It is an interesting statement that Jesus made concerning what we
would be like in the resurrection. There
has been no end to confusion regarding the resurrection, in part because the
idea of a resurrection was not supported by the Sadducees; and also because
pagan ideas flooded Christianity at the time of Constantine. Because there was
a void in Judaic teaching on the subject of death and resurrection, pagan
thoughts became a comfort to those in mourning, as the idea of departed loved
ones floating on clouds with harps and wings seems to be the predominant
theology of the day. The question of
“what” is the resurrection and “when” is the resurrection was not taught by the
Sadducees. That void caused The Apostle
Paul to nail down some of the details for us.
However, the bigger picture is that after the resurrection we are like
the angels.
This comparison of humans to angels has a lot of pagan ideas associated
with it, such as people becoming angels when they die, or babies being cherubs
when they die. Unless we answer the
“when” of the resurrection, we allow for those ideas to have a place that
doesn’t actually exist in scripture. Enoch gives us clues as to our
creation. We were to be like the angels
in holiness so that death could not overtake us. But because the angels who
left heaven to take earthly wives taught mankind many things God did not intend
for man to know, mankind became sinful.
We looked into this as we studied Azazael who taught people about war
and weaponry.
Enoch 69:11. For men were created exactly like the angels, to the
intent that they should continue pure and righteous, and death, which destroys
everything, could not have taken hold of them, but through this their knowledge
they are perishing, and through this power it is consuming me.
In
order for men to be pure and righteous today, we need to believe that Jesus
came and make him our Lord. However, men
were able to be pure and righteous before Jesus came by believing that the
Messiah would come; men such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Enoch and Elijah,
who we studied as the two witnesses, still have their bodies as they were taken
up before death. These two men were so
righteous and pure that they never even died.
They have the task of losing their bodies to martyrdom during the
tribulation.
Let’s
look at what Jesus said regarding being like angels. When being interrogated
Jesus answered the Sadducees and gave us a clue to our future. Those people who
obtain to the resurrection are like the angels of God. Time to investigate.
Matt
22:23-32 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no
resurrection, and asked him, 24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die,
having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto
his brother.25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he
had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his
brother:26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.27 And
last of all the woman died also.28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife
shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.29 Jesus answered and said unto
them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.30 For in the
resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the
angels of God in heaven.31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have
ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,32 I am the God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the
dead, but of the living.KJV
Now
from Mark:
Mark
12:19-27 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his
wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife,
and raise up seed unto his brother.20 Now there were seven brethren: and the
first took a wife, and dying left no seed.21 And the second took her, and died,
neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.22 And the seven had her, and
left no seed: last of all the woman died also.23 In the resurrection therefore,
when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to
wife.24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye
know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?25 For when they shall rise
from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the
angels which are in heaven.26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye
not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am
the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?27 He is not the
God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.KJV
And
Luke:
Luke
20:28-38 Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having
a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and
raise up seed unto his brother.29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the
first took a wife, and died without children.30 And the second took her to
wife, and he died childless.31 And the third took her; and in like manner the
seven also: and they left no children, and died.32 Last of all the woman died
also.33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had
her to wife.34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world
marry, and are given in marriage:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to
obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are
given in marriage:36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the
angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.37
Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth
the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.38 For
he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.KJV
The
Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection.
They believed in the first five books of the Bible, the Torah. Since
they didn’t hold to the doctrine of the other books we have in our modern Bible,
they either didn’t understand the resurrection or refused to believe in the resurrection.
They were trying to trap Jesus with this story, saying in essence, if there is a resurrection, people in this
situation would have multiple spouses.
Jesus’ reply is to mention that they err not knowing the
scriptures. What scriptures did they not
know? Firstly, the heavens tell us that
a redeemer would come to earth, die and rise and then redeem mankind. That is the first “scripture” regarding a
resurrection. Secondly, other books of the Old Testament spoke of rising from
the dead, but they were books the Sadducees did not regard. Let’s look at Job and 2nd Ezra.
Job
19:25-29 For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives, and at last He [the
Last One] will stand upon the earth. [Isa 44:6; 48:12.] 26 And after my skin,
even this body, has been destroyed, then from my flesh or without it I shall
see God, 27 Whom I, even I, shall see for myself and on my side! And my eyes
shall behold Him, and not as a stranger! My heart pines away and is consumed
within me. 28 If you say, How we will pursue him! [and continue to persecute me
with the claim] that the root [cause] of all these [afflictions] is found in
me, 29 Then beware and be afraid of the sword [of divine vengeance], for
wrathful are the punishments of that sword, that you may know there is a
judgment. AMP
2
Esd 2:16 And those that be dead will I raise up again from their places, and
bring them out of the graves: for I have known my name in Israel.KJV
2
Esd 2:23 Wheresoever thou findest the dead, take them and bury them, and I will
give thee the first place in my resurrection.KJV
The
second point Jesus makes regarding the Sadducees not knowing the scriptures is
that God is the God of the living. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are among the
living, and as we have previously studied regarding hell and the compartments
of hell and the grave, there was a place for those who believed the redeemer
would come. They are conscious and fully
aware of where they are. We know that when Jesus died, he went into the grave
and witnessed to those there and brought them to paradise. But, thus far, they have not been
resurrected. They will be resurrected
when the dead in Christ rise. Remember,
we saw from Revelation that no one is floating around heaven, they are in
Paradise awaiting the harpazo, which will be the time the redeemed go to
heaven. We have spent considerable time
untangling the web of false doctrines that crept into the church via pagan
ideas and practices. Paul, who had been a rabbi before Jesus met him on the
road to Damascus, knew that the Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection, so
Paul hits the idea of the resurrection hard, explaining it in various ways so
that the people would understand.
Rom
1:3-4 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of
David according to the flesh;4 And declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: KJV
Rom
6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall
be also in the likeness of his resurrection: KJV
1
Cor 15:12-23 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some
among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?13 But if there be no
resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:14 And if Christ be not
risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.15 Yea, and we
are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he
raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.16 For
if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:17 And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.18 Then they also which are fallen
asleep in Christ are perished.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ,
we are of all men most miserable.20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and
become the firstfruits of them that slept.21 For since by man came death, by
man came also the resurrection of the dead.22 For as in Adam all die, even so
in Christ shall all be made alive.23 But every man in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.KJV
Phil
3:10-12 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;11 If by
any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.12 Not as though I
had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that
I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.KJV
Paul
recognized the key to attaining to the resurrection of the dead was to live
well, according to the way God intends for us to live. But Jesus was not simply speaking of the
resurrection in that there will be a resurrection; he told us what we would be
like in the resurrection. No longer will
we marry but we will be like angels. We should look at Luke 20 again.
Luke
20:34-38 And Jesus said to them, The people of this world and present age marry
and are given in marriage; 35 But those who are considered worthy to gain that
other world and that future age and to attain to the resurrection from the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 For they cannot die again, but they
are angel-like and equal to angels. And being sons of and sharers in the
resurrection, they are sons of God. 37 But that the dead are raised [from
death] — even Moses made known and showed in the passage concerning the
[burning] bush, where he calls the Lord, The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob. [Ex 3:6.] 38 Now He is not the God of the dead, but of
the living, for to Him all men are alive [whether in the body or out of it] and
they are alive [not dead] unto Him [in definite relationship to Him]. AMP
Angel-like
and equal to angels. That is very
interesting. If we will become
angel-like when we are harpazo’d, when we put on incorruption and immortality,
then we can understand our new bodies better.
As we studied our new bodies previously we saw what we would be like
when we come back to earth with Jesus at the end of the tribulation. Our new bodies will be awesome!
Enoch
points out a few interesting things regarding sin and sinners, which is the
opposite of what Enoch told us we should be, pure and righteous.
"We have become rich with riches and have possessions; And have acquired everything we have desired. 9. And now let us do what we purposed :For we have gathered silver, And many are the husbandmen in our houses." And our granaries are (brim) full as with water,10 Yea and like water your lies shall flow away ;For your riches shall not abide But speedily ascend from you; For ye have acquired it all in unrighteousness, And ye shall be given over to a great curse.
The first phrase to consider is “sinners who live on the mid ocean and on the dry land”. These sound like people who do not live on the same land mass, i.e. continent, as the middle-east. This would probably include the Americas and Australia, as well as any other inhabited islands. At the time Enoch was alive on earth, he was seeing into the future, people were going to die in the flood and then re-inhabit the earth. The prosperity of the island nations, who strive for wealth and to take care of their own needs, is gained in unrighteousness. That is not what we were created to do. This is reminiscent of the Laodicean Church, “I have become rich and wealthy and have need of nothing”. The lukewarm church does not have to rely on God. We were created to be pure and righteous, yet attaining wealth is sometimes done in unrighteous ways. God knows how we attain our riches.
Enoch100:5. And over all the righteous and holy He will appoint guardians from amongst the holy angels
To guard them as the apple of an eye, Until He makes an end of all wickedness and all sin, And though the righteous sleep a long sleep, they have nought to fear.
Paul tells us in Heb 1:14; “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Angels are to minister to us. The phrase, “the apple of His eye”, is used several times in the Bible. Here is the big point, though the righteous sleep a long sleep, or, even though the righteous are in the grave a long time (they are fully awake and conscious in the grave), they have nothing to fear. Why? Because at the time of the resurrection, the redeemed will put on incorruption and immortality. Let’s go on.
6. And (then) the children of the earth shall see the wise in security, And shall understand all the words of this book, And recognize that their riches shall not be able to save them In the overthrow of their sins.
At the time of the resurrection, the children of the earth will know the truth; that their riches cannot save them. Enoch speaks of some woes for those who harm and oppress the righteous.
7. Woe to you, Sinners, on the day of strong anguish, Ye who afflict the righteous and burn them with fire: Ye shall be requited according to your works. 8. Woe to you, ye obstinate of heart, Who watch in order to devise wickedness: Therefore shall fear come upon you And there shall be none to help you. 9. Woe to you, ye sinners, on account of the words of your mouth, And on account of the deeds of your hands which your godlessness as wrought, In blazing flames burning worse than fire shall ye burn.
Here we see allusions to the lake of fire and some of the tormenting compartments of hell. God will ask the angels about the deeds of the evil people who harm the righteous. As we know from Ezekiel 9, there are scribe angels, writing down what people say and do.
10 And now, know ye that from the angels He will inquire as to your deeds in heaven, from the sun and from the moon and from the stars in reference to your sins because upon the earth ye execute judgement on the righteous. 11. And He will summon to testify against you every cloud and mist and dew and rain; for they shall all be withheld because of you from descending upon you, and they shall be mindful of your sins. 12. And now give presents to the rain that it be not withheld from descending upon you, nor yet the dew, when it has received gold and silver from you that it may descend. 13. When the hoar-frost and snow with their chilliness, and all the snow-storms with all their plagues fall upon you, in those days ye shall not be able to stand before them.
Even the elements will testify against the sinners, those who worship the rain, and make offerings to the rain “gods” will be punished. Again Enoch tells us the angels know what we do and they remember the bad people and their behaviors, but also the good people and their righteousness.
Enoch 104:1. I swear unto you, that
in heaven the angels remember you for good before the glory of the Great One:
and your names are written before the glory of the Great One. 2. Be hopeful;
for aforetime ye were put to shame through ill and affliction; but now ye shall
shine as the lights of heaven, ye shall shine and ye shall be seen, and the
portals of heaven shall be opened to you. 3. And in your cry, cry for
judgement, and it shall appear to you; for all your tribulation shall be visited
on the rulers, and on all who helped those who plundered you. 4. Be hopeful,
and cast not away your hopes for ye shall have great joy as the angels of
heaven.
We can have great joy if we live
purely and righteously as the angels of heaven.
5. What shall ye be obliged to do?
Ye shall not have to hide on the day of the great judgement and ye shall not be
found as sinners, and the eternal judgement shall be far from you for all the
generations of the world. 6. And now fear not, ye righteous, when ye see the
sinners growing strong and prospering in their ways: be not companions with
them, but keep afar from their violence; for ye shall become companions of the
hosts of heaven.
We will be companions of the hosts
of heaven, that is why Jesus said we won’t be marrying, but we will be like or
equal to the angels.
7. And, although ye sinners say:
"All our sins shall not be searched out and be written down,"
nevertheless they shall write down all your sins every day.
The angels write down the sinners’
sins every day. That is scary. 2 Esd
16:65-66 And when your sins are brought forth, ye shall be ashamed before men,
and your own sins shall be your accusers in that day.66 What will ye do? or how
will ye hide your sins before God and his angels? KJV
8. And now I show unto you that
light and darkness, day and night, see all your sins. 9. Be not godless in your
hearts, and lie not and alter not the words of uprightness, nor charge with
lying the words of the Holy Great One, nor take account of your idols; for all
your lying and all your godlessness issue not in righteousness but in great
sin. 10. And now I know this mystery, that sinners will alter and pervert the
words of righteousness in many ways, and will speak wicked words, and lie, and
practice great deceits, and write books concerning their words.
This seems to have been written for
our day and time. There are myriads of
books written that pervert God and his word. This is not what man was called to
do. We were never meant to reduce God to
pen and paper, nor to write lies about God.
We were meant to have a living and vital relationship with Him, just
like the angels. Before Moses wrote the Torah, the redeemed, Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob and the rest, all knew God personally. There were no laws, but they were living in
relationship with Yahweh. When the
angels procreated the Nephilim, they also taught things God did not want
taught. We should keep in perspective,
Lucifer had long before stolen Adam’s lease of rulership on earth. They knew
Lucifer was in charge. Leaving their
first estate probably seemed like fun, as they could do things to destroy
mankind. Let’s go back to Enoch 69 to
look at the context of the section where Enoch tells us we are to be like the
angels.
Enoch 69:8. And the fourth was named Pênêmûe: he taught the
children of men the bitter and the sweet, and he taught them all the secrets of
their wisdom. 9. And he instructed mankind in writing with ink and paper, and
thereby many sinned from eternity to eternity and until this day. 10. For men
were not created for such a purpose, to give confirmation to their good faith
with pen and ink. 11. For men were created exactly like the angels, to the
intent that they should continue pure and righteous, and death, which destroys
everything, could not have taken hold of them, but through this their knowledge
they are perishing, and through this power it is consuming me†.
11. But when they write down
truthfully all my words in their languages, and do not change or minish ought
from my words but write them all down truthfully--all that I first testified
concerning them. 12. Then, I know another mystery, that books will be given to
the righteous and the wise to become a cause of joy and uprightness and much
wisdom. 13. And to them shall the books be given, and they shall believe in
them and rejoice over them, and then shall all the righteous who have learnt
there from all the paths of uprightness be recompensed.
Enoch is pointing out that books are
not evil if they are written from the truth of God’s word. The righteous will rejoice over books about
God. Remember Jeremiah wrote: Jer 15:16
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and
rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.KJV
We are rewarded for our study of
God’s word. It seems that our purpose in
being like the angels had more to do with our personal connection to God, just
as we see with the Melchizedek priesthood. That time period after the flood and
before the written law, was all about relationship with God. Not hearing about God from a priest or
someone else. This is not what God wants
for us, even today. We should grow into
a relationship with God as Hebrews points out. Again, Enoch reiterates that the
angels were to testify to humankind.
Enoch 105:1. In those days the Lord bade (them) to summon and testify to the children of earth concerning their wisdom: Show (it) unto them; for ye are their guides, and a recompense over the whole earth. 2. For I and My son will be united with them for ever in the paths of uprightness in their lives; and ye shall have peace: rejoice, ye children of uprightness. Amen.
Angels
were to be our guides; we were to be like them in pureness and righteousness. But angels are not perfect. It would seem that all spirit beings have
freedom of will, to do either good or bad.
Angels are inter dimensional, they can move among all dimensions, where
we are bound to living in three and only understanding four; length, width,
height, and time. This is why angels were able to come to earth and procreate,
we cannot go into the heavens and live, we would die. So angels can behave in bad ways or good
ways. They were intended to behave in
pureness and righteousness, as we were, but because they have free will, they
may make mistakes just as we do.
Therefore, Paul tells us we will judge them. It seems odd that humans bound to three
dimensions will judge inter-dimensional beings, but the angels were to minister
to us, to help us and guide us in this fallen world. Yet they can fall too.
1
Cor 6:2-3 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the
world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?3
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to
this life?KJV
Jesus
himself took on the nature of humankind, not angels when he came to earth. He had to be like us in order to redeem us.
Yet didn’t satan remind him that angels were given charge over him?
Heb
2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the
seed of Abraham. KJV
Matt
4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is
written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands
they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.KJV
Angels
were given charge over us as well. And
in the resurrection, we will be like them. What else do we know about angels?
We know they eat food, their own kind of food, and that the children of Israel
ate angel food in the wilderness.
Ps
78:25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.KJV
2
Esd 1:19 Then had I pity upon your mournings, and gave you manna to eat; so ye
did eat angels' bread.KJV
Wisdom
16:20 Instead whereof thou feddest thine own people with angels' food, and
didst send them from heaven bread prepared without their labour, able to
content every man's delight, and agreeing to every taste.KJV
We
also know that they are spirit beings
and flaming fiery beings. They also still tremble before the throne of
God.
Ps
104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: KJV
2
Esd 8:20-21 O Lord, thou that dwellest in everlastingness which beholdest from
above things in the heaven and in the air;21 Whose throne is inestimable; whose
glory may not be comprehended; before whom the hosts of angels stand with
trembling,KJV
Looking again at the fallen angels who asked Enoch to intercede to God on their behalf, we see that they were to intercede for humans. We understand this, as humans were on the earth which had had a change in rulership from Adam to satan.
Enoch 15:1. And He answered and said to me, and I heard His voice: 'Fear not, Enoch, thou righteous man and scribe of righteousness: approach hither and hear my voice. 2. And go, say to ⌈⌈the Watchers of heaven⌉⌉, who have sent thee to intercede ⌈⌈for them: "You should intercede"⌉⌉ for men, and not men for you: 3. Wherefore have ye left the high, holy, and eternal heaven, and lain with women, and defiled yourselves with the daughters of men and taken to yourselves wives, and done like the children of earth, and begotten giants (as your) sons? 4. And though ye were holy, spiritual, living the eternal life, you have defiled yourselves with the blood of women, and have begotten (children) with the blood of flesh, and, as the children of men, have lusted after flesh and blood as those ⌈also⌉ do who die and perish. 5. Therefore have I given them wives also that they might impregnate them, and beget children by them, that thus nothing might be wanting to them on earth. 6. But you were ⌈formerly⌉ spiritual, living the eternal life, and immortal for all generations of the world. 7. And therefore I have not appointed wives for you; for as for the spiritual ones of the heaven, in heaven is their dwelling. 8. And now, the giants, who are produced from the spirits and flesh, shall be called evil spirits upon the earth, and on the earth shall be their dwelling. 9. Evil spirits have proceeded from their bodies; because they are born from men, ⌈⌈and⌉⌉ from the holy Watchers is their beginning and primal origin; ⌈they shall be evil spirits on earth, and⌉ evil spirits shall they be called. [10. As for the spirits of heaven, in heaven shall be their dwelling, but as for the spirits of the earth which were born upon the earth, on the earth shall be their dwelling.] 11. And the spirits of the giants afflict, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, and work destruction on the earth, and cause trouble: they take no food, ⌈but nevertheless hunger⌉ and thirst, and cause offences. And these spirits shall rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded ⌈from them⌉.
We can see that angels are
capable of procreation, even though there were not to procreate with humans. By
doing so, they created disembodied spirit beings that we know today as demons.
Demons seek a body to occupy since they do not have their own. Angels
are eternal, and we know that we have eternal life at the time of the
resurrection.
Enoch 16:1. From the days of the slaughter and destruction and death ⌈of the giants⌉, from the souls of whose flesh the spirits, having gone forth, shall destroy without incurring judgement--thus shall they destroy until the day of the consummation, the great ⌈judgement⌉ in which the age shall be consummated, over the Watchers and the godless, yea, shall be wholly consummated." 2. And now as to the Watchers who have sent thee to intercede for them, who had been ⌈⌈aforetime⌉⌉ in heaven, (say to them): "You have been in heaven, but ⌈all⌉ the mysteries had not yet been revealed to you, and you knew worthless ones, and these in the hardness of your hearts you have made known to the women, and through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth." 4. Say to them therefore: "You have no peace."'
Angels
do not know everything; they may know some mysteries, but not all
mysteries. We can understand their
vulnerability as they are not “all knowing” beings, but like us they know a
little. They probably have knowledge of
what they should and shouldn’t be doing, but that leaves them open to mistakes.
As
Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 15, Christ was
the first resurrection, the second resurrection are the first fruits, those who
are harpazo’d, then the third resurrection are those who are His at his coming
to earth at the end of the tribulation.
After the resurrection we will be like angels, inter-dimensional,
strong, knowing some mysteries, capable of standing before the throne of God,
even if we tremble. We may be helpers of
those on earth during the millennial kingdom and in the new earth. We won’t be marrying, and there probably
won’t be gender bias or racial discrimination.
Paul recognized that while we are living on earth we have not attained
to the resurrection, but that it is an ongoing process, one which requires us
to be pure and righteous. One day we
will judge angels, but until that time we should realize that angels, like us,
are vulnerable to mistakes and capable of turning our backs on God. Therefore, we should strive, like Paul said,
for the mastery of an incorruptible crown.
I
want to leave off with a vision Ezra had of Mount Zion. He saw a large number
of people praising. He saw the Lord, and the Lord put crowns on everyone’s
heads. These are the people who put on immortality. Ezra understood the
resurrection and was to tell everyone about it.
2
Esd 2:42-48 I Esdras saw upon the mount Sion a great people, whom I could not
number, and they all praised the Lord with songs.43 And in the midst of them
there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon
every one of their heads he set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marvelled
at greatly.44 So I asked the angel, and said, Sir, what are these?45 He
answered and said unto me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing,
and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they
crowned, and receive palms.46 Then said I unto the angel, What young person is
it that crowneth them, and giveth them palms in their hands?47 So he answered
and said unto me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world.
Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the
Lord.48 Then the angel said unto me, Go thy way, and tell my people what manner
of things, and how great wonders of the Lord thy God, thou hast seen.KJV
