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Monday, February 23, 2015

Eagles, Martyrs, the Elect, and the Sent Away; Separated for the Millennial Kingdom or Hades; Taken or Left

We looked at the idea of riddles, dark sayings, and parables, and that Jesus didn’t always speak in comparisons or speak in veiled mysteries. More times than not the mystery lies in our own lack of understanding. There are two sections in the gospels that speak about eagles and upon first look they seem to be the same, however they are speaking about two different groups of people. The order of the timeline for both sections is a little different and the words used are a little different, rendering two events where eagles are present and doing something. We also have added words and tenses to the text that change the idea of what is taking place. This adds confusion as well. Since the Greek text is very specific with its words, we find treasures when we look into every word. Also we seem to have a bit of folklore regarding eagles which we will also explore.

Jesus’ disciples ask questions, and that is helpful for us to learn from. We may not comprehend the questions as we have done a poor job of understanding the words. We have lumped events and ideas together which are different happenings separated by time. The apocalypse is Jesus being revealed from heaven as who he really is. The parousia is Jesus’ coming to judge. Both the revealing and the judging happen consecutively. Let’s take note of this word parousia as it is used a lot in the context.

 NT:3952 parousia (par-oo-see'-ah); from the present participle of NT:3918; a being near, i.e. advent (often, return; specifically, of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or finally the wicked); (by implication) physically, aspect: KJV - coming, presence.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

In Matthew we are told that there are corpses and eagles. We have assumed that the eagles were there to eat the corpses as part of Revelation 19 when all the birds are called to a supper of the dead bodies of people and animals. This is not the case. While eagles may be part of that supper, all flying birds are called to eat. Not all flying birds are eagles. Because eagles were unclean, translators have assumed this to be what Jesus was saying, however as we will see, these eagles are doing something. Let’s look at this verse broken down, then we will go back to the context.

Matthew 24:28G3699For whereG1063 G1437everG1510.3might be G3588the G4430corpse, G1563there G4863[3will be gathered together G35881the G1052eagles]. http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Matthew%2024

Matt 24:28
28 

 o%pou
wheresoever
3699
 hópou


 ga\r
For
1063
 gár


 e)a\n

1437
 eán


 h@|
is
5600
 ¢¡


 to\
the
3588
 tó


 ptw=ma
carcase
4430
 ptœ¡ma


 e)kei=
there
1563
 ekeí



 sunaxqh/sontai
will
4863
 sunachth¢¡sontai


 oi(
the
3588
 hoi


 a)etoi/
eagles
105
 aetoí

(Interlinear Transliterated Bible (TR Edition). Copyright © 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved. [For more detail see the full copyright page.])

NT:4430 ptooma, ptoomatos, to
1. a fall, downfall
2. that which is fallen; the (fallen) body of one dead or slain, a corpse, carcass Matt 14:12(from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

NT:4863 sunago (soon-ag'-o); from NT:4862 and NT:71; to lead together, i.e. collect or convene; specifically, to entertain (hospitably): KJV -  accompany, assemble (selves, together), bestow, come together, gather (selves together, up, together), lead into, resort, take in. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

This word for corpse or carcase is “not alive and whole”, it has been killed. During the tribulation, people will have been martyred for their faith. Wherever the dead bodies will be, the eagles will be, not to eat them but to gather them. What are they gathering? The spirits and souls of the martyred. This is not about the birds eating the dead bodies because in context this is about the parousia, the apocalypse. The eagles gather, the word “be” is not in the text, therefore wherever a dead body is, the eagles will gather the dead.

The disciples ask Jesus in Matthew 24:3 three questions, 1) When will the destruction of the temple happen, 2) What will be the sign of your parousia, and 3) The end of the age. He answers the first question by telling them that they themselves will be martyred. Those who endure to the end of their lives will be saved. Then Jesus says the gospel must be preached in all nations, then the end will come. Jesus says to look for what Daniel prophesied because that is when the temple will be destroyed. When that all starts to happen (around 70 AD) get out of the city. We know that the disciples, as recorded in Acts, prepared by selling everything and leaving ahead of the destruction. Jesus also says those days would be shortened, as in the devil would not be allowed to inspire this military campaign for a long period of time. 

Now after the destruction of the temple, there will be a time of false prophets and teachers who will say Jesus is on earth ready for the parousia, the Day of the Lord, but don’t be fooled because Jesus won’t be in one place. He will be so visible to the whole earth, it will be like lightning. That will be the parousia. Not a hidden event, where one guy claims Jesus is here or there, and showing false signs and wonders. The earth will not see Jesus again until the Jews say “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” Matthew 23:39. Then the Day of the Lord will happen. Jesus says that wherever the dead bodies are, the eagles will gather. Dead bodies, whose dead bodies? Those who reject the beast and his mark.

The next sentence, verse 29 says “Immediately after those days”, what days? The days of the carcasses and eagles gathering. Immediately after the martyrdom of those days, then the heavens will be shaken. Then Jesus will appear. Then nations will mourn because they see Jesus. Then Jesus comes in great glory. Then Jesus sends the angles to gather the elect. Look at the time line of the word “then”. That gives us very specific timing as to the order of things at the end of the tribulation. The Day of the Lord comes after the dead bodies of the martyred are gathered. Compare this to Revelation 20.

Rev 20:4-5 Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes [beheaded] for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years. [Dan 7:9,22,27.] 5 The remainder of the dead were not restored to life again until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection AMP

First the eagles gather, sunago, the martyred (verse 28), then the angels gather up episunagoge, the elect (verse 31). Jesus says to pay attention to those things as then we will know when his parousia/apocalypse will take place. This generation/nation will not pass away until the end of the tribulation. Jesus then gives a comparison to a fig tree and says when you see these things, then Jesus’ parousia is close.

Jesus then goes on to answer question number three. Remember 1) the temple will be destroyed, get out of the city; 2) the dead bodies will be gathered by eagles, then he will be seen like lightning that’s the coming, parousia. Jesus then answers number 3, when is the end of the age. Jesus says Heaven and Earth will pass away, that is the end of the age. Verse 36 gives us Jesus’ answer. The Heaven and Earth passing away is the time that we don’t know the day or hour. The Father knows and he alone knows when the Heaven and Earth will pass away. That is the end of the age, after the temple is destroyed, the Day of the Lord, and Jesus’ millennial reign, then Heavens and Earth pass away.

Jesus goes on to reiterate the parousia, the Day of the Lord, by comparing the days of Noah. Jesus explains that at his coming, parousia, people will be going about their daily business and daily work when one will be taken and one left. That is an unfortunate translation. Taken means received, and left means sent away. On the Day of the Lord people will be separated, some will be received and some sent away. Go back to Revelation 20:4 & 5, we have the martyred who are gathered by eagles. The elect who are either alive or dead and gathered by angels. Then we have the rest of the people who are destroyed with the sword of the Lord. Jesus uses a comparison of a servant and then says that the evil servant goes to a place with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Let’s read Revelation 19:21.

Rev 19:21 And the rest were killed with the sword that issues from the mouth of Him Who is mounted on the horse, and all the birds fed ravenously and glutted themselves with their flesh. AMP

Jesus answered the three questions the disciples had, again, the destruction of the temple, the signs of the Day of the Lord, and the end of the age. Jesus focuses on the first two more than the last as no one knows the day the Heavens and Earth will pass away. Now we should compare what we just learned to Luke 17. This section has some of the same elements, but different timing, characters, and questions. In Luke, the Pharisees are asking when the kingdom will come. They were looking for a date, they wanted a series of events. Jesus’ answer was not what they wanted to hear.

Luke 17:20-22 Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying, The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display, 21 Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]. 22 And He said to the disciples, The time is coming when you will long to see [even] one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see [it]. AMP

The kingdom of God does not come with signs or announcements. There will be nothing observable to the coming kingdom, which is the context to the question the Pharisees were asking. The kingdom would come on the Day of the Lord, but there would be nothing obvious, nor will it be a place on earth that one can see, like a palace and its grounds. Then Jesus says the kingdom of God is inside of you. That was a shocking statement, the rest of the context that we will explore hinges on that very understanding. The kingdom of God inside of people.

Luke 17:21G3761Nor G2046shall they say, G2400Behold, G5602here, G2228or, G2400Behold, G1563there. G2400For behold, G1063 G3588the G932kingdom G3588 G2316of God G1787[2within G14733you G1510.2.31is].
 22G2036And he said G1161 G4314to G3588the G3101disciples, G2064There shall come G2250days G3753when G1937you shall desire G1520[2one G35883of the G22504days G35885of the G52076son G3588 G4447of man G14921to see], G2532and G3756you will not G3708see it . http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Luke%2017

Remembering who Jesus was speaking to, verse 22 is to the disciples. He says they will desire to see one of the days Jesus will come but they won’t see it with their eyes. Why, because they will be in heaven, either coming back with Him or awaiting with those not in Jesus’ army for the kingdom to be established. The disciples will not see Jesus’ parousia as a flash of lightning. The further context tells us that they wanted to see the Day of the Lord. First, however, Jesus was telling them that there was a period of time to consider. Therefore if someone tells the disciples that Jesus is over here or over there, as in his “revealing” do not go follow them. Jesus says he has to suffer, then he says, as in the days of Noah and Lot, Jesus’ revealing will be an unexpected event. The word for revealed in verse 30 is apokalupto, “uncovered”. Just like a lightning strike, Jesus’ apokalupto will be very visible. This is a different word than parousia. Jesus then says’ in that day’. What day? The day of the apocalypse. In the day of the apocalypse one will be received and one will be sent, verse 34 and 35. Verse 36 may not be in the text, but the same two words are used as to how people will be separated, some are received and some are sent away. Jesus tells them that whoever loses his life will save it. That clearly defines those who are martyred are saved.

The disciples then ask where, or what location will this happen that some will be received and some will be sent away? Whatever spot the body is in, the eagles will gather the people up. Now remember, first the martyrs are gathered by the eagles before Jesus comes, and we also know that the elect will be gathered by angels after Jesus comes. So this third group of people are going to be gathered by the eagles. Who are they?

Luke 17:37 Then they asked Him, Where, Lord? He said to them, Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures or eagles be gathered together. AMP

Luke 17: 37G2532And G611responding G3004they say G1473to him, G4226Where, G2962O Lord? G3588And G1161 G2036he said G1473to them, G3699Where G3588the G4983body, G1563there G4863[3will be gathered G35881the G1052eagles]. http://studybible.info/KJV_Strongs/Luke%2017:37

    
Luke 17:37
37 

 kai\
And
2532
 kaí


 a)pokriqe/nte$
they  answered
611
 apokrithéntes


 le/gousin
and  said
3004
 légousin


 au)tw=|
unto  him,
846
 autœ¡


 Pou=
Where,
4226
 Poú


 ku/rie
Lord?
2962
 kúrie



 o(

3588
 ho


 de\
And
1161
 dé


 ei@pen
he  said
2036
 eípen


 au)toi=$
unto  them,
846
 autoís


  %Opou
Wheresoever
3699
 Hópou


 to\
the
3588
 tó


 sw=ma
body  is,
4983
 sœ¡ma



 e)kei=
thither
1563
 ekeí


 sunaxqh/sontai
will
4863
 sunachth¢¡sontai


 oi(
the
3588
 hoi


 a)etoi\
eagles
105
 aetoí

(Interlinear Transliterated Bible (TR Edition). Copyright © 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved. [For more detail see the full copyright page.])

NT:4983 soma (so'-mah); from NT:4982; the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively: KJV - bodily, body, slave.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

This is not translated quite right. This word for body is different here than in Matthew, which is “dead body”. Again translators added the word dead to the text in Luke to make these two passages alike, but that is incorrect. This idea is this body is living and whole, not dead. If one is martyred they could be dismembered, but these bodies are whole. At the very least the spirit and soul are separated from the body at death, but these bodies are whole. Wherever the saved living bodies are, the eagles will gather them, these are people who will go to hades. Revelation 19:21 calls them the remnant. Their bodies are destroyed by Jesus’ sword that proceeds from Jesus’ mouth, and the birds feast on the bodies. The spirits and souls of those who accepted the mark of the beast are taken to hades by the eagles. Remember. humans are three part beings. We are spirit, soul, and body, the body is the tent or shell, we are our spirit and soul. The living bodies at the time of the Day of the Lord become disembodied. The body is left behind on earth, and the eagles take the spirit/soul to hades where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The TR uses the word 4863 “to bring together”, but the NA27 uses the word 1996 which has the prefix epi attached to sunago, with denotes “above gather”. This is the translator’s opinions. The living bodies are the ones still alive on the earth on the Day of the Lord. Again the word be is not in the text and the word gather is not past tense, it should be “gather” not “gathered”. The eagles are not gathering themselves, the eagles gather the living bodies. These living bodies are not the martyred, obviously, and not the elect who the angels gather. The question the disciples had is where will the sent away ones be sent from? Jesus’ answer is wherever there are living bodies the eagles will gather them. In other words, unlike the white throne judgment, there won’t be a centralized location for this event. It will take place anywhere there are living bodies.

In Matthew the order of events is that people will claim Jesus is here parousia up through the time people are being martyred. The eagles will be gathering the martyred before Jesus comes. Then, when Jesus comes, the heavens shake and everyone sees Jesus’ coming. After that, the elect are gathered by angels. These are those who are received, or as we mistakenly see translated, taken. In Luke the apocalypse comes when no one is expecting it and the disciples want to know where it will take place that some will be sent away. Is there a central location, a city, or place? Since Jesus already said they desire to see those days with their eyes but they won’t see it, the disciples were not looking at a time but looking for the location of the separation of the taken and left or received and sent away.  Jesus’ answer is wherever there are living bodies. So the eagles gather the martyrs before Jesus comes on the Day of the Lord. The angels gather the elect, then the ones who are not the elect and were left on earth are those who are gathered and sent away by the eagles.

Remember the martyrs are killed all throughout the tribulation, but mostly after the wrath of the Lamb, during the second three and one half years. Those who do not take the mark of the beast will be killed. Some who do not take the mark of the beast or worship the beast may still be alive, and the angels will gather the elect, those living and those who died of natural causes during the tribulation. The whole world sees Jesus and mourns. Then the eagles gather the living, those who received the mark of the beast. After the beast and false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire, the sent away do not live again until after the one thousand years. The received are received into the first resurrection, and live and reign as priests for one thousand years. The second death at the white throne judgment has no power over them. Those who stay dead for the one thousand years have to be judged by how well they treated others at the end of the one thousand years. Some will live and some will go to eternal punishment, which is called the second death.

One of the things we may over look regarding similar passages where Jesus was telling the disciples the order of events is that this was all conversational. Jesus may have told the disciples about the three questions they had first, then later someone was asking about some of the similar events and Jesus used some of the same ideas but truly they were speaking about a different group of people. In Matthew’s account Jesus doesn’t say where the sent away ones go. But in Luke’s account he does. In Luke’s account Jesus doesn’t speak about the elect or the martyred, he is only speaking about the living who are the sent away. If a group of people were walking and talking to Jesus it would seem reasonable that as the disciples were processing what Jesus said, they would come up with questions and find a time to ask him. The disciples asked three questions, the destruction of the temple, the parousia, and the passing away of Heaven and Earth, but in Luke they want to know where the sent away ones will be sent from. Conversations with Jesus are sometimes not complete in one sitting. I find it interesting that we are not told who exactly is asking the questions, was it Peter, Mark, John, or someone else? Today our questions might be a lot like theirs, except we would most likely ask about the eagles.

What exactly are eagles and why do we have Jesus, on two different occasions, speaking about them. Why are eagles gathering both dead and living bodies at different times, once just before Jesus’ return with the armies and once just before his millennial kingdom starts?

Many times in the Bible the eagle is used as an example of the enemies coming against Israel. It seems they come against Israel for judgment. On the other hand in Revelation 12, Israel is saved by an eagle. Therefore, eagles are not only used for bad judgment but good judgment as well. It is interesting that Jesus used them when speaking of the last days. From the time of the Exodus eagles were used as a symbol of Israel’s deliverance which is again noted in Revelation 12. A root of the word eagle in Hebrew means “separate”, which seems to be what the eagles do in Jesus’ accounts. It may be that our avoidance of mythology has caused us to disregard eagles and their symbolic and literal function.

Eagles are also used as symbolism for nations, compare Daniel 7 to 2 Ezra 11 & 12. Nations are given symbols of lions, eagles, bears, and leopards. Don’t read too much into this as our national symbols. In the Bible these are terms given by Yahweh to the prophets, not taken as symbolic figure heads for nations by mankind. However, Yahweh would be indicating that one particular nation acts like a lion or bear or eagle and the prophet would understand the nations’ actions in that manner. The symbols of clean and unclean that we learned from the Letter of Aristeas is always about the behavior of the unclean animal not the flesh itself.  In other words, just because the United States uses the eagle as a symbol does not mean it is automatically “the eagle” indicated in the Bible. Neither does it mean that the United States acts like an eagle. Nations come and go, evolve and dissolve, which is indicated by the idea of the feathers from 2 Ezra. But Jesus wasn’t speaking of nations, he was speaking of beings.

Ezekiel tells us of beings that have four faces, and these beings came to earth just before the Glory of God was removed from the temple. We noted quite some time ago that the Glory of the Lord came into the temple at the time of Solomon, and through to the time of the Glory of God leaving the temple, the Glory resided among booths of male prostitution, female prostitution, incense burned to other gods, worship of the cherubim, and worship of the stars and planets. The temple was in existence for about 400 years, but for over three hundred years many types of heathen practices took place inside. This is why Hezekiah and Josiah tried to clean up these things, and yet by the time of Ezekiel it was still going on and the Glory left. This is the section that tells us about the Ophanim as the transporters of the Glory and the other beings. Ezekiel 1:10 and 10:14 show that there are eagles which we also see in Revelation 4:7.

When we look at the gospel in the stars we see that the Eagle is a destroyer of the serpent. The eagle is the one who grabs the serpent with its talons and carries it off. That was the original constellation of Lepus. Lepus, a decan of Gemini, is shown as a rabbit, but older indications from the Dendera show it as a serpent being crushed in the talons of an eagle under the constellation of Orion.

Another interesting fact lies in the constellation of Scorpio. As we have previously studied, the sun goes through the actual constellation of Scorpio only six days per year (The six thousand year time frame of the devil). Scorpio lies below the ecliptic except for its claw. The rest of the month we mistakenly attribute to Scorpio, but it should actually be attributed to Ophiuchus. Ophiuchus is the dominant constellation who is standing on the scorpion, his heel being bruised while holding the serpent, keeping it away from the crown. Ophiuchus was depicted in the Dendera as a bird headed man, to show that he was the enemy of the serpent and scorpion. Luke 10:19 tells us this picture of the redeemed having authority to trample snakes and scorpions. Subsequently, the picture of Ophiuchus represents the believer taking authority over the enemies, as well as Jesus who is bruising the scorpion’s head, while the scorpion bruises Jesus’ heel. The serpent that Ophiuchus is holding is called Serpens. Within the constellation of Serpens are interstellar clouds of gas or dust called the Eagle Nebula. Interestingly the eagle cloud has a hold of the serpent which is also a picture of the Holy Spirit holding back the devil who wanted to steal Jesus’ kingship.

Also in the star gospel the decan Aquila is an eagle in the constellation of Capricorn. Its star names tell the story of a wounded eagle, pierced; and is a picture of what Jesus endured for us. The star gospel does not indicate eagles as unclean, therefore we know that that is a more modern connotation which came when the law was distorted. Again we see the original intent from prior to 300 BC in the Letter of Aristeas.

One more bird to take note of from the star gospel is Cygnus, We depict this bird as a swan but the star names simply note it as a bird. Its brightest star is called Deneb which means “the judge”. Deneb shows up in Capricorn and in Aquila meaning “the Lord or Judge comes”. Adige is another word associated with this star which indicates it is connected to the one coming to judge the earth in righteousness. It seems that the eagles Jesus told us about do the separating and judging.  

We have an interesting discrepancy that occurs in Revelation 8:13, where the TR uses the word angel, the NA27 uses the word eagle. This gives us another clue as to the idea that eagles in the context that Jesus was speaking, as well as what Ezekiel saw, are beings, part of the group of the sons of God. We know there are Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Ophanim, Beasts, Elders, and Living Creatures which consist of a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle. All of these beings have a role to play in Yahweh’s kingdom.  Let’s look at the definition of the word eagle and Revelation 8:13.

NT:105 aetos (ah-et-os'); from the same as NT:109; an eagle (from its wind-like flight): KJV - eagle.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:109 aer (ah-ayr'); from aemi (to breathe unconsciously, i.e. respire; by analogy, to blow); "air" (as naturally circumambient): KJV - air. Compare NT:5594.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Rev 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! KJV

Rev 8:13 Then I [looked and I] saw a solitary eagle flying in midheaven, and as it flew I heard it crying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the rest of the trumpet blasts which the three angels are about to sound! AMP

Rev 8:13G2532And G1492I saw G2532and G191heardG1520 oneG105eagle G4072flying G1722in G3321mid-heaven, G3004saying G5456[2voice G31731with a great], G3759Woe, G3759woe G3759woe, G3588to the ones G2730dwelling G1909upon G3588the G1093earth, G1537because of G3588the G3062remaining G5456sounds G3588of the G4536trumpet G3588of the G5140three G32angels, G3588of the ones G3195being about G4537to trump. http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Revelation%208

Truly an eagle goes out flying in the mid heaven crying “woe”, because of what is about to come on the earth. The angels are blowing the trumpets and tribulations on the earth are getting worse. What we see then, since Jesus said the eagles would be gathering the martyred and the living towards the end of the tribulation, and John is seeing an eagle crying out, that the class of eagles has a function in the end of days. As we saw there must be many eagles gathering around the martyrs. Then after the elect are gathered by angels, they will become priests during millennial kingdom. The living from the earth are gathered by eagles, and will be sent to hades where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth for one thousand years. 

Eagles have a place and a function concerning judgment. During the time of the trumpet judgments, an eagle flies through the heavens crying woe, because of the tribulations on the earth. Eagles come to earth during the tribulation wherever people are being martyred for Christ. They come back at the end of the tribulation, after Jesus comes with his armies for those who are going to spend one thousand years in hades. As part of the class of living creatures and the cherubim class, eagles must be important to Yahweh. We see from Matthew and Luke that they are important to Jesus and Jesus named them specifically as the ones who gather.


Jesus also gave us some specific details regarding his coming and as to when. The disciples were told they wouldn’t see it, therefore don’t be fooled by those who claim Jesus is on earth. Why won’t Jesus’ disciples see his coming? Because they won’t be on earth at the time, they will be in heaven and some will be coming back with him. Jesus reminds us that the kingdom of God is within us, therefore if we try to save our lives we will lose it. If we lose our lives we will have eternal life. At the time of the end of the tribulation some people will be received into the millennial reign as priests and have eternal life, and some will be sent away to hades and will then go through the white throne judgment after the one thousand year millennial reign. All of these things are not a mystery or a riddle. Jesus spoke plainly and expected us to teach others so that everyone would know the specific points of redemption and salvation at the end of the age.  

Monday, February 16, 2015

Everlasting Punishment; Vain Speech; Sheep, Goats and the Holy Spirit’s Doctrine of Prophecy

One of the modern ideas we have as to why there has been so much distortion in the Bible regarding changes to the name Yahweh into Lord (Adonai), stems from Exodus 20 and Leviticus 24. The commandment was to not take the name Yahweh in vain or call down curses on Yahweh. That meaning and idea became distorted to the end that superstition took the place over reason. Instead of teaching people the truth, some took it upon themselves to change the Bible so that no one would make a mistake. The problem with deciding to distort the written word is that no one has the original intended ideas any longer. Further, that decision led to many rifts and factions among people who all claim to believe in Yahweh, because everyone has a different idea of who Yahweh is. Not knowing who Yahweh is, makes all people susceptible to everlasting punishment. At the end of the age, there will be a separation of all those who were not harpazo’d and each will be judged according to their own works. We talked about the elementary thinking of many post moderns who cannot believe that a loving God would punish anyone, but Jesus was quite clear as to eternal punishment and what actions may lead to it. Therefore if we have intentionally misrepresented Yahweh to the world, we may be setting people up for judgment with the goats instead of the sheep.   

The idea of vain speech being a form of damnation is incorrect. The idea behind the consequence of speaking vainly regarding Yahweh is uncleanness. If one became unclean in the Old Testament administration, then one had to go through the process of being cleansed or atoned for. Today, Jesus is the only atonement, so even if one blasphemes Yahweh, he/she is forgiven.

Matt 12:31-32 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy (every evil, abusive, injurious speaking, or indignity against sacred things) can be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the [Holy] Spirit shall not and cannot be forgiven. 32 And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Spirit, the Holy One, will not be forgiven, either in this world and age or in the world and age to come.  AMP

Mark says the same thing; let’s look at the King James here.

Mark 3:28-29 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: KJV

In this administration or dispensation, blasphemy is forgiven against Yahweh, Jesus, and everyone else except for the Holy Spirit. In both Matthew and Mark The Message says the same thing, which explains it a little better.

Mark 3:28-30 "Listen to this carefully. I'm warning you. There's nothing done or said that can't be forgiven. 29 But if you persist in your slanders against God's Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing off the branch on which you're sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives." (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

In this time period of the age of the Holy Spirit, one does not have to be frightened of Exodus 20:7 and becoming unclean due to an infraction, or afraid of Leviticus 24:16 and being put to death. But the idea of vainly speaking of Yahweh is deeper and less severe than we have been led to believe. Firstly, we must take note of the three usages of Aleph Tav here, marking the AZ or Alpha Omega, who we know is Jesus. Take note also in the AP Polyglot, the ‘et #853 shows up as #3588 and is sometimes translated as “the”.

Ex 20:7
7 

aý  ‎
not
3808
lϡ


aC*t!  ‎
Thou shalt take
5375
t¡i´´¹°


Áta#   ‎

853
°e¾-


Á<v@  ‎
the name of
8034
š¢m-


hw`hy+  ‎
the Lord
3068
Y®hwâ


;yh#ýa$  ‎
thy God
430
°E_lœhey½¹



aw+V*l^  ‎
in vain;
7723
lašš¹w°


yK!  ‎
for
3588



aý  ‎
not
3808
lϡ


hQ#n~y+  ‎
will hold him guiltless
5352
y®naqqeh


hw`hy+  ‎
the Lord
3068
Y®hwâ


ta@   ‎

853
°¢¾



Árv#a&  ‎
that
834
°¦šer-


aC*y]  ‎
taketh
5375
yi´´¹°


Áta#   ‎

853
°e¾-


omv=  ‎
his name
8034
š®mô

(Interlinear Transliterated Bible (TR Edition). Copyright © 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved. [For more detail see the full copyright page.])

OT:7723 shav' (shawv); or shav (shav); from the same as OT:7722 in the sense of desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain): KJV - false (-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

Vain speech is false speech, but it seems that the translators who translated the Bible from Greek back to Hebrew used a harsher word for vain due to their own religious ideas. There are several words the translators could have chosen yet they picked the harshest one. There is a list of correlating Hebrew words on the AP Polygot’s Greek word 3152 page. The older Greek texts use the word vain as in “empty or pointless”. It is not so overwhelmingly bad that it is evil, just pointless. Understand that by using this as a manipulation tactic we have misunderstood Yahweh and Elohim because we call Yahweh by the term Elohim as if it is a name, but Elohim is a title. Yahweh is an Elohim along with angels, the devil, and humans. Basically, according to the Jews, Jesus is the only one who is not an elohim, as the title elohim is used broadly and generally. Therefore we would have been better off to continue to call Yahweh, Yahweh, rather than confuse names and titles, unless we intend to use His name as a manipulation on others.  

 Exodus 20:7G3756You shall not G2983take G3588the G3686name G2962of the lord G3588 G2316your God G1473 G1909in G3152vain. G3756 G1063For G3361no way G2511shall the lord cleanse G2962 G3588the one G2983taking G3588 G3686his name G1473 G1909in G3152vain. http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Exodus%2020

NT:3152 mataios (mat'-ah-yos); from the base of NT:3155; empty, i.e. (literally) profitless, or (specifically) an idol: KJV - vain, vanity.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:3152 mataios, mataia, mataion, useless, to no purpose, 1 Cor 15:17  (from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The reality is that one should not speak useless or pointless words about Yahweh because that would make that one unclean. We didn’t really have to go so far as to take out the name Yahweh and make it Adonai, or call Him Lord instead of Yahweh. However, the uncleanness is easy to fall into if one wants to use Yahweh as a manipulation over others. Saying Yahweh is doing something or going to do something is not what we should be speaking to others. We should instead let others have that relationship with Yahweh. We do not have to threaten people by saying that Yahweh will punish people or Yahweh will harm people unless Yahweh actually says that. The prophets are the ones who will hear from Yahweh and Yahweh will tell them what he wants people to know. However, false prophets use Yahweh’s name in all kinds of profit-less ways and it is our job to discern and not swallow everything. In other words, we should not forget to think and commune with Yahweh. Prophecy is the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, as we will see shortly. 

Now Leviticus 24 is a very interesting section because instead of inflaming this verse it seems the translators did the opposite by downplaying it. I’m not positive, but it seems that there are not very many people who have cursed Yahweh who have been stoned to death. Even though one is to die for this infraction, it does not indicate eternal punishment. In the old days before Jesus came everyone went to Hades, some to punishment and some to Abraham’s creek. In today’s administration men can curse Yahweh and not die. In context this is very strong. Do not imprecate Yahweh. That means do not call curses down on Yahweh.

Leviticus 24:15G2532And G3588to the G5207sons G*of Israel G2980speak! G2532And G2046you shall say G4314to G1473them, G444A man, G444a man G1437if G2672he should curse G2316God, G266[2 the sin G29831 that one shall take]
16G3588[2the G36873one naming G11611And] G3588the G3686name G2962of the lord, G2288to death G2289let him be put to death! G3037[7with stones G30361Let 5stone G14736him G39562all G35883the G48644congregation]. G1437Whether G5037 G4339a foreigner, G1437or whether G5037 G849.1native born G1722in G3588 G3687his naming G1473 G3588the G3686name G2962of the lord, G5053let him come to an end. http://studybible.info/ABP_Strongs/Leviticus%2024

NT:2672 kataraomai, kataroomai;  to curse, doom, imprecate evil on: Rom 12:14  (from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

It is not something misspoken, this is severely intentional. This is written in a very creative way. There are several “double” words in different forms, such as man man (verse 15); naming name, death death, stones stone, and naming name (verse 16). The Holy Spirit had it written this way to make a strong point which is to not curse Yahweh because if one does so he/she should be stoned to death. This is prophecy given to Moses which is doctrine and we will look at that idea shortly. Let’s look at this in another Septuagint version.

Leviticus 24:15 And speak to the sons of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Whosoever shall curse God shall bear his sin. 16 And he that names the name of the Lord, let him die the death: let all the congregation of Israel stone him with stones; whether he be a stranger or a native, let him die for naming the name of the Lord. http://ecmarsh.com/lxx/Leviticus/index.htm

Imprecating Yahweh’s name is a big deal, but not one that we should hide Yahweh’s name over. It is not something one accidently does, therefore people should have been taught correctly. Instead we have people who do curse Elohim. But again, Elohim is a title, so therefore technically one is allowed to call down curses on Elohim. It seems like a way around the command doesn’t it? Isn’t this exactly what the Pharisees were doing, finding ways to skirt around the laws and commands? Again, this is not a comparison to blaspheming the Holy Spirit, because that can cause one eternal damnation, but Leviticus and Exodus do not indicate eternal consequences. That is something to take note of and teach correctly as we have many people today maligning and slandering the Holy Spirit which has a more severe consequence than vain speech or imprecating Yahweh.   

In the case of speaking blasphemies against the Holy Spirit as in the New Testament, it is not just useless or purposeless speech it is vilification, or impious speech (Strong’s # 987, 988, 989). This is speaking evil and Jesus says that anyone doing this against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven. In this administration the Holy Spirit is our defense attorney, as well as the prosecuting attorney for the world. Speaking evil of the Holy Spirit is cutting one’s self off from the one who is judging this age. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit puts one in danger of eternal damnation. Eternal is forever, and that is something to be concerned about. However, in this dispensation no one can remedy speaking evil of the Holy Spirit by changing the name of the Holy Spirit; instead, what people have done is simply attempt to erase the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Think about what has happened regardless of the dispensation we live in. People have erased the name of Yahweh and distorted who he is, and erased the ministry of the Holy Spirit and denied the Holy Spirit’s function. It would seem to me that there has always been a plan to disregard the God Head, either by scaring people and making them fearful over the usage of the name of Yahweh or scaring people into believing the ministry of the Holy Spirit is evil. Even though there is a different administration, there is the same basic fear tactic promoted by those who seem to be religious and make themselves leaders over others. In order to make the Holy Spirit’s ministry useless, those who didn’t believe on the events of the Pentecost attempted to do away with some books about the Holy Spirt which were written before Jesus came, such as Solomon’s Book of Wisdom and Sirach’s Book Ecclesiasticus. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom deserves our understanding. The Holy Spirit speaks in Ecclesiasticus as in Proverbs 8 regarding Wisdom in creation. 

Ecclus 24:1-10 Wisdom shall praise herself, and shall glory in the midst of her people.2 In the congregation of the most High shall she open her mouth, and triumph before his power.3 I came out of the mouth of the most High, and covered the earth as a cloud.4 I dwelt in high places, and my throne is in a cloudy pillar.5 I alone compassed the circuit of heaven, and walked in the bottom of the deep.6 In the waves of the sea and in all the earth, and in every people and nation, I got a possession.7 With all these I sought rest: and in whose inheritance shall I abide?8 So the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and he that made me caused my tabernacle to rest, and said, Let thy dwelling be in Jacob, and thine inheritance in Israel.9 He created me from the beginning before the world, and I shall never fail.10 In the holy tabernacle I served before him; and so was I established in Sion. KJV

The Holy Spirit was given rest among Jacob’s heirs and established in Zion. The Holy Spirit has an inheritance in Israel in that administration and an inheritance in all the ethnos, peoples, who believe on the Holy Spirit in our present administration.

Ecclus 24:18-20 I am the mother of fair love, and fear, and knowledge, and holy hope: I therefore, being eternal, am given to all my children which are named of him.19 Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits.20 For my memorial is sweeter than honey, and mine inheritance than the honeycomb. KJV

The Holy Spirit is eternal. Those who believe on Jesus are eternal. There are benefits on earth in knowing the Spirit of Wisdom. Here in verse 24 we see the idea of Yahweh being the mighty almighty Elohim, as we previously studied, which is the same phraseology as Jesus calling himself I AM.

Ecclus 24:21-24 They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty.22 He that obeyeth me shall never be confounded, and they that work by me shall not do amiss.23 All these things are the book of the covenant of the most high God, even the law which Moses commanded for an heritage unto the congregations of Jacob.24 Faint not to be strong in the Lord; that he may confirm you, cleave unto him: for the Lord Almighty is God alone, and beside him there is no other Saviour.

The Holy Spirit makes known Jesus as Savior. The Holy Spirit has doctrine and it’s called prophecy. Prophecy is given to prophets. There are false prophets among us and it is important to understand that prophecy is for all ages, which means the predictions of those claiming to be prophets who are extorting money from people are not prophets. It is not the PT Barnum effect. Prophecy is doctrine not predictions and guesses. Prophecy is not vague but specific. Prophecy requires action, not a “wait and see” approach. Moses said not to call curses down on Yahweh otherwise that one was to be stoned to death. That is doctrine from the Holy Spirit that is specific and requires action.  

Ecclus 24:32-34 I will yet make doctrine to shine as the morning, and will send forth her light afar off.33 I will yet pour out doctrine as prophecy, and leave it to all ages for ever.34 Behold that I have not laboured for myself only, but for all them that seek wisdom. KJV

Prophecy is given by the Holy Spirit for all ages. Thankfully someone thought to put some of the seventy books of the Septuagint back into our modern Bibles. The Holy Spirit is eternal, Yahweh is eternal. Therefore it is up to us to look to the eternal beings to understand what we are to do rather than change or erase or manipulate the Bible to our liking. This is not some PT Barnum false prophecy of “there will be storms in the south” this is instead direct; the consequence is death but not necessarily eternal punishment. Death in Hades has torment and punishment for some, and later when the dead are judged some will be found righteous by their works as we shall soon read. Therefore, we didn’t need to erase Yahweh’s name to make all people behave correctly, instead we simply needed to teach consequences to actions. And really, who calls down curses on Yahweh among the saved, no one. There is a group of people that may in fact call down curses on Yahweh who “hold on” to the devil. Solomon tells us something that helps us to understand this issue of erasing Yahweh or the Holy Spirit.

Wisdom 2:22-3:1 As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousness, nor discerned a reward for blameless souls.23 For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of his own eternity.24 Nevertheless through envy of the devil came death into the world: and they that do hold of his side do find it.3:1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. KJV

We were created to be immortal but the devil caused death, and those people who hang onto the devil find death. However, the righteous do not end up in eternal damnation. Notice that there is eternal damnation for cursing the Holy Spirit, but not for cursing Yahweh. Yet the righteous have a reward and they do not suffer damnation. Why not let people who are bent on imprecating Yahweh do what they want? They are holding on to the devil’s side, not Yahweh’s hand. The summation here is speaking vain, useless words about Yahweh makes one unclean and imprecating Yahweh brings death. Everyone dies, so this is simply a sooner death rather than a later death. But imprecating or vilifying the Holy Spirit brings eternal punishment, which is not simply a sooner rather than later death, this is a forever problem.

When Jesus comes in his glory he will separate the sheep and the goats. When does Jesus come in his glory? At the beginning of his millennial reign. What comes before the sheep and goat judgment is: the harpazo; the first three and one half years of tribulation; Jesus’ coronation as King; the second three and one half years of tribulation; the Day of the Lord. Later after the millennial kingdom, we see everyone who has been in the grave being judged. Remember last week we discussed the place of weeping, wailing, and grinding of teeth.  

Matt 25:31-34 When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats; [Ezek 34:17.] 33 And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left. 34 Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. AMP

The first group of people are sheep, those who by their works have been found righteous. This needs some clarification because many people mix this up. Today, during the administration of grace - the time of the Holy Spirit on earth, we are redeemed by our faith. Our rewards are based on our works, what things we did that were worthy of gold and not burned up at the bema judgment. Even if one does not have any rewards but believes on Jesus, that one is still redeemed. Many may not receive the rewards they thought they would because their actions were in error and when tried by fire there is nothing left. This is only for the people who are redeemed, those who had a relationship with Yahweh and believed the Messiah would come, those who believed on Jesus when he was on earth, and those who believed on Jesus as Messiah since his death. This group of sheep are not among the redeemed.

The sheep and goat judgment are for a different group of people. The redeemed are harpazo’d before the tribulation, they are caught up to heaven. The sheep and goat people are those who died before Jesus came and did not have a relationship with Yahweh or believe in the coming Messiah, as well as those who rejected Jesus when he was on earth and since his death. Those are the sheep and the goats. In other words all those who are the sheep and goats rejected Yahweh and/or rejected Jesus. They have all been waiting in hades (where there is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth) for the King to come and judge them. Once King Jesus comes in his glory, and death and hell give up the dead, Jesus will separate them. Remember Solomon’s words, those that hold onto the devil’s side find death? There are intentionally evil people in this group at the end of the age as well as those who were not intentionally evil. Some people were simply rejecters of Yahweh and Jesus’ lordship while they lived on earth. While all these people, the sheep and the goats, rejected Jesus as Messiah, there will be some who, by their works, find the kingdom that had been prepared for them from the foundation of the world. What do they have to do to obtain the eternal kingdom? 

Matt 25:35-40 For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me, 36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me. [Isa 58:7.] 37 Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You? 39 And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You? 40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me. [Prov 19:17.] AMP

Here is the key point to what Jesus was saying, like the story of the Good Samaritan, we are to take care of our fellow humans and not take advantage of other people. The point is that these people, the righteous, cared for others. Jesus looks at the works of the sheep as things they did to Jesus himself, but in their minds they were just helping people. Solomon said that humans were made in the image of God’s own eternity. Humans are precious to Jesus, but the devil persuades people away from Jesus, giving them death. The goats will go into eternal punishment.

Matt 25:41-46 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care. 44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You? 45 And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me. [Prov 14:31; 17:5.] 46 Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life. [Dan 12:2.] AMP

The place the goats go (those who hung on to the devil’s side) will be the same place prepared for the devil and his angels. At the end of the age, death and hell are thrown into the lake of fire. This is why the childlike understanding of the postmodern group is faulty and very dangerous. There is a place of eternal damnation, and it is for these people, along with the devil and his angels. These are people from the time of Adam until the end of the age that disregarded other humans, they did not help anyone else and while they also rejected Yahweh and/or Jesus, they lived for themselves. It is not Jesus’ choice where the sheep and the goats go, people have made that choice for themselves, and Jesus is just executing the judgment based on their own decisions. Certainly if one of these goats saw Jesus hungry, thirsty, or in prison, they would have helped him, knowing he would come back as King. But because they only saw humans, not Jesus, they did not care for them.

This is the condition of judgment for all those who have rejected Yahweh and/or Jesus and treated other humans poorly. Those who have blasphemed the Holy Spirit and led people into the rejection of Yahweh/Jesus by changing the words in the Bible, those who intentionally held onto the devil’s side, or those who have intentionally misled and mistreated the innocent will find eternal damnation. The people who are the religious leaders were not, and are not, teaching this to people. They are preventing many from entering the kingdom. Jesus had a few words for some of those people which is applicable to religious leaders today.  

Matt 23:13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces; for you neither enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are about to go in to do so. AMP

Matt 23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes one [a proselyte], you make him doubly as much a child of hell (Gehenna) as you are. AMP

Shame on all of us for not teaching the truth but instead teaching a fictional religion for people to follow. Tell the truth, vain speech of cursing Yahweh is not the same as cursing and vilifying the Holy Spirit. Woe to those religious leaders who, mock healings, miracles, and tongues! They have created a fictional religion that prevents them and their followers from entering the kingdom of heaven. Woe to those religious leaders who rally others under them as proselytes, converts, or followers, who blaspheme the works of the Holy Spirit, making them children of hell just like themselves.

The end of the Book of Revelation tells us when the end judgment comes. The first resurrection is the time of the martyrs, those who confessed Jesus as Lord and were beheaded. These people did not take the mark of the beast and they live for one thousand years with Jesus.

Rev 20:1-6 THEN I saw an angel descending from heaven; he was holding the key of the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and a great chain was in his hand. 2 And he gripped and overpowered the dragon, that old serpent [of primeval times], who is the devil and Satan, and [securely] bound him for a thousand years. 3 Then he hurled him into the Abyss (the bottomless pit) and closed it and sealed it above him, so that he should no longer lead astray and deceive and seduce the nations until the thousand years were at an end. After that he must be liberated for a short time. 4 Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes [beheaded] for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years. [Dan 7:9,22,27.] 5 The remainder of the dead were not restored to life again until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed (happy, to be envied) and holy (spiritually whole, of unimpaired innocence and proved virtue) is the person who takes part (shares) in the first resurrection! Over them the second death exerts no power or authority, but they shall be ministers of God and of Christ (the Messiah), and they shall rule along with Him a thousand years. AMP

The sheep and goat judgment happen before the one thousand year reign of Jesus Christ. That means anywhere from six thousand years to the Day of the Lord, there have been people in Hades waiting to be judged. It seems scary to hinge eternity on one’s works rather than on the acceptance of Jesus Christ.

Rev 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 I [also] saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is [the Book] of Life. And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done [their whole way of feeling and acting, their aims and endeavors] in accordance with what was recorded in the books. 13 And the sea delivered up the dead who were in it, death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) surrendered the dead in them, and all were tried and their cases determined by what they had done [according to their motives, aims, and works]. 14 Then death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's [name] was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire. AMP

Their cases were determined by what they had done. There are two deaths, the first being Hades when their physical bodies died on earth. Remember the rich man who saw Abraham and Lazarus in Abraham’s bay or creek, he was in the first death. All those who die without Jesus are in the first death. Jesus rescued the redeemed from Abraham’s bay or creek and took them to Paradise. The redeemed are awaiting the harpazo when they will rise along with the redeemed of earth. The others in Hades stay in Hades until the white throne judgment. Recognize, some of those people have been in Hades for thousands of years, such as Cain and Nimrod, along with anyone else who rejected Yahweh or Jesus. They are judged according to their motives, aims, and works. The second death is where the goats go to eternal punishment.

We see that there is a plan that has been mapped out since the foundation of the world, a place of eternal life, even for those who rejected Yahweh or Jesus but who did do the right things for their fellow humans. Unfortunately, because of the envy of the devil there came death. There are those who reject Yahweh and/or Jesus and treat others poorly, and their final place is in the lake of fire. Eternity is forever.

Remembering Jesus’ words to the Pharisees, they were shutting the kingdom of heaven in men’s’ faces. The Pharisees weren’t going to enter into the kingdom of heaven and they were keeping others from entering. Not only did they keep others from entering the kingdom of heaven, they searched out disciples and made them sons of hell too. How did the Pharisees keep people from the kingdom of heaven? They changed the name of Yahweh to a title, then they scared people into thinking they would go to eternal damnation if they used Yahweh’s name improperly. Then they denied Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and the out-workings of the Holy Spirit. They said the things the Holy Spirit was doing on the earth, such as healings and miracles, were being done by demons. The religious leaders made people afraid of the name Yahweh, then they themselves were blaspheming the Holy Spirit which is unforgivable. This crazy behavior has the envy of the devil written all over it. 


Intentionally cursing Yahweh is worthy of death, going to Hades, but not necessarily eternally. Speaking vainly of Yahweh makes one unclean, not eternally punished. Speaking defamations regarding the Holy Spirit and the works of the Spirit does endanger one to eternal damnation. It is better for us to understand this correctly rather than throwing out names and changing meanings. The redeemed are not going to eternal punishment. Those who have been martyred for Christ are not going to eternal punishment. Those who are in danger of eternal punishment are those who rejected Yahweh and/or Jesus. Then from that group, those whose works are kind towards others are given the eternal kingdom that was prepared for them. Those whose works are unkind towards others are given eternal fire. The simplicity of the vetting process is to give everyone a chance to choose rightly. It is not the desire of Jesus to send people to the lake of fire but there are those who intentionally hang onto the devil, and those people do find death. It would be better to teach people about the choices they have based on the truth of the scripture rather than change the doctrine the Holy Spirit has given via prophecy, which is to be recorded for all ages.