RESURRECTION (..contd from previous page)

Resurrection means to bring from dead condition back to life.
God had made promises about the resurrection and this has been the hope of worshippers of God over the ages.
Jesus Christ is the one commissioned by God to raise the dead. - John 11:25,26; 5:21,24
As St. Paul explained every man will be resurrected "in his own order" - 1st Corinthians 15:23

There are three classes of resurrection: First Resurrection, Better Resurrection and General Resurrection.
The first resurrection belongs to Jesus Christ and his body members, the apostles numbering 144,000 who will be changed into immortal spirit beings and taken to heaven - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; 1 John 3:2; Philippians 3:21; Revelation 14:1
Better resurrection is for the ancient worthies, from Abel to John Baptist who distinguished themselves by their works of faith. These will be the earthly representatives of the heavenly kingdom and will rule as princes in all the earth.(Isaiah 32:1; Psalm 45:16) Some of them are listed in Hebrews 11. See also Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28, 29; Matthew 11:11; etc.
General resurrection is for both the just and the unjust. The just will enter into life while the unjust (those who died in ignorance of God's purpose or whose works do not merit the grace of salvation) will be judged and given 100 years to work as a second chance. At the end of the 100 years, the obedient ones will be given life while the disobedient ones will die everlastingly. This is known as the second death. John 5:28,29; Daniel 12:2; Isaiah 65:20; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:12-15; 21:7,8.

MYSTERY REVEALED [top]

For several centuries, the facts about Jehovah's purpose of creation and His Kingdom remained a mystery, even to his chosen people. But God promised that he would in course of time make bare his plan of salvation to mankind through His prophets and apostles.
In Amos 3:7 it is written: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets to his servants the prophets ". Truly it is to the faithful chosen few whom the world regards as nothing God reveals His secrets. - Psalms 25:14; Matthew 11:25
No man can understand the mysteries of God by academic research or any form of physical exertion. - Deuteronomy 29:29; 1st Corinthians 2:6-10,14

When Jesus Christ to whom the spirit was given without measure came, he revealed secrets never revealed since the foundation of the world. He told his apostles that they were blessed to see and hear what many prophets and righteous men before them earnestly longed for. - John 3:34; Matthew 13:16,17; 1 Peter 1:10-12
Jesus Christ promised the apostles the Holy Spirit by which they would understand the mysteries of God. (John 14:16; Acts 1:6-8) The knowledge about God and his kingdom, which comes by virtue of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, is symbolised as a book given to Apostle John to eat, which was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his belly. - Revelation 10:8-10
It is in the last days the time of the end however that God promised to reveal all that is left of his secrets that men should know through the remnant of the saints. - Daniel 12:8,9.
In Ephesians 3, verses 3 to 6 and 9, St. Paul explained that the mystery of Christ which was not made known to men in ages past had now been revealed to the apostles through the Holy Spirit to the end that "all men may see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning was hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ".
The Devil who counterfeits every aspect of Jehovah's plan also instituted a mysterious system on earth which, St. Paul described as the "mystery of iniquity". (2 Thessalonians 2:7) This had earlier been typified in Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great and terrible image, which symbolized the invisible and visible realms of Satan's empire. (Daniel 2:31-45) Just as the image was destroyed by the stone cut out without hands - Jesus Christ - (Daniel 2:34,45) so the mystery of the Devil will be destroyed and the rest of faithful mankind will be in peace to enjoy the precious promises that Jehovah had made for man for which St. Paul declared. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them to us by his spirit: for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." - 1st Corinthians 2:9,10.

OUR LORD'S RETURN [top]

The Holy Scriptures plainly shows that when Jesus comes the second time, he will not appear in human flesh to be seen with the ordinary eyes. That he will come as a thief in the night. That he has come already. And that only the 144,000 chosen and anointed Christians, the spiritual Israelites or Jews can see him and shall be forever with him in his heavenly kingdom called "Mount Zion" - 2 Corinthians 6:16; Revelations 16:15; 2 Peter 3:10; John 14:19; 1 John 3:2; Revelations 7:3,4; 14:1-5; 3:21.
Physical facts in fulfillment of the Bible prophecies clearly proves that Christ's second coming took place in the year 1914 when God's Kingdom or perfect government was set up in the heavens after the casting out of Satan and all his wicked angels (the demons) down to the earth. This resulted in the World War 1 (1914-1918) which continued from 1939-1945 as Satan's attempt to destroy all flesh so that no man should remain on the earth to praise or worship Jehovah the Almighty God. But Jesus Christ caused the war to stop for the sake of his Elect whom he had sent forth to spread the truth or good news of God's established kingdom of perfect Government as a witness to the nations before the greatest and final tribulation comes upon the whole world to wipe away all unrighteousness from the earth.
Thus the World War of 1914 - 1918, the great increase in knowledge and the present upsurge in crimes, violence, wars, natural disasters and general unrest in the world mark the end of Satan's rule and the setting up of God's Kingdom which all Christians had long been praying for. - Matthew 24:3-8; Luke 21:25-26; Daniel 12:4,8-10; Revelations 11:15-18; 12:7-12; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 13:31-32; etc.

After the good news of God's Kingdom or government which our Lord Christ Jesus told his followers to pray for is preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, the greatest of all tribulations will fall upon the world. During that great tribulation of Armageddon, Satan and all his hosts, visible and invisible, shall be destroyed and Christ the King shall administer everlasting life, peace and happiness to mankind - Matthew 24:21; Isaiah 9:6,7; 65:17,21-25; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-5.
But the day and hour when the greatest and final tribulations will begin is not revealed to any man. - Matthew 24:36.

GLORIFICATION OF THE CHURCH [top]

God Almighty made a promise to glorify His Church, that is the body of persons faithful to him, in these last days. The Church consists of the anointed Christians (the Little Flock - Luke 12:32) and those not anointed called the other sheep -John 10:16
St. Paul in Hebrews 1:3 points out that Jesus Christ having been glorified after his earthly ministry, is the brightness of Jehovah's glory and the express image of His person. In John 17:1-5 Jesus prayed to be glorified by the father with the glory which he had "before the world was".
It was the brightness of Christ's glorified body that St. Paul saw that struck him to the ground and blinded him for three days. (Acts 9:1-18) He Paul would have died but for the grace of God on Him. What a contrast. Christ's glorified body is to his lowly earthly state when he was "despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief" Isaiah 53:3; Psalm 69:8,9.
St. Paul stated; "If we suffer with him, we may be also glorified together" (Romans 8:17). The 144,000 chosen and anointed Christians will be given immortality or the divine nature and reign with Christ as Kings and Priests. Revelation 20:6; Colossians 1:12; 1st Corinthians 15:51,52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; 2 Peter 1:4

The LORD promised to make His Kingdom work in these last days to be far more glorious than it was in the days of Moses. "For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For if that which is done away with was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." 2 Corinthians 3:7-11
Jehovah promised to make the place of His feet (the earth) glorious. (Isaiah 60:13). In God's Kingdom fully established both man and his place of habitation shall be glorious. - Isaiah 13:12; 51:3; 65:17-25 etc.

RESTORATION [top]

Restoration is the act of bringing back to a former condition. God Almighty had long purposed to restore the lost glory of man and his place of habitation, the earth.
Restoration or restitution - the tenth string on the symbolic harp of God (Psalm 49:4; Revelation 14:2) is the main object of Jehovah's purpose towards fallen humanity.
Apostle Peter in his oration to the crowd drawn by the healing of the lame man at the temple gate made it clear that Jesus Christ would be the one whom Jehovah will use during his second presence to restore all things. He declared
"Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you whom the heavens must receive until the times of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets since the world began". - Acts 3:19-21

The original plan of Jehovah plan was to fill the earth with perfect creatures who will worship him in peace and happiness forever. If man had passed the test posed by the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Jehovah would no doubt have allowed man access to the tree of life so as to live for ever. The whole earth would have gradually become like the Garden of Eden which means paradise or pleasure. A place bereft of any iota of fear or want. The perfect pair were neither to labour for food nor to bring forth children for trouble.
All these man lost. But life, liberty and happiness would be restored to man and the earth. This bespeaks the wisdom, power, justice and the love of God.
Jesus Christ during his second presence will resurrect the dead saints and take them to heaven in fulfillment of his promise. Then he will chose the remnant, using them to set up God's Kingdom on earth. After the gospel had been preached round the world as a witness to all nations, Jesus Christ will destroy satan and his hosts in the Battle of Armageddon. (Isaiah 28:20,21; Jeremiah 25:30-33; Zephaniah 1: 16-18; Matthew 24:21; Revelation 20:1) With the death of Satan all man's enemies shall be destroyed. - 1st Corinthians 15:25,26

By the grace of God, a great multitude will pass through or survive the battle of Armageddon and live forever. (Revelation 7:9,14; John 8:51; Mark 9:1) But just before the battle the faithfuls of old, "the ancient worthies" will be resurrected to see the vengeance of God on the wicked. These "ancient worthies" will also be the representatives of God on earth as rulers. - Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:28,29
After the battle of Armageddon Jesus Christ will start his one thousand years uninterrupted reign or rule. - Revelation 20:4,6
It is during the one thousand years reign that the earth will be reconstructed and restored to its original condition. "Thus saith the Lord; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. And they shall say, this land that was desolate is become like the Garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the Lord build the ruined places, and plant that, that was desolate; I the Lord have spoken it, and I will do it." - Ezekiel 36:33-36. See also Isaiah 60:17-22.
It is during the one thousand years that general resurrection will take place. - John 5:28,29; Revelation 20:12-15

The unjust will be given one hundred years each to work as a second opportunity for them to prove their obedience to God - Isaiah 65:20
Those who still prove disobedient will be destroyed forever. This is known as the "second death" - Revelation 20:14
At the end of the one thousand years, when all things shall have been restored to perfection, satan and his hosts who were killed at the battle of Armageddon shall be raised back to life to see the futility of their boast that there will be no one who will be faithful to God under the most severe conditions. (Job 1:10,11; 2:4,5,9) Satan and his host will not repent but will try to deceive the nations once more but the anger of God symbolised by fire will destroy them forever. - Revelation 20:7-10
Then Jesus Christ will hand over the Kingdom to God who will be all in all. (1st Corinthians 15:24-28) Mankind will then enter into the Rest or Sabbath, which St. Paul said, "remaineth for the people of God." - Hebrews 4:1,9

The beauties of the Kingdom cannot be fully imagined. (1st Corinthians 2:9,10) The Bible describes it as New Heavens and New earth. - Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1,5
There will be no more ignorance, sickness, or deformity of any kind. Death will be no more. There will be abundance of all good things. No man will need to work for his upkeep. - Revelation 21:1-5; Isaiah 65:17-25; 11:6-9; 25:6-9; 33:24; 13:12; Psalm 37:11,29; Ezekiel 16:55, 61-63; Daniel 7:22,27; Haggai 2:7; Hosea 2:18,21; 2 Peter 3:13 etc.

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