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What We Shall Be

[Part 1 – Study Aired Oct 1, 2024]
[Part 2 – Study Aired Oct 8, 2024]

 

As believers in Christ, we stand at the threshold of a profound transformation—a journey from our natural, earthly state to a spiritual, heavenly one. This transition culminates in a glorious spiritual state that often remains veiled to our current understanding. The Apostle Paul hints at this transformation in 2 Corinthians 5:17:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

This verse speaks of a radical change, a new creation that begins the moment we come to faith in Christ. But what is the ultimate form of this new creation? What will we be when we fully transition from the natural to the spiritual?

The prophet Isaiah, centuries before Christ, foresaw this newness:

(Isaiah 43:19) “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

This Old Testament prophecy points to the transformative work of God, which finds its fullest expression in Christ and our future glorification.

The Apostle John, in his first epistle, acknowledges the mystery surrounding our future state:

“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.” (1 John 3:2)

This verse encapsulates both the certainty of our transformation and the mystery surrounding its final form. We are already children of God, yet our ultimate spiritual state remains veiled.

The prophet Daniel also spoke of this future glorified state:

(Daniel 12:2-3) “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

As we progress through this study, we must remember the words of our Lord Jesus in Luke 17:20-21:

“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

This passage reminds us that the spiritual state we’re exploring is not an external, observable change, but an internal, spiritual reality. It begins in the heart and manifests in our lives as we grow in Christ, ultimately culminating in a glorified spiritual state.

To grasp these spiritual truths, we must heed the instruction of 1 Corinthians 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.”

Our study will rely not on man’s wisdom or speculation, but on the teachings of the holy spirit as revealed in Scripture. We will compare spiritual truths with spiritual truths, using God’s Word to interpret itself and illuminate our understanding of what we shall become.

As we explore this topic, let’s approach it with humility, remembering the counsel of Proverbs 28:26:

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

Our goal in this study is not merely to satisfy curiosity about our future state, but to gain a deeper understanding of God’s ultimate purpose for us. As we review what we shall be, may we be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2), growing ever more into the image of Christ.

As we begin to explore this profound transformation, we must first understand our current natural state and its limitations. This understanding will serve as a foundation for grasping the magnitude of the change that awaits us.

As we learned in our previous study, the natural or carnal mind is fundamentally limited in its ability to grasp spiritual truths. Paul articulates this in Romans 8:6-7:

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”

This aligns with what we saw in 1 Corinthians 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 prophet Isaiah also spoke of this spiritual blindness:

(Isaiah 6:9) “And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.”

We previously discussed the concept of the ‘old man’ or ‘old nature’. Paul describes this in Ephesians 4:22:

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;”

This ‘old man’ corresponds to what Paul calls the “image of the earthy” in 1 Corinthians 15:49:

“And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

This earthy nature traces back to Adam’s creation, as described in Genesis 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.”

Paul further elaborates on this concept in Romans 5:12-14:

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.”

TThis passage underscores how our natural state has always been fundamentally sinful, with Adam’s transgression serving as the point where sin and its consequences were fully realized in the world. This “reign of death” characterizes our natural state from conception, emphasizing our deep need for transformation through Christ.

Our previous study emphasized the importance of spiritual discernment in overcoming the limitations of our natural state. Hebrews 5:14 highlights this:

“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

The prophets recognized this need for divine insight. Jeremiah prayed:

(Jeremiah 10:23) “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”

As we concluded in our last study, our natural state necessitates a profound transformation. Jesus emphasizes this in John 3:3:

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Ezekiel prophesied about this transformation:

(Ezekiel 36:26) “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Having grasped the limitations of our natural state, we can now turn our attention to the remarkable process of transformation that God initiates in believers. This journey from our carnal nature to a spiritual one is both gradual and profound, involving every aspect of our being.

As our last study showed the transformation from our natural state to our spiritual state is not instantaneous, but a progressive journey. Paul describes this process in 2 Corinthians 3:18:

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

This gradual transformation is also reflected in the Old Testament. The Psalmist writes:

(Psalm 84:7) “They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.”

This progression suggests that our transformation is an ongoing process, where we continually grow and mature spiritually.

A crucial aspect of this transformation involves putting off our old nature and putting on a new one. Paul explains this in Ephesians 4:22-24:

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

This concept of exchanging an old nature for a new one is also present in the Old Testament. Isaiah prophesies:

(Isaiah 61:10) “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

The holy spirit plays a crucial role in this transformation process. Paul writes in Titus 3:5-6:

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”

This work of the holy spirit was prophesied in the Old Testament. Joel declared:

(Joel 2:28-29) “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”

The holy spirit’s work in us is transformative, enabling us to understand spiritual truths and empowering us to live according to God’s will.

It’s important to note that this transformation process often involves trials and suffering. James speaks to this in James 1:2-4:

”My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

Similarly, Paul writes in Romans 5:3-5:

”And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

These passages reveal that our trials are not meaningless, but are part of God’s transformative work in our lives, producing perseverance, character, and hope.

A key aspect of this transformation is the renewal of our minds. As Paul exhorts in Romans 12:2:

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Paul provides practical guidance for this mental renewal in Philippians 4:8:

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

This New Testament instruction echoes the Old Testament wisdom found in Psalm 1:2:

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Both passages emphasize the importance of deliberately focusing our minds on godly things as part of our transformation process.

This renewal causes us to think and perceive in alignment with God’s truth, gradually shifting us from natural to spiritual understanding.

The Psalmist recognized the importance of this mental renewal:

(Psalm 51:10) “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

It’s crucial to understand that this transformation is not just an individual process, but also a communal one. Paul describes this in Ephesians 4:15-16:

“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

This New Testament teaching reflects the Old Testament concept of God’s people growing together, as seen in Malachi 3:16-18:

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”

These passages highlight how our individual transformation contributes to and is supported by the growth of the entire body of believers.

As we contemplate this ongoing process of transformation, our hearts and minds naturally turn to its ultimate goal. What is the final destination of this spiritual journey? Scripture provides us with tantalizing glimpses of our future spiritual state, revealing a reality that far surpasses our current experience or imagination.

This transformation process is not just about us as individuals or even as the church, but is part of God’s grand plan for all of creation. Paul hints at this in Ephesians 1:9-10:

”Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:”

And again in Colossians 1:19-20:

”For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

These passages state that our transformation is part of a reconciliation and renewal of all men that God is working out through Christ. As we are transformed into Christ’s image, we participate in and contribute to this grand divine plan.

As we progress in our study, we will explore the ultimate outcome of this transformation – our future spiritual state.

As we have seen, Scripture provides glimpses of our future spiritual state, though much remains a mystery. Let’s explore what God’s Word reveals about what we shall be when we fully transition from the natural to the spiritual.

The ultimate goal of our transformation is to be conformed to the image of Christ. This conformity encompasses not just our appearance, but our entire nature, including perfect holiness and the fullness of knowledge. Paul writes in Romans 8:29:

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

This aligns with John’s statement in 1 John 3:2 and the Psalmist’s anticipation in Psalm 17:15. Part of this conformity includes attaining perfect knowledge and wisdom, as Paul elaborates in 1 Corinthians 13:9-12:

(1 John 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.

(Psalms 17:15) “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”

(1 Corinthians 13:9-12) “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

This fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy and Jeremiah’s promise of universal knowledge of the Lord.

(Isaiah 11:9) “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” 

(Jeremiah 31:34) “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Peter reveals another aspect of our future state in 2 Peter 1:4:

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

This concept of sharing in God’s nature echoes the original purpose of man’s creation as stated in Genesis 1:26-27:

“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. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Paul provides insight into the nature of our future bodies in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44:

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.”

This transformation of our bodies is further elaborated in Philippians 3:20-21:

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

The prophet Daniel also spoke of this glorified state in Daniel 12:3:

“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

While we’ve focused largely on individual transformation, it’s crucial to understand that our future spiritual state has both individual and corporate dimensions. Paul often uses the metaphor of a body to describe the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-27), suggesting that our individual glorification is part of a larger, corporate glorification of the entire body of Christ. Our perfect unity with Christ will also mean perfect unity with each other, experiencing a level of community and harmony that far surpasses our current experience.

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Part II (October 8)

While these glimpses of our future state are awe-inspiring, they naturally lead us to consider the specific attributes that will characterize our glorified existence. Scripture provides us with further insights into the qualities and capacities we will possess in our spiritual state.

As we explore the attributes of our future spiritual state, we find several key characteristics revealed in Scripture. While we “see through a glass darkly” as (1 Corinthians 13:12) states regarding many aspects of our future state, God’s Word provides clear insights into certain attributes we will possess.

One of the most significant attributes of our spiritual state will be immortality and incorruption. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:53-54:

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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.

This fulfills the prophetic vision of Isaiah:

(Isaiah 25:8) “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.”

In our spiritual state, we will no longer be subject to decay, disease, or death. Our existence will be eternal and incorruptible.

In our spiritual state, we will experience perfect holiness. Paul describes the church in its glorified state in Ephesians 5:27:

“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Jude affirms this in his doxology:

(Jude 1:24) “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,”

This state of perfect holiness fulfills the Old Testament promise of Zechariah 14:20-21, where even mundane items will be holy to the Lord.

(Zechariah 14:20-21) “In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

Perhaps the most profound attribute of our spiritual state will be unhindered communion with God. John describes this in Revelation 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.

This echoes God’s covenant promise in Ezekiel 37:26-27:

Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

In Revelation 22:4, John further states, “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” This direct, face-to-face communion with God will be the ultimate fulfillment of our created purpose and the source of eternal joy and satisfaction.

Our spiritual state will not be one of passive existence, but of active, purposeful service. Revelation 22:3 tells us:

“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:”

This service will be a joy, not a burden, as we fulfill our created purpose in perfect harmony with God’s will.

In our spiritual state, we will experience perfect unity with Christ and with one another. Jesus prayed for this in John 17:21-23:

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”

This unity will be a perfect reflection of the unity within the Godhead, demonstrating God’s love to all of creation.

As marvelous as these attributes of our future state are, they represent only part of the picture. Scripture reveals that our glorified existence will not be one of passive rest, but of active participation in God’s eternal kingdom. Our future state encompasses not only what we will be, but also what we will do. We will have specific roles and responsibilities that reflect our new nature and allow us to actively engage in God’s ongoing work.

One of the most striking aspects of our future role is that we will reign with Christ. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:12:

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:”

This verse underscores the connection between our present faithfulness and our future role. It encourages us to endure hardships, knowing that they prepare us for our future responsibilities.

This promise of reigning is not limited to Paul’s writings. In the book of Revelation, we see a glimpse of the glorified church, described in terms that echo both royal and priestly functions:

(Revelation 5:10)”And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

This verse presents a stunning picture of our future state. We are not merely subjects in God’s kingdom, but active participants in its governance. The dual role of kings and priests suggests that our reign will involve both authority and service, mirroring Christ’s own role as King and High Priest.

This concept of reigning with Christ fulfills the vision given to Daniel:

(Daniel 7:27) “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”

Our reign with Christ will be an extension of His authority and a fulfillment of God’s original mandate for humanity to have dominion over creation (Genesis 1:28).

(Gen 1:28) “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Paul reveals another aspect of our future role in 1 Corinthians 6:2-3:

“Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?”

This judicial role aligns with Daniel’s prophecy:

(Daniel 7:22) “Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.”

While Scripture doesn’t provide extensive details about this aspect of our future role, it clearly indicates a position of great responsibility and authority in the spiritual realm. The exact nature of this judgment remains a mystery, but it underscores the elevated status we will have in Christ.

Our glorified state will also be characterized by eternal worship and service to God. John describes this in Revelation 7:15:

“Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.”

This eternal service is further elaborated in Revelation 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:”

This eternal worship and service fulfills Isaiah’s vision of continual worship in the new creation:

“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 66:23)

Our worship and service in the spiritual realm will not be a burden, but a joy and the fulfillment of our created purpose.

In our glorified state, we will perfectly reflect God’s glory. Paul hints at this in 2 Corinthians 3:18:

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

This transformation will reach its completion in our spiritual state, fulfilling God’s purpose to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). We will serve as living testimonies to God’s grace and power, reflecting His glory throughout His creation. However, it’s crucial to understand that our glorified state and service will not occur in isolation.

Our future spiritual state will be set within the broader context of an entirely new creation – a reality that forms the perfect backdrop for our eternal communion with God and service in His kingdom. This new creation is an integral part of God’s redemptive plan, providing the setting for our glorified existence.

This future state represents the culmination of God’s work, where we will reflect His image more perfectly than ever before. As we contemplate these future responsibilities, may we be inspired to serve God faithfully in our current state, growing in Christlikeness and preparing ourselves for the glorious roles that await us in eternity.

The Apostle Peter speaks of this new creation in 2 Peter 3:13:

“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

This echoes the prophecy of Isaiah:

(Isaiah 65:17) “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”

And again in Isaiah 66:22:

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.”

John also provides a vivid description of this new creation in Revelation 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.”

This new creation will be the perfect environment for our glorified, spiritual state – a realm where righteousness dwells and where the effects of sin and corruption are completely absent.

Within this new creation, Scripture speaks of a heavenly city – New Jerusalem. The author of Hebrews refers to this city in Hebrews 12:22-24:

“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”

John describes this city in detail in Revelation 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.”

The prophet Isaiah foresaw the glory of this city:

(Isaiah 60:1-3) “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

This heavenly city represents the dwelling place of God with His people, the center of the new creation where our spiritual state will find its fullest expression.

Ultimately, the new creation will be characterized by God’s all-encompassing presence. Paul describes this in 1 Corinthians 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.”

This aligns with the prophecy in Zechariah 14:9:

“And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

The concept of God being ‘all in all’ suggests a reality where God’s presence, will, and glory permeate every aspect of existence. Practically, this will mean that every action, thought, and aspect of creation will be in perfect harmony with God’s nature and purposes, with no hint of sin or rebellion.

In this new reality, the distinction between the spiritual and physical realms as we know them will cease. God’s presence will permeate all of creation, and our spiritual state will allow us to fully perceive and interact with this divine reality.

Our future spiritual state will be set within the context of a completely renewed creation. This new heaven and new earth, centered on the heavenly Jerusalem, will be the perfect environment for our glorified existence. In this new reality, where God is all in all, we will experience the fullness of our transformation, living in perfect harmony with God, each other, and all of creation. As we anticipate this glorious future, may we be inspired to live as citizens of heaven even now, allowing the reality of the coming new creation to shape our present lives and priorities.

Understanding our future spiritual state is not merely an academic exercise. This knowledge should profoundly impact how we live in the present. As we anticipate our glorious future, Scripture provides guidance on how we should respond to this hope.

The Apostle John emphasizes the purifying effect of our future hope in 1 John 3:2-3:

“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. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

This purification process is reminiscent of the refiner’s fire described by the prophet Malachi:

(Malachi 3:2-3) “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

The hope of our future state should motivate us to pursue holiness and Christlikeness in our present lives.

Paul exhorts us to focus our thoughts on our future spiritual reality in Colossians 3:1-4:

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

This mindset echoes the Psalmist’s devotion:

“Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” (Psalm 73:25)

Our future state should shape our present priorities, causing us to value eternal things over temporal ones.

The hope of our future glory gives us strength to endure present difficulties. Paul writes in Romans 8:18:

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

This perspective is reinforced in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

The prophet Isaiah also spoke of the strength that comes from hoping in the Lord:

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Our future state provides us with an eternal perspective that helps us persevere through trials and tribulations.

Finally, the knowledge of our future state should cause us to live as citizens of heaven, even while we remain on earth. Paul writes in Philippians 3:20-21:

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

This heavenly citizenship should be evident in our conduct, as Peter exhorts in 1 Peter 2:11-12:

“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

The hope of our future spiritual state should profoundly impact our present lives. This anticipation should serve as a purifying force, redirecting our focus towards heavenly matters, strengthening us during trials, and motivating us to live as citizens of heaven. As we look forward to our glorious future, may we find inspiration to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of our calling, allowing the reality of our future state to be reflected in our daily lives and actions.

As we conclude our study on what we shall be when we fully transition from the natural to the spiritual, let’s reflect on the key truths we’ve uncovered from Scripture:

The Apostle Paul prays in Ephesians 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 saints,

Throughout this study, we’ve glimpsed the glorious hope of our calling in Christ. We’ve seen that we will be:

– Conformed to Christ’s image (Romans 8:29)
– Partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)
– Possessors of spiritual, incorruptible bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)
– Endowed with perfect knowledge and understanding (1 Corinthians 13:12)

We’ve also explored our future roles, including reigning with Christ and eternal worship and service. All of this will take place in the context of a new creation, where God will be all in all.

This hope is not a vague wish, but a certain expectation based on God’s promises. As the prophet Jeremiah declared:

(Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

With this glorious future in view, we are called to press on toward the goal. Paul expresses this beautifully in Philippians 3:12-14:

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

This forward-looking perspective should characterize our lives as we anticipate our future spiritual state. We’re called to actively participate in the transformative work of the holy spirit, allowing the hope of our future to shape our present reality.

The prophet Micah captured this attitude of hopeful perseverance:

(Micah 7:7-8) “Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.”

As we conclude, let’s remember that the knowledge of our future spiritual state is not meant to merely satisfy our curiosity, but to transform our lives. It will purify us, motivate us to holiness, strengthen us in trials, and cause us to live as citizens of heaven even now.

May the words of the Apostle John resonate in our hearts:

(1 John 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.

Let this glorious hope of what we shall be inspire us to live lives worthy of our calling, eagerly anticipating the day when we shall fully transition from the natural to the spiritual, and see our Lord face to face.

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God’s Purpose for The Millennium https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/gods-purpose-for-the-millennium/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gods-purpose-for-the-millennium Mon, 29 Sep 2014 02:19:14 +0000 http://iswasandwillbe.wpengine.com/?p=8515 God’s Purpose For The Millennium 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 whilst they were in the flesh’, or died as babies of 2 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 let’s 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____,

Thank you for your question.

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.

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 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:

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.

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:

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.

‘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?)

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:

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 themselves 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.

Hebrews 11, Luke 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.

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;

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:

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.

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 ;

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.

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 1 Corinthians 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 :

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 conceivable 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.”

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 Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 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.

Mike

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