of how Jesus will feel, being a God of love, when at the end of the 1,000 years of the Millennium, when He has to say “Good-bye” not only to all the wicked, lost souls of this earth but to all his lost angels as well? He created each one of them and knows them all by name. How could He stand the pain? Jesus came to give the “Good News” of the gospel. Certainly this would not be good news at the very end of the judgment. Yet, in our hard heartedness this is the doctrine the SDA Church is teaching to the world about how God will deal with sin and sinners in the final day. This is not only bad news, it is the most horrible news one could imagine, similar to the hell-fire doctrine of the Catholics and Protestants. The messages of 1888 and all that have come since that time were sent to correct these false teachings. I wish there were more time and space to develop these ideas for volumes more could and should be said on this point as it is a terrible slander against the Name or Character of God. This is the issue and what is really at stake here. How can we continue to blaspheme His holy Name like this?

Now, another thought. Why would Jesus, being the epitome of love and caring, keep all the evil angels alive for 6000 years if He only planned to kill them in the final judgment anyway? Our teaching has been that their fate was sealed long ago so the only reason God has continued their existence to the final judgment is to prove that He is right and they are wrong. He wants all the universe to watch them suffer and die so as to impress all the saved that you better obey my rules and regulations or the same will happen to you in the future. I think it would make an impression all right…a very bad impression. Every heart would be filled with fear. What kind of a God are we presenting to the world my friends? A God who would bring back all our dead loved ones who never accepted Him for one reason or another that only God knows…and here He is bringing them all back to put them through one last final mental and physical torture to teach everyone the final lesson that you better not mess with this God because He has the power to not only kill you but make you very, very sorry you ever existed. And all of this just to prove that He is right! And all along He knew full well ahead of time that not even one of them would respond to any final appeal. What could His motive possibly be? Would it be only to show the righteous that His way is superior? And to give them the satisfaction and reward of seeing all of their enemies burn and squirm in the horrible lake of fire? The more I have thought about all of this the more it has bothered me. This could not be the way a God of love would operate. And the idea of the lake of fire being a literal lake of fire is another false doctrine that blasphemes God’s character. Lake is water and water represents people. Fire in the Bible represents love, truth and righteousness. When it is rejected it represents pain and suffering. These are important concepts to understand. Look up all the words in your concordance on fire and find out for yourself how the word fire is used, especially in Revelation.

So, what answer do you have for these questions? Let me tell you my answer. God has known and planned from eternity past that, as Paul says, In the dispensation of the FULLNESS OF TIME, He will, without force or coercion or fear tactics, but only with love, bring ALL CREATION to a true repentance. That every knee will bow and every tongue confess, avow and rejoice when they see how wise and kind and loving God really is. This is what will truly bring glory to our Creator God, Jesus Christ. No wonder all nations will gather around His throne to give Him praise and honor and thanks, Rev. 15.

One of the last and best books EGW wrote is “The Desire of Ages.” Listen to this quote from her pen toward the last of the book. “The gospel is to be presented, not in a lifeless theory, but as a living force to change the life. God desires that the receivers of His grace shall be witnesses of His power. Those whose course has been most offensive to Him He freely accepts; when they repent. He imparts to them His Divine Spirit, places them in the highest positions of trust, and sends them forth into the camp of the disloyal to proclaim His boundless mercy. He would have His servants bear testimony to the fact that through His grace men may possess Christ-likeness of character, and may rejoice in the assurance of His great love. He would have us bear testimony to the FACT THAT HE CANNOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL THE HUMAN RACE ARE RECLAIMED AND REINSTATED IN THEIR HOLY PRIVILEGES AS HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS.” DA 826.

In this amazing statement during the final days of her ministry Ellen G. White penned this eye- opening statement. It is my firm and growing conviction that this truly is part of the EVERLASTING GOSPEL for it certainly is the best news I have heard so far. That is why I am telling it now to all who will listen. This statement seems to be a comment on Isa. 53:11 which predicts that in the ages to come, Jesus will at last “See the travail of His soul and be satisfied.” For my own part, I will not be satisfied until our great shepherd of the flock, has gathered safely into the fold that one last lost sheep. What if it were your son or daughter, or your beloved husband or wife? I will leave you with this thought and hope that you will pray and study on your own in the days to come until your heart is fully satisfied that you know the truth. Good bye for now and God bless you each one, Esther Belcher.

Additional Note:

I recently learned from the SDA Bible Dictionary the true meaning of the word “Ashes” and how it is used in the Bible. Notice: Among the ancient Hebrews, to put on sackcloth and ashes, or to lie in them, or to sprinkle ashes on the head was a token of grief and mourning (2 Sam. 13:19; Est 4:1, 3; Job 2:8; Neh 9:1). TO SIT IN ASHES WAS A SIGN OF PENITENCE (JONAH 3:6; CF. JOB 42:6).

SDA Bible Commentary, page 84. In addition to this the traditional symbolical meaning of “Ashes” according to “DICTIONARY OF SYMBOLS,” by Jack Tresidder means, “Extinction, bereavement, renunciation, penitence and, in some cultures-particularly Native American, a symbol also invoking a phoenix-like rebirth.” Page 17.

What a revelation! Now, with this new understanding let us go back to Ezek. 28 and substitute the word “repentance” and even “grief, sorrow and mourning,” in place of the word ashes. Notice how much clearer and easier to understand it becomes to our western, occidental minds. “I will bring thee to repentance (and grief, sorrow and mourning for your sins) upon the earth (at the time of the final judgment when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess) in the sight of all them that behold thee.” Ezek. 28:18.

As we have already noted the word “Ashes” is not to be taken literally but is symbolical for Sorrow, grief, pain, mourning and repentance. With this insight we can better understand Numbers 19 where the sacrifice of the Red Heifer is explained in detail. This sacrifice was utterly different than the regular offerings. It is the only sacrifice which was made outside of the gate and the only one in which the ashes of the animal were saved to be used in a future ceremony of purification for sins in the future regarding contamination by having any kind of contact with dead people, which included just being in the house where a man died. So, how much more was this necessary for those who were involved in killing the enemy during times of war, etc. I have an idea that Israel did not observe this law of the Red Heifer very carefully or very often. This is the only sacrifice in the entire ceremonial system that made provision for sins in the future. Someone may protest that the ceremonial system and its symbolical meanings ended at the cross when Jesus died and nailed the whole system to His cross. That is only partially true. At least one other aspect of the ceremonial system takes God’s people into the future. What was that? It was the ceremony of the two goats…the Lord’s goat, representing Jesus and the Scapegoat which represented Satan. The goat which represented Christ was killed but the Scape goat was led into the wilderness by a “fit” man.

This word “Fit” in the original Hebrew is ‘ittiy’ (ittee) from Strong’s 6261. It means “Timely or Fit.” >From previous studies we have learned that the 144,000 are spoken of in the Bible as ONE. An example of this is found in Hosea 11:1 where the entire nation of Israel is referred to as one person…i.e. a son. Matt. 2:15 reinterprets this verse to apply to Jesus. Rev. 11:15 reveals that the Lord (Jesus) has a Christ or Christos through whom He is doing His final works in the earth in the last days of this age (aion or eon). This Christos is the 144,000 which is also referred to in Rev. 12:10. This is also the “KING” and “SON” in Psalm 2:6-12. Cf. Ps. 110:1. Every verse that applied to Jesus at His first coming now applies to the 144,000 in these last days just before the second advent of our Lord. So, the 144,000 come on the scene just at the right time…the TIMELY AND FIT MAN, who will lead Satan into the wilderness by this powerful message of love God gives to them to give to the world. This is the powerful light of truth which even now is beginning to destroy the darkness…the dark shroud of death Satan has cast over the earth. But as Babylon begins to fall–less and less of the supporters of Babylon will continue to support Satan, even of his own angels. Why else would Dan. 11:45 predict: “He shall come to his end and none shall help him.” None would include all of the evil angels who not only watched Jesus in Gethsemane and on the cross but are also watching us today (Eph. 3:10). We are told the evil angels hate and war against each other. So, Satan’s kingdom is always on the edge of disaster and collapse. Just as God, in His great mercy, saved Satan and his angels from perishing during the flood (which they caused) so Jesus is also preserving the evil angels through these last days. Notice what Jude 6 says about them: “The angels which kept not their first estate, (principality) but left their own habitation, He (Jesus) hath reserved in everlasting chains (chains circumstances that last until the final eons or ages) under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (final day of judgment or at the time of the panoramic view, GC 666).

The final message is a “Revelation of His character of love.” COL 414, 415. This is predicted in Rev. 18. “The light which attended this angel (Rev. 18) penetrated everywhere (via the internet & Television) as he cried mightily, with a strong voice, ‘Babylon the great if fallen, is fallen,…’ The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great of the third angel’s message as it swells into a loud cry. And the people of God are thus prepared to stand in the hour of temptation, which they are soon to meet. I saw a great light resting upon them, and they united to fearlessly proclaim the third angel’s message.” EW 277. Then on page 280 we read: “In that fearful time, after the close of Jesus’ mediation, the saints were living in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor. Every case was decided, every jewel numbered. Jesus tarried a moment in the outer apartment of the heavenly sanctuary, and the sins which had been confessed while He was in the most holy place were placed upon Satan, the originator of sin, who must suffer their punishment.” Notice here the phrase, “Every jewel numbered.” This is a direct reference to Mal. 3:17 where God declares that there is a “day” (short time frame or period; same as “day of the Lord”) when God is going to “make up my jewels.” Mal. 3:17. This phrase “make up” is translated “act” or “appoint” in RSV and NEB respectively. So, the 144,000 come on the scene of action at exactly the right time as the “Timely or Fit” man to give the final message which leads Satan into the one thousand years, alone and bound by chains of circumstances of his own making by his own persistent rebellious actions.

Now, let’s go into the millennium itself. In contrast to the wilderness of this world (Jer. 25:31- 33, Isa. 14) which is a vast graveyard of all the dead Satan is responsible for let us go up to heaven where all the righteous are rejoicing and “growing up as calves of the stall.” Mal. 4:1-3. Please notice how the righteous saved in heaven are referred to as “calves,” the same animal symbol used in Num. 19 for the offering of the Red Heifer. As I researched the difference between a calf and a heifer I discovered a calf is up to one year old but a heifer is up to three years old. I then thought that in terms of eternity that a thousand years could be considered a short span of time, just enough to mature these “calves of the stall” into Red Heifers at the close of the one thousand years…just in time for them, like Jesus, would be willing to sacrifice themselves to go out among the wicked and sprinkle the ashes of the red heifer on them (tell them about Jesus great love and how the Father is waiting for their return) and thus bring them the true water of life so they can be healed, which is what Ezek. 47 tells us will happen. The waters (people) flow out of the house (city of New Jerusalem) into the desert and bring healing. Ezek. 16:53-55 also predict that Sodom and her sisters will return to their first or original estate or condition God intended for them.

Rev. 21:25 clearly states that “the gates of it (city) shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.” So, these waters (saved people) going out of the city out into the desert wilderness of this world will be successful in returning with their friends and loved ones into the city whose gates are never closed. As I was praying and studying about all of this for several days the Lord spoke to me one day while I was driving to Portland and reminded me that when the prodigal son returned home his father killed the fatted calf. Because this is a symbol of the vicarious and atoning death of Jesus the killing of the fatted calf could represent the same thing as the red heifer which was killed and burned to ashes so the ashes could be sprinkled in the future on all who became contaminated and ceremonially unclean by having contact with dead bodies.

So, who will be in more need of purification with the ashes of the red heifer than the wicked outside of the city? Only Satan himself with his unholy angels. So, as the devil and his angels watch God’s people go out and sprinkle the ashes of the fatted calf or red heifer on their lost friends and relatives…i.e. offer them the gift of salvation and watch them, as they, little by little, begin to go into the city and drink of the water of life and eat of the tree of life because they are so thirsty and Jesus and the saints are offering it to them. Can you imagine what joy and rejoicing that would bring…what a celebration there would be every time a lost sinner came into the city and began the process of healing by eating of the leaves of the tree of life!! And what do you suppose these new born Christians would want to do? Why they would want to go back out into the dark world and show their friends, relatives and loved ones their new bodies and encourage and convince to come in with them. So, on and on it will go for years and years until all of the wicked are renewed and saved. It could take 100 years or more. Cf. Isa. 65:20.

But then Satan and his angels are still out there in their same miserable condition. They are angry, frightened, even terrified. Why? Because, now that God has all of His children back in the fold He is going to make them suffer a long and torturous death. Of course, that is what most Christians are looking forward to isn’t it? I mean, I must admit that I certainly was looking forward to it as my hatred for Satan and all the wicked was so great. But that is not God’s character. This very idea is a doctrine of devils. Here let me prove that to you by quoting the very words of the demons to Jesus in Mark 1:23, 24. “A man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, ‘Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know who thou art, the Holy One of God.” In Matt. 8:29 two possessed of devils came out of a graveyard or the tombs. “So ferocious were they that no one could travel on that road. They shouted: ‘Son of God, what business is it of yours to bother us? Have You come here to torture us ahead of time?” God has never hurt, injured, or even spoken a harsh or slanderous word to or against these fallen angels, let alone hurt or killed one of them. 2 Pet. 2:9-12 and Jude 9 indicate that neither Jesus nor his angels even give bad reports against these evil angels who wreak havoc upon the earth daily. But, they are only doing what they are allowed to do by God’s permissive will. Amazingly, God calls them His angels and wicked, demon possessed men His sword. Ps. 17:13; 35:5, 6. God has been “reserving” until the final day of judgment when He will reveal Himself to them through the panoramic view in the sky as well as by the 144,000 and the saints who are willing to go out of the city to try and minister to lost humanity as well as the lost angels and Satan himself.

After having successfully converted all of lost humanity and brought them safely into the New Jerusalem, the 144,000 and many of the saints will probably be very experienced soul winners…so much so that they would be very capable of going outside of the city to talk to the fallen angels. The Bible says that all of God’s creatures will eventually bow so this naturally, would include all of the evil angels as well. All you would need is a few of the evil angels to come into the city and be renewed to their original estate and condition and you would have soul winning angels willing, ready and eager to go back out into that dark world they just left behind so as to show their fallen comrades their restored angelic beings radiant once again with the light and love of their Creator-Redeemer Jesus. Is this good news or what? How good can the good news get? It certainly is to those who have the mind of Jesus and will not be SATISFIED (Isa. 53:11) until every last one of His creatures is restored to His throne.

In addition to this Paul tells us who the real enemy is and how it will be destroyed. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” I Cor. 15:26. How could that possibly come to pass if God destroys any or all of the wicked and the evil angels along with Satan? Death would not be destroyed but immortalized. But the Bible clearly tells us that even “death and hell (hades or the grave) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Rev. 20:14. What better way of destroying all death and dying than bringing everyone back to fulness of life, health and righteousness. Whenever I speak about this to people many will say, “Oh, I wish that were the way it would turn out but God cannot force the free will of man. Most people do not want to go to heaven anyway.” This is not true. The only reason anyone in this world does not want to go to heaven is because of the false and hypocritical way heaven has been presented to them. Most religious people who are trying to convert people to believe in God and join some kind of church are teaching eternal hell fire and extinction. Most intelligent people can see through such a sham religion. They don’t want a God who is threatening them with eternal torture or eternal non-existence after a certain amount of torture because they did not believe in every detail of their religion. When Jesus and heaven are presented in their true character no one in their right mind would reject it anymore than a person would reject a free Cadillac or winning lottery ticket worth $100 million ($100,000,000.)

Because of the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination later generations of theologians such as Jacob Arminius and others went to the other extreme and developed the concept of free will to the extent that man’s will was greater than the ultimate will and intentional will of God Himself. The simple truth of the matter is that God knows how long it will take and what it will take to bring everyone of His creatures to repentance so they will return to Him in loving obedience of their own volition or free will. He knows when the first harvest of the 144,000 will be ready and He also knows when the final harvest after the 1,000 years will be ready. All time and all souls are in the hands of God, Ezek. 18. Jesus is “Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.

Many reading these words are very careful not to take God’s holy Name in vain or to blaspheme His holy Name. But, my friend, just think about this. Are we not taking His Name in vain when we refuse to believe His Word and agree with His plan and line up with His plans, thus having the mind of Christ, Himself, who wills that all men be saved? When Sarah laughed and actually made fun of the idea that she could get pregnant and have a son at her advanced age Jesus read her mind and asked her why she had laughed. “Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” Gen. 18:12-14. So it is also with all of the souls who do not go to heaven this side of the 1,000 years. Time is not a problem with God. Does not our Creator declare that “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” After the rich young ruler walked away from Jesus and His offer to become His disciples Jesus began explaining how hard it is for rich people to get into heaven. “Who then can be saved?” was their question to Jesus. Notice His all encompassing answer. “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Luke 18:27. And this is directly bearing on the subject we are discussing…the salvation of all men and angels. One day back in the early 70’s I happened to be visiting in the city of Spokane, Wash. and went to a park to meditate and pray. I also had my Bible with me and was reading when the Lord impressed me to memorize I Cor. 13. So, I started in and completed it in about an hour or more by repeating the verses over and over again until I could say them without looking. Of course, at that time I did not believe in Universal Reconciliation.

In fact, I did not even know such a doctrine had ever been taught in the early church. If anyone had tried to explain the concept to me I would not have accepted it as it was not time for me to hear it. And years later when the idea was expressed to me during a Bible study I was presenting on a video tape I reacted to such an idea. But the seed was planted and took root and began to grow. It took me three months of agonizing prayer and Bible study before I was ready to accept it as a true doctrine of the Bible. Then the Lord had a lady from Seattle send me a copy of Pridgeon’s book, “IS HELL ETERNAL OR WILL GOD’S PLAN FAIL.” I had already looked at that book and told this lady I was not interested in reading it let alone reprinting it for distribution. But here it was right in front of me despite my protests. So, I opened it and scanned the table of contents until I came to chapter 26, “CONCERNING THE SALVATION OF ANGELS AND DEMONS.” I told the Lord that if, after reading that one chapter, I was convinced that He was able to win back and convert the evil angels and the devil himself, then I would believe in Universal Salvation. I started reading on page 259 and when I finished on page 277 I was convinced that Jesus not only had planned the salvation of all of His creatures from eternity past but was in the process of carrying it out even now because everything was happening just as He planned it. My life began to change very dramatically.

In his book, “Christ Triumphant,” Thomas Allin speaks to this idea that God does not have the power to bring all of His creatures to repentance. “This God is not even Lord in His own house; for the worst and feeblest of His creatures can defeat His most cherished plan; can paralyze the Cross of Christ.” He also speaks about those who picture God as having eternal love until the sinner dies and then that same eternal love is turned into an eternal hate which casts the sinners into an ever burning hell-fire, sometimes forever and sometimes for only a little while. He concludes that all this is not only morally repulsive, but a plain contradiction in terms. I also like Thomas Erskine’s statement. The notion, which is in fact that of the popular creed, i.e., that God is in the Bible detailing the story of His own defeat, is telling how sin has proved too strong for Him; this notion is worse than absurd. Assuredly the Bible is not the story of sin deepening into eternal ruin—of creation darkened forever by a ghastly hell—of god’s own Son worsted in His utmost effort. It is from the opening to the close the story of grace stronger than sin—of life victorious over every form of death—of God triumphing over evil. Page 310.

By means of the computer in these last days men are claiming to be able to decipher hidden messages or codes in the Bible, the Old Testament at least, as I understand it. They say that when God wrote the old testament He put names and events in number formulas such as the name of Rabin every so many letters and the time and name of his assassin are also spelled out by mathematically counting so many letters in a certain pattern. More and more people are talking about this and believing it. If this kind of mathematical precision can be proved to be in the very fabric and structure of the Hebrew text of Genesis and/or any other book of the Bible what does this say about our Mighty God…our everlasting Creator, Jesus Christ? Does it not tell us that He is awesome beyond our wildest dreams? Does it not tell us that when He says He is God and there is none else, that He knows the end from the beginning and wills to save all mankind that we should not doubt His word lest we find ourselves fighting against His plans and blaspheming His Name as surely as the Jews did when they rejected the idea that God loved the Gentiles just as much as them and planned to bring them into the kingdom as joint heirs. Even Peter had a hard time accepting this and had to be rebuked by Paul for not standing firm on the right side of this issue in front of the brethren.

Beloved, let me speak to you very seriously about this matter for a moment. As I have been sharing this wonderful concept of the, Plan of The Ages, as Charles Pridgeon referred to it, for the last ten years I have observed something very consistently with people who choose not believe it. If I were to make up a psychological profile to describe these people their number one characteristic would be that they have hidden anger and secret rage and revenge in their heart for certain people they wish were dead right now but to look into the future to the time when God Himself will torture and burn these people until they are totally consumed gives them such carnal satisfaction that they are not about to give it up. They often are people who have accepted the first level or two of the character of God that God does not destroy. They really like that but when you go deeper into the heart of God they revert back to their former attitude and spirit so they can reject the idea that God’s love extends even to their worst enemies. Thus they steel their heart and mind against this precious new light that could transform their live. They may have been praying for a deeper experience in the things of God but they do not recognize the answer to their prayers. There is a price to pay for such unbelief and lack of faith. I think of a man who had prayed for years for a child. But when the Lord sent a messenger to inform him that his prayers had been answered he refused to believe. This man’s name was Zacharias. He was an elderly priest who served in the temple. His wife’s name was Elisabeth. Luke tells us they both were stricken in years or very old like Abraham and Sarah of old. His job was to burn the incense in the temple. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared before him standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled or shocked and very afraid. The LB says “terrified.” The angel told him not to be afraid for he had come to tell him his wife was going to have a son who would be a great preacher like Elijah and prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah changing many people’s mind from disobedience to the wisdom of the just.

Just think of it. An angel of the Lord…Gabrielle appearing. But what was this priest’s reaction? First of all, he was afraid. The purity and holiness of the spirit of this Divine messenger exposed the shallowness of his legalistic spirit and his carnal fear overwhelmed him so much a spirit of unbelief took control of his mind as he asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?” NIV. Another says, “But this is impossible!” Gabriel is shocked by this unbelieving attitude and informs Zacharias who she is…I am Gabrielle, who stands in the very presence of God Himself. The name of Gabrielle is mentioned in Dan. 8 and 9 so Zacharias knew who this angel was. Jewish legalism had replaced genuine faith in the things of God to the extent that this elderly priest was not able to sense and recognize the true Spirit of God when it appeared to him. If we do not have daily communion with the spirit of God we will not recognize the truth when it is presented to us in the most convincing matter. Contrast this scenario with Gabriel’s appearance to Mary. He did not tell her his name for she had a believing spirit. She asked a simple and legitimate question which Gabriel answered without rebuke. Then Mary responded, “Here I am, the Lord’s bondslave. Let it be with me as you say.” Luke 1:38.

But going back to I Cor. 13. There was one verse that bothered me a great deal. It read: “Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity (love) never fails.” V. 7, 8. What bothered me was the idea that if God truly could believe, bear, hope and endure all things so that His love would never fail why was it that most of the human race were lost beyond any hope of redemption? This bothered me a great deal and I wept over the situation many times. Later I wept for joy when I learned the truth that has changed my life like nothing else ever has.

From what we have now learned let us go to another hard text which should fall into place and be easily understood in the light of what we have already learned about the fire of God, its nature and His intent in showering it down upon His creatures…the fire of His love. Cf. Song of Solomon 8:6. In earlier studies we learned from Mal. 3:17 and 18 that God’s Jewels (His special treasure) are the 144,000 whom He will spare or keep alive in the last days as an instrument in His hand to be with Him and then “return and discern between the righteous and the wicked.” In the original Hebrew there were no chapter divisions so the next verse of chapter 4 is a natural continuation of the last idea of Mal. 3:18 and flows on into Mal. 4:1. Notice: “For, (or because or as a result of this discerning by the 144,000) behold (look or stare or consider) the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that is shall leave them neither root or branch.” Question: How does an oven burn? It burns on the inside. So, it is that the wicked will be burning in their hearts and consciences because of the truths that are being brought forth via God’s Christos or chosen Son, King and servant. This is a fire that will burn in their bones…a message of truth and righteousness which they will reject on this side of the millennium but which will eventually, on the other side of the 1,000 years burn them up (consume all of their dross and sins so they become new creatures in Christ Jesus). And that is the message of Mal. 4:2…predicting the preaching message from Jesus to all those who “fear His Name” (know His character). They are going to bring healing to all those who accept him on this side of the millennium. Then during the 1,000 years the redeemed will “go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” During the 1,000 years all the righteous will come to a full and complete understanding of the Mystery of His will so at the close of the 1,000 years they will “treat down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.” Remember, beloved, that ashes are a symbol of grief, mourning and repentance and transformation as well. This looks forward to renewal via the resurrection and all that transpires after that.

In I Cor. 15:22 Paul predicts: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive.” Beloved, plain logic tells us that in order for the first to be valid and true the second must also be equally true for this is a Pauline parallelism. Then Paul continues on showing the different harvests of souls… “But every man (human being) in his own order: (which God alone has determined without interfering with His free will). Christ the first fruits; after ward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” This will include the 144,000 and the great multitude or one third of the human race. Zech. 13. So, we still have two thirds of humanity dead in the earth and one third of the evil angels with Satan stuck here on this planet during the 1,000 years, bound in chains of circumstances they have created for themselves. Now watch v. 24. “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” So, how does He do this? By destroying them with literal fire? That is what we always believed. But now we know that is not true at all. No. The way He will put down all rule and authority and power which has rebelled and rejected Him is to reveal Himself in the panoramic movie in the sky described in GC 666. This will bring all to their knees and to true grief, sorrow and repentance…IN OTHER WORDS…TO ASHES IN THE SIGHT OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE. What a fitting climax to the great controversy. Now, notice what Paul says in the next verse for He is writing this scenario in sequence as the Holy Spirit gave it to him. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” v. 26. Cf. Heb. 2:14 and Rev. 20:14.

Now, we come to the verse which will help us clearly see the meaning of Mal. 4:2 regarding walking on the ashes of the wicked. “For he hath put all things under his feet.” This began at the death and resurrection of Jesus. Remember His words in Matt. 28:18. “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” And what is the final bottom line or goal Jesus is after… “That God may be all in all.” Cf. I Pet. 3:22. Now, we can see that the righteous walking on the ashes of the wicked is a Hebrew parallelism meaning to get the victory over your enemy by loving them to repentance…destroying the enmity through love. If your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty, give him drink and by doing this you are putting coals of fire on his head or burning him up…reducing him to ashes…sorrow, grief and repentance. Paul also speaks of this in Heb. 2 where he specifies that he is talking about the world to come. He makes it clear in v. 5 and on that in the world to come angels will not be the rulers in control.

He is quoting from Psalm 8 but he puts it in the context of the future whereas David had put it in the context of the original creation with Adam. In v. 4 David asks the curious question as to what or who man is that God would take time to visit Him, from time to time in the Old Testament, and then in the person of Jesus, the Creator Himself. Notice the answer: “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands: THOU HAST PUT ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET:” V. 6. This text is apropos or pertinent to our theme here as it helps us to see that when the righteous are symbolically pictured as walking on the ashes of the wicked it simply means that they, like the prodigal son, been reinstated in their holy privileges to once again rule over the earth as God intended from the beginning. Cf. Gen. 1:27-29.

It was not God’s original plan for Satan and his angels to rule this planet as they have been doing for the last 6,000 years. Through deception they wrested the right to dominion away from Adam and Eve and took it to themselves. Yet, the Creator, planning all things in advance, allowed the human family to tread through this valley of sweat, tears, blood and death for the purpose of perfecting them until they would be mature enough to assume the right to reign and rule with their Creator.

Now, let us turn to the idea of death. This is actually very simple to understand. In John 3 Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about being “born again.” We know from the Bible that in order to enter the kingdom of heaven we must have this born again experience which includes repentance and conversion. But genuine conversion means a dying to self, a death to the ego. Paul explains this further in Rom. 6 in regard to baptism. “Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized (publicly) into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death (the humiliating public death on the cross). Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” But he doesn’t stop there. In v. 5 he predicts that baptism is a promise also of a future resurrection. But v. 6 is the real clincher here. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Rom. 6:3-7.

Now, let’s examine more closely this topic of the 1,000 years or Millennium. Actually, the word “millennium” is not used in the Bible, per se. In spite of that the term is often used by Bible teachers when they give their studies, because that is the English equivalent of the Greek term which means a time period of one thousand years, just as the word “decade” means ten years. And so even though the word “millennium” does not appear in Scripture, there are numerous references to this period of time in Rev 20, the only chapter in the entire bible that speaks of the 1,000 years. So, let’s read it together now.

“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, Which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. 7. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.”

So there you can see that the thousand years is mentioned quite a number of times in those few verses. There are many theories and ideas relative to the millennium. Some believe it will usher in a time of peace and prosperity and happiness on earth. Another theory is that Christianity will increase in popularity during the millennium, converting most if not all of the world and then Christ will reign as king over all the earth. Some even teach that the Jews will accept Christ and become His messengers in converting the world. In stark contrast to that theory, another religious group of believe that the millennium has already started. They say that Satan was bound in 1914. And so since they believe that we have actually been in the Millennium since 1914. Some Millennium, don’t you think? Obviously this doctrine could not be true. So, it’s obvious that the thousand years is still in the future. Let’s read Rev 20:1 to find out what really is going to happen. “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.” When I first read that many years ago, this “bottomless pit,” I thought of very deep pit without a bottom. Some people have thought that if Satan was in a pit without a bottom, that he would just drop all the way through. But actually that’s not the meaning of the bottomless pit at all. The Greek word used here in this passage is , that’s translated “bottomless pit,” is the word “Abueeos.” It is used seven times in the book of Revelation. And in every case that it’s used it simply is describing this earth in a condition that is uninhabited, that’s desolate and barren.

In fact, if you go back to Genesis 1, you’ll see that the first time this word “Abussos” is used, it’s translated “bottomless pit” the same as in Revelation 20. Notice that Genesis 1:1, 2. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” Now that expression there “the deep,” is the Greek word, “Abussos” which refers to this earth in, a barren, depopulated condition before it was formed, before it was created, before God performed His creation upon it. And the Bible says in Revelation 20 that the earth is once again going to be in exactly the same condition that it was before the first day of creation, in a barren, depopulated condition. And that’s the meaning of the word “Abussos” translated “bottomless pit.”

Well, you say, does the Bible teach anywhere that the earth is going to become uninhabited, desolate, empty, without an inhabitant? Yes, it does. Jeremiah 4:23, “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.” We had read that very same condition describing the earth, back in Genesis 1, before God created it. And it was “without form and void.” Well, you say, Maybe it’s referring to the earth at the beginning of the world. Well, Let’s just read on. Verses 24-26. “I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. 25. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. 26. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by His fierce anger.” This is referring to the coming of Jesus. The Bible says that the cities are going to be broken down, at the presence of the Lord and by His fierce anger.

Verse 2. “For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.” God is not going to destroy this earth. He’s going to recreate it again. But before that happens, the Bible stresses that the earth is going to become desolate. Yes, all the cities will be broken down. There will be no man and all the birds will flee away. The earth is in a barren, depopulated “Abusaos,” the bottomless pit. Jeremiah 25:32. “Thus said the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.”

You see, in Bible prophecy “wind” is used as a symbol of strife, war, confusion and commotion. This is no doubt referring to the great battle of Armageddon, the “whirlwind” which is going to be raised up from the coasts of all the earth. Verse 33. “And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other and of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried: they shall be dung upon the ground.”

Why does Jeremiah say that the wicked are going to be like dung upon the ground, that they’re not going to be buried? But why are they not going to be buried? Because there will not be anyone to bury them. As we are going to notice in just a moment, the righteous are all going to be gone, and the wicked are going to be destroyed by the presence of the Lord. And the earth is going to become desolate, barren, depopulated, uninhabited. Isaiah 24:1. “Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty, and makes it waste, and turns it upside down, and scatters abroad the inhabitants thereof.”

Now the Bible says that the earth is going to become empty, utterly destroyed. Verse 3. “The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the” Lord hath spoken this word.” Some people find it very difficult to grasp the concept that the earth is actually going to become desolate, empty, without an inhabitant. And yet that is exactly what the Word of God says: “the land will be empty, utterly spoiled. For the Lord has spoken this word. God predicts it.”

Verse 5. “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” Is this true today, that the earth is becoming polluted, under the inhabitants thereof? Yes, it is. But what is it that is going to cause the earth to become empty? It is the very fact that the people themselves are going to defile their own land. How? Because mankind has changed the laws of God in regard to marriage, for example. The Gay Agenda is proving that so today with their same sex marriages which are now being legalized by the courts of the land. But beyond that the Bible says and current events will soon prove this true, mankind has actually changed God’s Ten Commandments until the vast majority in the world today no longer follow the commandments as given by God, they follow the commandments as given by man. For example, the vast majority of people observe Sunday today as their holy day instead of God’s holy Sabbath. Yes, they’ve changed the ordinance and broken the everlasting covenant as we read in Verse 6. “Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.” Beloved, I pray to that every one of us will be among those few that Jesus said will find the narrow road that leads to eternal life, because the vast majority of the earth’s inhabitants are going to be lost for this age because they’ve rejected the truth about God and His laws. They no longer want to follow God. Isaiah 2:19-21. So, this is the prediction of what will happen to them. “And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake terribly the earth. 20. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats: 21. To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake terribly the earth.”

How is the Lord God going to shake this earth? Well, I don”t know how many of you have been in an earthquake, but they refer to our earth as terra firma. If you have been through an earthquake, you know there’s plenty of terror, but nothing is very firm. Everything is moving so much it is hard to see straight. And that is what the Bible says is going to happen in that day… the earth is going to reel to and fro like a drunkard and the inhabitants are going to be destroyed and the earth is going to become desolate, depopulated, barren, without an inhabitant. That’s the meaning of the expression in Revelation, “the bottomless pit,” in which Satan is going to be chained during the one thousand years. Now the question naturally arises in many minds regarding the binding of Satan. How can you bind his satanic majesty? Well, it must be obvious to us, that you cannot bind a spiritual being with a literal chain. No, you couldn’t do that. That is not what it means. Instead, he is going to be bound by a chain of circumstances.

Let’s try and illustrate it this way. Let’s say that you invite me to your home for dinner, but because of a prior engagement I have to decline your invitation because I am tied up that night. If I said that to you, you would know that my hands were not literally tied. Right? Instead, you would realize that certain circumstances had so arranged themselves that it was impossible for me to be there that night. I am “tied by a chain of circumstances.” And that’s the meaning of the expression here, that Satan is chained. It doesn’t mean that he is chained with a literal chain, but rather, circumstances had so arranged themselves that during the thousand years he’s out of a job. He has no one to tempt. To prove this let us note again the circumstances that surround Satan and tied him up so that he actually is out of a Job. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Notice that the Bible tells us the righteous are going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. You see, when Jesus comes, the very first thing that’s going to happen is that the righteous dead are going to be raised out of their dusty graves. And they’re going to be caught up first and then the righteous living are going to be translated and meet them together with Lord in the air.

So, after this happens, how many righteous people are going to be living on the earth after Jesus returns? Are there going to be any? No, there won’t be any body left here at all because all the dead have just been raised. And all the living have been caught up with the righteous dead who were raised from the dead to meet the Lord in the air. So that means not even one person is still going to be left alive on this earth. You see, our age today has been referred to as a golden age. But in reality it’s a godless age, too because the vast majority of people care little about God. They do not have faith in Him or the truth of His holy Word.

But the Bible tells us that when Jesus returns, the very first thing that’s going to happen, is that the righteous who have died are going to be raised from the dead. Those that have been sleeping in the graves for thousands of years, are going to be resurrected. Those old tombs are going to crack open. And then a whole generation of people, and I believe that many of us are going to be among that group that are going to be alive when Jesus returns. We’re going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air with the righteous dead that have just been raised. What will happen to the wicked at that time? They are all going to destroy themselves according to Ezek 38:21. Can you imagine the glory that is going to be associated with the coming of Jesus when He comes with ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands and thousands of angels in the glory of the angels and in His own glory? The very sun itself will pale into insignificance along side that tremendous glory. And it is that very glory which will strike terror into the hearts of the wicked so that they will begin killing each other all over the earth. Of course, the prophets of the Bible always made God responsible for that which He permitted so it is written up in the Old and New Testaments that the wicked will be destroyed by “the brightness of His glorious coming.” And that is true because that glorious brightness will cause them to realize they are lost and that is when the suicide of the nations will take place as we already read in Ezek. 38:21…”Every man’s hand is against his brother. And Rev 6:12-17 says that the wicked lost will be calling “for the rocks and the mountains to fall on them to hide them from the face of Him that is sitting on the throne.”

After all this happens, how many people are going to be living on the earth? Remember that when Jesus returns, all the righteous have been caught up to heaven and the wicked are all dead. So, how many does that leave, living on the earth? None. You see, during the thousand years Satan is going to be out of a job. Not a single person will be left alive for him to tempt because the righteous will be in heaven and all the wicked will be dead. Jeremiah said, that their bodies will not be buried, but will be like dung upon the ground. No one will be left to bury them. Revelation 20:4 “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

Now during the thousand years, who lives with whom? It says there in the last part of verse four “the righteous live and reign with Christ.”

So, for 1,000 years the saints will be in heaven with Christ according to His promise in John 14:1-3. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father”s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Revelation 20:5. “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were ‘finished. This is the first resurrection.” Who is the rest of the dead that’s referred to, if the righteous are all home in heaven? It would have to be the wicked. You see, during the thousand years Satan is chained to a desolate earth. He’s out of a job. The righteous dead and the righteous living have all been caught up to meet the Lord in the air to ascend home up to heaven. And so during the thousand years Satan will walk up and down on this desolate earth, contemplating his evil work, the work that has caused the earth to be totally destroyed. In verse 5, the rest of the dead must mean the wicked, and when it says, “they lived not again,” that word “again” implies, that they were alive once, but they’re not going to be alive again until the end of the thousand years.

The Bible teaches that there is a resurrection on either side of the one thousand years. You see, the wicked are going to be raised at the end of the thousand years. You have the righteous being raised at the beginning of the thousand years, that marks the beginning of the millennium, or the thousand years. Here you have the wicked being raised at the end of the thousand years. Verse 6. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” So the Bible clearly points out that there are two resurrections. Well, you say, is there any other place in the Bible where the Bible stresses that there are two resurrections? Yes. John 5:28-29. “Marvel not at this: for the hour in coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, 29. “And shall come forth, they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” So you see, there are clearly two resurrections, the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation. Now what John doesn’t tell us, but Revelation does, is the fact that there are one thousand years between those two resurrections: the resurrection of the righteous at the beginning of the thousand years, and the resurrection of the wicked at the end of the thousand years.

All through the Bible, the Bible stresses the fact that there are two resurrections. People say to me, “How many people are going to be converted during the thousand years?” If you and I do not make a decision to serve Christ now, then we’ll never do it during the thousand years. That’s why all through the Bible, the Bible stresses, “Now is the day of salvation,” Don”t put it off, because the danger of putting it off until tomorrow is the fact that our hearts starts to harden and each day you delay it just becomes more difficult to make a decision for the Lord, the longer a person puts it off. And the devil knows that. So, that’s why he encourages people to keep putting off their decision. Well, you say, what”s going to be the purpose of the millennium? What are we going to do during the millennium. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3. “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?” 3. “Know ye not that we shall Judge angels?” The saints are actually going to be involved in a work of judgment. And it says in verse 3, “Know ye know that we shall judge angels?” Yes, during the thousand years all the save will have the opportunity of looking through the record books of heaven to understand what went on in the lives of every person. This will completely explain why the lost are not in heaven during the one thousand years. And the Lord will be completely vindicated by these records. It is not that we have any doubt but the Lord wants us to know and understand and to see the reason He has done what He has done.

That”s the reason why, the Bible says, that God keeps records. Obviously God doesn’t need any records to be kept for Himself. He is omnipotent. He knows everything. But the records are kept, so that you and I, the righteous, are able to look through to see why God has done what He has done. You see, God never planned that anyone ever in the future would ever question God’s action. Right back at the beginning, Satan accused God of being unjust and unfair. God is going out of His way to make sure that everything that’s done is open to the gaze of everyone. And so during the thousand years we”re going to be engaged in a work of judgment or of seeing the decisions of the Almighty…Judgment means “decision.” And once we see why He made the decisions He made everyone will be satisfied and will be praising the Lord for all eternity.

Here is an insightful promise. Nahum 1:9. “What do ye imagine against the Lord? He will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.” So here the Bible says that never again will sin ever rise up the second time, simply because no one will have any question in their minds that God has acted justly and fairly in all that He has done. Just and true are Thy ways.” Revelation keeps saying that the righteous exclaim about God, “Your ways are just. Your ways are become revealed and manifest. Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.” Another reason for the millennium we must never forget, is, you see for 1,000 years mankind has been treading down God’s Sabbath. The vast majority of people pay little or no attention in regarding God”s Sabbath. For the seven thousandth year, this earth is going to keep her Sabbaths, just like back in Nehemiah, the thirteenth chapter, when King Saul came to the throne right down until the Babylonian captivity, a period of about 490 years. The vast majority of God’s people, Israel, neglected and rejected the Sabbath, which was exactly one seventh of the time, as Nehemiah says, “The land kept her Sabbaths,” and so during the thousand years, this earth is going to keep her Sabbaths, in one period of time all together because they”ve been neglected.

Now, let’s go to the end of the one thousand years. What is going to happen at that then? Well, first of all the wicked dead are going to be raised out of their dusty graves. Suddenly Satan now is back in business being able to tempt people which has always been his self appointed job…to tempt people to rebel against the Lord. So he now has people to work upon. No doubt he will lie to them about how they are now alive again. He tells them that he raised up by his power because he is the true Messiah. And if they will join him they can get their rightful inheritance yet. And so he raises an army from all of the wicked. And then Rev 20:8 tells us how he leads all these lost, wicked and now deceived again masses against the holy city, New Jerusalem. Of course, this is very sad that all these people still have not gotten it straight in their minds who the devil really is so once again he is able to deceive them into thinking that he is the true Messiah. But their selfish and self-appointed mission is once again doomed to failure because the Lord has a plan to defeat them so He can save them. In the book, “The Great Controversy,” chapter 42, “The Controversy Ended,” the author goes into great detail about this last battle of the Great Controversy when Satan leads all the lost to attack the New Jerusalem. It will not be necessary to quote all of this chapter in order to understand what is going to happen at this time. Remember that this book is a product of 19th century theology and as such does not represent or contain all of the light the Lord has given to His people since it began to written in the 1850’s. I refer specifically to the concept of annihilation or extinction. This is one step beyond Eternal Hell Fire punishment of the wicked, but short of the truth about Universal Restoration, which will be the topic of the next section. In spite of that difference, I do agree the author of Great Controversy in 98% of what she wrote. It was present truth in her day. What I wish to quote now is extremely important. It is from GC 666, which page number I believe is significant in and of itself. “As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart–ALL APPEAR AS IF WRITTEN IN LETTERS OF FIRE.” GC 666. This quote reveals where the record books are. They are in the minds of each person and Jesus, as the Creator, is able to access them in order to bring each person to repentance. And the record does confirm that they all will bow down and repent at this time. Eph 1 and Phil 2:5-11 also explain that “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess,” so this is a total victory for the Lord. At this time I would like to share with you a document which is in pamphlet form which the Lord helped me to adapt and revise. It has a number of very powerful and important points which are relevant at this time. I also have an abundance of information in my latest book as well as several books on the subject of Universal Salvation itself. The evidence is overwhelming once you understand the truth about the Fire of God and also God’s ultimate plan for the human race.

THE GRANDEST TRUTH IN THE SCRIPTURES

Are You Tardy of Heart To Accept God’s Ultimate Plan for the Salvation Of All His Creatures? The plan of the ages. Do you believe”ALL?” Presenting the Case for believing The Creator’s Plan of the Ages.

The Bible seems to teach two different destinies for unbelieving mankind. Almost all agree that the believer, who trusts alone in the blood of Christ, is certain of eternal life. But those who do not believe–what is their destiny? Many insist that they will be tormented forever, others say that they will cease to exist, and a few believe that they also will eventually be saved. Each bring forward texts from the Bible to support their case. In each group are earnest, consecrated Christians who desire to know the truth and live it out in their lives.

Teachers of eternal torment find quite a few strong texts in the Bible, such as the phrase, “everlasting punishment” in Matt. 25:46. However, according to other divine declarations, all men will be saved, justified, made alive, and finally reconciled to God (I Tim. 4:10; Rom. 5:18; I Cor. 15:22; Col. 1:20). How can this be true? What is the cause of this clash?

It lies in the translations, but not in the inspired Original from the Greek. Let me explain. The words everlasting, eternal, forever, forever and ever, all come from the Greek word AION meaning “Age” or “Eon.” There are five ages. We are now living in the third. But the KJV and others translate “Aion,” as “forever and ever.” This is not correct. Even in English know that “forever” cannot be endless if “and ever” may be added to it. “Forever” lasts until the new earth. “And ever” commences or starts then. So, we can see that these words never denote or convey the meaning of endlessness.

An age or eon is a definite period of time. The present eon began at the time of the flood and will last to the coming of Christ. The next or fourth eon will be the millennium lasting for 1,000 years. The Scriptures speak of a time before the eons ( I Cor. 2:7). They were not eternal in the past. They also speak of the ends of the eons ( I Cor. 10:11). They will not be everlasting in the future. They will come to a close at the “end” or consummation, when the Son abdicates the throne in favor of the Son lasts for the eon of the eons, not forever and ever (Heb. 1:8).

“Everlasting punishment” is for only one age or eon (Matt. 25:46). Eternal torment is limited to the age-times or eonian times. This leaves us free to believe all of God’s word. It magnifies the cross of Christ. It glorifies God. Sin, judgment, and death are temporary, confined to the times of the eons. After the ages of the ages (usually rendered forever and ever) God’s great purpose will be fully accomplished. The eonian life of the believer will merge into the real eternal life, when death will be abolished, and all will be made alive in Christ, even as all are dying in Adam (I cor. 15:22). All mankind will be justified (Rom. 5:18). The entire universe will be reconciled to God through the blood of Christ’s cross (Col. 1:20). Then, at that time, God will become ALL IN ALL.

Here is a God worthy of your worship and adoration.

THE SALVATION OF ALL

“For God locks up all together in stubbornness, that He should be merciful to all” (Romans 11:32).

“Our Saviour, God, Who wills that all mankind be saved and come into a realization of the truth.” (I Timothy 2:4). “We rely on the living God, who is the Saviour of all mankind” (I Timothy 4:10).

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” I just looked up the word “willing” in the original Greek in Strong’s concordance (1014) and it comes from the Greek word “Boulomai” which can also be translated as “to will” “be willing”–“be disposed, minded, intend.” Now, what does that tell us? This is not just wishful think on God’s part that He wishes and hopes that someday He will be able to save everyone. Oh, no. This Greek word categorically means that He absolutely “intends” to save all mankind because it is His Sovereign will to do so.

THE JUSTIFICATION OF ALL

“Through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also….through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying.” Rom. 5:18.

THE VIVIFICATION OF ALL

“For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified (made alive).” I Cor. 15:22.

THE RECONCILIATION OF ALL

“Through Him to reconcile all to Him, making peace through the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:20. “And the glory (character) of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isa. 40:5. “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the Lord’s: and He is the governor among the nations. All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before Him: and none can keep alive His own soul.”Psalm 22:27-29. “He (Jesus) shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.” Isa. 53:11. Eph 1:10; 3:9, 10. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil 2:10, 11. In the Greek the word for “confess” is even stronger. It actually means to “avow.” Compare Rev 4:13. “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls JESUS accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” I Cor. 12:1. “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.” Rev. 15:1-4. “And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.” Rev. 21:25. The gates of the City New Jerusalem will never be shut because God never gives up. He is the great Shepherd who goes out to rescue the Lost sheep and does not return until He finds it and then brings it home. Luke 15. The leaves of the tree are for the “healing of the nations” and the water of life is for those who are thirsty. “And the Spirit and the bride say ‘come.’ And let him that hears say come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev. 22:17. Remember that the only people who are hungry and thirsty are those who are outside the city because the saved inside the city have already been there 1,000 years and are not hungry or thirst and have already been healed. Read Ezek. 16:49-55 re: the redemption of Sodom. And then read Ezek. 47:1-9 re: God’s people going out of the city to rescue those who are sick and dying.

WILL THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SALVATION OF ALL REMOVE RESTRAINTS AND ENCOURAGE WICKEDNESS?

In other leaflets we have called attention to some of the clear and direct statements of Scripture which reveal that God through Jesus Christ is ultimately going to save all mankind. A few of these passages are as follows: (Rom. 5:12-19; Rom. 8:18-23; I Cor. 15:20-28; Eph. 1:7-10; 3:9, 10, 14-21; Phil 2:5-11; 3:20, 21; Col. 1:15-20; I Tim. 2:1-7; 4:9-11).

At this time let us consider one of the objections which is raised against the teaching of Universal Reconciliation or Universal Salvation. It is this: “Will not the teaching of the salvation of all remove restraints and encourage men to lead lives of wickedness?” I believe this is a fair question. No sincere Christian wants to believe or teach anything that will encourage men to live in sin. The truth God has revealed concerning the ultimate salvation of all will not do this. The Scriptures distinctly tell us that it is “the goodness of God that leads men to repentance” (Rom. 2:1-4).

The truth about the salvation of all does not do away with the truth God has revealed concerning the just judgment and condemnation of evil doers. When we speak out against the traditional God-defaming teaching of endless torment, we are not protesting against the truth God has revealed concerning the judgment and punishment of the wicked. However, there is a vast difference between the traditions and teachings of men on this subject and the truth God has actually revealed in the original Scriptures.

Evil doers will certainly be judged and punished. To those who are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be “indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish” in the day of judgment (Rom 2:1-16; Rev. 20:11-15). But the requital of the wicked will be just and righteous. To teach that God is going to punish men endlessly for what they have done during this brief, sin-cursed, death doomed, devil-blinded life, is to charge god with unrighteousness. The teaching of endless torment nor annihilation (extinction) will not stand up for a minute in the light of God’s righteousness and justice, to say nothing about His wisdom, His power and love.

The assumption that future judgment and punishment is the greatest detriment to wickedness is both evil and wrong. Plain logic tells us that treating criminals harshly does not lead them to repentance nor reform them but only hardens their hearts into great evil and wickedness. There are five outstanding means which God uses to restrain wickedness.

The first is the immediate consequence of wrong doing itself. If a person double up his fist and hits another he is apt to get hit back. This makes a person think twice before he gets careless with his fists. To every sin there are immediate consequences which exert a strong influence upon men to restrain them from doing wrong. The opposite is also true. There are immediate benefits and blessings in doing right; not only benefits to our fellow man but also an inward satisfaction and joy which in itself moves men to do what is good and right.

The second means God uses to restrain wickedness is the never-failing law: “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7, 8). Those who lie, and cheat, and steal, reap the hardness, the cynicism, the mistrust which results from such actions. The sin-hardened and cynical person does not know what real life is. The idea that those who live wickedly have the best time in life is far from the truth. The Bible tells us that “the way of the transgressors is hard.” Prov. 13:15. There is no peace to the wicked. Sin rations out death, not life. Consider the drug addict, the alcoholic, the immoral, the irreverent, the atheist, they do not know what it is to experience real life.

Real life is in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit and in living in harmony and fellowship with God. Those who sow to the sprit reap the good things of this life, which is life indeed. The never failing law: “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (I Cor. 6:7) is a real and strong factor in restraining men from wickedness and in encouraging them to do that which is good and right.

The third powerful means God uses to restrain wickedness is human government. In Rom 13 we are told “the authorities that be are ordained by God” and that they are God’s ministers to avenge wrong and visit wrath upon them that do evil. Notwithstanding the imperfections and failure of human governments, there is only a fraction of the wickedness in the world today as compared with what there would be if human governments did not exist. Take away the police force in any community, and life as we know it would quickly cease to be. In this world, human governments exert a meaningful force in restraining men from wickedness.

The fourth means God uses to restrain wickedness is the fact of future judgment and condemnation. Human instinct as well as God’s word make men realize that there is a day coming when they shall give account to God and be dealt with according to their deeds. But notwithstanding the power of God’s word and the testimony of human instinct, knowledge of future judgment does not restrain men from doing evil as much as what happens in the present. As the word of God declares: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).

The fifth and most wonderful means God uses to deliver men from wickedness is the transforming power of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. When we believe in the sacrificial, saving and atoning work of Jesus Christ in our behalf in the sanctuary above, we are brought into the “IN CHRIST” relationship ( 2 Cor. 5:17). This means that we have been united with Christ in His death, in His entombment, and in His resurrection. By this means we have been set free from the bondage of sin and delivered from the lordship of Satan into a glorious relationship with Jesus. We become willing servants (slaves even) to god and to Righteousness (Rom 6:1-23). As Christ is formed in us (Gal. 4:19) our greatest desire and determination is to do the will of God as revealed in His eternal Word.

The truth concerning the just requital of the wicked and the eventual salvation of all will have a far greater effect in deterring men from wickedness than the false teaching of endless torment. When we threaten our children with a punishment in excess of what they know should be carried out, we encourage rebellion and harden their hearts to do the very thing that is forbidden. The teaching of endless torment does exactly the same thing. It threatens a punishment which man’s God-given instinct makes him realize will never be carried out. As a result men disregard the warnings and continue in their irreverence and unrighteousness.

The dreadful and delusive teaching of endless torment slanders God in a revolting manner. It turns the love of god into cruel hate; the righteousness of God into wickedness; the power of God into ignominious weakness; the wisdom of God into stupidity; the wonderful grace of God into sadistic cruelty; the matchless mercy of God into unrighteous severity.

Shall we support, endorse, or condone such flagrant misrepresentation of our God and Saviour? God forbid! The presentation of God’s truth is one of the most important contributions that can be made to the well-being of our fellow man. May God stir up many to search out the truth, to believe it, to live by it, and to do everything possible to make it known as far and wide as possible. “God is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe. These things command and teach.” I Tim. 4:9-11.

The above article is in pamphlet form if you would like to have some to share with others.

For further information write to: GLC Ministries P O Box 473 Woodburn, OR 97071.

Web Site www.godslastcallministries.org

Here now is part of a chapter from my book, “Into the Father’s Heart” which I believe the Lord led me to write back in 1981. Although it may seem long and detailed it is very important because of the subject matter we are dealing with here. May the Lord bless you as you read and study this information. Also please know that I have already prayed for each person who will read these words in the future.

THE LORD ALWAYS OVERCOMES EVIL WITH GOOD

“Nevertheless, the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Baalam: but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee.” Deut. 23:5. No doubt someone will say that God brought the earthquake in Acts 16 which broke down the Phillippian jail where Paul and Silas were in stocks singing even though their backs were probably sore and bleeding from the stripes they had received. But, at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, …Acts 16:25, 26. Who brought the earthquake? (Isa. 14:16) God or Satan? Again, I say, God does not bring aberrations in nature, but permits Satan to do so in order to destroy, but God turns it into a blessing by directing the earthquake to do good in as many cases as possible, such as open graves and in this instance, break down the jailhouse so Paul and Silas could bring the jailer to repentance, by preaching Christ to him. Again Satan was defeated. The same principle is true of the storm on the sea of Galilee. God permitted Satan to bring the storm to try and kill the disciples, who had disobeyed by not leaving immediately. Satan brings all the aberrations of nature, (Isa. 28:2) and Ephesians 2:2 identifies him as the “Prince of the power of the air.” But, Jesus overcame Satan by walking on the water and stilling the storm and teaching valuable lessons to his disciples. Was Satan “cooperating,” with the Father in all these experiences so Jesus could prove His claims? HARDLY! Yet, I have heard this allegation made time and time again. If this be true, and we know it is absurd, then the wilderness temptation of Jesus was all planned by the Father too and Satan obediently went out and tempted Christ. No, my friend, that is not logical reasoning, for it is not in keeping with the character of God. Satan never cooperates with the Father nor Christ His son,

In the days of Jonah, Satan wanted to destroy Nineveh, but God sent a preacher to warn them so they would turn to Him and be spared. Satan persuaded Jonah to run away from the call of duty and then brought a storm on the sea to try and finish him off. But God moved upon the men to question Jonah and thus find out about the true God who created heaven and earth. Jonah figured it was better to die than face God and the angry crowds of Nineveh and requested to be thrown overboard into the angry sea. But God permitted a fish to swallow Jonah. Jesus referred to this “great fish” as a whale, Matt. 12:40. The Greek word is “kitos” which simply means a “sea monster.” The KJV translates “kitos” as a whale. Satan led the whale to swallow Jonah, but God again overruled the situation and preserved the life of His prophet by controlling the fish and leading and guiding it to vomit Jonah out on the seashore. But after all these experiences, Jonah still did not understand the character of God. He still had the Jewish view of God instead of the Jesus view. Instead of praising God for sparing the city, as he had spared his life from heathen sailors, the sea and a whale’s digestive organs, Jonah only wished death on Nineveh so he would be known as a famous hell-fire and damnation preacher. And yet God still accomplished His purpose without interfering with Jonah’s freewill, in spite of all these obstacles Satan brought, for God is Omniscient (able to see the end from the beginning. Isaiah 46:9, 10).

You see, if it had been God who brought the storm to kill Jonah, then God could be accused of trying to stop Jonah from running away, but God does not try and stop us by hurting us, or killing us. But, He does use circumstances and Satan’s machinations for purposes of mercy, bringing good out of evil.

SONGS OF PRAISE CAUSE THE WICKED TO SELF-DESTRUCT

“Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ concerning you.” I Thess. 5:16-18. Just as God used an earthquake to deliver Paul and Silas at midnight, so the Lord will again deliver His people in this last hour of earth’s history at midnight by using an earthquake brought on by Satan. The righteous will be praising God for His goodness while the wicked are killing each other all over the earth. See Isa. 25;6-12; Jer. 25;31-33.

In 2 Chronicles 20:10-25, we see how Satan and his host of demons really go wild with fright and anger when we praise God with singing. In that story, the enemy destroyed each other. There will be an instant replay of this same scenario at the end of this age before Christ comes to translate His own in three stages, which will be the Barley, Wheat and Grape harvests. Then, after the 1,000 years all the wicked will be reconciled and restored to God’s throne. Here is the proof: “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!” Revelation 5:13; “Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” Rev. 15:4.

And the song of praise will ascend from the Saints robed in white ABOUT the throne: “worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.’ ” Rev. 5;12.

HIS KINDNESS IS FOREVER

In Jehoshaphat’s day they sang “PRAISE THE LORD: FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER.” The Living Bible says they sang, “HIS LOVING KINDNESS IS FOREVER,” as they walked along praising and thanking the Lord!

And at the moment they began to sing and to praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to begin fighting among themselves, and they destroyed each other!” 2 Chronicles 20:21, 22. Here again God takes the blame by inspiring the Chronicler to record, “THE LORD CAUSED,” as if it was all God’s fault. “I DID IT,” He says. “I KILLED THEM.” Actually, what happened was that the Lord was no longer able to restrain the evil passions of the souls of these wicked men and Satan’s angels had full control to destroy them (Psalm 78:49), when they heard them singing.

Satan’s angels and the wicked both came into the presence of God’s perfect law in the person of His faithful servants and it made them so angry they killed themselves. Suicide is one of the most subtle forms of hatred toward those who love the person who is killing himself. “See what you made me do? I hate you so much, I am going to punish you. Now, you will have to feel sorry and mourn for me forever.” A person who can get up enough courage to kill himself also should have enough courage to live, but the truth of the matter is that the suicide has turned his thoughts and feelings inward for so long that he cannot think of anyone else but himself. In the case of Jehoshaphat’s enemies, you might say that the “law of sin and death,” Rom. 8:2, was fully activated in their lives, and they reaped in a few seconds what most people would reap in a life time, due to the tremendous hatred that was released in their minds and bodies due to the singing. So it will be in the final day.

God does not kill the sinner when he passes the line of divine forbearance [patience and leniency]. This withdrawing of restraint is called God’s wrath, anger, vengeance, indignation, fire, punishment, and judgment, but these are all words to convey the meaning that God is not destroying that person, but is being forced out of that individual’s life by giving the person and/or nation up to his or her own choice, turning them over to themselves and their own counsel and the guidance of Satan and his angels, Psalm 78:49. God never condemns the sinner to death, for He is a life God.

He does not pass a sentence of judgment against a person for his transgression. But every man passes sentence against himself by rejecting God’s love in the form of light and truth from the Bible and godly ministers of the Word. As a man continues to reject the Holy Spirit’s pleading God is forced out of his life and Satan moves in to control the evil, lower passions and man destroys himself. Judas, the city of Jerusalem and the whole Jewish nation in Christ’s day are examples of what happens when God’s warnings are despised and rejected. “God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejecters of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown. Every ray of light rejected, every warring despised or unheeded, every passion indulged, every transgression of the law of God, is a seed sown which yields its unfailing harvest. The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and enmity of Satan. The destruction of Jerusalem (in AD 70) is a fearful and solemn warning to all who are trifling with the offers of divine grace and resisting the pleadings of divine mercy.” GC 36.

The Bible proves that God “punishes” people by letting them go their way and do their own thing. It is just the opposite of what we have always thought, myself included. Unless a person understands this, he will have no criterion upon which to base his actions in the final hours of this earth’s history when the world is being bombarded with sickness, disease, violence, plague and death on every hand. Is this the work of God or Satan? If it is God, then we had better keep Sunday holy to appease His wrath as the preachers are already suggesting in some circles. But, if God is not bringing these calamities, then it must be Satan, and the Sabbath, Saturday, the seventh day, is God’s true day. Exodus 20:8-11, Heb. 4:4, Matt. 24:20, Luke 4:16.

Furthermore, the temptation to meet violence with violence will cause many to take up weapons to defend themselves, as Peter did in the garden. If they do this, they will no doubt meet with great heartache, disappointment and loss. Unless they repent, as Peter repented, they may very likely meet with eternal loss, as Judas did. Judas, Jerusalem and the Jewish nation are examples of how God is going to “punish,” the entire world in the end time. This is just a little sample of His “strange act.”

SATAN’S FRUSTRATION AND FEAR AND HIS ANGER

Just as Satan’s fear and anger knew no bounds when Jesus died on the cross, so it will again know no bounds when the final demonstration of God’s true character has been “finished,” in the person of His final, faithful, chosen and elect people. Matt 24:24; Rev. 17:14. God says, “It Is Done,” and all hell breaks loose on this planet as Satan unleashes his pent up fury. Isa. 28:2, Isa. 14:16, 17.

Yes, it is Satan and his demon hosts who are bringing all the noise and fireworks as Christ comes to raise the dead and translate the righteous, which will be the first phase of the harvest, the Barley or Elect, the Man Child, Rev. 12:5; the Christos, Rev. 11:15 & 12:10. Remember God’s vengeance is the same as His wrath. He has withdrawn His restraint from the wicked. This is His punishment.

Is God the accuser or is it Satan who is uttering words of doom upon the wicked? Revelation 12:10 tells us that Satan is the accuser. SATAN’S sheep hear his voice and CHRIST’S sheep hear His voice. John 10:14, 16, 27.

While the wicked are being killed by flying rocks, lightning bolts and the weapons of men who hate them, (Ezek. 38:21) Jesus protects His chosen ones and escorts them safely through this Satanic holocaust up out of earth’s fiery atmosphere to the Father’s throne, where they will receive their commission to return and begin the Wheat harvest of the 144,000 and later the Grape Harvest. Rev. 14:14-20. After the grape harvest Jesus will then translate one third of the earth’s inhabitants, Zechariah 13:7-9 and escort them up through that opening in Orion into the heaven of heavens where they will live and reign with Him for 1,000 years of judgment, getting acquainted and growing up.” Malachi 4:2; Rev. 20:4-6.

SATAN IS A VERY, VERY BAD LOSER

And so Satan loses again, just as he lost at Calvary and as he will lose again after the 1,000 years, for Satan is a loser. BUT JESUS IS A WINNER, 2 Cor. 13:8, and He wins with love, not hatred. When Jesus died on Calvary’s cross, there were lightnings and thunders, darkness and an earthquake. God did not bring these aberrations of nature, but He used and directed them. God hid Himself in the thick darkness so He could be just as close to His Son as possible. But, He who is ETERNAL LIGHT did not bring the darkness. Satan did that, for he is the originator or ruler of darkness. There is no darkness in God. This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. I Jn. 1:5. He bowed the heavens also and came down: and darkness was under his feet. Psalm 18:9. Moses predicted in Gen. 3:15 that Christ would overcome evil with His Eternal light and love. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; 2 Cor. 10:4. For this purpose the son of God was manifested, that he might destroy (render him powerless) the works of the Devil. I John 3:8. Not only will Satan bow his knees, he will confess and be brought to “ashes” which is a Hebrew symbolism for remorse and repentance. Yes, all things are going to be restored (Acts 3:21) even the first great rebel so that God may be ALL IN ALL, for as in “Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

I Cor. 15:22-28. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death…that God may be all in all.” This will be accomplished after the 1,000 years when “Death and hell” will be “cast into the lake of fire.” Rev. 20:14. This is final “second death,” which is not a literal death, per se, but a death to the ego or self life that the true and original creation of God may be manifested in every creature. This is why Jesus died on the cross and He will not be “satisfied” until that one lost sheep is fully restored and there is a completed fold and a finished creation.

And what is it that has made all of this possible? By permitting Himself to be crucified on the cross of Calvary. In this one courageous act Jesus destroyed the power of Satan to perpetuate sin, darkness and death on this planet. When our Lord was lifted up on the cross, the whole universe’s attention was drawn to Him. But it was not only for our world that Jesus died. All the angels and all the unfallen worlds saw for the first time what God is really like. Satan destroyed himself forever in the eyes of the universe when he led the people to kill the “human” part of Jesus.

Actually, the people did not really “kill,” Jesus. He willingly laid down His life for us. “I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my father.” John 10:17, 18. Someone may wonder why, in the light of this statement, that the apostles indited the Jews for the murder of Christ. See Acts 3:14, 15. But ye denied the Holy One. ..and killed the prince of life. ..John taught that if you hate your brother you are a murderer, I John 3:15, and we know the Jews hated him. In these ways, the Jewish leaders killed their true Messiah.

THE DARKNESS AT THE CROSS

The darkness at Calvary was not the result of an eclipse, but was a miraculous testimony given by God that the faith of after generations might be confirmed. God is blamed for the event, when He simply used, directed and controlled this aberration of nature caused by Satan in order to demonstrate His divine control and sovereignty over man and nature, as well as Satan. Satan proposes, but God disposes. Satan brings darkness, but God turns the darkness into a sign that cast light upon the event which split history in two. Satan tries to bring lightning to frighten and destroy, but God uses it to illuminate His only Son on the cross so all the ends of the earth might see His salvation. Thus Satan is defeated at every turn.

Satan tries to bring an earthquake which will bury the dead deep in the heart of the earth, but God uses the same earthquake to open the graves of the saints who will ascend with Christ as trophies of His victory over death and the grave, Psalm 24; Eph. 4:8. At the coming of Christ, Satan’s earthquake will again be used to open the proper graves and break down certain jail cells, so His people may go free. Jesus always gives freedom, Satan always brings slavery .

For 1,000 years Satan will be “chained” to this earth, while the saints are in heaven with Jesus reigning in “Judgment” with Him. That is, they will go over the books with Him and see why He made the decisions He made regarding why things happened as they did. God does not keep Satan here by force. This planet will be the only “dark place” left in the universe for Satan to hide in. Light and truth are everywhere and it would be too painful for Satan to go anywhere near it. But, God takes the blame for this too. He still loves Lucifer and respects His feelings and decision. This is Satan’s “Time out,” so he can think about everything for 1,000 years.

JESUS CHRIST WAS OFFERED AS A BURNT SACRIFICE

Once, while I was driving into town, I began memorizing in Psalm 20. When I came to verse three, I kept repeating it over and over, for I felt that it had a special meaning I did not understand, but needed to know.

“Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice;” Selah. Ps. 20:3 Whenever I see the word Selah, I think of David the Psalmist stopping and pausing on the harp to consider the full significance of the words he has just sung. STOP THE MUSIC AND THINK ABOUT THAT, is what I believe “selah,” means. I also believe that Jesus Himself inspired the Psalms to be written and compiled so He would have a song book full of hope and instruction and victory to sing as He fought the battle of life here on this earth for you and for me. Now, that He has won, each of these Psalms belongs to us.

But, the BURNT SACRIFICE of verse 3 is referring to Jesus who truly was offered on Calvary’s tree as a burnt sacrifice in fulfillment of all the Old Testament sacrifices which pointed forward to Him. He had to go through this in order to fulfill the prophecy. In Psalm 22, definitely a Messianic Psalm, Christ declared, while hanging on the cross, But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels . My strength is dried up like a potsherd; Psalm 22:6, 14,15

JESUS BECAME A WORM FOR EACH OF US

Yes, friend of mine, Jesus became a worm so that we might live. Is anything lower, more detestable, uglier, or more helpless than a worm? When you step on it, it simply rolls over and over, twists and turns, bleeding and writhing in pain and then dies. But Jesus went beyond the worm. He even became a snake for all of us, even for the whole universe. A serpent, the symbol of Satan. For years I could never fathom why the Lord instructed Moses to lift up a serpent on a pole in the wilderness so the people could look at the brazen serpent and live. I never dared to preach on this subject, because I just didn’t grasp the meaning behind it. No one ever asked me, so I just put it way in the back of my mind.

Thank the Lord He finally made it clear to me. Why was the serpent made of brass first of all? (actually Bronze) 1) Bronze is light and would not be heavy to hold up for a long time. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matt. 11:28-30. Bronze is an alloy of two metals, tin and copper, which fitly represents the dual nature of Christ. But there is more. When the serpent is up off the ground, as in Moses’ day in Pharaoh’s court (Exodus 7:8, 9) and later in Numbers 21, the serpent is restored to its pristine glory in the Garden of Eden and represents Christ, speaking forth life giving words of instruction and bring healing to the world but at the same time sacrificing itself to be cast down in the dust and to become “sin for us,” the most hated and feared animal in the world, a biting snake. It is a mystery we will no doubt look into and study throughout eternity.

It was not logical that the snake which was causing the Israelites to die would give them life if they looked. Neither is it logical that God would place all the sins of the world upon His only Son and permit Him to die the humiliating and horrible death He died on the cross for our redemption, but what seems to be foolishness with men is Wisdom with God.

Jesus became as sinful as the most sinful being that ever sinned, Satan himself, and died the eternal death every unrepentant sinner will have to die, even the second death in the Lake of Fire, which is a death to self or the ego. Death in this life is not death, but only sleep John 11:11. And that final death will not result in non-existence, as some teach, who believe in the annihilation theory, but in a re-birth and conversion experience which will grant them the right and privilege of entering into the gates of the New Jerusalem, into the celestial city. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things.” Rev 21:7; Rev 22:14.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:14,15.

It is not exaltation in this life which brings victory and an eternal reward. No. Instead, it is death to self which brings them. As we take up our cross daily, and are crucified with Jesus, we die to self, burying our own ideas and plans and wills with Him. Then Christ resurrects us daily with Himself to walk hand in hand with Him in the ways of His choosing, which lead to life Everlasting.

THE DEVOURING FIRE OF REVELATION 20:9

“And fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Rev. 20:9. The Greek word “devour” has two meanings, just as fire does. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. Psalm 52:4, KJV. You love all destroying words, O deceitful tongue. Ibid, Modern Language Version. You love to slander—you love to say anything that will do harm, O man with the lying tongue. Living Bible, Ibid. An ungodly witness scorneth judgment; and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity. Proverbs 19:28. And the Modern Language Version says, A worthless witness scoffs at justice and the mouth of the wicked swallows iniquity.

When we compare this with Obadiah 1:15-18, we find a prophecy that parallels Rev. 20:9. “For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. For as ye have drunk upon my Holy Mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down and they shall be as though they had not been.” Now, what is it they are going to drink? The mouth of the wicked swallows [KJV says ‘devours’] Proverbs 19:28.

Jesus drank the bitter cup for you and for me. QUESTION: WHAT WAS IN THE CUP? ANSWER: Why, it was all the sins of the world. If anyone refuses to accept His sacrifice, he must drink the cup himself …and it Will “DEVOUR” him from inside out, as it killed Christ on the cross. We have often heard that it was the sins of the world which caused the death of Christ and that is true. He was burned up by the sins of the world from the inside out for us. Notice in Psalm 22:14, that our Lord cried out, my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up. ..I thirst, He also said. It takes a lot of heat to cause that kind of experience, heat on the inside of one’s body. The sin of the world was the “fire” that generated that heat in the body of Christ as he offered Himself as a BURNT SACRIFICE.

THE WICKED WILL BURN INSIDE AS AN OVEN

“Thine hand [the nail pierced hand of Jesus] shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.” Psalm 21:8, 9.

“For they have made [margin says, ‘applied’] ready their heart like an oven.” Hosea 7:6. And how does an oven burn? It burns up whatever is inside it. It “devours,” the combustible material in it. That is the way the wicked will burn up in the day when God shows them their life history. “For, behold the day cometh, that shall bum as an oven: and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall bum them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Mal. 4:1.

As the wicked look at Christ upon His throne on a foundation of burnished gold high and lifted up, and the saved of all ages around Him, all the lost are filled with sorrow, envy, regret, but mainly hatred. It just “BURNS THEM UP,” to see all their former friends and enemies with all that gold and them standing on the rubble of the earth with nothing but a machine gun and a hand grenade, and perhaps a few atomic and nuclear weapons which are even more deadly than we have today.

“BUT THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM (all those who professed to believe in God) shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 8:12. This will last for a “little season.” Rev. 20:3. How long is a “season?” “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a SEASON.” Moses lived to be 120 years. There is a text in Isa 65:20 which indicates this period of time could last for 100 years, which would be long enough for the billions of lost outside the city to get to know each other and blame each other for their pitiful condition. “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them …the men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” Luke 11:31, 32. Rev 20:1-9 tells us the wicked will form an army and try to attack the city but the Lord will consume them with the “fire of His love,” the only kind of fire God ever reveals to the human race for He does not destroy. This all will take place after the 1,000 years. But at His “second coming” which has three phases, Barley, Wheat and Grape, we read that “The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matt. 13:41-43, Psalm 78:49, Jer. 22:7.

The expression, “GNASHING OF TEETH,” is used to describe people who are burning up with hatred and anger, such as the Jews who killed Stephen. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart; and they gnashed on Him with their teeth. Acts 7:54.

“Surely He shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, He shall not be afraid, until He see his desire upon his enemies. [His desire is Proverbs 25:21, to give them eternal food and drink, even Himself, but it is only coals of fire to them], He hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honor. The wicked shall see it, [ all the good things He has done for them] and be grieved; He [the wicked] gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked [ all their sinful desires] shall perish.” Psalm 112:6-10. Please notice carefully that it is the “sinful desires” that are going to be “consumed,” not the sinners themselves. God loves the sinner but hates the sin. Notice: “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for righteous God tries the hearts and reins.” Psalm 7:9. When their sin and wickedness is “burned up” and “consumed” by the “fire of God” they will be purified and made ready to “enter into the gates of the city.” The last to enter will be Satan and his angels who are the hardest cases and have the most sins to be burned out of them but eventually even Satan will be destroyed that Lucifer may be reborn.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW DESTROYS

It is really the law of God lived out in the life of Christ and the lives of His followers which will destroy the wicked. Because they have refused the protection of God’s law, which law would have healed their sin sickness, as Christ wrote it in their hearts with His own blood, this same law they have refused will now, like a mirror, point out their sins in living color. They will have an instant replay of their whole life, for everything they have ever said, done or experienced is all in the mind. John 8:6-11 is an example of how this will happen at the end of our present age.

They will not be able to stand the sight of themselves as they realize what they have become without Christ. Yet they will not turn to Him, and so they turn their weapons of destruction upon each other as they seek out the preacher, the former friend and/or relative who led them astray. Thus they will self-destruct. The whole world will be on fire. Satan himself burns longer than anyone, but is finally reduced to ashes also, but the fire that destroys him is initiated by the wicked as a result of the fire,” of hatred which is in himself and comes forth with fury at this time according to Ezekiel 28: 18. The fire that comes forth from within him is obviously all the sins he will recall. Mark 9 indicates that the worm of sin will not die nor the fire be quenched…until…Yes, until the work of consuming is completed. God will not force them. They still have free will. He never takes that away from any creature.

When we refuse to let Jesus write the law of the “SPIRIT OF LIFE” (Ten commandments) or law of liberty, James 2:10, in our hearts, we automatically activate the law of sin and death in our hearts. This, then, is what will destroy the wicked, for sin devours itself. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins. John 8:24. NOTICE: James tells us about the ability of the lawgiver (JESUS) to destroy. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. James 4:12. Satan destroys by tempting men to break the law. Heb. 2:14, Rev. 6:8, Matt. 10:28, Isa. 14:20, Ezek. 28:20. And it is this law that will finally “destroy” all of the wicked in the “Lake of Fire,” which Charles H. Pridgeon explains is a “Lake of Divine Purification.” This book is available if you would like to read it.

Because God is the author of the Ten Commandments and because this law is the undergirding and foundation of His throne, God makes Himself responsible for the sickness, disaster and death that result from the violation of its precepts. He says, “I made the law, therefore I have killed you. It is all my fault and I will take the blame in order that I may have the right to bring you a cure or remedy for the sickness and misery my law has revealed in your life. For the written code [letter of the law] ki1ls, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Cor. 3:6. One early 20th century visionary made this insightful comment regarding the law of God.

“Against every evildoer God’s law utters condemnation. He may disregard that voice, he may seek to drown its warning, but in vain. It follows him. It makes itself heard. It destroys his peace. If unheeded, it pursues him to the grave. It bears witness against him at the judgment.” Education, page 144, 1903.

Paul clearly explains in Romans 7:7-25, that it is the righteousness of the law (character of God), which destroys us when we become aware of our sins. “I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died; the very commandment which promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it killed me.” Rom. 7:9, 10, 11, LB. Do you see how Paul explains the “death” of the sinner, using himself as an example. He also said, “I die daily” and “crucified with Christ.” It is a painful process and after the 1,000 years will take a very long time.

In the final day the law will be totally personified in the beautiful personage of our precious Redeemer who with outstretched hands (nail scars blazing with glory Habakkuk 3:4) makes one last, final call to all the lost standing before Him with their instruments of death and destruction in their hands to kill Him if they can. “Oh, why will you die,” He will say to them, “when you can come to me and live forever. Behold the purchased possession of my blood. I did it for you too.”

GOD’S FINAL CALL OF LOVE TO ALL THE LOST ONES

“With the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. ..the Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 52:9, 10.

This clearly shows that the human race are all going to meet together in the future for the first and last time. It is at this time that the wicked will be confronted with their sins in full display in the heavens through a revelation of the plan of salvation. Each person in every age will see just where he went astray and how many times he/she refused to surrender themselves to God’s way to His plan of salvation. They will finally realize what Paul meant when he said, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands [the nail scarred hands of Jesus] of the living God. Hebrews 10:31. “God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And His brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: (margin says “bright beams out of his side.” Habakkuk 3:3, 4. Here we see a prediction of a future panoramic “movie in the sky” in which will displayed the life of Jesus and His sufferings. Another visionary saw it like this: “As soon as the books or record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation fo the law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart–all appear as if written in letters of fire.” GC 666. If everything a person has ever experienced is still in the brain then our mind is the “record books” the Lord will use to bring back all of those memories, good and bad and it truly will be like a consuming fire.

It may take a long time for them to admit they are wrong, but eventually every knee will bow and every tongue will confess and this will bring glory to God the Father. It could not bring glory to His name if it were forced or faked. It would have to be a true and genuine conversion. Read I Cor. 12:3 and Ezekiel 16:53-55; Ezekiel 47 which indicates the righteous will go outside the city to heal the wicked. “These waters (the righteous coming out of the city of New Jerusalem) issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert (plain, and go into the sea: (all the lost) which being brought forth into the sea, the waters (lost and sick people) shall be healed.” Ezekiel even uses the symbolism of “fish” to refer to the people. “And it shall come to pass, that every thing that lives which moves, wherever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live thither (where) the river cometh.” Ezekiel 47:9. The ML & RSV read “become fresh” instead of live. “Everything touching the water of this river shall live. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will be healed. Wherever this water flows, everything will live.”LB.

 

INTRODUCTION
FOREWORD
REVELATION 1-3 – Christ’s Seven Messages To His Seven Churches
REVELATION 4 – The Open Door That Leads To God’s Throne
REVELATION 5 – The Sealed Scroll Only Jesus Christ Could Open
REVELATION 6 – The Opening Of The Seals Begin & Four Horses Appear
REVELATION 7 – The Progressive Sealing Of The 144,000 From 12 Tribes
REVELATION 8 – The Beginning Of The First Four Trumpets After 30 Min. Of Silence
REVELATION 9 – 200 Million Righteous Soldiers Come From The Wave Sheaf Of The Dead
REVELATION 10 – The Angel With The Open Book In Its Hand
REVELATION 11 – The Death Of The Two Witnesses Who Preach For 3 1/2 Years
REVELATION 12 – The Birth Of The Man Child Who Is Translated Up To Heaven
REVELATION 13 – The Rise Of The Two Beasts And Their Enforced Bio Chip Mark
REVELATION 14 – The New Song Of The 144,000 And 3 Messages Which Acquit The Father
REVELATION 15-16 – Who Brings The Seven Last Plagues? God’s Wrath Defined And Explained
REVELATION 17 – How The Lamb Overcomes The Ten Wicked Kings Of The Earth
REVELATION 18 – The Fall Of Babylon Caused By The Glory Of The Angel Of Rev 18
REVELATION 19 – The Arranged Marriage And The Suzerain Treaty And The Divine Family
REVELATION 20 – The 1,000 Years Begin: Satan Bound And The Saints Sit On Thrones
REVELATION 21-22 – The Restoration Of All Things Explained In Symbolic Detail