[ Back ] [ Home ] [ Up ]

“And He said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, Thou knowest. Again He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” So God can take something which is dead and make it alive. Remember, Jesus said they would hear His voice. Now here even the bones hear the word of the Lord. So even the things which are not even human, you know, the bone itself was from a human being, but it’s not a person just being a bone. “Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: and I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you…”, a second physical life. You can’t have bones unless they lived once and died. And now He’s bringing them back to life and He’s putting sinew on them and flesh on them. A second physical life. “…And cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD” (vs. 3-6). Now what does it mean to know the Lord? It means you’re converted. We know Christ because of the Spirit that He’s given us, and the commandments that we keep. So here were these who now are going to know the Lord, which means before they died the first time they didn’t know the Lord. Now let’s understand something. That’s very profound.

Now continuing on in verse 7. “So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above [that is all over]: but there was no breath in them.” So here are all these corpses up there, see. “Then said He unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, thus saith the Lord GOD; come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then He said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel…” (vs. 7-11). See, because under the covenant that God had with them before, they did not have eternal life made available to them. And God shut them up to the faith. God blinded them so that they wouldn’t understand. God hardened their hearts so that they could not come unto salvation because they weren’t willing to follow God in their first life, though they had not committed the unpardonable sin. So that’s quite merciful. You talk about grace and mercy. The Last Great Day is the greatest day of grace because think of all the children of Israel that have died. This says the whole house of Israel.

Now when they’re raised back to life they have consciousness again and they remember their past life. “…Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts” (vs. 11). In other words what they were doing for their sins. The wages of sin is death, and they sinned and they died. But they sinned in blindness and they sinned in deception, and they sinned not having the truth of God or the Spirit of God, so therefore they did not commit the unpardonable sin. Because in order to commit the unpardonable sin you must first believe on Christ. You must next receive the Holy Spirit of God, and then you have to live and walk in the way of truth. And then if you reject that, then you have committed the unpardonable sin. So here these people hadn’t done that. Yes, they sinned. Yes, they knew of the law of God in the letter, but God didn’t open their minds. God did not call them. They died. So they said we are cut off from our parts.

Now here comes a tremendous and miraculous thing that happens. “Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O My people, I will open your graves…” Just like Jesus said of Lazarus. Roll the stone back. “…I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves…” Now if you’re in the grave you are dead. So this is the second resurrection. At the end of the thousand years, the rest of the dead live again. “…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…” Now it says graves, what, four times? Where do they come from? Out of their graves. You know sometimes it’s so simple you have to ask the question. “And shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live…” Now if they have the Spirit put in them, what is that? Conversion. When they say, “We are cut off from our parts”, that’s repentance. So God is going to grant them repentance. Amazing thing, isn’t it? The whole house of Israel. “…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” (vs. 12-14).

Now let’s come back to Romans 11 and let’s read this again. This is how all Israel shall be saved because they are given a second physical life at the end of the thousand years. And they are going to be given one hundred years to live. To then grow in grace and knowledge, to understand the word of God, to develop the character of God. You’ve heard it said many, many times before, conversion is a process and conversion takes time. Now there’s going to be one blessing that they’re going to have, which is this and we’ll see in a minute. But I’ll just mention it here. They already lived in the world where Satan was the god of this world. And they lived under his influence and he caused them to sin and so Satan, as we saw yesterday, will be removed and put into the lake of fire. So when these people are raised they are not going to come back into a world where Satan the devil is still there. They already lived one life under Satan the devil. And I think all of us can say for sure, living one life under the influence of Satan the devil and his world is quite sufficient. So God is going to be merciful and have him removed.

Now Romans 11:26. “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer…” Boy, what a deliverance that is going to be. And delivery too, see because they’re going to be born right out of the graves. “…And shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” (Rom. 11:26-27). God forgives them. And then he goes on concerning the gospel and so forth. Let’s come down here to verse 32. “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief [that is now in this day], that He might have mercy upon all [that is at the second resurrection].” Now the apostle Paul understood this somewhat, but it was not clearly defined until we come to what the apostle John wrote in the book of Revelation. So this is why the apostle Paul writes in verse 33, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” Isn’t that a fantastic thing? That He’s going to do this to give life to all these people. And we are going to see in just a minute, not only the House of Israel but also the Gentiles. They will all be raised up at the same time. We’ll see in just a minute. “…How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen” (vs. 33-36).

Now we’re going to see that not only does this happen to Israel, but it’s going to happen to all the Gentiles. Let’s come to Matthew 12. And this is quite a chapter. And this shows not only what the unpardonable sin is, so we will cover it here. Because you see as Jesus said, some shall come forth unto life. That is either spiritual life or physical life. And some shall come forth unto condemnation. That means they are going to be raised to a second physical life, but they are going to be condemned to the lake of fire, as we will see because they committed the unpardonable sin. Now the unpardonable sin is knowledgeable, willful, determined, forethought of the rejection of the Holy Spirit of God and the work that the Holy Spirit of God is doing. And the work that the Holy Spirit does is the work of God the Father. It is not some light sin that takes place. Now many people have wondered when they’ve sinned grievously, and they’re upset and they are really worried and wondering, “Have I committed the unpardonable sin. I’m so worried?” Listen, I tell you one thing you need to understand about the unpardonable sin. When those who commit the unpardonable sin have committed it they are incorrigible. It’s impossible to renew them to repentance because they have slain the Son of God anew. So if you’re upset because you’ve sinned, though even grievously, it is not the unpardonable sin. Now if you sin, and sin grievously and have no compunction, and are really very happy that you were doing it, and we can see some of this in some of the attitudes of those who were in the Church of God, who have now gone back into the world. And it’s just like God has removed the Spirit from them and there is nothing left there and they don’t even care about the commandments of God any more. They don’t even care about God’s way any more. They have rejected the Sabbath, they have rejected the holy days, rejected the Spirit of God, and they are, if they haven’t committed the unpardonable sin, they are on the verge of it. And if they die in that condition they will have committed the unpardonable sin.

Now notice Jesus’ warning here. Let’s come here to Matthew 12:31. “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy [Spirit] Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.” Because they reject God the Father.

Now, since we’re right here in Matthew 12 let’s go to John 12 and we will see what happens when you reject God the Father. Then you have committed the unpardonable sin. Let’s come back here to John 12:42. “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him [they were spiritual and political cowards], lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Jesus cried and said, He that believeth [the one who believes] on Me, believeth not on Me, but on Him that sent Me. And He that seeth Me seeth Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge Him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:42-47). And of course the second resurrection and the great white throne judgment, the one hundred year period, is also the greatest portion of saving the world.

Notice verse 48, “He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of Myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak” (vs. 48-49). Now if they reject that there is no more sacrifice for sin. So that is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

Now let’s come back here to Matthew 12 because there’s an awful lot here in the book of Matthew, which tells us even more about the second resurrection. Matthew 12:32, “And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy [Spirit] Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world…”, that is today. So there are some today that can commit the unpardonable sin, yes indeed. Now notice, “…neither in the world to come.” Then He talks about the world to come here, in just a bit. And it can also read, “neither in this age nor in the coming age”, which is when the Kingdom of God is on earth. And so when they are resurrected in the second resurrection, there are two parts to the second resurrection. Number one, on the physical life to receive salvation. Number two, to be raised to a second physical life to be cast into the lake of fire for the second death because God has judged and decreed that all who have sinned, the incorrigible, unforgivable, unpardonable sin are going to die the second death.

Now let’s come down here to verse 41. This is talking about the second resurrection. “The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with [that means together with] this generation…” And of course there are hundreds of years removed. Actually over a thousand at this point. So they shall rise with, now rise means to be resurrected “…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 [that’s the second resurrection] with this generation…” Now she didn’t receive salvation when she went to see Solomon. But she believed God in the things that God did for Solomon. She believed Solomon. And she tried to live her life according to the words of God in the letter. “…Shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it…” See, because she did not have the opportunity to see Jesus Christ. These people in that generation did. She did not have the opportunity to hear the words of Christ. Those people did. She did not have an opportunity for salvation. These people did. That’s why He’s saying that she will rise and condemn this generation. “…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). So these verses here show that they’re all going to be resurrected. Not only the house of Israel, but also the Gentiles. So the same thing is going to happen to them that happens unto the house of Israel. They’re going to be raised to a second physical life.

Now let’s come back to Revelation 20 and let’s put it all together. This is why, as we began and we know and understand that knowledge comes precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little. All has to be put together for the whole picture, you see. Now Revelation 20:10, because this begins the Last Great Day. The Last Great Day begins with the judgment against Satan and the demons. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [were cast] are, and [they, Satan and the demons] shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Human beings that suffer the second death will be ashes under the feet of the saints. They are not going to be tormented forever and ever. So that has to refer to Satan and the demons.

Now notice verse 11. Next thing to take place as the great white throne judgment begins. First the judgment against Satan. “And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from Whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.” In other words this is a great huge multitude. “And I saw the dead…”, which are what? The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished, correct? Yes. “…Small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened…” This has to be the books of the Bible, which will be more than what we have now because I think by the end of a thousand year rule of Jesus Christ and the saints and the Kingdom of God that we’re going to have more than just what we have here. So “…the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life…” Now they’re going to have an opportunity for salvation. Now notice, “…And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Rev. 20:10-12). Now some people think that this means that however they lived their lives, if it was pretty good on balance, therefore they automatically receive eternal life. No, because they died the first life - the wages of sin is death. So if they were judged according to what they did in their first physical life they’d have to be executed again. So now they have a clean slate. Now the things are going to be written in the book of life, just like we read in Malachi 3 of what’s happening to us today. Then those things will be there and they will be judged by how they are living their lives during that one hundred year period.

Now, today we know that judgment is on the house of God, don’t we? Yes. It’s on each one of us. It’s on you, it’s on me, on all the brethren, all the Church of God. And we’re going to be saved with great difficulty, you see. Now then, since they did not have that opportunity, they are raised back to life. They have a chance to repent, to receive the Spirit of God as we saw in Ezekiel 37, and to live their lives and be judged according to how they lived their lives during that one hundred year period. Verse 13, “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”

Now what happens if the unpardonable sin is committed? Let’s come back here to Hebrews 10:26. What’s going to happen to them? “For if we sin wilfully [that is with callused, hardened, premeditated sinning with no temptation, but deliberate calculated evil] 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.” They’re going to be burned up. “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:26-31). So, let’s come over here to Hebrews 12:29. “For our God is a consuming fire.”

Now let’s come back to Revelation 20. They are going to be cast into the lake of fire, as Jesus said in Matthew 25, that was prepared for Satan and his angels. That’s why when we read in verse 10 that they will be tormented, that’s Satan and his angels, day and night forever and ever. Now then, those human beings who have committed the unpardonable sin, they are raised to a second physical life, all the sinners together from the beginning of time, from Adam and Eve clear on down to the very last human being that is born. All those who have committed the unpardonable sin will be cast into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. That’s called the second death. The judgment of God is that all the wicked shall die the second death together. And it’s going to be an awesome thing that takes place. Let’s read it here. Verse 14, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14-15). Now this lake of fire is going to be all consuming.

Hold your place here, cause we’ll come back. Let’s come to 2 Peter 3. This is going to be all consuming. Now, Peter did not know everything that John was going to be inspired to later write in the book of Revelation. So it looks like that he just went to the Day of the Lord and it goes right into the destroying of the earth. Verse 10, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise [that’s going to happen when they are cast into the lake of fire] and the elements shall melt with fervent heat [there’s no escape], the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” It’s going to be the end of the physical earth the way that we knew it. Now notice, “…be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy [conduct] conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” (2 Peter 3:10-12). So what’s going to happen is the whole earth is going to be consumed by the lake of fire. Just like it’s volcanic lava is going to flow out of the whole earth and just cover the whole earth and burn everything up. Get rid of all the remnants of sin. Get rid of the remnants of all the things that are physical and now we have a new heaven and we have a new earth.

Now let’s come back to Revelation 21:1. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away [all burned up, consumed]; and there was no more sea.” Now as spirit beings we will not need the water of the oceans to moderate the temperature. So here’s a completely new level of existence. All of those who received eternal life through the second resurrection will enter into the Kingdom of God. All the saints of God in the first resurrection will then be in New Jerusalem. And all of those who have been saved will live on this new earth with a whole new level of existence. No more sea.

“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men [that is men made perfect], and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God” (vs. 2-3). And that’s the whole plan of God, to live and dwell with His people. That’s what God wanted beginning clear back with Adam and Eve. Now the plan is finished. Now we are ready to step out into eternity.

Verse 4, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes [no more death, all spirit beings]; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.” And what a beautiful and spectacular new heaven and new earth this is going to be. “And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely [eternal life]. He that overcometh shall inherit all things…” Co-heirs with Christ, co-heirs of the universe. Now as spirit beings we will be able to go into the universe. We will be able to go into the heavens because now we have an existence to do that. We will live forever so it doesn’t matter how long it takes to get wherever we need to go. “…And I will be his God, and he shall be My son” (vs. 4-7).

Verse 8. “But [excluded are] the fearful…” That is those who fear men more than God. “…And unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

And the angel then took John and he said, “I want you to watch the holy city New Jerusalem come down from God, adorned as a bride. Because that’s where the Bride is going to live. And that’s where all of those in the first resurrection are going to live, in New Jerusalem. And it’s going to be a fantastic city. It’s going to be fifteen hundred miles cubed, and yet it will be so perfect that the earth will be in balance.

Now let’s come down here to verse 22. After describing the city with streets of pure gold and all the precious stones, and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles, here’s the thing. “And I saw no temple therein….” You see God is not going to dwell in a temple. “…For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved [through all time, the first resurrection and the second resurrection] shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it” (vs. 22-24). So not only will we live there but as kings and priests we’ll also live out on the other parts of the earth. And who knows how far in the universe it’s going to go. We don’t know. So this shows that God has some sort of fantastic work for us to do for all eternity. We’re not going to sit around and strum and just play harps, you know. We’re going to have something really fantastic to do.

Verse 25, “And the gates of it shall not be shut at all [showing complete access to God] by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into [no because they’ve already been cast into the lake of fire] it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (vs. 25-27). So all of those who receive eternal salvation have their names written there. They will have access to God the Father and Jesus Christ and New Jerusalem. Now, I tell you it’s going to be something the way that that city is going to be.

Now let’s come down here to Revelation 22:1. “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life [this is God’s Holy Spirit], clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month…” Now this shows a continuous learning of eternal life. Because we are going to learn and grow in knowledge and understanding forever. “…And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads” (Rev 22:1-4). Now brethren, I want you just to think how great God’s plan is that we are going to see the face of God. And I want you to just think for a minute, what is it going to be when you come up and embrace and hug God the Father and say, “Father, I love you.” And He embraces you and says, “I love you. I’m so thrilled that you are My son, or my daughter for all eternity.” And then God begins to reveal His great and His fantastic plan that He is going to carry out forever and ever, and ever. And you have a part in that, see, because God is working a great and a fantastic thing.

Now let’s just close by reading the scriptures back here in Ephesians 3:11. And this is an overview of God’s plan. And brethren, I just want to tell you, if you get discouraged during this coming year, you come back here to Ephesians 3 and take these scriptures and open them up and pray about it and read them on your knees, read them out loud, and let God’s Spirit flow to you to understand and to really feel the love of God and know the truth and power of God and understand His purpose.

Verse 11, “According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in Whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith [in] of Him.” Do not be afraid to come to God. Always come to Him in boldness, in confidence, because Christ is there to help. Even though he was in prison and suffering tribulation he said, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…” (Eph. 3:11-15). And your name is written in the book of life now. You are a part of the family of God now. You are a son or daughter of God now to be born into the Kingdom of God at the resurrection and return of Christ.

“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man…” Let God strengthen you as never before to fill you with His love, His joy, His zeal, determination and ability to overcome, and to worship and love and serve God and the brethren. Verse 17, most important thing, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love…” And brethren that’s what we need to be. Rooted and grounded in love because it is the greatest, it will never fail. So this year make sure that you are rooted and grounded in the love of God so that verse 18, you “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height…”, to know God’s plan, to understand His purpose, “…and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge…”, that there is nothing on this earth to be compared to the love of God and the love of Christ that God the Father and Jesus have for you. And that you know that, that you understand that, that you live with that. That you make it a part of your life as you have never done before. “…Which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, Amen” (vs. 16-21).

So brethren, there is the completion of God’s plan as fulfilled in the Last Great Day.

[ Back ] [ Home ] [ Up ]