The Day Of Judgment

 ...AS IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE
BUT AFTER THIS THE JUDGMENT
Hebrews 9:27



Separating the sheep from the goats

NOTE: The form in  which this chapter currently exists was originally completed in the fall of 1999, and has since undergone many revisions.  Even so, I am painfully aware that it still falls very short of doing justice to this most important topic of the coming judgment for mankind.  I hope to, in the not so distant future post a much more detailed and clear discussion of this subject.  There are also points for which my current understanding is much clearer than it was when this was originally written.  I ask the reader to keep this in mind.  Even so the main points and outline remain unchanged.  May God bless all in your search for truth. -DJH
 

Before considering the precise work and criteria of the coming day of judgment, I feel that it's important to explain a passage which seems to cause some confusion:

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 worshipped 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.  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Rev 20:4-5

Here we are introduced to two resurrections. The first resurrection is obviously for a very special and specific group. If we take this passage in its strictest, most literal sense, then we must be forced to admit that even MOST Christians down through the centuries will not rise in this first resurrection. How many have been beheaded? How many faithful Jews would fit into this particular classification?

It isn't my intention at this point to discuss all the details concerning the first resurrection, but to once again alert the reader that the what we have before us is a highly symbolic passage.

When we read verse 5, we are led to assume that the majority of mankind are not alive during the 1000 year reign of Christ with his faithful followers. If this is true in the most literal sense, then we must ask ourselves how to reconcile this with Jesus' words elsewhere:

Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.  And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;  That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke 22:28-10

Most will admit that the kingdom age is the 1000 year reign of Christ. Obviously, if any were to be among the faithful of the first resurrection, the apostles would be. We see in Revelation 20:4 that thrones and judgment are given to these just as Jesus promised the disciples.

The problem is this: If the apostles are to judge the 12 tribes of Israel, and the 12 tribes are not brought back to life until the 1000 year reign is over, then did Jesus lie? In a similar passage from Matthew, Jesus states:

Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matt 19:28

When Jesus spoke these words, 10 of the twelve tribes were already lost and dispersed among the nations, and hence Jesus' reference to "the regeneration". However, we have to ask: If 10 tribes were lost when Jesus spoke these words, and if only a fraction of all who have ever lived are present after Armageddon, and if the rest of the dead Jews from past ages aren't resurrected  until AFTER the 1000 year reign, then what kind of kingdom and judgment did he promise the disciples? Did these by their faithfulness only earn the right to judge a mere remnant of the Jewish nation, or did Jesus have something else in mind?

The phrase "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" seems to be problematic. In fact, if we study the history of the verse, we can see that it obviously was problematic for quite a few people.

The verse doesn't appear at all in some of our oldest Bible manuscripts such as the syriac. In others the word "but" is omitted from the text. In still others the word "again" is omitted, and in still others, a different Greek word is used for "lived". Obviously quite a few others saw the difficulty in interpreting the verse in light of other scriptures, while still others felt that verse was spurious and didn't belong in the scriptures at all.

When we are confronted with a passage like this which would seem to defy proper exposition, it is very important that we proceed very carefully and prayerfully asking for discernment and wisdom. 

The standard answer to this potential problemgiven by pre-millenialists is that the 1000 year reign is over those "sheep nations" which survive Armageddon and go into the millennium where they multiply and have children. Among these would be scattered remnants of all twelve tribes which Jesus will re-gather from among the nations, even though their identity had been lost. Although in some respects this is true, I am convinced that this simply will not solve the problem. In fact, there is no problem. In the prophets, God has told us where these twelve tribes come from which the apostles are to rule over in the kingdom age. The real problem is not with the scriptures but in whether or not we are going to be faithful and simply believe them?  Please note carefully the following verses from Isaiah:

In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.  Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:  For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.  The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.  The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. Isa 26:1-7

What day is the prophet here referring to? Obviously the time of the coming kingdom and the times of refreshing and regeneration which Jesus promised. These clearly refer to the 1000 year reign of Christ when he sets up his kingdom on earth, and the time when the twelve apostles would judge the twelve tribes as Jesus had promised. To this most commentators agree. But as we proceed, notice what the expectations are for this kingdom age:

Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.  Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.  LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.  LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. Isa 26:8-12

The prophet here foretells that the kingdom age IS THE TIME WHEN THE LORD'S JUDGMENTS ARE IN THE EARTH. This would correspond with what Jesus promised his disciples. When he takes his kingdom, they are to be given the right to judge as well. Who was this prophecy to apply to? Who was to be ruled over and judged? Was it only to apply to the remnant which would survive Armageddon? We let the text answer:

Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

How does the Lord increase the nation? How does he increase Israel to the far ends of the earth? By marriage and multiplication as some assert? Let's see:

LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.  Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.  We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.  Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Isa 26:15-19

Bingo! Notice the very obvious and plain reference to the resurrection in the same context as the kingdom and the judgment.

Do all that "dwell in the dust" (the dead) come forth in the first resurrection to rule and reign with Christ? Obviously not. However here, we are clearly told that these are resurrected during the kingdom age when Christ's judgments are in the earth. This is where the twelve tribes come from who the apostles are to judge... they are clearly resurrected during the kingdom age! If we interpret Revelation 20:5 to mean that ALL the dead who don't come up in the first resurrection remain in their graves until the 1000 year kingdom age is over, then clearly either our interpretation is incorrect, or Isaiah is incorrect.

In Revelation 11 we can also see clearly that the dead come up to judgment during the kingdom age. In Revelation 11, after the sounding of the seventh trumpet, we find this announcement:

Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. Rev 11:17-18

The judging of the dead is mentioned in relation to Christ taking the kingdom. Why would this be announced here if the judgment of the dead was still 1000 years into the future? Again the evidence seems to indicate that the dead are raised during the kingdom age; the 1000 year reign. In other words, the 1000 year reign of Christ with his saints IS the day judgment.

Notice again how the apostle Paul makes this plain; that the dead are judged during Christ's kingdom:

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Tim 4:1

But how could this statement be true if the judgment does not take place until 1000 years following Christ's return? Discerning this one very important truth will unlock so much scripture.  The day of judgment does not follow the 1000 year reign of Christ.  The day of judgment IS the 1000 year reign of Christ.

CONCEALING AN OBVIOUS TRUTH?

We find this truth brought out once again in the book of Ezekiel, however in this particular passage it becomes obvious that many simply do not want to believe what the Bible so clearly states.  Consider the following:

Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,  And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD. Ezek 37:12-14

If you want to see one of the most profound examples of unbelief imaginable, examine the commentaries on Ezekiel 37. Not ONE commentary that I know of will take God at his word. None believe that this passage is talking about a literal resurrection but instead spiritualize this passage and believe that it was fulfilled when Israel became a nation in 1948.

Why do they do this? Apparently because none of them can harmonize such a resurrection with their theology.

The Lord says:

Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Ezek 37:11

Our commentators inform us that these bones are NOT the whole house of Israel but are merely those Jews which have returned to their homeland since 1948. We will 'let God be true and every man a liar'; this simply cannot be correct. The "restoration" of 1948 is not "the whole house of Israel" by any conceivable stretch of the imagination. It currently consists of the tribe of Judah, and maybe part of the tribe of Benjamin. This is "the whole house of Israel"??? It is amazing that some of these teachers which at other times take some scriptures in their most literal sense spiritual these words almost to the point of meaninglessness.

The promise given in Ezekiel is a resurrection of "the whole house of Israel" where they are brought out of their graves, and placed back into their land. This is what the text says, and this is what Christ meant when he promised his apostles:

in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel

 If these are resurrected during the time when Christ is reigning on the earth with his faithful, then they simply cannot remain in their graves until the 1000 years are over. Clearly an interpretation which takes the phrase "the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" in a strict literal sense is in error.

However, we're not finished yet as we can continue to mount further evidence. Continuing in Ezekiel 38 we are told of a great battle which takes place after God resurrects his people and puts them back in their land as just described in Ezekiel 37. Please take the time to read carefully the following passage:

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,  Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,  And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:  And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:  Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:  Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.  Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.  After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.  Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:  And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,  To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.  Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?  Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?  And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:  And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many years that I would bring thee against them?  And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.  For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;  So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.  And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.  And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.  Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD. Ezek 38:1-23

If you study the comments of our "orthodox" scholars, you will once again see their absolute refusal to simply believe what God has said.

If you read Revelation 20, we are told precisely when the events described in Ezekiel 38 take place:

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,  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.  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. Rev 20:7-9

Incredibly, not one scholar that I know of believes that Revelation 20 is describing the events of Ezekiel 38! However, when we compare the two passages we see the amazing similarities:

How can any deny that these passages were written to parallel one another? Isn't it obvious that when John wrote in Revelation about 'Gog' and 'Magog' that the Holy Spirit intended us to go back to Ezekiel for further information about this battle? Why the refusal to accept the clear statements of scripture?

Simple, having refused to believe that Ezekiel 37 referred to a literal resurrection during Christ's 1000 year reign, and having spiritualized the passage to refer to the 1948 national restoration of Israel, they have no choice but to also place the timing of Ezekiel 38 before the second advent. Once this is done there is no way the passage can be harmonized with Revelation 20 where the scene is clearly after the 1000 year reign.

Almost every premillennial commentary teaches that Ezekiel 38 describes a coming war where Russia attacks Israel before the second coming. Common sense in examining the passage should tell us that this can't be possible. Notice:

Thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.

And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates

In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?

Is this a picture of Israel since 1948? Has Israel ever enjoyed the peace and security pictured here? Even those who teach that this is a picture of Israel in our present day admit that the picture doesn't seem to fit. Once again they spiritualize the passage to mean that Israel isn't really enjoying real peace when Gog ( Russia) strikes, but only imagined peace and security. I'll let the reader be the judge of how valid such interpretations are.

Most of the imagery in the book of Revelation is drawn from Old Testament prophecy. It is unthinkable to me that John described a battle involving Gog and Magog, giving the exact same details given in Ezekiel if in fact these don't describe the same event. I maintain that through a simple comparison of scripture and sound reasonable logic they simply must refer to the same event.

Once we see that the events described in Ezekiel 37 and 38 are describing events within and immediately following the 1000 year reign of Christ, a huge piece of the puzzle involving the judgment falls into place. Let's recount briefly what we have ascertained so far:

1. Jesus promised the twelve that "in the regeneration", or during the kingdom age, they would sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
    

2. Isaiah tells us exactly where the twelve tribes come from; that those who "dwell in the dust" shall rise during a time when the Lord's "judgments are in the earth"
    

3. Ezekiel also tells us of the same. God raises the whole house Israel and puts them back in their land to dwell peaceably and safely during the 1000 year reign of Christ with his saints.
    

4. Ezekiel and Revelation tell of a major revolt at the end of the 1000 year reign in which the wicked are gathered together against those dwelling safely in Israel.

Who are those who revolt? Who are these who John says "are as the sand of the sea", and of whom Ezekiel says "come up as a cloud to cover the land"?

The answer is quite simple. Remember the words of Jesus:

The men of Nineveh shall rise in the 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.

Not only are the Jews raised during the judgment (the 1000 year reign), but ALL are raised during this time. Notice that here Jesus was talking to the Jews and tells them that the men of Nineveh will rise WITH THEM in the judgment. Ezekiel told us when the Jews would be raised... during the 1000 year reign of Christ, before the battle of Gog and Magog. There is no way to escape the unavoidable conclusion;

The 1000 year reign of Christ is "the day of Judgment" which Jesus spoke of so prominently.

 

AN AMAZING BUT NEGLECTED PROPHECY

To many, this idea that all the millions of dead throughout the ages will be raised during the reign of Christ and his faithful followers will come as a new idea. The scriptures are however abundantly clear if we will simply search out the truth, then be faithful to believe what we read. We remember earlier that Christ promised that it would be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judgment than for those cities who rejected his preaching. We also saw how our modern teachings twist the passage to teach that there are degrees of punishment in hell, when the Bible says no such thing. These teachers believe that ALL in the ancient city of Sodom are damned and will be punished eternally. Is this what the Bible really says?

Incredibly, the very answer to this question is given in an amazing Old Testament prophecy, but oddly, it is never taught in our Churches, and is strangely absent from our theology books. In examining the notes of five different study Bibles, the silence on the passage is unanimous. The prophecy can be found in Ezekiel chapter 16. I would invite the reader to get their own Bible and consider for yourself what God says.

In this prophecy, God is rebuking Israel for their idolatry despite the immense favor they had been shown. The Lord relates how he took them when they were nothing, clothed them, fed them, nurtured them, and how they grew to be a mighty nation. But in spite of all this, they turned their backs and went and worshiped idols. God tells of the punishment which was to befall them because they had forsaken Him:

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;  Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness.  And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.  And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.  They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.  And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any more. Ezek 16:36-41

Then the prophecy goes on to relate the sins of Sodom and Samaria with whom Israel had "played the harlot". However, an amazing thing happens. God doesn't condemn these cities the way some might expect. Notice:

As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.  Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.  And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.  Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.  Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters. Ezek 16:48-52

As far as God was concerned, Sodom and Samaria were more righteous than Israel; they hadn't even committed HALF of what the Jews had done! How could this be? Because the Israelites were much more accountable to God having been shown so much more favor than the wicked nations around them. Now, notice carefully how this ties right in with Jesus' words about it being more tolerable in the day of judgment for some than for others who had rejected his preaching. The principle is the same in both  instances.  The more light a nation had been shown, the more accountable they were to Jesus in the day of judgment. 

After recounting Israel's sins, and stating that in His view Sodom and Samaria were more righteous, what does God say the outcome will be? Does he then condemn them all to hell or to eternal destruction? Does he say that these Jews most suffer more than Sodom and Samaria? Are we prepared to believe what God says about the fate of these nations, even if it goes against what we have been taught to believe? 

Get your Bible and read Ezekiel 16:53-55. Please don't take my word for it, READ IT:

When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:  That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.  When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate. Ezek 16:53-55

Let the Bible speak for itself: When the Jews are re-gathered into their land, God will also bring the Sodomites and those of Samaria back into their lands surrounding them. Why does God do this? So that Israel can see and bear their shame, in that they judged their surrounding nations when they themselves had sinned even worse. But more still, that they may be ashamed when they are made a COMFORT to Sodom and Samaria. Look at the passage! That is what YOUR Bible says! The NASV is even clearer:

...in order that you may bear your humiliation, and feel ashamed for all that you have done when you become a consolation to them. Ezek 16:54

This is precisely why it is MORE TOLERABLE for Sodom in the day of judgment than for those who rejected Christ. The Israelites felt they were so much better off simply because they were Jews, but in rejecting Christ, they had sinned far worse than Sodom ever had. This passage from Ezekiel is clearly what Jesus had in mind and alluded to when he spoke those words. Why are these things never taught and preached? The entire teaching has absolutely no bearing on the pagan doctrine of hell, but rather on who will have an easier time when Christ gathers all nations before him when he comes and sets up his kingdom. But in the case of both the wicked Israelites, and the Sodomites, the re-gathering of them back into their lands is for a purpose, and it's clearly one of restitution.

God is absolutely just.  While many in our day believe that Israel will be restored during Jesus' kingdom, they simply cannot fathom that God would restore Sodom.  However the reasoning here displays the absolute justice of God.  If God is to restore Israel then could he do less for those nations which were so much less accountable? 

It seems as though the commentaries are simply in a quandary about what to do with this passage. The Knowledge Bible Commentary says:

Ezekiel was speaking of the national restoration of these cities (Sodom and Samaria) in the millennium. Evidently Sodom will be rebuilt at this time. (vol. 1 pg. 1258)

Notice how they attempt to pull off the same trick they use in Ezekiel 38. They insist that the passage isn't really referring to those Sodomites God destroyed, but only a "national restoration" (ho-hum). In the same way, in Ezekiel 38 where God states four times that when he brings again the captivity of Israel he OPENS THEIR GRAVES and puts them in their land, they say that the prophecy was fulfilled in the national restoration of Israel in 1948.

But here, such logic gets caught in its own trap. They might get away with fooling someone into thinking that the restoration of Ezekiel 38 is simply a national restoration because there were still nationally identifiable Jews alive in 1948. However, there are no nationally identifiable Sodomites alive now, nor have there been since God destroyed those cities! How do you "bring again the captivity" of a nation of people that are all dead unless by resurrection? The people of Sodom are not scattered as captives among the nations, they are all dead! The only way God can bring them from captivity is in the resurrection; bringing them from the captivity of death to which all generations have gone.

What kind of "national restoration" would you have without one single citizen either from that nation, or even descended from that nation?! Doing so would be nothing more than a meaningless show. Does the Knowledge Bible Commentary offer any explanation as to WHY Sodom must be rebuilt? Of course not. Having consigned them all to hell with no future hope, they have no answers.

The Bible is clear. Theses nations are resurrected WITH THE JEWS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. What is not so clear is why we simply refuse to believe it.

Not even the most vivid imagination is capable of giving this amazing prophecy any past fulfillment. Sodom has been a wasteland since they day God destroyed it, and a good portion of where it once was is thought to be under the sea. The prophecy remains for a future time, the restitution of all things, and the day of Judgment.
 

A CLOSER LOOK AT REVELATION 20

Earlier we considered that Revelation 20:5 seemed to go contrary to what we believed other passages clearly teach:

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. Rev 20:5a

Having carefully examined the unified testimony of Jesus and the prophets concerning the timing of the judgment, I believe it is not possible to take this statement in the strictest literal sense; that the dead remain in their graves until after the 1000 years. The fact that Ezekiel clearly states that the whole house of Israel are raised before the battle of Gog and Magog which closes the 1000 year reign of Christ demands this.

So what are we to do with the passage? Many sincere Bible students, with good reason, feel that the passage is spurious, and therefore do not regard it as part of inspired scripture. It's commonly argued that the statement appears to be comment that someone wrote into the text, and was later copied in by a scribe. In fact, if we read the context in which it appears, but remove the clause, the passage seems to make more sense:

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 worshipped 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.  This is the first resurrection.  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. Rev 20:4-6

When we read Revelation 20 in this way, we see that instead of portraying a sequence of events in chronological order (the binding of Satan, the first resurrection, the 1000 year reign, the battle of Gog and Magog, the raising of the "rest of the dead" and lastly the great white throne judgment) we have instead one grand picture of the judgment, but from two different views.

In other words, John first gives details of this time: A time when Satan is bound so as not to deceive the nations. A time when Christ and the faithful reign. A time when the Jews will dwell in "the beloved city". But he also tells of the great trial and test which closes it; a time when Satan is released to go forth and deceive the nations, and their ultimate doom.

After this, John gives a second picture of the judgment from the perspective of heaven. A time when all the dead are raised to be judged according to their works, and a time which separates those who ultimately will be found written in the book of life, and those who don't. Both pictures refer to the same event, a method which is used frequently throughout the book of Revelation.

Remember Jesus' words:

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

If the Great White Throne isn't the "throne of his glory", then where in Revelation is the "throne of his glory" mentioned? Or isn't it mentioned at all?

Some object by saying that the great white throne judgment cannot take place on earth, because "heaven and earth have fled away". We mustn't  forget that we're reading highly symbolic and apocalyptic language. In response to this, I could ask a similar question: If the Great White Throne Judgment doesn't take place on earth, and it doesn't take place in the heavens, then where does it take place? It can't take place floating in space. Outer space is "the heavens".

A logical explanation will come, as always, from comparing scripture with scripture. Consider from Isaiah:

For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.  But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.  And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.  There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. Isa 65:17-20

When is God seen creating the new heavens and the new earth? What time does the later portion of the above passage describe? These words clearly point to the 1000 year reign of Christ as most scholars would agree. But notice, during this time God is creating the new heavens and the new earth. The symbolism involved here is beautiful. At the beginning of the 1000 year reign the current heavens and earth flee away, not literally, but in the sense that the old order of the heavens under satanic control, and the old order of the earth under the rebellious control of our earth's leaders are done away with, and no place is found for them. Satan which had control of the heavens is bound for 1000 years, and the nations are ruled "with a rod of iron". In this way the 'heavens' and the 'earth' 'flee away'.  The time of the judgment is the time when the new heavens (God's Government) and the new earth (under control of the nation of Israel) are created. The time of the judgment, or the 1000 year reign is the time when the old heavens and the old earth do indeed flee away, but they will not be fully done away with, or the new fully established until Christ finishes his reign.

Notice:

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. Rev 20:15-21:1

The new heavens and the new earth are seen after the last one not found written in the book of life is destroyed. We read before the judgment that heaven and earth "flee away", and then after the judgment that they have "passed away". Notice how perfectly this corresponds with Isaiah:

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 3 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. Isa 66:22-24

The new heavens and the new earth are established by the final and complete destruction of the wicked. Any reasonable person should be able to see that the literal earth and heaven can't be meant; how else does all flesh come and and worship from "one new moon to another", or "look upon the carcasses of those who transgressed against me"?

Also notice what Paul says:

For he (Jesus) must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 1 Cor 15:25-26

A bit of simple logic and reasoning will prove that Christ's 1000 year reign cannot end before the great white throne judgment. Death isn't cast into the lake of fire until the end of the great white throne judgment. Paul says, "the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death". The work of Christ's reign is to put down all enemies until the old heavens and the old earth have passed away, and the new ones established when the last enemy death is destroyed.

So we see that this "great white throne judgment" is another picture of the same information John gives us earlier in Revelation 20, but in more symbolic language. Simply stated, the great white throne judgment" IS the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth with his saints.

As I stated earlier, some feel that removing the phrase "but the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" is justified. I however do not feel comfortable in saying that it's not supposed to be in the Bible. Given the stern warnings not to add or take away from the book, I would just as soon let someone else bear the burden if this is in fact what has been done.

Because of this, it's important to note that the phrase in no way contradicts anything we have learned elsewhere, unless it's taken in its strictest most literal sense, and this is something which cannot be done in many places throughout the book of Revelation, as almost everyone should agree.

In John 5 Jesus stated:

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. John 5:28-29

Here we see the antithesis between those in the first and second resurrections. Those in the first come forth to life. What life did they come forth to?

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. Rev 20:6

When these come forth, they come forth immortal. They cannot die a second time, and as such the "second death" has no power over them.

This is not the case with the second group who come up into judgment. Although they are physically raised during the 1000 years, they cannot be said to have life, or have fully revived because they are still subject to the second death and remain under the death sentence pending judgment. In this respect they cannot be said to "live" or have fully revived until the 1000 years are finished when their trial and judgment are completed. In fact the Greek word used for "lived" is anazao, and literally means to recover life, or revive.

Jesus said:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. John 5:25-27

Who are the dead Jesus was referring to, who would hear his voice in the future and live? Did he mean those in the graves? No, he goes on to say:

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. John 5:28-29

When all who are in the graves here the voice of Jesus and come out, those who do not come forth to life in the first resurrection are still reckoned as dead even though they come forth physically during the 1000 year reign of Christ. In that time, the "dead" who hear his voice will live. They will be raised back to perfection and instructed in righteousness during the 1000 year reign of Christ.
 

CRITERIA FOR JUDGMENT

Returning to the parable of the sheep and the goats, we see what criteria Jesus as the basis for judgment:

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

The pre-millennialists are correct in discerning that this judgment has something to do with the way Christ's "brethren" are treated. However instead of being a picture of how men treat the Jews in the tribulation, what we actually see here is a judgment based on how they are treated during the 1000 year reign, when Israel and all nations have been resurrected.

During this time, Israel is made head of the nations. These are truly Christ's brethren which are referred to in the passage. Currently the Jews have been blinded and the Gentiles been shown favor to provoke them to jealousy. The Jews have have undergone centuries of vicious persecutions at the hands of the gentile nations. Isaiah tells of the time coming when this will cease:

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins.  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Isa 40:1-5

But during the "times of the restitution of all things" Israel is restored to be the head of all the nations. The Gentile nations will be forced to submit to its authority and the Kingdom of Christ on Earth. Those who do, who will learn instruction, will be granted everlasting life at the the end of the judgment. Those who do so grudgingly out of obligation, or not at all will die the second death, or be carried away in Satan's revolt at the end of the 1000 years.

The images in the parable of the treatment of the brethren; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me, clearly refer to the heart attitude of those being judged toward Christ's brethren.

Notice how Isaiah describes those during this coming age:

Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.  Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.  LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. Isa 26:8

This passage is so clear in marking the difference in the heart attitude of those in the judgment. During that time, the inhabitants of the world "learn righteousness". But the wicked refuse to see even though they have been shown favor. Notice that the refuse to see, and let envy devour them. How much clearer our Lord's words become:

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Zechariah tells of the fate which will befall those nations which refuse to submit to the rule of Christ's kingdom:

And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.  This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. Zech 14:17-19

Notice again here how Jerusalem and the Jews are made the criteria for judgment. The heart attitude of the gentiles will be manifested in their treatment of them, and whether or not they will go up to Jerusalem to worship.

But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.. Mic 4:1-2

How can any deny that the day of judgment is for instructing the nations in righteousness. As Christ said, all nations would be gathered before him, and he would separate them. HOW? By which ones will learn instruction and which ones won't. The humble who will learn and follow the shepherd will prove to be "sheep", whereas the stubborn who refuse instruction will prove to be "goats".

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.  And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.  No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Isa 35:5-10

Isaiah gives us a beautiful picture of the coming kingdom. Notice the "highway" in verse eight. Who is the highway for?

the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein

It is for the wayfaring, those millions of the human race who lost their way, or or never had a chance to hear of the one name given among men whereby they must be saved. Notice that even though the wayfaring ARE FOOLS, they will not err. Why? Because Satan is bound so as to no deceive the nations, and Christ will not cast out anyone who comes to him humbly for mercy.We are also told of the outcome of this time:

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

The scriptures pertaining to this time with Israel as the head of the nations, and hope held out to the Gentiles are so numerous that it's incredible we rarely ever hear them preached. Notice what Peter said:

And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:  Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3:20-21

These times of restitution were the subject of ALL the prophets, why have most never heard these things? Why is it that most Christians couldn't quote one verse pertaining to these times if their life depended on it?

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.  Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.  Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.  The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.  All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.  Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?  Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.  And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.  Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.  For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. Isa 60:1-12

How much clearer can we make it. According to His promises, God makes Israel the head of the nations. But more then this, he makes them the criteria for judgment among the gentiles.

Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:  That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.  For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.  As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.  And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. Isa 66:10-14
 

THE FATE OF THE WICKED

It is difficult to imagine that anyone would resist God's grace after being shown such favor, but unfortunately we are told that some will. As Jesus said, it will be very difficult for some in the day of judgment. As he instructed:

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.  Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Luke 6:24-25

The judgment is the great leveler of all mankind. The more wrath a man heaps to himself in this lifetime, the more difficult it will be for him in the day of judgment when he is called upon to give an account of every idle word ever spoken. The more gain and wealth people have acquired in this lifetime, the harder it will be for them in that day when they are humbled. Jesus stated:

And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Matt 19:24

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. Mark 4:22

We can see how this will very very difficult for some. Though the same opportunity is held out to all, imagine what it will be like for those through the ages who have hated and persecuted the Jews. Imagine how difficult it will be for those who heard Jesus preach and yet rejected him. Imagine how difficult for those who have spent their life living only for selfish gain and pleasure.Some will simply not wish to be subject to Christ's rule and kingdom. To them, the judgment is a fire which will consume them. According to Isaiah some will die:

"No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days; for the youth will die at the age of one hundred and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred shall be thought accursed. Isa 65:20

The rest of the wicked will be deceived by Satan in the last final test of mankind when he is released to go forth and deceive the nations. At the end of the 1000 years Satan is released. His release will serve to manifest the true heart attitude of those who are rebellious against God and his kingdom after being ransomed from death and shown such favor:

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,  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.  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. Rev 20:7-9

After this, all the wicked will have been destroyed. Having died a second time (the second death) no ransom will be given for these, and they will have no hope for a future resurrection. It is by these events that the prophecy of Revelation 20:15 is fulfilled:

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 20:15

How do we know that this isn't a literal lake of fire following the judgment? How do we know that the last great judgment IS the 1000 year reign of Christ and not an event following it? Isaiah prophesies of the same events up until the new heavens and the new earth are established:

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.  And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.  And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. Isa 66:22-24

The new heavens and earth are established at the slaying of the wicked at the end of the judgment. Notice that the same reference to fire for the wicked is made in all references to the final destruction of the wicked:

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: Matt 25:41

And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Ezek 38:22

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. Rev 20:9

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 20:15

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

All these references to fire refer to the same thing, the destruction of the wicked either during the judgment, or when the remainder of the wicked perish in the last great battle.

Please notice that the wicked are DESTROYED, and that these passages have nothing to do with immortal souls burning forever in hellfire. Isaiah makes it perfectly clear that the fire and the worms feed on corpses not on immortal souls. The unquenchable fire, and the lake of fire indicate that the final condition of the wicked is permanent, and one from which they will not be recovered. As we learn elsewhere:

For, behold, 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 it shall leave them neither root nor branch.  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.  And ye shall tread 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. Mal 4:1-3

What is most important to remember, is that all that perish in final judgment do so willingly, knowing what they are doing. All will be given a chance to repent and make restitution. No one who comes to Christ and humbly asks for forgiveness and mercy will be cast out:

The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.  But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.  All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.  Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? Ezek 18:20-23

THE UNPARDONABLE SIN

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Matt12:31-32

"The Unpardonable Sin" has confused and troubled many sincere students of God's Word. A discussion of it is very important to our study of the judgment because of the soberness of Jesus' warning.

Someone will ask: Are there any in this life who are so wicked as to not merit a second chance? Given Jesus' clear warning in Matthew 12:31-32, we must answer, yes

First of all, notice how misunderstood this passage is. Notice the reference to sin being forgiven in the world to come. Have you ever heard anyone explain to you what that meant? Only a proper understanding of the future judgment makes sense out of the passage.

Some men will die in their sins. As Jesus said:

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. John 8:24

As Christians, we know that when we accepted Christ as our savior, God cleansed us from our sins based on the merit of Christ's sacrifice on our behalf, and that this same sacrifice continually cleanses us as we daily confess our sins to God who is faithful and just to forgive us. Christians do not die in their sins. This however is not the case for the majority of mankind. We have been told time and again from our pulpits that those who "die in their sins" are lost. This is simply not what the Bible teaches. Notice the words of the apostle Paul:

Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. 1 Tim 5:24

For the Christian, their sins are already judged, confessed and forgiven. For this reason, a Christian who is faithful in confessing his sins and abiding in faith will not come into judgment with the world. This however is not the case for the majority of mankind. For the majority, their sins "follow after" into judgment. The come up into a "resurrection of judgment". We have seen that this time is not one of condemnation, but of restitution. Because faith is not needed or required in that day (because Christ and his kingdom are present) this restitution must be made by works and this is brought out exactly in the parable of the sheep and goats. Do we know what the exact nature of these works will be? We are not told specifically. What we are told is that it will definitely be more tolerable for some than for others in that day, based on the amount of sin they committed in this life, as well as the amount of light they rejected. Every idle word a man speaks will need to be accounted for in that day.

The good news is that Christ says "all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men". It can not only be forgiven in this world, but also in the world to come. Have you ever thought about that? In the world to come, the 1000 year reign of Christ, there will still be sin present in the world. Why? Because the majority of mankind will awaken in their sins the same way they died. Only by repentance, restitution, and instruction in righteousness will these eventually be brought back to eternal life. But Jesus is clear; all manner of sin and blasphemy CAN be forgiven, not only in this world, but in the world to come.

There is however one particular sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which Jesus says will NEVER be forgiven, not now, nor in the day of judgment. Before considering what this sin might be, let's be clear about what it isn't.

It clearly doesn't refer to the masses of humanity, who although totally heathen, have never heard the gospel, and sin in ignorance. God himself said that the people of Sodom were more righteous than than the Israelites who sinned even though they had been given such great light, and shown such favor. Even the apostle Paul who murdered Christians and blasphemed against God not only found forgiveness, but became perhaps the greatest promoter of the gospel the world has ever known:

Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 1 Tim 1:13-14

Those who sin ignorantly in unbelief cannot commit the unpardonable sin.

Neither does "the unpardonable sin" refer to any sin a truly called child of God could ever commit. Those whom God calls in this life are given the Holy Spirit. This Spirit brings about the "new creature" in the life of the believer. The believer is made capable of serving God, having fellowship with God, and running the race which God has set before him. Without the Spirit, man is capable of none of this. As Paul said:

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Rom 8:7

The problem is this. Even though the Spirit has made the man capable of serving God, and has imparted to him the tools necessary to serve God, the Spirit will force no man to do anything.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10

God has saved the Christian "unto good works" that he prepared that they SHOULD walk in them. God however will force no man to walk in them. Time and again Paul warns the Christian against using their liberty as a licensee to sin. This very issue has been the crux of the long standing debate over "Eternal Security". Can a child of God once saved lose that salvation? Strangely, the answer to this question proves to be both yes and no.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:  Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.   Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt 25:24-10

Here we have the case of the "unprofitable servant" who was unfaithful with his master's money. Some say that the unprofitable servant committed the unpardonable sin and lost his salvation. Others say that he was never saved in the first place? What's the truth?

Many believe that the unprofitable servant is lost because of the last verse: And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. We have been told for so long that the "outer darkness" and the "weeping and gnashing" of teeth occur in "hell", that it's sometimes difficult to see the truth. But if we compare this with another passage, we'll see that neither of these phrases refer to hell at all.

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 0 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matt 22:1-13

This parable refers to the nation of Israel as is clear from the context. Just before this Jesus had told the Pharisees that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to a nation producing fruits. The meaning of the parable is quite simple. Jesus came to his own nation, but they rejected him. These were bidden to come to the wedding (to obtain the kingdom) by all the prophets which God had sent them. But they didn't listen. Instead they made light of it and killed the prophets.

In 70 AD the Roman army came and destroyed Jerusalem as foretold in the parable. "But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city". In the mean time the kingdom was given to the Gentiles who believed Christ's message and submitted to his righteousness; they put on the wedding garment, so to speak.

The last part of the parable refers to those Jews who felt that they could still be part of the kingdom without submitting to Christ's righteousness. Or as Paul put it:

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Rom 10:1-3

Jesus says that these servants were to be "bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness". Did this mean hell? Absolutely not! The Jewish nation WAS cast into outer darkness. The kingdom was taken from them and given to the gentiles. The Jews were scattered, their cities destroyed and their land given to others. The Jews were powerless to stop this, as God had decreed it. As a result, the Jewish people have undergone centuries of horrible persecutions at the hands on the gentile nations. Has there been weeping and gnashing of teeth? Absolutely. This phrase always refers to a condition that someone finds themselves in after realizing the height from which they have fallen, and the tremendous opportunities they have missed. Even to this day, the only remaining fragment of the second Jewish temple in Jerusalem is called "the wailing wall" where the Jewish people lament the destruction of their beloved temple and city. How important it is that we rightly divide the word, and not make assumptions based on what we have been taught.

Now, returning to the "unprofitable servant" we see that he also is cast into "outer darkness" and experiences "weeping and gnashing of teeth". Applying what we know now, this would mean that he finds himself in a condition away from a great purpose for which he was originally called, and weeps bitterly when he realizes the height from which he fell and the opportunities which he missed. What could this be referring to?:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:19-21

Christian or no Christian, Paul tells the Galatians that those who continue in sin will by no means inherit the kingdom. Once again, this is not to be confused with salvation. What is the inheritance which was promised?

It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 2 Tim 2:11-12

Christians are called upon to OBTAIN the kingdom. That is, to inherit the right to rule, reign, and judge mankind when Christ comes in his glory to set up his kingdom. Millions of professing Christians have been deceived into believing that this is part of salvation. They take for granted that just because they are "saved" God will give them the right to reign with him. NO WHERE DOES THE BIBLE SAY SUCH A THING!

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: Rev 2:26

And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Heb 3:5-6

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.Rom 8:16-17

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. Rom 11:22

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Gal 6:8-9

God never called any man so they could rest on their laurels, sit in front of the television and pat themselves on the back. God calls people in this age to obtain a kingdom where they will rule and reign with him. Whereas the Bible says that the "gifts and the calling of God are without repentance ( Rom 11:29)", clearly the prize is conditional. The prize is not salvation, but to inherit that kingdom; the right to rule and to reign with Christ.

If a Christian refuses to use the gifts and talents God has given them, and refuses to develop character and bring forth fruit, they will be counted as an "unprofitable servant" who is not worthy to obtain and inherit the kingdom. So what happens to them?

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:5-6

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Heb 10:26-27

Do either of these verses teach that these go to hell? A thousand times NO!!! Notice that in Hebrews 10:26 that they find themselves IN judgment with the adversaries who the fire devours. Notice that it doesn't say it devours them? Why? Let the Bible speak for itself:

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1 Cor 3:11-15

If any man decides to pile nothing but JUNK on the foundation which Christ has given him, they will suffer loss. What loss? Their share in the inheritance with Christ's kingdom. Are these people lost? No, they are ultimately saved, but as one who survived going through the fire. This fire is the same judgment which will ultimately consume all the wicked. In other words, although these were called by Christ to be his firstfruits, and had the tremendous opportunity to rule and reign with him in the kingdom, they instead find themselves SUBJECT to that kingdom, and in the judgment with the rest of mankind; A PLACE OF OUTER DARKNESS, WHERE THERE IS WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH. For these, the fire serves to chastise them, and purify them, but by God's grace, they are not ultimately lost.

Can a Christian fall in to sin? Yes.

Can a Christian make shipwreck of their faith? Yes.

Can a Christian fail to obtain the prize for which they are called? Yes.

Can a Christian commit the unpardonable sin and suffer the second death. NO!

So, exactly who does commit the unpardonable sin? A look at the context is helpful:

Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.  And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?  But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.  And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:  And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?  And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.  Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.  He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.  Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Matt 12:22-32

Speaking strictly from the text, the unpardonable sin is attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan when you have great light and understanding to the contrary. Jesus did not specifically state here that the Pharisees HAD committed that sin, but he was clearly issuing a warning that they were in danger of committing it. He told them elsewhere:

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,  And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.  Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.  Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.  Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell (Gk. Gehenna.. the second death)? Matt 23:29-33

The Pharisees knew who Jesus was, but their pride and wealth kept them from accepting him. They loved money and the praise of men more than the truth. In attributing Jesus' works, which he did by the Spirit, to Satan, the Pharisees came very close to committing the one sin Jesus said would never be forgiven. For this reason he questioned how they should ever escape the second death.

In the book of Jude we read of a similar group of people:

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4

These men had obviously positioned themselves within the church, but in reality were false teachers opposing the work of the Spirit. Jude goes on to describe these:

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. Jude 1:11-13

John gives a similar description:

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 1 John 2:18-19

Again the picture is of false teachers who somehow have positioned themselves in the church, but oppose the true work of the Holy Spirit. John calls them "anti-christs". Having been among the true Church, and the work of the Holy Spirit, these had acquired great knowledge and understanding, but willfully rejected it and worked to oppose the true work of the Spirit. The picture is always one of those who know better, but strive to hinder the work of God. No one could do this ignorantly as we shown in the case of the apostle Paul.

For these the judgment can only bring about one result; their eternal destruction in the second death.

THE GREAT HOPE

The day of judgment holds out a hope to mankind that most in our day have never even heard of. How absolutely tragic that this great doctrine of restitution has been utterly lost in our contemporary theology. How unthinkable that the very ones who profess to be followers of Jesus, who were sent forth to proclaim the GOOD NEWS believe and teach that majority of mankind always has been and always will be utterly and hopelessly lost..

All of us were born captive to sin. All of us were made subject to bondage. The good news is that God sent us a savior to ransom us ALL from sin and bondage. This must be, and will be testified to in due time. Some simply cannot understand now. Satan has blinded the majority so that they can not now see the truth and come to Christ. Others have never heard, nor will hear in this lifetime.

Are these bad people? The honest truth is, we simply don't know, and for this very reason we're told not to judge; the day will manifest it. When the world is released from the bondage of death and of Satan, many will come and be saved. To this all the prophets testify.

The Gospel really is GOOD NEWS. May it be a comfort to all who are brave enough to through off the chains of false doctrine and believe it.

For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 

For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope

Because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

 

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