Death, Resurrection, Judgment, Salvation

Are we all resurrected back to life? What is judgment? Is salvation only available in this present life? What happens to all the people that never knew Jesus Christ, to the babies that were aborted, to the children who died at a young age, to the people that were purposefully blinded by God, or to those that rejected their calling by God? Does the Bible give us the answers to these questions? I will show that the Bible does reveal the answers to these questions. Let’s start with the 3 pilgrimage feasts of God which depict the harvesting of souls in their appointed order and time.

Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. Ex. 23:14-17 (There are 3 agricultural harvests depicted in the 3 feasts of God. These 3 feasts depict 3 spiritual harvests of souls, or resurrections to salvation or judgment.)

THE SPRING, BARLEY HARVEST = FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD = CHRIST AS FIRST OF THE FIRSTFRUITS

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection
of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 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. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1 Cor. 15:20-26 (Christ is first of the firstfruits depicted by the 1^st feast of unleavened bread. There is also an order in which all mankind will be brought back to life.)

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Col. 1:15 (A firstborn indicates that there are more that follows.)

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect, together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine. You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain, until the very day you bring this offering to your God. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live. Lev. 23:9-14 (The firstfruit sheaf of the grain is a picture of the resurrection of Christ. There is no leaven in this offering as there is with the wheat harvest. And leaven pictures sin, therefore Christ had no sin, or leaven.)

THE SUMMER, WHEAT HARVEST = PENTECOST, FEAST OF WEEKS, OR FEAST OF HARVEST = THE SAINTS AS THE FIRSTFRUITS OF GOD, THE FIRST RESURRECTION

I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Rev. 20:4-6

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Luke 3:16-17 (The wheat, or the saints will be harvested at Christ’s return.)

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:26 -29 (God is a farmer who plants his seeds. The good seeds will grow and then be harvested at the proper time.)

He(Jesus) told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:2 (God is in the business of planting, growing, and harvesting his crops.)

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ” Matt. 13:24-30

Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. Matt. 13:36-43

WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF MANKIND? ARE THEY LOST FOREVER WITHOUT HOPE?

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. John 6:44-48 (The Father does not draw, or call everyone to him in this life. Many are called and therefore judged at the 2^nd resurrection.)

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Heb. 9:27 (What is the judgment? Is that the same as the sentencing? Or is the judgment when they are judged according to their works, and then comes the sentencing? The dead in Christ have died once, and so those that have been called are being judged now. The vast majority of mankind are not dead in Christ, but will die, then be resurrected for their calling and judgment at the 2^nd resurrection for their first opportunity at salvation.)

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:28-29 (Some translations say the word “judgment” is “condemnation” or “damnation” but  “judgment” is the correct interpretation according to the greek meaning of the word “krisis”. The resurrection of life is the 1^st resurrection of the saints. The resurrection of judgment is the 2^nd resurrection of the rest of mankind.)

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (If this is true, then God will give everyone an opportunity to come to repentance and receive salvation. Although, not everyone will make the right choice.)

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17 (The saints receive our judgment in this life because we are dead in Christ. Judgment does not come on the rest of the world until the 2^nd resurrection.)

THE GREAT FALL HARVEST = THE FEAST OF INGATHERING, OR FEAST OF TABERNACLES = THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT FOR THE REST OF MANKIND, THE 2^ND RESURRECTION

The fall harvest season is much larger than the wheat harvest, indicating that this resurrection will include a much larger group of people. The various fruits harvested during this time depicts the diversity of people being resurrected. The feast of Ingathering is celebrated for 7 days depicting the 7000 years mankind dwells in fleshly bodies. The Israelites dwelled in tents in the wilderness and God protected and provided for them in these temporary dwellings. The final day of the feast depicts the great white throne judgment which is when the 2^nd resurrection takes place. Then what happens?

"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:37-38 (Is it any coincidence that Jesus says that anyone who is thirsty may come to him on this last and greatest day of the feast that pictures the great white throne judgment? This is the last day of the feast of Ingathering which depicts the great fall harvest.)

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:11-15 (This is the 2^nd resurrection. The books being opened, the “biblios,” are the scriptures being learned for the first time with sound doctrine by those in this resurrection. THEN the book of life is opened to them and they are offered salvation for the first time. The prophet Ezekiel reveals that these people are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and are restored to their land. They will likely be given a certain amount of time to live and they will be judged according to their works.)

So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.” Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. Rom. 11:5-32 (At this present time there is a remnant chosen by grace, but all Israel will be saved in the end. All Israel will be grafted back into the olive tree, forgiven their sins, and shown mercy. The blindness that was placed on them in their past life will be lifted and they will be restored by God. God will show his great mercy and love to all of Israel, but only in due time. We must stop thinking that God’s plans for us are only fulfilled in our present lives. We will be resurrected and God’s plan for us will continue on from there.)

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the SovereignLord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ” So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’ ” Ezek. 37:1-14 (This prophecy depicts the 2^nd resurrection of all the rest of Israel that is unsaved. They will be brought back to life, given the Holy Spirit, resettled into their land, and live, and their sins will be wiped clean. These people thought that all hope was lost, that they had been cut off, but God has mercy on them. But what about the Gentiles? Will they also be brought back too?)

“ ‘However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before. You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride, before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you. You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord. Ezek. 16:53-58 (All the Gentile peoples will also be resurrected in this 2^nd resurrection and returned to what they were before.)

Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. Matt. 11:21-24 (These people lived in different time periods, but here they are brought back to life in the day of judgment. This time will be more tolerable for some than others. This is more evidence that the Gentile peoples will be resurrected as well, restored and judged. Salvation will be open to them as well. I suspect that they too will be offered the gift of the Holy Spirit and afforded the knowledge in the books, the biblios. Then the book of life will be opened to them as well.)

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. Matt.12:41-42 (More evidence to show that people from different time periods will be resurrected and restored in the 2^nd resurrection. They too will be brought back to their lands and live in the day of their judgment.)

THE EIGHTH DAY

“Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work. Lev. 23:34-36 (What does this eighth day represent?)

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Rev. 21:1-8 (The 8^th day of the feast depicts the new heaven and new earth when everything is made new and it is the new beginning for the rest of all eternity.)

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:2-3 (All flesh will be cut off on the eighth day. This is a day that represents a new beginning. There will no longer be any unclean, fleshly beings that had existed the last 7000 years, but all flesh will either have died on turned into spirit beings at this point.)

IN CONCLUSION: You can have peace of mind that God does have a plan and is very merciful and patient with us. If you have a loved one that has died without Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, there is hope for them. They will be resurrected back to life, Satan will be bound, God will pour out his spirit on all flesh and offer them an opportunity for eternal life. Now as far as eternal rewards goes, that is a different story, but that is for God to give as he so chooses. Most people are not called by God and drawn near by the Father in this life. God’s purpose in this life is to make ready those that will rule with him in his kingdom. This life is going to be one big history lesson for mankind that Satan’s way only leads to destruction. With these lesson firmly planted in our minds, along with our sorrows for falling short, we will finally give our allegiance to God with joy and stop our rebellion. We will be filled with his Spirit which will enable us to do this as our fleshly bodies are cut off. God’s mercy and grace will be on display in the end. Mankind has been rebellious and God’s wrath and anger will be triggered, but he will restore us because of his love for us. Only those that willfully reject his call will be cast into the lake of fire with Satan, the beast, and the false prophet.