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Isa 33:13-18 - Who Will Dwell Comfortably in The Eonian Burnings?

Who Will Not Be Hurt of The Second Death?

Isa 33:13  Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
Isa 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
Isa 33:16  He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
Isa 33:17  Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
Isa 33:18  Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?

The Lord wants all men of all time, near and far away, to "acknowledge [His] might" and to know what He is doing:

Isa 33:13  Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.

The short answer to the questions posed in the title I have given this study is to be found in verses 15-16:

Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
Isa 33:16  He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

The righteous of verse 15 is the same as "they that have done good" in these words of our Lord:

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Joh 5:25  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. [in the first resurrection to life].
Joh 5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. [both now and in the second death]
Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [Greek: judgment].
Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Those who will be the judges in the lake of fire, "the everlasting burnings", were already judged when 'judgment first began at the house of God' (1Pe 4:17). They were judged, and their rebellious old man "fell into the ground and died" while they were yet in bodies of mortal flesh. The judges who will judge all who are cast into the lake of fire will also seek only the will of the Father which has sent [them]. Again, it is important that we understand that the only reason these blessed few are not "raised up unto judgment" is that these judges were the first to be judged while they were in bodies of mortal flesh, where judgment first began at the house of God:

2Co 4:11  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

"Where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?" Do those words lead you to believe that Peter expected to "experience the purifying fire of the second death"?

"Fiery trials", yes, but in no way associated with "where the ungodly and sinner [will] appear". The ungodly and sinners who are not judged first in this age as the house of God and who are not yet dying to their old man while in a body of mortal flesh, will be placed under the power of the second death in the second group; "the rest of the dead who are to be judged and "hurt of" the second death.

Not so for those who are judged now "at the house of God... beginning first at us":

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

It is judgment "in our bodies of mortal flesh... beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God" which distinguishes these two resurrections.

The righteous who dwell in "the everlasting burnings" are the same judges who ruled and reigned with Christ for a thousand years, and they will now be also "judging angels" here in this "devouring fire [of] the lake of fire/white throne judgment", but they will not experience the purifying fires of the second death", because they were purified of the fires of the first death, which began at the house of God when they were yet "in ... bodies of mortal flesh".

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? ["a thousand years" (Rev 20:1-6)] and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? ["in the everlasting burnings [of] the lake of fire" (Isa 33:14-15)] how much more things that pertain to this life?

This 33rd chapter of Isaiah deals with both resurrections. The first "resurrection unto life" and rulership, and the second resurrection of the rest of the dead, who "come forth unto the resurrection of judgment".  This chapter of Isaiah reveals to us the blessings of the first resurrection having already been through the fiery judgments of God while "in our [bodies of] mortal flesh".  The fact the righteous "dwell in everlasting burnings" tells us they are judging those who are in the second resurrection, "the resurrection to judgment" and punishment of the second death/lake of fire/great white throne judgment. This chapter fills in many of the details of the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, as we are about to read.

Last week's study on the first twelve verses revealed that judgment in both the judgment of Lazarus and the judgment of the rich man is "a fearful looking for of fiery judgment...out of [our] own mouths":

Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The Lord pours out His "fearful... judgment and fiery indignation... upon all unrighteousness of men".

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

When "God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness" within us, it is the same as "the brightness of [the] coming of Christ":

2Th 1:7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

Let's be clear that the words "fearful... judgment and fiery indignation" apply to all men and to "all unrighteousness [of] every man" in both resurrections. But "a crown of life", ruling with Christ a thousand years [and being] promised "not [to] be hurt of the second death" have absolutely no application to those who are cast into the lake of fire. "Let no man take your crown" with a false doctrine which teaches that everyone gets a crown of life. There is a great difference between being given life and being made a ruler with Christ, or being "brought forth unto the resurrection of judgment". That "great gulf", and the differences between the two resurrections, is what this chapter of Isaiah is all about. Those who are ruled over are not rulers. Conversely those who rule are not ruled over by those they rule. Living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God has to do with being judged by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. It was never intended to tell us we had to force the second judgment upon the first and the first judgment upon the second.

A couple of "basic principles", which when ignored will lead to error, are the basic principles of "be persuaded of your leaders" and "in the multitude of counselors there is safety". Those are "basic principles" which have helped us to apply these verses to this body of believers for many years now:

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

The basic principles which keep the Lord's elect "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" have been recently ignored and thrown under the bus in order to maintain an idol of the heart, which meant ignoring the principles which keep the body of Christ joined together and in the same mind.

Yes, indeed "when basic principles are ignored it leads to error", you begin to be taught things like the first resurrection is after the thousand year reign. Things like, "You must be resurrected before you can be an overcomer" and things like "every man will experience the purifying fire of the second death". One and all are total heresy and "the error of the wicked".

Notice how these verses are worded:

1Co 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. [Whether we are the first to die to our old man while in bodies of mortal flesh, or if we are the second to do so in the second death. That is why it is called the second death. It is the second group who die to their carnally minded old man and are "saved by fire". No mention here of the fire of the second death. All we read hear is the word 'fire'. Those who are the first to be judged are hurt of the fire of the first death]

The adversary has been given a job to do, and that job, as the book of Job demonstrates, is to come between us and our Creator. The story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and the book of Job both demonstrate that Satan has always been coming before God along with the sons of God:

pJob 1:6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Satan still comes among the Lord's sons looking for and seeking an opportunity to devour the Lord's lambs and His sheep:

Job 1:7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

The Lord is not asking Satan where he came from because the Lord doesn't know from where Satan came. Satan is a part of the Lord's creation, and the Lord knows what Satan's predestined function is in the work He is doing with mankind.  Any time the Lord asks a question, He does so for our benefit and edification, not because He does not already know the answer.

Job 26:13  By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

Try to make that verse accord with the doctrine of Satan of his own free will rebelling against His Creator and being cast out of heaven. Here in Job, and throughout scripture, we see Satan and his angels appearing in heaven to be instructed by the Lord to go forth and, as a servant of the Lord, to tempt mankind to disobey and rebel against their Creator (1Sa 16:14 and 1Kg 22:22).

1Sa 16:13  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
1Sa 16:14  But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
1Sa 16:15  And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

1Ki 22:20  And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
1Ki 22:21  And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
1Ki 22:22  And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
1Ki 22:23  Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

Again, when the Lord asks the evil spirit how he intends to get Ahab to "go up and fall at Ramothgilead", He gives us these details for our benefit and edification. The Lord already knew what that spirit would do, but He asked the spirit what it planned to do for our sakes. The Lord wants us to know it is He who sends evil spirits to His people to try their faith.

The Lord has also sent an evil spirit into this fellowship to tell us to believe that 'living by every word of God' means that God's elect must therefore share their blessings of being chosen by Christ to be the first to trust in Him and to be the first to die to their rebellious old man and the first to overcome the wicked one, the first to be judged and to be in the blessed and holy first resurrection to life; all these blessings must be shared with those who were not chosen to receive all those blessings. This false doctrine tells us that because Matthew 4:4 says mankind must "live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God", and because Ecc 9:2 tells us there is "one event to all", those two statements are a basic principle which the consensus of your elders have thrown under the bus to cling to our doctrine.

As is always the case, when you point your finger at your elders, you have three fingers pointing back at you, and we discover that is the case with the four dissident elders, and all who were swept away with their error, who have ignored the basic principle of 'safety in a multitude of counselors, and of being persuaded by your leaders'. Here are the only basic principles which have indeed been thrown under the bus, for the sake of the pride of four dissident teachers:

Pro 11:14  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Pro 15:22  Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

Pro 24:6  For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

All three of these inspired warnings have been rejected as 'bad counsel' by four teachers and by all those the Lord gave to succumb to the temptation to ignore these basic principles of the words which have proceeded out of the mouth of God.

It is always a great temptation to ignore the multitude of counselors when their counsel is contrary to what you want to do or believe. Our own ways of seeking safety, establishing our purposes, and making war always seems better than that of our counselors. And if another counselor, or two or three or four, agree then the temptation to ignore the other seven is simply irresistible for many who have not been given to tremble at the very words by which they are insisting all men of all ages must experience. Are we to live by the words 'second death' but not by the words "in the multitude of counselors there is safety"? Are we to experience the second death because those words came out of the Lord's mouth, but ignore the words "Be persuaded by your leaders"? Just some spiritual food for thought.

Of course the truth is that ordinal events proceed from the mouth of God which do not require that we be the fowls of heaven of the fifth day of creation as well as the beasts of the sixth day. In the same way, if we judge ourselves first, and if judgment begins first with us, then we will live by every word first and the second death will then have no power over us, and will not hurt us because that was all experienced by us while in bodies of "mortal flesh", and we partook of the first resurrection. It is the word 'resurrection' which all men must live by. They need not be resurrected twice to "live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God".

This strong delusion requires that all the blessings of being the first to be judged, and the first to die to our old man, and the first to overcome the wicked one while in bodies of mortal flesh, are not enough to fulfill the requirement of 'living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'. This evil spirit wants us all to buy into an insidious doctrine which teaches that 'if you see anything as ordinal, then you cannot see the inward meaning of any scripture'. The conclusion is then drawn that therefore the blessings of the first resurrection must be shared with those in the second death, and all the curses that come upon those who are not overcomers and are not judged while in bodies of mortal flesh must also be shared with those who were in the first resurrection. This evil spirit is teaching that being the first to experience the 'one event to all men' is not sufficient to fulfill those words of God, and that those who are given a crown of life must share their crown of life with the masses of mankind who did not overcome while in this life, and who were never promised a crown of life for not overcoming while in a body of mortal flesh.

Ask yourself, "How is it possible, spiritually or physically, to apply these verses to those who are being purified the second death, in spiritual bodies along with Satan?"

2Co 4:11  For we which live ["in our mortal flesh"] are alway delivered unto death [dying daily - 1Co 15:31] for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. [There is no "mortal flesh" in the second death/lake of fire/great white throne judgment/resurrection to judgment, all one and the same. There is no "mortal flesh" in the second death]

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. ['The Devil' is being purified in the second death, and cannot cast anyone into prison at that time]

After the short season of rebellion which follows the thousand year reign of "our Lord and His Christ", Satan and all of his angels are cast into the lake of fire/second death to be purified along with all His children from this age:

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45  And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Joh 8:46  Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
Joh 8:47  He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

It was the four teachers who could not and would not hear nor abide by the words of God which counsel us all to seek a multitude of counselors. It is the seven teachers who pointed out these words of God:

Heb 13:17 Be persuaded by your leaders, and be deferring to them, for they are vigilant for the sake of your souls, as having to render an account, that they may be doing this with joy, and not with groaning, for this is disadvantageous for you.

You will not hear those words taught by those four men because they do not live by them. If they do mention these words of God, then they will be judged out of their own mouths.

And they will also now condemn themselves if they ever again refer to these very bold words:

1Jn 4:6 We are of God. ["We" who live by the words 1) 'try the spirits, 2) seek a multitude of counselors', and who are willing to 3) be persuaded by our leaders, three basic principles ignored by these four men and by all who followed their lead]  He who knows God is hearing us. He who is not of God is not hearing us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. (CLV)

Yes, indeed, when basic principles are ignored it leads to error and to deception. The consensus of the teachers and counselors of the body of Christ was not acceptable to these four men nor to any of those who have been taken away with their strong delusion. Being nothing more than a modern version of the camp of Korah, the earth has opened up its mouth and has swallowed up them and all that pertains to them.

Notice the parallels between the story of Korah and what the Lord has done in our midst in this dispensation:

Num 16:1 Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, arose along with Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth (sons of Reuben);"
Num 16:2 they arose before Moses with men from the sons of Israel, two hundred fifty princes of the congregation, those called to appointment, men of renown.
Num 16:3 They assembled against Moses and against Aaron and said to them: Enough of you! For the whole congregation, all of them are holy, and in their midst is Yahweh; so for what reason are you lifting yourselves up over the assembly of Yahweh? (CLV)

Korah was a "son of Levi". That information tells us is he was a teacher in Israel. This is almost exactly what has taken place in our fellowship. Teachers who were "men of renown" among us, leading men, have falsely accused those whom God has demonstrated are those He has chosen to lead His people until this time. They have demonstrated for many years that they fear and tremble at His Word, and have humbled themselves and have never once lorded themselves over the Lord's flock and have never taken advantage of anyone or ever asked anything of anyone. Those who have been faithful the longest are accused of dividing the flock by those who are dividing the flock and are seeking diligently to "draw away disciples after themselves". It is just as Paul warned us:

Act 20:25  And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Act 20:26  Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
Act 20:27  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shallgrievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Act 20:32  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.  [The "perverse things" being spoken in this case is that your inheritance is not just "among them which are sanctified" but it is also among them who are not being sanctified in this dispensation, and if you believe otherwise you are "exalting yourself above the Lord's people". 'If you believe there is any advantage to your being in the first resurrection, and that the first resurrection is a better resurrection than the second death "resurrection to judgment", then you are exalting yourself above others']
Act 20:33  I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
Act 20:34  Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
Act 20:35  I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Act 20:36  And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.
Act 20:37  And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,

These men who "of our own selves have arisen" have refused to be persuaded by their leaders. They instead accuse their leaders of dividing the flock, which is exactly what they have done by throwing their own counselors under the bus and ignoring their teachers and refusing to listen or to be persuaded by their leaders. They have refused to listen to those of us who know God and who have the Truth and who know the voice of the True Shepherd and who know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Is there any truth to the doctrine which teaches 'All men will experience the purifying experience of the second death' while at the same forked tongue saying we will not be hurt of the second death? What does the Word of God say?  We have tried that spirit, that doctrine, and we have found it wanting of any truth.

Is there any truth to the doctrine that the first resurrection is after the thousand years are finished? Is there any truth whatsoever in a doctrine which teaches that "the rest of the dead" of...

Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

...is somehow referring to sins which are still besetting those who overcame their old man and the wicked one while in bodies of mortal flesh, and were resurrected to life to rule the kingdoms of this world as "the Christ" of our Lord, at the beginning of the thousand year reign which 'reign' is the very subject of the verses before and after Revelation 20:5:

Rev 20:1  And [at the beginning of the thousand years] I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

I most definitely do not hear the voice of the True Shepherd in any of those false doctrines! Without hesitation or doubt, without regard to the persons of men, what I do hear in every one of those doctrines is "the voice of a stranger" from whom I am commanded to flee without hesitation:

Joh 10:4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Will those in the second death be given a crown of life to rule over us? How would such an absurdity be accomplished? Yet it is insisted by this insidious spirit that just as those in the first resurrection must "experience the purifying fires of the second death", those in the second resurrection must experience the blessings of the first resurrection or all men do not experience "one event" and are not "living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God".

To be consistent with that spirit we must also be "the great red dragon, that old serpent the devil and Satan... the father of lies". Did not those words proceed out of the mouth of God? It is manifestly not possible to be rewarded with ruling with Christ for a thousand years and also be cast into the lake of fire.

We are about to see that this chapter 33rd chapter of Isaiah gives us what is the true mind of God on this subject, and what we will see is that the two resurrections in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man are the same two resurrections of which Christ spoke in John 5.

Joh 5:24  `Verily, verily, I say to you--He who is hearing my word, and is believing Him who sent me, hath life age-during, and to judgment he doth not come, but hath passed out of the death to the life.
Joh 5:25  `Verily, verily, I say to you--There cometh an hour, and it now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those having heard shall live;
Joh 5:26  for, as the Father hath life in himself, so He gave also to the Son to have life in himself,
Joh 5:27  and authority He gave him also to do judgment, because he is Son of Man.
Joh 5:28  `Wonder not at this, because there doth come an hour in which all those in the tombs shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  and they shall come forth; those who did the good things to a rising again of life, and those who practised the evil things to a rising again of judgment. (YLT)

The second death is the "rising again of judgment". Those who already have been made elect and have died "do not come... to judgment" in the second death. When we get that doctrine firmly established in our minds, then we will see clearly that "between us and you [those in the second death] there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you [in the second death] cannot; neither can they pass to us [who are in the first resurrection], that would come from thence [from the second death].

It has been alleged that the 7 of our 11 teachers who have refused to accept this nonsense as Biblical doctrine were guilty of rejecting the basic Biblical principle of living by every word of God. What utter nonsense! Where have any of those who are part of the consensus of 7 of our teachers of this body of Christ ever denied that we do not live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God? It was this body of believers who were blessed of the Lord to give this Biblical principle to those four brothers and to those who have received their lies as truth. It was not they who taught us. It so happens that of the seven teachers who have been faithful to the basic principles which maintain unity in the body of Christ, with only one exception, it is we who have the seniority in this part of the body of Christ, and it is we who have been faithful to the words of admonition to avoid schisms in the body of Christ. Rather like Moses and Aaron having seniority in the Lord's service over Korah and company, and proving to the Lord's humble servants, we were also not seeking preeminence as were those their accusers.

Now let's read the parable of Lazarus and the rich man where we are told that a great gulf is fixed between the resurrection of Lazarus and the resurrection of the rich man. Let's read that parable and see if we can understand what is that "great gulf fixed" between the two resurrections, and if it is possible under any circumstance to bridge that gulf.

This is the voice of the True Shepherd concerning the nature of the two resurrections:

Luk 16:19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luk 16:20  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luk 16:21  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luk 16:27  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Luk 16:28  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luk 16:29  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luk 16:30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luk 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded [by their leaders, nor], though one rose from the dead.

The Greek word 'hell' in this verse is 'hades', meaning the grave the place of the dead, of which we are specifically told:

Ecc 9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
Ecc 9:6  Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

I mention this only to demonstrate that this a parable. "Abraham's bosom" is symbolic of those who are "asleep in Christ". The fire tormenting the rich man is a symbol of the purifying words of God in the mouths of those who dwell in the devouring fire:

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
Jer 5:15  Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
Jer 5:16  Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
Jer 5:17  And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.

The spiritual application of these words has been experienced by all who are dying daily and being crucified with Christ to their old man. This is just another way of saying:

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

The parable gives life and meaning to the spiritual condition of these two dead men. One is dead in Christ, having been already judged in a body of mortal flesh, the other has died in a body of mortal flesh having never been judged in this age. That is the meaning of "ye that are far off", the second death, the rich man, and "ye that are near", the first resurrection, Lazarus, both of whom will in time "acknowledge [His] might".

Isa 33:13  Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
Isa 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
Isa 33:16  He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
Isa 33:17  Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
Isa 33:18  Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?

To 'meditate terror' is not to endure terror. We are those who have already experienced the fiery trials which have made it possible to "dwell with the everlasting fire [and to] dwell with the devouring burning" (vs 14-15). These who are 'meditating terror' have the defense of the munitions of rocks and have bread and waters given them. 'Meditate terror' refers to the work of the lake of fire which is administered by those who dwell comfortably in that fire, just as Joseph no doubt meditated on how to punish his brothers for the evil they had done to him in selling him into slavery. Punishment is a very biblical New Testament doctrine:

Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

2Co 2:6  Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" who will take vengeance and will recompense the rebellions of our old man. It all works together for good to them who love God and are those called according to His purpose:

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Joseph loved his brothers much too much to fail to treat them justly and not "meditate terror" which 'terror' is essential to righteous judgment. After all, in the lake of fire, Satan and all of his angels will themselves be in that 'lake' being purified by the terror meditated by God's elect, and it will be the Lord's elect who will meditate how best to accomplish that Herculean task. Shall we accuse them of being spies? Shall we accuse them of stealing our silver cup? These things all take thought and meditation to exact the desired outcome of righteous and equitable judgment.

Gen 42:9  And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

Gen 44:1  And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.
Gen 44:2  And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
Gen 44:3  As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
Gen 44:4  And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
Gen 44:5  Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

And what is the meaning of the last part of this verse?:

Isa 33:18  Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?

God's elect rule through both the thousand years and through the  lake of fire. It is they who will ask these questions. These are military questions concerning the ability to wage war against Christ. Where is the scribe who keeps the records, where is the receiver, where is the man who pays the bills for the soldiers wages and for all the logistics of war?

The Hebrew word translated 'receiver' is H8254, shaqal. It is most commonly translated as the English word 'weighed'. However, when looking at the context it is most always used in relation to weighing silver and gold as money in payment for something.

Here is the first time this word appears in scripture:

Gen 23:16  And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed [H8254, shaqal] to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

Here are all 21 entries for this word:

H8254
שׁקל
shâqal
Total KJV Occurrences: 21
weighed, 12
Gen_23:16, 2Sa_14:26, Ezr_8:25-26 (2), Ezr_8:33, Job_6:2, Job_28:15, Job_31:6, Isa_40:12, Jer_32:9-10 (2), Zec_11:12
pay, 4
Exo_22:17, 1Ki_20:39, Est_3:9, Est_4:7
weigh, 2
Ezr_8:29, Isa_46:6
receive, 1
2Sa_18:12
receiver, 1
Isa_33:18

The only two times it is translated as 'receive' and 'receiver', as in this 18th verse if Isaiah 33, both also have to do with money, as the word 'receive' in 2nd Samuel demonstrates:

2Sa 18:12  And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive [H8254, shaqal] a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

"Where is he that counted the towers", meaning he who sees to it that the fortifications are all manned with soldiers.

Paul poses this same question in the New Testament, and this is the answer:

1Co 1:19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1Co 1:20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

God's elect have no physical power in this age and at this time, but when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, that will all change in very short order because when He was before Pilate, Christ told us it would:

Joh 18:33  Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
Joh 18:34  Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Joh 18:35  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Joh 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

The day is not far off when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ:

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Then we will fight for our King, and there will be absolutely no question concerning the outcome of that battle. Then is when we will meditate terror and sarcastically ask concerning the whereabouts of those who would attempt any form of resistance:

Isa 33:18  Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? Where is the receiver? Where is he that counted the towers?

"Everyone that is of the Truth... knows [Christ's] voice". They also know when they are hearing "the voice of a stranger... and will flee from him".

Joh 10:4  And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Does not the natural man precede the spiritual man?

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

Even so, those who are the first to "fall into the ground and die" to their old man while yet in "bodies of mortal flesh", will precede those who are in the group known as "the second death". What else, pray tell, do the words "second death" mean?

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The salvation of those who dwell comfortably in the devouring fire and the everlasting burnings comes through being the first to die to their old man and be judged as the house of God in this age while in bodies of mortal flesh. It most definitely does not come through being second to do so:

Jas 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

The very purpose for these blessed and holy "firstfruits" is to become the administrators of "the second death" and, as the body of Christ, to bring all those who are not firstfruits to God, that God might be "all in all":

Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23  Which ["the church", us as His firstfruits] is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Next week we will continue to see the blessings of dwelling in the devouring fire and the everlasting burnings of the lake of fire, and we will learn more of the blessings of having part in the blessed and holy first resurrection.

These words are addressed to us:

Isa 33:19  Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
Isa 33:20  Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
Isa 33:21  But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.
Isa 33:22  For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.
Isa 33:23  Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey.
Isa 33:24  And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.