DEATH --- RESURRECTIONS #5

The RESURRECTIONS #5

The Eternal end of the Wicked!

THE THIRD RESURRECTION

From a study paper of Ambassador College 1973/74

      HOW MANY professing Christians really know what the Bible

says about the resurrections?

     Most Christians who profess to believe in the resurrection

think the "just" and the "unjust" will all be raised to life at

the same time - either to be rewarded or punished.

     Some, however, believe the Bible teaches there will be two

resurrections.

     But how many Christians know that according to God's master

plan there will actually be three resurrections - not just one or

two?

(Yes, I know today this is debated IF there is a third

resurrection. They have different ideas as to when the "wicked" -

those who have refused salvation through Christ, will be thrown

in the lake of fire, and suffer the second death. The fact is the

Bible does teach that the unrepentant sinner, those who refuse

salvation, will be burnt up in fire - die eternal death - just

not exist ever again. That truth is covered in the studies "Death

- then What? While there may remain some movement for debate on

when the wicked fill face their punishment, I believe this study

from Ambassador College is still the closest to the truth, if not

even right on the truth of the matter - Keith Hunt)

     In previous articles in this series, we have seen that the

first resurrection will take place at the second coming of Jesus

Christ and will include only the "just," who will be raised to

life and clothed with immortality at that time (1 Thess.4:1318; 

1 Cor.15:53).

We also saw clear biblical proof that after Christ's

one-thousand-year rule God will resurrect those who in past ages

died in sin and ignorance, but who (through no fault of their

own) never had a chance for salvation - in many cases never heard

of Jesus Christ or saw a Bible in their entire lives. Or if they

did hear of Christ or see a Bible, they were spiritually blinded

(see Rom.11:17).

     These deceived billions did not ask to be born into a world

of ignorance and superstition; and since "God is not willing that

any should perish;" it is His responsibility to see that they are

raised up and given a knowledge of the truth (2 Pet.3:9; 1 Tim.

2:46).

Three Resurrections

     The twentieth chapter of Revelation clearly speaks of three

resurrections.

     After mentioning the second coming of Christ (Rev.

19:11-12), the apostle John writes that a mighty angel will bind

the devil and cast him into an abyss, where be will be unable to

deceive the nations for one thousand years (Rev.20:1-3).

     But what happens immediately after this? The saints who have

been caught up to meet Christ at His return (I Thess.4:3-17) will

then be given charge of this earth - ruling with Christ for one

thousand years. "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 ... and they lived [again] and reigned with Christ

a thousand years" (Rev.20:4).

     Those who take part in this resurrection are greatly blessed, 

being privileged to take part in the "first resurrection" (verse 5).

     "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: 

on such the second death bath no power, but they shall be priests 

of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years" 

(verse 6).

     When do the remainder of the dead rise? "But the rest of the

dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished"

(verse 5).

     This verse plainly shows that others are to be resurrected

one thousand years later.

     Verses 11-12 (of Revelation 20) describe a coming

resurrection and judgment of that portion of the "rest of the

dead" who never had their chance for salvation. Verse 12 reads:

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the

books [Greek: biblos, perhaps referring to the books of the

Bible] were opened; and another book was opened, which is the

book of life ..."

     When these billions are resurrected, God will open up the

Bible to their understanding. They will be given their first real

chance to repent, accept Christ as their Saviour and receive His

precious Holy Spirit. Their names will then be written in the

book of life.

     Now consider verse 13: "And the sea gave up the dead which

were in it; and death and hell [Greek, hades, grave] delivered up

the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man

according to their works."

     Here is pictured another resurrection period. Who are these

dead?

What resurrection is this?

     Notice that there is no statement that the "book of life" is

opened up to them. Why is the "book of life" not "opened" in

connection with those who rise up in this final resurrection?

Simply because they must have already had their chance for

salvation - and rejected it!

     God is not willing that any perish, yet it is not His will

to force the truth on anyone. He will not force salvation down

anyone's throat.

     God offers salvation freely to all those who will receive it

(Acts 2:21). And He has made every man a free moral agent - 

with the power of volition, the power to choose.

     Those who do not voluntarily accept God's offer and follow

that way of life necessary to receive life eternal will not

receive it.

     Those who will come up in this third resurrection are the

incorrigibly wicked. They are the last human beings to be

resurrected from their graves - from "the sea" (where they may

have perished in their first life), from death (without burial in

their first life), or from "hell" (a hole or grave in the ground).

     These miserable beings will be sentenced by God - and

executed:

"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" (verses 14,15). 

     Lamentably, none who will be resurrected in this resurrection 

will have their names in the Lamb's book of life. Therefore they 

will all perish!

     This resurrection (which will result in the second death) is

vividly described in Luke's Gospel. A certain heartless "rich

man" is resurrected to a horrible fate. "And in hell [Greek:

bodes, grave] he lift up his eyes, being in torments .... [And he

said,] I am tormented in this flame" (Luke 16:23-24).

     The wicked will all be cremated when God burns up the earth,

turning it into the final Gehenna (see 2 Peter 3:10).

     But what is the truth of this parable? The rich man is

raised up out of his grave at the very end of the plan of God for

humanity on earth. He has had no knowledge of the passing of time

- "the dead know not anything" (Eccl.9:5). The "rich man" thought

that his brothers were still alive (Luke 16:27,280   but other

scriptures reveal they, too, had died).

     He now realized that he had missed the boat; he had missed

out on receiving salvation. There is now "a great gulf fixed"

(verse 26) between him and those who are with Abraham in the

Kingdom of God. It is now impossible for anyone to pass either

way through this great gulf: impossible for those who are

immortal to become mortal; impossible for the mortal ones to

receive immortality.

     Jesus said: "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, 

I say unto you, will seek to enter in [the Kingdom of God],

and shall not be able" (Luke 13:24). Continuing with the context,

Jesus then goes on to picture Himself as One who refuses to

answer the knock of incorrigible sinners who have previously

rejected salvation (as shown by other scriptures). In verse 28 He

says: "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye

shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in

the kingdom of God, and you yourselves [incorrigible sinners]

thrust out [not able to enter the Kingdom]."

     When the time for the third resurrection arrives, everyone

will have had his chance. Everyone's ultimate destiny will have

been "fixed" eternally. If will be forever too late for anyone

who - after receiving his chance for salvation - sinned

willfully, thereby rejecting eternal life. Those who rejected God

and His way must then reap the consequences of that decision -

the second death, from which there will be no resurrection. How

awful! How tragic!

God Is Just and Merciful

     God is NOT in any way a sadist. He is not willing that any

should perish, but that all should came to repentance (2 Pet.3:9;

cf., 1 Tim.2:4). But those who refuse His mercy, He is a God of

justice and judgment (Heb.10:29-31). He wants (those who leave

Him with no alternative but to put them to death for eternity) to

know what He earnestly desired and wished them to achieve.

     So God is going to compel the incorrigibly wicked to see

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God

before they are eternally put to death (see Luke 13:28; 16:23).

     Since God made man a free moral agent with the power of

volition, man must choose. God will insist that each human choose

either His way or the devil's way, either life or death (Duet. 30:19).

     But God will not force any man to receive eternal life, nor

will He arbitrarily consign anyone to death. All must choose, and

reap the consequences of that choice.

     What will happen if a person chooses the way of sin and

suffering? "For the wages [reward] of sin is death; but the gift

of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" 

(Rom. 6:23).

     But the Bible speaks of two deaths: first and second. 

"....It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the

judgment" (Heb.9:27).

     From the time of righteous Abel till this very day, even

righteous humans have had to suffer the first death. But it is

the second death that is final - not the first (Rev.20:14,15).

Notice how the apostle Peter wrote that the wicked will perish 

in the lake of fire - which will occur at the time when the earth

is burned up and then made into a new earth, where the righteous

will dwell forevermore:

"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word

are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment

and perdition of ungodly men" (2 Pet.3:7).

     God has decreed that He will not let this earth be destroyed

until His great master plan for mankind on this earth is finished.

     

     This time of the destruction of the wicked is explained more

fully by Peter. "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, and the elememts shall melt with fervent heat, the earth

also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (verse

10).

     Furthermore, "all these things shall be dissolved" (verse

11) at the time of the perdition (annihilation) of the ungodly--

during the time of "the day of God, wherein the heavens

being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt

with fervent heat" (verse 12).

     What then? After the perdition (second death) of the wicked,

God will make "a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth

(only) righteousness" (verse 13).

     The Apostle John, after describing the destruction of the

wicked (Rev.20:13-15), immediately mentions "a new heaven and a

new earth" (Rev.21:1). He then gives a glowing account of the

peace, happiness, beauty and glory that will characterize this

new earth.

     John was taken in vision to a "great and high mountain,"

where he was able to view "that great city, the holy Jerusalem,

descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God ..."

(verse 10).

     Notice that this indescribably beautiful city is not up in

heaven, but is to be located right here on this earth. Again, the

Apostle John speaks of the "new Jerusalem, which cometh down 

out of heaven from my God ... (Rev.3:12).

    Nowhere in the Bible is there a promise that man will, at

death, waft off to heaven. Rather, the Scriptures plainly teach

that the new Jerusalem will come down from heaven to this earth.

Man will not go up to heaven to dwell with God; but God will 

come to this earth to dwell with men:

"...Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell

with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall 

be with them, and be their God" (Rev.21:3).

     The Bible is consistent. Jesus Christ plainly taught that

man would eternally dwell here on this earth when He said:

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth"

 (Matt. 5:5).

     And David wrote: "But the meek shall inherit the earth; 

and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace" 

(Ps.37: 9, 11).

     But will man only inherit this earth during the millennium.

and then go to heaven? "The righteous shall inherit the land. 

and dwell therein for ever" (verse 29).

     What will happen to the wicked? Will they, as some say,

spend a while in hell (or in some other place) suffering for

their sins, and then be taken to heaven to live forever?

     Long ago, the prophet Daniel spoke of the wicked who would

"awake" in a resurrection "to shame and everlasting contempt [or

abhorrence]" (Dan.12:2).

     Malachi also spoke of the end of these wretched beings who

spurned eternal life: "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" (Mat.4:l).

     What about the righteous? Where will they be? Daniel said

the righteous would "awake ... to everlasting life"

(Dan.12:2). They will then become glorified sons of God - living,

serving their Creator eternally: "And they that be wise shall

shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many

to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" (verse 3).

     The righteous will then be made immortal. But in the third

and final resurrection, the wicked will be made to see that they

have scoffed at God's priceless offer for salvation. As a

punishment, and as an eternal example, they will be annihilated

in the "second death."

     The prophet Malachi wrote of this triumph of the righteous

over the wicked: "And ye [the righteous] shall tread down the

wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your of your

feet ..." (Mal. 4:3).

Those Who Sin Willfully

     Man's destiny is so great and glorious that few Christians

have ever really grasped it. God, through His Word, repeatedly

speaks of humans becoming sons in the very family of God.

     Even God's angels are servants of these heirs of divine

sonship:

"Are they [angels] not all ministering spirits, sent forth to

minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb.1:14).

     Realizing the "high calling" which God has given us, the

Apostle Paul wrote that Christians should "give the more earnest

heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we

should let them slip" (Heb.2:l).

     He then asked: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great

salvation ...?" (verse 3).

     The book of Hebrews is filled with warnings to the believer

not to get careless and lose out on eternal salvation. Paul warns

Christians not to let a "root of bitterness" trouble

and/or defile them (Heb.12:15).

     But the sternest warning in the entire Bible is in the tenth

chapter of Hebrews: "For if we sin wilfully [with deliberate

intent] 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 in ... dignation, which

shall devour the adversaries" (Heb.10:26,27).

     The Apostle Paul then speaks of the severe ("sorer")

punishment which will befall that wicked person "who hath trodden

under foot the Son of God, and bath counted the blood of the

covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath

done despite unto the Spirit of grace" (verse 29).

     Truly, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the

living God" (verse 31).

(A word of qualification is necessary at this particular

juncture. Willful sin is NOT to be equated with sin by force of

habit or under heavy temptation. "Slipping," making mistakes, 

or occasionally falling down spiritually do not constitute willful

sin. As long as the overall attitude of mind - a living mind-set

- is the desire to want to live and move along the road of

salvation with the Lord; then we have not committed the un-

pardonable sin. In a nut shell the un-pardonable sin is when you

have NO desire to serve and follow God, it is when you in essence

say "get out of here God, I do not want any party of you." or 

"I just will not live or follow any of your laws and direction - 

I will not acknowledge my sins, I will not repent." With that kind

of attitude of mind the Spirit of God cannot enter a person, and

they cannot be saved. A FULL rebellion against the Eternal One, a

rebellion that will not repent, is the unpardonable sin - Keith

Hunt)

     But can a true believer draw back and be eternally destroyed?

     "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back,

my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who

draw back unto perdition [destruction]; but of them that believe

to the saving of the soul" (verses 38,39).

     We have seen that God is "not willing that any should

perish." Furthermore, God has ordained that there will be three

resurrections: the first, to immortality at the second coming of

Jesus - immediately before the millennium begins.

     The second is to take place shortly after the thousand-year

rule of Christ. Those who rise in the second resurrection

comprise all the deceived multitudes who died without a saving

knowledge of the truth.

     The third resurrection occurs at the very end of God's plan

for mortal man on this earth. Those who rise up in the third and

final resurrection are those who had their chance for salvation

and deliberately turned it down. God will be forced to extinguish

the lives of those who have obstinately chosen the way of death!

     Remember, God will not force eternal life on anyone.

     Now you should be better able to understand what the apostle

Paul meant by an "order" of resurrections (I Cor.15:23). He

simply meant that there would be a succession of resurrections,

various ones rising at different times for different judgments.

     Let us remember that our Creator is a benevolent, loving God

who wants to do everything possible for mankind. "The Lord is

merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy ....

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them

that fear him" (Ps.103:8,13).

     Those who know the truth should strive with all their might

to be in the first resurrection, the resurrection to eternal

life, the "better resurrection" (Heb.11:35).

     But those who are not predestined by God to receive the

saving knowledge of the truth now, will rise up in the second

resurrection. They will then be given their first real chance to

be saved.

     But those who reject that knowledge and that way of eternal

life regardless of the age in which they were given the knowledge

of the truth will rise in the third and final resurrection, which

will culminate in the "second death" in the lake of fire.

     But the believer has a wonderful, eternal future ahead of

him.

"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his

God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving,

and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and

sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in

the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the

second death" (Rev.21:7,8).

     Your eternal destiny - your future - is up to you! You can

choose the way of God and eternal life, or you can choose Satan's

way of lust, greed, strife and sin - which will lead to total

perdition - to the "second death" in a lake of fire.

     Let each one of us make sure that we make the right choice. 

                            ..................

Entered on my Website February 2008

NOTE:

Knowing that God has a wonderful plan of salvation. Knowing that

He is a God of PATIENCE AND MERCY AND LOVE, knowing that 

ALL will get an open and fair opportunity to accept Jesus as Savior and

obtain salvation, should make our hearts SING WITH PRAISE!!

What a BEAUTIFUL and GLORIOUS truth is the teaching of the Bible

on the RESURRECTIONS. Relatively speaking there will be few that

will NOT want to be in the very Family of the Eternal God.

Give Him praise and honor forever more!

Keith Hunt