We are one week a from digging in to our next major section of 1 Corinthians 15. We will finish up the three part harvest (the firstfruits – Jesus Christ and the Old Testament saints at the resurrection of our Lord, the general harvest of the Church Age saints at the rapture of the Bride of Christ, the Church, and the gleanings harvest of the tribulation saints) of the first resurrection next Sunday, and get into V.24-28. It will be quite a study.
We touched on the Six Days of the Age of Man, seeing how our history is divided into 3 major time periods:
From Creation to Abraham is about 2,000 years — Genesis 1-12 (2 days)
From Abraham to the Cross is about 2,000 years — Genesis 12 – Matthew 28
(2 days)
From the Resurrection to the Rapture of the Church Age saints is about 2,000 years — Mathew 28 – Revelation 4:2 (2 days)
The last day, the 7th day, is the Day of Rest, the Selah rest, known as the Kingdom Age or Millennium — Revelation 20:1-6. It follows the 7 year tribulation (Revelation 6-18), the transition time when Israel is finally restored to relationship / fellowship to God the Father (Revelation 12). Matthew 24-25 discuss the circumstances and events that occur in the tribulation, culminating in the 2nd Advent. The Son of God, Messiah King Jesus claims his rightful throne, cleansing the world of all wickedness and rebellion at the 2nd Advent — Revelation 19:11-20:10
The Great White Throne Judgment follows the last great rebellion, when Satan is loosed from the bottomless pit for a little season after the 1,000 years of peace. The rebellious multitudes, who are born in the millennium, follow Satan to their ultimate demise, being destroyed by fire and brimstone on the mountains of Israel (Ch.20:7-10). Satan is cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and the false prophet were cast 1,000 years earlier, at the 2nd Advent (Ch.19:20) — Revelation 20:11-15
Eternity Future follows the Great White Throne Judgment and the Day of God, discussed below — Revelation 21-22 (Isaiah 65-66)
We are familiar with the Day of the Lord – the 2nd Advent, physical return of Messiah King Jesus to establish the millennial kingdom (aka “that day”), and the Day of Christ – the appearing of our Lord, to take us out of this world, which happens 7 years prior to the 2nd Advent. Next Sunday, we will be introduced to the 3rd great day of scripture, found in 2 Peter 3:10-13: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
The Day of God occurs after the millennium, when God burns away all that is man made in this world, and makes a new heaven and a new earth in preparation for the new Jerusalem to descend from heaven and rest upon this completely cleansed earth. Isaiah 66:22-24 is the companion scripture to 2 Peter 3. We will receive a total reboot in our minds, where we will not remember anything of this world before the new heavens and new earth. Everything will be brand new!
Isaiah 65:17: For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Isaiah 66:22-24: For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Revelation 21:1-4: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
The promise of “no more tears” occurs after the Great White Throne judgment or GWT for short. We will be protected from our past failures and past pains, in order to accomplish our eternal mission in the new Jerusalem, described in Revelation 21-22. It will be a future glory that none of us today can begin to comprehend! You do not want to miss our study next week!