Bottomless Pit – Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word

Rev 20:1-6 Those Who Have Part in the First Resurrection, Part 3

Mike Vinson — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 20:10:04 +0000

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Rev 20:1-6 Those Who Have Part in the First Resurrection, Pt 3

[Study Aired June 20, 2025]

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.

In this study we are continuing to demonstrate what the scriptures reveal this “bottomless pit” is.

The sixth symbol of the fifth trumpet of Revelation 9 is the bottomless pit itself. Where and what is this thing called “the bottomless pit?” All of the commentaries think this pit and its smoke is speaking of some great false spiritual leader, and indeed it is. However, this great false spiritual leader isn’t interested in sitting in a physical temple. What He wants is the real throne of God within the real temple of God. So that is where we will all find him in our own appointed time; sitting on Christ’s throne within each of us, and it is there that this entire revelation is taking place, including the revelation of this ‘bottomless pit’.

John Gill’s Commentary is a very typical take on what this bottomless pit signifies:

“Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit,…. With the key that was given him; he made use of his universal power over all bishops and churches, enacted laws, issued out decrees, made articles of faith, and imposed them on men’s consciences, and obliged all to submit to his hellish principles and practices; and this, as it may be applied to Mahomet, the eastern antichrist, may regard the publishing of his Alcoran, and obliging all his followers to receive it as the infallible word of God.” (End Quote)

If ever we need to remember that we are to “read, hear and keep the things written therein,” it is as we consider what the scriptures mean by “the bottomless pit.” All the comments and commentaries, such as this comment by Gill, serve only to further the function of the smoke that comes from this thing called “the bottomless pit” blinding us from knowing what it signifies. The last thing in the world the Adversary wants us to know is the correct location and the Biblical understanding of where this “bottomless pit” is.

Some teach that this bottomless pit doesn’t even really exist until the beginning of the millennium, when Satan is cast into the bottomless pit and restrained for one thousand years. The first three verses of this 20^th chapter are quoted to make that point:

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.

As we just witnessed, the first mention of this ‘bottomless pit’ is in Revelation 9 where an angel is given the key to this ‘bottomless pit’ and is permitted to “darken the sun and the air by means of the smoke that arises out of the pit.” As we discovered in our study of Revelation 9, the smoke which comes out of the bottomless pit by which the Sun and the air is darkened is the 200 million ‘locusts”, which signify the false doctrines of all the false churches which obscure “The Light” of “the Truth” of Christ’s doctrines.

If we search for the phrase ‘bottomless pit’, we will find it seven times in the King James’ Version, and all seven are found only here in the book of Revelation. Here are those seven entries. The first three are right here in this ninth chapter of Revelation:

1) Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless [Greek: abussos] pit [Greek: phrear].

2) Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless [abussos] pit [phrear]; and there arose a smoke out of the pit [phrear], as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit [phrear].

3) Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

4) Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

5) Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

6) 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.

7) 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.

The Greek word for pit is ‘phrear,’ Strong’s number 5421. This word is also found a total of seven times in the New Testament. Of those seven entries, four of them are found right here in verses 1 and 2 of Revelation 9. They are all emboldened above. It is also translated as ‘pit’ in Luke 14.

Luk 14:5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit [Greek: phrear], and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

The remaining two entries are found in:

Joh 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well [phrear] is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
Joh 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well [phrear], and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

So the only time this Greek word ‘phrear’ or ‘pit’ or ‘well’ is used in this entire book of Revelation is in these two verses of Revelation 9. There is no ‘pit’ – the Greek word ‘phrear,’ Strong’s number 5421 – mentioned in any of the other five verses here in Revelation where we find the English phrase “bottomless pit.” The other five times this phrase ‘bottomless pit’ appears in the book of Revelation, it is translated from the single Greek word ‘abussos,’ Strong’s number 12.

What is so interesting and revealing, is that when we go to our concordance, we discover that the Greek word ‘abussos’ (Strong’s number 12, translated “bottomless pit”), appears more than seven times. This word ‘abussos’ actually appears nine times in scripture, and it is those two extra times where the meaning of “the bottomless pit” is made clear. Here is the first of those two very revealing entries.

Luk 8:31 And they [the demons named legion] besought him [Christ] that he would not command them to go out into the deep [Greek: abussos, the sea].

Before we get to the last remaining verse where the word abussos is found in the New Testament, let’s take note of what this verse in Luke 8:31 shows us about the world of demons. This verse reveals to us that demons, and all false spirits, much prefer to be enthroned in God’s church rather than to be sent out into the deep sea of all the uncalled masses of mankind. What newsman wants to be stuck with reporting on the lives of the common man, when he could be at the United Nations, reporting on the lives of the leaders of this world. Like all of us, demons want to be where the action is, and in the spirit world the action is where God’s people are either learning Truth or being deceived. Demons always seek to be preeminent and so do the children of the adversary, who are typified by religious leaders who do not like the doctrine of Christ:

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.

Mar 12:38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
Mar 12:39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

Where demons really prefer to be is in God’s very temple and sitting on the very throne of Christ, in the hearts and minds of God’s people:

Luk 20:45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,
Luk 20:46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Diotrephes was possessed of the spirit of the adversary:

3Jn 1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

Now let’s look at the only entry for this word abussos which we have not yet considered. It is this entry which will reveal to us where the ‘bottomless pit’ is located.

Rom 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above]:)
Rom 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep [abussos]? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Notice how this Greek word ‘abussos’ or ‘deep’ is translated when we go back to the Old Testament and read the verse from where Romans 10:7 is quoted:

Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
Deu 30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:14 But the word [Christ] is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

So where is the abussos? Where and what is this thing referred to as “the bottomless pit?” The ‘abussos’, the bottomless pit, just like ‘heaven’ and just like the Word of God, is not way out beyond the milky way. Neither is it in the depth of the physical oceans and physical seas. The ‘abussos’ is within each of us, “in your mouth, and in your heart.” That is where “the abussos”, “the bottomless pit” is located, and that is where the smoke originates signifying all the self-righteous lies and false doctrines which “darken the sun and the air” in this fifth trumpet judgment of Revelation 9:1-12, which we are to “read, hear, and keep.”

So when we read in Revelation 20 that Satan is cast into the ‘abussos’ and is imprisoned with a great chain, he doesn’t ‘go’ anywhere. He is simply restrained under ‘house arrest’ in the very carnal minds of mankind, unable to lie to and manipulate mankind until the time appointed to be released from the ‘abussos’ and be commissioned as ‘the Lord’s hand’ to go forth and deceive the nations again. According to Deuteronomy 30, both the abussos and heaven are “very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart.”

What is the function of this symbolic “thousand years”?

Why does God imprison the adversary and give the kingdoms of this world over to the rulership of His elect for ‘a thousand years’ and then release Satan upon that very same world? What good or what purpose is accomplished by this time of ruling the kingdoms of the world and then releasing Satan to deceive the nations again?

The fact is that this thousand-year dominion of the Lord’s elect over the nations of this world is a work of our heavenly Father which is expedient in accomplishing His plan and purpose of saving “all in Adam.” Before we see what that plan and purpose is, we need to understand the spiritual significance of the number one thousand. One thousand is a multiple of the number ten, which our studies of numbers in scripture revealed to be the full blossom and the perfection of the flesh.

Spiritual Significance of the Number Ten

As we are told, even at its very pinnacle of perfection, flesh and blood are still nothing more than “corruption” which “cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

So if the number ten signifies the perfection of the flesh with its ten plagues (Exo 7-11), its ten commandments ‘for the unrighteous’ (Exo 20, 1Ti 1:9), and its ten rebellions against God (Num 14:22), then what is the spiritual significance of one thousand? One thousand is just a multiple of ten, and it therefore signifies nothing more than an amplification of the perfection of our corruptible flesh. One thousand is in fact ten to the third power. Three, of course is the process of judgment, and that is exactly what we will see is the purpose, the function and the fruit of this symbolic one thousand years of the rulership with an odious rod of iron over the fleshly kingdoms of this world at the hands of God’s elect.

It requires the very spirit of Christ and His Father within us to keep reminding us that these very words are “within our mouths and in our hearts” and are addressed to “he that hath an ear” within the seven churches. It requires Christ Himself living within us to remind us that it is we who are told to “read, hear, and keep the things which are written in this prophecy.” The natural man cannot see how “all things are ours” (1Co 3:21-22), but the spirit gives us the “key of knowledge” which reveals to those who are given “eyes to see” that even this symbolic thousand years of the hegemony of the Lord’s firstfruit elect is part of our reward, even as the first resurrection is ours.

Here are those who will be in that most blessed event:

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 [those who rule with Christ for 1,000 years] 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.

“This is the first resurrection.” What is the first resurrection? It is those who John sees sitting upon thrones. It is those who are given to judge this world with Christ for a thousand years and then “judge angels” in a lake of fire which follows this thousand-year reign of God’s elect overcomers. We will be learning more about this ‘lake of fire’ later in this same chapter.

1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? [for a thousand years] 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 lake of fire] how much more things that pertain to this life?

The first resurrection is first because it is “the resurrection of life” Christ spoke of in John 5:27-29. It is the “blessed and holy… resurrection” for all those who had already been judged in “this present time” (Rom 8:18). Those in the first resurrection were the first to die to the carnal mind of their old man. The resurrection of those who first died in Christ was for those who were sometimes literally and sometimes symbolically “beheaded for their witness of Jesus and for the word of God.” The first resurrection is the resurrection of those who were granted to judge themselves here and now, thereby becoming those who are the first to be judged while still in these vessels of clay. The first resurrection is the resurrection of those who were first to lose their physical lives in favor of the promise of life in a spiritual body.

Matthew 10:39 is a principle which applies to every man in both the first and second resurrections:

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

All judgment is the Lord’s chastening which will teach all men the Lord’s righteousness:

Isa 26:8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned [ to the “great white throne judgment] with the world.

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?

“Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” They will appear at a later judgment to be “chastened of the Lord” which is the very purpose and function of Biblical ‘judgment.’

“Which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands” does not mean that these overcomers had somehow figured out a way to avoid keeping the things written in this book concerning the worship, image, number and mark of the beast. We know that is not what this means because we are told we are all “marred in the Potter’s hand… shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin” and that all men, “both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond” will worship this beast and that he will “overcome and kill the saints.” That is the first state of all flesh:

Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

You and I are both “shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin.” We are all “made of clay.” “Both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond” is all inclusive. So what does “had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands” mean (Rev 20:4)?

Here is what that means:

Rev 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, [and] over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

If we are granted “the victory over the beast, his image, his mark, and the number of his name”, then it can be said that we “had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands.”

If verse 4 tells us that the overcomers reign with Christ and His father for “a thousand years” and verse 6 tells us the overcomers will be “reigning priests of God for a thousand years”, it is obvious that all others will come up in the great white throne judgment which is destined to follow the “little season” of rebellion and worldwide deception which immediately follows this symbolic millennium. It is the “rod of iron” rulership which precipitates this rebellion, and this rebellion is expedient to give the Lord the occasion He is seeking to destroy all flesh and to bring the function of death to its much desired end, fulfilling this prophecy by the apostle Paul:

1Co 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? [The doctrine of Hymenaeus and Philetus, (2Ti 2:16-18)]
1Co 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
1Co 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the [first of the] firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming [The second firstfruits, (Rev 14:4)].
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end [The final harvest “at the end of the year”, (Exo 34:22)] when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. [The great white throne judgment/lake of fire/second death is the destruction of death, (Rev 20:13-15)]
1Co 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
1Co 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
1Co 15:30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Co 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

If the dead rise not at all… why are we baptized for the hope of the dead (Rom 8:23-26)? If the dead are raised, then there must be a resurrection to life for those who are being judged in this age. If there is a resurrection to life, then there must also be a resurrection to judgment, and those two resurrections must be separated by a literal kingdom of God’s elect ruling over the kingdoms of this world, followed by a rebellion which will give the Lord the occasion (Jdg 14:4) He is seeking to destroy all flesh:

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. [“the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth”]

Next week, if the Lord wills, we will see what happens when the world is ruled by the Lord’s elect with a rod of iron for a thousand years and then given back over to Satan.

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Rev 20:1-6 Those Who Have Part in the First Resurrection, Part 2

Mike Vinson — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 23:36:41 +0000

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Rev 20:1-6 Those Who Have Part in the First Resurrection, Part 2

[Study Aired June 15, 2025]

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.

We concluded our last study with the determination to continue demonstrating that the promise of Christ’s appearing on this earth in power and glory is to rule over the kingdoms of this physical world for a thousand years, which will yet be realized outwardly before the beginning of the spiritual great white throne judgment.

The adversary realizes just how powerful this message is in giving us hope and an incentive to endure the fiery trials of this present evil world, and he is determined to destroy that incentive:

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him

Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Heb 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Those who teach that “the resurrection is past already” simply ignore the fact that all the Old Testament patriarchs and prophets before Christ were not ministering to themselves but to us, and that “without us [as their saviors] they should not be made perfect”:

1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you [“Not unto themselves”]:
1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect [Not ‘we without them’].

The fact is that we without them will be made perfect because Christ tells us this about all these men of Old Testament faith:

Mat 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

“He that is least in the kingdom of God will be greater than… John the Baptist” because Christ’s saving faith was not available to anyone until after His death and resurrection, and “Jesus Christ of Nazareth” is the only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

It is “the revealing of His glory” at the beginning of the thousand-year reign which will cause those who are raised up from the dead at the beginning of that reign to “be glad with exceeding joy.”

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.

“When His glory shall be revealed” tells us that Peter is looking forward to something which has not yet happened and is yet to come:

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Romans 8:22-25 does not contradict Romans 6:4-5:

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up [Aorist tense] from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk [Aorist tense] in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be [future tense] also in the likeness of his resurrection:

“Christ was raised up” is in the Aorist tense because Christ is still being raised up. “We also should walk” is in the Aorist tense because we continue to walk in newness of life. “Shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection” is in the future tense because ‘the resurrection is NOT already past”, as Hymenaeus and Philetus and many until this very day with that same self-righteous, idol of their heart (Eze 14:1-9), would have us believe.

“The earnest of the spirit” is merely the downpayment of our reward. It is not “the redemption of the purchased possession.”

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Poor Hymenaeus and Philetus and all who have fallen for their lie. They actually think that the ‘promise’ is the possession, while nothing could be further from the Truth. The best is yet to come… “the redemption of the purchased possession”, a glorious ‘spiritual body’ which will never die (1Co 15:44-50), ruling with Christ a thousand years and judging angels and the house of Esau in the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/second death (1Co 6:3, Oba 1:21, Rev 20:7-15).

The contrast is always between being “the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb, [at] the resurrection to life” (Joh 5:28-29] with “the resurrection of judgment” at the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/ second death (Joh 5:28-29, Rev 20:11-15). The holy spirit always contrasts those in the first “resurrection of life” with those who will suffer the second death, which is the lake of fire which begins at the great white throne judgment.

According to Paul, every word of God which proceeds out of His mouth is not far from us. It is not hidden way up high, in the physical heavens, nor is it way down low in the physical sea. Rather it is “within you, even in your mouth, and in your heart.”

Rom 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Rom 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Here is the Old Testament passage from which Paul is teaching.

Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
Deu 30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:14 But the word [Christ] is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

These verses in Deuteronomy 30 and Paul’s statement in Romans 10:8 are both saying the same thing this revelation of Jesus Christ within us tells us at both the beginning and the end of this book.

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings [are] faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

It is phrased “do it” in Deuteronomy 30:14, and it is phrased “keep the things written therein” here in this revelation of Jesus Christ, within us. Both, according to Paul, are speaking of bringing Christ to us.

This 20^th chapter is “the things written therein” which we are to “keep”, but we must ‘rightly divide the Word of Truth’ and pay attention to qualifying statements such as “the things which must shortly be done… until the thousand years are finished… when the thousand years are expired… the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years are finished…” etc. Nowhere in scripture are we ever told… ‘the resurrection is past already.’ That is clearly labeled as the self-righteous, iniquitous, false doctrine of Hymenaeus and Philetus. This 20^th chapter clearly has to do with things which must shortly be done, not things which are “past already”:

In Christ we are given the “key of knowledge”, enabling us to understand the message of scripture which concerns what “is done” and what “must shortly come to pass.” When we rightly divide The Word of Truth we are ‘keeping the things which are written’ in this prophecy, and we are fulfilling these words:

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

These words of our Lord Himself accord perfectly with these words which the holy spirit later inspired the apostle Paul to pen:

Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Paul reiterates this same Truth in his epistle to Timothy:

1Ti 3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
1Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

There is no contradiction with Paul’s declaration that “the church of the living God… is… the pillar and ground of The Truth” and His declaration to the church at Corinth telling them that Christ is the only foundation on which to build His church:

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Rather these verses complement each other by showing just how much our Lord identifies with “His body… which is the church.”

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Like Pharaoh’s dream, and like the four different names for Satan, the principle of “the dream is one” helps us to see that it is we who have ‘come down from heaven’ with ‘the key of knowledge, and the keys to the kingdom… to make known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.’ All of this is true only “because [we faithfully] speak this [fiery] Word”:

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.

We still have to also ask, “Why in the world does God chain Satan in this “bottomless pit… place a seal on him so that he cannot deceive the nations during that period, just to release Satan onto an unsuspecting world at the end of this “thousand-year reign” of God’s elect?? What good did it do for the elect to rule the nations of this world a thousand years just to have the entire world immediately deceived again “when the thousand years are fulfilled”??? Why does God do this?” All these questions were and are meaningless to anyone who has been given over to the false doctrine which teaches that “the resurrection is past already” (2Ti 2:16-18).

Before we answer that vital question, I want to share with you the differences between the bottomless pit of Revelation 9:1-2 and the bottomless pit of this 20^th chapter.

In our English King James Version, “the bottomless pit” is the exact same phrase we find in chapter 9:

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless [G12: abussos, deep, the sea], pit [ G5421: phrear, well, pit].
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless [abussos, deep, the sea] pit; [G5421, phrear – well, pit] and there arose a smoke out of the pit [phrear], as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit [phrear].

Here in chapter 9 there are two Greek words for ‘bottomless pit’. The first is the Greek word ‘abussos’, which simply means ‘deep’, and the second is the Greek word ‘phrear’, which means, as it is properly translated, ‘pit’. So there is no such thing as a pit with no bottom, and a much better translation would be ‘the deep pit.’ Satan is bound in ‘the deep’ for a thousand years. It is from this ‘abussos’ that all flesh arises:

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

The Greek word for ‘sea’ in this verse is ‘thalassa’. Nevertheless a study of the story of the devils whose name was ‘legion’ who Christ permitted to enter into the swine which in turn drowned in the sea, demonstrates that this Greek word ‘thalassa’ and the Greek word ‘abussos’ are used interchangeably for the sea of Galilee as we will see later.

The fact of the matter is that the Greek word ‘phrear’, meaning ‘pit,’ is not to be found here in this 20^th chapter. In this chapter the two English words ‘bottomless pit” are translated from the single Greek word ‘abussos’. Still the translators opted to use the two words of chapter 9… ‘bottomless pit.’ The ‘abussos’, meaning ‘the deep’, is used as an adjective to describe the depth of the ‘phrear’, the pit. The Greek word ‘abussos’, with the Greek word ‘phrear’ or ‘pit appears three times in Revelation 9:1-2 :

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless [abussos] pit [phrear].
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless [abussos] pit [phrear]; and there arose a smoke out of the pit [phrear], as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit [phrear].

The Greek phrase ‘abussos phrear’ is found twice in these two verses, but referring to this same ‘abussos phrear’ it is referred to twice as simply ‘phrear’. Later in this same chapter this ‘abussos phrear’ is also referred to simply as ‘abussos’:

Rev 9:11 And they [The locusts which “came out of the smoke which had ascended out of “the abussos phrear” of vs 2] had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit [G12, a single Greek word, ‘abussos’], whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

Understanding all of this it is not adding to the word to use both words in Revelation 20 even though there is but one Greek word, ‘abussos’. The problem is not in using two words where only one is used. Rather, the problem is that the English word ‘bottomless’ is not at all the meaning of the single Greek word ‘abussos’ which is the only word that appears here in chapter 20 to describe Satan’s one-thousand year imprisonment:

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit [G12: abussos – the deep] 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 [G12: abussos], 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.

The concept of ‘a pit’ is not an issue regarding Satan’s imprisonment. The only consideration is where he is imprisoned and for how long. Therefore the Greek word ‘phrear’ is not needed here speaking of where and for how long Satan is to be in prison. The reason the word ‘pit’ occurs in Revelation 9 is that the subject of that chapter is not the pit alone, but the depth of the deception proceeding forth out of that pit. It is an “abussos phrear.” It is a ‘deep pit.’ Satan’s one-thousand year long imprisonment is to be in the depth of all flesh yet completely stripped of any power and incapable of deceiving the nations or withstanding the Lord’s elect during that one-thousand year kingdom.

The spiritual significance of “the key…”

This Greek word for ‘key’ appears three times in this revelation of Jesus Christ within us. A key is used to open a door. It is through an open door that we are given the ability to see what is within or what is behind that door.

Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard [was] as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

This word ‘key’ is mentioned twice in reference to this thing called “the bottomless pit”, first in Revelation 9:1 and again here in today’s study on Revelation 20:1. This word ‘key’ is first used in chapter 2 when we are told that the overcomers will be given “the key of David.”

Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

It is with a key that a door is opened and not closed, and it is with a key that a door is closed so no man can open. As we are hopefully beginning to understand, “the dream is one” principle (Gen 41:25, 32) demonstrates for us that the “key of David” of Revelation 3:7, the “keys to the kingdom of God” of Matthew 16:19, and the “key of knowledge” of Luke 15:52 are one and all a God-given gift of eyes that see and ears that hear the meaning of all the symbols and significations used by the holy spirit to keep mankind blinded in this present time:

Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Luk 11:52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

This is just how important ‘the key of knowledge’ is to us:

Hos 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Rev 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

If we are gifted with eyes that see and ears that hear “the mysteries of the kingdom of God” then we are in possession of “the key of knowledge”, and we will have the knowledge and understanding that the “key of David” is but another iteration of the blessing of eyes that see and ears that hear and understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, which the Lord has simply withheld from the multitudes who come to Him to hear His parables, take advantage of His physical healing power, eat His loaves and fishes, and still have no room for His Words and still want Him crucified (Mat 13:9-15, Joh 8:30-44).

All these ‘keys’ and ‘the key to the bottomless pit’ are all the same one “key” which symbolizes the “key of [the] knowledge” which this key opens up to us. This is that very vital key of knowledge which will save us from being destroyed:

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: [and knowledge, (Hos 4:6)]

Here is the lifesaving knowledge of Hosea 4:6:

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

I have stated in this study that the bottomless pit is the carnal mind of all flesh whence comes the self-righteous rebellion in all men of all time. The Greek word for ‘bottomless pit’ as we have already noted is first ‘abussos phrear’ in Revelation 9:1 where an angel falls from heaven and opens the ‘abussos phrear.’ This deep pit has been open from the very beginning because this ‘abussos’ can be shown to be nothing less than the carnal mind of man which is capable of producing 200 million false doctrines by which mankind has darkened the air and the sun.

Contrary to what many believe, this thing called “the bottomless pit” is not first mentioned in Revelation 20. As we saw much earlier, the ‘abussos phrear’, the “bottomless pit” is first brought to our attention in Revelation 9.

We have seen that it is not bottomless, and yet it is indeed deep and dark because it is the symbol of our rebellious, yet very self-righteous carnal mind. It is in the carnal mind of the whole world that Satan will reside for a thousand years while being stripped of any power to be ‘the tempter’ (Mat 4:1), to be ‘a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour (1Pe 5:8), stripped of his ability to be ‘a lying spirit in the mouths of false prophets’ (1Kg 22:22) and stripped of any ability to fight against the Lord and His Christ’ (Rev 12:7).

There is more to learn about this ‘bottomless pit’ but we will pause at this point and continue our review of the bottomless pit in our next study.

Rev 20:1-6 Those Who Have Part in the First Resurrection, Part 1

Mike Vinson — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 21:49:11 +0000

Audio Download

Rev 20:1-6 Those Who Have Part in the First Resurrection, Part 1

[Study Aired June 13, 2025]

Introduction

Chapter 19 begins by informing us that the Lord’s judgments include the fall of Babylon (Rev 19:2). As the smoke of her destruction ascends, we are informed of an event called “the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:7). Putting Revelation 12:5, where the Lord’s elect are called “a manchild who was to rule the nations with a rod of iron”, together with Revelation 19:12 it is very clear that “as My Father hath sent me, even so send I you” to rule the nations of this world with a rod of iron.

Just like the last parts of chapters 7 and 14, without any notice or explanation, the last part of chapter 19 skips past the thousand-year reign and brings us to an entirely different ‘supper’ called “the supper of the great God” which deals with “the flesh of all men.”

Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God.
Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

This “supper of the great God” does not occur when the ten horns which hate the whore also hate Christ and His Christ and make war with Him before the thousand years begin. There is no mention of “the flesh of all men” at that event:

Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest [on the beast] are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
Rev 17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him [“the armies in heaven”] are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Rev 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Rev 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

The ten horns on the beast make war with Christ and His armies before the thousand years. The supper of the Great God is furnished by “the flesh of all men” at the great white throne judgment which is subsequent to the thousand-year kingdom of God on this physical earth.

This 20^th chapter provides us with the sequence of events leading up to “the supper of the great God”:

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.

We are only covering the first six verses of chapter 20 in this study, but the next five verses, as well as verse 7, demonstrate how pivotal this thousand-year reign of the Lord and His Christ is to bringing a close to ‘times eonian’ and to the destruction of the last enemy which is death:

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,

The next four verses are all concerned with this thousand-year kingdom:

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.

The Lord’s firstfruit elect rule with Him over the nations of this world for a thousand years. Those who teach that “the resurrection is past already” (2Ti 2:18) deny the doctrine of a thousand years of rule by the Lord’s elect over the kingdoms of this world. In doing so, they are also denying that ‘the heavens must receive Christ until the times of restitution of all things” (Act 3:21). A doctrine which denies that there will be a thousand-year kingdom also denies any need for Christ to appear again on this earth. All those qualifying words like ‘and after that he must be loosed a little season… the rest of the dead live not again until the thousand years are finished … until the restitution of all things… when the thousand years are expired…’ etc. are meaningless if that kingdom is inward only and if Christ’s appearing is inward only. The entire work of God is understood only “by the [outward] things that are made.”

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;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world [His eonian plan and purpose] are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [And they decided they did not need to wait to find out what the consensus of the elders, ‘the multitude of counselors’ was. The idol of our heart tells us we are right and “I don’t care what the consensus of the elders is. We are right!”]
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

In the first part of the previous chapter, the Lord’s elect are “blessed [to be] called to the marriage supper of the Lamb”. In this chapter we learn that the marriage supper of the Lamb is also called “the first resurrection”, and the same blessings are pronounced upon those who have a part in it:

Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

The first six verses of this 20^th chapter emphasize the judgment of the nations of this world by the Lord’s elect who are being judged in “this present time” (Rom 8:18) and are “blessed to be called to the marriage supper of the Lamb” which is called the “blessed and holy… first resurrection” in verse 6 of this chapter. As Joseph told the Pharaoh, when the Lord tells us anything in two different ways, then truly “the dream is one” (Gen 41:25-26). The “fiery trials” of this present judgment, which is judgment now on the house of God, are preparing us to be capable of making the hard decisions which must be made and enforced during that thousand-year kingdom. Those hard decisions and their enforcement are signified by “a rod of iron” which characterizes this thousand-year reign of the Lord’s elect over the outward unconverted “nations of this world”.

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?

These verses are not to be taken inwardly. The phrases “fiery trials… tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb” are used to describe the tribulations and persecutions of this age, but the phrase “rod of iron” is never used in reference to our trials in this life. That phrase is reserved to refer to “our Lord and His Christ” as resurrected spirits who will be dealing with rebellious, outward, carnally-minded flesh for a thousand years:

Psa 2:9 Thou [Christ and His ‘manchild’ elect, (Rev 11:15)] shalt break them [“the kingdoms of this world”, (Rev 11:15)] with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them [the kingdoms of this world] with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations [the kingdoms of this world]: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations [the kingdoms of this world]: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

All four of these verses concern the kingdom of God which precedes the white throne judgment which “great… white throne” follows the “short season” of rebellion which immediately follows the thousand-year reign of “the Lord and His Christ.” All of these qualifying details are meaningless to “the resurrection is past already” crowd of false prophets:

2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

The Lord is showing us “what He is about to do” outwardly:

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.

It is not “the kingdom of God is within you” which “are become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ.” Rather, it is the outward “kingdoms of this world.”

If this thousand-year kingdom were spiritual and inward only, then it would indeed have no end. However, this kingdom is qualified as having a definite beginning and a definite end. The thousand-year kingdom begins at “the resurrection of life” which occurs only at the beginning of the thousand-year kingdom:

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 [at the first resurrection]; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [Greek: ‘krisis’, judgment, the great white throne judgment/ lake of fire/ second death].

That ‘end’ of that outward kingdom age is signified by the release of devil from his ‘bottomless pit’ prison and giving the devil the power to organize all men to rebel against “the camp of the saints” (Rev 20:7-9).

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 20:7 And when [ and not until] the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they [“the nations in the four quarters of the [physical, outward] earth”] went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them [all nations of mankind, the beginning of the death of death].
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

This angel of verse one of this 20^th chapter is simply a messenger of God, and the ‘key’ is the simple Word of God declaring that the devil will not be capable of ‘deceiving the nations’ (Rev 18:23, Rev 20:8), nor will he be able to exercise power as ‘the prince of the power of the air’ (Eph 2:2), neither will he be capable of being ‘a roaring lion roaming about seeking whom he may devour’ (1Pe 5:8). All this power will be stripped from the devil for “a thousand years… after which he must be loosed for a little season.”

Notice just how integral to the message of this chapter this ‘thousand years’ is. It is mentioned six times in six consecutive verses:

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.
Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Verses 7 through 15 of this 20^th chapter informs us of what takes place during the “short season” which follows the thousand-year reign of the Lord’s elect over “the kingdoms of this world.” We will discuss that in another study. This study is concerned with whether there is a literal kingdom of God ruling over the kingdoms of this world.

Christ referred to this thousand-year age as “the restitution of all things” during which King David, signifying Christ and His Christ would rule the kingdoms of this world, and this is what He tells us about His kingdom on this physical earth:

Act 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Act 3:22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
Act 3:23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
Act 3:24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

This physical kingdom age is followed by another age which is called the “white throne judgment.” This age is a spiritual age because in the resurrection “it is raised a spiritual body:

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body; there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

This great white throne judgment/lake of fire/second death is initiated by a second resurrection which will include all of mankind who were not given to have a part in the “blessed and holy… first resurrection.

Throughout this revelation of Jesus Christ the holy spirit is constantly contrasting the blessings of the spirit upon our inward new man with the curses of the carnal mind of the old man. In chapter seven the contrast is between the few numbered with “a multitude which no man could number.” In chapter 14 the same 144,000 numbered are called “the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb. In chapter 14 three angels are used by the holy spirit to signify the judgment of the 144,000. The first angel preaches the gospel to all nations proclaiming with a loud voice that the hour of God’s judgment is now, at this very moment, on His house [1Pe 4:17]. The second angel proclaims the fall of Babylon within those who are being judged in this age. The third angel demonstrates that we endure the same “fire and brimstone… torment in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb” which is experienced by all the rest of mankind after at the “great white throne… judgment. The “fire and brimstone judgment we endure in this age is called “the fiery trial, which is to try you”:

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.

Here is how the holy spirit describes this experience in Christ’s own life:

Luk 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Luk 22:43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
Luk 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Mark uses these words to express the same fiery trial endured by our Lord:

Mar 14:33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
Mar 14:34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
Mar 14:35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
Mar 14:36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Christ’s sweat “as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” and His being “exceeding sorrowful unto death”is the same as our being tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb spoken of in:

Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

What do the scriptures call this excruciating judgment which both we and Christ must endure? Here is what this experience of the wrath of God upon our man of sin in this age is called in scripture:

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

The “fire and brimstone… torment” endured by “the saints” refers to our every day “fiery trials” that Peter tells us all we must expect if we are serving Christ:

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.

Those who deny a literal thousand year reign of “our Lord and His Christ”, and there are many who do so teaching that the resurrection is spiritual and inward and “the resurrection is past already” (2Ti 2:18):

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

There are many who, until this very day, are teaching that “the resurrection is past already” because we do experience an inward resurrection. Demonstrating their inability to “rightly divide the word of Truth” they quote the apostle Paul’s own words:

Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead [Aorist tense] to sin, live [Future tense] any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized [Aorist tense] into Jesus Christ were baptized [Aorist tense] into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with [Aorist tense] him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up [Aorist tense] from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk [Aorist tense] in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been [perfect tense] planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be [future, not present tense] also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this [present tense], that our old man is crucified with [Aorist tense] him, that the body of sin might be destroyed [Aorist tense], that henceforth we should not serve [Present tense] sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead [Aorist tense] is freed [Perfect tense] from sin.
Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead [Aorist tense] with Christ, we believe [Present tense] that we shall also live [Future tense, NOT present tense] with him:

The fact that the words “shall also live” are in the future tense, does not mean that we are not figuratively living “in Christ” at this time also.

Those who are still fostering the false doctrine of Hymenaeus and Philetus, that “the resurrection is past already” are denying the need for any literal resurrection of all those who have physically died both before and after Christ came down from heaven to die for our sins. Christ in the flesh was not Christ in us. It was essential that Christ had to physically die to become our spiritual Savior:

Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

“Go away” means that it was expedient that Christ had to physically die or we would have no Savior.

The work Christ has given us to accomplish is very similar to the work which His Father has given Him to accomplish, and when we understand just how similar that work is we will have a much greater appreciation for these verses of scripture:

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

In like manner we, too, must physically die, or “be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (or there will be no “saviors… on Mount Zion judging the house of Esau (Oba 1:21):

Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Christ has not at this time made His appearing to put down all physical powers and authorities and place His own elect in the positions of power over the kingdoms of this world. He is yet to appear and when He does these changes will take place, whether Hymenaeus and Philetus or those who have been seduced by their false teaching believe it or not.

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.

In coming to understand what Christ has sent us to do we will continue to give the lie to the false doctrine of Hymenaeus and Philetus and all the modern day false prophets who feel so spiritual while teaching that “the resurrection is past already”:

1Ti 1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
1Ti 1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Hymenaeus was in cahoots with both Alexander and Philetus in pushing his ‘the resurrection is past already’ self-righteous false doctrine. Notice what Paul has to say about this subversive disciple in his next epistle to Timothy:

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
2Ti 2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Paul characterizing the teaching that “the resurrection is past already” as proof that Hymenaeus and Philetus are incapable of “rightly dividing the Word of Truth. He also calls this doctrine ‘profane and vain babblings which increase unto more ungodliness.’ Those who deny a “resurrection to life”, preceding the thousand-year reign, deny the veracity of our fifth verse in today’s study and of our Lord’s own words:

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: krisis, judgment, the great white throne judgment].

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

“The rest of the dead” clearly means any of the dead who were not in the blessed and holy first resurrection.

We will pause here and continue to expose the lie that the resurrection is past already in our next study.

Rev 11:7-14, Part 1 – The Beast Overcomes And Kills The 2 Witnesses

Mike Vinson — Sun, 03 Nov 2024 04:17:06 +0000

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Rev 11:7-14, Part 1 – The Beast Overcomes And Kills The 2 Witnesses

[Study Aired Nov 3, 2024]

Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

Introduction

The “beast… ascends out of the bottomless pit”, which is “the abussos”, G12, in the Greek. We have demonstrated that the bottomless pit signifies the abyss or the sea of flesh from which we are all drawn.

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

This ‘abussos’ is the flesh and its desires which are within all men, including the flesh of the two witnesses. If that really is true, how then is it possible that the two witnesses can “ascend up out of the bottomless pit”, the ‘abussos’ and “rise up out of the sea… [G2281, ‘thalassa’], finish their testimony” and still be killed by “the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit”? ‘Abussos’, and ‘thalassa’ are two Greek words for the same thing, the sea. We covered this subject of the bottomless pit in our study of Rev 9 and will not repeat that study here, except to reread that verse and to remind ourselves that the bottomless pit is in us all by nature, and the smoke from that pit darkens the sun and the air in every generation of mankind, including each of us in our own order.

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

As we consider these verses here in Rev 11, we once again just naturally slip into the frame of mind of the natural man who can only see one event following another, chronologically, instead of seeing the words of God from a heavenly perspective as spiritual words, which are unchanging and always applicable in every generation of mankind.

Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

What “I change not” means is that the words of God apply to every generation, so that “the beast [is] ascending out of the bottomless pit” in every generation of mankind. The bottomless pit within us is being destroyed by the brightness of the knowledge of Christ and His Words and doctrines coming into our hearts and minds. But as that ‘bottomless pit’ is destroyed within the two witnesses in every generation since Christ, it is also simultaneously being strengthened and perpetuated in the next generation of those who are even now rejecting that very same witness to the testimony of the words of Jesus Christ, as those words continue to proceed out of the mouth of the two witnesses of every generation. As an example of this, Christ was asked if Elijah would return before the coming of the Messiah. Here is His answer:

Mat 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mat 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Mat 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
Mat 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

What it all amounts to is the simple fact that we all live the life of the first Adam, with all that is within him, and then in God’s own “predestinated” time and mercy, we will also live the life of the Second Adam, the life of Christ, with all that is in Him. What is so little understood is the fact that this is all accomplished within us and is expressed in prophecy in types and shadows, in signs and symbols and in parables. What is so little understood is that God’s elect are not exempt from one single word of God. “All things are ours…, it is near…, even at the door…, this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled” is true in every man of God, in every generation of mankind (1Co 3:21-22; Mat 24:34-35), “each in his own order”:

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

All men will die to their old man, but we will all experience that ‘death’… in [our] own order”.

Those who “die daily (1Co 15:31), offer [their] bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1), [and are] crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20), in “this present time” (Rom 8:18), die first and will not “be hurt of the second death” (Rev 2:11), and ‘the second death will have no power over them’ (Rev 20:6) because they have already fulfilled that experience “in this present time”. Those who have died to their old man and all of his desires in this present time do so because they are given to be judged in this present time:

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves [in this present time], we should not be judged [at the great white throne judgment].
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged [now in this present time], we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world [to the great white throne judgment of all the rest of mankind].

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? [They will be judged at the great white throne/ lake of fire/ second death, judgment.]

That is why Christ tells us:

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 [in the first resurrection at the beginning of the thousand year reign of “our Lord and His Christ”, Rev 11:15 and Rev 20:5-6]; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [G2920, ‘krisis’, judgment, the great white throne judgment of Rev 20:11].

These New Testament statements are based upon this revelation found throughout the Old Testament:

Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
Ecc 9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

The apostles of Christ remained faithful to the testimony of Jesus Christ to the end of their “course [Greek, aion – age] of this world”. But before they were made to be faithful, they too, “were by nature children of wrath, who denied him with an oath, and persecuted His disciples.”

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course [Greek, aion, age] of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Mat 26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
Mat 26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

Act 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

“In time past you [and I] walked according to the age of this world”:

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But Christ did not die just for those who were alive in His days. He died for all men of all time, and He prayed specifically for all those who would hear the words of those who believed on Him through the testimony of His disciples:

Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

So Christ’s disciples endure from generation to generation, and in this manner the two witnesses endure from generation to generation.

But this “My Words shall not pass away” principle is also true for “the children of disobedience” who “are of their father the devil”, which is just another name for the beast that “ascends out of the bottomless pit”. In every generation he too, will ascend out of the bottomless pit and will be killing God’s two witnesses who are tormenting them that are upon the earth.

We must remember that those two witnesses are symbols of all who witness for Christ in every age of mankind. We need to remember that the great city wherein our Lord was crucified, is later in this book called “Babylon the great”, where the blood of all of the saints, meaning the blood of Christ, is found.

Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

Rev 18:24 And in her [“Babylon the great, the mother of harlots”] was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

“The blood of the prophets and saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” certainly includes Christ, and all those who are in Him. We are both those murderers first, and later we become those who are murdered and are killed by the harlot of chapters 17 and 18. So then “Babylon the great” is the type of God’s harlot church, and the symbols which explain all of this prophecy are all taken from the Old Testament scriptures concerning God’s own people as they turn themselves away from their own Lord.

Isa 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.

In the same chapter, only 8 verses later, we read:

Isa 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Still speaking of “the vision… concerning Judah and Jerusalem”, in this same chapter we read this.

Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

These are words proceeding from the mouth of God which we must live by (Mat 4:4, Luk 4:4). Our flesh, in turn, by the grace of God, will then be ‘killed daily’, and will die daily (1Co 15:50), by the fire of the mouth of the two witnesses. That fire is, of course, the spirit, which is “the words which Christ speaks to us” (Jer 5:14 and Joh 6:63). Here is the result of that fire:

1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

As we saw in our last study, the death of the ‘two witnesses’ was ‘read of, heard of, and kept’ by those who first read the sayings of the words of this prophecy in the day John put these words to paper and pen:

Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

This entire 11th chapter is just a part of “those things which are written therein” which we must be read, hear and keep. All who are given the grace to do so will “keep the words of this prophecy for the time is at hand” to do so (Rev 1:3). This entire prophecy does nothing less than expand upon the words of the Lord’s prophecy of Mat 24, which makes the same point.

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand: )

Only if God grants us “eyes that see, and ears which [can] hear” that we are that beast within “the holy place”, and we are that “man of sin” who sets himself up as God within that “temple of God”, will we ever know what is meant by the words “whoso reads let him understand… for the time is at hand”.

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand: )

Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come [the day of Christ’s coming to His temple within us], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

None of the apostles changed their doctrine from church to church. What Paul taught these Thessalonians “when he was yet with them” was that “you are the temple of God and the spirit of God dwells in you”, which is what he had also taught the Corinthians (1Co 3:16-17). This inward ‘temple of God’ is the same ‘temple’ Paul had in mind when he said this to these Thessalonian Christians:

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? [That “ye are the temple of God”]

Therefore these Thessalonians knew exactly what Paul meant by these words:

2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth [our crucifixion by this world with Christ, and our resurrection with Christ] that he [the man of sin] might be revealed in his time.

Gen 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. [When ‘the iniquity of our old man is full’ then Christ comes to destroy him]

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [Greek, withholds the coming of Christ] will let [will withhold the coming of Christ, as revealed in the next two verses], until he be taken out of the way.
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,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

“They that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” is first our own ‘old man’. 2Th 2:6 is fulfilled in Rev 11, when the two witnesses are killed by “the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit when their testimony is finished”. You and I have been that beast which is doing the killing of those witnesses, and you and I in turn become those two witnesses who will be killed by that beast.

In this case, our ‘death’ is not the “dying daily” death of our old man. In this story our death “in the street of the great city” is “the savor of death” which we are to “the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit”. This is where you and I are at this very moment in the eyes and the nostrils of those in the great city of Babylon:

2Co 2:14 Now thanks be to God, Who always gives us a triumph in Christ, and is manifesting the odor of His knowledge through us in every place,
2Co 2:15 for we are a fragrance of Christ to God, in those who are being saved and in those who are perishing:
2Co 2:16 to these [those “in the street of that great city”], indeed, [we are] an odor of death for death, yet to those [in Christ we are] an odor of life for life. And for this who is competent?
2Co 2:17 For we are not as the majority, who are peddling the word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God in Christ, are we speaking. (CLV)

It is “all [who are] in Adam [who suffer the curse of] strong delusion [and who] believe a lie”. “All in Adam includes you and I who have “in times past” been sent that “strong delusion and [have] believed the lies” of Babylon, and have spiritually killed God’s witnesses and left their dead bodies unburied “in the street of the great city… where also our Lord was crucified”.

Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

As we saw last week, we are “the earth”, and we are “those who dwell on the earth” and who rejoice and send gifts to one another to celebrate our liberty from having to hear the words of these men of God. But the rejoicing of our flesh over the man of the spirit is soon turned to sorrow when we witness our resurrection with Christ “in the days of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound”.

Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. (Eph 2:6)
Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Here is why we rejoice at the death of God’s elect. Here is how we are sent the “strong delusion” which causes us all to rejoice at the death of the true witnesses of Christ. This is how God sends His wrath upon us while we are “abiding in His wrath”. This is the reason why we never realize that we are deceived until we “look behind” ourselves to see this great revelation:

Psa 78:49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

So when we read [with understanding] about all the plagues of God’s wrath which are cast upon the earth in the seals, trumpets and vials, we now know how that is being done. “He casts upon us the fierceness of His anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble by sending evil angels among them”.

But those evil angels do not appear to be evil angels:

2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

The symbols of these verses

So here are the symbols of verses 7-14:

1) The two witnesses finishing their testimony,
2) The beast ascending out of the bottomless pit making war against and
3) Killing Christ’s two witnesses,
4) Their dead bodies lying unburied,
5) In the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt,
6) Where also our Lord was crucified,
7) The people, kindreds, tongues and nations,
8) See their dead bodies,
9) Three days and an half, and do not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
10) Rather they rejoice over the death of Christ’s two witnesses, and send gifts one to another, celebrating the fact that these witnesses of Christ, who had been tormenting them, were at this time as good as dead, having no effect in the streets of the great city wherein also our Lord was crucified.
11) But after three and one half days, God’s witnesses are raised from their state of death,
12) Causing great fear to fall on those who see them.
13) At this point the two witnesses hear a voice from heaven telling them to “Come up here”, and so they
14) “Ascend up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies see that they have done so.
15) It is at this point that there is a great earthquake, and the entire event begins to be repeated again, as
16) A tenth part of the city falls and
17) Seven thousand men are killed in that earthquake, and the remnant are frightened, and give glory to the God of heaven.

Having established that these are words which are for those who are given to “understand what we read” (Mat 24:15), and having established that those who read and hear are to keep these words (Rev 1:3), we will now simply list each symbol and the scriptures which define how that symbol is to be understood and kept.

1) The two witnesses finishing their testimony, like all of these symbols and indeed all of God’s Word, is something which is always “near, even at the doors, and does not pass away”.

Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

So it is we who first, by believing the doctrines of “many false prophets”…

2) … ascend out of the bottomless pit, within us, to make spiritual warfare with the truths which proceed from the mouths of God’s witnesses.

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].

By simply withstanding the testimony of the two witnesses, which we all do while believing and teaching the doctrines of Babylon, we are thereby guilty of:

3) … killing God’s two witnesses. We need not kill any one literally, and the two witnesses are not literally two in number, neither do they need to be literally killed to “keep the things which are written therein”. Here is all that must take place literally for these verses to be spiritually lived out and spiritually kept by us all:

1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

4) If we hate the doctrine of the Lord’s witnesses then we have murdered them and their dead bodies lie unburied, because at this time in our lives, the word of God, which commands us to love our enemies (Mat 5:44), and bury our dead (Deu 21:23), and to bless and curse not (Rom 12:14), means nothing at all to us in our self-righteous, rebellious condition. God’s commandments are all ignored in favor of gloating over our physical dominance over the witnesses of God’s Word , while we are in great Babylon. The phrases “their dead bodies shall lie in the street of that great city” and “shall not suffer their bodies to be put in graves”, are both a type and a shadow of rebellion against the commandments of God which requires these things of us. Burying our dead is spiritually the sign and symbol of forgiving our enemies. We use the English phrase to this very day, “Let’s bury the hatchet”, and we simply cannot, at first, do so.

Deu 21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
Deu 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance.

5) “In the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt” is the city of God within us which has spiritually rebelled against His rulership and His commandments and has become a harlot (Isa 1:21). Both ‘Sodom and Egypt’ typify each of us as we are smarting under the rulership of our first love.

Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. [Haters of The Truth, 1Jn 3:15, and those who bring us that Truth]

Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew and the son of Abraham’s own brother, typifies our own flesh before we become Abraham. Lot typifies us as we “pitch our tent toward Sodom” and eventually end up sitting in the gate of Sodom, judging Sodom, being grieved with the sins of Sodom, and attempting to save and improve a doomed city, which in the end we, having become Abraham, are forced to “come out of” and stand afar off and watch the smoke of spiritual Sodom arise from the fields of the plains. That is the spiritual significance of calling the city where our Lord was crucified, Sodom.

Gen 13:12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

Gen 19:28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

Isa 1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
Isa 1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
Isa 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Rev 18:15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
Rev 18:16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Rev 18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Rev 18:18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city. [“Spiritually called Sodom and Egypt”, Rev 11:8]

As Israel, God’s first born Son, we cry out to be delivered from Egypt, but just as Lot had come out of the land of the Chaldeans just to “pitch his tent towards Sodom,” so too, as God’s Israel, we must come out of Egypt, just to end up rebelling against God “ten times” and wanting to return to Egypt.

Num 14:3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
Num 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Num 14:22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

Hos 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hos 11:2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

We are the ones described by these phrases: “Let us return to Egypt… and [you] have not listened to my voice… and burned incense to graven images”. That is the spiritual significance of God revealing to us that we are first “spiritually called Sodom and Egypt”. Here once again is what Isaiah said of Jerusalem in his day:

Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

Notice that it does say… “the faithful city”, just as Christ says “They have received… the words you gave me” just before the apostles forsake Him and leave Him to suffer His fate on the cross:

Joh 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee,

The point of all scripture is that all men are first unfaithful, before the Lord causes them to be faithful.

We will pause at this point and continue our study of these verses concerning the Lord’s faithful witnesses in our next scheduled meeting.

Rev 9:9-12 Part 6 of The Fifth Trumpet

Mike Vinson — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 19:55:51 +0000

Audio Download

Rev 9:9-12 Part 6 of The Fifth Trumpet

[Study Aired August 18, 2024]

Rev 9:9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
Rev 9:10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, [ which is] the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue [ is] Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath [ his] name Apollyon.
Rev 9:12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

The symbol we last covered was the fourth symbol which was the fact that these locusts which had the appearance of horses and the face of a man also “ had hair as the hair of women”. Our next symbol is:

5) They had breastplates, as breastplates of iron

We know what iron signifies in scripture:

Dan 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

Iron is harder and stronger than any other Biblical metal. “Iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things.” So why do these locusts have “breastplates of iron”? The answer is that a breastplate covers the heart, and there is no way to get to the heart of these locusts because of the deep darkness and the pride and deception that is in our hearts at this stage of our walk.

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Daniel’s image, which typifies our experience, begins with a head of gold, followed by arms of silver, followed by a belly and thigh of brass, followed by legs of iron, and finally it is standing on feet which are made of part iron and part clay. It is concerning the legs of iron that we read in Dan 2:40, that “iron breaks and subdues all things”. The reason these breastplates are of iron is to let us know that it will take the supernatural intervention of God and His Son coming into our lives to destroy these breastplates of iron and to destroy our hardened and darkened hearts, which are protected by the seemingly impenetrable deceits which these “breastplates of iron” signify:

Dan 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands [signifying that it has nothing to do with our will], and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

6) the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

Rev 9:9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

Our sixth symbol that describes these horse- like locusts is “the sound of their wings was a the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.” All locusts have wings, and the wings of these locusts sound like chariots of many horses going to battle.” ‘Wings’ in scripture signify those things which operate in the heavens, and the fact that the wings of these locusts “sound like chariots of many horses going to battle” tells us that we are up against an insurmountable and powerful army which has been given power over our heavens and is constantly warring against the spirit of our mind:

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Rom 7:23 But I see another law [the law of sin and death] in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

These ‘locusts’ are the messengers of “the prince of the power of the air”, and their influence upon our lives cause us to be “the children of disobedience” living to fulfill “the lust of our flesh” keeping us subject to “the law of sin and death” (Rom 8:2) which ‘sting’ hurts us for a symbolic 5 months as we fulfil the desire of our flesh and mind while knowing that the Lord has commanded us to overcome those desires of the flesh and of the mind:

Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Whether it is the destructive power of locusts or the lies spread into every house by the work of an unclean bird like a stork, it is all accomplished by the operation of ‘wings’ which can travel about in our heavens:

Zec 5:5 Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.
Zec 5:6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.
Zec 5:7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
Zec 5:8 And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
Zec 5:9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.
Zec 5:10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
Zec 5:11 And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar [Babylon, Gen 10:10] and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

Gen 10:10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

“A woman…. is wickedness… through all the earth” is verified by these words in:

Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

We are called “the bride” of Christ and women are universally accepted as signifying the church whether faithful or apostate.

What we need to learn in this symbol is that ‘wings’ signify what the Lord is doing in our heavens. In this case He is sending evil spirits with false doctrines to trouble us just as he did to King Saul:

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.

It was common knowledge in the days of King Saul that evil spirits were servants of God The same thing happened to King Ahab:

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 [the Lord] 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.

It is the same today, and it behooves us to simply acknowledge the sovereignty of God over both the good and the evil. In scripture evil men are called the Lord’s sword.

Psa 17:13 Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, [ which is] thy sword:

We need to acknowledge that the words ‘which is’ are not in the Hebrew and could just as easily have read ‘with’ instead of ‘which is.’ Nevertheless we are still told this in Pro 16.

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

So the Lord is definitely the Lord of both the good and the evil that is within us, and it is He who creates us as wicked first, for our own “day of evil” within each of us. It is He also who sends the angel that opens the bottomless pit and darkens our Sun and air by these locusts which hurt us for five months and crush us and bring us to want to die with Him on His cross. Here is Rev 9 in Joe 1. It is the same event. This is the “day of the Lord” which Peter said he had experienced just before the day of Pentecost.

Joe 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
Joe 1:2 Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
Joe 1:3 Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
Joe 1:4  That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
Joe 1:5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
Joe 1:6  For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth [ are] the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
Joe 1:7 He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast [ it] away; the branches thereof are made white.
Joe 1:8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
Joe 1:9 The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD’S ministers, mourn.
Joe 1:10  The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
Joe 1:11  Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.
Joe 1:12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
Joe 1:13  Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.
Joe 1:14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders [ and] all the inhabitants of the land [ into] the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,
Joe 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD [ is] at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
Joe 1:16 Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, [ yea], joy and gladness from the house of our God?
Joe 1:17 The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.
Joe 1:18 How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
Joe 1:19 O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.
Joe 1:20 The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.

Is this not what the seven seals, seven trumpets and seven plagues are doing within us as we are caused to “keep the things written therein?” (Rev 1:3) Is this not the very same “Lord’s day” which includes the events of the revelation of Jesus Christ? Is this not the destruction of our old life, which we must all experience to bring us into our new life? Speaking of this very battle, Joel continues:

Joe 2:11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

Joe 2:30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Joe 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

Christ mentions this very same battle in which these locusts as horses with the faces of men and the hair of a woman are involved:

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

None are able to stand against his wrath in this battle. The lies of all these locusts, their strength as horses, and their iron breastplates will all fall victim to Christ, and the armies that are with him. He has created this army of locusts for our destruction. When they have accomplished their evil deeds and have destroyed within us all that the lies of Egypt and Babylon have produced within us, then He will destroy the destroyer.

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

7) They had tails like scorpions…

Rev 9:10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months

The scriptures tell us plainly what the significance of ‘tails’ is:

Isa 9:15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

8) They had a king over them…

Our eighth symbol is that of a king:

Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

Kings exercise power over their subjects. Kings and princes are used interchangeably in scripture. Isaiah 14:3-23 is addressed to the king of Babylon while Ezekiel 28:1-10 is addressed to the prince of Tyrus. Both express the exact same message. Both condemn “the beast” who is also called “the man of sin” who sits on the throne of our hearts demanding to be worshipped as God until the brightness of the coming of Christ destroys this “man of sin” and his kingdom within us:

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. [Exactly what the king of Babylon and the prince of Tyrus did]
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
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,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Our last symbol is:

9) The angel of the bottomless pit

Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

The Lord has ordained that his “vessel of clay… first man Adam” is to worship himself and fulfill his every carnal desire. This is what the scriptures can “worshipping the beast”. What the king of Babylon, the prince of Tyrus, and the man of sin within us fails to realize is that when we worship ourselves we are also worshipping the dragon who empowers us to put our own desires ahead of the Lord’s desires for us:

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

“They worshipped the dragon” confirms the words of our Lord and the words of the apostle Paul both of who call us “of your father the devil” and “the children of disobedience… the children of the prince of he power of the air”:

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.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [“The dragon” who is the first to empower us to do his bidding], the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

The Hebrew word ‘abaddon,’ becomes the name of the angel of the bottomless pit. This word appears 5 times in the Old Testament.

Job 26:6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction [ abaddon] hath no covering.

Job 28:20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where [ is] the place of understanding?
Job 28:21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.
Job 28:22 Destruction [ abaddon] and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

Job 31:12 For it [ is] a fire [ that] consumeth to destruction [ abaddon], and would root out all mine increase.

Psa 88:11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [ or] thy faithfulness in destruction [ abaddon]?

Pro 15:11 Hell and destruction [ abaddon] are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?

Will God’s loving kindness be declared in the grave? The answer is, yes, it will. Will His faithfulness be declared in destruction? Again the answer is, yes, it will.

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose [ Greek, apollumi] it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

It is only through the destruction of our old man that our new man can be born.

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy [ Greek, apollumi] both soul and body in hell.

Mat 12:14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy [ Greek, apollumi] him.

It is a grave mistake to think that the king of the bottomless pit is Adam himself. If that were so, then where is ‘Adam’ in these verses?

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

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

King Saul was not “troubled” until the Lord sent a spirit to do so.

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

If Christ’s flesh was ‘satan’ what need was there to “go into the wilderness to be tempted?

Joh 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly

Where was Satan before “the sop”. If Judas’ flesh was satan why wait till “after the sop” for satan to enter Judas?

Satan is not our flesh, but he is our ‘father’ (Joh 8:44) and he definitely has been given to rule over our fleshly bodies until the Lord comes and dethrones him with “the brighteness of His coming” (2Th 2:3-8).

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.

There is no one here who is denying that “that old serpent the devil and Satan” dwells within us, just as Christ dwells within us whe He comes to dethrone “the man of sin”. When ‘the man of sin’ is cast out Satan goes with him. When we say that Satan is our flesh we are saying that Eve was speaking to Adam when she was seduced by the serpent. What utter nonsense! Adam was already in King Saul before “the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.” Christ was not being tempted of Adam when He was in the wilderness 40 days. Adam did not enter into Judas “after the sop.” Adam was there all along. And finally, Adam will be on earth being ruled with a rod of iron all through the thousand year reign of Christ, while Satan is bound in the bottomless pit which is within us all.

Therefore Abaddon, also known as Apollyon, is the king of the lies which are symbolized by the locusts which come out of the smoke of the bottomless pit, simply because God created him to be his lying Adversary, “from the beginning.”

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.

Summary

We have covered nine symbols in this study. There are six symbols which the holy spirit has used to describe these locusts which come out of the smoke that ascends up out of the bottomless pit.

1) They are shaped like horses prepared to battle, tells us that we are fighting an enemy with great strength.

2) They appear to have crown of gold on their heads, tells us that they will at first be mistaken for overcomers, and those who are the servants of, and the angels of God.

3) Their faces are “as the faces of men,” tells us that these lies are nothing more or less than idols of our own hearts, which we have carved out of the truths that are the Word of God.

4) They had hair as the hair of women, tells us that these doctrines are one and all the doctrines of that great harlot woman, and they certainly do darken our sun and air.

5) They had breastplates, as breastplates of iron, tells us that it is impossible for any man to reach our hearts and destroy these lies and deceits, and that it will take Christ, Himself to do so.

6) “The sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle,” tells us that these deceits are many and strong and they are ready and willing to do battle with our Lord and His Word.

The last three symbols are concerned with the function of the adversary, satan, in the Lord’s plan and purpose for our lives

7) They had tails like scorpions, and we saw that their ‘tails’ signified “the prophet that prophesies lies” :

Isa_9:15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

8) They had a king over them…

Our eighth symbol is that of a king:

Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

We saw that a king exercises power just as we will be “kings and priests” with Christ ruling this ear for a thousand years if we are granted to have a part in that “blessed and holy… 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.

9) The angel of the bottomless pit

Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

The king that is over these locusts is “the angel of the bottomless pit”. What that means is that he ministers to our fleshly lusts with all of His lies. It all works to destroy our lives so He is named Abaddon, in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek.

This tells us that this is a life and death battle in all of these seven trumpets, and God had created the waster to destroy, and he is good at what he was created to do. That is to destroy all that we think we are, so that we can be “made again as seems good to the Potter to make us” (Jer 18:4). Just like the evil Joseph’s brother thought against him worked for the good of the entire family, so also is the evil that Satan is given to perform working good for all of the Lord’s creation.

Next week, Lord willing, we will begin our study of the sixth trumpet, which is also called “the second woe.”

Rev 9:13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Rev 9:14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Rev 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

Rev 9-1-2 Part 2 Of The Fifth Trumpet

Mike Vinson — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 09:16:03 +0000

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Rev 9-1-2 Part 2 Of The Fifth Trumpet

[Study Aired August 4, 2024]

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Here are the last two paragraphs of our last study:

If you search for the phrase ‘bottomless pit’, you will find it seven times in the King James Version, and all seven are found only in the book of Revelation. The first is right here in this ninth chapter of Revelation.

We will pause our study here, and we will examine the verses which contain the words “bottomless pit” in our next study. It is very revealing to discover that the Greek, G5421, ‘phrear’ translated ‘pit’ appears in only two of these seven entries containing the phrase ‘bottomless pit’

That is what we will do in this study. We will examine the seven verses containing the phrase ‘the bottomless pit’, and Lord willing we will come away knowing what the scriptures reveal to be this bottomless pit.

Here are those seven entries:

The first is right here in this ninth chapter of Revelation:

1) Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless [G12. ‘abussos’, deep] pit [G5421, ‘phrear’ pit, well].

2) Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless [G12, ‘abussos’, deep] pit [G5421, ‘phrear’, pit or well]; and there arose a smoke out of the pit [G5421, ‘phrear’ pit or well], as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

3) Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, [Single Greek word, G12, ‘abussos’, deep] whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon [ Hebrew- Destroyer- Strong’s number 11], but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

4) Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit [G12, ‘abussos’, deep] shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

5) Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit [G12, ‘abussos’, deep], and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

6) Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit [G12, ‘abussos’, deep] 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,

7) Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit [G12, ‘abussos’, deep], 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.

What do we see here with these seven verses containing the words ‘bottomless pit?’ What we see when we go to our concordance, is that the Greek word for ‘pit’, [G5421, ‘phrear’ pit, well] appears only two times in these seven verses. Here once again are the only two times this word, G5421, ‘phrear’, pit, well] appears in this entire “revelation of Jesus Christ”, and it is used in conjunction with the word ‘abussos’ both times.

Let’s examine each of these entries and let the scriptures tell us what this phrase signifies. The first two entries are these first two verses of this ninth chapter of Revelation:

1) Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless [ Greek, abussos] pit [ Greek, phrear].

2) Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless [ abussos] pit [ phrear]; and there arose a smoke out of the pit [ phrear], as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit [ phrear].

The Greek word for ‘pit’ in these two verses is ‘phrear,’ Strong’s number 5421. This Greek word is also found a total of seven times in the New Testament. Of those seven entries, four of them are found right here in verses one and two of Rev 9. They are all emboldened above. It appears a fifth time translated as ‘pit’ in Luk 14.

Luk 14:5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit [G5421, ‘phrear’], and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

The remaining two entries are found in…

Joh 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well [phrear] is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
Joh 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well [G5421, phrear], and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

So the only time this Greek word ‘phrear’ or ‘pit’ or ‘well’ is used in this entire book of Revelation, is in these two verses of Rev 9, which we are now considering. There is no ‘pit’; the Greek word ‘phrear,’ Strong’s number 5421, mentioned in any of the other five verses here in the revelation of Jesus Christ, where we find this English phrase “bottomless pit.” The other five times this phrase ‘bottomless pit’ appears in the book of Revelation, it is translated from the single Greek word ‘abussos,’ Strong’s number 12.

What is so interesting and revealing is that when we go to our concordance, we discover that the Greek word ‘abussos’ (Strong’s number 12, translated “bottomless pit”) appears more than seven times. This word ‘abussos’ appears nine times in scripture, and it is those two extra times where the meaning of “the bottomless pit” is made clear. Here is the first of those two very revealing entries.

Luk 8:31 And they [ the demons named legion] besought him [ Christ] that he would not command them to go out into the deep [ G12, ‘abussos’, the sea].

Before we get to the last remaining verse where the word abussos is found in the New Testament, let’s take note of what this verse in Luk 8:31 shows us about the world of demons. This verse reveals to us that demons and all false spirits much prefer to be enthroned in God’s church rather than to be sent out into the deep sea of all the uncalled masses of mankind. What newsman wants to be stuck with reporting on the lives of Chinese peasants, when he could be at the United Nations reporting on the lives of the leaders of this world. Like all of us, demons want to be where the action is, the action is where God’s people are being deceived. Demons seek rest in dry places on ‘the earth’, God’s people (Jer 22:29), which have been pushed up out of the sea. Demons really prefer to be in God’s very temple and sitting on the very throne of Christ, where Christ will give them “no rest”:/p

Mat 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
Mat 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth [ it] empty, swept, and garnished.
Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last [ state] of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Luk 11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God [“dry places” sought by evil spirits], and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Demons “walk through dry places” simply because they do not like ‘the deep’. They very much prefer ‘dry places’ where they can find rest and feel at home, just as Christ ought to feel at home within each of us.

Now let’s look at the only entry for this word abussos which we have not yet considered. It is this entry which will reveal to us where the ‘bottomless pit’ is located.

Rom 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [ from above]:)
Rom 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep [ abussos]? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Christ has just informed us that both ‘heaven’ and “the deep”, the ‘abussos’, are within us… “even in thy heart and in thy mouth…”

Now notice how this Greek word ‘abussos’ or ‘deep’ is translated when we go back to the Old Testament and read the verse from where Rom 10:7 is quoted:

Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
Deu 30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:14 But the word [ Christ] is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

So where is the abussos? Where and what is this thing referred to as “the bottomless pit?” The ‘abussos’, the bottomless pit, just like ‘heaven’, is not way out beyond the milky way. Neither is it in the depth of the physical oceans and physical seas. The ‘abussos’, just like heaven, is within each of us, “In your mouth, and in your heart.” That is where “the bottomless pit” is located and that is from whence comes the smoke to “darken the sun and the air” in this fifth trumpet judgment which we are to “read, hear and keep.

When we read in Rev 20 that Satan is cast into the ‘abussos’ and is imprisoned with a great chain, he doesn’t ‘go’ anywhere. He is simply restrained and is under ‘house arrest’ until the time appointed to be released from the ‘abussos’ and be commissioned to go forth and deceive the nations again. According to Deu 30, both the abussos and heaven are “very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart.”

What does this great furnace signify?

7) The seventh symbol is the smoke of “a great furnace.” What is this great furnace? It happens to be “a furnace of both iron and earth,” as we will see. Both are types of the image of the first man Adam. It is in this “great furnace” that the fire of God’s Word does its purifying work of burning out all that will burn, and it is in this “great furnace” that God’s words are being purified and lived out. Here is the simple Biblical definition of this “great furnace.”

Gen 15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
Gen 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Gen 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Gen 15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
Gen 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
Gen 15:17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
Gen 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

“When the sun went down and it was dark” signifies the “darkening of the sun and the air.” It is then that we enter into that “great furnace” that “a horror of great darkness, falls upon” us all because we begin to see with “a burning lamp” that we are mere slaves in Egypt and we begin to cry out to the Lord for deliverance:

Exo 2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

Exo 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

It is during this time in our “experience of evil” when this ‘great furnace’ generates the smoke which darkens the sun and the air and keeps us in bondage to “that nation whom we shall serve”. But at the predestined, appointed and due time, “when the iniquity of the Amorites” is filled up within us, “at the time appointed of the Father”, we will no longer be in bondage to the elements of this world, and we will come out of Egypt and do so “with great substance”.

It is no coincidence that “a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, are the symbols of both the third and fifth trumpets of the revelation of Jesus Christ:

Rev 8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Here is the “iron furnace” from which “smoke darkens the Sun and the air” through which we all must pass before we can become the children of light and the sons of God.

Deu 4:20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.

Iron is the symbol of the legs and feet of the great image of Nebuchadnezzar, which image was destroyed by the stone that was cut out of the mountain without hands. The mystery of the bottomless pit, is no mystery at all when we know what the furnace is, out of which the smoke that darkens the sun and the air, comes. Great heat and a fiery combustion in a “furnace of iron” must precede the spiritual process of purification. The whole orthodox Christian world recognizes that Egypt symbolizes the world within us, and it is only through that “furnace of iron” and being made to “cry out to the Lord” that we are delivered from that world within.

Here is what a furnace accomplishes in our lives.

Pro 17:3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.

Now notice where God’s fiery words are said to be purified.

Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

We are that “furnace of earth” and every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God will be purified within us even as it purifies us through the seven seals, trumpets and vials of His wrath. Here is this same message in the parable of the sower and the tares.

Mat 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [ one];
Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. [G65, ‘aion’, age]
Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Mat 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth
Mat 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

We are the furnace of iron through which Egypt is burned up and destroyed. We are the furnace for the gold through which God tries our hearts. We are the furnace in which those tares are burned up. And we are the great furnace which produces “smoke, by reason of the pit”, the “smoke of a great furnace [which] darkens the sun and the air” which are also within us.

What is the air?

9) Finally, the ninth and last symbol of the first two verses of this fifth trumpet is the air that is also darkened by the smoke of the pit. What scripturally is the air? I wondered for many years what this verse meant:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Meeting the Lord in the air sounded fine. But shouldn’t we go somewhere and do something after that? “So shall we ever be with the Lord,” just sounded a bit anticlimactic, and indeed, if we dwelt with the Lord in the literal ‘air’ that really would be anticlimactic.

There are two words translated as ‘air’ in the New Testament. The word here in Rev 9 is the Greek word ‘aer’, Strong’s number G109. The other, far more common word is ‘ouranos’, G3772, heavens].

Here is how that word ‘ouranos’ is used by our Lord.

Luk 13:18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?
Luk 13:19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air [ ouranos, heavens] lodged in the branches of it.

To understand the true Biblical meaning of “the air” and the air being darkened by the smoke from the bottomless pit, we must as always, place line upon line and precept upon precept.

With that principle in mind let’s look at Eph 2:2, and notice that the Greek word ‘aer’ is translated into our English word ‘air’ in this verse.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [G109, ‘aer’, air], the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

So “the prince of the power of the ‘aer,’ is “the spirit that works in the children of disobedience.” If we now carry the concept that the children of disobedience, are subject to the prince of the power of the air, over into the parable of the sower, we will find that it is “the wicked one” who “catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.”

So now we know that whether the Greek word behind the English word ‘air’ is the word ‘aer’ or the word ‘ouranos’, it does not matter, because “the wicked one” is, at this time, in both the ‘aer’ and the ‘ouranos.’ We know that to be true because of this verse and many others which confirm this to be so.

Eph 6:12 for it is not ours to wrestle with blood and flesh, but with the sovereignties, with the authorities, with the world- mights of this darkness, with the spiritual forces of wickedness among the celestials [ Greek, epouranios, the heavens].

The single most common phrase in scripture, containing the word ‘air’ in both the Old and the New Testaments, is the phrase “the fowls of the air.” Here is the first appearance of this phrase “fowls of the air” from both the Old and the New Testaments respectively.

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Mat 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

While the dove is a “fowl of the air” which brings the olive leaf back to the ark and descends from heaven and rests upon Christ, nevertheless, what is it that Christ Himself tells us “the fowls of the air” generally represent? If we can discover the meaning of the fowls of the air, then even though there are two Greek words for ‘air’, we should be able to understand what “the air” that is darkened by the smoke of the bottomless pit, means, because Eph 2:2, among many other verses, has tied both of those Greek words together.

Here now is what Christ tells us “the fowls of the air” signify. It is found in His interpretation of the symbols which He used in the parable of the sower. Notice what Christ says happens to the “seed that falls by the way side.” Here is the part of that parable which mentions the fowls of the air.

Mat 13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
Mat 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Who does Christ say the fowl of the air symbolize?

Mat 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

By Christ’s own words “the wicked one” is signified by the fowls of the air.

But what is the air itself? To whom has the “air” of this present world been given? Here are those who have been given the power of the air at this time.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

The last vial of the seven last plagues, is not poured out into our earth. Instead it is poured out “into the air”.

Rev 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [ and] so great.

It is in the air, the realm of the spirit, that the most permanent changes are affected. It is in the air that we are ever with our Lord, because, as we have seen, “the four winds of the heavens” are nothing less than the air in motion, so that the air and the wind are both the symbols of the spirit world. That world, at this stage of our walk, is darkened by the smoke that ascends up out of the bottomless pit.

Summary

We have seen that the symbols of the first two verses of this fifth trumpet are:

1) The angel that sounds the trumpet. We have seen the scriptures which demonstrate that these seven angels which “stand before God of heaven” are defined by scripture as seven priests which blow the seven trumpets in Jos 6 and are the same seven angels that are in Christ’s right hand and are the same seven angels who are our brothers who keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

2) The second symbol is a star that falls from heaven to the earth and is given the key to the bottomless pit. Once again, we saw that this star is a spirit from heaven which darkens our understanding of spiritual matters and darkens our sun and air.

3) The third symbol is the heaven from which the star falls, and we have shown in depth that the heavens are the hearts and minds of the people of God, where every word of all the sayings of this prophecy must be read, heard and kept.

4) The fourth symbol is the earth to which the star from heaven falls, and we have demonstrated that wherever we see the word ‘earth’, we are talking about the people of God who are called but not necessarily chosen.

5) The fifth symbol is the key to the bottomless pit, and we saw that this key is the means by which the smoke that darkens the sun and the air is released out into our heavens. This ‘key’ is given us to keep us from receiving the “key of knowledge” before we are able to receive that life saving knowledge.

Luk 11:52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

A ‘key’ both locks away, and reveals what is locked away. When the “key of knowledge” is taken from us, that is signified by giving us the key to the bottomless pit which will serve to darken our sun and our air.

6) The sixth is the bottomless pit itself., and we saw that the bottomless pit is simply the sea of our flesh, and the flesh of mankind as the first deceived and rebellious Adam who cannot hear the words of Truth. We saw that the imprisoning of Satan in that bottomless pit is nothing more that restraining him within us during the thousand years, with a rod of iron. We all have our own “rod of iron experience” as we rebel against the things of the spirit as “carnal babes in Christ” (1Co 3:1-4).

7) The seventh symbol is the smoke of a great furnace, which we saw was the fiery trials that are even now coming upon the house of God, as we are being brought out of Egypt, which is called “the furnace of fire” within us. We saw that this furnace of fire is a necessary part of our walk if we are counted worthy of being judged now instead of being judged at the great white throne (Rev 20:11-15).

8) The eighth symbol is the darkened sun, which is darkened by the smoke of the pit. The darkened sun is that time of our lives where we prefer lies over truth and the word that has been planted has been snatched away by the wicked one.

9) Finally, the ninth symbol is the air which is also darkened by the smoke of the pit, and we saw that the air typifies the struggles we must endure in the realm of the spirit. We saw that it is mentioned last simply because it is that spiritual struggle “against the powers and principalities of the heavens” which follows our struggles upon the earth. Each struggle is a matter of life and death, but we saw that our Father prepares our hearts for every trial into which He leads us.

Next week, Lord willing, we will examine more of the symbols connected with this fifth Trumpet which is also called ‘the first woe’ which we are commanded to read, hear and keep.

Rev 9:3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Rev 9:4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Rev 9:5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment [ was] as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
Rev 9:6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

Rev 9:1-2 Part 1-The Fifth Trumpet

Mike Vinson — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 18:25:18 +0000

Audio Download

Rev 9:1-2 Part 1-The Fifth Trumpet

[Study Aired Aug 2, 2024]

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Introduction

Before we begin to study the words of this fifth trumpet, let’s recall what is said of these last three trumpets in the last verse of the preceding chapter.

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!

As the life of any man of God, whether in the Old or the New Testament demonstrates, the trials we endure toward the end of our walk, in the lion’s den, in the fiery furnace or in the Garden of Gethsemane, could never have been endured without first having our hearts prepared for those trials, by enduring easier trials earlier in our walk. So it is with each of these last three woes. Each of the first six seals and each of the first four trumpets were preparation for these last three “woes” culminating in the seven last plagues upon all who are to become the temple of God’s holy spirit.

1Ch 29:18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

Job 11:12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born [like] a wild ass’s colt.
Job 11:13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Jer 12:3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

Rev 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

“Pull out” who? Who is “pulled out” like sheep for the slaughter? Who is the temple, and who enters that temple? It is those who are “keeping the things written therein.” It is all who are now being judged by these seven trumpets. Being ‘pulled out like sheep for the slaughter’ is the greatest honor that can be bestowed upon mankind simply because ‘the slaughter’ refers to the death of our carnal minded old men and the destruction of what “is in my flesh”:

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Psa 44:22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Act 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He [ Christ] was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

“As He is so are we”, and just as Christ’s flesh was first judged for us, so must we “first be judged” for the sake of “the church which is His body”.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

To remind us that the vials are but a later iteration of these trumpets, let’s take note of how both target the same subject:

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Rev 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat [G2362: ‘thronos’, throne] of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
Rev 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

With this reminder that “The sum of thy Word is Truth” is the proper approach to this prophecy (Psa 119:160 ASV), let’s number the symbols of the first two verses of this fifth trumpet. 1) The first symbol is the angel that sounds the trumpet. 2) the second symbol is a star that falls from heaven to the earth. 3) The third symbol is the heaven from which the star falls. 4) The fourth is the earth to which which the star from heaven falls. 5) The fifth is the key to the bottomless pit. 6) The sixth is the bottomless pit itself. 7) the seventh is the smoke of a great furnace. 8) The eighth is the darkened sun, which is darkened by the smoke of the pit, 9) and finally, the ninth is the air that is also darkened by the smoke of the pit.

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Since we have already given the Biblical revelation of what the first four symbols are and since we have already given the Biblical, spiritual meaning of what the eighth symbol of the darkened sun is, we will simply list and briefly review what these symbols and their meanings are before getting into what the scriptures reveal about the remaining four symbols.

1) What is the angel?

The angels that sound the trumpets, as we have demonstrated, signify the priests who alone are commissioned to “blow with the seven trumpets”:

Jos 6:4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

Go back to our earlier study on Rev 8:1-6 – Part 2, What Is Fire of The Altar Cast Into The Earth? to review all the scriptures which reveal who these seven angels signify. They themselves tell us that they signify “your fellowservants who keep the sayings of this book and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 19:10, Rev 22:8-9), and Peter and John tell us that if we are in Christ then we are these seven angels…‘seven priests’:

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth:

2) What is the star?

This star that “falls from heaven to the earth” is a messenger from the God who “dwells in the heavens.”

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall [G4098: pipto] from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

The use of the pronoun ‘he’ demonstrates that this ‘star’ is indeed a messenger from God, who is sent with a key to open up this thing called “the bottomless pit.” When the angel uses the key to open the pit, the sun and the air are darkened by the smoke from the pit.

This “key to the bottomless pit” appears again in the hand of an angel who does not “fall” (G4098: pipto) from heaven, but rather “comes down (G2597: katabaino) from heaven” and binds Satan for a thousand years and “casts him into the bottomless pit.” Look at what this angel with this key is doing the next time we see him:

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down [G2597: katabaino] 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.

We are told that this star here in Revelation 9:1 “fell from heaven”, a phrase used elsewhere only of Satan and his angels.

Isa 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall [ G4098, pipto] from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Luk 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall [G4098: pipto] from heaven.

Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast [G906: ‘ballo’] them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

In Revelation 20:1 We are told “I saw an angel come down [G2597: ‘katabaino’] from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit.” Christ is certainly the preeminent ‘Star’ and as such it is He who sends both a good angel to cast “the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan… into the bottomless pit… for a thousand years, and it is Christ who also sends an evil star, or angel, to open the bottomless pit and let the smoke of that pit darken the light of the sun and darken the air.” It is Christ who sends an angel “to testify unto [us] these things…”

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

It is by the agency of this “star,” Christ, that this angel is sent to open the bottomless pit so “the sun and air are darkened by the smoke from the pit.” It is God who sends evil spirits to darken the sun and the air.

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 22:19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
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.

This “star” in this ninth chapter “falls [G4098: pipto] unto the earth.” and has the key to open the bottomless pit and releases evil and lying spirits signified by the smoke of the pit which darkens the sun and the air. The angel of the 20^th chapter cast the dragon, that old serpent the devil and satan, into the pit and locks him up for a thousand years.

3) Where and what is heaven?

The heaven from which this star falls and “the heavens” through which this angel is “flying”, we have established beyond question, are the hearts and minds of God’s elect.

Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these [the blood of animals – verse 22]; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Exactly where is Christ? We just quoted the verse that tells us where Christ now is.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Upon what throne is Christ seated? Where is the kingdom over which Christ is ruling? Into which “holy place” has He entered? Exactly where is the dwelling place of “the presence of God?” Wherever all this is taking place – wherever all of these things are to be found – that is where Christ will be found “Making known to us the things that must shortly be done, [and] keeping the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” Here is exactly where the kingdom of God is located.

Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

So where is the temple where God dwells in His heavenly kingdom at this very moment?

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

4) What is the earth?

The fourth is the earth to which the star from heaven falls. Since we have seen in our previous studies that scripturally speaking, the “earth” is our physical bodies in which the spirit of God dwells in the heavens of our hearts and minds, we will gain much from the things which are written in the words of this prophecy, only if we keep all of these Biblical truths in mind, as we continue this study into the seven trumpets of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure [“Christ in us” (Col 1:27)] in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We must not fail to remember that both the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, as well as the tree of life, (Christ), both come out of the ground, out of the earth. That is why Christ was “made of a woman”…the ground… the earth:

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

8) What is the darkened sun?

The eighth symbol is the darkened sun, which is darkened by the smoke of the pit. We we have already covered this symbol in our study of a darkened sun in the previous trumpet where we saw that darkness is a word associated with lack of knowledge, and faith in the lies and false doctrines of Babylon. A darkened Sun is a deceived condition, with faith in the doctrines of “another Jesus… another spirit… and another gospel.” That ‘darkness’ is the lying doctrines of a triune God, an immortal soul, an ever-burning hell, a rapture, etc; etc; etc… “two hundred thousand, thousand” false doctrines of the messengers of Satan who appear as messengers of light.

Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
Joh 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Rev 9:16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
Rev 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
Rev 9:18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Rev 9:19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

Isa 9:18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
Isa 9:19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

That is the “darkness of the sun,” with which we will be dealing throughout this revelation of Jesus Christ. This ‘darkness’ signifies all the lies and false doctrines of all the harlot daughters of Baylon the mother of harlots. Being caught up in that deception is all a necessary part of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

5) What is the key to the bottomless pit?

The fifth symbol of this fifth trumpet is the key to the bottomless pit. What is this key? The answer is that this key unlocks and unleashes upon us those doctrines which cause us to be blinded by the lies of the Adversary and His messengers.

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

It is needful at this point to remind ourselves that his prophecy is “the revelation of Jesus Christ,” which we are commanded to “read, hear and keep, for the time is at hand.” It is also needful at this point to remember, and to once again recognize “the preeminence of Christ in all things.”

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

“All things” includes Christ’s preeminence among the stars, good and evil. Christ is the preeminent “Morning Star,” or angel of God, as we pointed out above when discussing the meaning of a star.

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

So while Christ certainly does not Himself “darken the Sun and the air with the smoke of the pit,” He nevertheless tells us that it is “He who has the keys of death and hell.”

Rev 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Just as Christ gave the keys to the kingdom of God to Peter, and to all the apostles, likewise He gives the key to the “bottomless pit” to this “star”, and this angel opens the bottomless pit with this key.

Mat 16:19 And I will give unto thee [Peter and you and me, Mat 18:18] the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be [have been] bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Mat 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye [all the apostles and each of us if we are in Christ] shall bind on earth shall be [have been] bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be [have been] loosed in heaven.

If the kingdom of God is within you (Luk 17:20-21) then we are all given those “keys to the kingdom of heaven”:

Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

What does that have to do with the key to the pit? That key to the bottomless pit is also given to an angel who is within each of us, just as the kingdom of heaven is within us. The key of the bottomless pit is all the false doctrines which empowers us to deceive and be deceived and to confuse and lie to those who would enter the kingdom of God. That is the key to the bottomless pit out of which comes the smoke which darkens “the sun and the air”:

Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Here is how this angel uses this key to the bottomless pit.

Luk 11:52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered [with the wicked lies that burn like a furnace’ (Isa 9:18) lies and false doctrines.

2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Having the key to the bottomless pit and opening that pit and darkening the sun and air, by reason of the smoke of that pit signifies “taking away the key of knowledge.” We have all been guilty of opening the bottomless pit, and darkening the sun and air, by reason of the smoke from that pit. We have all been guilty of “deceiving and being deceived” as we use the key to the bottomless pit in our own lives

Where is the bottomless pit?

6) The sixth symbol of this fifth trumpet is the bottomless pit itself. Where and what is this thing called “the bottomless pit?” All of the commentaries think this pit and its smoke is speaking of some great false spiritual leader, and indeed it is. However, this great deceiver is sitting on Christ’s throne within each of us, and it is there that this entire revelation is taking place. Here is Gill’s very typical ‘somewhere out there’ take on what this bottomless pit is.

“Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit,… With the key that was given him; he made use of his universal power over all bishops and churches, enacted laws, issued out decrees, made articles of faith, and imposed them on men’s consciences, and obliged all to submit to his hellish principles and practices; and this, as it may be applied to Mahomet, the eastern antichrist, may regard the publishing of his Alcoran, and obliging all his followers to receive it as the infallible word of God:.”

If ever we need to remember that we are to “read, hear and keep the things written therein,” it is as we consider what the scriptures mean by “the bottomless pit.” All the comments and commentaries, such as this comment by Gill, serve only to further the function of the smoke that comes from this thing called “the bottomless pit.” The last thing in the world the Adversary wants us to know is the correct location and the Biblical understanding of where this “bottomless pit” is.

Many of us have been taught that this bottomless pit doesn’t even really exist until the beginning of the millennium, when Satan is cast into the bottomless pit and restrained for one thousand years. Here are the verses which are most familiar to the majority of Christians.

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.

We are not yet in Revelation 20. We are in Revelation 9, after which an angel is “given” the key to this bottomless pit and is permitted to “darken the sun and the air by means of the smoke that arises out of the pit.”

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

If you search for the phrase ‘bottomless pit’, you will find it seven times in the King James Version, and all seven instances are found only in the book of Revelation. The first is right here in this ninth chapter of Revelation.

We will pause our study here and we will examine the verses which contain the words “bottomless pit” in our next study. It is very revealing to discover that the Greek (G5421: ‘phrear’) translated ‘pit’ appears in only two of these seven entries containing the phrase ‘bottoneless pit’.

“Hell and Death” is a Key To The Kingdom

Mike Vinson — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 18:29:01 +0000

Dear Brother,

Thank you again for your tireless service to the Body of Christ. You and Sandi bless us so very much, and I praise God for the gift you both are to this flock of Christ.

Mike, in your most recent study you wrote:

“We have seen that the key to the house of David is the same as the keys to the kingdom of heaven because both give us the power to bind on earth that which has been bound in heaven and to loose on earth that which has been loosed in heaven.”

We also read in Revelation…

Rev 1:18 and the Living One, and I became dead, and behold, I am alive for ever and ever, Amen. And I have the keys of hell and of death.

…and…

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.

So I am thinking that by “The Dream Is One” principle, the key would be the same key, that key being Christ, who is able to open our understanding of spiritual knowledge.

Luk 24:45 And He opened their mind to understand the Scriptures.

The place of “hell and death” or the “abyss” is just the “kingdom” while the beast still sits on the throne and before Christ comes into His kingdom within us, and opening up “death and hell” or “the abyss” is the same as saying Christ “has the keys of the kingdom” and that Christ comes to this kingdom to take up His rightful seat.

That is why Christ says:

Mat 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19 And I will give the keys of the kingdom of Heaven to you. And whatever you may bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in Heaven, and whatever you may loose on earth shall occur, having been loosed in Heaven.

“Hell” IS the “kingdom of God” because it WILL BE.

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded. And there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ. And He will reign forever and ever.

The dream is ONE!

I am fairly sure I am seeing this right, but just want to run by you.

In Christ,
U____

Hi U____,

You have just expanded my understanding of this subject of the keys to the kingdom of heaven.

You are exactly right: “the dream is one”, and the keys of death and hell and the key to the bottomless pit, are also all one.

I have been saying the same thing, but I had not yet made this connection when I said ‘The key of David, the keys to the kingdom both give us the power to bind and to loose what has already been bound or loosed in heaven. Therefore it is essential that we know what has been bound and loosed in heaven before we can use those keys.’

I have also pointed out that the things that are bound and loosed in heaven is just a way of expressing what is the mind of God and His Son. If we have their mind, we have “life eternal”:

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Knowing what is the key to death and hell, and knowing what is the key to the bottomless pit, is part of knowing what are the keys of David and the keys to the kingdom of heaven, because as was pointed out yesterday, Christ’s throne in His kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, is typified by “the throne of His father David”:

Luk 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

This is such a blessing. All those apparently different keys are all simply a matter of knowing God and Jesus.

This is a wonderful revelation. God bless you for sharing your gold with all of us. You give it away, and He will give you more!

Your grateful brother and fellow servant of Christ, and His Christ.

Mike

The Spiritual Meaning of Biblical Locations – Part 5

Mike Vinson — Sat, 07 Mar 2015 19:10:51 +0000

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The Spiritual Meaning of Biblical Locations – Part 5

The Bottomless Pit

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.

Introduction

I recall as a 14 year-old child asking my father about this place called “the bottomless pit”. Dad was honest enough to admit he didn’t know where it was, but he emphasized the fact that Satan would be chained and bound in this ‘bottomless pit’ for the entire length of the millennium. I remember clearly asking my father why God let Satan out of that prison after the thousand years, and my father again admitted that he did not understand why God would do that. So it was with many things. Our entire family simply believed what was taught in our church, and no one asked any hard questions. A very popular song that was sung in the church at that time was entitled ‘Farther Along’, I think, and the message of that song was that there are many things which we simply are not meant to understand in this life.

Here are a few of the lyrics that come back to my mind after all these years:

“Farther along we’ll know all about it, farther along we’ll understand why. Cheer up my brother, live in the sunlight. We’ll understand it all by and by”.

Soon enough, as I got older I began asking some very simple questions; questions like ‘Why did the translators translate the Greek word ‘pascha‘, which is Greek for ‘passover’, as Easter?” I learned very quickly that everyone else was perfectly satisfied to ‘understand it all about [in the] by and by’.

Not one minister in a thousand will even quote the scriptures beyond this point when preaching a funeral:

1Co 2:9 But as it is written, 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.

Not one Christian in a thousand can, or even wants to see or hear the very next verse:

1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

A so-called “bottomless pit” is one of “the deep things of God” which “God has revealed unto us by His spirit” but which very few Christians can locate or understand. I dare say that most Christians do not bother to even question what or where this ‘bottomless pit” is. They are perfectly content to assume that God has not revealed it to us when He has, in Truth, told us exactly where to find this ‘bottomless pit”.

Where is the bottomless pit mentioned in the scriptures?

As will always be the case, the understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom of God, which includes understanding the function of this ‘bottomless pit’, will be hidden within the “line upon line and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” method which the Lord has plainly told us He uses to teach and inform “them that are weaned from the milk and are drawn from the breast”. There is also another reason why God uses this ‘line upon line precept upon precept’ method of teaching those who are “made to understand doctrine”, and that reason is to cause us to “go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.”

Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

So let’s go “line upon line and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” and see if the Lord will see fit to “teach [us] knowledge… and… [make us] to understand doctrine”, as those virtues apply to knowing and understanding what is and where is this thing which the King James Bible calls “the bottomless pit”.

The verses I have quoted from Revelation 20 at the beginning of this study are actually the last of seven times this phrase is found in the New Testament. Here are the rest of the verses where this phrase appears in the King James Version of the New Testament:

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Rev 9:3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Let’s take all these verses line upon line and precept upon precept and see what they reveal to us about this place called ‘the bottomless pit’.

Rev 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Rev 9:3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

The first three verses of Revelation 9 tell us that an angel (“star” – Rev 1:20, 2:1, 3:1) “[fell] from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the key to the bottomless pit”. Then we are told that when this fallen angel opens this pit, a heavy smoke arises out of that pit, and that smoke is so heavy that “the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit”. Then we are told that locusts come out of the smoke which proceeds out of this bottomless pit.

Smoke is presented to us in its negative sense when it is associated with this ‘bottomless pit’. In the writings of the Old Testament prophets, smoke is often presented as the very symbol of wickedness and as something unpleasant in the Lord’s nose:

Psa 68:2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

Pro 10:26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.

Isa 9:18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

Isa 65:5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

The smoke from this ‘bottomless pit’ darkens “the sun and the air”, both of which symbolize the things of the spirit realm – both good and evil:

Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The smoke that comes out of this pit darkens the sun and the air because it obfuscates the Truth which is the Sun of Righteousness and His words. Verse three makes this even clearer by telling us locusts come out of the smoke that comes out of the ‘bottomless pit’. Locusts are one of the most common symbols of the devourer whose lies and false doctrines consume the kingdom and all the efforts of our rebellious, carnal, old man, even as he thinks of himself as being blessed in every way:

2Ch 7:13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

Nah 3:15 There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.

Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

So we have a very good clue in Revelation 9:2 because we now know that this “bottomless pit” produces wicked works and wicked words, symbolized by smoke which darkens the truth, which is symbolized by the sun and the air. Satan told Christ that God had given the nations of this world over to him, and Paul confirms that fact when he calls Satan “the prince of the power of the air”, which Satan is empowered to darken with his lies and the “lusts of our flesh”, which he is empowered to excite within us as “the children of disobedience”.

Luk 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luk 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Lest there be any doubt what this “bottomless pit” produces, Revelation 9:11 tells us that these locusts which come out of the smoke produced by the bottomless pit “have a king over them whose name in the Hebrew is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon”.

Rev 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

The Hebrew word ‘abaddon’ appears five times in the Old Testament, and it means destruction:

H11
אבדּון
‘ăbaddôn
Total KJV Occurrences: 5
destruction, 5
Job_26:6, Job_28:22, Job_31:12, Pro_15:11 (2)

The Greek name Apollyon means the same thing. It appears only once here in Revelation 9:11, but its root is:

G622
ἀπόλλυμι
apollumi
ap-ol’-loo-mee

From G575 and the base of G3639; to destroy fully (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: – destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.

So both of these names are the name of the same person in two languages, and that person is the destroyer, the devil, whom God Himself created for that very purpose:

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

Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

So much for the false doctrine of an out-of-control adversary named Lucifer. Isaiah 14, where that name first appears, and Ezekiel 28 are both speaking of men who will “go down to the grave”, the king of Babylon and the king of Tyre respectively:

Isa 14:4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

Isa 14:10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
Isa 14:11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

This king is the symbol of those who serve the king of the locusts which come out of the smoke ascending up out of the bottomless pit. The king of these locusts is the destroyer himself. The kings of Babylon and Tyre are not the king of ‘the bottomless pit’. They are just men who will be eaten by worms when they go into the grave.

The king over these locusts is the same as “the prince of the power of the air” who is also the father of the “children of disobedience”. He is “[our] father the devil” whose children we all are before we are dragged to know and abide in the words of Christ. Christ Himself tells us who these locusts are:

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
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.

The servants of the king and angel of the bottomless pit are those who “commit sin” while professing to “believe in [Christ]”. These locust servants are those who profess Christ while Christ’s words have no place in them. Yet these locusts are “those Jews [Christians] which [profess that they] believe on Him”. How can I be so sure these locusts are false prophets who bring lying false doctrines? Here is how the scriptures themselves interpret this symbol of locusts which come out of the “smoke which darkens the sun and the air”:

Rev 9:7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
Rev 9:8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
Rev 9:9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
Rev 9:10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

Notice who else in this revelation is said to have crowns. Who in Revelation 20 is also associated with this place called ‘the bottomless pit’?

Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

This is the same dragon of Revelation 20:

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.

Every subject of any king is empowered by the king to whom he is subject, and here are those who are subjects of and who are empowered by this “great red dragon”:

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Just like “[his] father the devil”] this beast, which rises up out of the sea, also has “seven heads and ten crowns upon his heads”. We will come back to Revelation 13:1 after we have covered every verse in the King James Version which has the phrase ‘bottomless pit’ in it. This verse we will find to be a big help in revealing to us just where this place called ‘the bottomless pit’ is located.

First, let’s notice what this beast does as he relates to God and His Son Jesus Christ:

Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

The fact this beast is given to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and he is given power over all men and all nations, explains why we are all first this beast, but it also explains why these locusts are described as “horses prepared unto battle”. At the same time, we are told “their faces were as the faces of men”:

Rev 9:7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
Rev 9:8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

The biblical symbol for a church, whether it is the church of God or the false churches of Babylon, is a woman. Babylon the great is called “the mother of harlots” (Rev 17:3-5), and physical Jerusalem is called a harlot (Isa 1:21). The false churches all want to bear Christ’s name, but they will have nothing to do with His clothing or His food, which they hate:

Isa 4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

So what are we told of these locusts which come out of the smoke of this place called the bottomless pit?

Rev 9:8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

These locusts which come out of the smoke of the bottomless pit appear to be the church of God, when in reality they are a roaring lion seeking whom they may devour. “Hair of a woman… and their teeth… as the teeth of lions”, is just another description of the beast who “had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon”:

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

This second beast is just a more religious version of the first beast. Both blaspheme God and those who dwell in heaven, both are but different stages of the locusts which come out of the smoke of the bottomless pit:

Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Now let us take note of one more piece of information about these locusts which come out of the smoke of the bottomless pit:

Rev 9:10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

This adds one more clue as to the location of this place called ‘the bottomless pit’. These locusts have tails like a scorpion, and what do the scriptures reveal to be the spiritual meaning of this word ‘tail’? This is the spiritual significance of the word tail, and it accords with everything else we have so far shown to be the spiritual meaning of everything which we are told comes up out of ‘the bottomless pit’.

Isa 9:14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
Isa 9:15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Deu 28:13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

“The prophet that teaches lies… is the tail”, and the fact that these locusts sting like a scorpion just adds to our understanding of who is being stung by these locusts with “tails like scorpions”. Just as the church of Laodicea did not realize they were wretched, miserable, blind and naked, neither do we know we are being stung while we in the the darkness of that smoke filled with these stinging locusts. All of this adds to our understanding of the meaning of all of the symbols. The smoke, the locusts and the tails like scorpions are all these false prophets who teach lies and who darken the light of the truth of Christ and His words with their lies and false prophecies.

We have yet another very revealing clue of where we can locate the bottomless pit. That clue is given us in chapter 11 where we read:

Rev 11:7 And when they [Christ’s witnesses] shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

This verse practically comes out and tells us where to locate the bottomless pit. We are told that the beast himself ascends out of the bottomless pit to make war against and overcome and kill Christ’s “two witnesses”.

Our next verse which has this phrase, ‘the bottomless pit’, repeats:

Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

In this verse we discover that this beast which “ascend[s] out of the bottomless pit… was, and is not, and [yet it] shall ascend out of the bottomless pit”. So now we have one more clue which tells us that whatever “the bottomless pit” is, it has an ‘is, was, and will be’ quality about it which will endure from generation to generation even as the beast in each of us goes into perdition and is delivered from this bottomless pit through the destruction of that beast.

Those are the first five times this phrase ‘bottomless pit’ appears in the King James Version of the scriptures. Here now are the last two, which are the verses I quoted to open this study:

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.

From these verses we learn that “an angel [will] come down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit.” He has a figurative “chain in His hand”, and this particular ‘angel’ has the power to “lay hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan and [bind] him a (figurative) thousand years” and “shut him up” and set a seal on him so that he will not be free to deceive the nations again until the “thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”

We have now come to the point of needing to know where Satan will be confined for “a thousand years”? Where is this place called ‘the bottomless pit’, and how will Satan be confined there? Let’s go to e-sword and see how many times the Greek word for the English phrase “bottomless pit” appears in the Greek:
G12
ἄβυσσος
abussos
Total KJV Occurrences: 9
bottomless, 7
Rev_9:1-2 (2), Rev_9:11, Rev_17:7-8 (2), Rev_20:1, Rev_20:3
deep, 2
Luk_8:31, Rom_10:7

There is only one Greek word from which the English phrase “bottomless pit” is translated, and that Greek word is ‘abussos‘, and look at that! It actually appears nine times in the original Greek.

We have here the seven entries we have covered so far where it is always translated as ‘bottomless pit’, but we have two more entries where this word is translated as ‘deep’. Let’s look at those two entries and see what more we can learn about the location of this ‘abussos‘ which produces so much blinding smoke and stinging locusts and which will be the prison of the great red dragon for a thousand years.

Here is our first entry where abussos is translated as deep:

Luk 8:30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
Luk 8:31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep [the abussos].
Luk 8:32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

This is the story of the legion of unclean spirits which had been residing in this “Gadarene” man (verse 26). It is revealing that even here they do not want to go into the deep, ‘the abussos‘. They much prefer to be given to devour our flesh at their will, which is what they are given to do at this time:

2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Now let’s examine how this Greek word ‘abussos‘ is translated as ‘deep’ in Romans 10:

Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Rom 10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Rom 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? [Greek: abussos] (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

This entry demonstrates for us that the ‘abussos‘ is the realm of the dead. Descending into the abussos is the same as bringing Christ again from the dead. The people in the millennium are spiritually dead while they are physically alive. Christ entered into the realm of the dead the moment He emptied Himself of His divinity and came into His physical mother Mary’s womb to be offered as the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. He even refers to all men who are living without knowing Himself or His Father as the walking dead:

Mat 8:21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

So where is the bottomless pit, the abussos? We have learned that it is the source of all the lying spiritual darkness which blots out the light of the sun. It is the source of the devouring locusts which strip us naked while telling us we are rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, totally unaware of the blinding spiritual darkness in which we live. We have learned that the abussos is the source of all of the opposition against the saints and the witnesses who have the testimony of Jesus Christ, and we have learned that the abussos is the place from which the beast of Revelation 13:1 arises. We were twice told that the beast “ascends out of the bottomless pit”, the abussos.

Finally we saw that the abussos is the realm of the dying first-man Adam who is himself the beast who “ascends out of the bottomless pit”.

So where is this ‘bottomless pit’, this abussos? It is the very flesh of every man who rises up out of the sea of the flesh of all who are “in Adam”. When we read:

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Yes, it is true that the Greek word translated ‘sea’ here is ‘thalassa‘, G2281, which is properly translated as ‘sea’. However, when we read this same story in Mark, the abussos which the devils did not want to enter, and in which the swine die, is called thalassa:

Mar 5:13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea [thalassa].

The beast comes up out of the thalassa in Revelation 13:1, but we are also twice told that the beast “ascends out of the [abussos] bottomless pit”. Clearly “the deep” – the abussos and “the thalassa” – are just two words for the same thing. They are both symbols of the Adamic flesh into which we are all born and out of which we all rise up to blaspheme God and to blaspheme those who dwell in heaven.

Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit [Greek: abussos] shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit [Greek: abussos], and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

If the abussos is simply the sea of flesh, why would Satan object to being locked and chained in that bottomless pit? The answer is that the abussos is flesh only as it applies to Adam and his carnal, natural, clay-and-dust origins. Satan loves to rule over our flesh and devour us for his lunch, which is what is given him to do at this time, but during the thousand years he will be under lock and key within us, and he will be unable to deceive the nations “till the thousand years are expired”. It is analogous to having access to a car, which you were once given as a means of transportation, and then having the keys taken away from you. Being locked up and imprisoned in the very thing that once served him so well in doing what he wanted to do, which for Satan was to go out and deceive the nations, is Satan’s fate during the millennium.

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.

Satan is not allowed to drive his car for a thousand years because God’s elect will be in the driver’s seat at that time:

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Sequence of Events in Scripture

Mike Vinson — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 16:41:18 +0000

This article serves to tie together the scriptures which answer the oft asked question as to how the elect will possibly be handed over control of this world at the end of the age.

Prophetic Sequence of Events Outline:

Christ returns – Millennium begins
1. The Elect (living and dead) rise as immortal bodies in the twinkling of an eye;no new overcomers during the millennium. (1Co 15:48-55; 1Th 4:15-17; 1Jn 3:2;3:6)
2. Satan is imprisoned in bottomless pit / house- arrest; a seeming utopian age (in people s minds), but sin is still in the world. (Rev 20:1-4)
3. Mankind ruled by God s elect with a rod of iron; no rebellion is tolerated (lawlessness not tolerated) (Rev 20:4-6)
Satan is loosed – Millennium ends

Worldwide Satanic deception; no faithful remnant (Rev 20:7 – 9)
Post millennial rebellion, under the influence of the Adversary; (Rev 20:8)
Lake of Fire (fire from heaven/”great white throne judgment”)– the destruction of all flesh, death and hell; the immortal elect do not go through the fire – they already went through the fire during the aion. (1Co 3:12-15; Rev 20:10-21)

All redeemed and are now immortal bodies; all living with God all in all (1Co 15:28)

Prophetic Sequence of Events

Scriptures and commentary taken from IWWB:

1 God’s Purpose For The Millenium Within and Without

2 Are People Being Saved During the Millennium? Posted Mar 2, 2004 [ Updated to fit TOA Module October 7,2010]

3 When Does The Lake of Fire Begin?’x’ in italics is extraneous commentary or summary by author Mike Vinson

Event

Scripture

Commentary

Supporting Scripture/ Commentary

Supporting Commentary and Scripture

1. Christ Returns Millenium beginsAt Christ’s return the elect (living and dead) rise as immortal bodies(spirit) to meet Him.

dead (in Christ) elect and those alive elect rise to meet Christ in the air

1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery;We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

When Christ returns we [ elect and those dead in Christ] will be like him born of spirit (not flesh) in the twinkling of an eye; capable of being visible; manifesting in a physical body. xWe spiritually pass from death unto life if we are in Christ:

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. 2..

1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

All of this is “in earnest” or down payment form only at this time, but it is nevertheless an accomplished fact which is lacking only ‘birthpains,’ a resurrection from a physical grave or an instantaneous change into a spiritual body.

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory,who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed,ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

“The redemption of the purchased possession” is the resurrection from the dead which all mankind will experience in his appointed time.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

“As in Adam… so in Christ.” There was no ‘freedom of choice’ for any of us when we came to be “in Adam.” I cannot remember being asked if I chose to be “in Adam.” Being “in Adam” is thrust upon us all by virtue of our physical birth. And while God will “prepare our hearts” to receive Christ, He will do so through what He calls His “dragging” us to Himself.

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw [ Greek – drag] him: and I will raise him up at the last day. [ read After The Counsel of His Own Will].

1Ch 29:18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:2

So when we do call out to God to have mercy upon us, we do so because we have been “prepared” by God to do so. We do not do so because of some unscriptural thing called “free will.” Who then is responsible for those hearts who refuse to be humbled? Who causes all of mankind to rebel against the rulership of God in his elect at this time and against the rulership of God’s elect at the consummation of the millennium? What do the scriptures teach?

Jer 12:3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried [ and “prepared… drug”] mine heart toward thee: pull them [ also] out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them [ also] for the day of slaughter.2

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [ Gk.- precede] them which are asleep.1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them[ them which are asleep.] in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

It is a common Christian misconception to think that because Christ had to show His nail- scarred body to his doubting disciples that this story equates to the “we shall be like Him.” [ raised in the flesh but we will be raised in spirit.]1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear,we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Christ is not in a body of flesh and blood. Rather He is now“born of the spirit.”

He was flesh and blood when he came to earth born of a woman, then he died on the cross and rose the 3rd day and was and is now born of spirit.[ we will be like him in this way spirit!]

1a & 1c. Elect Reign with Christ during the millenniumRulership during the millennium is only for the overcomers *(Rev chap 2-3)

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.

Ruling and reigning with Christ during the millennium is a ‘prize’ reserved only for those in the first resurrectionThe rest of the dead(everyone not chosen/ elect) remain asleep / dead during the millennium/ thousand years – until the millennium is finished/ ends

Who is “the camp of the saints… and the beloved city?”

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

These are obviously the rulers of this millenial reign;

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

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain [ at Christs return] shall be caught up together with them [ them which are asleep.4:15] in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Those who die during the millennium are not in the 1st resurrection. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished, does not exclude those who die during the millennium.In other words, Those [ called and unbelievers alive/ dead when Christ Returns] and those that die during the millennium are the rest of the dead that live not again until the thousand years are finished they are not the elect (1st resurrection) because the elect meet the Lord in the air(instantly born of the spirit; flesh gone) at his return: 1Th 4:17

1a &1c. Rulership during the millennium is only for the overcomers *(Rev chap 2-3)overcomers are they that overcame the wicked one during the ages, before the millineum.

Rev 17 & 18

*Rev 2-3 To the Church in EphesusRev 2:1 To the angel[ a] of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
Rev 2:2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
Rev 2:3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Rev 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
Rev 2:5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Rev 2:6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Rev 2:7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

To the Church in Smyrna

Rev 2:8 To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
Rev 2:9 I know your afflictions and your poverty yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Rev 2:10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor s crown.
Rev 2:11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

To the Church in Pergamum

Rev 2:12 To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double- edged sword.
Rev 2:13 I know where you live where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city where Satan lives.
Rev 2:14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.
Rev 2:15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Rev 2:16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Rev 2:17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.

To the Church in Thyatira

Rev 2:18 To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
Rev 2:19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
Rev 2:20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
Rev 2:21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
Rev 2:22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
Rev 2:23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
Rev 2:24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan s so-called deep secrets, I will not impose any other burden on you,25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.
Rev 2:26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations
Rev 2:27 that one will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery[ b] just as I have received authority from my Father.
Rev 2:28 I will also give that one the morning star.
Rev 2:29 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Sardis

3 To the angel[ c] of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[ d] of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.
5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.
6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Philadelphia

7 To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

To the Church in Laodicea

14 To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God s creation.
15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!
16 So, because you are lukewarm neither hot nor cold I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17 You say, I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

1) The ‘overcoming’ mentioned in these two chapters has to do with more than just the flesh. As a matter of fact, Paul tells us that while we certainly appear to be wrestling against the flesh, in realityWe wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph 6:12)

In other words, God is using Satan as an instrument of adversity. Hence the name Adversary. Contrary to orthodox Christian doctrine, Satan was no more righteous in the beginning than Adam. Both were created to perform just as they did. Adam was “corruptible flesh,” and “naked” from the Creator’s hand.

Contrary to orthodox Christian doctrine, Satan was no more righteous in the beginning than Adam. Both were created to perform just as they did. Adam was “corruptible flesh,” and “naked” from the Creator’s hand.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Gen 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

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.

2) Jesus Christ says Satan, the Adversary, “was a murderer from the beginning.”

So Satan was created to be an adversary to “wrestle … against flesh and blood” so those who are destined to become ‘overcomers’ could“overcome the wicked one.”

3) Without an adversary there can be no overcomer (1Jn 2:13-14; Rev 20:2). What becomes of this connection during the millennium? If ‘overcomers’ are those who “overcome the wicked one,” and “overcome him [‘the Accuser,’ ‘the Devil,’ ‘the Great Dragon’] by the blood of the Lamb,” then the millennium will not produce “overcomers” because Satan will be ‘in prison’ during this time.

1Jn 2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men,because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1Jn 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren[ Satan] is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him, by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

No new overcomers during this period‘overcomers’ are those who “overcome the wicked one,” and “overcome him [‘the Accuser,’ ‘the Devil,’ ‘the Great Dragon’] by the blood of the Lamb,” then the millennium will not produce “overcomers” because Satan will be ‘in prison’ during this time.1

the thousand years of being ruled with a rod of iron were never intended to be a time for converting the hearts of mankind. Converted hearts have all endured being “carnal… babes in Christ” who were at one time ruled with a rod of iron but are no longer under the schoolmaster and his ‘rod of iron.’ Converted hearts are “prepared” by God Himself to receive his law into their hearts:

1Ch 29:18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:2

1b. Satan is in prison during this time; a seeming utopian age; sin still in the worldBut the ‘bottomless pit’ is nothing more than ‘house arrest’ for Satan

Elect Rule with a rod of iron

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.

the whole world during this time will be like Job before his trials; the whole world will have “a hedge about it.”Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

This is a perfect description of the garden of Eden before the tempter was sent to tempt Eve. Had Eve not known God? Well, yes, Eve knew God just as well as any newborn baby knows its mother. Maybe she even knew God as a toddler knows that his parents will provide for him. But to begin with, neither Adam nor Eve knew God as a loving Father who would tell his chosen children:

Heb 12:5 … My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

No normal loving parent “chastens and scourges” an infant or even a toddler. “Chastening” is reserved for children who are maturing. Neither of our original parents yet knew anything of the “chastening [ grace] of the Lord.””

Grace did much more abound” means that God’s “chastening and scourging,” will outlast our stubborn sinning! So what will become of those who live through the Millenium? What is the fruit of such a utopian age? It is the same as the fruit of our original unproven and untried parents:

Isa 30:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem:thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry;when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. [No trying of your faith here]
Isa 30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
Isa 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. [Not exactly ‘trying times.’]The trying and the testing and the proving which are essential for the preparation of ‘kings and priests’ will be completely non- existent.

This is not to say that the flesh has to have Satan to be sinful. Nothing is further from the truth. But in the absence of the ‘Tempter,’ those who live during the millennium will do so under the influence of those who will be ‘ruling and reigning with Christ 1000 years.’Neither the ‘millennium’ nor the ‘lake of fire’ will produce what the scriptures refer to as “overcomers.” The reason for this truth is that an “overcomer” overcomes “the wicked one.” And “the wicked one” will be “in prison” during the millennium, and he will be purified during “the lake of fire.”Consequently neither of these periods will produce “overcomers.”But the ‘bottomless pit’ is nothing more than ‘house arrest’ for Satan. The ‘bottomless pit’ is taken from the same Greek word translated “the deep.”

Luk 8:31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep [Greek – abussos].

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit [Greek – abussos] 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 [Greek – abussos], 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. (If you have not yet done so be sure to read What and Where Is The Bottomless Pit? Also read What and Where Is Heaven?)

2. Millenium will end and Satan will beloosed

2b. post millenial rebellion – and all flesh will be brought to an end in the Lake of Fire

Summary:

– worldwide Satanic deception

–post millenial rebellion, under the influence of the Adversary; no faithful remnant

followed by the

–destruction of all flesh, death and hell (grave) in lake of fire

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired,Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.1

When the thousand years are expired, and when Satan’s “little season” of deception is expired, then fire comes down from God out of heaven and destroys all flesh, setting the stage to bring the aions to their consummation. 2This worldwide Satanic deception followed by the destruction of all flesh, could never be accomplished as long as a tempter was free to roam the earth to try and prove a remnant. To bring all flesh to an end requires that there be no faithful remnant because: That be far from thee… to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee (Gen 18:25). This deception will be complete and it will be total worldwide deception. As with Sodom, so will it be with this post- millenial generation. There will not be even a Noah or a Lot to rescue.1

–post millenial rebellion, under the influence of the Adersary1

At this juncture in world history the entire population of the earth will be in this very “uncircumcised” and very “Philistine” condition.1

destruction of all flesh

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.11Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
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.3

These [the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city] are obviously the rulers of this millenial reign; those bearing the brunt of this Satanic rebellion. Have you never wondered why God put Satan ‘in prison’ at the beginning of the millennium, instead of sending him straight to the lake of fire burning with brimstone? Now you know why. God could not put Satan in the lake of fire because the lake of fire purifies, and the beginning of the millennium is not yet the time for Satan’s purification. God still has one more work for His ever willing adversary before the Adversary himself is to also be cleansed in God’s purifying lake of fire.1flesh and blood are temporal and will one day cease to exist2

Why, oh why, must Satan “be loosed a little season?” If, as the entire orthodox Christian world believes and teaches, the millennium is a time when the resurrected saints of God will be used of God to save this world, why then must Satan “be loosed a little season?”

The answer is that the thousand years of being ruled with a rod of iron were never intended to be a time for converting the hearts of mankind. Converted hearts have all endured being “carnal… babes in Christ” who were at one time ruled with a rod of iron but are no longer under the schoolmaster and his ‘rod of iron.’ Converted hearts are “prepared” by God Himself to receive his law into their hearts:

1Ch 29:18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:2

In conclusion, this is all very depressing to those who are still attached to the flesh. But the wonderful truth is still the same for those who can receive it now, and eventually for all men:

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.1

2c. Lake of Fire“fire from heaven” followed by the “great white throne judgment” and the destruction of death and hell in the lake of fire. (Rev 20-10 212

At the conclusion of the millennium the Lord is “seeking an occasion against” all flesh. The ever willing Adversary, having been held in prison for 1000 years for this very purpose, will now be released to provide the Lord that “occasion.” The ‘Philistines’ in the scriptures are typical of those who are ‘in the land,’ but who have never even ‘come out of Egypt.’ They haven’t had a ‘wilderness’ experience and they see absolutely no need to bother with that messy and embarrassing thing called ‘circumcision.’The story of Samson typifies the condition of the population of the entire earth at the post millenial rebellion,under the influence of the Adversary. At this juncture in world history the entire population of the earth will be in this very “uncircumcised,” very “Philistine” condition.

It is at this very moment when they [ go] up on the breadth of the earth, and compass the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire comes down from God out of heaven, and devoures them (Rev 20:9).

It is in his death that Samson finally achieves his goal of delivering Israel. During the millennium all nations become ‘God’s People,’ ‘God’s Israel’.

subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they [ all men of all time], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. [For what purpose?]

The third scripture defining the ‘lake of fire’ is:

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed,that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

Isa 19:24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
Isa 19:25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritanceCol 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

It can only be “through death” that death will be abolished. It will only be THROUGH DEATH that the aions will be consumed and True life will finally come to all men through the vehicle of the “lake of fire.” The “lake of fire” is not what we have been taught in orthodox Christendom. The “lake of fire” is defined by three scriptures. The first is Isa 33:14-15: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;

This plain, straight forward verse of scripture flies in the face of all the false teachings of all of orthodox Christianity. The second scripture which, with this scripture here in Isaiah, defines why the lake of fire is called a ‘lake’ and not a ‘sea’ is:

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Rom 8:20 For the creature [all men of all time] was made

In conclusion, this is all very depressing to those who are still attached to the flesh. But the wonderful truth is still the same for those who can receive it now, and eventually for all men:Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
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.

Conclusion of the Millenium2

At the end of the millennium God is “seeking an occasion” to bring death to an end. The only way to stop death is to bring to an end that which causes corruption and death:2

What the scriptures teach us about that period is that not one single physical human being survives the “fire from heaven” which is to consume all mankind after the millennium. Here is what will happen at the conclusion of the millennium: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 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

The phrase “the number of whom is as the sand of the sea” is found several times in scripture and when it is used in reference to “Abraham’s seed”, it is often used in reference to all of mankind. When God told Abraham that his offspring would be as the sand of the sea and as the stars of heaven for number, He certainly was not referring to Abraham’s physical offspring which are comparatively few in number when compared to other nations. Despite all the claims of the false doctrine of British- Israelism to the contrary, Abraham’s physical descendants are not God’s chosen people whose seed are to become “as the sand of the sea shore for number.”

Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;Deu 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Christ will lose no one. All mankind will ultimately be “in Christ.” As such they will all eventually be “Abraham’s seed.”

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours onl y, but also for the sins of the whole world.

‘Abraham’s seed becoming as the sand which is upon the sea shore’ is also a spiritual statement which means all who are in Adam will eventually be redeemed through Christ:1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

This is what Satan will do “for a short season… when the thousand years are expired.” Those who “encamp against the saints” will be convinced that they are “holy, every one of them.”It will be the ultimate and climactic deception. It will induce the destruction of all flesh for all time.“But God means it for good.”

Gen 50:20 But as for you [Satan himself], ye thought evil against me; [God Himself] but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive [all mankind through the great white throne judgment… lake of fire].

Post- Millenium; After the Millenium, the whole world deceived

Rev 20 – 21:

Devil, flesh, beast and false prophet cast into lake of fire and tormented day and night forever and ever (aion; the age)10

White Throne Judgement11

Earth and heaven fled away12

Dead Rise13

Christ Ruling:

Death and Hell cast into the Lake of fire; Second Death14

Process:

Everyone not in the book Cast into the lake of fire15

New Heaven and New Earth21:1

Holy city, New Jerusalem, The Tabernacle comes down from god our of heaven the bride2

No More Tears4

All things new5

Redeemed inherit all things Fountain of water of life freely given6

All are Redeemed7

Second Death; we experience through them like they experienced through us

Seven Last Plagues

Holy City, Jerusalem

God All in All

1Co 15:28

The secret things belong to God; the things that have been revealed belong to us and our children.

Rev 20

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 22:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 22:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 22:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life[ all flesh] was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev 21

Rev 21:1 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.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 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.
Rev 21:4 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.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Rev 21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
Rev 21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
Rev 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
Rev 21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
Rev 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
Rev 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Rev 22

Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Rev 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

13 So here we are, the sea of mankind gives up all the dead in it. That sea is all in Adam. Death and hades or the grave give up all in them. Death and the grave have received all in Adam. In other words, both statements are saying the same thing, all men are resurrected to judgment in the lake of fire. What is their composition in resurrection?1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body;it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

And now to answer your question directly, What is their spiritual condition when they are cast into this fire? What is the spiritual condition of all who are in this fire?

Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,prepared for the devil and his angels:

Like Satan himself, all resurrected bodies are spiritual bodies. But all the bodies cast into the lake of fire are resurrected bodies with, as yet, no more than terrestrial glory. There will be every conceiveable degree of sinner to be cast into this lake of fire. Everything from innocent, untried, aborted babies to mass murderers like Mao Tse Tung. But still they are all spiritual ‘dust.’ As such they are food for the serpent, and they are all cast into the fire “prepared for the devil and his angels.”2

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life[ all flesh] was cast into the lake of fire.

– the only ones whose names are written in the book of life, who will have no part in the lake of fire, are those who have already lived through their own time of millennial blessings followed by their own”fiery trials,” their own “judgment on the house of God.”

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 4:17 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?2

It is only “through death” that we are presented holy and unblameable and unreproveable in God’s sight.” Flesh and blood cannot fill that bill.

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;2

To the natural man, Christ was simply contradicting Himself. How do you find your life? Well, “you lose it.” Only if you lose it can you find it.Life comes only through death. And that is why God’s elect must die here and now before they can be judged here and now:2

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Death must precede judgment. And yet we are told in no uncertain terms that judgment is now on the house of God:

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?

For God’s elect today is judgment day. “Where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?” They will appear at the great white throne judgment; they will appear in the lake of fire. It is there that death is destroyed.

As little as many want to admit it, salvation is a process. See our letter What are the Seven Steps Toward Salvation? which is posted in our letters section of the web page.

Samson’s relationship with God parallels that of the people of the millennium. In spite of all that the Spirit of God accomplished through Samson, Samson was an extremely carnal man right up to and through his dying moments. Those who live in a time when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Isa 11:9), like Samson, will take that relationship with God for granted. Though the carnal mind will be suppressed for 1000 years, when confronted with the Tempter it will fall victim just as Samson fell for the temptation of Delilah. It is THROUGH THIS PROCESS that salvation will come to all mankind just as it was THROUGH the death of Samson that deliverance was wrought in Israel. In this process we are told this interesting and very revealing story:

Jdg 14:1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
Jdg 14:2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
Jdg 14:3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
Jdg 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he[ the Lord] sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

The Lord sought an occasion against the Philistine just as He will “seek occasion against” all flesh following the Millenial reign. Very few of God’s people are willing to face one of the most obvious truths in the scriptures: To “destroy death” (1Co 15:26), God must destroy the source of death. The leading cause of death is not heart attacks, automobile accidents or cancer.The leading cause of death, the very source of death, is birth into flesh (Mat 8:22; Rom 7:24).

The story of Samson typifies the condition of the population of the entire earth at the post millenial rebellion,under the influence of the Adversary. At this juncture in world history the entire population of the earth will be in this very “uncircumcised,” very “Philistine” condition.

It is in his death that Samson finally achieves his goal of delivering Israel. During the millennium all nations become ‘God’s People,’ ‘God’s Israel’.

Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

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;

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature [all men of all time] was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they [ all men of all time], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. [For what purpose?]

The third scripture defining the ‘lake of fire’ is:

The Lake of fire is the single greatest act of grace in the history of mankind. For more on this subject see ” The ‘Fire’ of The Lake of Fire” in the article ” After The Counsel of His Own Will.”

The Flesh’s Reaction

But Babylon cannot think spiritually. So instead of dethroning the beast within and “possessing the gate of his enemy”within, ‘the gate of his enemies’ becomes the Suez and Panama canals or some other such outward and physical application. But such is not the case. ‘Possessing the gate of his enemies’ is a spiritual statement involving the fact that “sin [“death the last enemy”] shall not have dom inion over you” (Rom. 6:14),So both Adam and Satan will be destroyed in the destruction of death. Those who are willing to give up a life in corruptible flesh are no longer fearful of death:2

Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.Look at the teaching of Christ on this subject:

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Luk 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.2

Contrary to everything taught in the churches of Babylon, the thousand year period Is, Was and Will Be designed not to save the world, but to give God the “occasion He is seeking” to bring the aions to their conclusion. To achieve this outcome the millennium is designed to produce people who have never experienced the struggle of having to resist “the evil one.” What is so significant about that fact? Take a look at these verses relating to Satan’s function in the lives of God’s elect at this time:Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

1Jn 2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [ that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
1Jn 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

Universal Salvation vs Eternal Torment

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life , and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters,and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

” When the thousand years are expired“None of these things can happen until “the thousand years are expired.” God’s elect are ruling during the thousand years. They will not tolerate any insubordinate “dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters,and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” There is no ‘lake of fire’ until after “the thousand years are expired” and the “little season” which follows Satan’s release from the so- called “bottomless pit” (Read What and Where Is The Bottomless Pit?). It is only the doctrines of Babylon with which we will struggle until the day we die, that would have us to think that the lake of fire exists during the millennium.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire

The nineteenth chapter of Revelation mentions the marriage supper of the Lamb. This chapter also mentions the fact that the beast and the false prophet are “cast alive into the lake of fire. Having not so much as a clue as to what and who are the “beast and the false prophet,” having not so much as a clue that all of the words of the prophecy of this book are to be kept by each of God’s elect down through the generations of mankind; thinking instead that this is a book concerned only with the last generation of men who are on this earth before Christ returns to establish His “kingdom of this world,” we all, while believing the false doctrines of Babylon read Rev 19 and believe that the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire at the beginning of the millennium. Here are the verses used by men to teach us this false doctrine:

Rev 19:15 And out of his [ Christ’s] mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Forgetting and ignoring and being blinded to the third verse of the first chapter and the sixth and seventh verses of the 22nd chapter of Revelation, Babylon tells us that this is all done right at the beginning of the millennium. But what are we told in Rev 1:3 and 22:6-7? Pay very close attention and do not forget these verses. You will tend to forget these verses for the rest of your life. Do not let that happen:

Rev 1:3 Blessed [ is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

144,000

Neither are they ever called “overcomers,” and they do not receive the promises of rulership given to the overcomers in the second and third chapters of the book of Revelation. Here is what is promised to “He that overcometh.” These promises are not for the masses of mankind who will be ruled over by the “overcomers” in the “lake of fire.” Here are but some of the promises given to God’s elect, His “firstfruits.”Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.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.

The “overcomers” given the promises listed above are the same as the symbolic “one hundred forty and four thousand.” Look at this promise given to “the overcomers… in the seven churches:”Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Here now is what we are told of those who are this “New Jerusalem,” this “bride, the Lamb’s wife:”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.

Only Christ’s bride, the New Jerusalem, avoids this “second death” and “reigns with Him a thousand years.”

Second death

Not one person who is alive at the end of the millennial reign can avoid the “fire that comes down from God out of heaven.”1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Mike,

Thank you for your article ” Rightly Dividing The Word Of God…” I appreciate your offer to answer questions. Can you tell me whether the following outline of the future is correct, and correct it if it is wrong?

At Christ’s return the dead in Christ and then the elect rise as immortal bodies to meet Him.
These reign with Christ for the Millennium. Some humans will live during this time and on conversion will become immortal without dying. The unconverted die.
What happens next? The Great White Throne Judgment? Then what happens?

Thanks for your help,

D_____

Hi D_____,

Thank you for reading ” Rightly Dividing” and for your question.

I reared my children on the principal that if they were mature enough to ask a question then they were probably mature enough to receive the answer. With that in mind, I am going to answer your question as I see it answered in the word of God. I will speak where it speaks, and I will be silent where it is silent.

You are right about the first part of your outline:

1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery;We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

It is a common Christian misconception to think that because Christ had to show His nail- scarred body to his doubting disciples that this story equates to the “we shall be like Him.”

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear,we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Nothing is further from the Truth. Christ is not in a body of flesh and blood. Rather He is now “born of the spirit.”

Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Christ is Spirit, not flesh. He appeared to be flesh with holes in His body for the sake of His doubting disciples.

Getting back to our sequence of events, we can go to 1Th 4 and get the exact same scenario as that given in 1Co 15. It is simply reiterated:

1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [Gk.- precede] them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

As far as time sequence is concerned, the scriptures seem to be very clear about the first part of your outline. That is not the case as far as the second part of your outline is concerned.

For example you state in the number 2 part of your outline: “Some humans will live during this [millennial] time and on conversion will become immortal without dying.” I can think of no scripture that makes this assertion. To the contrary, ruling and reigning with Christ during the millennium is a ‘prize’ reserved only for those in the first resurrection:

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.

This passage says, Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection … THEY shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Those who die during the millennium are not in the 1st resurrection. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished, does not exclude those who die during the millennium.

Rulership during the millennium is only for the “overcomers” (Rev chapters 2-3). The ‘overcoming’ mentioned in these two chapters has to do with more than just the flesh.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev 21

1 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.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 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.
4 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.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.
16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.
18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Rev 22

1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

As a matter of fact, Paul tells us that while we certainly appear to be wrestling against the flesh, in reality we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph 6:12).

In other words, God is using Satan as an instrument of adversity. Hence the name Adversary. Contrary to orthodox Christian doctrine, Satan was no more righteous in the beginning than Adam. Both were created to perform just as they did. Adam was “corruptible flesh,” and “naked” from the Creator’s hand.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Gen 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

In spite of all orthodox teaching to the contrary, the same is true of the Adversary.

Believe whom you choose. Jesus Christ says Satan, the Adversary, “was a murderer from the beginning.” So Satan was created to be an adversary to “wrestle … against flesh and blood” so those who are destined to become ‘overcomers’ could “overcome the wicked one.”

So the ‘overcomers’ ‘overcome the wicked one:’

Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren[ Satan] is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Rev 12:11 And they overcame him, by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

The reason I have quoted all these scriptures is to show the scriptural connection between the ‘Adversary,’ ‘the Wicked One,’ and the ‘overcomer.’

Without an adversary there can be no overcomer.

What becomes of this connection during the millennium? If ‘overcomers’ are those who “overcome the wicked one,” and “overcome him [‘the Accuser,’ ‘the Devil,’ ‘the Great Dragon’] by the blood of the Lamb,” then the millennium will not produce “overcomers” because Satan will be ‘in prison’ during this time.

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.

In other words, the whole world during this time will be like Job before his trials; the whole world will have “a hedge about it.”

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

This is not to say that the flesh has to have Satan to be sinful. Nothing is further from the truth. But in the absence of the ‘Tempter,’ those who live during the millennium will do so under the influence of those who will be ‘ruling and reigning with Christ 1000 years.’ Neither the ‘millennium’ nor the ‘lake of fire’ will produce what the scriptures refer to as “overcomers.” The reason for this truth is that an “overcomer” overcomes “the wicked one.” And “the wicked one” will be “in prison” during the millennium, and he will be purified during “the lake of fire.” Consequently neither of these periods will produce “overcomers.”

Isa 30:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem:thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry;when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. [No trying of your faith here]
Isa 30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
Isa 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. [Not exactly ‘trying times.’]

The trying and the testing and the proving which are essential for the preparation of ‘kings and priests’ will be completely non- existent.

Luk 23:43 And Jesus said to him, Verily to you am I saying today, with me shall you be in paradise. (CV)

The thief on the cross is often used by those who do not see the need for the chastening function of grace, to prove that the sacrifice of Christ on the cross excludes the need for us to also ‘lay down our lives’ with Him. What these people fail to realize is that this thief, though indeed as guilty as we all are, was nevertheless repentant and on the cross with our Lord. Grace does not exclude the cross. Our cross IS CHASTENING, SCOURGING GRACE. The thief will one day have to experience this same chastening grace.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me,let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

“Grace did much more abound” means that God’s “chastening and scourging,” will outlast our stubborn sinning! So what will become of those who live through the Millenium? What is the fruit of such a utopian age? It is the same as the fruit of our original unproven and untried parents:

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

What have we been told in these three verses? By themselves it would be hard to say for sure. But with the verses that immediately follow, it becomes clear that what we have just been told is that all flesh has just been brought to an end.

Such a thought is the single most repugnant thought possible to the flesh. The very concept of ‘no more flesh’ causes the flesh to recoil in fear and denial. But God has not left us to guess about this truth. This worldwide Satanic deception followed by the destruction of all flesh, could never be accomplished as long as a tempter was free to roam the earth to try and prove a remnant. To bring all flesh to an end requires that there be no faithful remnant because: That be far from thee … to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee (Gen 18:25). This deception will be complete and it will be total worldwide deception. As with Sodom, so will it be with this post- millenial generation. There will not be even a Noah or a Lot to rescue.

Who is “the camp of the saints… and the beloved city?”

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

These are obviously the rulers of this millenial reign; those bearing the brunt of this Satanic rebellion. Have you never wondered why God put Satan ‘in prison’ at the beginning of the millennium, instead of sending him straight to the lake of fire burning with brimstone? Now you know why. God could not put Satan in the lake of fire because the lake of fire purifies, and the beginning of the millennium is not yet the time for Satan’s purification. God still has one more work for His ever willing adversary before the Adversary himself is to also be cleansed in God’s purifying lake of fire.

So who do the scriptures reveal these rulers to be, who are called ‘the camp of the saints and the beloved city?’ According to the scriptures they are none other than the “blessed and holy,” “few … chosen” of the first resurrection, who have been promised…:

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 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end,to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron

Why are they called ‘the beloved city?’:

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

How has God revealed that this end will be accomplished? The answer to this question is revealed in type in the story of Samson. An angel appeared to Samson’s mother and told her that she would conceive a son who would “begin to deliver Israel.”

Jdg 13:5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

As little as many want to admit it, salvation is a process. See our letter What are the Seven Steps Toward Salvation? which is posted in our letters section of the web page.

The Lord sought an occasion against the Philistine just as He will “seek occasion against” all flesh following the Millenial reign. Very few of God’s people are willing to face one of the most obvious truths in the scriptures: To “destroy death” (1Co 15:26), God must destroy the source of death. The leading cause of death is not heart attacks, automobile accidents or cancer. The leading cause of death, the very source of death, is birth into flesh.

The story of Samson typifies the condition of the population of the entire earth at the post millenial rebellion, under the influence of the Adversary. At this juncture in world history the entire population of the earth will be in this very “uncircumcised,” very “Philistine” condition.

It is in his death that Samson finally achieves his goal of delivering Israel. During the millennium all nations become ‘God’s People,’ ‘God’s Israel’.

Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

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;

Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature [all men of all time] was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they [all men of all time], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. [For what purpose?]

The third scripture defining the ‘lake of fire’ is:

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed,that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

In conclusion, this is all very depressing to those who are still attached to the flesh. But the wonderful truth is still the same for those who can receive it now, and eventually for all men:

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

God’s Purpose For The Millenium Within and Without

Dear Mike,

Thanks for the great site and knowledge you impart on us and your sheer dedication on explaining the Scriptures to us. May God be with you and bless you always.

My question:

I’ve been reading your Prophetic Sequence of Events posted in March 2, 2004 and seem to understand all but the last part. I will paraphrase my understanding (without Scripture of course):

1. Suppose that as we all live now, Christ returns. Then all who died in Christ will be resurrected first, and following that event, those who are still alive and are chosen will then meet Christ in the ‘air’ to rule with Him for a thousand years (the Millennium)

I deduce from the above that there will be those who are alive but will not meet Christ to rule with Him because they were not chosen or they are newborn babies or haven’t heard of Christ yet.

I deduce also that those who are dead will not be resurrected at this stage purely because they did not ‘die in Christ while they were in the flesh’, or died as babies of two years old or simply did not hear or know of Christ in their lifetimes. So they continue in their state of death until after the Millennium.

2. In the meantime (that is during the Millennium) people continue to populate the earth and die the natural death as usual, except that these people are not overcomers as Satan is now bound for a thousand years. No sin and evil on earth at this stage as Christ with His saints now rule. There is an hedge over all that live. These are the people who will experience true peace on earth This I understand.

3. Now lets suppose we reach the end of the Millennium age:

3.1 Are all those that are dead, who are not in the first resurrection, now resurrected to be judged in the Lake of Fire?

3.2 As they are raised are they also immortal beings and/ or incorruptible? Or are they still mortal and corrupt like the first Adam.

3.3 Those who lived at the end of the Millennium age, do they continue to live with the resurrected from previous age?. But then what is their Spiritual status (are they also immortal and/ or incorruptible)? Or does everyone who lives at the end of the Millennium simply die the natural death in order to be resurrected with everyone to be judged?.

Thank you Sir, I will greatly appreciate your response to the above questions in particular the Spiritual condition of the people who are to be judged at the ‘White Throne Judgment’. I will then have follow up questions after your response.

Regards,

T____

Hi T____,

Your summation of the sequence of events as revealed in God’s Word is right on up to what transpires immediately after the millennium. I say that because of how you pose your question. You ask:

“Those who lived at the end of the Millennium age, do they continue to live with the resurrected from the previous age?. But then what is their Spiritual status (are they also immortal and/ or incorruptible)? Or does everyone who lives at the end of the Millennium simply die the natural death in order to be resurrected with everyone to be judged?.”

What you seem to be having trouble with is the same thing we all have trouble with; coming to grips with the fact that flesh and blood are temporal and will one day cease to exist. When the thousand years are expired, and when Satan’s “little season” of deception is expired, then fire comes down from God out of heaven and destroys all flesh, setting the stage to bring the aions to their consummation.

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 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired,Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle:the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

The phrase “the number of whom is as the sand of the sea” is found several times in scripture, and when it is used in reference to “Abraham’s seed”, it is often used in reference to all of mankind. When God told Abraham that his offspring would be as the sand of the sea and as the stars of heaven for number, He certainly was not referring to Abraham’s physical offspring which are comparatively few in number when compared to other nations. Despite all the claims of the false doctrine of British- Israelism to the contrary, Abraham’s physical descendants are not God’s chosen people whose seed are to become “as the sand of the sea shore for number.”

Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Deu 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

Christ will lose no one. All mankind will ultimately be “in Christ.” As such they will all eventually be “Abraham’s seed.”

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Let me take this opportunity to tell you that eschatology is a very distant second to the primary purpose for all prophecy. The primary purpose for all prophecy is to “keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.” All prophecy is to “shortly be done” within the lives of God’s elect:

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

This is how the unveiling of Christ is introduced to us. This is also how it concludes:

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly:blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

This reminder that this is a prophecy which is to be “kept” and “done shortly” is followed by this stern warning:

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy,God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

There is no part of this book which is not intended to be “kept [ and] shortly done” in the lives of all of God’s elect:

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Contrary to the Philistines who fill up the deep wells of Abraham’s seed, knowing this is not an admonition to sin, any more than God’s telling Israel that it was not in their heart to keep His Word is an encouragement to sin.What this knowledge does accomplish is that it reveals to us what we are and what we will see we have been through as we “turn to see the voice that speaks with us.”

Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

What “the voice that speaks with us”shows to us is what we have already experienced. We are constantly saying ‘So that is what that was all about!’ as we come to understand why we had to experience that which we could not understand while we were enduring its purging flames.

But Babylon cannot think spiritually. So instead of dethroning the beast within and “possessing the gate of his enemy”within, ‘the gate of his enemies’ becomes the Suez and Panama canals or some other such outward and physical application. But such is not the case. ‘Possessing the gate of his enemies’ is a spiritual statement involving the fact that “sin [“death the last enemy”] shall not have dominion over you” (Rom. 6:14), and ‘Abraham’s seed becoming as the sand which is upon the sea shore’ is also a spiritual statement which means all who are in Adam will eventually be redeemed through Christ:

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

“Possessing the gate of our enemies” is scriptural language for dominating our enemies. From a scriptural point of view, our number one enemy is the sin within each of us. Who is it that no longer has dominion over us when we are “in Christ”? I repeat:

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

We spiritually pass from death unto life if we are in Christ:

1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

All of this is “in earnest” or down payment form only at this time, but it is nevertheless an accomplished fact which is lacking only ‘birthpains’, a resurrection from a physical grave or an instantaneous change into a spiritual body.

“The redemption of the purchased possession” is the resurrection from the dead which all mankind will experience in his appointed time.

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw [ Greek – drag] him: and I will raise him up at the last day. [ read After The Counsel of His Own Will].

1Ch 29:18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

Psa 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

‘When the thousand years are expired, Satan will be loosed from his prison and will deceive the nations in the four quarters of the earth.’ The true purpose for the millennium is to “prepare” all mankind, all flesh for “the day of slaughter.” God will “loose Satan from his prison” simply for this purpose. Satan has been restrained for that entire period in what the King James calls “the bottomless pit.”

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit [ Greek – abussos- Strong’s number 12] 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 [ Greek – abussos], 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.

But the ‘bottomless pit’ is nothing more than ‘house arrest’ for Satan. The ‘bottomless pit’ is taken from the same Greek word translated “the deep.”

Luk 8:31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep [ Greek – abussos].

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit [ Greek – abussos] 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 [Greek – abussos]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. (If you have not yet done so be sure to read What and Where Is The Bottomless Pit? Also read What and Where Is Heaven?)

The answer is that the thousand years of being ruled with a rod of iron were never intended to be a time for converting the hearts of mankind. Converted hearts have all endured being “carnal… babes in Christ” who were at one time ruled with a rod of iron but are no longer under the schoolmaster and his ‘rod of iron.’ Converted hearts are “prepared” by God Himself to receive his law into their hearts:

1C h 29:18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

When Israel was in the wilderness, Israel was “under the schoolmaster,” and God ruled Israel with a rod of iron. The man who picked up sticks on the sabbath was stoned to death. Miriam was stricken with leprosy for usurping Moses’ position. Thousands died for committing fornication at Mount Sinai and at Baalpeor. Korah and 250 elders of Israel were swallowed up by the earth and slain in the camp. God sent “fiery serpents among the people who were “discouraged because of the way.” Ten times Israel rebelled against the Cloud that led them and ten times their rebellions were crushed with ‘a rod of iron.’ So too, will all the earth be ruled during the millennium.

But ask yourself; did those forty years of having a visible presence of God in their midst, as the whole world will experience during the millennium; of being ruled with severe chastening during that time, change any hearts? No, it did not. Not one of the people who came up out of Egypt “of 20 years old and up” entered into the promised land, except for Caleb and Joshua. That is the purpose for the millennium. Mankind will at that time live their entire lives having Satan hedged out of their lives, and like Moses and Aaron and all of that generation, they must “lose their life before they can find it.” The whole world lives for one thousand years as Job lived his life at the first. Satan will be hedged out of the lives of everyone who lives at that time. God is preparing a whole world full of self- righteous Jobs and Korahs. All who know the voice of the True Shepherd have been there and done that, and look behind themselves to see that voice and the unveiling of Christ within themselves:

Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? [ Not to be confused with converted]
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

God had hedged about Job and blessed Job for one purpose. That one purpose can be seen only by those who are given eyes to see. Why had God hedged and blessed Job physically? Why will God hedge and bless mankind physically for one thousand years? Was it because Job was a converted man? Is that why God had hedged Satan out of Job’s life? That is exactly what the ministers of Babylon teach to this day. But is there any truth to teaching that a converted Christian will not be sorely tried by Satan? Is it true that obedience to God guarantees one a life of prosperity and an abundance of physical blessings in this age? Absolutely not! The True teaching of God’s Word is that it is through the trials of Job, trials that follow physical blessings, that spiritual blessings are accrued. The time Job spent having Satan hedged out of his life before his trials, typifies the outward millennium. Satan, as far as Job was concerned, was in prison and unable to trouble or try Job. What was Job’s spiritual condition under these circumstances? Job had done a lot of good for others during his life. Job felt pretty good about himself:

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect [ Hebrew – good] and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

That is what Satan will have for dinner when he is released from his prison after the thousand years are expired. He will have a world full of people who are as “good” and as carnal as Job. A world full of people who think of themselves just as Job thought of himself: “A good and upright man who feared God and eschewed evil.”

Job 27:6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
Job 27:7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.

Job 29:7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
Job 29:8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up.
Job 29:9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.
Job 29:10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
Job 29:11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me:
Job 29:12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.
Job 29:13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Job 29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
Job 29:15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
Job 29:16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.
Job 29:17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth.

And what does God say to this self- righteous attitude of Job?

Job 40:1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
Job 40:2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him?he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

Job 40:6 Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 40:7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
Job 40:8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

The book of Job tells us what God is doing and how He is doing it. In type God was judging Job. God brought Job to see himself for the self- righteous, God- condemning person Job was: “wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?… he that reproveth God, let him answer it.” As far as Job was concerned, God had no right to treat him as He did. Job knew it was God. Job never did what today’s minister do and blame it all on Satan. Job blamed God and yet maintained his own righteousness:

Job 13:15 Though he [ God]slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

And what did Job say when he finally saw himself for the self- righteous pile of stinking rags he truly was?

Job 40:3 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
Job 40:4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee?I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
Job 40:5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

But the old Job first had to be tried and die before the new Job could, in type and in shadow, be born a new man.

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.
Joh 12:25 He that loveth his [ physical] life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal [ ruling in the millennium and in the lake of fire].

And so it is with all mankind in the millennium. Mankind must come to see itself as the rebellion that flesh is. But the physical blessings of millennial life, the fact that Satan has been bound and in prison one thousand years, will be used by Satan as proof of mankind’s own righteousness when he is let out of his prison for a “short season.”

When Satan is released from his prison and he goes forth to deceive the nations in the four quarters of the earth, he will convince the whole world that they “are righteous, every one of them” just as Korah had convinced all of the 250 elders of Israel and all the congregation of Israel. And he will convince everyone alive at that time that “the camp of the saints” has “lifted itself up above the people.”

Num 16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Num 16:2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly,famous in the congregation, men of renown:
Num 16:3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them,Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD [ is] among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

This sounds very much like Job’s description of himself in Job 29:7-17 quoted above.

This is what Satan will do “for a short season… when the thousand years are expired.” Those who “encamp against the saints” will be convinced that they are “holy, every one of them.” It will be the ultimate and climactic deception. It will induce the destruction of all flesh for all time.“But God means it for good.”

Gen 50:20 But as for you [ Satan himself], ye thought evil against me; [ God Himself] but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive [ all mankind through the great white throne judgment… lake of fire].

Satan will be giving God the “occasion” which God is “seeking” against all flesh in order to destroy all flesh, in order to bring the aions to their consummation.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive [ through a lake of fire experience].
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end [ Greek – consummation], when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. [ In the lake of fire]
1Co 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him,that God may be all in all. [ the goal of the universe]

It will all be of God. But like Samson and his parents, no one alive at that time will know that God is “seeking an occasion” against all flesh to end death and to end the rule of the flesh:

Jdg 14:1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
Jdg 14:2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
Jdg 14:3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, [ Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.
Jdg 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

In following Satan after the millennium, the entire human race will be “reproving and condemning God.”

“Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?… he that reproveth God, let him answer it.”

How will God respond to this insubordination to the rulership of His elect?

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

At this point there will be no physical humans left on this earth. How can we know this is true? The very next verse tells us that the great dragon, the beast, and the false prophet are all cast into the lake of fire to be tormented:

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. [ the aions of the aions]

Then the very next verse reveals “the great white throne judgment and explains what is this torment and who receives this torment:

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it,from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. [If there is no earth, there is no flesh. If there is no heaven then God is “all in all”]

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [ the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea [“Sea” – the masses of mankind not yet called of God. Rev. 17:1, 15, 18]gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell [Greek – hades – the grave – where the ‘sea’ is at this time] delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.[ this is how “the last enemy… death ” is destroyed]
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Now how do these scriptures tell us that all flesh is destroyed at this point? Look at what we are told here:

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

All who are not in the book of life are in this “great white throne judgment.” That is all who are in “the sea” of humanity. This is all mankind. Even death is cast into the lake of fire.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Heb 11, Luk 12 and many other scriptures talk of “a better resurrection” and “few stripes” in judgment.

Nevertheless the only ones whose names are written in the book of life, who will have no part in the lake of fire, are those who have already lived through their own time of millennial blessings followed by their own”fiery trials,” their own “judgment on the house of God.”

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 4:17 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?

All of this “fire from heaven” followed by the “great white throne judgment” and the destruction of death and hell in the lake of fire, is shown to us immediately after we are told:

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

At the end of the millennium God is “seeking an occasion” to bring death to an end. The only way to stop death is to bring to an end that which causes corruption and death:

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

In this same 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians we are told that the last enemy to be destroyed is death:

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign,till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

It is “in Adam [ that] all die.” Destroy all in Adam and you have destroyed death.

The flesh recoils at the teaching of Christ that life can be found only through death:

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.

Col 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death,to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

It is only “through death” that we are presented holy and unblameable and unreproveable in God’s sight.” Flesh and blood cannot fill that bill.

So both Adam and Satan will be destroyed in the destruction of death. Those who are willing to give up a life in corruptible flesh are no longer fearful of death:

Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Look at the teaching of Christ on this subject:

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Luk 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

This is the doctrine of Christ in every one of the four gospels. But this simply does not compute to the natural man:

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him:neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

To the natural man, Christ was simply contradicting Himself. How do you find your life? Well, “you lose it.” Only if you lose it can you find it. Life comes only through death. And that is why God’s elect must die here and now before they can be judged here and now:

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Death must precede judgment. And yet we are told in no uncertain terms that judgment is now on the house of God:

The fact that we are told that Satan deceives the nations in the ” four quarters of the earth” tells those with eyes to see and ears to hear, that Satan deceives the entire earth at that time. Read The Spiritual Significance of The Number Four. Contrary to everything taught in the churches of Babylon, the thousand year period Is, Was and Will Be designed not to save the world, but to give God the “occasion He is seeking” to bring the aions to their conclusion. To achieve this outcome the millennium is designed to produce people who have never experienced the struggle of having to resist “the evil one.” What is so significant about that fact? Take a look at these verses relating to Satan’s function in the lives of God’s elect at this time:

Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

What is so significant about the fact the overcomers must all “overcome the wicked one” is that there is no “wicked one” to overcome during the millennium. Satan is restrained in a prison called the ‘bottomless pit’ for that entire period. The consequence of Satan’s imprisonment is that the conditions which are required to produce the trials and tests needed to produce those who “overcome the wicked one” are simply not in place. There is no “wicked one” to be overcome. All that the millennium is capable of producing is a generation of humans who are “ruled with a rod of iron.” As you pointed out, the residents of planet earth during the millennium will live lives which will simulate Israel’s experience during their forty years in the wilderness. The entire nation of Israel, in spite of all of her rebellions against those God had placed as Her visible leaders; in spite of the fact that a visible “cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night” was with them every day for forty years; in spite of the fact that Israel was hedged about to the extent that Satan could do nothing to destroy or try Israel in the way he was instructed to try and test Adam and Eve or Job or any of God’s elect, Israel still rebelled against their God. All the while considering themselves as righteous as Job. While we touched on this above, let’s look more closely at how the entire nation of Israel was seduced to “compass the camp of the saints” – While being led to believe –

that “all the congregation are holy, every one of them.”

Num 16:3 And they [ Korah and 250 elders of Israel] gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron [“the camp of the saints” – Rev. 20:9], and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

This was all done while Israel was still being led by the daily visible “cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.” All of Israel’s rebellions while in the wilderness were committed in spite of all of the daily blessing of manna and the daily miracle of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night:

Deu 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Deu 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know;that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
Deu 8:4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

Israel was fed and clothed and led with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night every day for forty years “to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.”

God was not finding out for the first time “whether thou wouldest keep His commandments.” It was Israel, it is us, who are being shown what we are and that we will not, of ourselves,“keep His commandments.”

Exo 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Exo 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Exo 40:36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:
Exo 40:37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
Exo 40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel,throughout all their journeys.

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:” That is just the Old Testament way of making this New Testament statement:

Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

You ask:

“Those who lived at the end of the Millennium age, do they continue to live with the resurrected from previous age?. But then what is their Spiritual status (are they also immortal and/ or incorruptible)? Or does everyone who lives at the end of the Millennium simply die the natural death in order to be resurrected with everyone to be judged?.”

“Do those who live at the end of the millennium continue to live with the resurrected from the previous age?’

Answer: No there are no physical survivors of the millennial “fire from heaven.” All flesh is destroyed in that fire in order to destroy death and bring the aions to their preordained consummation. In order to destroy physical death, physical life must be destroyed. So long as physical human babies are being born into bodies of corruptible flesh and blood, death will never be destroyed.

“What is their spiritual status? Are they also immortal and/ or incorruptible?”

Answer: In 1Co 15 Paul rhetorically asks this same question:

1Co 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

The next several verses answer this question in a rather brusque manner telling us that there are differing resurrected bodies just as there are different types of flesh and Paul explains again that life comes only through death:

1Co 15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened [ Greek – given life],except it die:
1Co 15:37 And that which thou sowest,thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
1Co 15:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
1Co 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

Resurrected bodies vary as much as flesh varies. In the next few verses Paul goes on to explain that there is also a vast ranges in degrees of spiritual glory in the bodies with which we are to be resurrected:

1Co 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1Co 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory

“Bodies terrestrial” is not a reference to a body of flesh and blood. It is referring to “the glory of the terrestrial, and the “glory of the terrestrial” is contrasted with the glory of “the glory of the celestial” and with all of the varying degrees of glory of the sun and the moon and the stars, “for one star differeth from another star in glory.” But Satan was given terrestrial dust to eat:

Gen 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Satan and the false prophet and the beast are all “cast alive into the lake of fire.”

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

So here we are, the sea of mankind gives up all the dead in it. That sea is all in Adam. Death and hades or the grave give up all in them. Death and the grave have received all in Adam. In other words, both statements are saying the same thing, all men are resurrected to judgment in the lake of fire. What is their composition in resurrection?

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body;it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

And now to answer your question directly, What is their spiritual condition when they are cast into this fire? What is the spiritual condition of all who are in this fire?

Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,prepared for the devil and his angels:

It is the certain outcome of the lake of fire that makes these words true for all flesh:

1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead.It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory:it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

I hope this helps you to see more of who are Christ and His Father and what is their purpose for the millennium and the lake of fire. But more than any thing else I am hopeful that you now understand that all prophecy from Gen 1:1 to Rev 22:21, is to be “kept [ and] done shortly” in the lives of all who have been given eyes to see and ears to hear what the spirit says to the churches.” What the spirit says is this:

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written,Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

God bless you as you come to know God through Christ. God bless you as you learn that you must “live by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” It is only those who see that the wheat and the tares are both within, that the tares are burned in the time of judgment within, and that all of this is experienced while yet in this vessel of clay, have ears to hear and who will be raised with the glory of the sun:

Mat 13:38 The field is the world [within]; the good seed are the children of the kingdom [within]; but the tares are the children of the wicked one [within];
Mat 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil [within]; the harvest is the end of the world [within]; and the reapers are the angels [within].
Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world [within].
Mat 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend [within], and them which do iniquity [within];

Mat 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire [within]: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth [within].

Mat 13:43 Then [if you are given eyes to see that it is all within] shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

When Does The Lake of Fire Begin?

Hi Mike,

Hope you’re well. Can you please explain your understanding of the scriptures (Rev 22:14-15)? Are these two verses referring to the millennial reign of Christ while the rest of mankind are corrected in the lake of fire which is the second death, or is it something else? The reason I ask is that some people use these verses to disprove universal salvation and therefore also to bolster their doctrine of eternal torment in the fires of hell. They also use the scripture that goes on about people being tormented day and night and the smoke from it ascending up forever, can’t remember where that is in Revelation off the top of my head but I know you will know what I’m talking about.

Your opinion is always valid on helping me come to a decision with what the Holy Spirit is already saying to me.

By the way, your video teachings on your site are a real blessing; it’s a lot easier to listen sometimes than read, especially if you’re dyslexic like my brother- in- law and my wife are. God bless you greatly.

J____,

Hi J____,

You ask:

“Can you please explain your understanding of the scriptures (Rev 22:14-15)? Are these two verses referring to the millennial reign of Christ while the rest of mankind are corrected in the lake of fire which is the second death, or is it something else? The reason I ask is that some people use these verses to disprove universal salvation and therefore also to bolster their doctrine of eternal torment in the fires of hell. They also use the scripture that goes on about people being tormented day and night and the smoke from it ascending up forever.”

Let’s just look at the verses to which you refer:

What have these verses told us? They tell us only that “they that keep His commandments enter in through the gates into the city.” What is “the city?

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out:and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and [ I will write upon him] my new name.

And then these verses tell us that “outside of the city are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers and murderers, and idolaters, who are one and all liars.” There is no time line revealed in these verses at all. These verses most certainly do not say that ‘during the thousand years this is all taking place.’ Any careful reader of God’s Word will notice that none of this can take place until the dead are raised to be judged. And when does that take place?

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [ is] as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [ are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [ the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire

“ When the thousand years are expired” only then can the verses about which you ask come into play. This chapter, chapter 20, does contain a time- line. None of these things can happen until “the thousand years are expired.” God’s elect are ruling during the thousand years. They will not tolerate any insubordinate “dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters,and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” There is no ‘lake of fire’ until after “the thousand years are expired” and the “little season” which follows Satan’s release from the so- called “bottomless pit” (Read What and Where Is The Bottomless Pit?). It is only the doctrines of Babylon with which we will struggle till the day we die, that would have us to think that the lake of fire exists during the millennium.

Here is how Babylon seduces us to this false conclusion. The nineteenth chapter of Revelation mentions the marriage supper of the Lamb. This chapter also mentions the fact that the beast and the false prophet are “cast alive into the lake of fire. Having not so much as a clue as to what and who are the “beast and the false prophet,” having not so much as a clue that all of the words of the prophecy of this book are to be kept by each of God’s elect down through the generations of mankind; thinking instead that this is a book concerned only with the last generation of men who are on this earth before Christ returns to establish His “kingdom of this world,” we all, while believing the false doctrines of Babylon read Rev 19 and believe that the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire at the beginning of the millennium. Here are the verses used by men to teach us this false doctrine:

Rev 19:15 And out of his [Christ’s] mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Rev 1:3 Blessed [ is] he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Not one single minister of orthodox Christianity is aware that this verse exists. If you were to point it out to them, they would ask; ‘How, pray tell, can you “keep those things which are written therein?” Yet nevertheless this very same statement is reiterated at the very end of the book of this prophecy.”

“These saying are faithful and true, and God has sent His angel to show His servants things which must shortly be done… I come quickly.” Does any of that sound like this is a book intended only for those at the end of this age? I think not. Now look at the words of the next verse: “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”

So here we are again at the very end of this book being reminded and warned that we need to “keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book because these are all things that must shortly be done.” Again, does that sound like the holy spirit was speaking only of something which would only affect the lives of the people who happened to be standing on this earth at the time of Christ’s return? Or is this a book which “Is, Was and Will Be” applicable to every generation of mankind from the time of Christ’s resurrection to the time of the end of mankind’s rule on this earth? Could it be that this is a book which is intended for “He that has an ear” down through the generations? Yes, indeed, this is a book that must be kept by God’s elect in every generation of mankind from the days when John penned this book on the isle of Patmos, till the last soul comes forth of the lake of fire a cleansed and purified soul. These are not ordinary words, these are the words of Christ, and what do we know of Christ’s words:

Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away,but my words shall not pass away.

We are also told this about Christ’s Words:

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [ them], because they are spiritually discerned

“The holy spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual. but the natural man receives not the things of the spirit because they are foolishness unto him. He cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned.”

What this means is that the Bible is to this day a parable to the world. “The natural man” is the man who has not been given “eyes to see or ears to hear.” For example, when God speaks in His Word and says ‘Lion…’ He is not talking of a literal lion.

Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold,the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

A lamb is not a literal lamb.

Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

… and a city is not a literal city.

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

… a woman is not a woman:

Gal 4:23 But he [ who was] of the bond woman was born after the flesh; but he of the free woman[ was] by promise.
Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory:for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

Christ is the lamb, He is the lion, He is the city and He is the New Covenant. If He is in us and we are in Him, then we, too, are all of these things.

Pro 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous[ God’s elect] are bold as a lion.

Joh 21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,Feed my sheep[ God’s elect].

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city,new Jerusalem [ God’s elect], coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you [ with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin [ God’s elect] to Christ.

This “city” is those who are called “overcomers'” in the second and third chapters of Revelation. The “overcomers are those “blessed and holy… few” who are to be in the first resurrection. Nowhere are those who are not “overcomers” ever called “The New Jerusalem.” That “great multitude which no man could number…” who “come up through great tribulation and washed their robes white in the blood of the lamb” are not part of the one hundred and forty four thousand, are not called“ first fruits.” So while the primary thrust of the book of Revelation is the ‘Is’ part of the words of Christ, there is still a ‘Will Be’ side of “the Christ.”

Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
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.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

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 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

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 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Part of that “hidden manna” is the ability to see and understand Rev 1:3 and Rev 22:6-7.

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Rev 2:28 And I will give him the morning star.
Rev 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Rev 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out:and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and [ I will write upon him] my new name.
Rev 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Read The Spiritual Significance of The Color Blue for an explanation of the significance of being a “pillar in the temple of my God.”

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

It certainly is true that that “great multitude which no man could number” will indeed as all flesh “come up through great tribulation and wash their robes white in the blood of the Lamb,” but they will not do so until the one hundred and forty and four thousand have been ruling this unconverted earth for a symbolic one thousand years. The “overcomers” given the promises listed above are the same as the symbolic “one hundred forty and four thousand.” Read the paper on iswasandwillbe. com entitled Who Are The One Hundred and Forty- four Thousand to see, in depth, what is the difference between the one hundred forty four thousand and the great innumerable multitude.

Look at this promise given to “the overcomers… in the seven churches:”

Now look at what is said of those who make up the heavenly Jerusalem:

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither,I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

Now we have already been told that God’s elect have been “espoused as a chaste virgin to Christ:”

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin[ God’s elect] to Christ.

We have also been told that “Jerusalem above is the mother of us all:”

Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

So Jerusalem above is both a “chaste virgin… espoused to Christ… the bride, the Lamb’s wife, as well as “the mother of us all.” But notice how this “the bride the Lamb’s wife is contrasted with all the rest of mankind:

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Now you have been reading iswasandwillbe. com long enough to know that God is in the process of saving all men. But you also know that Christ is and will be using this “bride” of His as His channel through which to accomplish this goal of bringing all who are in Adam to God:

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end [ the last group of those in Adam], when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

“Every man in his own order” means that those who are in that “blessed and holy first resurrection” will be in that first order. The only ones who are not “hurt of the second death” are those who are in that “blessed and holy first resurrection.

Here now is what we are told of those who are this “New Jerusalem,” this “bride, the Lamb’s wife:”

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.

Only Christ’s bride, the New Jerusalem, avoids this “second death” and “reigns with Him a thousand years.”

All others are either alive and ruled over by “the bride the Lamb’s wife” during the millennial reign or they are “asleep” in death until they are resurrected “when the thousand years are completed.” Not one person who is alive at the end of the millennial reign can avoid the “fire that comes down from God out of heaven.” It is this “fire that comes down from God out of heaven” which brings an end to death by bringing an end to birth and an end to all flesh. Read The Prophetic Sequence of Events for much more on this subject

Look at this verse of scripture:

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

It does not take a genius to understand that so long as children are still being conceived in corruptible, sinful, dying flesh, there is no way to “destroy death.” In order to “destroy death” the birth of physical “in Adam” babies must come to an end. Here is how that is accomplished:

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. [Just a part of the “great multitude which no man could number” of Rev. 7].
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city:and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

This is speaking of the last generation of Adam in the flesh. The great multitude which no man could number in the seventh chapter is speaking of this group:

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

“The number of whom is as the sand of the sea” of verse 8 are the very last physical, fleshly nations of the earth who are used of God to bring all flesh to its end. Satan’s placement in the lake of fire and the judging of all “the dead small and great, standing before God… [ at the] great white throne” is the institution of “the second death.” It is not a second dying of physical death. It is rather, the second group of humanity, the vast majority of mankind, who must yet die first before they can be judged:

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Now, here again we are given a time- line of events. That time- line declares that judgment must follow; never precede, death. But aren’t all of these resurrected bodies? Yes, indeed they are. How then can death precede their judgment?

Once again we are back to “as man teaches.”

1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

“The holy spirit teaches comparing spiritual with spiritual,” while men teach comparing physical with spiritual. The natural man cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned.

The ‘death’ spoken of in Heb 9:27 is the death spoken of in this verse of scripture:

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.

This is the death of the carnal mind even while we are yet in this “vessel of clay.” The death of the carnal mind is the birth within us of the mind of Christ. It was this understanding of what is death, that allowed the apostle Paul and the other apostles to be able to write “comparing spiritual with spiritual” in a way which to this very day contains “the hidden wisdom of God.” Physical death in no way, as Satan himself demonstrates, destroys a mind which is not subject to the laws of God:”

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

“Ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you.” And this is true even as we are yet in the body of this death, this flesh. Conversely death is not defined as the loss a physical body. Death, when we “compare spiritual with spiritual” is “to be carnally minded.” What this means is that Satan and all mankind, excepting those who were in the first resurrection, are spiritually dead even in their spiriual bodies. Satan and all of his messengers are still “enmity against God… not subject to the law of God.” And how are they ever to overcome this spiritually dead condition? Just as with us today, Satan and all mankind must die to their dead spiritual condition, in order to find life. Here is where some of those “my words shall never pass away” words will again come into play at the great white throne judgment:

Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Luk 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall find it.

It is by dying to their carnal rebellious minds with which they are resurrected as spirits, that all mankind will through the symbolic fire which is the word of God, be judged and at long last be brought back to God.

Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him:the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

It is the fact that God’s elect were faithful to “the word that I have spoken” that qualify them to “judge the world” during the thousand years, and “judge angels” in the lake of fire, great white throne judgment.

In summary, by being in Christ, by having his mind, by having his words, Christ’s elect are the heavenly Jerusalem, they are the fire of the lake of fire and they are gates of the city and the pillars of the temple, through which all men will come to Christ. Just as Christ is the only way to his Father, Christ’s elect are His channel for bring all men to Him.. The “dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” are those who are cast into the purging fires of God’s elect who will be used of God to redeem all mankind. These are “the nations and kings of the earth who bring their glory into the city” as they receive their needed stripes and come forth of this symbolic lake of fire cleansed, purified and purged of all the wood, hay and stubble that needs the fire of Christ’s Words.

Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

“The nations… and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into the city… whatsoever works abomination or makes a lie… in no wise enters into the city” until all this has been burned out by the fire of the Words of Christ. Here are few verses of scripture in support of these statements:

God’s elect are the fire of the lake of fire:

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;

God’s elect are the the city, the gates of the city and the pillars of the tabernacle:

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

No one can come to Christ except they come “through” Christ’s elect acknowledging that they are indeed His elect:

Luk 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me

Joh 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Rev 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee

God’s elect receive faith through the unbelief of their brothers, and their brothers will receive mercy through God’s elect:

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

God’s elect fill Christ, just as He fills His Father:

Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saint
Eph 1:19 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us- ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places],
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
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 is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

“The church, which is His body, [is] the fulness of Him [Christ] that filleth all in all.” That is an incredible calling of which no man is worthy. There is no room for pride in any of these promises. There is rather a crying need for the faith to claim and acknowledge the humbling honor of such a calling. For most men these promises are not even visible. Most men are looking for a physical city with phyical streets of physical gold, on which they can walk with their physical bodies of eternal flesh. That idea all amounts to total blindness to the things of the spirit.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

There is no lake of fire until “the thousand years are expired.” Only then will “the lake of fire which is the second death” be brought into play at the second death… white throne judgment… which is the lake of fire.” Any attempt to force the words of the nineteenth chapter to say otherwise is an attempt to make God’s Word contradict itself. There can be no lake of fire without a second resurrection for that second group of mankind who are not part of that “blessed and holy 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.

What Events Will Usher in the Millennium?

It has often been asked by those to whom God is revealing Himself just how will God usher in the millennium – what means will He use to change over the physical worldly governments to a government ruled by the changed/ first- resurrected elect under Christ? While exact details are sketchy, we have several examples in scripture of God causing a major change in the government of a country or kingdom from the existing rule to rulership by His chosen ones to effect a change for His purpose. Let’s look at a few of those examples to see how this future change may occur.

The first and possibly the most famous example to come to mind would be that of Joseph, favored son of his father, but hated by his brothers and ultimately sold as a slave by them jointly. His journey from slave, falsely accused, to be further degraded being imprisoned as a criminal is well documented in Genesis chapters 39 to 40. It is the stuff of which movies and stories have been made. It was by means of a dream which Pharaoh had experiencd, and which his magicians could not fathom, that God caused Joseph to be raised from prison to second in command of the most powerful country in the world at that time in the space of a single day.

Gen 41:41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
Gen 41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
Gen 41:43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

The second such example given to us is that of Esther and Mordecai during the reign of Ahasuerus who ruled a vast kingdom (Est 1:1). After Esther is selected as queen, the plot against the Jews is uncovered by Esther’s cousin, Mordecai (Est 2:7). God uses the two of them to turn the favor of the king toward them and block the planned extermination of their entire race (Est 3:6).

In less than a day, Haman, who planned the destruction of the Jews, went from being second only to Ahasuerus in power to being hung on the very gallows he had ordered constructed on which to hang Mordecai. Furthermore, on that selfsame day, Haman’s power and authority were transferred to Mordecai (Est 7:10 and 8:1).

Est 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

Another example of how God accomplishes His will in giving power to His people is recounted in the book of Daniel. Daniel and his friends were among those taken captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, and they were selected to enter the king’s household to teach because of their intelligence and wisdom (Dan 1:4).

Once again, a dream is used by God to create the conditions of a turnover of power to a few select chosen ones of God. By inspiration from God, Daniel revealed to King Nebuchadnezzar not only the meaning of his dream, but its very nature, as the king was troubled by his dream, but he could not remember what it was (Dan 2:1-5).

Dan 2:46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him.
Dan 2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
Dan 2:48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

However God chooses to bring in the millennium, we can rest assured it can happen very quickly.

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.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.