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The Great Test—The Book of Revelation

 

The next text to be covered is Revelation 20:7-10:

 

                  When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison,

       and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.

       And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.

       And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

 

         This has been a challenging text for many since John first shared the Revelation. After the thousand years—the period of the restoration of all things and the millennium in which Christ reigns—Satan is let out again to deceive the nations! This leads us to two important questions:

 

         First, why would The Lord allow this?

 

Second, how could anyone be deceived again by Satan after Jesus reigned over the earth for a thousand years?

 

         To answer the first question, we have the testimony of Scripture that God is devoted to having all of His works tested to determine the quality of the work. He will allow His restored world to be tested as well (see I Corinthians 3:10-15).

 

         The answer to the next question comes under the doctrine of PAC: “People Are Crazy!” Look at the bizarre doctrines that are in direct conflict with the Scriptures that are gaining popularity in our own times. So many Christians are falling to them. In the two thousand years from Abraham to Jesus, how many times did Israel see the wonderful and awesome works of God and then backslide? How about the church in our history? How about us? When the work of restoration is completed, The Lord will allow it to be tested so that what remains will never turn from Him again.

 

         It would take me too long to establish this as it deserves in this Word for the Week format, but if you have lived the overcoming Christian life so as to reign with Him in the millennium, then you have already passed the test—this test at the end will not be for you. For those who have not been delivered from the nature of the serpent—who we are told was “crafty,” which implies always seeking to get away with as much as possible—then this will be a serious test.

 

         We should also note in this text that it is at the end of the millennium that Gog and Magog lead the attack on the “beloved city,” Jerusalem. A root of much deception can be traced to the rejection of the clear biblical testimony of how much God loves Jerusalem and the Jewish people. Many Christians have stumbled over what Paul warned about—becoming “arrogant toward the natural branches.” Rejecting any teaching that is so clear in Scripture reveals a mentality about changing or adding to the Word of God that leads to deception in other areas.

 

Many have an eschatology that has this coming battle over Jerusalem happening before the end of this age, in the “great tribulation.” It is amazing how reading the whole Bible can affect some eschatology. There are also many good reasons to question some assumptions about who Gog and Magog are, but that will have to be addressed in another study.   

 

         There are doctrines being promulgated in our time that state God does not judge any more since the cross paid for all of our sins—past, present, and future. Really? The doctrine only makes sense until you read the Bible. Jesus Himself refutes this foolishness, as does His Word right through the New Testament and to the end of the Book of Revelation.

 

We must understand that His judgments are for our salvation and come because He loves us, not because He wants to destroy us. However, destruction, the second death from which there is no resurrection or restoration, will be the price paid by those who refuse His justice and judgments.

 

         Instead of teaching or embracing doctrines that are refuted by the entire Bible, we should be asking how we prepare for His judgment so that His judgment of us is, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (see Matthew 25:21 NKJV). We are told that we can “judge ourselves lest we be judged” (see Matthew 7:1). When something is clearly going to come, it is wisdom to prepare for it rather than make up things to refute what is coming.

The Heavenly Realm—The Book of Revelation

 

This is the last week we’ll spend on heaven so that we can complete the study of Revelation. In the last several Words for the Week, I’ve shared some things about heaven from my own experience, which should by no means be considered conclusive. I’ve read and heard many other descriptions that are different from what I’ve shared, but heaven is so big and diverse that I have no problem believing that all of these experiences put together probably describe far less than one percent of what heaven is really like.

 

I think how The Lord made the physical universe to be constantly expanding is also the case with the spiritual, “heavenly” realm. Our God is far bigger than we could ever comprehend in this life, and so is His creation, both the physical and spiritual. Not only is it bigger, but as we’re told in Isaiah 9:7, there will be “no end to the increase of His dominion.” We can expect the increase to continue forever. Eternity will not be boring, but rather perpetually fascinating and filled with awe.

 

With the exception of one place I was taken in the spiritual realm, it seemed that everything in heaven was alive, including the stones, the water, and all other objects. They also each seemed thrilled to be what they were and with the interchange they had with others. This may seem strange, but it seemed very natural and right. Not only was there no death there, but there was life in everything.

 

I often walked as if there was gravity in heaven, but I could also float as if there was no gravity. If I wanted to be somewhere in the distance, I could either soar over to it or be there instantly just by focusing on my desire to be there.  

 

The emotions there were far deeper, wider, and stronger than anything I had experienced before. They increased as I dwelt on something or someone. The greatest peace I’ve ever experienced on earth was but a tiny fraction of what I felt there, and the same was true of the joy. I think our emotions are inhibited now just like our cognitive abilities, but there seemed no limit to them in heaven.

 

In my experiences in the spiritual or heavenly realm, I was always accompanied by either angels or The Lord, with but one exception. I was allowed to experience alone what I thought was the most wonderful part of heaven that I had ever experienced. Yet it was not only no longer enjoyable, it was something I never wanted to experience again. I was given this experience to show me how much koinonia is like the oxygen of heaven, and how we can help bring heaven to earth as we grow in koinonia. It is all about relationships—fellowship. This is why Adam’s loneliness was the first thing that God said was not good about His creation. True love will seek out the lonely and help them. When we do this we begin to sow in them a love for their true home—heaven.

 

I have often been asked if there will be games in heaven, such as golf, baseball, or soccer. I never witnessed any kind of games there, but as I’ve shared, I've still only seen a tiny fraction of heaven, even with all of my experiences combined. Some claim that they have seen games in heaven, and perhaps there are. I personally love games and competition, but in heaven it seemed inconceivable that you would want to win anything over someone else, and that “chance” could be a factor there. However, I would have no problem believing that there are purified and exalted forms of these in heaven as it seems that every good thing on earth has a parallel there.

 

As we covered before, there is a theological principle of “first mention,” where the first mention of something in Scripture usually is a most important revelation of its ultimate purpose. The first mention in Scripture that God had a house is when Jacob had his dream and saw a ladder reaching into heaven, and the messengers of God ascended and descended on it. This is a revelation of a main purpose of the house of God, the church, on earth, which is supposed to be the place of access to heaven. The true messengers of God are continually ascending into the heavenly realm, and then descending to bring back evidence of heaven’s reality and its dominion over all conditions on the earth.

 

As we see in John 1:51, Jesus is Jacob’s ladder by which we ascend into heaven. We ascend by the progressive revelation of who He is. Our purpose is to be seated with Him in the heavenly places (see Ephesians 2:6). This is more than a doctrine we are to believe, just as all doctrines are supposed to be what we live. For this reason, any Christian can ascend into the heavenly places with Christ. Actually, all Christians should be doing this all the time.

 

For those who are fearful of experiencing such things, I can say for sure that by doing it just one time, you will be far more fearful of returning to the earthly realm. We can experience no greater peace and joy than that which we experience with Him in His heavenly domain. On earth, even the best of things are but a shadow of how wonderful they are in the heavenly realm, and there is no evil there at all.

 

Heaven is supposed to be our home now. As one of the ancients said of the new creation man, “We are not called to be human beings who have occasional spiritual experiences, but we are called to be spiritual beings who have occasional human experiences.” Every Christian should be more at home in the spiritual realm than in the earthly. This is how the kingdom will be preached throughout the earth: by those living in and demonstrating heaven.

 

         Next week we will continue our study of the Book of Revelation.

 

 

Heaven and the Creation—The Book of Revelation

 

This week we continue our discussion of heaven. As we have briefly covered, Scripture reveals that heaven is so big that the physical realm is called “a shadow” compared to it. We also see in Scripture that it is diverse with many kinds of beings, not just angels. I personally believe that there are far more species in heaven than there are on the earth, and we are still discovering new ones on the earth. In short, heaven is a place of perpetual fascination and awe that reflects the unfathomable diverse and creative heart of God.

 

Although I think we can be sure that no one will ever be bored in heaven, the best part of heaven is without question the fact that God is there. Though we could be amazed by creation forever, the Creator is immeasurably more interesting than the creation. Then we have all of the saints, prophets, and patriarchs to get to know! There are several of them that I think I could spend a few million years with and not be bored.

 

One thing the Scriptures are clear about is that our eternal life is going to be far better than we can even conceive. The number one question I get asked about heaven is if our pets will be there with us! I’m an animal lover and fully understand this. I do not believe in making anything a doctrine unless it can be verified in Scripture, but I was shown in a prophetic experience that everything we have loved in this life will be there with us, especially our pets. 

 

One of the reasons that He made man was to have dominion over the earth and cultivate it; therefore, He made mankind to have a special bond with the animals and creatures. Even though we are out of harmony with God and them at this time, harmony with Him and His creation will be restored.

 

From my prophetic experiences in the heavenly realm, our intellectual capacity is multiplied there, and so is it with the animals. The intelligence of some animals in heaven seemed to be almost on the level of humans in this life. I can confidently say that I was “in the Spirit” when I had these experiences, but could not tell if I was really in heaven or just having a prophetic experience intended to convey a message. As stated, the Scriptures alone are required to establish a doctrine of the church, and as is the case with many subjects, the Scriptures tend to be ambiguous about what we do not really need to know for our purpose in this life. They do give us hints, but they are not clear enough to be dogmatic about them. Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 is often noted in regard to this:

 

       I said to myself concerning the sons of men, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts."

       For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath (also translated “spirit”) and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.

       All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

       Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?

 

Again, this is too ambiguous to be dogmatic about, but it is in the Scriptures for a reason. Why would The Lord give me experiences and show me things like this when we cannot make a definitive doctrine out of them? I think He does it for one reason—because I ask Him about things like this.

 

When I was a young Christian and began to have prophetic experiences that I did not ask for, I started asking for those I did want. I asked Him about His relationship with Adam in the beginning when they walked and talked in the Garden. Since He created men for that relationship and must still desire it, I asked for it. I asked Him to show me the things that He and Adam discussed when they walked together.

 

First I was shown The Lord’s delight in Adam’s curiosity, and he was curious about everything. When Adam named the animals, it was far more than coming up with good sounding syllables for the words—their names described them as Adam knew them. He knew them because he related to all of the animals. God loves the animals too, as well as all of His creation. The Lord “so loved the world,” not just people, so He came and died for the whole world. As we see in prophetic Scriptures, the whole world was redeemed and will be restored to the paradise it was created to be.

 

When God said that it was not good for man to be alone, man had God and the animals. Yet God also created man to need other people, beginning with a mate. Our first and most important need will always be our fellowship with God and then with one another, and we were also created to have a relationship to animals. This is why many are so drawn to pets—it fills a unique void in our lives.

 

Voids in our life were created by God to be filled with the good things He provided for us. Heaven is designed to be the ultimate place where we can fully become all that we were created to be, including being good stewards and having dominion over of the creation, of which animals are a major part. We will be the best stewards over the things that we love, so loving animals and all of creation is appropriate.

The Diversity of Heaven—The Book of Revelation

       The next basic thing I learned about heaven is how diverse it is. For this reason, all of my experiences together probably do not represent even a measurable percentage of the vastness of the heavenly realm. When I hear others with very different experiences of heaven, I think it is to be expected. We all see in part and know in part, so no one has the whole picture. To have the whole picture we need to put the different parts together.

       Heaven is the creation of God just as the physical realm is, so there are similarities. Just as the physical realm has such diversity and yet is all interconnected and related, this seems to be the same throughout heaven.

       In Scripture we get a glimpse of the different kinds of spiritual beings, but it seems that there are many times more species in heaven than on the earth, and we are constantly discovering more on earth. The God who so loves diversity that He makes every snowflake different has sown this diversity throughout His creation, in the natural and in the spiritual. This makes it not only a place of constant marvel and wonder at the unique beings, but also the seemingly infinite kinds of interchange between them all. With each there is both learning and building of a perpetually expanding and wonderful community. We were all made for God, but also for interchange with one another.

       Obviously the present fallen state of the world has greatly inhibited the cognitive abilities of man, but I think it has affected the animals and plants here too. It does seem that the ability to communicate between Adam and Eve and the animals was on a remarkable level before the Fall, which is why it did not seem abnormal for the serpent to talk to Eve. In heaven, all of the creatures, trees, and even grass could communicate, and with remarkable intelligence. However, this communication was not just in audible words.

       In a sense, communication is life, or life is communication. When one stops communicating, or interrelating with its environment, it is dead. Over thirty years ago, it was discovered that plants communicate and register emotion, such as fear and comfort. Recently it was discovered that all of the trees in a forest communicate with each other, even to the level that if some of the trees needed nutrients, the other trees will move them through the soil to the needy ones through their roots.

       One remarkable discovery is that even the things that we do not consider alive, such as water or ice, are impacted by its spiritual environment. Ice crystals formed where there is human discord will look jagged and discordant under a microscope. Those formed in a more peaceful atmosphere will be smoother and more uniform. I think as we develop the ability to listen to those we share our world with, we will find that all things are communicating in some form and are therefore alive.

       I think we will also be amazed at the level of intelligent communication there is between things such as plants. We call things higher forms of life because they can communicate on higher levels, which is why Jesus said, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63 ISV). Spiritual life is the highest form of life. When we learn to communicate spiritually by living in the Spirit, we can begin to communicate on any other level. The fish and even the storms obeyed Jesus. Because He is the Truth and could only speak truth, He was right that the rocks would have even cried out for Him if the people had been silent.

       I know this all may seem weird to some, which could be because of my inability to express it better, but scientific discoveries they are finding continually about the creation seem very weird. This is mostly because of our limited cognitive abilities because of the Fall, and the fallen environment we were born into. As our minds are renewed they will also be opened. The things that may seem weird to us now are a good weird. This communication between all things in creation will one day bring an amazing harmony to all of this fallen creation, such as heaven already enjoys. This is because all things will be summed up in Christ, who is the Word, the Communication between all things.

       In heaven, the communication is not just in words, or even thoughts, but also emotions—it is somehow a communication of the whole being. It felt like you fully knew all who communicated with you, and knew that they would fully know you. Communication was therefore a rich and deep experience. Because of the seemingly unlimited numbers and diversity of beings, there seemed to be no end to this joy and experience of communication. In heaven, communication is not just a conveyance of thoughts, ideas, or feelings, but it is also a wonderful bonding experience that we may get some taste of in the highest conversations we have now with other people.

       This is also why fellowship, koinonia, is so crucial, and as we are told in I John 1:7, is required if we are abiding in the light.

 

The Dimensions of Heaven—The Book of Revelation

 

        Our goal in taking time to consider heaven during this study of Revelation is so that we can see with heaven’s perspective, not just an earthly one. From my experiences, the next main aspect of heaven that comes to me is how big it is. This means that to have heaven’s perspective, ours has to grow—a lot!

 

In Scripture, the physical universe is referred to as “a shadow” of the heavenly. So the huge expanse of the physical universe only has the substance of a shadow compared to what is casting the shadow—heaven, the spiritual realm. Everything about heaven is greater than our present abilities can conceive. For this reason, anytime we encounter any part of heaven or the spiritual realm, we will be stretched. For this reason it is a place of continual growth and learning with the greatest exhilaration. Therefore, it does not seem that boredom or loneliness is possible there. 

        

         C.S. Lewis wrote in The Great Divorce that if all of the evil thoughts and actions done on earth were wrapped up into a ball and cast into heaven, and if this ball of evil struck even a tiny bird in heaven, it would not have enough substance to even register as a thought. It is hard for me to wrap my little mind around the dimensions and wonders of the physical universe, but it is that small compared to heaven.

 

The earth does not even register as a speck of dust in the physical universe, but it is a main focus and interest in heaven. This is because this little speck of dust is where all of the evil and the rebellion in the creation is now found. This was so important to God that He sent His Son to become a man and do all that He did for our redemption and reconciliation to God.

 

It is one of the great marvels in heaven that God Himself intends to dwell on the earth among men. Just as the wonders of the natural creation could keep us perpetually fascinated for ages to come, there is no wonder in all of heaven like the love God has for the earth and for men.

 

It is for this reason that earth and mankind are the special interest of heaven. If we knew how big the “great cloud of witnesses”—those who watch the earth and each of us—are, we would not only sit up much straighter right now, but it would probably be hard for us to breathe. However, one glimpse of who God is would be of even greater impact. Truly, the cloud of witnesses and the heavenly beings interested in us are great, but if we see the Lord, none of these others matter much. It is the living God who we must, and get to, live our lives before, and this is far better than just a great honor.

 

As we proceed to the end of this age and the beginning of the next, heaven will be encroaching on the earth more and more. It will become increasingly common to see angels and great heavenly majesties, as well as the dark ones who are increasingly exposed by the light. What some are calling UFOs are actually spiritual beings that are breeching the barrier. Ezekiel’s “wheels” could certainly have been mistaken as flying saucers. As this grows, Satan will try to use this to the worship of these “aliens,” but we are not being visited from any other physical world. However, we are increasingly being visited from the spiritual realm, both the good and evil.

 

Because the time of evil is just about up, the manifestation may seem like it is much greater than the good that is being manifested. We need to keep in mind that all of the evil in creation has been cast down to the earth. When I hear people say things like how good angels outnumber the fallen ones by two to one, I know that they have never experienced heaven. Angels are just one form of heavenly being—messengers—and there are more types of spiritual species or beings than there are species on earth. Only one third of just one type of being fell with Satan, and all of the rest kept their domain. So the good outnumber the fallen by k-zillions to one, even if it may not seem like it on earth at this time.

 

In all of creation, physical and spiritual, the earth is the only place where there has been rebellion against God. All of the rest have kept their place and are in harmony with the Creator. The evil has been cornered here, and it will fight desperately to the end. Yet, keep in mind C.S. Lewis’ ball of evil and the little bird in heaven. All of the evil that there ever was or will be could not even register on the scales of heaven. The light is going to win, and all darkness will soon be gone.

 

For this reason, possibly the greatest honor in all of creation will be to have fought in the last and ultimate battle between good and evil. The few who stand for the King on earth will stand against all of the evil, not just on earth, but in the universe. All who have fought against the evil on earth on behalf of the King will forever be heroes in heaven, but those who fight in the last and greatest battle will be some of the greatest of all.

 

We are now entering the times that the prophets and righteous of the ages have desired to see, and we get to live in them. Don’t waste this greatest of all honors to fight for the King in the greatest of all battles.

What is Heaven Like? —The Book of Revelation

 

The study of Revelation is a study of a spiritual experience that John had and the things that he saw while “in the Spirit.” His vision concludes with the kingdom of heaven coming to earth, so we will take a little time to examine one of the most fascinating and frequently asked questions today:

 

What is heaven like?

 

The main purpose for addressing this here is so that we can better understand how the kingdom of heaven will ultimately impact the earth, and how we can be a part of helping to prepare for this. I have had a number of prophetic experiences where I was caught up into the heavenly realm, or heaven. I have friends that have had similar experiences. These experiences are actually quite common in church history, and seem to be becoming more common today. This is a sign that we are indeed coming to the end of this age and the coming of the kingdom of heaven to earth.

 

As these get closer, we can expect the encroachments of heaven to increase. This is the Lord drawing us to what is to come, and the powers of the age to come, to prepare the way for the Lord. This is the beginning of the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom, which must be done throughout this world before the end of this age (see Matthew 24:14).

 

The following are some of the things I have learned about heaven, or the heavenly realm, from my experiences, as well as from friends and notable historical figures who had similar experiences. We must keep in mind that prophetic revelation is given for encouragement, edification, and at times exhortation, as well as revealing strategy and vision. It is not given to establish doctrine—only the Scriptures are given for that. However, we do see at times in Scripture that prophecy is given to illuminate doctrine, as in the case of Peter having the trance that led to him going to the Gentiles with the Gospel. Peter was right to act on this revelation, but it was also right that this was not accepted as a doctrine of the church until the leaders saw it in the Scriptures.

 

For this reason we should not accept any vision, revelation, or prophetic experience that in any way conflicts with the testimony of Scripture. Others that I do not accept, and that trouble me, are those who claim to have gone to heaven and witnessed things that trivialize heaven. There is a dignity and majesty to God that exceeds even the greatest of these on earth, and that dignity and majesty pervades His realm. His angels are not Gerber babies playing games. They are of a brilliance and magnificence hardly imaginable by those whose only experience is this present age.

 

That being said, heaven is not stiff. There is a pervading joy and exuberance far beyond anything that I have witnessed on earth, but it was not silly. There is a royalty beyond any earthly royalty, and a nobility beyond any earthly nobility, that pervades heaven. There is a holiness that pervades heaven that is not legalistic, but rooted in the nobility and royalty of the King. This holiness is one of the most compelling and attractive aspects of the atmosphere of heaven. It is based on how we should conduct ourselves in the presence of our awesome God.

 

The worship there is not because God needs it, but because it is the only way one can react before the glory and majesty of God. You just have to express your adoration for Him because He is love, and in His presence, He compels the greatest love from all. Worship is something that you cannot help but do in His presence, and it is so wonderful to be able to express ourselves to Him in this worship that there may not be anything else as wonderful that we can experience. There are too many other things going on in heaven to discuss, and all of them are wonderful, but worship is the highlight of all—the greatest thing we will be doing and the main thing we will want to do.

 

The greatest music ever heard on the earth does not compare to the least in heaven. However, the worship on earth—even the driest, struggling worship that we do here—can touch God more than all of the worship in heaven. In heaven you cannot help but to worship, and He knows this. When we are struggling through all of the battles and trials on earth and we still thank Him and try to worship Him—as feeble as it is at times—it deeply touches God, and all who are in heaven witness it.

 

This worship from the afflicted is even a witness to principalities and powers of darkness. It is such a witness that the angels and other majesties in heaven declare that those who demonstrate such faith and devotion when going through so much are worthy to be their judges. For this reason one of the most important things we can do to prepare for heaven, and our part in the ages to come, is to not waste our trials. Rather, let us use every one as an opportunity to grow in our faith and trust in God, and be thankful through them.

 

         Next week we will continue to seek to see from heaven’s perspective.        

 

Levels of Resurrection—The Book of Revelation

         This week we come to Revelation 20:5-6:   

         The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.

       Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

         Here we see that there are two resurrections. The one addressed in last week’s text was the “first resurrection,” which is again mentioned here as those over whom the second death has no power and who are priests of God that reign with Christ through the millennium. This is just the beginning of their eternal life. So we have two resurrections and two deaths addressed here.

         Hebrews mentions those who are a part of the “better resurrection.” This is corroborated in other Scriptures as well, making it clear that there are levels of resurrection. What qualifies us for one or the other is alluded to as those who will be a part of the first resurrection are overcomers and martyrs, or those who lived the life of the cross and sacrifice for the purposes of God. This seems to infer that those who believed in Christ for the atonement of their sins but went on living for themselves more than for Him will not be a part of the first resurrection, but rather the second.

         We should always keep in mind that when something is ambiguous in Scripture, that is what the Lord intended. To try to make it more specific and clear than it is would be a dangerous assumption. Many heresies are the result of men trying to carry to logical conclusions that which God has only revealed in part. For something to be a doctrine of the church it must be clear in Scripture, and anything else we must put under the category of an opinion, as the Apostle Paul did in some of the things that he wrote. So the following is my opinion, derived from my studies of what others have written on this, which I felt was reasonable but not enough to give it the high position of a doctrine of the church.

         I would also add here that there are generalizations made by many teachers that take some Scriptures and try to apply them too broadly. That there is a heavenly resurrection to the “divine nature” has often been applied to everyone, when it is the “better resurrection” that is only attained by the overcomers. It seems that the rest who attained eternal life by their faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for their sins will be resurrected on the earth as men. Scholars have assumed that these are the ones who make up much of the population of the earth during the millennium.

         Some teachers attribute those resurrected on the earth as men as being the “foolish virgins” who were waiting on the Bridegroom, but without the zeal and wisdom He deserves. They attain eternal life, but not on the plane with the overcomers. Others have made the distinction between those who are invited to the wedding feast and those who have attained to being part of the bride. We have also noted that there is the “great company” that stands before the throne in Revelation 7, and the overcomers in Revelation 3:21 that sit with the Lord on His throne.

         All of these distinctions in Scripture make it clear that there are levels of resurrection that are higher than others. We may only speculate about what they are, but the fact that there are greater rewards for greater devotion and service in this life is clear in Scripture. The rewards that are clear are to be a part of the royal family of God as joint heirs with Jesus, to those who will be His subjects in the kingdom.

         To be the lowest subject in the kingdom in the age to come will be better than the best life we could have in this age, but the higher levels are beyond what we can even comprehend. Even so, the pursuit of the “better resurrection” is far more important than anything we could attain with our pursuits in this life. This was obviously what the Apostle Paul meant in Philippians 3 when he wrote that he did not think that he had yet attained. He was obviously not talking about salvation as he attained eternal life the moment he believed in the atonement. He went on to say that he was forgetting what he might have boasted in before to seek the “high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

         Those who attain to the “high calling of God in Christ” will obviously still reign with Christ over the earth during the millennium, but as those sharing His divine nature. What comes after that we can only speculate about, but we know it will be wonderful for all. The restored earth will be wonderful, and to be resurrected as men without sin and disease will be wonderful as well. We also know that God Himself will dwell on the earth among men.

         Then we are told of a time when the earth, seemingly the whole physical universe, is rolled up like a scroll. We know from science that there will be a time when even the biggest stars will have consumed all of their fuel, and the physical universe will go dark. Because all who trust in the atonement of Jesus have eternal life, it seems there will be a time far in the future when all are given spiritual bodies.

         Next week, I will share some personal prophetic experiences in the heavenly or spiritual realm that helped me to understand some of these distinctions. We will then move on to the exciting conclusion of the Book of Revelation.

Reigning with Him—The Book of Revelation

 

        This week we continue with Revelation 20:4:

 

       Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

 

         Those who are faithful to serve the Lord in this life, and those who paid the price of martyrdom, will rule with Him over the earth in the millennium. This is a great honor, but it is also a duty. Our reigning with Him is not just so that we are honored, but it is for the restoration of the earth to the paradise that it was originally created to be, as we see in Isaiah 11 and other places. So how do we reign?

 

         The teaching of the Lord on this is clear in some areas. He said that His twelve apostles would reign over the twelve tribes of Israel. He taught in His parables about how those faithful with what He entrusted to them would be given a number of cities to reign over in His kingdom that correspond to their ability. This points to this life being “training for reigning” in the age to come.

 

         When I first considered that our reward for obedience in this life would be ruling over cities in the next, I confess to not being very happy about it. Having sat through city and county council meetings, I could not think of a more boring job. However, the way we see cities and the way God sees them can be very different. We tend to see the buildings, roads, and subways, but God sees the people. City planning of such things as buildings and roads are necessary to serve the people, but the building of cities in the millennium will be more about building people than things.

 

The fellowship that God created people to have with Him, and then with one another, is the most satisfying, fulfilling experience we can have. The Greek word for this fellowship is koinonia. This is a bonding so strong that it is like the bonding of the members of our body to the rest of the body. It is because of this bonding that the blood, which is the life, can flow to all parts. This is why we are told in I John 1:7,   

  

If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship ( koinonia) with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

 

         The blood does cleanse the body by carrying any impurities or toxins from its parts. It also brings the food and nutrients to every part of the body. Similarly, it is our connections with other members of His body through which His blood flows through to do the same for us. This kind of deep connection with members of His body is one of the fulfilling and satisfying experiences we can have on this earth, second only to our fellowship with the Lord Himself. Having this is one way that we are bringing the kingdom to this earth and preparing the earth for the kingdom.

 

         The first prophecies I received as a new believer were a marvel beyond anything I had ever experienced. I knew that the people giving them could not have known the things about me that they were addressing—I was hearing straight from God through them. I soared on that experience for days, and considered it the greatest experience I had ever had until I was used to speak to others in the same way. That was even better, so wonderful that my main ambition became to be used by God to speak to His people.

 

Why was this so wonderful? I saw people changed. I saw their lives impacted for good. I’m sure that it would be a very satisfying thing to design a great building and then to see it built, but I don’t think it can compare to building people, to see people change and become what they were designed by God to be. One person is worth more than many buildings. People may dwell in buildings, but God dwells in people. When we help to build people, we are building God’s dwelling place.

 

This is a main reason for the church—it is the place where we learn to edify, meaning “to build,” one another.

 

So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another ( Romans 14:19).

 

          For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's  field, God's building.

       According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it (I Corinthians 3:9-10).

 

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,

having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,

in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,

in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Breaking Free—The Book of Revelation

 

         This week we continue with Revelation 20:1-3:     

 

       Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.

       And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;

       and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

 

         After the great battle—when the nations are led by the beast and false prophet to attack Israel and the appearing of the Lord who strikes them with the sword of His mouth to destroy their armies—then the millennial reign of Christ will begin. It begins with Satan being bound for the millennium. Then he must be released again at the end of the millennium.  Why?

 

         One basic principle we see consistently in God’s dealings with man is that He always allows His work to be tested. He put the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden as a test. He did not do this to cause Adam and Eve to sin, but for there to be true obedience there must be the freedom to disobey. For there to be true worship, there must be the freedom not to worship. There cannot be true faith without the freedom to not believe. The Lord wants His creation to serve Him because we want to, not because we have to.

 

         It will be easier to serve the Lord during the millennium without Satan to deceive the nations. However, that does not mean that it will be easy. The reason that He must reign for a thousand years over the earth is because it will take that long to rid the world of the sin and evil that brought death into the world. The concept that everyone will be instantly perfect is not biblical and counters all the ways that the Lord has dealt with man from the beginning.

 

         His ways are revealed in how He transforms us after we are born again. When we were born again, all things became new to us and we became a new creation. However, we were not made instantly perfect. We began the process of having our minds renewed and breaking the power of sin and wickedness off of our lives. It was this battle with our old nature that strengthened us to walk in the new. We are told in Romans 12:2:    

 

     Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

 

         The Greek word translated “transformed” in this verse is the same word that we translate as “metamorphosis” in English. This is the process of change from which a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. The caterpillar is a worm that must crawl on the earth, being conformed to the contours of the earth. Then it goes into a cocoon where it is transformed. However, one of the biggest tests the new creature will face is breaking out of the cocoon, but it is this great struggle that strengthens it so that it can flap its large wings when it is free.

 

         We too go through a great struggle being transformed into the new creation we are called to be. Breaking free of the old “body of death” is the greatest struggle of all. It too is designed by God to strengthen us so that we can soar high above the earth to the heavenly places we are called to abide in. We must not waste our trials. We must not run from the struggle if we are going to become strong enough to be what we are called to be.

 

So what will happen when Satan is let loose to deceive the nations again? With but a few exceptions, they will pass the test. However, all of creation will know from the proof of the tests that even though the world was once fallen, the grace and power of the Lord to redeem and transform is greater than any failure. We are called to be a demonstration of this now. Do not waste your trials.

Loving the Truth—The Book of Revelation

 

This week we continue with Revelation 19:17-21 and the ultimate folly of fallen men to make war against the Lord, and their resulting doom:

 

       Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God,

       so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."

       Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.

       But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  

The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

 

         Man’s greatest folly, fighting against God, will end in the ultimate defeat of man’s rebellion. We see this madness with Pharaoh—he witnessed such power from God and then determined that he would fight with God at the Red Sea. How could anyone do this? There is only one answer—the profound and ultimate truth often stated by a former associate of mine: “People are crazy!” From the whole history of man, it seems that this truth has been firmly established. At the end of this age, it is once more ultimately demonstrated.  

 

We also have deception as a main factor at the end of the age, as stated by both the Lord Jesus and His apostles. This was the first thing Jesus warned about when He was asked by His disciples about the signs of the end of the age. The Apostle Paul elaborated on a main root of this deception in II Timothy 4:3-4:    

 

       For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,

       and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

 

         Every generation has its challenges, but there is a generation emerging that fits all of the biblical scenarios of the last generation, such as the one quoted above. They resolve to only listen to teachers that say what they want to hear, that “tickle their ears” or make them feel good.

 

         Even so, there is hope for this generation. The Lord raised up the greatest prophets in the darkest of times, and so it is in this emerging generation—there are some that are of a radically different spirit. We will discuss these more later, but in general, the millennials quickly went from shutting their ears to any who were not saying what they wanted to hear to viciously attacking anyone who said or thought anything they disagreed with. I have studied history for over half a century and I do not think there has been a generation as deceived, and prone to follow deceivers, like the one now arising.

 

So what can we do to help them? First, we must never compromise the truth that we have been trusted with. It will not help them to try to assuage their overly sensitive feelings or prejudices. Their only hope is for there to be strong witnesses who are of “a different spirit.” There are uncompromising lovers of the truth and lovers of God, as well as a new generation of radical prophets, arising. Even so, when addressing the “mystery of lawlessness”—who is the leader of the army that would try to fight against God, as addressed above—Paul gives us a clear antidote to falling to his deception in II Thessalonians 2:7-10:     

 

       For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

       Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

       that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,

       and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

 

         The key to not being deceived is to not just have the truth, but to love the truth. If we love the truth, we will want it regardless of whether it makes us feel good, agrees with our opinions or prejudices, brings us glory, or brings us shame. We will love it when it convicts us, challenges us, and shows us where we’re wrong. That is also the nature of the truly wise person, according to Proverbs—they love correction.