C. The Judgment of the Dead AGE8. The 2nd Resurrection : The first resurrection is described as a selective resurrection of those who will rule with Christ during the Millennium in Rev 20:4 (see event #B4). Only one trumpet was blown in 1 Thes 4:16 and 1Cor 15:52 by which in Num 10:4 says it summons only the Leaders. And again consistently, Jesus also associated the sound of “
a trumpet” to “
gather together his elect ” in Mat 24:31.
All the texts associated with the 2nd resurrection have no mentions of trumpet or trumpet
s; however it describes the group in some way as “all” or “the rest” :
-Rev 20:5 : “
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. ”
-John 5:28 : “
ALL who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, 29 and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds…, those who commited the evil deeds…”. John 5 says it is ALL who are in the tombs hear His voice. Contrasting this verse with the 1st resurr. in 1 Thes 4:16 worded as “
the dead in Christ”; that does not mean all is in this resurrection but only those
in Christ -Rev 20:12 : ““
the dead, the great and the small”. This implies ALL.
-Acts 24:15 : “
that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. ” Paul says there’s A(one or a certain) resurrection for
both “the just and unjust”. This is a similar text as John 5.
Law: The two trumpets Moses commanded to build. One trumpet sound
Scriptures : 1st: 1Thes 4:16; Rev 20:4,6; Mat 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; 2nd: John 5:28,28; Acts 24:15; Rev 20:5;
Literal : All who remains in the graves (those that does good deeds and those that does evil deeds) resurrect.
9. The War Before the Millennium “
the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and satan, and bound him [in the bottomless pit] for a thousand years… that he doesn’t deceive the nations no more “(Rev 20:2,3). I’m not going to express my view on this. This is a big discussion on its own. I have done this study in the past many times and there's too much mis-representation and mis-understanding of many texts on this subject to address here. But for the sake of the discussion at hand; let us only say that the Lord neutralized the deceiver during the Millennium. He is not cast in the lake of fire like the Lord did for “the beast” and “the false Prophet” before the Millennium in Rev 19.
But do notice that the deceiver is unbound at the same time of the 2nd resurrection event. These people resurrected were not part of the Day of Atonement “showdown” to the believers before the 2nd coming, or with the ex-unbelievers who lived during the Millennium. Thus the 2nd-resurr-people current mind understanding is what they knew before they died. Thus their minds are still in adversary with the Lord for they still do not know Him or His laws.
AV Re 20:7 "
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. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. ”
It is natural for the unconvinced mind to kick off with their survival instinct in the goal the usurp the authority given to the Saints. The Bible doesn't give us how long this war lasted. It could be brief or long. I don’t know. But it got resolved with this “
fire came down from God out of heaven”.
Fire is the Law. The Holy Spirit is also symbolically represented by fire. It is via the Holy Spirit voice that speak to us the Lord’s Law. Like when they heard the Law from Mount Sinai. So this could be that the Lord made Himself quite audible; maybe with a combination of some physical fire like He did at Mount Sinai. But I don’t believe that fire “
devoured them” in a literal sense, for if it did; no one would be around to be judged as said in Rev 20:11-15.
Jer 5:14 confirm this “devouring” & “fire” can be a figurative language as it says “
I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them”.
Law: Deut 33:2 That the Lord’s law is fire. The Lord’s voice is also fire. Ex 20; Deut 5:4 “
the Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire”.
Scriptures : Rev 20 :7-9; Jer 5 :14;
Literal : Most likely some very audible voice with maybe a physical fire manifestation like Mt.Sinai.
10. The Lake of Fire: Adversary and False Prophet BurnRev 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. ”
I’m not going to express my view on this. But for this discussion, I can say that the deceiver is no longer around at this point of time. Nor have “the beast” and “the false prophet” been around since the beginning of the Millennium.
Something I would like to note, is that we have seen 3 similar patterns having a “war” with a resolution that made an end to the war resulting with the end or casting in the lake of fire some dark leader with their false prophets. Let me list them below for comparison.
.....
The War…………………………………….……
Deceived People ………………..…
The Fire………………………..
Leader…...….
False Prophet**1. The Elijah’s DoAtonemt showdown…………Believers…………...Fire over altar(=Overcomers)……..Jezebel.....….F.Prop.of Baal
2. After the 2nd coming……………………………Unbelievers……...………tongue of Jesus ……………………….Beast……………..False Prophet
3. After the 2nd resurrection……………Believers & Unbelievers………………..Fire from God……...…….Satan……..….no F.Proph. left
**Just a reminder that the Elijah’s Day of Atonement showdown happens about a week before Jesus 2nd coming(midst of the Feast of Tabernacle).
Notice the comparison above, that the resolution for two incidence were fire. In the #1 case, the fire came down on the altar that represented the overcomers. The fire came down to bring conviction to the people and to unite “the children” hearts to their [spiritual] fathers (=their leaders).
In the #2 case, it was not fire, but the tongue of Jesus. To me Jesus word is also fire for Jer 23:29 says “
Is not my word like as a fire? ”
Law: Deut 33:2 That the Lord’s law is fire. The Lord’s voice is also fire. Ex 20; Deut 5:4 “
the Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire”.
Scriptures : Jer 23:29; Rev 20:10.
11. The Great White Throne Judgment AV Re 20:11 "
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Mis-conception #1: Some Are found in the Book of LifeVerse 15 can imply that there were some that were found in the book of life. The ones whose names are not found in the book of life(most likely unbelievers) are the ones that are cast in “the lake of fire”. Verse 15 does not say that ALL were not found in the Book of life. That’s an assumption we SDAs make in our interpretation. Some names are found in the book of life and are those that did the “good deeds” that will receive the resurrection of life after their works are tested and receives their "lashings"(whatever that means spiritually).
Mis-conception #2: Not everyone gets the same judgmentAnother assumption we make, is we say that everyone gets the same judgment -- annihilation. That’s never was the case in the past, nor this is implied or said in the Lord judgment laws. The law says “
an eye for an eye” Ex 21:24, 25 meaning, if you loose an eye, the law’s restitution will be the value of an eye -- not more, not less. The law’s sentence will match the level of the offence, and the level of their pre-knowledge of the law. Verse 12 is clear people are judged according to their works.
The Judgment of the “Good-Deeds people” of the 2nd ResurrectionIn Rev 20 there’s no mention of what happens to those “good-deeds” people that are found in the book of life. All we know is their works will be judged(Rev 20:12-13). Since, Rev 20 does not expand on any of the details; we need to resort to Jesus multiple parable to get that information.
TimingIn terms of timing of events, I think the “good-deeded” people will be judged first. We find that pattern in scriptures that our Church believe in such principle.
Public vs. Private Court CaseI don’t think all judgment will be public. From what I know of the Lord, I don’t think He will make a public show of our dirty rags. I think whatever sin that involved only your own person will be kept personal, but those sins that was an offence towards another individual(s) or of the public realm of the nature like being given a leadership role and how unlawfully this authority was used -- I think these will be made public (or maybe only call those that the sin effected directly) for the sake of justice and the work of reconciliation towards the victims it effected.
But overall the trials will be quite extraordinary where all injustice will be made known, and dealt with fairly, and justice will be served righteously in the eyes of all men to mend hearts.
Good-Deeds-Group Works tested via their Foundation As believers, our works should be laid on no other foundation than Jesus-Christ(1C 3:11-15). Paul says “
that every man’s work shall be made manifest”. The only time and place I can think of for this to happen is at the Great White Throne Judgment. Thus the works of the “good deeded” groups are tested by “FIRE” against the foundation Jesus has laid.
In verse 15 Paul conclude “
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” Even if all their works are burned because it didn’t come from the Lord’s foundation but came from “stubbles” or “hay”(the flesh), he himself shall be saved because of that fire. The fact the person is not annihilated by that fire but in the contrary is saved by it; shows that it is not a literal fire but spiritual that represents the Holy Spirit involved in this testing and purifying this believer. He may have some good works proven by this fire; but even if he ends up with none whatsoever that stood the test;
but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
Good-Deeds Group gets some floggingI think after their works are tested, they will undergo some flogging. Jesus said of them that they
knew his lord’s will” but “
didn’t prepare himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes” Lk 12:47 Here theirs two issue pointed out,
1) “
didn’t prepare himself” : The only way to prepare yourself is to go thru His discipline and graduate from His “spiritual growth school”. Theirs 3 levels. The first level is quite easy which is expressed in the Passover (circumcision of the heart that Jesus does, & baptism, and eating some baby food(milk)). The second level is Pentecost, is when you are old enough to learn to hear & obey the law thru the Holy Spirit’s training. That’s quite extensive training described in Rom 13. The third level is Tabernacle, is the time you learn to put in practice your gifts and callings by walking in His rest.
2) “
neither did according to His will” . Most Christians have not gone thru the Pentecost spiritual level of growth. If they never learn to hear the Lord’s voice; then how can you come about to obey Him? Right! There’s many that has put themselves in some ministry today; but their calling never came from Jesus. This is what I think Jesus was telling to those that prophesied, cast out devils, and have “
done many other wonderful works” “
in the name of Jesus”. Jesus simply said to them, “
I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work lawlessness” Mat 7:22-24 It’s impossible for anyone to do His will if you didn’t hear Him. And many don’t know how to hear Him and differentiate His voice from our own.
So their judgment is a certain number of flogging. I think this is symbolic of some "fire" judgment than the lake of fire. Jesus didn’t say they will physically die from it. And in Deut 25:3 the number of flogging is limited to 40. “
Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee. ”
Thus 40 “flogging” (??? Spiritually) is the most that can be sentenced. Interesting to note, that in Luk 12:49 Jesus seems to link these “flogging” aka "stripes" with "the fire".
AV Lk 12:48 "
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?"
The “good” receives their reward and Life after being tested and receiving their Lashings Nobody knows how long this testing last and the application of this text and the lashings constitute as this is not reveal in scripture and is reserve to be known during that age. But whatever time it will take to have this done, these two events will bring these believers into full maturity(=Tabernacle) and they will receive their reward(some level of responsibility in the Kingdom see Mat 25:21-23) then and will receive the immortal and incorrupt body(=life).
Some believers receives their reward and are tormented with the unbelieversAbusive towards a BrotherNow some of these servants-beleivers raised at the 2nd resurr. who were found mistreating others; the Bible is specific that their fate is with the unbelievers. In Mat 24:49 & Luk 12:46 we read the evil servant that "
smite his fellowservants" the Lord shall "
appoint him his portion with the unbelievers". And also see Mat 5:22 "
whosoever say, Thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire"
Unforgiven towards a BrotherAnother reason is given in Mat 18 where Jesus speaks of a man that was forgiven a large debt; but after didn't forgive the small debt of his fellowservant. The text doesn’t use the words that he beated him. But he could of for the text says “
he layed his hands on him and took him by the throat”(v.28) Regardless if he did or not, his judgment was with the unbelievers also by saying the Lord "
delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto to him. "(v.34)
Do notice that in Mat 18 the evil servants was not physically destroyed but his sentence
was to pay his entire debt. This is what is referred in the law of Jubilee. We will get to that in more detail in the next post in Section D.
The Redemption Law & other brief notes found in the JubileeOne thing important to note for now is -- Redemption is only defined within the context of the law of Jubilee. We find many other laws in the Jubilee including paying their debt by being sold for their servitudes. Also it talks about not mistreating the servants-slaves that have good vacation rights including every 7th year as a release and a complete sabbatical rest. If the slaves are mistreated the law requires that he be freed.
Basically the law of Jubilee is the frameworks and foundation where all other laws given to Moses works into.
The ”Evil-Deeded" People of the 2nd Resurrection get Judged NextAfter the “good-deeded” people cases are all over, I think next will be all the cases of “those that did evil deeds”. By then, these people will have been in many trials were injustice was done towards them by the “good deeded people”. Every people on earth have plenty of injustice done towards them including these “evil-deeded people”. I think the same type of trials will be conducted for them but their judgment will not be some number of “flogging” or "small fire", but “the lake of fire”. I will cover this in details in the last post in Section D.
Law : "eye for an eye" Ex 21:24,25; Maximum number of 40 stripes Deut 25:30; be sold Ex 21:3; pay debt, law of redemption and law of Jubilee Lev 25.
Scriptures : White Throne Jugment Rev 20:11-15; works of believers tested with fire against foundatation 1Cor 3:11-15; believers not prepare or didn't do according to His will Luk 12:47-49; I never knew you Mt 7:22-24; reward is a level of responsibility in the Kingdom Mat 25:21-23; evil servants gets reward with unbelievers Mat 24:49, Luk 12:46, Mt 5:22; unforgiven servant have to pay his entire debt Mat 18:28-34; abusive servant receice reward with unbelievers Luk 12.
Literal : The good deeded believers gets there trial first and receive some sort of judgment before receiving their reward of eternal life. The evil deeded believers and unbelievers gets cast in the "lake of fire" (will cover that in section D)
12. The Submission & Swearing Allegiance I think that by the time everyone passes in front of the Great White Throne; that’s when the Lord’s oath in Isaiah 45 will be fulfilled. During the trials this is what everyone will experience and witness :
-everyone got judged for their works with fairness,
-with a sentence fitting for their crimes -- an “
eye for an eye” meaning not less nor more.
-with mercy by giving them a way for them
to restitute for their crime according to the law in the sin offering and elsewhere,
-seeing the wisdom in the Lord’s judgment to make a way to reconcile them to their victim,
-seeing that the Lord does address all evil deeds,
-seeing that He judges His servants first, and the remaining groups later
-seeing their evil deeds still served a purpose in the overall plan (“
all things work together for good” Rom 8:28),
-understanding via witnessing in some court cases that the law forbids any brother to look at them as a criminal,
- understanding via witnessing in some court cases that the law says everyone is to treat ex-criminals with love and respects
- understanding via witnessing in some court cases that the law forbids mistreating a bond-servant or anyone
-knowing that by the end of the Great Jubilee they too and all others will inherit the glorious body that the Overcomers and the “good-deeded” people are about to receive.
-by the end of all the court cases that's when all the resurrected ones will come to know the truth. Coming to know all the truth is salvatic in this text -- AV 1Ti 2:4 "
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."
-I can see that by the end of the trials everyone will think in their minds “
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! ” (Rom 11:33). I think it will be overwhelming.
I do believe that the Lord surely knows how to bring anyone to repentance. He brought me to repentance, and He brought a very barbaric King Nebuchadnezzar to repentance with far less revelation of the truth than that. With all the revelation put on the table and whatever showdown they received before the Great white Throne – I have no doubt that the Lord’s oath below will be fulfill :
Every Knee will bow and Every Tongue Swear Allegiance 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth [in] righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear [allegiance]
. 24 Surely, shall [one] say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: [even] to him shall [men] come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. ” AV Isa 45:23,24
I do not believe in our Church and most denomination position on Isaiah 45:23 that Paul quoted 3 times, that it doesn’t say it’s a repentance. I think this type of opinion is quite bias based on pre-conceived interpretation.
The enemies of Jehovah are inflamed; enraged; angry, their attitude is not one of loving worship, they are active in indignation against the very ONE Whose glory and justice they can't help but honor and acknowledge.
Above is an example of someone's view & interpretation. When we look at the text for what it says, it is not what this person or many others try to make it say.
Meaning of the Two gestures 1.bowing the knee -- is a submission. All throughout the Bible bowing means a submission and subservient position.
2. the tongue that swear -- is saying an oath. What type of oath or swearing are they saying?
These are the possibilities that comes to mind. If there's others, please let me know :
a) to swear whatever you are saying is the truth : it could be in a court of law, or to an individual, or to a group of people. This is not the case in this context.
b) to swear that you keep your end of the bargan-contract, your words, or keep this charge. This is also not the case in this context.
c) to swear an allegiance to an authority, to your leader, to a god, to a country, etc... This does fit this context because #1 they have bowed their knee beforehand which means they had submitted to someone.
Then we have verse 24 that further support the notion it was a repentance and submission:
a) "
Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: " : Surely -- mean truly -- I have righteousness in the Lord -- this say their righteousness & strength rest in the Lord now. This is definitely a statement a new convert says and not someone that is angry as in the example quote from this person suggested. No longer their righteousness & strength rest on themselves as it were before.
b) "
even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed" : This statement that comes AFTER part a) qualifies who where these men by saying -- men shall come to the LORD and all that are "angry" against him shall be ashamed -- after knowing the truth, someone can be ashamed that they were angry at the Lord before. Or this can be a simple statement that the Lord successfully brought his enemies into shame.
Also verse 22 & 25 brings more of the context by both mentioning it was about these people receiving salvation.
-verse 22 the Lord is saying to everyone to look unto Him and be saved -- "
look...be ye saved" before the next verse were the Lord swears and his word will not return empty that "
every knee bow and every tongue swear". This oath the Lord said was in response to verse 22 to qualify it in what He will do.
-Then in verse 25 the same context is brought in a conclusive matter -- "
ALL Israel shall be JUSTIFIEDand…. shall GLORY ". These words are words that confirms what will happen after everyone submits and swear allegiance.
This context, and the text itself if by far words of forced swearing when still angry unrepentant mob saying "ok ok you win, now you can annihilate us”.
Timing for the Lord to Fulfill His Oaths and other promisesIt took some time to fulfill, but the Lord is in no hurry and have all the time on His side.
AV Hab 1:12 . “
[Art] thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. ”
The Second PassoverMany say that you need to repent in your lifetime. That’s not true. No where in the Bible mentions that. Actually in the law of the Second Passover in Num 9:6-10 it says the opposite.
The Lord have provided by LAW a means for the people that have missed the first Passover a chance to observe it on the second month.
These are the reason why the people had missed the first Passover in this law :
a) they "
were defiled by the dead body of a man" : which those that resurrect after the Millennium are still MORTAL thus defiled by their own dead(mortal) body.
b) "
be in a journey afar off" : that represent all of those that were far off from the Lord in their lifetime.
This law basically includes everyone at the 2nd resurrection. No one is excluded. Thus this law allows everyone that have mist the FIRST Passover for the reason listed above that they can keep the SECOND Passover and be justified by the blood of Jesus also.
Law: The Second Passover Num 9:6-10
Scriptures : Every knee bow & tongue swear Isaiah 45:22-25, Rom 14:11, Ph 2:10,11; The Lord's glory will fill the whole earth Num 14:21, Ps 72:19, Isa 6:3, Hab 2:14; Everyone will know the truth and be saved 1Tm 2:4.
Literal : Every knee shall bow and every tongue will swear allegiance to the Lord = repentance and submission to the judgment sentence giving at their trial when their works were judged.
13. The Lake of Fire : Death and Hades Cast inThe death (& hades) here is the death(1st & physical) that was imputed to all mankind because of Adam’s sin.
The Hades(the unseen – Sheol in Hebrew) here is the place the soul goes(Ps 16:10, 30:3, 49:15, 86:13, 89:48; Pr 23:14; Acts 2:27,31; ) whereas the body returns to dust. The Greeks had described it as “subterraneous” place but it is really an “unseen” place for the soul(=mind) by which is also “unseen”.
The 1st death and Hades goes hand in hand. I think in the past I’ve said they were both destroyed(v.14) in the lake of fire before the people are cast in(v.15). Right now I’m wondering if that’s an incomplete interpretation. The reason I’m bringing my own interpretation in question is because of 1Cor 15:26 that says “
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death ”. The possible interpretation of that by its context that it happens just before “
Christ put all things under his feet ”(v.27) which is a referenced at the end of the Great Jubilee when Christ succeeds to bring all things in submission before He put Himself in submission to the Father “
that God may be all in all ” (v.28).
Thus "
death and Hades cast in the lake of fire" could be be a slow or a “legal” type of destruction until death and hades is totally destroyed at the end of the Great Jubilee. 1Cor 15:55-56 quotes from Hos 13:14 that says “
I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction? I will have no compassion ”. The people got redeemed before they were cast in the lake of fire -- so where is the sting of death and destruction of hades?
Legal vs. Complete FulfillmentThis a term that we do not use much; but we do have this teaching in our perception of the power of the Word of God when spoken. Basically when a judgment is pronounced, it is legally recognized at that moment as fulfilled, for any word of God pronounced is fulfilled -- it is just a matter of time before it is completely manifested as fulfilled on earth. When Jesus died at the cross, He legally justified the whole world. These are examples of official "legal time" that start from the beginning of the spectrum of the spoken word or Legal act of Jesus. However these are things not yet fulfilled and have not come to full reality on earth(or in our body)yet. When it is fulfilled, then we are at the other end of the spectrum of the "fulfillment time". In another word, the "legal or when sentenced pronounced" is when "
God, who ...calleth those things which be not as though they were." Rom 4:17
So perhaps Rev 20:14 statement is the "legal time" or "the beginning time when the spoken word" is recorded in the heavenly court. And the end of Great Jubilee is the fulfillment of what was pronounced in Rev 20:14 and is when death and hades becomes fully destroyed when all is restored back to their glorified body at their full release and forgiveness of their debt at the Great Jubilee time. That's what I could see to reconcile these texts.
Law: Scriptures : death and hades cast in lake of fire before the people Rev 20:14,15; death is last enemy destroyed 1Cor 15:26-28, death and hades have no sting and no destruction ICor 15:55-56, Hos 13:14; God call things that are not as if they were Rom 4:17.
Literal: Death(1st physical) and Hades legally destroyed before people are cast in the lake of fire, but is completely destroyed at the end of the Great Jubilee when they received their glorious immortal garment.