Family Radio Armageddon: The Big Picture

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|omi|v kodio Armoqeddon:
The Biq Picture
A Co||ection f Pomph|ets
ut|ininq ?1 Nov ?011 As The
Lnd f The wor|d
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Fom||y kod|o Armogeddon: Ihe 8|g F|cture
Famlly Radle Armagedden:
1he Blg Plcture
dlted by Jeff 5tutz
Copyr|ght 2011
8|g F|cture Enterpr|ses
8|b|eNEI On||ne keseorch Fress
Seott|e, WA
www.8FE-ksc.com
No part of ths work can be reproduced wthout the consent of
BbeNET Onne Research Press. For more nformaton pease
contact |eff Stutz va ema: |effperado @ gma.com
A pamphets and bookets reproduced heren are the nteectua
property of Harod Campng and FamyRado.com unt May 22,
2011 when they become my soe property.
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Feference:
III
Table ol Contents
nd 1imes are aII around us. Lvery cuIt and nut job is eitler preparing lor survivaI in
tle period ol anarcly coming wlen tlis country (and tle worId) coIIapses or tle second
coming ol wlatever deity to wlicl tley subscribe. lot onIy tlat, but tle enormous
variation ol dates lor tle end times is enougl to make even tle sane go weak in tle knees.
2012, lostradamus and wwIII, tle 8eventl uay Adventists, lat kobertson, 1im Lalaye and
lis trite noveIs, laI Lindsey and lis tome, 1he Lare 6rear Planer arrh. 1le Iist goes on and on.
At Ieast tle lreaky loIks at kapture-keady are somewlat lonest in tleir writings by stating
pIainIy tlat even tlougl tley expect it any moment, tle actuaI time is unknowabIe. 1len
tlere are tle oddbaII lroplets" wlo cIaim to lave been toId by uod wlen it is coming.
cleck out www.end-times.com lor konaId weinIand's books. You can downIoad tlem lor
lree, or order tlem in lardback at no cost to you.
I wouId Iike to simpIy write tlis aII oll, saying onIy tlat aII ol tlis is crap, and wortl
notling Iess tlan our luIIest mockery and derision we can give tlem. 1lat course ol action,
lor good reason, is as vacuous as InteIIigent uesign 1leory." leopIe wlo proless and
beIieve in tlis type tling are wasting tleir Iives and our Iimited resources. ut tley cannot
be ignored, lor tley lave cliIdren, tley drive cars next to us, and make our lood. we need
tlem to come to tleir senses a d return to being productive and psycloIogicaIIy lappy
citizens again. 1lis cannot be accompIisled witlout tle detaiIs ol wlat tley beIieve in
being made pubIic and disseminated wideIy. 1ley wiII undoubtedIy leeI aslamed lor
beIieving in tlis as weII tley slouId. A IittIe mockery slouId wake tlem up to reaIity. Or at
Ieast I lope.
IV
|orward
by ellperado
In tlis slort book, I am presenting a series ol pamplIets circuIating 8eattIe tlat I know ol
(possibIy many otler pIaces as weII). You can read tleir scribbIings in aII tleir gIory lere.
ecause I am sure tlat by May 22, 2011, tley wiII aII convenientIy evaporate into tle etler.
I, myseIl wiII be leaded straiglt to tle clurcl tlat lirst landed me one ol tlese
pamplIets.
I am due a reaIIy nice kV.
1le reason is tlat tlere was a group ol tlese oddIy lappy beIievers driving around in a
laIl dozen brand spanking new kVs landing out tlese broclures. Alter reading it I cauglt
back up witl tlem and asked tlis one Iady driving one il I couId lave one ol tle kVs on May
22
nd
. My Iogic was tlat since tley wouId no Ionger be needing tlem wly not7 weII sle just
Iaugled. I, lowever, was not Iaugling, I was serious tlen and I am serious now, too. I want
my kV.
weII, lere are tlose pamplIets. kead tlem, Iaugl, enjoy yourseIl, tlen prepare lor tle
compIete party time come May 22
nd
wlen we can aII make tlem leeI as stupid as tley Iook to
us in our mind's eyes.
lIus, I want my kV keys!
V
le group ol clristians wlo put togetler tlese pamplIets cIaim to be unassociated witl
any particuIar clurcl, but you can lind inlormation on tlem lrom tleir web site:
www.lamiIyradio.com. In actuaIity, tlese documents speak lor tlemseIves, cIearIy
demonstrating tle degree ol cIueIessness to be lound amongst tlese types ol peopIe. 1lere
is virtuaIIy notling tlat I need to add in order to expIain and set up tle joke. 1ley do it aII
perlectIy weII lor tlemseIves.
AII I reaIIy need to state at tlis point is tlat tlis is no joke. 1lese peopIe are reaI, and
tleir beIiels are reaI. UnlortunateIy, tleir stupidity is just as reaI. It wouId be so easy to
onIy mock tlem lere, but tlat wouId be quite counter-productive lor my ellorts, as mockery
wouId aIso beIittIe my own ellorts to conlront clristianity witl reason and reaIity. 8o, enjoy
tlis lIull, but keep your eyes open to tle lacts presented and tle reaIity into wlicl tley laII.
1lat is tle important message to be lad lere. 1lere are too many peopIe out tlere wlo stiII
swaIIow clristian doctrine in its entirety witl IittIe or no tlouglt. 1lis materiaI slouId be
presented to tlem as weII lor tleir perusaI and lopeluI digestion.
1le materiaI I present lere is untampered witl, except lor some lormatting clanges and
lont variations. 1lis did create some breaks in sentences and paragrapls wlicl were not
present in tle originaI documents. 1lis is not tle lauIt ol lamiIy kadio, tleir press, or
laroId camping.
VI
lntroduction
linaIIy, I did not add nor take away lrom tle originaI text. It is compIete as I lound it.
8ome images were omitted as tley were tle covers ol tle originaI pamplIets and utterIy
uninteresting. You can stiII see tlem in tle originaI lul liIes (il tley lave not puIIed tlem
down lrom tleir web site by tle time you read tlis). I aIso wiII not make any comments,
observations, notes, points ol lact, or express any opinions at aII untiI my cIosing essay.
1lankluIIy, groups ol peopIe Iike tlis rareIy stir up mucl actuaI lear or beIiel tlat tle Lnd
1imes are upon us. lor il tley did generate mass lysteria, IawIessness couId easiIy overtake
us. lowever, reaIity usuaIIy prevaiIs, and society sticks it out and keeps its coIIective lead. I
tlink, as an exampIe ol tlis, tle massive ellort put into staving oll tle Y2k catastrople.
1le second ellect is tle one I can best describe as tle 8eventl uay Adventist Lllect.
wlereas tle day comes and passes witl not so mucl as a wlisper, and instead ol tle
loIIowers ol tle proplet" seeing tle trutl, tley just beIieve aII tle more, Iistening to tle
proplet expIain wly wlat tley predicted laiIed to materiaIize. 1lat same tling wiII
undoubtedIy occur lere as weII. 1lis guy, laroId camping, wiII just come up witl some
excuse to expIain away tle laiIed prediction ol tle 8econd coming ol clrist (il le las not
aIready done so in preparation lor May 22
nd
). lis loIIowers, being tle guIIibIe sleep tlat
tley are, wiII laiI to write lim oll as tle lraud tlat le is, ratler continue to buy lis crap and
accept wlatever Iame excuse le comes up witl.
lrom my very lirst reading ol lis tripe, I knew immediateIy it was garbage lor le lad
virtuaIIy no knowIedge ol listory and made tle most basic ol errors. le got lis numbers
wrong.. le laiIed to account lor tle clange lrom tle }uIian caIendar to tle uregorian
caIendar. 1lat simpIe lact aIone proves lim to be wortlIess as a provider ol any sort ol
trutl, tleoIogicaI, pliIosoplicaI, or rationaI on any IeveI. wliIe tlat grievous error
certainIy eradicates lis wloIe matlematicaI lramework lor determining tle date ol May 21,
2011, it does not even begin to toucl tle more cruciaI mistakes le makes - tle ones wlicl
slouId make any and every clristian tleoIogian cringe witl disgust. 1lose are tle
interpretations" le makes ol scriptures. 1lose errors may not be quite so easy to
distinguisl to tle casuaI clristian as tle enormous listoricaI mistakes le makes.
One pIain exampIe is pIacing tle deatl ol }esus on ApriI 1, !! A.u. 1lat is a bogus date and
every tleoIogian knows it. 1le reason is simpIe, Il }esus was recorded as being !! years oId,
tlen le wouId lave lad to lave died !! years alter lis birtl, correct7 weII, tlere are onIy
two accounts ol lis birtl, and one pIaces lis birtl in tle year .c. And tle otler pIaces it
in tle year 9 A.u. leitler cIearIy Ieads to a year ol deatl in !! A.u.
VII
I wiII lorgo any attempt at expIaining tle mountain ol scripturaI interpretation errors le
makes simpIy because tlat wouId Iead to writing a book in and ol itseIl. And tlat is neitler
my goaI, nor my purpose. My purpose lor writing tlis to slock and amuse you witl tle in-
your-lace reaIity ol kapture-enamored clristians. My goaI is to Iet tle writings ol tlis man
speak lor tlemseIves.
VIII
Pamph!ct 1
JUDGMENT DAY MAY 21 2011
9
Family Radio is a Bible-based Christian broadcasting ministry with
no church affiliation.
THE END OF THE WORLD IS
ALMOST HERE!
HOLY GOD WILL BRING 1UDGMENT DAY ON
MAY 21, 2011
1UDGMENT DAY is feared by the world and is the day that God will destroy the world because of the sins
of mankind. The world is correct in believing that Judgment Day will come. The Bible gives us the correct and
accurate information about that Day.
The Bible is the Holy Book written by Holy God who is the Creator of this beautiful world. The Holy Bible is
without question a very ancient book, having been completed about
1,900 years ago. In its original languages (mostly Hebrew and Greek) it has never been changed, and each and every
word in the original languages is from the mouth of God. The Bible is divided into two parts (the Old Testament and
the New Testament), with each part divided into many books. Fach book is divided into chapters, and each chapter is
divided into verses. One of the books is named Second Timothy (2
Timothy). In Chapter 3, verse 16 (2 Timothy
3:16) of this book Holy God tells us: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
In Jeremiah 36:1-4 God gives an example of how the Bible was written: And it came to pass in the fourth year
of 1ehoiakim the son of 1osiah king of 1udah, that this word came unto 1eremiah from the LORD, saying, Take
thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against
1udah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of 1osiah, even unto this day. It
may be that the house of 1udah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every
man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. Then 1eremiah called Baruch the son
of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of 1eremiah all the words of the LORD, which He had spoken unto
him, upon a roll of a book |the roll of the book is the Bible].
Holy God is far, far greater than our human minds can even begin to explain or understand. In Genesis 1:1 God
declares: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. The Holy Bible is a book written to us so that we
can know that Holy God created this beautiful universe, including all of its plants and animals, birds and sea
creatures, and mankind who was created to rule this earth. Indeed there is no being of any kind that can compare with
Holy God, who simply by speaking brought every kind of plant, animal, sea creature, and mankind, sun, stars, etc., into
existence. For example, Holy God tells us in His Holy Bible in Genesis 1:24-26: And God said, let the earth bring
forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it
was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that
creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 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.
The people of the earth, which we call mankind, were created to rule over this earth. God gave laws by which we
can live as happily and wisely as possible. He warns, however, that the breaking of those laws is sin, and sin will bring
punishment from God. The Bible declares in Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death.
The Bible teaches there is only one God.
The Bible says in Deuteronomy 4:39: Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD He
is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Because God is so great and glorious
He calls Himself by many different names. Fach name tells us something about the glorious character and nature of God.
Thus in the Bible we find such names as God, Jehovah, Christ, Jesus, Lord, Allah, Holy Spirit, Savior, etc. Names such as
Jehovah, Jesus, Savior, and Christ particularly point to God as the only means by which forgiveness from all of our sins
and eternal life can be obtained by God`s merciful and glorious actions.
This forgiveness was made possible because Christ took upon Himself each and every sin of each and every person He
saves from the wrath of God. The Holy Bible describes this astounding action as it was demonstrated by Jesus, who
never ceased to be God, being put to death on the cross to show how He paid for sins. He then was raised from the grave
and returned into heaven. That is why the Bible has much to say about those who place their complete trust in
I0
Christ, who did all the work required for their salvation. For more information on this subject, you may request a free copy
of I Hope God hill Save Me.
Many books have been written about the Bible, or are regarded as additions to the Bible. But however well they are
accepted as a holy book, we know that the Bible is absolutely written by God Himself, who is Holy even as the Bible
is Holy. Therefore, God warns in Revelation 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.
The word 'plagues in this verse refers to the punishment of death and destruction that will come upon all those
who sin. The Bible teaches that even though God loves this world, which He in His infinite wisdom created, the law
of God requires that those who sin must be punished by death. The Bible says in Fzekiel
18:20: The soul that sinneth, it shall die. In Romans 3:10 the Bible declares: There is none righteous |has not
sinned], no, not one.
God must also obey His law and therefore, since all the people of the world are sinners, He finally must destroy the
world. It is evident that sin in the world has become very great. The Bible warns in Jeremiah 25:33: And the
slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall
not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.
However, the Holy Bible tells us that
Holy God is a God of great mercy, compassion and love. That is why He has given us in advance of
the destruction the exact time of the Day of Judgment. The Bible tells us in Amos 3:7: Surely the Lord GOD will do
nothing, but He revealeth his secret unto His servants the prophets.
Consequently we now can know from the Bible the exact time and many details of God`s destruction plan that is to
come upon the whole world. While there is still time we can very humbly cry to God for His gracious mercy.
Maybe, since God is such a merciful God, He might forgive someone who is humbly pleading with God for mercy. God
promises for example in Zephaniah 2:3: Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His
judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD`S
anger.
Holy God demonstrates for us that He is
completely able to bring destruction on this whole world because of sin. The Holy Bible informs us of this
awesome fact in Genesis
6:12-13: And God looked upon the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon
the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with
violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
By careful study of the Bible we learn that in the year 4990 B.C. (Before Christ) God brought a flood of water
and destroyed the entire earth except for eight people and the animals that were with them. They were not
destroyed because God brought them into the safety of the ark. Their leader, Noah, had obeyed God`s command to
build a huge boat, called an ark, about 450 feet (137 meters) long. The Holy Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:7: By faith
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of
his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Seven days before the beginning of the Flood that completely covered the entire earth, God commanded Noah to
warn the peoples of the world that they had seven days to get into the safety of the ark. The Holy Bible tells us that on
the 17
th
day of the 2
nd
month of that year God shut the door of the ark. Then, the Flood began to completely cover the entire
earth.
About 5,000 years later God wrote in His Holy Bible in 2 Peter Chapter 3 about this worldwide destruction by
water in the days of Noah. In the same chapter He also warned that the time would come when Holy God would destroy
the whole world by fire. Our entire universe would be forever destroyed. In between these two declarations of
worldwide destruction that would come because of sin God made a very important statement. God declared in 2
Peter 3:8: But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day.
God had written in the Holy Bible in Genesis 7:4: For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the
earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the
earth. God added in Genesis 7:10-11: And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the Flood were upon
the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah`s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same
day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
The ark that Noah had built was the only place of safety from the destruction of the Flood. Likewise, God`s
gracious mercy is the only place of safety from the destruction that is coming on the Day of Judgment. In 2 Peter
3:8, which is quoted above, Holy God reminds
us that one day is as 1,000 years. Therefore, with the correct understanding that the seven days referred to in
II
Genesis 7:4 can be understood as 7,000 years, we learn that when God told Noah there were seven days to escape
worldwide destruction, He was also telling the world there would be exactly 7,000 years (one day is as 1,000 years) to
escape the wrath of God that would come when He destroys the world on Judgment Day. Because Holy Infinite God
is all-knowing, He knows the end from the beginning. He knew how sinful the world would become.
Seven thousand years after 4990 B.C. (the year of the Flood) is the year 2011 A.D. (our calendar).
4990 2011 - 1 7,000
|One vear must be subtracted in going from an Old Testament B.C. calendar date to a New Testament A.D. calendar
date because the calendar does not have a vear :ero.]
Thus Holy God is showing us by the words of 2 Peter 3:8 that He wants us to know that exactly 7,000 years after
He destroyed the world with water in Noah`s day, He plans to destroy the entire world forever.
Because the vear 2011 A.D. is exactlv 7,000 vears after 4990 B.C. when the flood began, the Bible has given us
absolute proof that the vear 2011 is the end of the world during the Dav of Judgment, which will come on the last dav of
the Dav of Judgment.
Amazingly, May 21, 2011 is the 17
th
day of the 2
nd
month of the Biblical calendar of our day. Remember, the flood
waters also began on the 17
th
day of the 2
nd
month, in the year 4990
B.C. The Holy Bible gives several additional astounding proofs that May 21, 2011 is very accurate as the time for
the Day of Judgment. For more information on this subject, you may request a copy of he Are Almost There,
available free of charge from Family Radio. God is proving to us that we have very accurately learned from
the Holy Bible God`s time-plan for the end of the world.
GOD`S SUBLIME MERCYAND
COMPASSION
God in His Holy Bible has given us a beautiful example of His compassionate mercy. Included in the Holy
Bible is the book called Jonah. In it God tells of a very wicked city with a population of more than 120,000 people that
existed about 2,800 years ago. It was called Nineveh, which was a capital city of the nation of Assyria that knew nothing of
the Bible. But because of its wickedness and because Holy God is merciful, He sent a prophet named Jonah to that
city. Jonah`s message from God to them was that in 40 days the whole city was to be destroyed.
The whole city correctly believed with all their hearts that this warning was from Holy God. Thus from the king
on down to the lowest servant they repented, which means they turned away from their sins and their pride. The
Holy Bible tells us that they sat in sackcloth and ashes. This meant that they fully realized that because of their sins they
had dreadfully shamed God. To put on sackcloth and ashes was an act of supreme humility to show in the clearest way
to God and to all of the people how greatly they were humbled by their sins against Holy God. It showed that they
knew that they fully deserved that God should destroy them because of their sin.
But maybe, there was hope that Holy God might change His mind and instead have mercy on them. The Bible tells us in
Jonah 3:6-9: For the word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe
from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published
through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock,
taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry
mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who
can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? In answer to
their complete humility we read of God`s fabulous, incomprehensible mercy toward these extremely wicked
people. God tells us in Jonah
3:10: And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that He
had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not. Because this entire wicked city of Nineveh turned
from their evil ways and with great humility cried to God for mercy, Holy God did change His mind and did not destroy
them.
Sadly, the Holy Bible tells us that only a small percentage of today`s world will turn from their evil ways, and with
great humility and fear will cry to God for mercy. Nevertheless, the Bible assures us that many of the people who do
beg God for His mercy will not be destroyed. We learn from the Bible that Holy God plans to rescue about 200 million
people (that is about 3 of today`s population). On the first day of the Day of Judgment (May 21, 2011) they will be
caught up (raptured) into Heaven because God had great mercy for them. This is why we can be so thankful that God has
given us advance notice
of Judgment Day. Because God is so merciful, maybe He will have mercy on you. The Holy Bible says in Psalm
51:17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not
despise. And in Psalm 51:1-3 Holy God shows us the attitude we ought to have as we pray for His mercy:
I2
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender
mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I
acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Sadly, you can`t turn to your religion or go
to your priest or pastor or spiritual leader for help. They, too, should be begging God for mercy for themselves. This
is a matter only between you and Holy God. God knows every one of your thoughts, words, and actions. Turn away from
your sins and humbly beg, beseech, and implore God for forgiveness.
And, thank God that in His great mercy He has given you this warning of the destruction that is almost here, and
the great hope that you, too, might be one whom God will bring to Heaven to be with God forevermore in the
highest happiness and joy and glory. Holy God in the Holy Bible teaches us in Luke 18:10-14: Two men went up into
the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with
himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would
not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a
sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that
exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Mav God have mercv on vou as He did on this publican!
To learn much more about the details of the end of the world you are invited to write Family Radio to request the
following free materials, or to view them on our website: I Hope God Will Save Me, We Are Almost
There!, To God be the Glory!, No Man Knows the Day or the Hour?, Another Infallible Proof
for the Rapture, and Gay Pride. Our materials are available in many languages.
If you have any questions about what you have read or if you want a free frequency schedule of our broadcasts
worldwide, please write to:
FAMILY RADIO Oakland, California 94621
USA
Internet: www.familyradio.com E-mail:
internationalfamilyradio.com
We have radio broadcasts in many languages.
I5
Pamph!ct 2
INFALLIBLE PROOF
I4
GOD GIVES ANOTHER INFALLIBLE PROOF THAT ASSURES THE
RAPTURE WILL OCCUR MAY 21, 2011
God in His great mercy has given a marvelous proof that the year 2011 is the year of
the Rapture which coincides with Judgment Day and the end of the world. Remember in 2
Peter 3:8, in the context of pointing us to the flood of Noah`s day as well as to the destruction
of the world at the end of time, He declared: 'one day with the Lord as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day.
Years ago we learned from the Bible that the flood occurred in the year 4990 B.C. More
recently we learned that Judgment Day is to occur in the year 2011 A.D. The year
2011 A.D. is exactly 7,000 years after the year 4990 B.C.
Just before the flood Noah was instructed by God that in seven days the flood
would begin (Genesis 7:4, 10-16). Using the language of 2 Peter 3:8 that one day is as a
thousand years, God used Noah, who was a preacher (2 Peter 2:5) to declare that
'mankind has seven days or 7,000 years to escape destruction. Since 2011 A.D. is
precisely 7,000 years after Noah preached that warning, God has given mankind a
wonderful proof that Judgment Day will occur in the year 2011.
God doubled the statement 'one day as a thousand years to greatly increase our
assurance that this is established by God and will shortly come to pass (Genesis 4l:32).
ANOTHER PROOF
God in His mercy has given another tremendous proof. It is as follows:
We have learned that the precise date of the cross was April 1, 33 A.D., when
coordinated with our present modern calendar. April 1, 33 A.D. is the only date that
meets all the requirements of the Bible, such as being a Friday that falls on the correct date for
the Passover, which was the date Christ was to be crucified.
We also have known for some time that the date of the first day of the Day of
Judgment coincides with the date when the Rapture will take place; that is, on May 21,
2011. But then it was discovered that there are exactly 722,500 days from April 1, 33
A.D. until May 21, 2011. This fact gives us another infallible, absolute proof that May
21, 2011 is the date of the Rapture and the date when Judgment Day begins.
Because of the importance and wonder of this proof we will take time to develop it.
First, we must learn that we can develop with perfect precision the number of days from one
date to another. To obtain the precise number of days from a moment in one year to the same
moment in any other year we must realize that astronomers have long ago discovered that
there are 365.2422 days in a complete year. That is why in our modern calendar there
are 365 days in each of three consecutive years. However, every fourth year has 366 days.
This is done by adding an extra day in February of that year. Thus, the average year for the
four years becomes 365.25 days. But .25 is greater than
.2422, so a day is dropped from the calendar every 128 years in order to maintain
accuracy.
Thus, all we have to do is multiply the number of years separating two events by the
number 365.2422 to know the exact number of days between them. So from April 1,
33 A.D. to April 1, 2011 there are exactly 2011 33 1,978 years, with each year having
I5
365.2422 days. This equals 722,449 days. The number of days from April 1, 2011 to
May 21, 2011 inclusively (including the first day and the last day) is 51 days. Adding these
51 days to the number 722,449 gives us exactly 722,500 days, from April 1, 33
A.D. to May 21, 2011 inclusively. This number is enormously significant. Presently, we will
see why this is so.
Some Numbers in the Bible Can Convey Spiritual Truth
God sometimes uses words in such a way to convey spiritual truth, even though it is
not apparent in the literal usages of the words. For example, the word 'lamb
frequently points to Christ as the Lamb. The word 'mountain often signifies
'kingdom, 'field signifies 'world, 'blood signifies Christ giving His life, and
'Jerusalem often signifies the Kingdom of God. Likewise, some numbers in the Bible, which
are written as words and not as numerals, also frequently point to spiritual truth. We will look
at five numbers that are examples of this, as they focus on significant spiritual truth.
These numbers are 3, 5, 10, 17, and 23.
The number 3 signifies God`s purpose. When the Bible writes about Christ being
crucified, the number 3 is featured about 15 times: 3 crosses, 3 apostles in the Garden with
Jesus, 3 denials by Peter, etc. All of these 3`s are emphasizing that it was absolutely God`s
purpose that Christ be crucified.
The number 5 signifies the atonement or redemption (that is, Christ died to pay for the
sins of those who He would save). This is seen, for example, by the half ( or.5) shekel
atonement money which pointed to the atonement. Fxodus 30:15 declares:
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a
shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for
your souls.
A picture of redemption is demonstrated by the 5 shekels in Numbers 3:47-48:
Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the
sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:) And thou shalt
give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto
Aaron and to his sons.
The number 10 or 100 (10 multiplied by 10) or 1,000 (100 multiplied by 10)
signifies completeness. For example, the Bible speaks in certain passages of 10 coins or
100 sheep or 1,000 years. God speaks of Satan being bound 1,000 years in Revelation
20:2-3. However, from much additional Biblical information we know he was bound
between the years 33 A.D. and 1988 A.D. These 1,955 actual years are symbolized by a
thousand years. The Bible speaks of him being bound 1,000 years to signify that he was bound
for the completeness of God`s plan, which in actuality of time was 1,955 years.
The number 17 frequently signifies 'Heaven. For example, in the Book of
Jeremiah God describes the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem by the king of Babylon. This
was typifying the end of the church age at which time Satan, typified by the king of Babylon
I
destroying Jerusalem and Judah, would rule in the churches. In that seemingly hopeless
context Jeremiah was instructed to buy a field for the purchase price of 17
shekels of silver. God instructed Jeremiah that this purchase of land for 17 shekels was done
as a guarantee or demonstration that the time would come that Israel would again occupy
Jerusalem. That is, people again would go to Heaven. See Jeremiah 32:7-17.
The number 23 points to destruction. This is demonstrated in at least two
significant citations in the Bible. One citation records a destructive plague that God sent upon
Israel because they began to worship a heathen idol called Baalpeor. God records the
punishment in Numbers 25:9:
And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
Significantly, the Bible makes reference to this same plague in the New
Testament. We read in 1 Corinthians 10:8:
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day
three and twenty thousand.
Notice, God reports the destruction of 24,000 in the Old Testament and 23,000 in the New
Testament. This is not a contradiction. A total of 24,000 persons were destroyed, of which
23,000 were destroyed in one day. This highlights the association of the number with
destruction.
Another emphasis of the association of the number 23 with God`s wrath is found in
Daniel 8. There God speaks of a time (which we now know is the first part of the Great
Tribulation) lasting 2,300 days, during which Satan would rule over all churches and the world
as God begins to bring destruction upon the churches, to prepare them and the world for
Judgment Day. We read in Daniel 8:13-14:
Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint
which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the
transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and
the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and
three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
By these citations we can understand that the number 3 identifies with God`s
purpose, the number 5 with atonement or redemption, the number 10 with completeness, the
number 17 with Heaven, and the number 23 with judgment or destruction.
Numbers, Like Words, Tell Stories
Individual words give us spiritual meaning. Information given in a particular
paragraph is greatly emphasized if numbers that have spiritual meaning are found in that same
paragraph or in a similar context. For example, we read in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16:
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in
I/
them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the
other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
In these two verses God is describing the effect of the Gospel (which is the Law of
God) upon the lives of those who hear it. It will make one of two impacts. It will be used of
God to bring eternal life and Heaven to the hearer. Or, it will bring the wrath of God because
the hearer of the Word of God continued in rebellion against the Law of God.
Interestingly, this same message of the Gospel bringing salvation or judgment is hidden
in the total number of years the Gospel was to be sent by the churches into the world. We
have learned that the church age began immediately after Christ demonstrated, at
the time of the cross, how He suffered and died to make payment for sin. That was in the year
33 A.D. We have learned that the church age officially began on Pentecost, May 22, 33 A.D.
It continued exactly 1,955 full years until May 21, 1988 when the church age came to an end.
The number 1,955 is made up of three significant numbers, each of which can
have great spiritual meaning. The numbers are: 5 multiplied by 17 multiplied by 23
1,955. Thus by these numbers God is echoing the spiritual message declared by 2
Corinthians 2:15-16, which is quoted above: 5 (atonement or redemption); 17 (brings
Heaven); and 23 (brings God`s wrath or destruction).
A second significant illustration is given in John 21. In that account the disciples catch
153 big fish in a net that does not break and that is successfully dragged to shore. It can be
shown that these 153 fish represent all those who become saved during the final harvest of
true believers that is taking place during the last 6,100 days of the Great Tribulation.
Significantly, the net does not break, which spiritually indicates that there are no false believers
amongst these. These fish represent only true believers. They are the great multitude of
people saved after the end of the church age, which is just before the Day of Judgment.
Therefore it is God`s purpose that each and every one is guaranteed to receive the
completion of their salvation (they will be brought into Heaven).
The number 153 is made up of three significant numbers: 3 x 3 x 17 153.These
numbers illustrate that it is the purpose of God (3) to bring to Heaven (17) those who are saved
during the final days of the Great Tribulation. The 3 (God`s purpose) is doubled to show that
this is established by God and God will shortly bring it to pass (see Genesis
41:32). Thus we see how God spiritually supports the written Word with numbers, which are
found within the same paragraph or in similar contexts.
What About the Number 722,500?
Let us return now to the 722,500 days, which is from April 1, 33 A.D. (the day Christ
was crucified and died) until May 21, 2011 (the day when God`s salvation plan is altogether
completed and all of the true believers are caught up, or raptured, into Heaven).
The number 722,500 is made up of two sets of identical significant numbers.
Fach number is intimately related to God`s salvation plan:
5 x 10 x 17 x 5 x 10 x 17 722,500
The atonement or redemption demonstrated by Christ`s suffering and death on April 1, 33
A.D. (the number 5) is 100 completed on May 21, 2011 (the number 10) when all the true
believers are raptured into Heaven (the number 17). Remarkably, this number sequence
I5
is doubled to indicate that it has been established by God and will shortly come to pass
(Genesis 41:32).
Dear reader, we should be absolutely astonished by what we have just learned.
All of this we have learned can only be true because the same God who created the
universe is the same God who has planned this precise timeline of history. Fven as the natural
laws that permit the sending of a rocket to Mars are absolutely dependable and true, or the laws
that govern all of nature are dependable and true, so are the laws that govern the unfolding of
God`s timeline.
We must comment further about the incredible nature of this proof which is
completely based on Biblical information.
1. April 1, 33 A.D. is the date on which God focuses our attention, and is the date that
Christ was crucified to demonstrate how He died to atone for our sins. The number 5 is
used of God to focus on that day, inasmuch as it can spiritually signify the atonement.
2. Our salvation is entirely completed at the time the true believers receive their
eternally-alive, resurrected bodies. This is what happens on the day of the Rapture, May
21, 2011. Thus the period from April 1, 33 A.D. to May 21, 2011 (inclusive) is the
complete period from the time God shows us how our salvation was accomplished to the time
our salvation has been entirely completed. This coincides perfectly with the number
10, which signifies completeness.
3. On May 21, 2011, the date of the Rapture, each and every saved person goes to Heaven
because his salvation is altogether completed. The number 17 fits perfectly because,
when it has spiritual meaning, it signifies Heaven.
4. The doubling of the numbers 5 x 10 x 17 like the doubling of the phrase 'a day is as a
thousand years assures us that the truth of these proofs is established by God and God
will shortly bring it to pass. Isn`t it amazing that God uses this doubling principle to
further guarantee that the date May 21, 2011 is absolutely certain, even as God has used the
doubling principle to absolutely assure us that Judgment Day is exactly 7,000 years after the
flood of Noah`s day.
Indeed, in the face of all of this incredible information, how can anyone dare to dispute
with the Bible concerning the absolute truth that the beginning of the Day of Judgment
together with the Rapture will occur on May 21, 2011.
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I9
Booklets: We Are Almost There
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Judgment Day: May 21, 2011
No Man Knows the Day or the Hour
20
Pamph!ct 3
NO MAN KNOW5 THE DAY
2I
Family Radio is a Bible-based Christian broadcasting ministry with
no church affiliation.
No one except Cod knows the time of the end of the world. How does anyone
dare to teach that the Rapture and the Day of 1udgment will occur on May 21,
211? Doesn't the Bible say very plainly that no one can know the day or the
hour of Christ's return? Indeed the Bible did teach that.
NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY OR
THE HOUR?
The Bible tells why the Bible did teach that. In Acts 1:7, at the time that the New Testament church age was
about to begin, Jesus taught His disciples: And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or
the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. Jesus then said in the next verse: But
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto
Me both in 1erusalem, and in all 1udaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
From these verses we learn that during
the church age there would be a great curiosity concerning the time of the end, but believers were not to
be at all preoccupied with this question. They were to concentrate and focus all of their attention on the
task of bringing the Gospel to the whole world.
Therefore, regardless of how brilliant or how learned a theologian or Bible student might have been, or
how diligently they studied the Bible or faithfully served Christ, it was impossible to learn from the Bible the
timetable for the end of the world. Anyone who claimed he knew the time of the end was always wrong.
Nevertheless, there is a very striking statement in the Bible. It is recorded in Fcclesiastes 8:5. There
God declares: Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man`s heart
discerneth |better translation. will know] both time and judgment.
In the Bible a wise man is a true believer, to whom God has given a profound trust in the
authority of the Bible. True believers have been in existence since the beginning of time. But the timeline of history
as it is revealed in the Bible was never revealed to the hearts of the true believers. For example, throughout
most of the church age it was generally believed that Creation occurred in the year 4004
B.C. However, about 35 years ago God began to open the true believers` understanding of the
timeline of history. Thus it was discovered that the Bible teaches that when the events of the past are
coordinated with our modern calendar, we can learn dates of history such as Creation (11,013 B.C.), the flood of
Noah`s day (4990 B.C.), the exodus of Israel from Fgypt (1447 B.C.) and the death of Solomon (93l
B.C.).`
However, it was not until a very few years ago that the accurate knowledge of the entire timeline of
history was revealed to true believers by God from the Bible.
This timeline extends all the way to the end of time. During these past several years God has been revealing a
great many truths, which have been completely hidden in the Bible until this time when we are so near the end of the
world. How can this be happening?
That this should happen was clearly prophesied in the Bible. The Bible is the living Word that requires the
Holy Spirit to open the spiritual understanding of the person reading or hearing the words of the Bible.
Therefore, since it was not God`s plan to open anyone`s understanding of many truths of the Bible until very
near the time of the end of the world, it is only now that exceedingly important Biblical truths are being
understood. The Bible tells us that this was going to happen.
THE BOOK THAT WAS SEALED
In the book of Daniel God has much to say about end-time events. Much of this was understood by Daniel,
and because it was such awful information, great agony came upon Daniel. We read for example in Daniel 8:27:
And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king`s business;
22
and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. But then God told Daniel in Daniel 12:4 and
9: But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall
run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. And He said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are
closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
In other words, God is telling us that
there is important information concerning the time of the end that has been recorded in the Bible ('the book)
but is not to be revealed by God until the world is near its end.
In Revelation 22:18-19 we read: 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: 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.
These verses absolutely assure us that
after the Bible was completed about 95
A.D. no other words could ever be added to the Bible. Therefore, whatever end-time information had been given
to Daniel, but
was not to be understood until the time of the end, had to have been included in the Bible before the Bible
was completed. However, God wrote it in such a way that it could not be understood until the world was almost
at its end. Remember, understanding comes only from the Lord Jesus Christ, as we read in Luke 24:45:
Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. This explains
why the Bible is written in such complex and difficult-to- understand language. It is one reason why Christ spoke
in parables, even as we read in Mark 4:34: But without a parable spake He not unto them.
THE BOOK IS OPENED
But then we read in Revelation 5:1-9: And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne
a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming
with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man
in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And
I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look
thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of 1udah, the Root of
David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo,
in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it
had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all
the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne. And
when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb,
having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And
they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for
Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue,
and people, and nation.
These verses teach that there is a book
that had been sealed and that was to be opened by Christ, Himself. The only book that can be in view is the
book that the
Bible describes in Daniel 12.
This book was sealed with seven seals. Therefore, in order for the full information written in the book to become
available for understanding, all of the seven seals must be removed. Indeed, Revelation 8:1 describes the
removal of the seventh seal: And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven
about the space of half an hour.
WHEN WAS THERE SILENCE IN HEAVEN?
Several years ago we had learned that the silence in Heaven for about half an hour referred to the
2,300 days that were the first part of the 23-year (exactly 8,400 days) Great Tribulation period. This period began
25
on May 21, 1988. It was during this
2,300-day period that, both in the churches and throughout the world, very few, if any, were saved. Revelation 8:1
reports that there was silence in Heaven. This would have been the situation beginning on May
21, 1988, because joy in Heaven occurs as sinners repent. In Luke 15:4-32 the Bible reports this joy in Heaven,
a joy that was not in silence.
We had learned that May 21, 1988 was the last day of the church age and was also the first day of the 23-year
period of Great Tribulation, during which Satan has been employed by God to officially rule all of the
churches as well as the whole world. During the first 2,300 days of this 8,400- day period the Holy Spirit
was withdrawn from all of the churches as well as the entire world. This produced silence in Heaven.
This sad situation is to continue in the churches until the end of the 23-year Great Tribulation period.
However, beginning 2,300 days after May 21, 1988 (the end of the church age), the Holy Spirit was again poured
out, producing what the Bible calls the 'latter rain (Zechariah
10:1; James 5:7) throughout the world (but not in any church), and God began a final great harvest of salvation,
bringing great joy in Heaven. This salvation is not occurring in any church, but will continue outside of the
churches to the end of the Great Tribulation, on May 21, 2011.
Because at the beginning of the Great Tribulation period (May 21, 1988), Christ removed the seventh
and final seal from this book that Daniel was commanded to seal, we can now understand why it is that during
these past years God has revealed to us so much new truth from the Bible. This includes the precise time of the
end and much about God`s Judgment plan. The word 'time is a synonym for 'hour. Judgment refers
to the Day of Judgment, which is frequently called 'the Day. Thus, to know time and Judgment as prophesied in
Fcclesiastes 8:5 is to know the 'day and the 'hour. This fits perfectly with the mercy and love of God for
the whole world. Remember, God gave Noah precise
information so he could warn the world of impending destruction. Similarly, God commanded Jonah to give
the people of Nineveh the precise day He planned to destroy the city of Nineveh. Likewise, in His mercy and
love God has given the true believers of our day the exact time of the Rapture, which is the first day of the Day of
Judgment, so that they can warn the world. How kind, how gracious, how loving God is. And
wonderfully, God is still saving many people today (Revelation
7:9-14) even as He saved the citizens of
Nineveh in Jonah`s day (Matthew 12:41).
ASOLEMN WARNING TO THOSE IN THE CHURCHES
A knowledge of the actual time of the Rapture and an understanding of Judgment Day is of enormous
significance. God warns in 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 of the Day of Judgment coming to destroy those who deny that
near the end of the world the true believers will know the time (the hour) of Christ`s coming to bring to Heaven
(to rapture) the true believers and to begin the Day of Judgment (the day). There God tells us: For yourselves
know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace
and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child;
and they shall not escape.
In Revelation 16:15 Christ teaches that
He, Himself, will come as a thief (see also Revelation 3:3). Christ obviously is not a thief. He is Holy God.
But He and Judgment Day will come like a thief. In John 10:10 God describes what a thief does when he
comes: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
Thus when Christ comes with
Judgment Day, He comes to take away life and to destroy those for whom He comes as a thief.
THE THIEF COMES IN THE NIGHT
Christ and Judgment Day come in the night. In 1 Thessalonians 5:3 Christ tells us, When they shall
say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them. Because destruction comes upon
them, we can know for certain that these people are not saved. Being unsaved, they are in spiritual darkness.
They are in the night. Judgment Day is coming for them as a 'thief in the night. Yet they believe they are
at peace with God and safely under His care. WHO ARF THFSF PFOPLF?
The language of this verse describes perfectly all of those in the world who on May 21, 2011 are still
24
following any church. Because churches teach many things that are not true to the Bible, including a
plan of salvation that is
contrary to the Bible, and the Holy Spirit has abandoned all churches, those still following any church on
May 21, 2011 are not saved. Nevertheless churches teach their members that:
1. They as confessing members of their
church are safely in Christ`s care.
2. No man can know the day or hour of Christ`s return. Therefore, they are certain that Christ will come as a thief
in the night.
These dear people do not realize at all that they, themselves, are in spiritual nighttime, a condition that
guarantees that when Christ comes they, themselves, will be destroyed in the Day of Judgment. How awful! It
is the true believers who know the time (the hour) and much about Judgment Day (the day). They are
not in the nighttime of spiritual darkness.
RFMFMBFR, God is very, very merciful and loving. There is hope for anyone who humbly cries, who begs,
and beseeches God that maybe they, too, might become saved.
` See Adam When, first published in 1974. Fnglish copies can be obtained free of charge by contacting
Family Radio, Oakland, CA, 94621 USA, or by downloading from the web site:
www.familyradio.com.
To learn much more about the details of the end of the world you are invited to write Family Radio to
request the following free materials, or to view them on our website. Our materials are available in many
languages.
BOOKS:
We Are Almost There! To God be the Glory!
TRACTS:
Judgment Day: May 21, 2011
Another Infallible Proof
Gay Pride
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25
2
Pamph!ct 4
WE ARE ALMO5T THERE
2/
WITH NO APOLOGIES, IT IS THE INTENT
OF THIS BOOK TO WARN AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE ABOUT
THE ABUNDANT BIBLICAL EVIDENCE THAT THE END OF THE WORLD
IS ALMOST HERE.
THE END OF THE WORLD IS THAT AWESOME AND TERRIBLE
MOMENT WHEN JESUS CHRIST,
THE SUPREME RULER OF MANKIND, WILL COMPLETE THE
JUDGMENT PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN WHEN
ADAM AND EVE DISOBEYED GOD.
We Are Almost There!
By Harold Camping
Scripture texts are from the
King James Version of the Bible
Family Stations, Inc. Oakland, California 94621
Internet: www.familyradio.com
First Fdition Feb. 2008
Nov. 2009
Revised Fdition: August 2010
25
We Are Almost There!
Table of Contents
Preface ........................................................................................................... v
Chapter 1. The Glorious Word of God ....................................................... 1
God`s Written Law ............................................................................ 2
The Period of Revelation ................................................................... 3
Bible Interpretation ............................................................................ 3
Finally, a Full Revealing of God`s Salvation Plan ............................. 5
Chapter 2. The Bible Gives the Timeline of History .................................. 7
The Unfolding of God`s Salvation Plan in
the Timeline of History ...................................................................... 8
Israel and the Years from 1447 B.C. to A.D. 33 ................................ 9
The Beginning of the Church Age ................................................... 11
The Bible Anticipates a Defective Church ...................................... 12
The Problem of Satan Within the Churches .................................... 14
Is The Fntire Bible the Infallible Word of God? ............................. 16
There Would Be an Fnd of the Church Age .................................... 17
Chapter 3. God`s Plan to Delay the Understanding of the End .............. 19
Now We Are at the Time of Understanding ..................................... 21
The Important Time Junctures Are Linked
to Ceremonial Feast Days ................................................................ 26
The Precision of Important Salvation Fvents .................................. 29
God Used the Temple to Illustrate Spiritual Truth ........................... 30
The Temple Dedication Information Gives Important
Time Information ............................................................................. 31
The Fight Day, October 21, 2011 .................................................... 32
Another Look at the Feast of the Tabernacles ................................. 33
Chapter 4. We Begin Our Search for the Time table of the End ............ 37
The Date of the Fnd of the Church Age .......................................... 44
Chapter 5. Is Our Understanding of the Timeline of History
Accurate? ........................................................................................ 49
The 13,000th Anniversary of the World .......................................... 52
iii
One Day is a Thousand Years .......................................................... 56
The Final Five Months - Jugdment Day .......................................... 58
The Battle of Armageddon .............................................................. 59
More Incredible Information ........................................................... 59
Atonement to Rapture: 722,500 Days ............................................. 60
29
More Proofs ..................................................................................... 62
God`s Judgment Process Continues as a Great Multitude
are Saved ......................................................................................... 63
Chapter 6. Is There Hope for Me? ............................................................ 64
Those Who Have Never Heard ........................................................ 65
Those Who Have Heard the Word but Are Scoffers ........................ 66
Those Who Humbly Believe the Bible is to be Obeyed .................. 68
Who Hath Fars to Hear, Let Him Hear ............................................ 69
iv
Preface
WITH NO APOLOGIES, IT IS THE INTENT OF THIS BOOK TO WARN AS MANY
PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE ABUNDANT BIBLICAL EVIDENCE THAT THE
END OF THE WORLD IS ALMOST HERE. THE END OF THE WORLD IS THAT
AWESOME AND TERRIBLE MOMENT WHEN 1ESUS CHRIST, THE SUPREME RULER
OF MANKIND, WILL COMPLETE THE 1UDGMENT PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN
THE GARDEN OF EDEN WHEN ADAM AND EVE DISOBEYED GOD.
Fach and every unsaved person will experience the full wrath of God. If Christ has not paid the
penalty for your sins, you will experience the full wrath of God.
No one likes to talk about this kind of information. Nothing could be more demoralizing. It is
far easier to live in complete denial, secretly hoping that all of this talk of judgment day is just talk and
is not to be taken seriously.
However, when we know that the Bible is absolutely true and authoritative, we are
commanded to tell the world all that the Bible teaches concerning that awesome event. The true
believers in Christ have no option. They must warn the world of impending judgment. The prophet
Jonah, for example, was commanded by God to go to Nineveh to warn that wicked city that in 40 days,
God would destroy them. Jonah was not at all happy to take that terrible news to Nineveh, but, finally,
he did obey. Wonderfully, the people of Nineveh repented and humbly pleaded with God, hoping that
God would have mercy on them. And God did have mercy on them, and God did not destroy their city.
The situation is the same today, except the whole world is in view. The time is less than four
years, rather than 40 days. While the whole city of Nineveh repented, the whole world of our day will
not repent. However, the good news is that the Bible declares that a great multitude, which no man
could number, will humbly plead with God for mercy, and a great harvest of people, whom God has
chosen to save, will be given eternal life, and they will escape the judgment of God, which they deserve
because of their sins.
A very common assertion is made, especially by those who are members of local
churches, that Christ will come as a thief in the night. Thus, they contend that no one should be
interested in attempting to learn from the Bible what God says about the timing of the end of the world.
These dear people are correct. The Bible does teach that for many people, Christ will come as a
thief in the night. We read in I Thessalonians 5:2-3:
v
50
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them,
as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
But then the Bible says in verses 4-6:
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are
all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of
darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
These verses are teaching that there are two kinds of people in the world who realize that this
world will come to an end, at which time God will separate the saved from the unsaved. Both groups
know that the unsaved will experience the full wrath of God, and that those who have become saved
will be forever with Christ in the greatest happiness and glory.
One group includes many people who believe they are saved, but in reality, they are not saved.
They are not aware that in our day, God has revealed, in the Bible, a great amount of information that
relates to the timeline of history, all the way to the end of the world, and they do not care to try to learn
all that the Bible teaches. They are confident that they have become saved, and therefore, it really
makes no difference when Christ will come. For them, He will come as a thief in the night. But sadly,
these verses teach that when Christ comes, 'sudden destruction will come upon them. By their lack
of interest in wanting to know as much as possible about what the Bible teaches, they are
demonstrating that they are not saved, and they are still subject to the awful wrath of God.
But there are also many people who, because of their love and respect for the Bible, have
learned that the Bible gives much information about the timeline of history. Thus, they have learned a
great many details concerning end-time events, as well as the timetable of these events. The Bible
speaks of them as 'watchmen (Fzekiel 33:2-9), in that they are able to warn the unsaved of the world
of the impending end of the world, which is so near.
This book was written so that hopefully, you, too, will realize the absolute seriousness of the
predicament the world is in. There is no way to change the plan of God for the end of the world.
However, it is possible that you, too, could be one of those who will escape the wrath of God through
the mercy of His wonderful salvation.
In this book we will look briefly at God`s actions throughout the history of the world, as God
unfolds His salvation plan to the world. We shall particularly focus on the final period of earth`s
history, when two great events
vi
simultaneously happening. These events are the completion of God`s judgment process, and the saving
of the great multitude of people, which no man could number.
In this book, many dates of various historical, as well as future events, are given. For those who
wish to check additional Biblical evidence for these dates, and to ascertain detailed information
concerning the events that identify with these dates, they are invited to call or write Family Stations for
free books that show that all of the information has come from the Bible, and is not derived by
speculation or guesswork of any kind. The books include the following titles.
Time Has An End
The End of the Church Age and After
hheat and Tares
First Principles of Bible Studv I Hope God hill Save
5I
Me Adam hhen?
The Perfect Harmonv of the Numbers of the Hebrew Kings are
vii
Chapter 1. The Glorious Word of God
Understanding the awesome idea that the world is very near the end of time requires a clear
understanding of the nature and authority of God`s Word, the Bible. The Bible sets forth fundamental
principles that must be obeyed if we are to receive truth from God. These principles must be thoroughly
imbedded in the minds of anyone who wishes to understand this awesome idea.
The Bible is God`s Word. In the original languages of the Bible, mainly Hebrew and Greek,
every word, and every letter of every word, is from the mouth of God. Therefore, the idea that any
human being, or any church institution, has any authority over any word or phrase in the original
languages of the Bible should never be tolerated. God has protected the most ancient copies of the
original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts so that we can be assured that we have the original Word of
God, directly from His mouth. The manuscripts used in the King James Fnglish translation, and other
translations of that era, are the manuscripts that God has preserved. True, the serious Bible teacher,
when studying any teaching of the Bible, should always check the work of the translator and
make any necessary corrections, if any are required.
The Bible in its entirety is God`s supreme law book, and it is to be meticulously obeyed by each
and every human being. As the law book of God, the Bible prescribes that the penalty of damnation is
to be given to each and every person who violates the law of God in any manner (Romans 6:23; James
2:10).
The Bible is God`s message of salvation. That is, included in God`s law is the wonderful news
that God Himself, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, became the substitute, or stand-in, who bore
the penalty of God`s wrath on behalf of all those whom God had chosen to become saved from the
penalty of sin, which is eternal damnation.
The Bible is its own dictionary and commentary. Fach and every word, sentence, concept, etc.,
is to be understood by examining the use of that same word or concept as it is found elsewhere in the
Bible. No conclusion regarding any doctrine of the Bible should be accepted until it has been carefully
checked throughout the whole Bible to verify that it altogether harmonizes with any and every other
truth of the Bible. God commands in I 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.
1
God`s Written Law
By God`s mercy, God has provided a written copy of the law of God. That written law is the
Bible, the Word of God. The law is also God`s covenant with mankind, and it is referred to as the
Gospel and as the Old and New Testaments. Thus, whether the Bible uses the words 'law,
or 'commandments, or 'testament, or 'Gospel, or 'covenant, or 'Word, it is still speaking of the
Bible alone. All of these words are synonyms.
The Bible was given to mankind in two distinct parts, but God wrote the Bible in such a way
that the truths of the Bible have been revealed to mankind in three parts.
52
The first part of the written Word that God provided was the Old Testament. The writing
of the Old Testament was begun in the year 1447 B.C. when God gave Israel the ten commandments
together with many other laws. At the same time, within this covenant or law book, He wrote
many truths concerning creation, the entrance of sin into the world, and the flood of Noah`s day, as
well as many commands that emphasized mankind`s need for the Savior. God continued to write the
Old Testament until the year 391 B.C.
However, God wrote the Old Testament in such a way that an enormous number of truths and
information included in the writing of the Old Testament were only dimly revealed to mankind.
Moreover, because the printing press was not invented until centuries after the Old Testament was
written, actual copies of the first part of the Bible were almost nonexistent. Farly on, very few copies of
the first part of the Bible were available.
The second part of the covenant, which is called the New Testament, began to be written by
God about A.D. 33. It was completed about A.D. 95. It provided a great amount of truth that helped
to make the Old Testament somewhat more understandable. This is mainly because the New
Testament gave much information about Jesus Christ the Savior, as He literally and actually
experienced the wrath of God on behalf of all of those He planned to save. Nevertheless, the New
Testament, like the Old Testament, was written by God in such a way that many truths set forth in it
remained hidden from the true believers of the church age.*
Thus, even though the Bible has been a completed, written covenant or law book for almost
2,000 years, many very important truths sprinkled all through the Bible were never revealed to even the
most dedicated, God-fearing theologian who was a child of God. These mysterious or hidden doctrines
relate especially to a precise and accurate understanding of the timing and nature of
* We use the term 'church age to signify the time period when God used the churches to bring the
Gospel.
2
God`s salvation program, together with the momentous events that would occur during the final 23
years of the history of the world.
The Third Period of Revelation
However, in our day, when we are very close to the end of time, God, for the third time, is
revealing much additional truth that has always been in the Bible, but it has remained a mystery
throughout time. Thus, it is almost like God has given us an addition to the Old and New Testaments,
but the Bible, of course, has not become enlarged. No new words have been actually added to it. The
Bible we use today, in the languages in which the Bible was originally written, is exactly the same Bible
that was completed about 1,900 years ago. It is simply that now, the full glory of the Gospel can be seen
as God, in our day, has opened our understanding to most of the truths that previously had been hidden.
In Hebrews 8:8, the Bible declares:
For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will
make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of 1udah:
In this verse, the phrase 'I will make a new covenant should have been translated 'I will
finish a new covenant. The new covenant is the whole Bible, but it is at the end of time, in our
day, that God is finishing our understanding of the Bible by opening our eyes to so many new truths.
They have always been in the Bible, but in our day, they are being revealed to us so that we can
55
understand them. It is as if God is finishing the writing of the covenant, which is the Bible. This is in
exact agreement with such a verse as Daniel 12:9:
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the
end.
Bible Interpretation
It is indeed sad that virtually each and every church throughout the world cannot understand
many truths of the Bible. This is so because they do not obey the Bible`s instructions concerning Bible
interpretation. Moreover, there is a good possibility that most Bible teachers do not understand that
every word in the original languages of the Bible is from the mouth of God, and therefore, is super-
important as well as super-accurate.
3
The man-made, historical, grammatical hermeneutic method of Bible interpretation that is held
by virtually every church, denomination, seminary, etc., is to be totally rejected. The true Biblical
method of Bible interpretation is based on the fact that the Bible teaches that the Bible is a spiritual
book written in an earthly way. Because it is written by God, every historical event, and every
conversation, and every incident recorded in the Bible is absolutely true and trustworthy. However,
because these literal, historical statements also must be understood spiritually, the true ultimate message
that God is giving to mankind in the Bible will not be understood until the spiritual teaching of the verse
being studied has been found.
Jesus spoke of this hermeneutic principle in Mark 4:33-34, where we
read:
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded
all things to his disciples.
Jesus is the very essence of the Word of God. We read in John 1:14 that the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us. Thus, the principle of seeking the spiritual meaning of each word and phrase
recorded in the Bible applies to the whole Bible inasmuch as Christ is identified with the whole Bible.
The Bible is the Word of God. Christ is the Word of God. And because the Bible is God`s book, the
Bible student must seek help from the Holy Spirit, God Himself. God alone can bring truth to our hearts
(John 16:13). Any spiritual conclusion must be carefully tested by the Bible student to be certain
that it is altogether harmonious with any and every other truth the Bible teaches.
The foregoing principle that Christ spoke in parables, and without a parable He did not speak,
appears to be the chief means by which God assists the true believers to further understand the Bible.
But it also appears to be the chief means by which God blinds those who come to the Bible with
their own preconceived ideas. This principle is set forth in Mark 4:11-12, where God says:
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God:
but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they
may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any
time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
For example, anyone who follows the man-made, grammatical, historical hermeneutic,
54
which is utilized throughout the church world, will not be able to correctly understand many very
important truths of the Bible. This includes the Bible`s teachings concerning the end of the church age,
and the fact
4
that the true believers can know much about the timetable and details of the end of the world.
Finally, a Full Revealing of God`s Salvation Plan
There are three especially important areas of truth that are in view as God, in our day, opens our
eyes to much new truth that throughout the church age was not well understood. These areas are as
follows. (1) The nature and timing of God`s salvation plan. (2) The end-time details, which include the
timeline of history. (3) The nature and character of God`s plan of judgment.
In this study, we will focus to a small degree on the nature of God`s salvation plan. Secondly,
we will intensively focus on the end-time details. The nature and character of God`s plan of judgment
will be provided in a following book.
In Hebrews 8:10-11, God instructs us:
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the
Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to
them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from
the least to the greatest.
These verses are especially focusing on God`s salvation plan. Throughout the church age,
the dominant teaching of most Biblical churches was to tell the brothers and sisters of the congregations
how they might be sure they are saved or how they might become saved. A careful analysis of the
teachings of these denominations invariably shows that they include the requirement that some
contribution be made by the individual seeking salvation. These contributions could include actions
such as water baptism, public profession of faith, the act of accepting Christ, the partaking of the
Fucharist or communion table, or praying a certain kind of prayer. In virtually every case, there was a
definite violation of the law of God, which clearly stipulates that all the work of saving a person was
done by Christ, long before that person was born.*
In Hebrews 8:10-11, quoted above, God emphasizes that once the full revelation of the Bible
occurs, the teaching on salvation in the world will be altogether Biblical. Mankind will not be taught
how they might become saved,
* You are invited to send for the free booklet I Hope God hill Save Me for much more information
about this awesome subject.
5
but rather that salvation is entirely the work of God (Fphesians 2:8-9). God will saving a great
multitude who actually may understand very little of the Bible.
We will attempt to set forth a simple outline of the Biblical teaching concerning the salvation of
the great multitude, which no man could number, who are being saved in our day.
1. The Bible commands the true believers to send the Gospel into all the world. God has guided
55
the development of worldwide communications, such as radio and Internet, to make possible the
hearing of the Gospel by every person in the world.
2. In God`s mysterious providence, many who know little or nothing about Bible truth will
begin to realize the following.
a. They are sinners who are on their way to some awful future in which they will be punished
for their sins.
b. The Bible they are hearing about, and to which they have begun to listen, must be from God,
and therefore, they begin to try to obey its commands.
c. They learn that judgment day is very near, but God is saving many people.
d. They begin to realize they can and must cry to God for mercy, hoping that maybe God will
save them.
This is the present situation in the world, as more and more people are being saved all over the
world, entirely by God`s action. When God saves an individual, He gives that person a brand new,
eternal, resurrected soul. Therefore, they have an intense, ongoing desire to be obedient to the Bible.
The tremendous increase in the number of people who are now becoming saved, as the Bible insists
(Revelation 7:9-14), surely is related to the fact that God is now revealing a great many truths of the
Bible, which previous generations had not known.
6
Chapter 2.
The Bible Gives the Timeline of History
By carefully studying the whole Bible, we have learned that the Bible is not only a law book
that sets forth all the laws by which God governs all mankind, but it is also a book that is given to
mankind so that they can know God`s timeline of history. We read in Fcclesiastes 8:5-7:
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man`s heart
discerneth both time and judgment. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment,
therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be:
for who can tell him when it shall be?
In these verses, the word 'judgment is a synonym for the word 'law. Thus, it is teaching that
by studying the Bible, the true believer not only learns God`s laws, particularly as they relate to God`s
judgment process, but also, he learns much about God`s timetable for the earth.
For that reason, the true believer can know much about the timetable of history, including many
truths about the timing of the end of the world. For those who do not follow the Biblical method of
Bible interpretation, however, Christ will come as a thief in the night. Instantly, their misery will be
enormously compounded when they realize, too late, that the end of the world has come. No longer will
there be mercy or grace or salvation for the unsaved. Thus, we read in I Thessalonians 5:2-6:
5
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as
travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and
the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep,
as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they
that be drunken are drunken in the night.
And we read in Revelation 3:3:
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If
therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on
7
thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
In these verses, God is teaching us that those who read the Bible are divided in two kinds of
people. There are those who are satisfied with their present understanding of their relationship with
God. They know that someday the world will end, but their understanding is that the timetable of the
last day is known only by God. Therefore, they think that mankind need not be concerned about it. For
them, Christ indeed will come as a thief in the night. However, His coming for these individuals is for
the purpose of destroying them. How awful!
On the other hand, there are those who have come to realize that God has given us much
information in the Bible concerning the timetable of history. Therefore, they have learned, from the
Bible, much about the timetable of the creation of the world and a great many other major events that
are recorded in the Bible. They have also learned very much about the precise timetable of the end of
the world. For them, the timing of the end of the world will not be unexpected.
The Unfolding of God`s Salvation Plan is the Timeline of History
The Bible teaches how God has given the Gospel message to the human race throughout the
timeline of history. The Gospel includes the whole Bible. Therefore, by carefully studying the Bible, we
learn that the unfolding of God`s salvation plan is the timeline of history.
For the first 9,500 years of the history of the world, God did not use any kind of earthly
organization to represent the kingdom of God to this world. During that period of time, God always
worked through individual believers who were representatives of His kingdom. Abel, Fnoch, who was
taken to heaven, Noah and his family, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph are names that God recorded
in the Bible as representatives of the kingdom of God.
As we carefully study the Bible, we discover that the world was created about 13,000 years
ago.* The Bible is very precise, so when we harmonize the Biblical calendar with our modern calendar,
we know that the year of creation was 11,013 B.C.
In all likelihood, during the first 9,500 years of earth`s history, few individuals became saved.
In Noah`s day, for example, in the entire world that existed in the year 4990 B.C., when God destroyed
the world with the flood, there were only eight people who were saved.
* You are invited to send to Family Radio for the free book Adam hhen that shows how the Bible provides this information.
5/
8
Israel and the Years from 1447 B.C. to A.D. 33
However, in the year 1447 B.C., God made a great change in His method of having the
kingdom of God represented on this earth. In that year, God began to utilize the nation of Israel to
represent the kingdom of God. It was in the year 1447 B.C. that Israel, under the leadership of Moses,
came out of their enslavement to Fgypt. The nation of Israel consisted of the descendants of Abraham,
who was born more than 700 years earlier. Abraham was born in the year 2167 B.C. as a citizen of Ur
of the Chaldees or Babylon. In the year 2092
B.C., he and his wife, Sarah, in obedience to God`s command, went to the land of Canaan. They
became the beginning of the nation of Israel, and the land of Canaan was used of God as an earthly
representation of the kingdom of God.
The nation of Israel, together with the land of Canaan, became the centerpiece of the unfolding
of God`s salvation plan during the 2,100-year period preceding the birth of Christ. The fact is that Jesus
the Son of God received His human nature as a direct descendant of Abraham.
By the year 1447 B.C., the descendants of Abraham, who were called Israel, had grown to
become a nation of possibly about two million people. It was in that year that they came out of
enslavement to Fgypt. And for the next
1,480 years, Israel was called God`s people. They were given more and more of God`s laws. They
became the external representatives of the kingdom of God on earth.
God gave the nation of Israel a country, the land of Canaan, which is also called the land of
Israel, as a place to live, and a temple, and synagogues in which to worship. He gave them laws, which
theologically, we call ceremonial
laws, which were to be observed because these laws pointed the Israelites to the
coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. The ceremonial laws included things such as the observance of feast
days, new moons, seventh-day sabbaths, burnt offerings, blood sacrifices, etc.
God used earthly entities such as Canaan, Israel, Judah, Jerusalem, Zion, the temple, Judea, etc.,
to externally represent the kingdom of God. Thus, these same words are very frequently used in the
Bible to spiritually represent the kingdom of God. For example, during the church age, the churches
were the external representation of the kingdom of God. Therefore, the Bible frequently uses words
such as Israel, Judah, the temple, etc., in speaking about the churches of the church age.
An integral part of the nation of Israel was the body of laws that God gave concerning the
appointment of priests, Levites, prophets, and kings to rule over the whole nation. It was a divine
organism established by God Himself to externally represent the kingdom of God here on earth. Fvery
Jew who was a descendant of Abraham was automatically a member of this great congregation. To
emphasize this membership, every male was circumcised, which was another one of the
ceremonial laws set forth by the law of God.
9
The Bible gives us a lot of information about the years that immediately precede the beginning
of the nation of Israel as well as its first thousand years of history. The Bible gives much detail
about Israel, as a nation, when God delivered them from slavery and brought them out of
Fgypt, when they miraculously went through the Red Sea on dry ground, and wandered 40 years in the
wilderness, and then went through the Jordan River on dry ground. The Bible then gives considerable
information concerning the next 360 years of their history, as God ruled over them, utilizing individuals
called judges, in the land of Canaan.
We are then given details about the next 116 years, when Israel came into its greatest earthly
glory, as they were ruled over by King Saul, who was followed by King David, and then by King
Solomon.
55
Considerable detail is also given in the Bible concerning the division of the one unified nation,
which included the 12 tribes of Israel, into two nations. Upon the death of King Solomon, ten of the
tribes became an independent kingdom called Israel, with its capital eventually located in Samaria, and
the remaining two tribes became the nation of Judah, with its capital located in Jerusalem. The Bible
gives much information concerning these kingdoms and the kings who ruled over them.
The Bible also gives considerable information about the end of these nations. The ten tribes of
the nation of Israel were conquered by the Assyrians in the year 709 B.C. Then in the year 587
B.C., the nation of Judah was conquered by the Babylonians, at which time the city of Jerusalem and
the magnificent temple built by King Solomon were destroyed.
However, following the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C., details of the experiences of the
12 tribes became much more limited. We learn that in 539
B.C., about 40,000 of the survivors of Judah, which was destroyed by the Babylonians, returned to
Jerusalem. We learn a few facts about the rebuilding of the temple, an effort that was completed in 515
B.C. We learn about a few experiences of the Jews who returned to the land of Israel, mainly from the
books in the Bible titled Fzra, Nehemiah, and Fsther.
But then for almost 400 years of history, from 391 B.C. to 8 B.C., the Bible is completely silent
about the land of Israel, its inhabitants, and for that matter, any other nation in the world.
Sadly, during the entire period of Israel`s existence, very few people
actually became saved. The Bible is filled with statements concerning the sin, the apostasy, and the
rebellion of the nation of Israel against the laws of God. Fven when Jesus Christ came as the Savior,
who in His human nature was a descendant of Abraham, they rebelled, and they would not regard Him
as their Messiah. In fact, they eventually killed Him (Acts 2:22-23).
The Bible assures us that it is Christ who is the wonderful fruit produced by the nation of Israel.
It is through the nation of Israel that God took on a human nature, being born of the virgin Mary, who
was of the tribe of Judah.
10
In 8 B.C., again the Bible began to give us much detail about the Jewish nation. In that year, the
birth of John the Baptist was announced, and it was John who was to declare to the world that the
Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, had come to take away the sins of the world. Jesus
Christ, of course, is the only means by which anyone in the world can have the penalty for their sins
paid, and thus be eternally reconciled to God.
From the time of the birth of Jesus in 7 B.C. until about A.D. 65, the Bible gives much
information about the nation of Israel. It is during this period of time that the most awesome event in
the history of the world occurred. God, the Lord Jesus Christ, took on a human nature by being born of
the virgin Mary. During this period of time, Jesus preached for about three and a half years. Jesus Christ
was crucified in A.D. 33. He arose from the dead and ascended back into heaven. That year, A.D. 33,
marked the end of the 1,480-year period during which the whole nation of Israel was the
congregation that externally represented the kingdom of God.*
The Beginning of the Church Age
A few days after Christ`s ascension into heaven, the great divine organization that was to
represent the kingdom of God for the next 1,955 years had its beginning.
On Pentecost day in A.D. 33, about 3,000 people were saved (Acts 2). Those who were saved
that day came from many different nations. This grand event marked the beginning of the church age. It
was during this part of the beginning of the church age that much detail is given concerning
missionaries being sent into countries that we now know as Turkey, Greece, and Italy. The church age
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was set forth by God as a divine plan by which God would send the Gospel into the entire world. Never
again would the Jewish synagogues, the city of Jerusalem, the nation of Israel, or the temple in
Jerusalem externally represent the kingdom of God. The local congregations that would be formed
throughout the world would externally represent the kingdom of God. Therefore, spiritually, the
Bible very frequently calls the local congregations 'Jerusalem, 'the temple, 'Zion, 'Israel,
'Judah, 'Judea, etc.
This divine organization, which eventually consisted of churches located all over the
world, was carefully designed by God. And God placed strict rules in His law book, the Bible, that
governed the selection of elders and deacons (I Timothy 3). Women were not to teach or have authority
in the congregations. The Old Testament ceremonial laws, which were to be observed by the nation of
Israel, were no longer to be observed. Instead, two new
* You are invited to send for the free books The End of the Church Age and After and hheat and
Tares for more information about the end of the church age.
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ceremonial laws were introduced to assist in teaching the nature of the Gospel. These were water
baptism and the Lord`s Supper. A law concerning excommunication from church membership was
set forth (I Corinthians 5). Sunday was appointed by God as the Sunday Sabbath day, which was to be
used for all kinds of spiritual activity. Fach local congregation that would be established
throughout the world was to be governed by the laws set forth in the Bible.
The great task given to these God-ordained congregations was to send the Gospel throughout
the whole world. So, already, as we have noted, before the Bible was even finished, missionaries were
being sent forth into neighboring nations (Acts 13).
About A.D. 95, God completed the writing of the Bible, and no further information has come
from God describing the actual progress of the church in the world as an historical account. However,
long before the church age began,
God prophesied how the church age would spiritually develop.
One would expect that with the auspicious beginning of the church age on Pentecost in A.D. 33,
when about 3,000 were saved in one day (Acts 2), that the development of the church age would be a
notable success story. However, the Bible prophesied that this was not God`s plan. We sadly learn from
the Bible that even before God finished writing the Bible (about A.D. 95), already there was mounting
evidence that the church age was not going to be a huge success story.
The Bible Anticipates a Defective Church
In Revelation 2 and Revelation 3, God tells us about the spiritual condition of seven
typical churches. These conditions existed about 30 years after these churches had been formed. For
example, the church at Fphesus had lost its first love (Revelation 2:4-5). Remember, to love God is to
obey His commandments (John 14:21-23). Therefore, God threatened to remove their candlestick,
which represents the light of the Gospel, because they were no longer obedient to God`s laws. This
church would no longer be used by God to send the Gospel into the world.
In Galatians 1:2-9, the Bible reports that already, before the Bible was completed, the churches
of Galatia had begun to follow a gospel that was not the Gospel of the Bible. In Revelation 2:13, the
Bible reports that the church at Pergamos was already a church in which, to some extent, Satan was
ruling. This verse makes reference to Satan`s 'seat. In the Bible, the word 'seat, in this kind of
context, refers to ruling or reigning. And in Revelation 3:1-4, the Bible reports that the church at Sardis
was already a dead church, even though it had a few true believers left within it.
In Matthew 13:24-30, the Bible records the parable of the wheat and the tares. The wheat
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represented true believers in the churches. The tares
12
represented unbelievers who gave every evidence of being true believers, so much so that only at the
end of the church age would God provide the means by which the wheat could be separated from the
tares. This meant that all through the church age, there would be tares, those who were still slaves of
Satan, who would be very active in the churches. Thus, through them, Satan could rule in the churches
even though officially, Christ was the ruler of the churches.
Already in Isaiah 9:1-4, God prophesied that the church age would not
be a great success story. There we read:
Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he
lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more
grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond 1ordan, in Galilee of the nations. The
people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the
shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and
not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men
rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the
staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
In these verses, God speaks of the light shining on the land beyond Jordan as 'Galilee of the
nations (see also Matthew 4:15-16). That is, all the nations of the world were to be under the light of
the Gospel. That light, of course, is the Lord Jesus, who is the light of the world (John 1:7-10).
Because the light of the Gospel was to shine throughout the world, a great change in God`s
Gospel program would occur in that the spiritual darkness of the world would be penetrated by this light
(Isaiah 9:2). It would be a light that would bring into existence, throughout the world, a great company
of people who would externally appear to have become true believers in Christ, as Isaiah
9:3 declares, 'Thou hast multiplied the nation. In other words, the external size of the kingdom of
God that would be developed all over the world would be great.
However, in the same verse, God prophesies that He has not increased the joy of harvest. The
joy of harvest is the joy that comes when a person has been given eternal life so that he has become a
true believer (Luke 15:10). If the joy of harvest is lacking, it can only mean that the harvest of true
believers is very small. The fact is, as we are noting, this sad anticipation of the lack of a great harvest
of people being saved and coming into the kingdom of God is prophesied in many places in the Bible.
In addition to all the Biblical references we have already noted, we read in Isaiah 5 that God
portrays the church age as a vineyard that has been carefully
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and lovingly planted by God Himself. But this vineyard did not produce good fruit. It produced wild
grapes. Spiritually, wild grapes identify with those who have designed their own gospel instead of
meticulously following the Gospel of the Bible. Later on in this study, we will see that it was God`s plan
that because of this wickedness, God eventually would destroy the vineyard.
It should be noted that in many chapters of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Fzekiel,
etc., God indicates His intense anger against the nations of Israel and Judah because of their continuous
wickedness. Indeed, finally, they were destroyed. Israel was destroyed in 709 B.C. by the Assyrians,
and Judah in
587 B.C. by the Babylonians.
God used Israel and Judah, which in their day externally represented the kingdom of God, as
4I
examples of all the local churches that have externally represented the kingdom of God throughout the
time of the church age. As we study these Old Testament books of the Bible, we are actually reading
what God has anticipated for the church age, and more particularly, for the end of the church age.
Thus, God is teaching that churches were to be established all over the world throughout the
church age, giving the appearance that the church age was enormously successful. But in reality, only a
remnant, a small part of the whole in the churches, would actually become saved, that is, actually
become true believers.
This same thought is set forth in Romans 9:27, where God quotes from
Isaiah 10:22-23.
Romans 9:27: Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of
Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
Isaiah 10:22-23: For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of
them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. For the
Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the
land.
The Problem of Satan within the Churches
One very big reason for the lack of spiritual success in the church age was the problem of
Satan. At the time of the cross, Satan was given a death blow. He was banished from heaven
(Revelation 12:7-11), and he was bound so that he could not deceive the nations during the complete
period of the church age, which was symbolically described as a period of 1,000 years
(Revelation
20:1-3). The 1,000 years must be understood as a symbolical or spiritual number
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that signifies 'completeness. The actual period he was bound was 1,955 years
(from A.D. 33 to 1988).
The binding of Satan meant that he could not in any way frustrate God`s plan to save those
whom God, at the very beginning of time, had elected to salvation. But the fact that Satan was bound
did not preclude him from going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he might devour (I Peter 5:8).
That is, while the church age was altogether God`s plan by which the Gospel was to reach into all the
world, it would be greatly hindered in its spiritual effectiveness by Satan. He would hinder the
effectiveness of the churches by sowing tares or weeds within them (Matthew 13:24-30). That is, Satan,
operating as an 'angel of light would bring his ministers as 'ministers of righteousness into each
local congregation (II Corinthians 11:13-15).
In Revelation 6:4, Satan is pictured as a rider on a red horse carrying a great sword, which is
the Sword of the Spirit, the Bible, by which he would take peace from the earth. In other words, he
would use words from the Bible to try to give authority to his false teachings.
When we carefully harmonize all these Biblical references, we learn that, indeed, from an
outward standpoint, the church age was very successful, as church after church reported that great
numbers of people were saved. In reality, however, only a remnant of those who became confessing
members in full communion in the church actually became true believers.
The greatest blessing to the world during the church age was probably the printing and
distribution of hundreds of millions of Bibles throughout the world. The Bible, the light of the Gospel,
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was sent around the world, even though the number of those who became true believers during the
church age was small.
Thus, the ominous prophecy of Matthew 7:21-23 will come into sharp reality in the day God
brings His great wrath upon the unsaved of the world. And sadly, that includes all those who are still in
any church anywhere in the world when the rapture occurs, that is, when the true believers are caught
up to meet the Lord in the air. In these verses God declares:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but
he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
From our superior vantage point of being able to look back on the whole church age, we can see
the reality of God`s prophetic statement concerning the
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lack of success of the church age. True, it began with a great flourish in A.D. 33, on the day of
Pentecost when about 3,000 people were saved. But as we have already noted, within the churches that
were established even before the Bible was completed, apostasy was already in evidence. Likewise,
Satan was already ruling in many churches by seeding those churches with tares. The churches in
Revelation 2 and 3 were representative of all the churches that would come into existence throughout
the New Testament church age.
Moreover, when we examine church history, we never learn of a time of great faithfulness to
the Bible. Church history is replete with accounts of Biblical unfaithfulness. The high watermark
of Biblical unfaithfulness was probably the time of the Reformation, which occurred in Furope about
four to five hundred years ago. At that time in history, the dominant church was the Roman Catholic
church. It was so bad in its violation of Biblical laws that Roman Catholic men like Martin Luther and
John Calvin left the church and became the fountainhead of the Protestant churches. Many of these
Protestant churches earnestly tried to be as faithful as possible to the teachings of the Bible.
However, it was not long until a great many of the Protestant churches were teaching a man-
made salvation plan whereby anyone can accept Christ as his Lord and Savior and that this action
produced salvation. A look at the great revivals of the past discloses that the basis of most of them was
that kind of gospel. Sadly, it was not the Gospel of the Bible. In spite of this, God did save some people
during the church age.
Is the Entire Bible the Infallible Word of God?
The very fact that amongst the many Protestant denominations that were developed there is
great disagreement concerning many aspects of Bible doctrine indicates that each denomination
selected the verses from the Bible that they especially liked, and then they developed their creeds and
confessions from these verses. Fach denomination insisted that the verses they had selected were
infallible and inerrant. Thus, it appeared that the theological conclusions that became their church
creeds, and which were derived by harmonizing their understanding of the verses they had chosen,
were altogether true and trustworthy. Their teachings appeared to be solidly grounded in the infallible
Word of God, the Bible.
But that which appeared to be true and trustworthy was not always true and trustworthy.
Unfortunately, very frequently, the verses they had chosen as a basis for their confessions were
45
wrongly understood because the whole Bible was not consulted by these church theologians. They did
not carefully search the whole Bible, comparing Scripture with Scripture, to make certain their
conclusions
16
were correct. It appeared that they believed that the entire Bible was infallible, but in actuality, they
placed their trust only in those verses they had chosen to prove their doctrines. Thus, effectively, they
denied the authority of each and every verse in the entire Bible.
The consequence of this faulty trust in the Bible was the sending forth of a gospel of salvation
that was at times far from truth. That is why throughout the church age there have been many different
understandings of Bible doctrines by various denominations. For example, the Baptists disagree
with the Lutherans, the Lutherans with the Presbyterians, the Presbyterians with the Baptists, etc.,
concerning many Bible teachings.
We know the Bible is true and trustworthy in connection with each and every Biblical doctrine,
and therefore, there can be only one true answer. Thus, if several views concerning a particular
doctrine were held by different denominations, at most only one of these denominations was
speaking the truth, and all the others were preaching a lie.
On the other hand, if these denominations believed that the entire Bible is God`s infallible
Word, and their creeds must be under the authority of the Bible alone and in its entirety, then one could
logically expect that eventually, all denominations would teach each doctrine in the same way that
every other church taught that doctrine.
In addition, there have been large segments of the churches, like the Roman Catholics, the
Mormons, the Seventh-Day Adventists, and the Charismatic churches of our day who openly declare
that their church doctrines are a product of both the Bible and later revelations from God, messages that
were given after the Bible was completed. Therefore, by their very declaration, they have an authority
that structures and determines their understanding of the Bible that is different from God`s authority,
which is the Bible alone and in its entirety (Revelation 22:18-19). We must absolutely understand that
there could never have been any addition to the Bible once it was completed about 1,900 years ago.
As we indicated earlier, God anticipated and prophesied that for all of the above reasons, the
prophecy would come to pass as God declared, Thou hast. not. joy in harvest (Isaiah 9:3).
Although Israel, that is, all the local churches throughout the world, would be as the sand of the sea,
only a remnant would be saved (Romans 9:27).
There Would Be an End of the Church Age
God prophesied that finally, there would be an end to the church age, and then God would
complete the harvest of His elect, those who were chosen by God to become saved (Fphesians 1:3-
6), by bringing the Gospel to individuals who were outside of any church authority.
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When we search the Bible, we find that the Bible teaches that there will be a final tribulation,
which in Matthew 24:21 is called 'great tribulation. We read there:
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this
time, no, nor ever shall be.
Significantly, we live at a time in history when we can look back on almost 2,000 years of
44
history that came after the Bible was completed. As we learned earlier in this study, the available
historical information from non- Biblical sources concerning the history of the churches teaches us that
the church age was as unsuccessful as the Bible predicted it would be.
But that brings us to a very big question. It has always been understood by Bible students that
finally, there would be an end to this world, at which time the unsaved would receive the full penalty of
God`s wrath, and the saved would be eternally secure with Christ in the new heavens and the new earth.
Further, it has been commonly believed that the end of the world would come when Christ would come
as a thief in the night. That is, it was understood that we cannot know with any precision the time of the
end. This was so even though at various times in history, when severe persecution of Christians was
particularly in evidence in some parts of the world, there were those who dared to speculate that they
knew the year of Christ`s return. Of course, in every instance, they were proven wrong. This was so
because they did not base their conclusion upon a careful analysis of everything the Bible has to say
about the return of Christ.
In fact, throughout the church age it appears that the normal understanding of the
churches was that the churches would continue to the very end of time, and suddenly, this world would
come to its end as Christ came as a thief in the night.
A major variation of this concept became popular during the last century when the so-
called premillennial doctrine was taught, especially in the Baptist churches. That doctrine declared that
Christ would come as a thief in the night and rapture the church, that is, take all the people in the
churches to heaven. At the same time or shortly before that, there would be a seven-year period of great
tribulation. Immediately following this seven-year period, Christ would physically return to the present
earth to reign 1,000 years from the present literal city of Jerusalem. After this 1,000-year period, the end
of the world would come. This kind of teaching, which is altogether inaccurate, is possible because
there are many chapters, especially in the Book of Revelation, that obviously speak of the end of the
world but which are extremely difficult to understand. It is only in our day that we can begin to clearly
understand these Biblical references to the end of time.
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Chapter 3.
God`s Plan to Delay the Understanding of the End
Indeed, the Bible instructs us that it would not be possible to understand any information in the
Bible that gives details of the end of the world until the world would actually be very close to its end.
For example, many verses in the Book of Daniel speak about the end of the world, but God instructs in
Daniel
12:9:
end.
In other words, not until we came to the time when we were very near to the end of the world
would the true believers understand any substantial information concerning the end-time details of the
Gospel in the world. It was God`s intention that just before the world came to its end, then that kind of
information would become available to true believers who in turn were to make it available to the
world.
One method God has employed to keep the end-time information from being understood is to
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allow virtually all of the churches to adopt a man-made hermeneutic, that is, a man-made method of
Bible interpretation, which made a great amount of Biblical information inaccessible to the minds
of the theologians. Remember we took note of this sad fact earlier in this study.
The Bible clearly instructs us that without a parable, Christ did not speak (Mark 4:34). A
parable is an earthly story with a heavenly or spiritual meaning. That is, the Bible is altogether a
spiritual book. It is the Word of God, and Christ is the very essence of the Word of God (John 1:14).
Because it is written by God, all of the historical information, the conversations that are recorded, and
the anecdotes that are noted, are absolutely true and trustworthy. But knowing that this historical event
actually happened is only a fraction of the immense storehouse of truth that the Bible actually is. Fach
conversation, each anecdote, each word of the Bible was carefully planned and designed by God to
teach exceedingly important spiritual truths.
To find spiritual truth requires an immense amount of Bible study, comparing Scripture with
Scripture (I Corinthians 2:13). It also requires God the Holy Spirit to open the spiritual eyes of the truth
seeker. As already noted, it was not God`s intention to reveal many truths of the Bible, that is, to open
the spiritual eyes of the truth seeker, until very near the end of time. To facilitate this blindness
throughout the church age, God had not seen fit to open the spiritual eyes of the Bible teachers of the
churches that are located all around the world.
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Thus, for example, they do not realize that they are studying the Bible with an altogether wrong method
of Bible interpretation.
Another example can be offered as to how, throughout the church age, God kept the churches
from understanding a great many statements of the Bible. Those whose spiritual eyes God has opened
implicitly understand that each and every word in the original languages of the Bible is from the mouth
of God, and therefore, is absolutely true and trustworthy. The translator may have made an error in
translation, but the Hebrew or Greek word that is being translated is never to be questioned.
The problem of questioning the original Hebrew or Greek has been especially troublesome in
connection with the numbers of the Bible. For example, theologians have been unable to reconcile
the duration of a certain king`s reign as recorded in one verse in the Bible with the information given in
another place in the Bible. Thus, they have frequently concluded that there must have been a scribal
error, that is, at some time, when copying the original writing of the Bible, a scribe accidentally slightly
changed a letter from the letters of the original number, and thus made it a number that is not in the
original writing, and that error continued as additional copies were made. Consequently, they say that
we cannot absolutely trust each and every number recorded in the Bible.
That kind of attitude toward the Bible means that we really cannot trust
any of the Bible. If that kind of error is possible with a number that is recorded in the Bible, then it
could have also possibly occurred in connection with any word in the Bible, and we would have to
conclude that none of the Bible is absolutely trustworthy.
However, in order to give authority to the verses they are using to teach
what they want to teach, Bible teachers declare that the Bible is infallible and without error. But they
actually do not believe that this is really true of each and every word in the whole Bible. If they did
believe the whole Bible was infallible, they would never speak of such things as scribal error. They do
not understand that God has protected His Word so that a scribal error could not occur. Because Christ
deliberately spoke in parables to hide truths, and because God has allowed church theologians to
question the accuracy of some words in the Bible, many truths recorded in the Bible have remained
hidden.
These are just two examples, amongst a number of other ways, of how
God has kept certain truths of the Bible hidden until He chooses to reveal these truths. We must realize
4
that no individual can ever claim that it was his own intellectual ability or his holiness or righteousness
that enabled him to properly understand the Bible. We must realize that only God can open our eyes to
the truths that God has hidden in the Bible. And without question, He has His own timetable to do this.
We must keep in mind that God finished writing the Bible almost 2,000 years ago. But it was
God`s plan that a great many truths of the Bible were not
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to be understood by anyone until very near the end of time. And yet, for almost
2,000 years, earnest, devoted, faithful Bible scholars, who were truly saved, have had access to the
Bible, and they have tried very hard to understand as much of the Bible as possible.
Thus, we can begin to see why God wrote the Bible in the very complex, complicated way that
He did. We understand, for example, why God allowed all the churches to adopt a very faulty method of
Bible interpretation. It is only because we are near the end of time, and it is now God`s stated intention
to give us all this additional truth, that we are able to understand so much more Bible truth than earlier
Bible students.
Now We Are at the Time of Understanding
Now, we have arrived at that time. Consequently, verses in the Bible which heretofore have
been mysterious are now being understood. Almost every day new truth is pouring from the Bible.
This is resulting in an increasingly greater understanding of God`s plan for the end of the world. By
following the Biblical principle of comparing Scripture with Scripture, and realizing that we must seek
the spiritual truth hidden within each illustration and each anecdote and each historical event recorded
in the Bible, God is opening our eyes to understand all kinds of truth that heretofore has been denied the
most earnest seeker of Biblical truth. We are now able to discover the Biblical pattern for the closing
events of the world. This ability to know much more Biblical truth has come only because it is in this
time of history that God is opening the eyes of true believers who are carefully searching the whole
Bible for truth.
We must be reminded by the Bible that it was God`s intention that this kind of information
would someday be understood by the true believers. Remember God`s declaration of Fcclesiastes
8:5-7:
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man`s heart
discerneth both time and judgment. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment,
therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be:
for who can tell him when it shall be?
In these verses, God is teaching us that man, by nature, has no idea of the timetable of the day
of his death or the details of God`s judgment process for the end of the world. However, in the life of
the true believer, the individual with a wise man`s heart, it is God`s purpose that he will know time and
judgment.
The fact is that the true believers will know a great amount of time information, from the Bible,
but the true believers have become aware of this
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truth only in our day. Thus, for example, it is in our day that true believers have discovered from the
Bible the entire calendar of history, beginning with creation in the year 11,013 B.C.
4/
The principal set forth in Fcclesiastes 8 is further declared in I
Thessalonians 5:2-6, where we read:
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and
the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep,
as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
These verses teach that for those who are satisfied with their present knowledge of the Bible, or
their present philosophy of life, which includes the idea that they need not fear judgment day, for them,
Christ will come as a thief in the night. They have no knowledge of or trust in the time information the
Bible gives.
On the other hand, those who are watching and are sober, that is, have a sound mind because
God has given them a new resurrected soul, they will know much about the character and timing of
Christ`s return.
This principle is further set forth in the language of Amos 3:7, where
God says:
Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the
prophets.
With these principles in mind, we know that we are enabled to anticipate the closing
events of the world`s history. Of course, these truths, which we believe relate to the end of the world,
must not only come from the Bible, but also, they must stand the most careful scrutiny of the Bible.
The Bible clearly tells us that Christ will come as a thief in the night (II
Peter 3:10; I Thessalonians 5:2). Throughout the church age, the churches have taught this. Based upon
their best efforts to understand the Bible, God-fearing Bible teachers and theologians have correctly
insisted that we must be deeply concerned about our personal salvation because we have no guarantee
that we will be alive tomorrow. Moreover, most churches taught that we must also realize that the end
of the world and the return of Christ in judgment could occur at any time.
However, as we have already indicated, throughout the church age, there was no clear
knowledge of the Biblical timeline of history. No one had
22
been able to determine the precise year of creation, the year of the flood of Noah`s day, the year
Abraham was circumcised, the day and the year of Christ`s baptism, etc.
This lack of accurate knowledge of the timing of past events, as well as any knowledge of the
timing of Christ`s return, was carefully planned by God. This is indicated in Daniel 12, where we read
that Daniel, who had been given an understanding of much end-time information, was told to 'shut up
the words, and seal the book even to the time of the end (Daniel 12:4).
But now we are at the time of the end, and God has opened our spiritual eyes to the importance
of statements such as those recorded in Fcclesiastes 8:5-6 and in Amos 3:7.
Therefore, as we have previously noted, the Bible teaches us in I Thessalonians 5:2-6
that many people in our day will continue to insist that Christ will come as a thief in the night, only to
find that they are the objects of God`s wrath.
Because we are now very near the time of the end, these verses are extremely significant. In our
day we have been able, by God`s mercy, to unfold the timeline of history by careful study of the Bible.
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Not only has the Bible disclosed to us much information concerned with the precise timetable of past
historical events recorded in the Bible, but it has also given us much time information concerned with
the events that must occur at the very end of the world.
We should not be surprised that this is so. When God destroyed the whole earth in Noah`s day,
He made sure that the world of that day knew that this terrible event, the destruction of the world by a
huge flood, was coming, and also, the exact day it would occur. Noah was not only the builder of the
huge ark, the building of which would have been well known to the world of that day, but Noah himself
was 'a preacher of righteousness (II Peter 2:5). Seven days before the flood began, God gave Noah
the precise date when the flood would begin (Genesis 7:4, 10, 16).
Likewise, when God was about to destroy the wicked city of Nineveh, God sent the prophet
Jonah to warn the city that in 40 days, after Jonah began to warn the city, the city would be destroyed
(Jonah 3:4).
Likewise, we must understand that today, God is giving information concerning the exact
timetable of the end of the world. This information must come only from the Bible. The Bible today is
no different in any way from the Bible that was completed more than 1,900 years ago. But because it
was not God`s plan to reveal this information until the end of time, this information concerning details
of the time of the end of the world was deeply hidden in the words of the Bible. Therefore, it was not
possible for even the most faithful, diligent Bible students to understand this.
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Nevertheless, it has always been God`s plan that near the time of the end, this extensive time
information must become available to the world. Since all of the Biblical evidence shows that presently,
we are almost to the end of time, we can be assured that this important time information should now be
available, and indeed, must be shared with the whole world.
By carefully examining all of the information the Bible gives concerning the historical
events recorded in the Bible, we are enabled to understand very much about the timing and nature
of future events, all the way to the last day of the earth`s existence. We can outline a number of
fundamental truths that the Bible teaches us, and they are as follows.
1. The Bible is a very analytical book. It is not written in such a way as to encourage subjective
analysis or philosophical reasoning (II Peter 1:20). It is written like an engineering book, wherein truth
is presented as absolute fact.
2. Fach and every number recorded in the Bible is accurate. Fven though a number may be
difficult to understand, it must never be regarded as an error.
3. There is great precision in the occurrence of historical events. For example, Israel was in
Fgypt for 430 years, to the very day. Israel was in the wilderness traveling from Fgypt to Canaan for 40
years, to the very day.
4. Frequently, but not always, God uses certain numbers of the Bible to illustrate spiritual truth.
Jesus Christ alludes to the spiritual significance of numbers in Matthew 18:21-22. When Peter asked
Jesus how many times he must forgive his brother, Jesus used numbers to explain His answer. He says
in verse 22:
. . . I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
49
Since we are to always forgive each other, we can see that Jesus is using numbers to portray
spiritual truths. These numbers could stand alone or be part of a larger number. This greatly assists in
harmonizing and linking together parallel events that occur many years apart. The following is a list of
most of these numbers.
2 - Those who have been commissioned to bring the Gospel
3 - God`s purpose
4 - The farthest extent in time or in distance that God spiritually has in view
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5 - The atonement, which emphasizes both judgment and salvation
7 - The perfect fulfillment of God`s purpose
10 - The completeness of whatever is in view
11 - The first coming of Christ, 11,000 years after creation
12- The fullness of whatever is in view
13 - The end of the world, the details of which began exactly 13,000 years after creation
17 - Heaven
23 - God`s wrath or judgment
40 - Testing
An example of how we can discover spiritual truth by means of a large number that can be
broken down into smaller numbers is given in John 21. There the Bible records the catching of 153 fish.
The net did not break. The fish were all safely brought to land, which represents heaven, without the use
of a ship, which typifies the local church. Spiritually, these fish represent all the true believers, the elect,
who will be saved from hell, which is typified by the sea, after the church age is finished. The number
153 is divisible, which we see by the numbers 3 x 3 x 17 153. Spiritually, the numbers signify that the
number 153 describes God`s purpose (3) to bring to heaven (17) all those whom God has saved from
the wrath of God. Thus, the number 153 assists us in seeing the spiritual truths that are hidden in this
historical event.
5. At times the Bible calls attention to a number that is prophesying a future event. For
example, in Daniel 12:12, God speaks of a blessed person who waits and comes to1,335 days. We
discover that this is prophesying the coming of Jesus, whose spiritual atoning work for this earth began
on September 26, A.D. 29, when He was officially announced as the Lamb of God. It went on until May
22, A.D. 33, the Pentecost day when the Holy Spirit was poured out and the church age officially began.
The time between these two events was exactly
1,335 days inclusive, as Daniel 12:12 had predicted.
6. It must be clearly understood that the true understanding of any Biblical truth can come only
when the Holy Spirit decides it is time for us to know that truth. God must open our hearts and spiritual
eyes before any truth can be known. Therefore, a plea for this spiritual sight should be the constant
prayer of anyone who seeks to know any truth of the Bible. This also applies very directly to an
understanding of the timing and nature of the closing events of this world`s history.
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50
7. In Colossians 2:16 and 17, God informs us that the ceremonial feast days are shadows of
things to come. These verses declare:
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the
new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is
of Christ.
Therefore, we can expect and do find that every important juncture in the unfolding of God`s
Gospel plan occurs on the date of a ceremonial feast day. For example, Christ was crucified on the day
the Passover was to be observed. The day of Pentecost was the day the Holy Spirit was poured out at
the beginning of the church age. We will find that this principle follows through all the way to the last
day of the earth`s existence, which comes on a day that identifies with the last day of the feast of
tabernacles.
In our study of the Bible, if we keep these seven principles in mind, we will be greatly helped
in our effort to learn truth from the Bible.
Because of the importance of point 7, which speaks of the relationship of the Biblical
ceremonial dates to the important junctures in the unfolding of God`s timeline of history, it would be
well to further emphasize this issue. In so doing, we will also discover the great precision that
frequently exists between these historical junctures. We will later discover that this precision continues
to the very last day of the world`s existence.
The Important Time 1unctures Are Linked to Ceremonial Feast Days
As previously noted, many of the important junctures in the unfolding of time were tied very
precisely to the ceremonial feast days that were to be observed by Old Testament Israel. The
Biblical ceremonial calendar was governed by the elapsed time from one new moon to the next,
which made the Biblical month either 29 or 30 days. By carefully analyzing the time information in the
Bible, we learn that the first month of each year began as close to the spring vernal equinox as
possible, but no earlier than 14 days before the spring equinox, which is March 21 or March 22.
As we have noted, God instituted a number of very important ceremonial feasts that were
identified with important aspects of God`s salvation program. They were a 'shadow of things to
come. These important ceremonial feast days are as follows.
1. The Passover, the14
th
day of the first month.
2. Pentecost, also called the feast of harvest, 50 days after the seventh- day Sabbath that was
simultaneous with Passover day or was the first Sabbath day after the Passover.
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3. The first day of the seventh month was a special feast day that theologians call the feast of
trumpets. More properly, it should be called the feast of jubilee. The trumpets that were sounded on that
day were not the Biblical silver trumpets. On that date, it was the 'shophar, the ram`s horn, that was
blown. The Bible, when correctly translated, speaks of it as the day of jubilee (Numbers 29:1) or a
memorial of the jubilee (Leviticus 23:24).
4. Fvery fiftieth year was a jubilee year, which emphasized that the Gospel (liberty) was to be
proclaimed to the whole world. The jubilee years began in 1407 B.C. when Israel entered the land of
Canaan and were to be observed at 50 year intervals thereafter (Leviticus 25:8-13). Thus, 7 B.C., the
year Christ was born, was a jubilee year. And A.D. 1994, which came 2,000 years after 7 B.C., was also
5I
a jubilee year.
5. The tenth day of the seventh month was called the day of atonement. It, too, was called a day
of jubilee (Leviticus 25:9), and it was looking toward the great event of Jesus providing atonement for
the sins of all He came to save.
6. The 15
th
day to the 22
nd
day of the seventh month was the feast of tabernacles, which was at
the same time as the feast of ingathering.
Significantly, the timing of each of these feast days identified with very important junctures in
the unfolding of God`s salvation program. When we harmonize all of the Biblical information that helps
us develop the timeline of history all the way to the end of time, we discover the following.
1. Considerable evidence in the Bible points to the fact that, in all likelihood, Jesus, who is the
very essence of the jubilee, was born on October 2, in 7 B.C. The year 7 B.C. is a jubilee year. October
2, in 7 B.C., was the day of atonement on which the 'shofar (ram`s horn) of the jubilee was to be
sounded. Thus, both the day of atonement and the year 7 B.C. identified with the jubilee. Remember,
the jubilee focused on the fact that the Gospel was to be published to the entire world. And Jesus came
to this earth to make all the arrangements so that the Gospel could be published throughout the world.
Thus, we see the remarkable link of the timing of the birth of Jesus, who is the very essence of the
jubilee, with the day and year that were focused on the jubilee.
2. The next important juncture in God`s salvation program was the day Jesus officially began
His work as the Messiah. It was the day He was announced to the world as the Lamb of God who
had come to take away the sins of the world. According to our modern calendar, it was September 26,
A.D. 29. According to the Biblical calendar, it is the first day of the seventh month, which
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is the date of the feast of jubilee (incorrectly called the feast of trumpets by theologians). We surely can
see the beautiful similarities of the announcement of the official beginning of the ministry of Jesus, our
jubilee, with a feast of jubilee.
3. Jesus, as the sacrificial Lamb of God, literally suffered the penalty as demanded by the law of
God, before He created the world (see To God Be the Glory). It had to be equivalent to the punishment
that would have been given to those He came to save, as He made the payment for their sins.
This demonstration of this enormous punishment began on Thursday evening in the Garden of
Gethsemane and continued until just before sundown on Friday. This awesome event occurred precisely
at the same time that the Bible commanded that the feast of the Passover was to be observed. That
Friday, according to the Biblical calendar, was the fourteenth day of the first month. According to our
modern calendar, it was April 1, A.D. 33.
4. In A.D. 33, the Biblical calendar called for the observance of the feast of Pentecost on
Sunday, May 22, according to our modern calendar. This was the day the firstfruits of the harvest were
to be brought in. On that very same day, May 22, A.D. 33, the Holy Spirit was poured out and the
firstfruits of the church age were brought into the kingdom of God. Remember, in Acts 2:41, we read
that about 3,000 persons were saved on that day.
5. Fach Pentecost day throughout the church age, which continued from A.D. 33 to 1988,
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emphasized that the firstfruits were to continue to be brought in. Therefore, the church age would have
ended the day before Pentecost in
1988. This was May 21, 1988. Thus, the church age continued for exactly 1,955 full years, to the very
day.
6. As we continue in this study, we will learn that the church age ended on May 21, 1988
(A.D.). This date coincided with the beginning of the time when God began to prepare the churches and
the world for what the Bible calls the 'great tribulation. We shall also learn that during the first 2,300
days of this
8,400-day tribulation, virtually no one could become saved.
7. But then, as we shall discover in this study, 2,300 days after the beginning of the great
tribulation, God`s final great salvation program began. That day of history was September 7, 1994
(A.D.). It was on that date that God again poured out His Holy Spirit, so that for the next 17 years, all
over the world, a great multitude of people would become saved.* Indeed, no one was aware of this
awesome action of God at the time it occurred. But the Bible assures us that it did occur. That
September 7, according to the Biblical calendar, was the first
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day of the seventh month, when the feast of jubilee (remember, it has been incorrectly called the feast
of trumpets), was to be observed. That year, 1994, when this grand event happened, was a jubilee year,
just as 7 B.C., when Jesus was born, was a jubilee year. Again we see the remarkable linking of the
timing of the unfolding of God`s salvation plan with the Biblical timing of the ceremonial feast
days.
The Precision of Important Salvation Events
By carefully studying the Bible we learn that the unfolding of important junctures in God`s
salvation plan for the world is not at all haphazard or erratic. Fvery event followed a very carefully
planned time program that is revealed in God`s law book, the Bible. The following are a number of
examples of this.
1. Israel was in Fgypt for 430 years to the very day (Fxodus 12:40-41). The years were 1877
B.C. to 1447 B.C.
2. When Israel left Fgypt in 1447 B.C., it was precisely, to the very day,
40 years later that they arrived at the Jordan River, which they then crossed over to go into the land of
Canaan.
3. As prophesied in Daniel 12:12, it was precisely 1,335 days, inclusive, that Christ`s work as
the Messiah took place. He officially began his work on September 26, A.D. 29, when He was
announced as the Lamb of God (John
1:29). Fxactly 1,335 days later, inclusive, on May 22, A.D. 33, the Holy Spirit was poured out and the
church age officially began.
4. The church age embraced, to the very day, exactly 1,955 years in that it began on Pentecost
day, May 22, A.D. 33, and ended the day before Pentecost on May 21, 1988 (A.D.).
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* In Fzekiel 39:29, we read, 'Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel,
saith the Lord GOD. The phrase 'Neither will I hide my face anymore from them identifies with God`s final salvation program, which
comes during the last part of the great tribulation. We know this to be true because God`s salvation program, during the 1,480 years that Israel
represented the kingdom of God, and during the 1,955-year church age, when all the churches represented the kingdom of God, both ended
with God turning away from them. It is only during the final ingathering, during the last part of the great tribulation, that God will never again
turn His face from them. See also Joel 2:28-32, where God speaks about pouring out the Holy Spirit. These verses are quoted in Acts 2:17-21.
In Joel 2, the focus is on the pouring out of the Holy Spirit during the great tribulation. In Acts 2, the focus of the pouring out of the Holy
Spirit
is on Pentecost in A.D. 33 and the great tribulation.
29
5. There were exactly, to the very year, 13,000 years from creation, in the year 11,013 B.C.,
until the end of the church age, which was also the beginning of God`s final activity of salvation and
judgment. We will learn that this began in A.D.1988.
6. There are exactly 7,000 years from the flood of Noah`s day, which destroyed everything on
the earth in 4990 B.C., to A.D. 2011, which we will learn is the year that God will destroy this present
universe and recreate it as new heavens and a new earth.
7. Fven as it was prophesied in Daniel 8:14, we will learn that there were precisely 2,300 days
from the beginning of the great tribulation, which coincided with the end of the church age on May
21, 1988, until the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. This pouring out of the Holy Spirit, which occurred
on September 7, 1994, is the beginning date of the final, magnificent 17-year harvest of great numbers
of people who have become true believers.
These are some of the very precise time periods that show that God had prearranged the
unfolding of the Gospel in the world.
God Used the Temple to Illustrate Spiritual Truth
We must remember that sometimes the Bible presents an historical event to illustrate the wrath
of God as well as the mercy and love of God. For example, the Bible describes the awful judgment of
God on the world of Noah`s day. He utilized the waters of the flood to destroy mankind. However, in I
Peter
3:20, while speaking of this flood, God indicates that 'eight souls were saved by water. Likewise,
Israel passed through the Red Sea in safety to illustrate salvation. However, the Fgyptian armies were
destroyed in the Red Sea to illustrate God`s judgment on the wicked. Thus, in these illustrations, God is
showing His wrath and His mercy through the same event.
In similar fashion, God used the magnificent temple constructed by Solomon to illustrate God`s
judgment and also to illustrate God`s salvation. This temple, like the tabernacle at Shiloh, illustrated the
building of God`s kingdom during the church age. However, in time, God destroyed both the temple at
Shiloh and also Solomon`s temple in Jerusalem because of the wickedness of Israel and Judah.
Likewise, in our time, God has brought His judgment upon the churches of our day. These churches
were typified by the tabernacle and the temple. Not one of the churches of today is any longer included
in God`s salvation plan. The temple, which typified the entire church age, no longer exists. Not one
stone is left upon another (Matthew 24:1-3).
But God also uses Solomon`s temple to typify and illustrate God`s wonderful salvation plan that
is taking place in our day. He does this in the Bible
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54
as He describes the dedication of the temple. All of the events that occurred in connection with this
dedication took place in the seventh month of the Biblical calendar (I Kings 8:2). The Bible speaks of
the seventh month as the end of the year (Fxodus 23:16, 34:22). It is in our day that we are in the end of
the year,* insofar as the history of the world is concerned. Thus, we must understand that all of the
events involved in the dedication of Solomon`s temple were pointing to, or typifying, the Gospel events
that are occurring in our day, the time of the final harvest.
The Temple Dedication Information Gives Important Time Information
In connection with the dedication of Solomon`s temple, God employed an interesting way to
show that the end of the world is one day later than when we would expect it. In so doing, God is also
showing us the great precision of the timing of the end of the world. To obtain this information, we
should first note how God uses the phrase 'last day.
As we examine the phrase 'last day we find that it is recorded in only eight places in the
Bible. Four of these places are recorded in John 6, where God speaks about giving all the true believers
their resurrected bodies on the last day (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54). The phrase 'last day is also found in
John 11:24. There we read that Martha, standing beside the tomb of her dead brother Lazarus, declares,
under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:
. . . I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
This phrase is also recorded in John 12:48, where Christ declares:
He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I
have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
The remaining two instances of God`s use of the phrase 'last day are, very significantly, in
connection with the last day of the feast of tabernacles. They are recorded in John 7:37 and Nehemiah
8:18.
The feast of tabernacles was simultaneous with the feast of ingathering. These feasts are
definitely linked to the end of the world. Thus, we are not surprised that God uses the words 'last day
in connection with the feast of tabernacles. That is, the last day of the feast of tabernacles should show
us the timing of the last day of the end of the world.
* It is significant that the Bible speaks of Fnoch being taken into heaven, without dying, at the age of 365 (Genesis 5:23-24). Surely it is not
coincidental that this first example of the rapture occurred to a true believer at an age that coincides with one year (365 days), of earth`s
history.
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In the Biblical ceremonial calendar, these simultaneous feasts, the feast of tabernacles and the
feast of ingathering, were to be seven days in length, beginning on the 15
th
day of the seventh month.
The day immediately following these seven days, which the Bible calls the eighth day, was also called
both a 'solemn assembly (Leviticus 23:36) and a 'Sabbath (Leviticus 23:39). Thus, the feast of
tabernacles actually included eight days that began on the 15
th
day of the seventh month and concluded
on the 22
nd
day, and this final day was to be observed as a Sabbath.
It was God`s purpose, however, to show us that when we make the application of these days
to the end of the world, the eighth day is to be considered to be two days in length, so that the
eighth day will also include the
23
rd
day of the Biblical seventh month.
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This truth is developed by God in the Biblical information relating to the dedication of
Solomon`s temple, which can be shown to be strikingly identified with the events taking place at
the end of the world. In II Chronicles, God describes the dedication of Solomon`s temple. We should
look at a few statements God has made in connection with the dedication. They are as follows.
1. The time was in the seventh month (II Chronicles 7:10).
2. The dedication of the altar was seven days (II Chronicles 7:9).
3. Then they kept the feast of tabernacles (feast of the Bible) seven days
(II Chronicles 7:8-9). Thus, 14 days had passed (I Kings 8:65).
4. The seven-day celebration of the feast of tabernacles was followed by the eighth day when
they observed a solemn assembly (II Chronicles 7:8-9).
This eighth day would have been observed as a Sabbath day (Leviticus
23:39), when no work would be performed, and travel would have been limited. According to Acts
1:12, the distance between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem, which was less than one-half mile,
was the only length or distance they were permitted to travel on a Sabbath day. Remarkably, in I Kings
8:66, we read:
On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their
tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his
servant, and for Israel his people.
The Eighth Day, October 21, 2011
As we have noted, this eighth day ordinarily was the 22
nd
day of the seventh month and was to
be observed as a Sabbath. The people had come from
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all over the land of Israel (I Kings 8:65). How could they be expected to do all the work of moving and
traveling on a day that was to be observed as a Sabbath? God solved this problem by indicating that the
eighth day was to continue for an additional day. That additional one day was the 23
rd
day of the seventh
month. We read this in II Chronicles 7:10:
And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into
their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto
David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.
Please note the almost identical language of this verse to that of I Kings
8:66 (quoted above). Remember, I Kings 8:66 referred to the eighth day, which was the 22
nd
day of the
month, whereas II Chronicles 7:10 refers to the 23
rd
day of the month.
This disclosure is very significant when we realize that the dedication of the temple and the
observance of the feast of tabernacles (the feast of the Bible), are intimately identified with the
completion of God`s judgment plan at the end of the world. It means that in A.D. 2011, the eighth day
of the feast of tabernacles (feast of the Bible) is actually to be considered two days in length. Whereas
the eighth day (the 22
nd
day of the seventh month), is October 20, in actuality, it is to be observed as
they did in II Chronicles 7:10, on the 23
rd
day of the seventh month, which is October 21, 2011. Thus,
we must realize that October 21, 2011 will be the final day of this earth`s existence.
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Another Look at the Feast of Tabernacles
When we examined the dedication of Solomon`s temple, we discovered that the feast of
tabernacles was an integral part of the dedication activities. We also learned that it helps us to know the
timing of the end of the world. But why was it called the feast of tabernacles?
We will discover that the Hebrew word that is translated as 'tabernacle in connection with this
feast is a Hebrew word that is more commonly translated 'booth. Moreover, we will discover that the
word 'booth identifies with the cloud and the fire that covered the tabernacle throughout the 40 years
that Israel was in the wilderness, on their way from Fgypt to the land of Canaan. Furthermore,
we will discover that the cloud and the fire represented the commandments of God, thus making
the booth represent the commandments of God. Therefore, the feast of tabernacles actually is the feast
of the law of God or the feast of the Bible. The feast of tabernacles (the feast of the Bible),
emphasizes the glory of God as developed by the glory of God`s law book, the Bible.
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The Hebrew word for tabernacle that God placed in the phrase 'feast of tabernacles is
the word 'sukkah, which is also translated 'booth. A passage of the Bible that helps us to
understand this word is Isaiah 4:5-6. There we read:
And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her
assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon
all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the
daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from
rain.
The Hebrew word translated as 'defence in this verse would be better translated as 'cover.
The phrase translated as there shall be a tabernacle would be better translated as it shall be a
booth. Thus, these verses would be better translated:
And 1ehovah will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, upon her assembly, a
cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory
shall be a cover. And it shall be a booth for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for
a place of refuge, and for a cover from storm and from rain.
These verses are teaching the following.
1. every dwelling place of mount Zion This refers to every aspect of the kingdom of
God, of which we have become a citizen when we become saved.
2. upon her assembly This is a singular word that speaks of one great eternal assembly that
consists of all those who have become saved.
3. 'a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night This refers to the
law of God, the Bible, which gives spiritual direction to mankind.
4. 'upon all the glory shall be a cover This refers to the glory of the kingdom of God that has
5/
the cloud by day and the fire by night as a cover.
5. 'and it shall be a tabernacle booth] for a shadow in the daytime from the heat and for a
place of refuge and for a cover hiding place] from
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storm and from rain. The cloud and the fire, that is, the Word of God is a booth that covers and
provides a hiding place from the wrath of God, the storm and the rain.
Farlier we learned that the cloud and pillar of fire relate to the Word of God. We can see this as
we note that the Bible has much to say about the cloud and pillar of fire giving direction to Israel during
their 40 years in the wilderness. For example, we read in Numbers 9:21-23:
And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud
was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night
that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a
year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel
abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they
journeyed. At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the
commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the
commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
In Numbers 9:15-23, God is very clearly associating the cloud by day and the fire by night with
the commandments of God. And of course, the commandments of God are the Bible.
We must understand, of course, that if we never become saved, the law of God will cause the
damnation of His anger to fall upon us. However, if we are one of God`s elect (and we can know we
are, if we have received our new resurrected soul), then we are not under the penalty of eternal
damnation for our sins. That is, the law can no longer condemn us. Instead, the law is the guarantee that
God gives us that we are eternally secure in Christ. We are hidden by the law of God from the wrath of
God. And the law of God, the Bible, gives us complete direction as to how we are to live altogether to
God`s glory.
Thus, we have learned that the feast of tabernacles is altogether focused on the Bible by which
God reveals His exceedingly great glory. So, it would be more accurate to speak of the 'feast of
tabernacles as the 'feast of the Bible. The feast of the Bible was observed on the same days that the
feast of ingathering was observed. The feast of ingathering came at the same time that the final
harvesting of the year took place. Spiritually, this points to the truth that the Bible is glorified by the
feast of the Bible. This focus on the glorious nature of the Bible is further demonstrated as God brings
in a final huge harvest of people who become saved just before the end of the world.
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This final ingathering is prophesied in Romans 9:28. There we read:
For he will finish the work Creek, logos], and cut it short in righteousness:
because a short work logos] will the Lord make upon the earth.
The Greek word 'logos is ordinarily translated as 'word. Therefore, this verse refers to the
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present short period of time, which we will learn from the Bible is the final 17 years of the earth`s
history. The key to the importance of these 17 years is the glorious Word (logos) of God by which God
is presently saving a great multitude which no man could number (Revelation 7:9). This final
evangelization of the world that is presently taking place will not stumble or falter. It will transition
without any defects or hesitations into its eternal completeness, when in a very short time Christ returns
and raptures all the true believers, the elect, throughout the world to be eternally with Him in the new
heavens and the new earth.
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Chapter 4.
We Begin Our Search for the Timetable of the End
We shall now outline the basic truths we learn from the Bible that direct us to an exact
understanding of the final timeline of history.
Throughout the last 2,000 years, during which time the entire Bible has been available, devout,
dedicated true believers have earnestly searched the Bible to try to discover the future unfolding of this
earth`s history. They were all aware of one truth, that is, there would come a time when this world`s
history would come to an end. It would coincide with the return of Jesus as the righteous judge of the
earth, and the rapture of all the true believers to a new heaven and a new earth, where eternally they
will reign with Christ.
However, before this time would come, there would be a period of some kind of great
tribulation. Commonly, this was wrongly understood to be a time of massive physical persecution of the
believers in Christ. In reality, it is a time that can only be understood spiritually.
Chapters of the Bible like Matthew 24 and Mark 13 were particularly studied with great care
because they seemed to focus on such a tribulation coming just before the return of Christ. It is true that
within these two chapters, God gives us the best clue to help us begin to build a Biblical framework that
ties the past to the end of history. That clue is in Mark 13:28, where God declares:
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth
leaves, ye know that summer is near:
This verse could not begin to be understood until about 60 years ago, on May 14, 1948. It was
at that time that the Biblical fig tree, the nation of Israel, again became a viable nation among the
nations of the world. This was almost a miracle, because for the entire period from A.D. 70, when Israel
together with the city of Jerusalem and the temple were totally destroyed by the Romans, Israel had not
been a nation of the world with its own homeland. However, almost miraculously, on May 14, 1948, it
again became a nation with its own homeland.
Immediately a great many Christians correctly associated this dramatic event with the fig tree
prophecy of Mark 13:28. They correctly saw that God typified national Israel as a fig tree, and that a fig
tree in leaf related to Israel again becoming a nation.*
Because this verse insists that when the fig tree is in leaf, all of the events recorded in Mark 13
and Matthew 24 will then occur, we must realize that
* Israel, for example, is typified by the fig tree that Christ cursed, so that it would never again bring forth fruit (Mark 11:12-21).
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God has given an outstanding clue that the time of the end of the world has come very close. This is
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because a careful reading of Matthew 24 and Mark 13 shows that these events identify with a time of
great tribulation (Matthew 24:21), which will be followed by the return of Christ (Matthew 24:29-31).
Another clue that God gives us is found in Revelation 7:9-14. There God speaks of a great
multitude which no man could number, that would come out of the great tribulation. (The article 'the
was not translated, but it is in the original Greek.) Additionally, in Luke 21:22, which is also speaking
of the time of great tribulation, God speaks of this tribulation as a time of vengeance. God`s punishment
on the wicked is a time of vengeance. During the great tribulation, God has begun to prepare the
peoples of the world and all the local churches for the completion of God`s judgment process.
The next verse that helps us is Matthew 24:22, where we read:
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but
for the elect`s sake those days shall be shortened.
It appears that this verse is saying that this is a time of great tribulation when God`s vengeance
on mankind will begin. However, because many of God`s elect, those who were chosen by God to
become saved (Fphesians 1:3-6), have not yet become saved, the period of tribulation has been
shortened. In other words, this period of great tribulation is greatly identified with God`s judgment
plan, but at the same time it is identified with some kind of great surge in salvation activity. How can
we reconcile these ideas?
We have learned from the examination of the unfolding of historical events of the Bible, and
from the teaching of Colossians 2:16-17, that they link to ceremonial feast days. The year of jubilee, for
example, emphasizes that liberty (salvation) is to be published to the world. The fact is, all of the
Biblical evidence points to the very high likelihood that Jesus, who is the very essence of the jubilee,
was born in the jubilee year 7 B.C., on the day of atonement, at which time the shophar (ram`s horn) of
the jubilee (Hebrew 'teruah) sounded (Leviticus 25:9).*
Moreover, we learned that Jesus was officially announced as the Lamb of God on September
26, A.D. 29, which Biblically was Tishri 1 (Tishri is the seventh month), which is also called the day of
jubilee (Numbers 29:1). Because Christ, the jubilee, had come and was officially announced, the stage
was set to send the Gospel into all the world. Seven weeks after the Sunday when Jesus was
* The Fnglish translations in some passages translate the Hebrew word 'teruah as 'trumpets. But in Leviticus 25:9, regarding the day of
atonement, we read that this same word 'teruah is translated correctly as 'jubilee. Thus, the phrase 'day of blowing the trumpets would be
better translated as 'day of jubilee.
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resurrected, the Holy Spirit was poured out and worldwide evangelization did begin.
It would seem that if there is a great surge of salvation activity, then it would somehow relate to
a jubilee year. Therefore, in the years following 1948, when would there be another jubilee year? There
are exactly 50 years from one jubilee year to the next jubilee year. Indeed, 1994 is the first jubilee year
after
1948. It is exactly 2,000 years after the jubilee year of 7 B.C. when Christ, who is the very essence of
the jubilee, was born.
The jubilee definitely relates to God`s salvation program. But the Bible assures us that this
jubilee year is in the midst of the time of great tribulation, which is a time of preparation for God`s final
judgment activities. How can these simultaneous contradictory events be at the same time and relate to
the year
1994?
The prophecy of Daniel 8 becomes very helpful. In Matthew 24, where we learn about this
great tribulation, God directs us to look for more information in the Book of Daniel. Matthew 24:15-16
0
declares:
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the
prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them
which be in 1udaea flee into the mountains:
In Daniel Chapter 8, God speaks of a time of 2,300 days during which a fierce king would rule.
He would cause the daily sacrifice to be taken away and the abomination or transgression of desolation
to take place so that the sanctuary and host would be trodden under foot (Daniel 8:12-14). Spiritually,
this means that the true Gospel would be replaced with a satanic gospel. Significantly, concerning the
vision of 2,300 days, God declares in Daniel 8:17, 'for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
We have noted that the year 1994 is a jubilee year that focuses on the worldwide proclamation
of the Gospel. Is that year, then, the end of the 2,300- day period spoken of in Daniel 8, during which
great abomination is taking place?
If that is so, and 2,300 days earlier than 1994 was the year 1988, so, could that be the year
when the great tribulation began? That would mean that during that time, for the first part of the great
tribulation, virtually no one was being saved. But it would also mean that during the last part of the
tribulation, a great multitude, which no man could number, would become saved (Revelation 7:9-
14).
As we puzzle about this, we should take note that in Acts 7:11 the words 'great affliction are
used in connection with the experience of Jacob and all Israel when they left the promised land, the land
of Canaan, to go to Fgypt to
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escape a seven-year famine. We know that this was a terrible experience for Jacob. The words 'great
affliction are the same Greek words that are translated 'great tribulation in Matthew 24:21.*
Very significantly, we find that Jacob went to Fgypt during his time of
great tribulation in the year 1877 B.C. The year that we are examining in connection with the great
tribulation of Matthew 24:21 is the jubilee year 1994. These years, 1877 and 1994, are 3,870 years
apart. 1,877 1,994 - 1 3,870. (Since there is no year zero, in going from the Old Testament calendar
to the New Testament, one year must be subtracted.) Very strikingly, 3,870 3 x
1,290.
The number 1,290 appears to be very significant because there was another time when Israel
was driven from the promised land. Jerusalem and the temple were completely destroyed by the
Babylonians. This occurred in the year
587 B.C., which was during a 70-year period of great wrath of God on the nation of Judah. This 70-
year period began in the year 609 B.C. and ended in the year
539 B.C., when the city of Babylon was defeated by the Medes and Persians.
The awful event, the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, occurred in the year 587 B.C.
Curiously, and surely significantly, the three years we are examining (1877 B.C., 587 B.C., and
A.D. 1994) are linked together by the number 1,290.
1877 B.C. - 587 B.C. 1,290 years
587 B.C. to A.D. 1994 - 1 2,580 years 2 x 1,290
1877 B.C. to A.D. 1994 - 1 3,870 years 3 x 1,290
I
The number 1,290 is highlighted in the Bible in connection with the spiritual activity that takes
place at each of the above three times. The Bible emphasizes this role of the number 1,290 in Daniel
12:11, where we read:
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that
maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
We must remember that at times, God speaks of a day to represent a year. For example, in
Numbers 14:34, God indicated that Israel would remain in the wilderness for 40 years, in accord with
the 40 days the spies searched out the
* The words 'great tribulation are found only four times in the Bible. They are in Matthew 24:21 and
Revelation 7:14, which we have already examined, and also, Acts 7:11 and Revelation 2:22. In Luke
21:23, God chose the Greek words that are translated as 'great distress in speaking of the same period.
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land of Canaan. Thus, we know that the 1,290 days of Daniel 12:11 can be understood as 1,290 years.
God is definitely linking together the terrible time when Jacob had to leave the promised land to go to
Fgypt, to the nation of Judah being cast out of Jerusalem, and to something awful that happened in the
jubilee year1994. What awful thing could that be?
We do know that the land of Canaan is used in the Bible to typify the kingdom of God.
Jerusalem and the temple also externally typify the kingdom of God. Thus, for Jacob and his family to
leave the land of Canaan, it was like leaving the kingdom of God. Also, to be driven from Jerusalem,
and to know that the temple had been destroyed, that was like being cast out of the kingdom of God.
But what typified the kingdom of God in the year 1994? We know that throughout the church age, all of
the local churches typified the kingdom of God because they were the divine institution designed by
God to externally represent that kingdom. They were the caretakers of the Bible, and they had
the responsibility of sending the Gospel into all the world.
The great tribulation of Jacob`s experience (Acts 7:11-12)
encompassed seven years of famine, but during that period, the worst time occurred at the end of two
years, when Jacob had to leave the promised land (1877 B.C.). When Jacob and his family were
commanded to leave the land of Canaan, it was like being commanded to leave the kingdom of God.
Nothing could be more traumatic than that. It meant that the promised land, the land of Canaan, had
been surrendered to the heathens who were in the kingdom of Satan. Therefore, symbolically, it was
like Satan was given the rule of the kingdom of God. Therefore, the year 1877 B.C. was a sad and
terrible year.
Likewise, the most terrible of Israel`s 70-year experience was the year
587 B.C., when Jerusalem and the temple, which also typified the kingdom of God, were destroyed. In
that year, by God`s command, the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed by the king of Babylon, who
typified Satan (Isaiah 14). Again, it was like the kingdom of God on earth had come to an end.
These two historical events typified what happened in the jubilee year,
A.D. 1994. For 1,955 years, the churches all over the world were symbolic of the kingdom of God, even
as was the land of Canaan in Jacob`s day, and as Judea, the land of Israel, Jerusalem, and the temple
were in Israel`s day.
We will discover that some time earlier than 1994, God was finished using the churches to
represent the kingdom of God. Thus, the wonderful jubilee year 1994 was a horrible year for the
churches. All over the world, God was again saving countless numbers of people, but the churches
remained under the spiritual rule of Satan. Truly, God was forever finished using the churches to
represent the kingdom of God. The situation was just as it was in 1877 B.C., when the land of Canaan
2
came under the complete rulership of the heathen, and in the year 587 B.C., when the land of Judea
came under the rule of the king of Babylon.
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The year 1877 B.C. divided the tribulation that Jacob experienced into two parts, even as the
year 587 B.C. divided the 70-year tribulation period that Israel experienced into two parts. So, too, the
great tribulation of our day was divided into two parts in the year 1994, when it became certain that
God was forever finished using the churches to represent the kingdom of God.
Since these two tribulation periods of seven and seventy years are patterns of the great
tribulation of our day, we could expect that this present tribulation period will also identify with the
number seven. We have already discovered that the first part of the great tribulation appears to identify
with the
2,300 days of Daniel 8. Because Jacob`s tribulation experience encompassed seven years, and Judah`s
tribulation experience encompassed 70 years, we can expect that the total time of the present great
tribulation period will also feature the number seven. It could be 7,000 days or possibly 7 x 12 x 100,
which equals
8,400 days. Spiritually, the number 100 signifies 'completeness and the number 12 signifies
'fullness. Later we will discover that the great tribulation period is 8,400 days (23 years), and this is
solidly proven by much additional Biblical information. Amazingly, there are exactly 8,400 days in 23
years, and the number 23 very frequently identifies with God`s wrath.
Furthermore, we will note the parallelism that exists between the division into two parts
of the seven years, the 70 years, and the 8,400 days. As we have learned, the seven-year period of
Jacob`s tribulation was broken into two parts. The traumatic experience of leaving the land of Canaan
was at the end of the first two years of the seven years (Genesis 45:6-8). Therefore, the first part was
two-sevenths, or 28.6 of the whole period. Likewise, the tribulation of Judea began in the year 609
B.C. when King Josiah died, and continued to the year 539 B.C. when Babylon was conquered by the
Medes and Persians. This
70-year period was divided into two parts, the first part being 22 years. Twenty- two is 31.4 of 70
years.
Remember, the tribulation of Jacob and the tribulation of Judea are patterns of our present great
tribulation. Therefore, we would expect the first part of the great tribulation of our day also to be close
to 28.6 or 31.4 of the whole tribulation period. Indeed, we find that 2,300 days is 27.4 of 8,400
days. We can see the parallelism that exists by the closeness of 27.4 to 28.6 and
31.4. Later we will discover many proofs in the Bible that show us that the tentative division of 2,300
days as the first part of a total 8,400-day great tribulation period is very accurate.
Thus, we learn that the 8,400 days feature the number 7 (7 x 12 x 100). It also appears to be
divided into two parts, the first part being about 30 of the whole time. And because 23 years, which in
the Bible frequently identifies with God`s wrath, is exactly 8,400 days in length, we are strongly
encouraged to believe that the great tribulation period is precisely 8,400 days in length.
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We read in I Peter 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?
In this verse, God is speaking about a preparatory time for God`s judgment to come, and
5
it is to begin in the churches. Therefore, a period of 8,400 days (23 years) could possibly be that period
of time.
The 2,300 days that identify with the first part of this great tribulation can also identify with
Revelation 8:1, where we read:
And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of
half an hour.
The time of about 'half an hour was a time when all over the world, and within all of the
churches, virtually no one was being saved. We can know this because we read in Luke 15:10:
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of
God over one sinner that repenteth.
When people are not becoming saved, there is silence in heaven because there is no joy.
Thus, we are discovering that at the end of the church age, there is an
8,400-day (23 year) period that begins with a 2,300-day period, when the whole world, and especially
the churches, are being prepared for the day of judgment.
That is why we read, for example, in Revelation 13:7 and 8 about a beast (Satan) who comes
out of the sea (the wrath of God), and who overcomes the saints (drives them out of the churches), and
also rules over the world.
However, as we have already noted, the year 1994 was a jubilee year, at which time the Holy
Spirit was poured out (Fzekiel 39:25-29; Joel 2:28-32), and a final great period of worldwide
evangelism was to take place. We would like to believe that this meant that the churches would
again be used of God. However, as we are learning, the local churches that came into existence all
over the world were typified by the temple, and God assures us that the time would come that the
temple would be destroyed and there would not be left one stone upon another (Matthew 24:1-3).
Nowhere do we read that the temple, spoken of in Matthew 24, was rebuilt after it was trodden down.
That is, never again would God use any church to bring the Gospel to the world.
The great tribulation extends over the entire 8,400 days, which is exactly a full 23 years.
This means that starting in 1994, the year of jubilee, God used some other method to send the Gospel
into the world. He no longer used the
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local congregations. That is, while somehow, the year 1994 was a wonderful year of renewed Gospel
outreach into all the world, for the local churches, it was a most terrible year. This was so because the
churches are to continue to the end of the 8,400-day great tribulation period under the wrath of God.
The Date of the End of the Church Age
The information we have examined thus far assures us that the jubilee year 1994 was the end of
a period of 2,300 days, during which virtually no one was being saved anywhere in the world. That fact
helps us to discover the date of the end of the church age, which must coincide with the beginning of
the 23- year (8,400-day) great tribulation.
A time of 2,300 days is a few months longer than six years. Therefore, the end of the church age
must have occurred six years earlier than the year 1994. Thus, it must have occurred in the year 1988.
To discover the precise day in 1988 when the church age came to an end, we must remember
that the church age was linked to the ceremonial day of the feast of weeks, which is also called the day
of Pentecost. It was observed on the Sunday that was seven weeks after the first Saturday (seventh-day
4
Sabbath), which came after the Passover feast. It was on that day that the firstfruits were brought to the
temple. This anticipated the bringing in of the harvest, from all over the world, the first harvest of true
believers who were brought into the kingdom of God. The official beginning of the church age was on
the day of Pentecost in A.D. 33. That day, when synchronized with our calendar, was May
22, A.D. 33.
As the day of Pentecost arrived each year, spiritually, it pointed to the continuation of bringing
in the firstfruits for another year. However, in A.D.
1988, the bringing in of the firstfruits that had identified with Pentecost came to an end. Since in the
year 1988, Pentecost occurred on May 22, the last day of the church age would have been the day
before May 22, which was May 21. Curiously, this means the church age, which officially began on
May 22, A.D.
33, had continued from A.D. 33 to 1988, which equals 1,955 full years, to the
very day. This is another indication of the precision of God`s timeline of history.
Thus, May 21, 1988, was the official end of the church age and the official beginning of the
great tribulation. The 2,300 days of the first part of the great tribulation would then have ended on
September 7, 1994. Significantly, September 7, 1994, according to the feast day Biblical calendar, was
Tishri 1, which in the Bible was also called the feast of jubilee. Remember the word 'jubilee has
everything to do with sending the Gospel into the world.
Following the 2,300-day period, there are 6,100 days (8,400 - 2,300
6,100) remaining of the 23-year (8,400-day) period of the great tribulation. These 6,100 days, therefore,
will end on May 21, 2011.
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Farlier we learned that the last day of this earth`s existence, as indicated by the observance of
the feast of tabernacles (feast of the Bible) is October 21,
2011. Thus, after the great tribulation there must be a final period of 153 days, which we will discover
is the day of judgment, when God finishes His punishing process on the unsaved.
By God`s mercy, we have been able to tentatively discover the Biblical timeline of history all
the way to the end of the world. We will now show how the Bible gives many proofs of the accuracy of
this timeline.
A fundamental rule that has greatly helped in this endeavor is that which is set forth in
Colossians 2:16-17, where God declares:
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the
new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is
of Christ.
In these very enlightening verses, God declares the principle that the timing of the observances
of the various ceremonial laws are pointing to and are related to the timing of things to come.
Therefore, we immediately understand why Jesus, the Lamb of God, was crucified on the 14
th
day of the
first month (Nisan 14) of the Biblical calendar, which was the Passover. We can also understand why
the Holy Spirit was poured out and the church age began about seven weeks later, on the very day Israel
was celebrating the feast of Pentecost.
Another very helpful prophecy of the Bible that we learned about earlier in this study was that
of Mark 13:28- 29, in which God instructs us:
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth
leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things
5
come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
National Israel is frequently typified in the Bible as a fig tree. After having been without
country or national identity for almost 2,000 years, Israel almost miraculously again became a viable
nation in the world. This stupendous event has been correctly identified by a great many Biblical
teachers as a fulfillment of this Mark 13 prophecy. Since this event occurred on May 14,
1948, we are taught by these verses that all of the events outlined in Mark 13 were very soon to take
place, in the years following 1948.
Another helpful clue that helped us discover the timeline leading to the end of the world is the
fact that the year 1994 was a jubilee year. Farlier we had learned that Jesus, who is the very essence of
the jubilee, was born in 7 B.C., which was a jubilee year. Remember, the jubilee signified that
liberty (salvation) was to be published to the world.
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A very careful study of Mark 13, and parallel chapters like Matthew 24 and Luke 17 and Luke
21, indicates that the following events would develop as God closed the history of the world.
1. A time would come when all the churches throughout the world, which were typified as the
temple of God, would come to an end. 'There shall not be left here one stone upon another
(Matthew 24:2). They would be overrun by Satan who is called the 'abomination of desolation
(Matthew
24:15).*
2. This would be a time of great tribulation when the true believers were driven out and were
commanded to leave their churches. It would be a time of great apostasy in the churches, as Satan came
into many of them with signs and wonders (Matthew 24:24).
3. This time of tribulation was typified by the seven-year tribulation that Jacob experienced
when in the year 1877 B.C. he was commanded by God to leave the promised land, Canaan, and go to
live in Fgypt.
4. It was also typified by the 70-year period , 609 B.C. to 539 B.C., that Judah suffered under
God`s wrath. This was the 70-year period from 609 B.C., when Josiah, the last good king, was killed,
until 539 B.C., when Babylon was conquered by the Medes and Persians, thus allowing the Jewish
captives to return to Jerusalem. In the middle of this dreadful time that was experienced by Israel, in the
year 587 B.C., Jerusalem and the magnificent temple of Solomon were completely destroyed by the
Babylonians.
5. To a lesser degree, we might note that it was also typified by the seven-month period when
the tabernacle was in Shiloh and the ark was captured by the Philistines and taken to their land. This
occurred in the year 1068-1067
B.C.
Thus, the number 7 appeared to be intimately involved with the duration of the great
tribulation that we read about in Matthew 24.
We learned that in all likelihood, the number 23 was associated with the period of great
tribulation. Repeatedly, it is used in the Bible to signify God`s wrath, and the period of great tribulation
is definitely a time when God is preparing the churches and the world for God`s wrath, which will

immediately follow this period. The numbers 7 and 23 both became increasingly relevant
* You are invited to send for the free books The End of the Church Age and After and hheat and
Tares, which give much more Biblical information concerning the end of the church age.
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when we discovered that precisely 8,400 days equal a full 23 years. The number
8,400 equals 7 x 12 x 100, thus allowing the number 7 and the number 23 to be featured by an 8,400-
day, that is, 23-year, great tribulation period.
We discovered that this 8,400-day tribulation period was divided into two parts. According to
what we learned from Revelation 8:1, during the first part, virtually no one was being saved anywhere
in the world. We identified the first part with the 2,300 evening mornings of Daniel 8:13-14.
We discovered that during the second part of the great tribulation, a great multitude, which no
man could number, was being saved all over the world (Revelation 7:9-14). This was to take place
altogether outside of the churches, which are to remain under the wrath of God.
We also discovered that the ceremonial feast of tabernacles (feast of the Bible), which must be a
shadow of things to come, was identified with the very last day. Since the last day must identify with
the end of the world, the Biblical timing of the feast of tabernacles must also identify with the end of the
world.
One more difficult bit of information must be kept in mind, and that is the declaration of Mark
13:24-26, where we read:
But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not
give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be
shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and
glory.
We must still learn more about this period.
Summarizing all that we have thus far discovered, we can conclude that the development of the
events preparing for the end of the world appear to be as follows.
1. The church age, which began in A.D. 33, would end sometime after
1948, when Israel again became a viable nation among the nations of the world.
2. Because the church age began at the time of Pentecost, and it has been intimately identified
with Pentecost, the bringing in of the firstfruits of the harvest, the official end of the church age, must
be the day before a Pentecost date in whatever year the church age was to end.
3. Because the last part of the great tribulation was to identify with a great multitude being
saved, that last part must begin in the year 1994, which was a jubilee year.
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4. Because the first part of the great tribulation must identify with the
2,300 days of Daniel 8, when virtually no one was to become saved, the beginning of the great
tribulation, which must coincide with the end of the church age, must have occurred sometime in the
year 1988 (2,300 days equal a little more than six years).
/
5. Since the official end of the church age should be the day before Pentecost in the year 1988,
we discover that the day of Pentecost was May 22. Therefore, the end of the church age and the
beginning of the great tribulation must have occurred on May 21, 1988.
6. Since the first part of the tribulation, during which time virtually no one was to become
saved, was to be 2,300 days, then 2,300 days after May 21,
1988, brings us to September 7, 1994. This date then must be the beginning date of the great harvest of
people who are to become saved during the remaining
6,100 days of the 8,400 (23 full years) of the great tribulation.
7. The end of 6,100 days after September 7,1994, is May 21, 2011, which must be the end of
the great tribulation.
8. In the year 2011, what is the last day of the feast of tabernacles (feast of the Bible)? We have
learned that it occurs on October 21, 2011. Thus, there are five months, consisting of 153 days of our
calendar, during which time the events of Mark 13:24-27 must take place. Indeed, immediately,
we are encouraged that we probably have arrived at a correct understanding of the unfolding of the
events that lead to the end of the world. In Revelation 9, God speaks of a period of five months that
identifies with the time when the sun is darkened and judgment has begun. And 153 days, May 21 to
October 21, are exactly five months.
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Chapter 5.
Is Our Understanding of the Timeline of History
Accurate?
But now comes the big question. How certain can we be of this timeline? This is such an
awesome subject, we surely wish that God would give us more assurance, if this, indeed, is a valid
understanding of the timetable of the end.
The Bible records another stupendous event that occurred that is the centerpiece of God`s
salvation plan. That was the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we cannot be fully
assured that Christ was resurrected as proof that He had fully paid for the sins of the elect, we then
would be left in doubt concerning the whole program of salvation.
To give us that assurance, we read in Acts 1:1-3:
The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that 1esus began both to do and
teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had
given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed
himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days,
and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
And God says in I Corinthians 15:3-8:
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our
sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third
5
day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After
that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part
remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of 1ames;
then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due
time.
The Bible clearly teaches that it was God`s intention that the fact of Christ`s resurrection was
beyond dispute. Anyone who persists in denying this awesome fact is simply wise in his own eyes, and
he thinks he knows more than God.
Amazingly, as God opens our eyes to the timing of the closing events of the history of the
world, God also gives many proofs that assure us that we have correctly understood the precise timing
of the closing events of earth`s history.
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Thus far we have set forth a somewhat tentative outline of the timing of the closing events of
this world. Because they are so important we shall once again summarize them. We have come to the
following dates.
1. The crucifixion of Jesus was on the 14
th
day of the first month of A.D.
33. This was Nisan 14, A.D. 33, of the Biblical calendar, and was April 1, A.D.
33, of our modern calendar.
2. The church age officially began on the following Pentecost, which was May 22, A.D. 33.
3. The church age ended and the 8,400-day great tribulation began the day before Pentecost in
1988, which was May 21, 1988.
4. The first 2,300 days of the great tribulation began on May 21, 1988, and ended on September
7, 1994.
5. The second part of the great tribulation, which consists of 6,100 days
(8,400 - 2,300 6,100), began on September 7, 1994, and ends on May 21, 2011.
6. The final five months of the earth`s history begins on May 21, 2011, and will end on October
21, 2011.
We thus far have set forth the basic outline of the important time junctures leading to
the end of the world. We have also shown the Biblical information that causes us to arrive at this time
information.
But now we want to examine the dates set forth in this time outline in the
light of any other information the Bible can give us. We will discover that God has given so much
additional information that we can know, without any doubt whatsoever, that this is an absolutely
accurate timetable. We will now set forth point after point to show how tightly this time pattern fits
together.
We will begin with the duration of the church age, which began on May
22, A.D. 33, and ended on May 21, 1988. The time of the church age included both the day May 22 of
A.D. 33, and the day May 21 of the year 1988. This means it continued for a period of 1,955 years
(1988 - 33 1,955) to the very day. The phrase 'to the very day harmonizes perfectly with the
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precision of God`s past actions. For example, Israel was in Fgypt 430 years to the 'selfsame day
(Fxodus 12:40-41). It can be shown from the Biblical data that from the day Israel departed from Fgypt,
until Israel arrived at the Jordan River to prepare to cross over, it was 40 years to the very day.
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Furthermore, because Christ spoke in parables, we will see the unique character of these 1,955
years. Remember, a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Thus, words or numbers
(which are also words), can have an earthly, literal meaning, and they might also have a spiritual
meaning. Thus, frequently the number 3 spiritually emphasizes God`s purpose. This would be a good
place to again set forth the spiritual meaning God frequently emphasizes through the use of numbers.
2 - Those who have been commissioned to bring the Gospel
3 - God`s purpose
4 - The farthest extent in time or in distance that God spiritually has in view
5 - The atonement, which emphasizes both judgment and salvation
7 - The perfect fulfillment of God`s purpose
10 - The completeness of whatever is in view
11 - The first coming of Christ, 11,000 years after creation
12- The fullness of whatever is in view
13 - The end of the world, the details of which began exactly 13,000 years after creation
17 - Heaven
40 - Testing
Moreover, we have learned from the Bible that if a larger number can be broken down into
smaller numbers, each of which has spiritual significance, that can help us to understand the spiritual
message in the larger number. We can be
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assured that the larger number is providing significant spiritual information that helps us to understand
the context in which it is found.
This principle is dramatized in the 1,955 years of the church age. The number 1,955 can be
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broken down to 5 x 17 x 23. And all three of these numbers have intense spiritual identification with the
spiritual character of the church age. We read in II Corinthians 2:14-16:
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh
manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet
savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the
savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is
sufficient for these things?
These verses teach us that the Gospel brings both salvation and death. Salvation identifies with
heaven (17). Death identifies with God`s wrath (23). Remember that the number 5 spiritually identifies
with the atonement. Thus, the
1,955 years of the church age, during which time the Gospel was to be sent out into the world, clearly
identifies with the very nature and character of the Gospel: 1,955 5 x 17 x 23. Thus, the 1,955 years of
the church age are founded on the atonement (5), which brings heaven (17), and brings God`s wrath
(23). Is this coincidental? It is not at all coincidental. It accords perfectly with the principle we have just
described.
The 13,000
th
Anniversary of the World
One other comment should be made in connection with the year 1988. Is it coincidental that
1988 is the 13,000
th
anniversary of the history of the world? We have learned from the Bible that the
world was created in the year
11,013 B.C. If we add 11,013 to 1988 and subtract 1 (because there is no year
zero in going from the Old Testament calendar to the New Testament calendar), the sum is 13,000.
Surely the year of the end of the church age, which identifies precisely with the 13,000
th
anniversary of
the world, must indicate that God is following a very precise pre-arranged plan.
This information becomes especially interesting when we realize that from the creation year
(11,013 B.C.), to the year of the Noachian flood (4990
B.C.), when God`s judgment came upon the whole world, it is exactly 6,000 plus
23 years. Remember, the number 23 frequently signifies God`s wrath. Likewise, from the year 4990
B.C. until A.D. 33, when Christ endured the judgment of God, it was exactly 5,000 plus 23 years,
inclusive. Now we are learning that the year 2011 is the last year, and 11,013 B.C. to A.D. 2011 equals
13,000 years plus
23 years. Could all of this be coincidental? Remember, we tentatively concluded
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that 2011 was the last year because we understood the great likelihood that the great tribulation would
be exactly 8,400 days in duration. And 8,400 days is exactly 23 full years. And 23 added to 1988
brought us to 2011 as the end of the world.
The final 23 years that began on May 21, 1988, is the great tribulation period, which is the
beginning of the end-time worldwide judgment process. It is significant that May 21, 1988, ended the
church age, at which time the great tribulation judgment began, in strict accord with the Bible`s
prophecy of I Peter
4:17, 'judgment must begin at the house of God. We have thus learned that both the year 1988 and
the day May 21, 1988, fit remarkably well into the development of the timeline of history.
The next important juncture in the unfolding of God`s timeline was the year1994. We learned
that September 7, 1994, was exactly 2,300 days after May
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21, 1988. Remember, we already have noted that the year 1994 was a jubilee year. That is, it is a year
that focused on God`s spiritual purpose to publish the Gospel to the world. Now we learn that
September 7, 1994, was the first day of the seventh month (Tishri 1), of the Biblical ceremonial
calendar.
Tishri 1 was a ceremonial feast day that was called 'a memorial of jubilee (Leviticus 23:24)
and a 'day of jubilee (Numbers 29:1).* It was the same Biblical feast day that occurred in A.D. 29
when Jesus officially began His work as the jubilee, or Messiah. It was on that day that He was
announced as 'the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). In A.D.
29, according to our modern calendar, that day was September 26. And according to the Biblical
calendar, that day was Tishri 1, which was a jubilee feast day, just as September 7, 1994, is a jubilee
feast day.
The word 'jubilee has everything to do with the proclamation of liberty to the world
(Leviticus 25:10). That is why 'teruah is properly translated 'jubilee in connection with the day
of atonement. Christ is the essence of the atonement, as well as being the essence of the jubilee. Thus,
when He was announced on September 26, A.D. 29, by John the Baptist, as we read in John 1:29,
'Behold the Lamb of God, it was a glorious proclamation to the world that Christ was the 'jubilee
who came with the Gospel of salvation.
Likewise, in the jubilee year 1994, on September 7, the Gospel was again to be proclaimed unto
the whole world. And on both September 26, A.D.
29, and September 7, 1994, the Biblical ceremonial date was the first day of the seventh month. Surely,
even as 'teruah is correctly translated as 'jubilee in Leviticus 25:9 in connection with the day of
atonement, we can see that in
* Both in Leviticus 23:24 and in Numbers 29:1, God speaks about the feast of the first day of the seventh month. In both verses, the Hebrew
word 'teruah is translated 'blowing of trumpets. Several times in the Bible, the word 'teruah is translated as 'shout or 'alarm, or
'sounding. But never is it translated 'blowing of trumpets except in these two verses. However, in Leviticus 25:9, which speaks of the day
of atonement, it is translated 'jubilee.
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Leviticus 23:24 and Numbers 29:1, which speak of 'a memorial of teruah, and 'a day of teruah, we
can understand it should be translated 'a memorial of jubilee and 'a day of jubilee. Therefore, this
feast, which theologians call 'the feast of trumpets, should be called 'the feast of jubilee.
Remember, we learned that September 7, 1994, ended the first 2,300 days of the 8,400- day
tribulation period. On September 7, 1994, the great multitude which no man could number, all over the
world, began to come into the kingdom of God. It was the day that, for the second time in the history of
the world, the Holy Spirit was poured out. If it were any day other than September
7 in the year 1994, it would not have identified with the new moon feast day of
Tishri 1, which was 'a shadow of things to come (Colossians 2:16-17). This glorious event, the
ceremonial feast day of September 7, 1994 (Tishri 1, 1994), foreshadowed and actually began the
6,100-day final period of salvation.
But the year 1994, in which God began the final 6,100 days of great salvation all over the
world, was also a year of horror for the churches all over the world. The Holy Spirit was poured out so
that outside of the churches, that is, completely independent of any church anywhere in the world,
a great multitude, which no man could number, would become saved. At the same time, within the
churches, the judgment process would continue. Satan, who had been installed in all of the churches at
the beginning of the great tribulation, would continue to rule. God would continue to send a 'strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie (II Thessalonians 2:11). God would continue to prepare those
in the churches for punishment.
It is an enormous horror story for the churches. They, themselves, do
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not recognize this. They believe they are faithfully serving Christ. But the Bible gives us the truth.
There never again will be the possibility of salvation occurring under the authority of a local
church.
Remember, earlier in this study, their terribly sad condition was underscored as we
examined the time patterns of the historic periods of great tribulation described in the Bible. In the
year 1879 B.C., Jacob began to experience great tribulation (Acts 7:11) because of a great famine in
the land. Two years later, in the year 1877, Jacob was commanded to go with his entire clan to Fgypt to
live. They were to leave the promised land that had been given to the patriarch Abraham, his
grandfather, 215 years earlier. Because the land of Canaan typified the kingdom of God, it was like
being commanded to leave the kingdom of God. Fven as in A.D. 1988 God gave the churches over to
Satan`s rule, so, too, in 1877 B.C., the promised land, the land of Canaan, was given over to the wicked
of the world to rule there. That, indeed, was a time of great tribulation.
God ties that tribulation to the tribulation of the churches, when in 1994, it is clear that God was
completely finished with them, and He began preparing them for judgment. Again, when we
examine the numbers that link the
54
tribulation of Joseph`s day to the time of the present great tribulation, we find further emphasis on the
spiritual character of these widely separated events. When we add 1877 to 1994, and subtract 1 year, we
obtain the sum of 3,870 as the number of years between these tragic events. The number 3,870 breaks
down into 3 x 1,290, or 10 x 3 x 3 x 43. The number 43 ordinarily signifies judgment. Therefore, the
two events are linked together by this number of years, which signifies God`s complete (10) purpose (3
x 3) in bringing judgment (43). The number 3 doubled not only signifies God`s purpose, but also that
He will bring it to pass (Genesis 41:32).
We learned earlier in this study that God also links this terrible time of judgment on the
churches, wherein Satan is ruling today, with the enormous tribulation that Israel experienced for 70
years. It began with the death of King Josiah in 609 B.C. and continued for 70 years, until the king of
Babylon was killed in 539 B.C. The year 587 B.C. was the year of particular horror. Already in the year
609 B.C., when Josiah the last good king over Israel was killed, Israel began to be increasingly in
subjection to heathen kings who typified Satan ruling over the churches. However, in 587 B.C.,
Jerusalem was completely destroyed, together with the temple. The wicked Nebuchadnezzar, the king
of Babylon, who typifies Satan in the Bible, became the complete ruler of the land of Israel. How
terrible!
This sad and terrible event is also a pattern that is given by God of the great tribulation of our
day. It, too, is linked to the year 1994 of the present great tribulation by the sum of the years between
them. Jerusalem was destroyed in the year 587 B.C. If we add 587 to 1994, and subtract 1, the sum is
2,580, which breaks down into 2 x 1,290, or 10 x 3 x 2 x 43. Since the number 2 spiritually represents
those who should bring the Gospel, the spiritual message of this time of 2,580 years is that it was the
complete (10) purpose (3) of God upon the churches, which had been commissioned by God to bring
the Gospel to the world (2), that they would come into judgment (43).
Interestingly, and very helpfully, God links these three tribulations of
Jacob, Israel, and our day by a verse in Daniel 12:11, where God declares:
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that
maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Since at times the Bible uses a day to describe a year (Fzekiel 4:6), we know we can understand
this as 1,290 years. There were 1,290 years between Jacob`s tribulation of 1877 B.C. and Israel`s
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tribulation of 587 B.C. Likewise, there are 3 x 1,290 years between Jacob`s tribulation of 1877 B.C. and
the churches` tribulation of 1994. Likewise, there are 2 x 1,290 years between the
587 B.C. tribulation of Israel and the 1994 tribulation of our day.
55
Please note how tightly these events fit together, indicating that, indeed, our initial
understanding of the unfolding of the timeline of history becomes increasingly solidified by the
language of the Bible.
The next time juncture we should carefully examine is May 21, 2011, which is the last day
of the 8,400-day, or 23 full years, great tribulation. Remember, we learned that it is to be followed
by a final 153-day (5 months) period that ends on October 21, 2011. Since both May 21 and October 21
occur in the year 2011, which we are learning is to be the final year of the existence of the world, we
should examine that year very carefully.
One Day is as a Thousand Years
God calls our attention to that year in a most compelling way. In II Peter
3:6, God speaks of the flood that destroyed the whole world in Noah`s day, and there we read:
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
Then in the next verse, God speaks about the awful judgment that will take place at the end of
the world. We read in verse 7:
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store,
reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Immediately following these two verses, God makes a most curious statement in II Peter 3:8,
where we read:
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one day.
What is the 'one thing that is in view when God says that He wants all the elect, who are the
'beloved of God, to be not ignorant of this one thing? It must be super-important, and God insists that
they are to know this. This one thing has entirely to do with time.
God says, 'one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one
day. Immediately we see that God is speaking of this one thing two times. That is, first, He declares,
'one day is . . . as a thousand years. Then He repeats this information by saying, 'a thousand years
as one day. This further greatly enhances the importance of the fact that all true believers are to
absolutely know that a day is a thousand years.
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Remember, Pharaoh dreamed first about seven fat cows that became skinny, and then about
seven fat ears of corn that became thin. In connection with this event, God set forth a Biblical principle
in Genesis 41:32, where we read:
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is
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established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
The law that God sets forth in this verse is that when God doubles a statement, it underscores
the absolute truth of it. Whatever will happen is guaranteed to happen, and it will happen soon.
Thus, by doubling the statement that one day is as a thousand years, God is telling us that it is
extremely important, and it absolutely will soon come to pass.
But how does that relate to the context of II Peter 3, where God speaks of two worldwide
judgments, the judgment of Noah`s day and the judgment of our day? When we look carefully at the
flood account given in Genesis Chapter
7, we find our answer. We must consider the ark, the huge ship that God commanded Noah to build. We
read in Genesis 7:1-4:
And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I
seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by
sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his
female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon
the face of all the earth. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty
days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off
the face of the earth.
Spiritually, the waters of the flood represented the judgment of God upon the wicked of all the
world of Noah`s day. The ark represented safety from that judgment, so it represented our Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ, who alone can protect us from judgment. The animals represented the whole
creation, which looks to Christ for deliverance from the bondage of corruption (Romans 8:19-
23). This will occur when God brings into being the new heavens and the new earth.
Thus, in Genesis 7, God is effectively saying that all of mankind in the whole world have seven
days to get into the safety of Christ, who alone can save us from the wrath of God. But wait a minute.
Did not God insist in II Peter 3 that we must absolutely know that a day is as a thousand years? Let us
substitute
7,000 years for seven days. Therefore, effectively, God was telling Noah that all of mankind who would
ever live in the whole world have 7,000 years to get into the safety of Christ, if they are to escape the
wrath of God.
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What year would be exactly 7,000 years after the flood of Noah`s day? Would you believe it!
Long ago we learned that the flood occurred in the year
4990 B.C., and 7,000 years later brings us to the year 2011. Remember, we add the Old Testament years
to the New Testament years and subtract 1 year, because there is no year zero.
4990 2011 - 1 7,000 years
Thus, we must understand that God is definitely declaring that He expects that all of the elect of
God would absolutely know that the year 2011 is to be the end of the world.
The Final Five Months - 1udgment Day
But there is more to be said. We have learned that there is a five-month period that immediately follows
the 8400-day Great Tribulation period. This period begins on May 21, 2011 and is intensely focused on the
completion of God`s salvation plan as well as on His Judgment plan.
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On the first day of that five-month period all of the true believers are to be caught up (raptured) to be
forever with Christ. It is also on that day that the Day of Judgment begins for all of the unsaved.
It begins with a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an
earthquake and so great (Revelation 16:18). This enormous earthquake will cause all of the graves, pits, and
mausoleums all over the world to be thrown open. Whatever is left in them (corpses, bones, dust, ashes, etc.) will
rise. If it is the remains of a true believer, it will rise as a glorified spiritual body which will be caught up
(raptured) to be with Christ forever. If it is the remains of an unsaved person, it will be thrown out as dung
(manure) on the ground to be shamed in the eyes of God (Jeremiah 8:1-3; 9:22; 16:4; 25:33).
The Rapture of all the true believers on the first day of the Day of Judgment will effectively bring about a
great condemnation against those left behind. This will be so even those who are raptured take no action in word
or deed against those left behind. It will be the final evidence that those left behind are guilty of breaking God`s
laws and, therefore, in being left behind are receiving a final sentence of death.
However, those left behind, especially those who were in the churches that featured Christ, will be
convinced that they did not deserve the wrath of God. Consequently they will be weeping and gnashing their
teeth at God ((Matthew 8:12;
13:42,50; 22:13, etc). But they have been left to endure all the horrors of Judgment
Day and have not been given the wonderful gift of eternal life and the inheriting of the New Heaven and New
Farth.
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The Battle of Armageddon
This final activity of the Rapture of the true believers together with the completely non-repentant
cry of anguish and anger by those left behind is referred to in several different ways in the Bible. For example:
1. In Revelation 16:13-16 God calls it the Battle of Armageddon.
2. In Revelation 19:11-20 God typifies it by showing Jesus on a white horse leading the army of heaven
against the beast (Satan and all the unsaved).
3. In Matthew 12:41 God typifies it by the Ninevites who were under the preaching of Jonah rising in
judgment.
4. In Revelation 3:9 God speaks of those of the synagogue of Satan (the unsaved) worshipping before
the feet of the true believers.
5. In Revelation 9:3-11 God speaks of the raptured true believers as locusts with the sting of a scorpion
hurting those left behind. Fven though those left behind (the unsaved) will only on the first day of the Day of
Judgment witness the Rapture of the true believers, as long as they remain alive during the Day of Judgment the
memory of seeing the true believers raptured while they are left behind will be like repeated stings of a scorpion.
The locusts have as their kingAbaddon (destruction) andApollyon (destroyer) because God is their King and He is
a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29).
The true believers will have been raptured on the first day of this final five-month period, so
they will completely escape the horrors of that final period of time. Whereas this five-month period will
be an enormous horror story for those who have not been raptured, it will be a time of great joy and
wonder for those who are raptured.
This period of five months encompasses exactly 153 days, May 21 to October 21. The number
153 spiritually breaks down to 3 x 3 x 17, just as it does when we examined the 153 fish. Spiritually,
/
therefore, it identifies with those for whom it was God`s purpose (3) to take them to heaven (17). The
number 3 doubled signifies that God will surely bring it to pass.
More Incredible Information
As further proof that this date, May 21, 2011, is the date of the rapture, we discovered a most
significant fact. According to the Biblical ceremonial calendar, May 21, 2011, is the 17
th
day of the
second month. Precisely 7,000 years earlier, on the 17
th
day of the second month, according to the
calendar used by Noah, God shut the door of the ark. We read in Genesis 7:1 and 4:
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And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I
seen righteous before me in this generation.
. . . For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty
nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the
earth.
And we read in Genesis 7:10 and 11:
And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. In
the six hundredth year of Noah`s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the
month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows
of heaven were opened.
And we read in verses 13 and 16:
In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and 1apheth, the sons of
Noah, and Noah`s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; . . . . And
they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and
the LORD shut him in.
The calendar of Noah`s day was slightly different from the later Biblical calendar in that it had
30 days in a month, whereas the later Biblical calendar had
29 days in a month, as it followed the moon phases. But God, in a remarkable way, tied the time of
the shutting of the door of the ark, on the 17
th
day of the second month, to the shutting of the door on
May 21, 2011, which, according to the Biblical ceremonial calendar is the 17
th
day of the second month.
This forever separated the true believers in the ark from all the unsaved who perished outside of the ark.
This foreshadowed the fact that on the date in which all the true believers are to be raptured, there never
again would be any possibility of salvation for those left behind. Thus, we can know that it is as if there
are exactly
7,000 years, to the very day, from the shutting of the door on any further
possibility of salvation, both during the worldwide destruction of Noah`s day and the worldwide
destruction of our day. Can this be coincidental?
Atonement to Rapture: 722,500 Days
God gives us another piece of interesting and significant time information that further
demonstrates the accuracy of May 21, 2011, as the date of the rapture. On April 1, 33 A.D., the Lord
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Jesus was crucified to demonstrate how He paid for the sins of those He came to save. Fxactly
722,500 days
60
(inclusively) later, the rapture (May 21, 2011) will occur. This number breaks down into the very
significant numbers:
(5 x 10 x 17) x (5 x 10 x 17) 722,500
We have learned the spiritual meaning of these numbers. The work of the atonement (5) is
completed (10) when all of the elect are safely in heaven (17). This wonderful fact is doubled by a
repetition of the three numbers, 10 x
5 x 17. This emphasis is, according to Genesis 41:32, 'because the thing is
established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
Can we see how God has tied the time of the rapture on May 21, 2011, to the time when heaven
was made possible (the atonement), because when Christ was crucified, He demonstrated how He made
the full payment for the sins of those who are to be caught up to heaven to live eternally with Jesus?
At this time in our study, we should pause a moment and consider what we just learned in the
preceding paragraphs.
We are very certain that the crucifixion of Christ occurred on the day of the feast of the
Passover, which was on a Friday, in A.D. 33, which was the 14
th
day of the first month of the Biblical
ceremonial calendar. We are also very certain that this day was April 1, A.D. 33, according to our
modern calendar. It was on that day that Christ demonstrated how He was punished for the sins of all
those He came to save. Because He paid for their sins, they were guaranteed to go to heaven to reign
with Him forevermore.
From much information given to us in the Bible, we have discovered that on May 21, 2011, all
of those who were saved by Jesus` payment, will realize the completion of their salvation as they are
raptured (caught up) into heaven. Therefore, it is very obvious that the dates April 1, A.D. 33, and May
21,
2011, are spiritually very closely linked together.
But we also discover that these two dates, which are almost 2,000 years apart, are also
dramatically tied together by the literal number of days that separates them as well as by the spiritual
significance of that great number of days.
Look again at the number 722,500. Isn`t it absolutely incredible that it breaks down into exactly
two pairs of enormously significant spiritual numbers,
10, 5, and 17? Only God, who created this great universe with all of its precise physical laws, could
have designed the timeline of history in such a precise and marvelous way. Please! What is the
possibility that these time relationships could be coincidental? The answer has to be, under no
circumstance could any of this be coincidental.
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More Proofs
We continue to learn other proofs that show that we have arrived at a very precise knowledge of
the timing of the end. As we have noted, God further solidifies or locks in this date, May 21, 2011, by
placing the day of shutting the door, when the rapture will occur, on the 17
th
day of the second month of
the Biblical calendar. Significantly, the number 17 links perfectly to the fact of the rapture because
/5
spiritually, the number 17 signifies heaven. Moreover, the number 2 (second month) spiritually
identifies with those who have been commissioned to bring the Gospel. Is it not amazing that they
will be raptured on the 17
th
day of the second month? Is that coincidental?
We also have learned that the last day of the earth`s existence, October
21, 2011, is the 23
rd
day of the seventh month of the Biblical calendar. The number 23 normally
signifies God`s wrath being poured out. The number 7 (seventh month) signifies the perfect fulfillment
of God`s purposes. Could this also be coincidental, that the final completion of God`s punishment on
the unsaved occurs in the seventh month on a day that features the number 23, which is a number that
completely identifies with God`s wrath, thus signifying God`s perfect wrath on the unsaved?
The precision of the timeline of the end of the world is further emphasized when we
examine this final five-month period from the standpoint of God`s wrath. When God punished Jesus,
when He was showing how He suffered in paying for the sins of the elect, it calls our attention to the
fact that some of the punishment for the sins of the non-elect must still occur. These two punishments
are tied together by the 1,978 years that separate the time of the cross (A.D. 33) from the time of the
end (A.D. 2011).
2011 - 33 1,978
1978 2 x 23 x 43
Number 2 symbolizes those who are to bring the Gospel. Number 23 symbolizes
wrath
Number 43 symbolizes judgment
Thus, by the number 1,978, God is emphasizing that judgment will fall on those who had been
commissioned to bring the Gospel (2) and are still subject to the wrath of God (23 and 43).
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God`s 1udgment Process Continues While a Great Multitude are Saved
As we carefully examine the dates of the great tribulation, the rapture, and the last day of
earth`s existence, we discover another interesting fact. We have learned that during the last 6,100 days
of the 8,400-day great tribulation period, the true believers, who will be outside of the churches, are
being used of God to bring into the kingdom of God a great multitude, which no man could number. At
the same time, all of the church members are being prepared for entrance into the final five-month
period when God`s final punishment occurs for them. But at the same time, during these final 153 days,
all of those who were saved during the previous 6,100 days will be safe in heaven, along with all of
those saved throughout time. These 6,100 days, when added to the final 153 days, equal 6,253 days.
The number 6,253 breaks down into the significant numbers 13 x 13 x 37.
Number 13 is end of the world
Number 37 is God`s judgment
Remember, Noah was in the ark exactly 370 days. Remember, too, the Assyrian army of
185,000 men under Sennacherib was destroyed by God in one night (II Kings 19:35), and 185,000
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1,000 x 5 x 37. Therefore, we can see how the number 37 identifies with destruction that is a result of
God`s judgment.
By the number 6,253 God is assuring us that while there is a great multitude that will
experience salvation during that period of time, God`s judgment process (37) will be complete at
the end of the world (13). Again, please note the doubling of the number 13.
Farlier in this study, we established, solely from the Biblical information, the final timing
of the end of history in somewhat of a tentative way. However, subsequently, by carefully continuing
to apply additional Biblical information, we have discovered that that timeline was exceedingly
accurate. Proof after proof has been emphasized. If the timeline presently set forth is inaccurate in
any one of its dates, many of the proofs would be invalidated. Certainly if any of the dates we
have learned from the Bible are incorrect, then many of the proofs would no longer be known. We
indeed can be certain that the rapture will occur on May 21, 2011, and the final day of the history
of the world is October 21, 2011.
But these are not just intellectual or academic facts. These are truths that apply in a very
personal way to every individual (almost seven billion people) presently living on this earth. Is it
possible to escape this terrible day of judgment?
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Chapter 6. Is there Hope for Me?
The Bible clearly states that the Lord Jesus Christ will come as a thief in the night (II Peter
3:10; I Thessalonians 5:2). We have learned that this was to be the understanding throughout the church
age. Thus, Bible students and theologians were not to concern themselves with the timing of Christ`s
return. They were to focus on the immediate task of sending the Gospel into all the world (Acts 1:6-8).
However, we have learned that very near the time of the end of the
world, the true believers would know much about the timeline of history
(Fcclesiastes 8:5-6; I Thessalonians 5:3-5; Revelation 3:3).
We are at that awesome time of history, and therefore, we have, indeed, been able to determine
with great Biblical accuracy the day, the month, and the year of the timing of the end of the world.
Since the end of time is so near, we should be greatly concerned: IS
THFRF HOPF FOR MF? Indeed, there is great hope for anyone living today. This is so because God
positively assures us that at this time in history, a great multitude, which no man could number, is being
saved (Revelation 7:9-14). We should, therefore, briefly discuss God`s salvation plan.*
In Mark 1:14b-15, Jesus declares God`s command to the human race:
. . . 1esus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The
time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
To believe the Gospel as this verse commands means to recognize that the Gospel is from
God`s mouth. Therefore, it is absolutely true, absolutely important, and absolutely authoritative. It is the
law of God, the Bible, that each and every person must obey. Therefore, the person who believes the
Gospel should try to be as obedient as possible, insofar as he is able to understand the Bible.
Fvery person by nature is capable to some degree of doing some
spiritual work, including that of believing and obeying the Bible. This is because God`s law is written
on his heart (Romans 2:14-15), and God has given him a conscience so that he has some sense of
morality. Fven though he is spiritually dead, both in body and in soul, so that there is no possibility in
50
himself of obtaining spiritual life, he still has, to some degree, the ability to obey the laws
* For a greater in-depth study of God`s salvation plan, you are invited to call or write Family Radio to receive, free of charge, the book I
Hope God hill Save Me. The address is: Family Radio, Oakland, CA 94621. Or you may call: 1-800-543-1495. Our email
address is: familyradiofamilyradio.org
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of God. Fach and every person, to some degree, repents, or turns away, from his sins. Therefore, he is
able to live a decent moral life. By nature, he is spiritually dead because he is a descendant of Adam,
our first parent. When Adam sinned in the Garden of Fden, in principle, the whole human race sinned
because we were all in the loins of Adam (I Corinthians 15:22).
However, he has absolutely no ability to become saved, that is, to obtain eternal life in his body
or in his soul. This is so because the Gospel indicates that the payment God`s law demands for sin is
that the sinner is to be punished by a shameful death. Thus, each person who has been sentenced to this
shameful death for his sins will never again be alive, and has lost the wonderful inheritance of
eternal life. That is why each of us must find someone to be our substitute or stand-in to bear this
punishment on our behalf.
This command of Mark 1:15, to believe the Gospel and to repent (to
stop sinning and obey the Bible), was given about 2,000 years ago. It declares that 'The time is
fulfilled. It was at that time that Jesus the Messiah had come to make the payment demanded by the
law of God on behalf of all of those He came to save.
Today, the phrase, 'the time is fulfilled is even more applicable to God`s salvation plan
because we are only a very short time from the complete finish of God`s salvation plan. As we study
His magnificent salvation plan for the world, we become aware that there are essentially three kinds of
people in the world. They are as follows.
1. Those who throughout their lifetime have never heard any words from the Bible.
2. Those who have heard the teachings of the Bible, but who scoff or ridicule the Bible, or
come to the Bible with their own preconceived ideas of truth.
3. Those who believe that the Bible is the Word of God and who earnestly and humbly desire
salvation, altogether in accordance with Bible truth.
Those Who Have Never Heard
Throughout the history of the world, there are those who have lived and died without ever
having heard or read any words from the Bible. And because 'faith cometh by hearing and hearing
by the Word of God (Romans 10:17), we must believe that none of these people were elected by God
to become saved. Therefore, it was not necessary for God at any time in their lifetime to place them
under the hearing of God`s Word.
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Those Who Have Heard the Word but Are Scoffers
Fver since God gave the command to repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15), it was God`s
intention that in the world, as many people as possible might come under the hearing of the Gospel.
That is why, about 2,000 years ago, Jesus commanded that all the true believers are to send the Gospel
into all the world (Matthew 28:19- 20).
5I
Sadly, the reaction of a great many people who became somewhat acquainted with the Bible
was either to scorn and ridicule it, or to follow their own rules rather than the Bible`s rules, as they
endeavored to understand Biblical truth. Those who ridiculed the Bible were convinced there were
errors and contradictions in the Bible, and therefore, they had no desire or need to obey it. Those who
came to the Bible with their own man-made method of interpretation, or who had placed their
trust in their church or denomination as the ultimate authority, rather than trusting the Bible, they also
became obedient to doctrines that were not true to the Bible.
The Bible teaches that unsaved individuals can, to some degree, obey God`s laws. This truth
explains the false hope of many people. For example, this is true for those who are members of
churches that teach the five points of Calvinism, which are derived from the Canons of Dort, an
historical creed.* The first point is that we are to believe that before we are saved, we are totally
depraved. Because members of these churches live decent, moral lives, and are obedient to the rules of
their church, they know they cannot be totally depraved. They have been taught by their confessions
that total depravity is the spiritual condition of the unsaved. Therefore, their devout lifestyle and
faithfulness to their church, together with the fact that they have been baptized in water and are faithful
members of their church, surely proves to them that since they are not totally depraved, therefore, God
must have saved them. They fail to realize that the evidence of salvation is an intense desire to be
obedient to the whole Bible. Thus, they are trapped in an unsaved condition because of trust in an
unbiblical theological conclusion.
Another example might be noted. In many other churches, the key to salvation that is taught is
a personal acceptance of Jesus as Savior and water baptism. In these churches, these actions, together
with faithfulness to the rules of the church, and living a decent moral life, appear to give them
ample assurance of salvation. However, it is a salvation program designed by theologians rather
than the correct salvation program given in the Bible, in which the evidence of salvation is an intense,
ongoing desire to be faithful to everything in the Bible.
* The Canons of Dort, or creeds, are doctrinal conclusions held by conservative Presbyterian churches and Reformed churches that closely
follow the theological conclusions of John Calvin, an outstanding theologian who lived about 400 years ago.
66
Consequently, the churches of our day that claim they carefully follow all of the teachings of
the infallible Word of God, the Bible, are filled with these decent, moral individuals who are members
in full communion. These dear people have no idea that they are still under the wrath of God, nor do
they see any need to carefully check the teachings of their church to determine if their church is truly
faithful to the Bible.
The warning of I Thessalonians 5:2-4 should frighten them. This is so
because virtually all of those who are in the churches believe they are secure with Christ, and therefore,
they are content to believe that He will come as a thief in the night. I Thessalonians 5:2-4 declares:
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
The sudden destruction can refer only to the day of judgment that is almost here. How awful
that these dear people are still subject to the full wrath of God that must come upon anyone who has not
become saved.
In many instances, these people are decent, moral people who are very
devout and faithful members of a church. However, by coming to the Bible with their preconceived,
52
wrong doctrines, which are taught by their church, effectively, they are not hearing the Word of
God. They are hearing, and desire to obey, the wrong doctrines of their church, instead of the teaching
of the entire Bible. Without realizing it, they often read the Bible, and then, in their mind, twist Biblical
truths to try to make them agree with their own preconceived ideas. Thus, they are not listening to the
Bible with a desire to be obedient to it.
The Bible makes many references to this kind of conduct. It constantly
warns that such conduct will result in God`s full wrath coming upon those who despise His Word in this
way. It gives these individuals no encouragement or hope that possibly God might save them. In fact,
they themselves see no need of such a hope. They believe they are already saved, or according to their
own do- it-yourself salvation plan, they believe they can become saved at any time they desire.
The curious and terrible fact is that God recognizes this kind of spiritual rebellion and usually
leaves these people in their rebellion. We read, for example, that Jesus came to Nazareth to preach,
and the Bible reports in Mark
6:5-6:
And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk,
and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about
the villages, teaching.
67
While God certainly had the power to cause these people of Nazareth to believe on Him, He is
surely emphasizing that people who have no desire to be obedient to all of God`s Word are in enormous
spiritual danger. God`s normal reaction to these kinds of people is declared very clearly, for
example, in Jeremiah 26:4-6, where we read:
And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk
in my law, which I have set before you, To hearken to the words of my servants the
prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have
not hearkened; Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to
all the nations of the earth.
Those who Humbly Believe the Bible is to be Obeyed
The Bible speaks of a third kind of people, and they are those who listen to the Bible and
earnestly desire to be obedient to it. They believe that the Bible, which is the Gospel, is God`s law that
is addressed to them. They recognize they are shameful sinners and are in deep trouble with God. They
recognize that every word in the Bible is from the mouth of God, and therefore, they must carefully
listen to it. They recognize the fact that only God can save them, and even though they should be
punished by eternal death because of their sins, they hope that possibly God might have mercy upon
them (Luke 18:13). They try to be obedient to all they understand of the Bible, knowing full well that
their obedient actions do not contribute in any way to salvation or guarantee that God will save them.
They may learn that God is saving a great multitude of people at this time, and because God is merciful,
they, too, might possibly become saved.
And so, they beg God for His mercy, knowing that it is only the undeserved mercy of
God if they should become saved. In the meanwhile, as they patiently wait upon God (Lamentations
3:26), they try to learn all they can from the Bible, so that they might be as obedient as possible to the
law of God.
We cannot know why the attitude of this third group of people is so different from that of the
55
second group. It could be that God is drawing them in preparation to save them. It could be that it is
simply a result of the fact that God`s law is written on their hearts, and their conscience is warning them
of the consequences of sin. The important truth is not why they have this obedient attitude towards the
Bible. The important truth is that they have this obedient attitude towards the Bible.
We must remember that anyone, at any time, who obeys any of God`s laws is doing spiritual
work. But that work can never be a contribution to one`s salvation (Fphesians 2:8-9). Salvation will
come only to the elect, and the
68
business of election is strictly God`s business. That is why God can save a baby or a completely
mentally disabled person who is under the hearing of the Bible.
In God`s mysterious providence, He gives spiritual ears to the elect, who are among those who
are physically hearing the Word of God. We read in Matthew 13:9:
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Thus, we can know that God, in this mysterious business of salvation, speaks of people from
two contrary aspects. On the one hand, He speaks of those who are physically under the hearing of the
Gospel, and who, if they have any ability to even slightly understand the Word of God, will try to be
obedient to the Bible. In their obedience, they are praying for God`s mercy; they are patiently waiting
upon God, hoping that they, too, might become saved. In their desire to be obedient, they are at least in
an environment (the Bible) wherein God will save them if God so desires.
On the other hand, God gives great numbers of warnings to those who are under the physical
hearing of the Word of God, but who will not listen with a humble desire to obey the Word of God. By
their actions, they are effectively indicating they despise the Word of God. God repeatedly warns
that such actions, if continued, will end up with the sentence of the full shame, curse, loss of
inheritance, and death that are all a part of God`s wrath against sin.
This is no time for self-pride, self-ego, self-esteem or even self-respect. It is not a time for
spiritual superiority or spiritual arrogance. It is a time when we should fully recognize the complete
authority of the Bible over our lives, and therefore, listen most carefully to what God is saying to each
of us today.
It is a time when each one should fully realize the shame of his sins, and the certainty that
because of his sins, he deserves the full measure of God`s wrath. It is a time to humbly plead with God
for His undeserved mercy. It is a time when each one of us should realize that God is merciful. His
incredible mercy is far greater than any one of us deserves or can possibly imagine.
Today, in His great and wonderful mercy, God is saving a great multitude of people. It is
possible, therefore, that as any one of us humbly pleads for mercy, if we are not already saved, we
might be one of those included in that great multitude, which no man could number.
THE BIG QUESTION IS: Are you humbly begging God for salvation, knowing full
well that you do not deserve it at all, as you consider your shameful disobedience and rebellion against
God`s laws? Remember the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3:6-10).
MAY COD HAJE MERCY ON EACH ONE OF US!
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54
55
Pamph!ct 5
I HOPE GOD WILL 5AVE ME
5
By Harold Camping
By Harold Camping

Published and printed by;

Family Stations, Inc. Oakland,
California 94621
www.familyradio.com
(Note: All Scripture verses quoted in this publication are from the Authorized King
James Version of the Bible.)
First Fdition April 2007
Second Fdition March 2008
Third Fdition April 2009
5/
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction............................................................................................. iii I
Hope God hill Save Me...........................................................................1
hhat Did God Have to Do to Save Anvone? ..............................................3
Chosen of God............................................................................................3
The Chosen Ones here Given to Christ .................................................... 5
The Sin Bearer .......................................................................................... 6
A Great Multitude of Yet Unsaved People
hhom God Cannot Destrov .......................................................................8
All Mankind Bv Nature Are Spirituallv Dead ............................................9
he Must Be Given A New Soul ................................................................11
The Realitv of the Salvation of the Elect...................................................12
The Miracle of the New Birth .................................................................. 13
The Biblical Definition of Spiritual hork ................................................15
Christ Did All the hork Required for Our Salvation............................... 17
hhv Then Does God Give Us These Commands? ...................................17
Gods Mvsterious Relationship to Mankind .............................................18
God Tests Mankind ................................................................................. 21
The Extreme Importance of the Seventh-Dav Sabbath ............................22
The Blessings of Gods Testing Program .................................................23
God Intensifies the Difficultv of His Testing Program............................. 24
Can he Hear the Bible But Not Hear? ...................................................27
Compare Scripture with Scripture ...........................................................29
i
All of Mankind Are Commanded to Call Upon God ................................31
55
The hork of Believing .............................................................................33
All of Mankind Are Commanded to Believe God .....................................35
Christ Did All the hork-has Faithful-to Save Us................................... 36
The Act of Sealing is Alwavs Gods hork ................................................37
Rarelv, the Translation Must Be Corrected .............................................38
Did Abraham Believe God and Therefore Become Saved? ......................41
hhen he Believe Christ, He Might Save Us ...........................................42
Confusion in Understanding the hord "Believe" .................................... 45
Satan Comes as an Angel of Light ...........................................................46
Could the Churches Have Been Kept Pure? ............................................48
A Mightv Transformation ........................................................................ 50
The Saved Person Lives in an Unsaved Bodv ..........................................51
The Desires of the Saved Person .............................................................53
Fear and Trembling ................................................................................54
But Perfect Love Casts Out Fear .............................................................56
Is There Hope for Me? ............................................................................59
Scripture Index....................................................................................... 66
ii
INTRODUCTION
Many people say, "I want to be saved." And so, in this booklet, we will attempt to face, with
complete honesty, the question: What must I do to be saved? Because we will learn that no
one can do anything to become saved, it will quickly discourage many readers who will
conclude that the situation is hopeless and no one will be saved. But the fact is, the situation
of people becoming saved in our day is far from hopeless. Indeed, as we carefully study the
Bible we find that the Biblical evidence shows us that there is a great harvest of people
becoming saved at this time in history.
The Biblical evidence is that in our day, far more people are becoming saved than at any time
in history. But they are not becoming saved by following the salvation plan of any local
church or evangelist who subscribes to the salvation plan of a local congregation. We will
learn that it is super important that those who teach God's salvation program do so with
59
utmost faithfulness to the salvation plan instituted by God as it is recorded in the Bible.
iii
God created this world about 13,000 years ago. At that time, beginning with our first parents,
Adam and Fve, He created mankind in His image and likeness. But mankind rebelled against
God, and as a punishment, all of mankind came under the wrath of God. This rebellion was so
serious that according to God's law, man would not only lose his eternal existence with God but
would also be destroyed forever by annihilation on the last day of this earth`s existence. And
so, many people cry, "I desperately want to be saved from that sentence of eternal destruction."
Fvery human being knows there is a God who holds him accountable for his sins. This is
because mankind was created in the image and likeness of God. And even though he is
estranged from God because of his rebellion against God, the knowledge of God and his
accountability to God are present within his personality. We read in Romans 2:13-15, and in
these verses the word "Gentiles" is pointing to all of the people of the world who have no
knowledge of the Bible:
For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be
justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things
contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew
the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and
their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;
All mankind, therefore, intuitively knows it is sin; that is, a transgression of God's law, to
murder, to steal, to commit adultery, etc. He also intuitively knows that God requires
punishment for his sins. Therefore, every human being tries to find a way by which he
can be reconciled to God. That is, he wishes to find a way whereby he can escape the
awful punishment of his sins.
Some try to solve this awful problem by convincing themselves that there is no God to whom
they must answer. In that case, they try very hard to be an atheist or an evolutionist or an
agnostic.
Others have designed gods that they worship. They make a god of wood or stone, like the
Buddhist, or, like the astrologist, they look upon the planets and stars as some kind of god, or
like many people, they find some religion with which they can be comfortable. That religion
may have no connection at all with the Bible or it may utilize some Bible verses to support it.
So, they find the religion that they believe can best reconcile them to God.
The fact is that today about one-third of the population of the world call themselves
"Christian." This means that they identify with a religion that uses parts of the Bible to support
its claim that it is the Gospel that will bring people to God. Fach and every religion, whether
very slightly related to the Bible, or whether apparently quite true to the Bible, claims that it
has the most correct way to become reconciled to God. This is true of well-known
denominations such as Roman Catholic, Baptist, Reformed, Presbyterian,
90
1
Seventh-Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, etc. Sadly, none of these
denominations has a sufficient understanding of the nature of what is required for an
individual to become reconciled with God, that is, to become saved from the wrath of God,
which is the punishment for their sin.
Unfortunatelv, those who have placed their trust for their salvation in anv of these
religions are still in deep trouble with God because their religion cannot save them.
Unfortunately, those who have placed their trust for their salvation in any of these religions
are still in deep trouble with God because their religion cannot save them, and they are not
listening carefully to the only source of truth, the Bible.
In this booklet, we will attempt to set forth, as accurately as possible, the Bible's teaching
concerning God's plan wherein many people do become reconciled with God and do escape
the terrible judgment that will be visited upon the human race at the end of the world.
We must remember that the Bible, in its original languages, was written by God, but God used
human scribes, as II Peter 1:21, tells us:
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
The words that they penned were dictated by God Himself (Jeremiah 36:1-4). Therefore, by
reading and studying the Bible we have the ultimate and final source of truth. Therefore, each
and every conclusion concerning God's salvation plan must be altogether faithful to the
teachings of the Bible. Thus, we must be ready to scrutinize any conclusion that is set forth by
man in the light of any verse of the Bible.
What Did Cod Have to Do to Save Anyone?
We will continue our study by carefully determining what the Bible declares concerning the
solution to the terrible predicament that mankind faces. We will find that mankind's situation
is so horrible that only God Himself can provide a way of escape.
We must remember that the whole Bible is a law book, written by God Himself, to which all of
mankind is subject, and also, to which God Himself is subject (Psalm 138:2). Therefore, the
solution to mankind's terrible problem must meet all the legal requirements set forth in God's
law book, the Bible.
There are three exceedingly important actions taken by God Himself that are absolutely
required before anyone can experience salvation in his life. These three actions are required
for every person who becomes saved. There are no exceptions.
Chosen of Cod
2
9I
The first action performed by God on behalf of all the individuals who would be saved was
that before the creation of the world, God chose every person that He would save. We read
in Fphesians 1:3-5:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 1esus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame
before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by 1esus
Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
As God prepared to create this world and its billions of human inhabitants, He looked down
the corridors of time and saw a miserable mass of humanity that was altogether in rebellion
against Him. Fven though God created mankind as perfect beings, in the image and likeness
of God, the Bible is clear that God knew that mankind would rebel against God, and that
rebellion would result in all of mankind becoming spiritually dead and thoroughly infected
with sin. God also knew that mankind would desperately try to become reconciled to God by
seeking God through various plans that are designed by human minds, which are completely
infected by sin, but no one would seek God altogether on God's terms.
God also knew that mankind would desperatelv trv to become reconciled to God bv
seeking God through various plans that are designed bv human minds.
In Romans 3:10-12, God describes the pitiable condition of mankind. There we read:
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth,
there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together
become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
And yet, in spite of the total disaster of mankind's rebellion against God, God made the
amazing decision that He would forever have with Him many of these rebellious people. But
how could He have these people with Him forever? The punishment of their sin was
enormous. How could God have people with Him forever who legally, because of their sins,
must be destroyed? The punishment of sin is horrendously awful because the sin of the human
race is horrendously awful. This is the astonishing setting of the amazing salvation program
that God planned for the human race.
And so, from before the foundation of the world, God not only chose those whom He wished
to sanctify for Himself (Fphesians 1:4), but He also made payment for their sins. His choice
had nothing at all to do with any action or desire of mankind. God declares in Romans 9:15:
. . . I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion.
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By informing us of this all-important first action of God, God provides an enormous hope to
every unsaved person. God insists that He is not a respecter of persons (Romans 2:11,
Fphesians 6:9, Colossians 3:25). No nationality or class of people is likely to include
more of God's elect than any other group. No class of sinners is farther outside the
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possibility of containing elect people than any other class.
The Bible records the salvation of the adulterous woman in John 8, and it records the
salvation of the criminal who was crucified alongside Jesus in Luke 23:9-43. Therefore,
regardless of how great our sins may be, if we have a deep desire for salvation on God's
terms, there is a definite possibility that we could be among God's elect. Given the fact that
today a great multitude is to be saved, it is possible that, I, too, can be one of them. And that
is a great encouragement.
1he Chosen Ones Were Civen to Christ
Those whom God chose to be redeemed or saved were given to the Lord Jesus Christ, as we
read in John 6:37:
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no
wise cast out.
However, for Jesus to have these chosen ones as His eternal possession, something had to be
done about their sins. The perfect law of God, which was written by God Himself, decrees that
because mankind was created in the image of God, every individual must
pay the penalty demanded by God's law for their sins. Therefore, even though they were
elected by God and given to Christ to become His eternal possession, Christ could not have
them unless the penalty for their sin was paid. God's law decrees that the penalty for sin is
death, so effectively, those who were chosen and given to Christ would never be able to come
into Christ's possession because they could never pay the penalty. That brings us to another
dramatic action that God took on behalf of all those who become saved.
1he Sin Bearer
When God viewed the universe, which He planned to create at the beginning of time, He saw
that there was no one He could utilize to bear the wrath of God on behalf of the elect, those
chosen by God who were given to Christ as His eternal possession. This is taught in Isaiah 63:5
and Fzekiel 22:30. However, God's perfect law decreed that the penalty of death must be paid
before any individual could be allowed to enter into God's holy Heaven. Fvery aspect of God's
perfect law had to be satisfied perfectly.
Therefore, in an act of mercv and love that is unparalleled, Christ Himself became the sin
bearer on behalf of those individuals who had been given to Him.
Therefore, in an act of mercy and love that is unparalleled, Christ Himself became the sin
bearer on behalf of those individuals who had been given to Him. We read in Isaiah 53:6:
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All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the
LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The word "all" in this verse is speaking of all the elect, that is, all those whom God chose
before the foundation of the world to become saved. He actually did make payment for their
sins before He created the world. In a series of tableaus (three-dimentional
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historical parables) Christ demonstrated to the world how He suffered in making payment
for the sins of the elect. This was especially seen in the demonstration of His suffering when
He was crucified. For example, He was shamefully hung on the cross to demonstrate that
when He made payment for our sin He had to become a curse. 'Cursed is anyone who hangs
on a tree. When His body was put in the grave and He arose on Sunday morning, it was a
demonstration that when He actually made payment for our
sins before the foundation of the world He indeed had to die as a whole personality, body
and soul, and rise again to show the payment for our sins was entirely complete. (See To
God Be the Glorv).
When Christ provided for the salvation of the elect, each and every sin of each and every
person He planned to save had been placed on Him. And then, with this enormous load of sin,
He stood on trial before God, the Judge, and He was found guilty. To satisfy the demands of the
law, He then had to endure the full penalty required by the law on behalf of each one He
planned to save. That penalty was death: '.the soul that sinneth, it shall die (Fzekiel 18:4b).
Thus we also read 'Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell (death). This indicates Christ died and
rose again from death before He created the world. How
all of this was accomplished is locked into the mystery of all that God is.
So now, there are many individuals in this world who, from before Creation, were chosen to
salvation and who have been given to Christ as His eternal possession. Their sins have been
totally and eternally covered because Jesus became their Savior by paying for their sins even
before the world was created.
ACreat Multitude of Yet Unsaved People Whom Cod Cannot Destroy
Today, throughout the world, there is a great multitude of people who are not saved, and yet,
God cannot punish them for their sins. How can that be?
It is because these individuals have been elected by God to become saved. Therefore, long
before they were born, all the dirty ugly sins that these elect individuals would commit
throughout their lifetime on earth were laid upon the Lord Jesus. Jesus, as their substitute, as
their stand-in, stood in their place before the judgment throne of God. And because of these
sins, Jesus had become guilty before the righteous law of God, and God punished Him for
their sins.
Thus, the individuals for whom He had endured the wrath of God as payment for their sins
were now justified. That is, for each one of them, regardless of the grievousness of their sins,
the wrath of God, which is demanded by the law as penalty for these sins, had been fully
satisfied. These individuals were made just.
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Therefore, as each one of these people were born into this world, it was guaranteed that they
would never be punished for their sins. Instead, at some point in their life, it was guaranteed
that God would apply the Word of God, the Bible, to their life, and they would receive a brand
new resurrected soul. This could happen at any time that God chose to make it happen. It
could occur while they were still in the womb of their mother or a few minutes before they
died. It could occur if they were severely mentally handicapped or if they had a brilliant adult
mind. These individuals had been justified long before they were born.
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It could occur while thev were still in the womb of their mother or a few minutes before thev
died.
But nobody except God Himself knows who they are. Only after they receive their new
resurrected soul, that is, after they have become saved, will they begin to understand that God
had saved them. But the fact is that they were justified from the beginning of time because
Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8).
However, when they have become saved, they will know that they had become saved only
because God in His sovereign grace had elected them and paid for their sins. And salvation
became a reality in their life at the moment God saved them by giving them eternal life and
a new resurrected soul.
Thus, at this time in history, in the world today, there is a great multitude of people who will
never have to pay for their sins but who are still living in sin, as the rest of the world is living
in sin.
All Mankind by Nature Is Spiritually Dead
We must be aware that unsaved mankind, whether chosen by God to become saved or not
chosen to become saved, is spiritually dead. Both in body and soul they are thoroughly infected
by sin. That is why we read in Matthew 15:19:
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false
witness, blasphemies:
God describes those whom He planned to save, as to how they lived before they were
saved, in Fphesians 2:3 where we read:
Among whom also we all had our conversation |conduct or behavior] in times past in the
lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature
the children of wrath, even as others.
According to Gods righteous law, the penaltv for sin must be paid, and the pavment
demanded bv Gods law is destruction.
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We must always remember that according to God's righteous law the penalty for sin must be
paid, and the payment demanded by God's law is destruction. Only after that payment has been
satisfied can God give life, eternal life, to the sinner. And because the payment required for sin
is destruction, unsaved man will be eternally destroyed and annihilated, and never live again.
God describes this total destruction and annihilation in Revelation
20:14-15, where He says:
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And
whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
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Once a person is cast into the lake of fire, he is annihilated, destroyed forevermore. There is no
possibility that he will ever exist again. This is the essence of the 'second death.
However, long before he was born, Christ paid for the sins of all the elect, and thus that
person has become judicially justified (that is, legally he is no longer guilty of sin). But
before God actually applies the Word of God to him and gives him a new resurrected soul, he
lives under the wrath of God. That is, he still carries the infection of sin, and he is still
altogether spiritually dead. He is still like a stinking corpse (John 11:39) and a valley of dry
bones (Fzekiel 37:1-2). There is no possibility that he could change the spiritually dead
condition of his whole personality any more than a physically dead person can somehow
become physically alive.
We Must Be Civen a New Soul
God alone can give life, as witnessed by the birth of a child. That child cannot assist in any
way in order to obtain that physical life. Likewise, anyone whom God has elected to become
saved, even though Christ has already paid the penalty for his sins, must still be given
spiritual life. In John 3, verses 3 and 7, God speaks of this as being "born again." The Greek
word that God uses here literally means "born from above." Also, in I Peter
1:23, God emphasizes that this new birth is to be "born again."
This new birth, which is from above, that is, from heaven, is not just a seed of life that over a
period of time must develop within the personality of the one who is saved. It is instantly an
entirely brand new soul or spirit essence. The seed is Christ Himself who indwells the saved
person (John 14:23). God assures us that it is a brand new soul as He uses the analogy of trying
to patch an old garment by putting a piece of new cloth on the rent or tear (Matthew 9:16). It
must be an altogether new garment. Likewise, He gives the analogy of trying to put new wine
in old bottles. The new wine must be put in new bottles (Matthew 9:17). This is further
emphasized in other Biblical passages, such as II Corinthians 5:17, where we read:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
The part of the personality of the person that instantly became a new creature is the new spirit
(new resurrected soul), that God gave him at the moment He applied the Word of
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God to his life (Fzekiel 36:26). Likewise, at the end of time, this elect person will be given a
brand new resurrected spiritual body, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we
shall be changed" (I Corinthians 15:52).
Thus, significant parables that illustrate the complete incapability of mankind to become
spiritually alive, that is, to become saved, are given in the Bible. This is set forth in Fzekiel
37, where God typifies unsaved mankind as dry bones, and yet, God shows that when God
acts, those dry bones were brought to full life. Another historical parable is recorded in John
11, where we read that the stinking corpse of a man named Lazarus came to life at the
command of the Lord Jesus. Likewise, God is the only one who can bring eternal spiritual life
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to mankind who by nature is spiritually dead.
he can be sure that there are two kinds of unsaved people in the world.
We can be sure that there are two kinds of unsaved people in the world. There are spiritually
dead persons who were elected and who judicially are no longer under the wrath of God, and
there are those who are not included with the elect, and therefore, for certain, they will never
have eternal life and will suffer the final wrath of God. In either case, even though they are
spiritually dead, God's law to some degree is written on their hearts. Thus, they know, and
their conscience will witness to them that they should obey the laws of God.
Moreover, an integral part of their personality is their soul or spirit essence wherein God can
guide them to a greater desire to be obedient to God's laws, or Satan can guide them to greater
wickedness. In addition, inherent within their whole personality there is a
wickedness, a spiritual deadness, that needs no help from Satan to find expression in their
thoughts, words, and actions.
1he Reality of the Salvation of the Elect
As was already noted, there is one more great act of God that is required. The individuals who
were chosen to salvation are sinful humans. They do not know anything about God's plans for
them. The actuality of God's salvation plan for them must be applied to their lives.
Before salvation no one in the entire human race knows whether he was chosen by God to
become saved. It is only after God has saved us that we recognize that the only reason we were
included in God's salvation plan is because God in His sovereign good pleasure had chosen us
before He even created the world. Like the rest of the human race that will never become
saved, the saved are essentially a body and soul. Their body is that part of their personality that
is buried at the time they die. In the case of a saved person, at the moment of his physical
death, the soul or the spirit essence (which is just as real a part of the personality as the body)
leaves his body and is taken into heaven where he lives and reigns with Christ. Then at the end
of the world, when Christ returns, He will resurrect that body (II Corinthians 5:8, I
Thessalonians 4).
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However, before salvation, the chosen individual lives in this world like any individual who
is not chosen to salvation.
We read of the chosen in Fphesians 2:1-3:
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past
ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of
the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we
all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of
wrath, even as others.
Before he is saved, in this body he lusts after sin, and in his soul he lusts after sin. He is as
spiritually dead as any individual who will never be saved.
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That brings us to the third giant act of God which He does on behalf of those whom
Christ came to save.
1he Miracle of the New Birth
The third act performed by God on behalf of those who were given to Christ as His eternal
possession is that He performs the miracle of giving the elect person a brand new resurrected
soul. Jesus speaks about this in John 3:5, where we read:
. . . Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Ahead of that, we read in John 3:3:
. . . Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God.
To be born of water and of the Spirit means to be born of the Gospel (water), by the action
of God the Holy Spirit (John 4:10-15, John 7:38). God speaks of this action in Romans
10:17, where He says:
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
In Gods divine arrangement, He established the environment in which He saves people.
In God's divine arrangement, He established the environment in which He saves people. That
environment is the Bible, which is the only Word of God. Therefore, it is impossible for anyone
in the world to become saved unless they hear words from God, and the only Word of God is
the Bible. That is why throughout the church age God commanded the local congregations to
send the Gospel into all the world. That is why in our day we are
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to continue to zealously send the Gospel into the world, but now we do so as individuals
instead of as a church organization. We individually serve as Christ's ambassadors.
We should be aware of the fact that today no one can be saved in the churches. According to
God's timetable, the church age has come to an end, and the Holy Spirit has abandoned the
churches. However, the Bible instructs us that outside of the churches a great harvest of true
believers is being brought into the kingdom of God. (You are invited to contact Family Radio
and request the free books, The End of the Church Age and After and
hheat and Tares.)
God does the entire work of saving, and therefore He can save an elect individual at any time
during that person's life. The only requirement is that the individual be under the hearing of
the Bible. At the moment of salvation, God gives that individual spiritual ears and a new
eternal soul. Thus, as we noted earlier, a baby can be saved as readily as a mature adult. A
person with the mind of a two-year-old can be saved as readily as a college professor.
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At the cross Christ demonstrated how He had suffered before He created the world, when He
paid for all the sins of the elect person. So, what remains to be done is that at an appropriate
time known only to God, God will cause this person to actually experience
the wonderful fact of salvation.
Thus far in our study we have begun to learn what the law of God, the Bible, required God to
do. The question may still hammer in our minds: what can I do to become saved? Is there any
way that I can make sure that I will be included among those who were elected to salvation?
In our study, we will address these enormously serious questions.
1he Biblical Definition of Spiritual Work
At this point in our study we should introduce a concept that bears heavily on the subject of
becoming saved. It has to do with the Biblical definition of spiritual "work." The Bible
repeatedly insists that our salvation can never be a result of any work that we do (Fphesians
2:8-9, Galatians 2:16). Therefore, we must know how God defines spiritual "work."
In Jonah 3:10, God declares:
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of
the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.)
In Matthew 7:22, God declares:
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and
in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
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Anv time we obev Gods commandments, we are doing work that is pleasing to God.
From these and other Bible verses, we learn that any time we obey God's commandments, we
are doing work that is pleasing to God. When we disobey God's commandments, we are doing
work that is displeasing to God. For example, the Bible commands all mankind to believe in
Christ. Is believing a work that we do? Indeed it is. The word "believe" is the verb form of the
noun "faith." The Bible speaks plainly in both I Thessalonians 1:3 and II Thessalonians 1:11 of
the "work of faith."
I Thessalonians 1:3, tells us:
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of
hope in our Lord 1esus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
And in II Thessalonians 1:11, we read:
Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this
calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with
power:
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Significantly, God speaks of the work of faith and also of the labor of love. Therefore, we can
clearly understand that both the exercise of faith and of love are works that we do. Likewise,
obedience to any of the commands of the Bible is work that we are
commanded to do. Therefore, we must firmly keep in our minds that when God commands us
to pray, to seek Christ, to become saved, to call upon God, to wait upon God, to read and study
the Bible, etc., in each of these commands, God is commanding us to do work. That is why
God defines "love" as keeping God's commandments, for example. When we love God and our
neighbor, we are doing spiritual work. This principle, that obeying any commandment is work
that we do, is an exceedingly
important principle that we should never forget as we carefully study Bible verses that
relate to becoming saved.
Christ Did All the Work Required for Our Salvation
There is another immensely important principle that we must always remember. It is that the
work required to save a person can be done only by God. The election of those whom God
planned to save, the payment Christ made on behalf of those He came to save, the new soul
that God gives to those whom He saves: these are all works that only God can perform.
The work required to save a person can be done onlv bv God.
The fact is, the election was made before any humans existed. Moreover, the payment for the
sins of the elect was completed from before the foundation of the world (Revelation
13:8). Thus, it is absolutely impossible for any human being to do anything at all to assist in
the slightest degree in obtaining salvation.
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Why 1hen Does Cod Cive Us 1hese Commands?
God gives us these commands, to believe, to pray, etc., but how can we even begin to obey
these commands? We are spiritually dead. God typifies unsaved mankind as a valley of dry
bones (Fzekiel 37:1-14) and as a stinking corpse (John 11:39). And God insists in Romans
3:10-12:
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth,
there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together
become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Indeed, the Bible clearly emphasizes the total deadness of unsaved mankind. We must
remember that mankind, beginning with the fall of Adam, is spiritually dead in view of the
fact that God does not indwell him, and he is not spiritually energized by God. And because of
man's sins, he is under the wrath of God, and that means that at the end of the world he will be
destroyed and never live again. As we noted previously, in his whole personality he is grossly
infected with sin.
However, even though he is spiritually dead, he is still capable of being somewhat obedient
to the laws of God. Thus, he can believe in Christ to some degree, he can pray, he can seek
God, and he can turn away from some sins, such as drunkenness, lying, etc. He is able to do
this because of at least two reasons.
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The first reason is that he still has a conscience that can convict him of sin (Romans 2:14-
15, John 8:9). This is so because mankind is created in the image of God, and even though he
has become completely estranged from God, God's law to some degree is still within his
personality.
A second reason is that God can work His will in the life of an unsaved person even though it
may not be God's intention to save that person. We see this principle in action in the lives of
wicked Balaam (Numbers 22:12-13), and in the life of Saul, the first king of Israel (I Samuel
10:9-12).
Furthermore, if God has elected that unsaved person and has already paid for all his sins,
before God actually gives that person a new heart, a new resurrected soul, God the Father may
be drawing him (John 6:44).
However, as this person is trying hard to obey God's commandments, he absolutely
cannot know which if any of the above reasons is causing him to try to obey God's
commands. That is, he has no proof, nor should he think even for a moment that his
obedience is guaranteed to result in salvation.
Cod's Mysterious Relationship to Mankind
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Moreover, there is a mysterious, dynamic personal relationship that exists between God and
each and every person in the human race. This is true not only between God and those whom
He has elected to salvation, but it is also true between God and those whom He has not
elected, and who, therefore, will most certainly be destroyed.
We see this in the fact that Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41), even though the evidence
given in the Bible tells us that most of the Jerusalem that He had in view will be destroyed. We
see it in the fact that the Bible declares that God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked
(Fzekiel 33:11). We see it in the fact that to some degree, God's law
is written on the hearts of all mankind (Romans 2:15).
We see it in the fact that by God's law, a murderer must die because he has murdered a human
being who was created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 9:6). We see it in God's
command that we are to love our enemies. We must remember that any non- elect person is the
enemy of God, and yet there is no human being whom we are not to love. We see it in the
warning God gives in Matthew 5:22 that we are not to call anyone "Raca," that is, worthless or
fool. We never look upon any living person as being without hope of salvation.
From the above evidence we may conclude that although mankind became spiritually
dead because of his sin, and he is no longer energized by God nor indwelt by God, he was not
thrown away nor cut off from God. In his spiritually dead unsaved condition, he still has
complete responsibility in that he is to obey God, and indeed, he still has some ability to obey
God. It is only on the last day that he will be completely cut off from God (Isaiah
66:24, Jeremiah 23:39-40, 24:10).
I0I
Thus, each and every human being can be expected by God to do the work of believing God so
that they will try to some degree to be obedient to the commands of the Bible. As noted earlier
in our study, this obedience can be enhanced by God Himself working in the life of an
individual, which was the situation of wicked Balaam (Numbers Chapters 22
and 23), or it can be God working in the life of someone who is elect of God but who has
not yet been given a new eternal soul (John 6:44).
God has a legal right to command mankind to obev His laws.
We must also remember that God has a legal right to command mankind to obey His laws.
Because mankind was created in the image and likeness of God, mankind, like God Himself, is
completely subject to God's law book, the Bible. Therefore, we should understand that the
work of believing on Christ can be seen in the life of an unsaved person who may or may not
have been elected to become saved. As he believes in Christ, he will try hard to follow the
Biblical command of Luke 13:24, where God says:
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and
shall not be able.
And in Hebrews 4:11, we read:
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Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same
example of unbelief.
However, again it must be soundly emphasized that none of this work of believing can
guarantee or contribute in any way to his becoming saved because all the work required for
salvation was fully performed by Christ long before the person was born.
None of this work of believing can guarantee or contribute in anv wav to his becoming
saved because all the work required for salvation was fullv performed bv Christ long before
the person was born.
Wonderfully, as an unsaved person strives to do God's will two great blessings are
accomplished.
The first blessing is that as the unsaved person attempts to obey God's commands, it will be
necessary for him to become increasingly better acquainted with the Bible. This will enrich his
life as he learns about important truths such as the awfulness of sin, the penalty for sin, the
justice of God, and the mercy of God.
Secondly, it will place him in the environment of hearing the Word of God. Thus, if God plans
to save him, he is in the proper environment for God to apply the Word of God to his heart.
Cod 1ests Mankind
There is a third reason why God commands people to do the work of believing. It places that
individual on trial or tests him. Will he begin to think that his efforts to obey God's commands
I02
are assisting in his salvation?
God constantly tests mankind. Adam and Fve were tested in the Garden of Fden. They failed
the test and sin entered the world. Abraham was tested by the command to sacrifice his son
(Genesis 22). He did not fail the test. The Israelites were tested in various ways during the 40
years they were in the wilderness. They failed the tests. The true believer is tested every day
because he still has a body that lusts after sin. Jesus was tested by God allowing Satan to tempt
Him. Wonderfully, He did not fail the test.
So, too, the command to do the work of believing and the work of calling upon God for
salvation is a test. Will we fully recognize the fact that while these are commandments of God,
which must be obeyed, obedience to these commands can never be a cause of our salvation?
This testing program is exceedingly serious. Mankind by nature is proud, and he is anxious
to receive some credit and glory for anything that he has accomplished by his actions.
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Moreover, effectively, and maybe without realizing it, many people do not trust that God will
save them unless they themselves initiate the salvation process by their own action.
he are not to think even for a moment that anv work on our part could possiblv assist, even
in the tiniest wav, in getting us saved
But God is righteously jealous. God did all the work to save us. Therefore, we are not to think
even for a moment that any work on our part could possibly assist, even in the tiniest way, in
getting us saved.
1he Extreme Importance of the Seventh-Day Sabbath
This all-important truth is demonstrated in dramatic fashion in the Old Testament. We must
remember that the seventh-day Sabbath was to be strictly observed by the congregation, which
was the nation of Israel. It was a ceremonial law that pointed to the truth that the work of
salvation is done entirely by God. Fven as Israel was to do no work of any kind on the
seventh-day Sabbath, so, we are not to do any work of any kind to try to assist in our salvation.
In Fxodus 31:13-14, God declares:
Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for
it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I
am the LORD that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy
unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth
any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
In these revealing verses, God is setting forth the super-important principle that God has done
all the work to sanctify us. The word "sanctify" means to become set apart for the service of
God. We are spiritually set apart for His service when we become saved. In this passage, God
insists that He did all that was required to sanctify or save us.
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As a sign that pointed to this extremely important teaching, God commanded that no work was
to be done on the seventh-day Sabbath. Someone who did some work on the seventh-day
Sabbath was like someone who believed that his own spiritual work assisted in some way to
accomplish his salvation. Such a person was to be put to death, that is, such a person is still
going to experience the wrath of God.
God gives us an example to illustrate the seriousness of this truth. In Numbers 15, verses
32-36, God tells us of a man who picked up sticks on the seventh-day Sabbath. This was a
very tiny, almost incidental infraction of the command to refrain from any work on the
Sabbath.
And yet, when Moses asked God what the penalty should be for this exceedingly minor
violation of the command concerning the Sabbath, God instructed that this man was to be
stoned to death. This dramatic event illustrates the absolute seriousness of the truth that
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we want to be absolutely certain that we understand that salvation is only through the work
of Christ.
THERE IS NO MERCY FOR THOSE hHO THINK THAT THEY CAN INITIATE OR
ASSIST IN ANY hAY IN THEIR SALJATION.
We must never think that we assisted in our salvation by being obedient to the law of God.
Remember, any obedience to the law is spiritual work that we do. Fffectively, by means of the
historical parable of the execution of the man who picked up sticks on the seventh-day Sabbath,
God is shouting at us: THFRF IS NO MFRCY FOR THOSF WHO THINK THAT THFY
CAN INITIATF OR ASSIST IN ANYWAY IN THFIR SALVATION.
1he Blessings of Cod's 1esting Program
This testing program is a great blessing to those who believe they have become saved. In
II Corinthians 13:5, God commands:
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your
own selves, how that 1esus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
How can we prove to ourselves that we are truly saved? One major thing we can do is
examine how we believe we became saved.
We want to be sure that we altogether abandon any ideas or thoughts that we might have that
we have done this or that, and thus, we have initiated or assisted in some way in our salvation.
We must be certain that we clearly hold the Biblical principle that if, indeed, we are saved, all
the work of saving was done by Christ long before we were born. Salvation was accomplished
entirely by the work of Christ, and we can do absolutely nothing to assist us in becoming
saved. We must understand that not even the slightest work, that is, obedience to any
command of God, can help us to be saved. The judgment that fell on the man who picked up
sticks on the seventh-day Sabbath should ring in our ears.
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Additionally, we test ourselves by examining ourselves in the light of the language of
I John 2:3-6, where we read:
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith,
I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we
that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as
he walked.
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Fvery person who has truly become saved has been given a brand new resurrected soul, and
therefore, he will have a constant delight in doing the will of God. Indeed, like the psalmist
in Psalm 139:23-24, he will pray:
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if
there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Cod Intensifies the Difficulty of His 1esting Program
The test brought about by these commands is made more difficult because even though the
unsaved person is spiritually dead and under the wrath of God, he is still capable of obeying
God's commands, to some degree. Farlier in this study, we learned the following.
1. The unsaved person still has a conscience that can convict him of sin. This is because
God's laws to some degree are written on his heart (John 8:9, Romans 2:14-15).
2. God can cause a spiritually dead person, for example, Balaam and King Saul in the Old
Testament, to do His will even though God does not intend to save that person (Numbers
22:12-13, II Peter 2:15-16, I Samuel 10:9-12, I Chronicles 10:13).
Thus, even though an individual is trying hard to obey God's commands, he cannot know
whether it is God working in his heart or whether it is his own conscience that is convicting
him. And he cannot know whether he is trying to obey God with his whole heart. But he must
know that none of his efforts to please God can initiate salvation or guarantee salvation or
meet any requirement that will cause him to be saved.
He could also wrongfullv think that because he is obeving these commands, God will save
him.
When an unsaved person begins to be obedient to God's commands, he can easily fall into the
trap of thinking that his obedience is evidence that God has already saved him. He could also
wrongfully think that because he is obeying these commands, God will save him. In either
case, he is violating God's law that declares that no work that anyone does can make a
contribution to his salvation. And while it is God's plan to test man as to whether he will be
obedient to all of God's commands, except for God's mercy, mankind will fail the test.
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This is seen dramatically in the conduct of ancient Israel. God told them that if they
obeyed all of God's commands, He would eternally bless them (Deuteronomy 28:1,
28:15, 30:6-16).
Therefore, they tried to be as good as possible, trusting that by this means they were
assured of salvation. However, God sadly informs us in Romans 9:31-32:
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But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of
righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the
works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
When an individual strives diligently to be saved, he can easily fall into the snare of
thinking that his obedience is guaranteeing or initiating salvation. It is like he was
working on the seventh-day Sabbath, as was the man who picked up some sticks.
Our position must only and always be that of the Ninevites, which was, as we read in
Jonah 3:9:
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we
perish not?
he mav never presume that anvthing we have done or are doing will initiate or
guarantee salvation
Therefore, we may never presume that anything we have done or are doing will initiate or
guarantee salvation. This is true whether we believe it is God who is working in our life
to do His will or whether we are attempting to obey because our conscience is convicting
us.
The prayer of the unsaved suppliant must be, "Oh, God, have mercy on me. I do not deserve
salvation. I am thankful that as I diligently strive to do Thy will, I know that only God can
qualify me so that I will be seeking God with all my heart and soul, and this can be true only
when I have been given a new heart, that is, when God has already saved me."
The example of the publican of Luke 18:13 should be in our thoughts. There we read:
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto
heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
We should be reminded of the words God speaks in Joel 2:12-14:
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with
fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your
garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to
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anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will
return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink
offering unto the LORD your God?
And so, this is the path through which God brings His people, and it is further described in
Jeremiah 31:8-9, where we read:
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Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of
the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that
travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come
with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the
rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to
Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Can We Hear the Bible But Not Hear?
In many places in the Bible, God sounds the warning of Jeremiah 29:17-19, where we read:
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and
the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are
so evil. And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the
pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a
curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations
whither I have driven them: Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the
LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending
them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.
To hearken is to listen with a view of trving to understand what is commanded and trving to be
obedient.
To hearken is to listen with a view of trying to understand what is commanded and trying to be
obedient. However, if we come to the Bible with a preconceived understanding of truth, we
will not hearken to the truth, and therefore, according to this passage, we will not hear the
Word of the truth.
For example, an individual who takes a fatalistic position or is convinced that his do-it-
yourself, free-will gospel is correct, or someone who willfully disregards God's commands to
diligently strive to become saved, is not listening to the Word of God. The moment he reads
something about salvation in the Bible, in his mind he twists it and tries to change the meaning
so that it will agree with his preconceived idea. For him, the truth of the Biblical statement is
destroyed by his rebellious man-made ideas. Fffectively, he has placed himself outside of the
hearing of the Word of God. Thus, he has placed
himself in a most dangerous position because faith (Christ as Savior), can come only by
hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
It is true that theoretically, God can save anyone, regardless of the intensity of their rebellion
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against God, even as they stubbornly refuse to listen to the Word of God. However, the Bible
gives no encouragement or assurance to those who refuse to hear the Word of God, and so, we
should ponder carefully the warning of Jeremiah 29:18-19, which is quoted above. Such a
person, unfortunately, and to a high degree, fits the awful description of the Pharisees spoken
of throughout Matthew Chapter 23.
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However, there is hope, wonderful hope, for those who humbly admit their sins, and who turn
away from their preconceived ideas, who earnestly strive to be obedient to all of the Bible, and
who humbly cry to God for mercy.
As we approach the Bible, we must come to it with no preconceived ideas, however
reasonable and logical thev mav appear to be.
As we approach the Bible, we must come to it with no preconceived ideas, however
reasonable and logical they may appear to be. We must approach the Bible with the attitude
that, "I know nothing. Oh, God, You must teach me." And as we diligently strive to obey God's
commands, our attitude must be that even though we do not in any way deserve salvation, we
have a great hope that maybe God will save me, too (Jonah 3:9).
Compare Scripture with Scripture
We must always remember a fundamental Biblical rule that must be followed as we attempt
to learn from the Bible, and that rule is that we are to compare Scripture with Scripture (I
Corinthians 2:13). That is, as we study the Bible, we must be sure that our conclusions,
each and every one of them, are harmonious with all of the Bible.
With these truths in mind and utilizing the principles we have already learned in this study,
we will look at a number of verses that speak directly to the matter of becoming saved. We
will begin with the well known verse, Romans 10:13, where God declares:
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Immediately, a red flag is seen, that is, we must be careful. Obeying the command to call on
God is work that we do. This verse appears to teach that if we do the work of calling upon
God, it will result in our salvation, but that is impossible because God did all the work to save
us. Thus, we know that we cannot understand this verse without seeking more information
from the Bible.
In our search for more information, we come to Jeremiah 29:11-13, where God says:
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. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go
and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me,
when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
The same truth is expressed in Deuteronomy 4:29, where we read:
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But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek
him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
God is giving us the important information that as we call upon God or seek Him for
salvation, we are to seek Him with all our heart.
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But that is an impossibility because the Bible tells us about the condition of the heart of the
unsaved individual. We read in Jeremiah 17:9:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
And we read in Mark 7:21:
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders,
Before anvone can call upon God with all their heart, thev must be given a new heart
Therefore, before anyone can call upon God with all their heart, they must be given a new
heart, that is, they no longer have a wicked heart. And this is precisely what the Bible teaches,
for example, in Fzekiel 36:25-27, where God says:
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your
filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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. And I will put my spirit within you, and
cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
In these verses, God clearly teaches that a new heart is given to us by God. Through the
tremendous miracle of giving us a new heart, also called a new spirit, He will cause us to walk
obediently before Him. Incidentally, in this study we speak of the new heart or the new spirit
as our brand new resurrected soul, which we receive when we become saved. These verses in
Fzekiel describe how God makes us saved individuals, and it is God alone who does all of the
work of saving us.
All of Mankind Are Commanded to Call Upon Cod
We read in Romans 10:13 that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved," but we cannot come to a conclusion regarding salvation until we include the required
additional information that we are to call upon God with all of our heart to become saved. We
know that simply calling upon God will not result in salvation. And
we will not call upon Him with all our heart until God has already saved us by giving us a
new heart, that is, until God has already done all the work of saving us.
But that introduces another problem. Romans 10:13 declares that those who call upon God
"shall be saved." The words "shall be saved" are a Greek verb that indicates that salvation is a
future event resulting from having called upon God. We have just learned that the Biblical
understanding of the first part of the verse is that we are to call upon God with all of our heart.
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We also learned that we can call on Him with all our heart only because God has saved us and
given us a new heart.
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Therefore, since "shall be saved" is a result of calling upon God with all our heart, we have
a problem. How can a person who is already saved become saved?
This problem can be resolved when we realize, as we learned earlier in this study, that the
reality of salvation in the life of one of God's elect is a several step activity. The first step was
the election of that person to become saved. The second step was that at the moment Christ
made the payment demanded by God for our sins, at that moment, legally, the penalty for our
sins was paid.
The third step occurred when God gave a new heart or a new spirit to the elect individuals,
those for whom Christ had already endured the wrath of God to pay for their sins. This third
step is the one we usually have in mind when we speak about having become saved.
But our salvation is not yet complete. We still have a sinful body that must be saved. And that
brings us to the fourth step, and that will occur on the last day when Christ returns and gives all
true believers their brand new resurrected bodies (I Corinthians 15).
Thus, it is Biblically correct to declare, "we have become saved," and also, "we shall become
saved." That is why the Bible can assert that a person who already had become saved "shall
be saved." That is why we read, for example, in I Peter 1:5:
Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in
the last time.
And that is why we read in Mark 13:13:
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the
end, the same shall be saved.
Onlv at the end, when God gives us a glorified resurrected bodv, shall we become saved in
everv part of our personalitv.
We endure to the end because we already have become saved. But only at the end, when God
gives us a glorified resurrected body, shall we become saved in every part of our personality.
Thus, we learn from this verse that if we do not follow the Biblical instruction to compare
spiritual things with spiritual, we can easily fall into a trap that will blind us to the truth
of the Bible. Therefore, we do not arrive at any conclusion until the whole Bible has been
consulted.
Thus far we have learned a number of very important truths. Among them are the
following.
1. Christ alone has done all the work that is required to save an individual.
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2. Any time we obey a commandment, we are doing spiritual work. Fven while a person is
unsaved, he can, to some degree, do spiritual work, like believing on Christ, but this work can
never initiate salvation or assist anyone in becoming saved.
With these Biblical principles in mind, we are warned that even though a verse in the Bible
may appear to teach that our salvation is in some way a result of our believing or obeying the
commandments of the Bible, immediately we know that that is an altogether wrong
understanding of that verse. We know that we must search the Scriptures and pray for wisdom
so that we might properly understand that verse.
1he Work of Believing
When speaking about salvation, perhaps the most important word that must be correctly
understood is the word "believe." As we have learned, "believe" is the verb form of the noun
"faith." We also learned that faith is work, and therefore, "to believe" is spiritual work. And we
learned that there is no work that we can do that can initiate or assist in our salvation.
Mankind, apart from being saved, can do the work of believing to some degree because he has
a conscience, and to some degree, God's law is written on his heart. In fact, as an individual
seeks diligently to enter the Kingdom of God, that is, become saved, he will obey that
commandment because he is capable of believing. But that kind of believing is not the kind of
believing that is associated with salvation. God speaks of saved people believing from the
heart in Romans 10:9-10, where we read:
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord 1esus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart
man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
However, we learned that the heart of man is terribly wicked (Jeremiah 17:9, Matthew
15:19). Thus, it is impossible to believe from the heart until God gives us a new heart. And
when God gives us a new heart, it means that He has saved us (Fzekiel 36:24-27). Therefore,
when we believe before we are saved, it is not from the heart, and therefore it cannot associate
with salvation.
On the other hand, if we believe with all our heart, it means that God has already saved us by
giving us a new heart. Our believing is altogether a result of the fact that God has
saved us. Therefore, the word "believing" and the phrase "having faith" can never be
identified as a means or an instrument by which we become saved.
We read in Acts 8:13-23, that Simon the sorcerer believed and was baptized, but later verses
clearly show that he did not become saved. Abraham believed for it was God (Christ) who
was accounted unto him for righteousness. Simon believed as an unsaved man. Abraham
believed as a saved man. However, neither in the life of Simon nor in the life of Abraham was
believing an assist to salvation.
III
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Thus, we can confidently conclude that doing the work of believing before we are saved can
never assist in any way with our salvation. Doing the work of believing after we are saved is
always entirely a result of the fact that God has saved us.
Obeving the command to believe identifies with a desire to trv to be obedient to all of
Gods commands.
However, the word "believe" indicates the value and importance of believing before we are
saved. Obeying the command to believe identifies with a desire to try to be obedient to all of
God's commands. These commandments include loving God, seeking salvation, waiting upon
Him, repenting of our sins, and praying for salvation. Obeying these commands is work that
we are doing, but it can never bring us into salvation. Nevertheless, this kind of obedience
will cause us to listen to the Bible more and more carefully. Thus, we will be in the right
environment to be saved if God plans to save us.
How can we believe if we are spiritually dead? Remember, God typifies unsaved
mankind as a valley of dry bones (Fzekiel 37) and as a stinking corpse (John 11:39). God
declares that there is none that seeketh after God, no, not one (Romans 3). These statements
emphasize the fact that before salvation, every human being is spiritually
dead. In both body and soul he is spiritually dead, and God does not indwell him. Because of
his sins, judicially, he is presently under the wrath of God, and he is headed for destruction.
Fach and every sin results in the penalty of destruction, and therefore, without God's
intervention, every individual is guaranteed to be destroyed. Fven though God's law, to some
degree, is within him, and he has a conscience so that he knows right from wrong,
nevertheless, without help from God, his situation is utterly hopeless. Thus, as unsaved
mankind does the work of believing in Christ, he is still a stinking corpse, a valley of dry
bones. He cannot seek God with all his heart or believe with all his heart because his heart is
desperately wicked. Only if God gives him a new heart, that is, when God saves him, will he
seek and believe God with all of his heart. When he is given a new heart, in his soul, in his
spirit, he has become eternally alive.
All of Mankind Are Commanded to Believe Cod
We read in Acts 16:31:
And they said, Believe on the Lord 1esus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy
house.
We know that only believing in our heart relates to salvation. And when we believe in our
heart, we already have been saved because God must give us a new heart in order for us to
believe in our heart (Fzekiel 36:26). A new heart signifies the fact that we have become saved.
We read in the well-known declaration of John 3:16:
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For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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Now, we know that the word "whosoever" can only include God's elect. We also know that an
unsaved person whom God never intends to save can believe on Him, to some degree. And we
know that those who do become saved are not saved because they did the work of believing on
Christ. The truth is that they believe on Him because God has given them everlasting life. Their
believing is a result of the fact that God had saved them.
The truth is that thev believe on Him because God has given them everlasting life.
Christ Did All the Work-Was Faithful-to Save Us
As God wrote the Bible, He did not make it easy to find truth. He keeps us very humble as He
causes us to patiently and diligently analyze these difficult verses while constantly asking God
for wisdom. We are to always remember that until we find harmony with all that the Bible
teaches, we have not yet understood the verse being studied.
One puzzle that the Bible presents is that which is found in many verses in Galatians 2 and
Galatians 3. For example, God insists in Galatians 3:2:
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit |did vou become saved] by the
works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Remember that faith is work. But who did all the work of saving us? Jesus did all the work.
He was completely faithful to all of God's commands and He brought salvation to us. Thus,
we could paraphrase Galatians 3:2, this way, "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law
or by the hearing of faith (the work that Jesus did to save us)?" That is why His name is
Faithful (Revelation 19:11). He is the very essence of the work of faith.
Galatians 2:16, declares:
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of 1esus
Christ, even we have believed in 1esus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of
Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified.
Man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith, the work, of Jesus Christ. He was
faithful to do all the work required for our salvation.
Frequently, we can more easily understand verses that have the word "faith" in them when we
substitute the word "Christ," whose name is "Faithful." Thus, Fphesians 2:8, can be
understood this way, "By grace you have been saved through faith (Christ)." And Galatians
3:11, this way, "The just shall live by faith (Christ)." And Galatians 3:2, would
be understood this way, "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of
faith (or by hearing of Christ, the Word of God)?"
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1he Act of Sealing Is Always Cod's Work
Incidentally, a serious wrong teaching of the Bible is committed by the theologians and
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churches that teach that water baptism seals a person into the covenant or into righteousness.
They base this wrong conclusion on Romans 4:11, where we read:
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which
he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe,
though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
The act of sealing is an official legal act that can be done only by God. For example, God
describes the salvation of one of His elect in Fphesians 1:13, where we read:
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,
In this verse, God indicates that they heard the Word of God (faith comes by hearing), they
began to trust the Bible, they believed (Jonah 3:5), and because they were elect of God and
God had already paid for their sins, God sealed them by giving them the Holy Spirit, which is
the guarantee that God had saved them. Thus, God teaches us that sealing is identified as the
act of God giving a person a new soul.
Therefore, we must understand Romans 4:11 to teach the following:
And he received the sign |the miracle] of circumcision |spiritual circumcision, which is
salvation (Deuteronomv 30.6)] , a seal |a guarantee] of the righteousness of the faith |Christ
] which he had yet being uncircumcised |phvsical circumcision]: . . .
With this understanding, we know it is harmonious with all that the Bible teaches about
salvation.
Rarely, the 1ranslation Must Be Corrected
Generally, we can trust that the translators who brought forth the King James Bible,
which is the most trustworthy of all translations, did accurate work in translating from the
original Hebrew and Greek into Fnglish. However, they were not inspired by God as
were the holy men of God, the scribes, who wrote the original Bible from the mouth of God,
and therefore the translators could have made some errors. And when we carefully study some
verses that are concerned with becoming saved, we find that, indeed, their translation must be
corrected. Remember, the translation must be corrected, but never the original Hebrew or
Greek.
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The fact is, in our desire to carefully harmonize all Scriptures, a very serious problem in Bible
translation has been uncovered. Usually, the Bible translators, and this is especially true of the
King James Bible translators, were quite accurate in their endeavor to be as faithful as possible
to the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament and the Greek text of the New Testament.
However, there are some verses in the Bible that appear to harmonize together perfectly in
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the way they are translated, but in actuality, they have produced a major catastrophe insofar
as God's message of salvation is concerned. They pertain to the idea of how believing relates
to becoming saved. Please note the agreement that exists between the following verses.
Genesis 15:6: And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for
righteousness.
Romans 4:3: For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was
counted unto him for righteousness.
Romans 4:9: Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the
uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for
righteousness.
Galatians 3:6: Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness.
These verses apparently teach very conclusively that salvation will come to someone as a
result of that person believing in Jesus as their Savior, and that conclusion is the foundation of
the doctrine that is taught as God's salvation program in virtually every church and
denomination.
Anv time we obev anv command of the Bible, including the command to believe in Christ, it is
a work that we do.
But that conclusion is an impossible conclusion. Believing on Christ is a work that we do.
Remember, any time we obey any command of the Bible, including the command to believe in
Christ, it is a work that we do. And as we have learned, all the work to save a person was done
by Christ. There is, therefore, no work we can do that will initiate or assist in any way to obtain
salvation. Believing is to have faith, and the Bible says very plainly that faith is a work.
We read in I Thessalonians 1:3:
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of
hope in our Lord 1esus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
And we read in II Thessalonians 1:11:
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Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this
calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with
power:
The conclusion that simplv believing in Christ will result in salvation is completelv
impossible.
Thus, the conclusion that simply believing in Christ will result in salvation is completely
impossible. Unfortunately, the teaching that believing will somehow assist in our salvation
sets forth a salvation plan that is equivalent to the work of the man of Numbers
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15 who picked up some sticks on the Sabbath day, and therefore, by God's command, was
stoned to death. Remember, the seventh-day Sabbath, in which no work of any kind was to be
done, is a picture of the principle that we are not to think for a moment that any work that we
do can assist in any way in our becoming saved.
Immediately, we see the catastrophe that has developed in virtually every church. They teach
a salvation plan that places every individual who thinks he has become saved because he
began to believe in Christ in the same position as the man who picked up some sticks on the
Sabbath day. That individual is still under the wrath of God. What a terrible situation has
developed!
How, then, should these verses have been translated? We shall look at each one of them while
keeping in mind the truth that believing is a work.
Did Abraham Believe Cod and 1herefore Become Saved?
First, we will look at Genesis 15:6. In the King James Bible, the translation is as follows:
And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
This verse appears to be assuring us that the faith of Abraham was counted or reckoned to him
for righteousness; that is, because he believed, God saved him.
Believing is a work that we do, and our work can never be a part of our salvation.
But as we have learned, that conclusion is impossible because believing is a work that we do,
and our work can never be a part of our salvation. The context in which this verse is found tells
us that Abraham's believing was the believing of someone who had become saved. We must
remember that when God has saved us, we will do good works, but in no way have these good
works, which include believing, helped us to become saved. They are always a result of having
become saved.
We should be aware of the fact that in the Hebrew, the conjunction "and" is sometimes also
translated "for." Therefore, in this verse, the conjunction "and" should have been translated
"for."
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The second problem is with the understanding of the pronoun "it." The pronoun "it" is correctly
translated, but to what noun does it refer? Does the pronoun "it" refer to Abraham's faith?
Impossible, for two huge reasons. The first is that Abraham's faith could never be counted for
righteousness.
The second big reason is that in this context the pronoun "it" is grammatically a singular
feminine word. That is, it has to refer to a noun that grammatically denotes the feminine
gender. The noun "faith" is a masculine noun. Therefore, grammatically, the pronoun cannot
refer to Abraham's faith.
On the other hand, the word "righteousness" is a feminine noun, and it fits perfectly into this
verse. We should, therefore, understand Genesis 15:6, to say:
II
And he |Abraham] believed in the LORD |Jehovah]; for |not "and"] He |God] counted it
|the righteousness of God] to him |Abraham] for righteousness |the salvation of Abraham].
Similarly, in Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, and in James 2:23, the King James translation is,
"Abraham believed God, and it was imputed |accounted] unto him for righteousness."
As translated, these verses appear to teach that Abraham's faith was the cause or means or
instrument through which God saved him. But as we have repeatedly stated, that is
impossible. Therefore, we must make sure these verses are properly translated.
There are two words in the translation that should be corrected so that the verse is in harmony
with the Biblical principle that God did all the work of saving. Again, the first word that
should be changed is the conjunction "and." It should be translated as the word "for." Fven as
it is true in the Hebrew language, the Greek word translated as "and" is also at times translated
as the word "for".
The second word that needs to be corrected is the pronoun translated as the word "it."
Grammatically, it is third person, singular. In this context "it" should be translated as the
pronoun "he." Thus, to reiterate, Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23 should be
translated, "Abraham believed God (he became saved), for He (God) was accounted to him
(Abraham) for righteousness (for Abraham's salvation)."
When We Believe Christ, He Might Save Us
Now that we have learned that all the work of salvation was done by Jesus our Savior, and
under no circumstances are we to believe that any work that we do can make the slightest
contribution to our salvation, we can better understand some verses that seem to teach
otherwise.
For example, in Galatians 2:16, God declares:
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Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of 1esus
Christ, even we have believed in 1esus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of
Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified.
The first part of this verse is quite clear. We are not saved by obeying any commands of the
Bible (that is, by keeping the law), but by the faith (the work of faith), that Jesus did to save
His elect.
But the second part of this verse can be easily misunderstood. It appears to teach that if we
have believed in Christ, God will then justify (save) us. This misunderstanding is possible
even though God reiterates in the last part of the verse, "by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified." And believing is a work of the law.
Since believing is a work of the law, how then are we to understand "we have believed in
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1esus Christ, that we might be justified"? According to Greek grammar, the words "might
be justified" are in the subjunctive passive mood. In the Greek language, a subjunctive verb
can be used the same way it is used in the Fnglish language. It indicates an intention with a
good probability that it might happen. Many subjunctive verbs in the Biblical Greek are used
in this way.
However, in the Greek language, they also are used to indicate purpose or command. For
example, this kind of verb is normally used in the New Testament to indicate that a prophecy
of the Old Testament has been fulfilled. Thus, we read that the Scriptures "might be fulfilled"
(Matthew 4:14, 8:17, 12:17). The verb "might be fulfilled" is a subjunctive verb. In these
instances, there is no doubt or uncertainty suggested by the use of a subjunctive verb. The
prophecy has been fulfilled.
When we return to Galatians 2:16, we know that inasmuch as believing is a work that we do,
our believing can never guarantee salvation. Our believing may cause us to try to obey the
Bible's commands to become saved, to pray, to repent, etc., but we know that our salvation
depends altogether upon God and whether He has elected us and paid for our sins.
Our salvation depends altogether upon God and whether He has elected us and paid for our
sins.
Therefore, the subjunctive verb "might be justified" must be understood to mean that
justification (salvation) is a possibility, but in no way is it a guarantee for those who do the
work of believing on Him. The Ninevites of Jonah 3 truly believed that God was going to
destroy them in 40 days. Therefore, they obeyed God's command to repent (Jonah 3:8-10).
But they fully realized that they did not know whether God would have mercy on them or
not. Maybe, God might save them. There was a possibility that they would be saved from
destruction. Thus, Galatians 2:16 is teaching that as we, that is, as unsaved people believe
God's law, God might possibly save some of us.
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Remember, this same truth, that no one can know whether he is one of God's elect until after
he has become saved, is emphasized in Joel 2:13-14:
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for
he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of
the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him;
even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
It is also emphasized in Zephaniah 2:3:
Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek
righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.
Incidentally, in passages such as II Corinthians 2:4 and II Corinthians 11:7, God uses a
subjunctive verb that is grammatically structured the same as the verb "might be justified"
in Galatians 2:16. In II Corinthians 2:4, the verb is translated "should be grieved," and in II
Corinthians 11:7, the verb is translated "might be exalted." In both verses, the context
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indicates that the verb is used to indicate a possibility rather than a certainty.
Confusion in Understanding the Word "Believe"
One big lesson we are learning is that God did not make it at all easy to understand His
salvation program. God has placed the verb "believe" and the noun "faith" in a great number
of verses, and it is only by very carefully following God's rules of comparing Scripture with
Scripture, and by seeking wisdom from God, that we can begin to harmonize these difficult
verses.
God did not make it at all easv to understand His salvation program.
Several principles about believing that especially stand out are as follows.
1. The verb "believe" and the noun "faith" must always be recognized as work that is being
done. This is because Jesus did all the work required to save the elect and because his name is
"Faithful" (Revelation 19:11). He is the very essence of the work of faith.
2. When a person believes, to any degree, his believing is work that he is doing that can never
be part of the work required for his salvation. When he believes, it may be because his
conscience is causing him to believe or it may be God working in him. However, there is no
way that he can know which possibility is true because unless he becomes saved, his heart is
desperately wicked, and he cannot believe with all his heart.
3. When a person believes after he has become saved, that also is work that he is doing.
However, his believing will be with all his heart because at the moment God saved him, he
was given a new heart. Believing with all his heart (having become saved), means that
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his salvation will be fully completed at the end of the world when he is given his eternal
resurrected spiritual body. This is so because the work that Christ did to save us accomplished
and guaranteed the salvation of our whole personality. Therefore, the Bible's use of the words
"believe" and "faith," as applied to the action of any person, can never be associated in any
way with a method or means or instrument by which we initiate or assist in our becoming
saved.
4. Any salvation program that does not follow these principles will effectively place the person
trying to follow that salvation program in the same position as the man who picked up sticks
on the Sabbath (Numbers 15). He will be executed. The only way to avoid that horrible end of
his life is to turn away from that man-made salvation program and wait upon God to do all the
work of saving him, if, indeed, God so wills to save him.
Satan Comes as an Angel of Light
Now that we have learned, from the Bible, of the awful consequences of trusting in any
salvation program except the salvation plan given in the Bible, we should be very careful
about who teaches us. This is the arena in which Satan can come as an angel of light and his
ministers as ministers of righteousness (II Corinthians 11:13-15).
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Many preachers and evangelists are highly regarded for their faithfulness to the Bible. They
are highly accredited. They have a fine reputation as servants of God. They teach that the Bible
is the infallible Word of God. Their sermons are preached right from the Bible. And then,
concerning the importance of salvation and the blessings that come with salvation, they say,
"You, too, can be saved tonight. Believe on Jesus as the Son of God and accept Him as your
Savior." They declare these things as encouragements in a
loving, caring way. There appears to be all kinds of evidence that they are true servants of
God. Are they not preaching in the name of God right from the Bible?
Thev have been deceived into following a salvation program that is guaranteed to destrov them.
And the salvation program they offer seems so beautiful because people think that, "I, too,
right now, can know my sins are forgiven, and I will be eternally secure in Christ." So, those
who trust these Bible teachers and follow their direction become convinced that they are
eternally secure in Christ. They have been deceived into following a salvation program that is
guaranteed to destroy them. They have been deceived into believing a false gospel. And sadly,
they are like the man who picked up some sticks on the Sabbath.
In II Corinthians 11:14, God warns that Satan comes as an angel (messenger) of light. Christ
is the true messenger of light. But Satan, through his ministers of righteousness, looks just
like Christ. These ministers are pseudo-christs, counterfeit christs. They truly believe they
are serving Christ, but in reality, their master is the antichrist, Satan.
Their kind of preaching, which is typical of so many highly regarded Bible teachers, can be
found everywhere. But in every case, there is a gross violation of the fact that Christ
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did all the work required to save an individual, and long before that individual was born,
Christ paid for all his sins. Indeed, this is what the Bible teaches, and it is imperative that we
listen to the whole Bible and realize that all the glory for our salvation must go to Christ and
none to ourselves.
These preachers and evangelists truly believe that they are competent, faithful servants of
Christ, but the fact is that they are Satan's "ministers of righteousness" (II Corinthians
11:15). They are coming in the name of Jesus Christ, but in actuality, they are servants of Satan
who comes as an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14). In their do-it-yourself salvation plan,
they are bringing a huge lie because their master, Satan, is the father of
lies (John 8:44). How terrible! Think of all the dear people who listen to them and believe
them, and as they accept these lies as truth, they are being locked into a path where there is no
hope.
And so, please, this is very important. Maybe for many years you believed you were saved
because you were taught that if you "accepted" Jesus as your Savior, you were saved. Maybe
you served as a confessing member of your church, and so, for years, you were convinced
that you were safe in the arms of Jesus.
And now, to your utter dismay, you find that you are in the same situation as the man who
picked up some sticks on the Sabbath day. You are still under the wrath of God, waiting for
your time of destruction. It is even worse if you have been a Bible teacher and taught many
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people, and snared them into the same do-it-yourself salvation plan, and led them to their
destruction.
And so, these questions seemingly will not leave you: "Can there be any hope for me?
Could it be that God will forgive all my sins and save me, too?"
The answer from the Bible is, Christ came for sinners. You have just as much hope of
salvation as any other unsaved person. You, too, should repent of the sin of following a wrong
gospel, and pray, and hope that maybe God in His great mercy has elected you to salvation.
Amazingly, these do-it-yourself salvation programs are present in virtually every congregation.
How can that be? The problem is that these churches are not using the whole Bible, and they
are not carefully following the Bible's instruction to compare Scripture with Scripture.
Moreover, they do not understand that the Bible is written in earthly language, but we cannot
understand the big message of the Bible until we find the spiritual teaching that is given in
these earthly historical statements. In other words, they have the wrong hermeneutic, the wrong
method of Bible interpretation (Mark 4:33-34). However, there is another practical reason why
these wrong gospels, these unbiblical salvation programs, are so prevalent amongst the
churches.
Could the Churches Have Been Kept Pure?
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Fach and every congregation has fallen into a snare, and this is what has happened. The
spiritual rulers of the congregations may have had a proper desire to keep the church as pure
as possible, and thus, they wanted to have only truly saved individuals as members of their
church. To assist them in this endeavor, every church or denomination established a structure,
a method, or a plan by which they hoped to achieve this goal. Their structure or plan could
have been as simple as a requirement that the prospective member make a confession of faith,
or confess that he believed in Christ as his Savior.
Normally, however, the church rulers also required the person to be baptized in water and
to promise that as a member of that congregation, he would faithfully follow all the
teachings of that church.
Their development of a structure or a procedure that thev sav must be followed in order to
assure salvation actuallv produces the opposite result
Unfortunately, the structure or system that was adopted by the churches does not include a
basic Biblical principle; that is, when we obey any command of God and believe that
obedience will assist in our salvation, we are like the man who picked up some sticks on the
Sabbath day (Numbers 15). We are still under the wrath of God. Thus, their development of a
structure or a procedure that they say must be followed in order to assure salvation actually
produces the opposite result. It helps to keep individuals in their unsaved condition.
This sad situation helps to account for the fact that in our day, in almost every church, the vast
majority of the people are giving no heed to the warning that Satan now rules in the churches
and that they are to flee from the churches so that they will not be spiritually serving Satan
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there. And they are giving no heed to the solemn warning that the end of
the world is almost here. (For more information on these topics, please contact Family Radio
and request the free books: he Are Almost There, To God Be the Glorv, Time Has An End, The
End of the Church Age and After, and hheat and Tares.)
In spite of the unbiblical salvation structure or salvation plan that is common in the churches, a
small number of individuals throughout the church age did become saved. They may have had
very little or considerable understanding of the teachings of that church, but God saved them
because they were elected to salvation. They were under the hearing of the Bible, and God
saved them. Thus, they had an intense and continuous desire to be obedient to any and all of
the teachings of the Bible. This was so even though their knowledge of the Bible may have
been minimal.
he are to teach that unsaved mankind should attempt to obev Gods laws while hoping and
praving that thev, too, mav be included in Gods salvation plan.
The churches have failed to understand that no structure or plan developed by man, even if it is
followed diligently, can assure a person of salvation, and their failure should be a great
warning to us. As we send the Gospel into the world, we must never present a man- made plan
or a structure and say that if this plan is followed carefully, it will assure
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salvation. We are to teach that unsaved mankind should attempt to obey God's laws while
hoping and praying that they, too, may be included in God's salvation plan.
AMighty 1ransformation
Now, the question must be asked: How does salvation affect a person's life? And what does
it mean to be born again?
Remember, before someone was saved, in his whole personality he was exactly like all the
non-elect people who will never become saved. In body and in soul, he lusted after sin and
was in rebellion against God.
But now, when he is saved, he has been given a new resurrected soul. In that part of his
personality, he is a new creature in Christ. When he was born physically, he was a baby with
a personality that consists of a body and a soul. At the moment of salvation, he is born again;
that is, he is given a new soul. It is a miracle that our human minds cannot understand, and
there is no physical evidence of this transformation.
However, the result of the miraculous transformation of his soul can be seen; that is, a brand
new soul in a person's unchanged body will seriously impact his life and change his behavior.
This is proven by God's declaration in I John 3:9, where He says:
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he
cannot sin, because he is born of God.
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God teaches us that at the moment of salvation, an enormous change occurs in the saved
individuals personalitv.
In this verse, God teaches us that at the moment of salvation an enormous change occurs in the
saved individual's personality. In his new resurrected soul, he cannot sin. Since sin is a
transgression of God's law, it means that in the soul part of his personality, he cannot initiate
sin. It means that in the soul part of his personality, he loves God and God's laws. It means that
he has a constant and great desire to be obedient to all the commandments of the Bible. It
means that in his new soul, he is now spiritually alive.
Since God has done everything to accomplish his salvation (elected him, paid for his sins, and
given him a new resurrected soul, all of which are necessary for the salvation of all the elect),
that person can be certain that he can never lose his salvation. The seed that remains in him is
Christ (Galatians 3:16). Once he becomes saved, he has eternal
security. God has already accomplished everything necessary to give him eternal life.
Therefore, a true believer can never lose his salvation. The Bible says there is no sin, nor
anything else, that can separate a true believer from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39).
1he Saved Person Lives in an Unsaved Body
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In his new soul, the believer still must live in his old body that was not at all changed at the
moment of his salvation. Therefore, he has become a personality with two mutually exclusive
desires. On the one hand, he always wants to be obedient to God's laws, and on the other hand,
he still lusts after sin. God describes this awkward situation as the Apostle Paul, under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, declares in Romans 7:21-24:
I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the
law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against
the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my
members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
To be free of our sinful body is the continuing desire of every true believer. However, the tug of
war that goes on within the saved personality is not static. There will be progress towards an
increasingly victorious life for the person who has a new resurrected soul (II Peter 3:18). This
is true because in addition to the fact that he has been given a new resurrected soul, one other
wonderful event occurred in that individual's personality at the moment of salvation; that is,
God the Holy Spirit has begun to indwell the life of that person. We read in Romans 8:9 that if
we do not have the Spirit of God, we are "none of his."
We do not understand how Almighty God can dwell in a saved person's life. We must admit it
is a complete mystery to us. But because we absolutely trust the Bible, we know that it is a
fact; it is mysterious and true. The indwelling presence of God Himself in the life and
personality of the saved person further stimulates him to obey God, and he desires only that
which is pleasing to God.
The saved person has been taken out of Satans dominion, and he has become an eternal
citi:en of Christs kingdom.
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Moreover, the saved person has been taken out of Satan's dominion, and he has become an
eternal citizen of Christ's kingdom. God tells us about this in Colossians 1:12-13, where we
read:
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and
hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
In Philippians 3:20, we read that our "conversation," which is better translated
"citizenship," is in heaven. This is true for every individual who becomes saved.
1he Desires of the Saved Person
At the moment of salvation, many factors are at work in the believer's life that cause a very
decided and important change in his conduct and desires. He will understand and identify
with statements such as those found in Psalm 119 and elsewhere in the Bible.
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The following are a few samples of the beautiful language found in Psalm 119 that
demonstrate the true believers' love and respect of the Bible.
Verse 10: With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy
commandments.
Verse 11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Verse 16: I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Verse 24: Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.
Verse 47: And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
Verse 77: Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my
delight.
Verse 97: O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
These kinds of statements can be found all through the Bible. Anyone who has truly become
saved will increasingly experience these desires and motivations in his life. Thus, he will
recognize and identify with the truth expressed in I John 2:3-5, where we read:
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith,
I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we
that we are in him.
The true believer knows that the commandments of God include the whole Bible. He also
knows the awful feeling he has when he allows the lustful desires of his body to cause
him to sin. He empathizes with that true man of God, David, who fell into grievous sin.
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And then David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, recorded his heartfelt remorse,
which we read about in Psalm 51.
Fear and 1rembling
One aspect of the truly saved person's character is his recognition of the holiness and
righteousness of God, and the fact that God is the righteous judge of all the earth. In
Philippians 2:12, God declares:
. . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
The salvation that the believer is to "work out" in his life is the salvation that God has given
him. But as he grows in grace (II Peter 3:18), that is, as he increasingly lives to God's glory
and away from following the sinful desires of his unsaved body, he does so with fear and
trembling.
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To still tremble and fear before God might appear to be altogether alien to the wonderful
securitv the saved person has been given.
This is a surprising statement because we might expect that as a result of our salvation, all
fear of God would be removed. To still tremble and fear before God might appear to be
altogether alien to the wonderful security the saved person has been given. For
example, he knows that Christ has paid for all his sins, and he knows that he will never be
threatened by the possibility of total destruction.
We must remember, however, that the saved person is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And the true
believer has begun to increasingly love and respect everything the Bible teaches. Therefore, he
learns and becomes increasingly aware of the greatness of God. He knows that God is the
almighty God who spoke and brought this tremendous universe into existence. He knows that
God is the almighty judge who is completely aware of even the smallest sin in every human
being. He knows that God is so righteous that even the smallest sin is sufficient to cause a
person to be under God`s wrath. The true believer is aware that he himself still has sins even
though he is now dramatically more obedient to God's laws than he was before he was saved.
He is thoroughly aware of the fact that except for the mercy and grace of God, he deserves
destruction.
On the one hand, because of his intense love and trust in the Bible, the true believer increasing
knows he is eternally secure in Christ, and he knows that he can never be threatened by
destruction. He knows that all of his sins have been covered by Christ. On the other hand, the
more he becomes acquainted with the teachings of the Bible, the more he recognizes that he
rightly deserves the awful wrath of God as payment for his sins. He knows that it was only
God's mercy and grace that caused or brought about his salvation. Therefore, he trembles in
fear and awe before God. He recognizes the fact that his salvation was entirely undeserved.
That is why the Bible states that the truly saved person fears God, which is what we read, for
example, in the following verses.
Psalm 34:9: O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
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Psalm 112:1: Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that
delighteth greatly in his commandments.
Proverbs 3:7: Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
This principle also emphasizes the truth that those who are not hearing God's Word do not
fear God. The Bible declares this in the following passages.
Jeremiah 44:9-10: Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness
of the kings of 1udah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and
the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the
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land of 1udah, and in the streets of 1erusalem? They are not humbled even unto this day,
neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you
and before your fathers.
Jeremiah 5:24-25: Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God,
that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the
appointed weeks of the harvest. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your
sins have withholden good things from you.
Isaiah 57:11-12: And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and
hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old,
and thou fearest me not? I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall
not profit thee.
Fcclesiastes 8:13: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong
his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
But Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
It is true that the Bible teaches that perfect love casts out fear. We read in I John 4:18:
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He
that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We might conclude that because the true believer has experienced the perfect love of Christ, he
should no longer fear. True, in one sense, we can understand the word "fear" in this verse to be
speaking of the fear of eternal destruction. The perfect love of God for the true believer
removes this fear. The big promise of salvation is eternal security in Christ.
However, we still must reckon with all the verses that teach that a characteristic of the
believer is that he fears God (Acts 9:31, 10:35, Philippians 2:12, I Peter 2:17, Proverbs
1:7, Fcclesiastes 8:12-13). How then are we to understand I John 4:18, which teaches that
perfect love casts out fear? The solution comes when we learn the Biblical definition of love. In
John 14:21 we read:
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that
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loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to
him.
This law of God is reiterated in John 14:23, where we read:
1esus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my
Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
In other words, love is altogether identified with obedience to God's commandments, the
Bible. Regardless of how convincingly an individual tries to proclaim his love for Christ,
39
the litmus test, or true test, of his love is his fidelity, his obedience to God's law book, the
Bible.
Perfect love would require perfect obedience
But that means that perfect love would require perfect obedience. Perfect obedience, however,
is impossible until we receive our new resurrected bodies, and they will not be given to us
until the day of the Rapture. In the meanwhile, in our new resurrected souls, which we
received at the moment of our salvation, we live in a body that still lusts after sin. Therefore,
at the present time, we do not have perfect love, and therefore, we cannot live without fear.
Farlier in our study we learned one reason why we fear and tremble before God, but more
should be said about that. When David, a man after God's own heart, a man greatly loved by
God, committed sin, God tells us about the reaction of this man's heart in Psalm 51. The entire
Psalm records David's reaction, but we will quote only one verse, Psalm 51:11, where we read:
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
David had received eternal life. He was eternally secure in the kingdom of God. How could
he say the words of this Psalm, which God the Holy Spirit gave him to say? The answer
comes when we realize the enormous punishment for sin. Fvery sin requires payment.
Therefore, when the true believer sins, two truths should permeate his whole personality.
The Lord Jesus Christ had to pav for all our sins, including the sins that the believer
commits after he has become saved.
The first truth is that the Lord Jesus Christ had to pay for all our sins, including the sins that
the believer commits after he has become saved. It is true, of course, that God knew from the
beginning that the true believer would commit these sins, and therefore, God had already laid
them on Jesus, and Jesus paid for them long ago. But that does not change the fact that these
sins are being committed by a person who has learned how
dreadful sin is and the enormous payment for sin that is required by God's perfect justice.
Thus, the true believer fears and trembles as he realizes that each time he sins, this sin, too, had
to be laid upon our blessed Savior.
The second truth is that the true believer becomes increasingly acquainted with the
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seriousness of sin and the awful penalty that God's perfect justice demands as payment
for sin. He also knows that each time he sins, he is engaging in an act of rebellion against his
beloved Savior. On the one hand, he knows that his sin is covered by Jesus' shed blood and
will never be counted against him. On the other hand, he knows that the forgiveness of his sin
is only because of the completely undeserved mercy and grace of God. Therefore, the fact that
he dared to sin causes him to live his life in fear and
40
trembling before God, and that stimulates his desire to not sin, but that, indeed, he might live
more and more obediently to all of God's laws.
Thus, we understand that the saved person will have an entirely different lifestyle and an
entirely different attitude toward sin, God, and the Bible, from that which is found in the life
of the unsaved.
Is 1here Hope for Me?
Does what we have learned so far mean that the possibility of becoming saved is hopeless?
Yes, it is indeed hopeless if we are depending in any way upon our efforts, our faith, our
desires, or our obedience, to provide even the smallest contribution to our salvation. This is
because to think that we can contribute anything to our salvation is evidence of an arrogant
disregard for all that the Bible teaches about the astounding, sublime provision of God. It
means that we are trusting in a salvation plan that can never save anyone, and it actually
makes a mockery of God's perfect salvation plan.
he are living in a dav when God is saving a great multitude, which no man can number.
But when we understand God's salvation plan, when we understand that He is the only one
who can do all the work required for our salvation, then we can have hope, abundant hope. We
are living in a day when God is saving a great multitude, which no man can number
(Revelation 7:9). Moreover, the Bible declares that God has elected certain individuals and
given them to Christ, and that Christ has paid for all their sins, and that provides enormous
hope to unsaved individuals.
Any unsaved person who has an intense desire to become saved, and realizes that he can
become saved only on God's terms, possibly could be one of God's elect or chosen ones. Since
God's election plan has nothing to do with our personal worthiness (we have none), and
regardless of how great and terrible an individual's sins have been, he or she could just as
readily be one of God's elect as any saved individual. Indeed, God's elective plan gives great
encouragement to the unsaved person who begins to earnestly desire that he, too, might
become saved.
There are at least seven truths revealed in the Bible that should be of great
encouragement to the individual who truly wishes that his sins were covered by the blood of
Jesus. We have already made reference to some of these truths. However, they are so important
that we will briefly outline them again. They are as follows.
1. Presently, it is the day of salvation. We have learned that God is no longer saving people by
utilizing the efforts of the local congregations, their leaders, or their people. However, a
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striking and emphatic teaching of the Bible is the fact that today, God is bringing a great
harvest of people into the kingdom of God. While it is beyond the scope of this booklet to
develop this truth, we can at least quote a few verses that assure us that this is so.
41
In Joel 2:24 we read:
And the floors |the threshing floors] shall be full of wheat true believers], and the vats shall
overflow with wine and oil salvation].
And the Bible says in Revelation 7:9:
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all
nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the
Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
And then Revelation 7:13-14 tells us:
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in
white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said
to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes,
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
In Habakkuk 2:14 we read:
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the
waters cover the sea.
In Jeremiah 33:22 we read:
As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will
I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.
These verses as well as many others give great hope to any unsaved person who humbly goes
to God and beseeches Him for His mercy.
Thus, we can be assured that a great multitude is being saved today. Any unsaved person
potentially could be one of that great multitude. What a blessing to know that we are living at
a time when, all over the world, so many individuals are becoming saved.
2. The setting or the environment in which God saves is the hearing of the Word of God, the
Bible. The Bible declares in Romans 10:17:
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Today, more than ever before in the history of the world, a higher percentage of people are
literate, and the Bible is available to them in their native language. What an enormous
encouragement it is that anyone can place himself and the saved and unsaved members of his
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family under the hearing of the Bible. He can do this by personally reading the Bible. In many
instances, he can listen to the Bible being read and faithfully taught on radio broadcasts such as
those of Family Radio. Indeed, the environment for God to save
42
people is greater and more hopeful than ever before in history. And so, we parents want our
babies and all our children to be under the hearing of the Word of God. And that is one
reason why radio is an especially valuable and important tool that can be used to
make the Gospel available in our community and to large multitudes of people around the
world.
3. Christ came to save sinners. Christ did not come to save the self-righteous, those who think
of themselves as decent, moral people who trust that their righteous conduct is an inducement
for God to look favorably upon them. Christ came to save sinners!
hhat an encouragement to read about the criminal who was crucified alongside Jesus.
What an encouragement to read about the criminal who was crucified alongside Jesus. At first,
this criminal showed his utter contempt for Jesus. We read in Matthew 27:41-44:
Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved
others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from
the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will
have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with
him, cast the same in his teeth.
And yet, marvelously, just a few minutes or hours before this crucified criminal died, he asked
Jesus for mercy, and he received the answer that assured him and assures us that in that most
improbable time and location, he had become saved. We read in Luke 23:39-
43:
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ,
save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear
God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the
due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto 1esus,
Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And 1esus said unto him,
Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in
paradise.
This grievous sinner was under the hearing of the Word because he heard Jesus speak to Mary,
to the Apostle John, and to God Himself. And right then and there, this despicable sinner was
given eternal life. Thus, anyone who is still unsaved, regardless of how great his sins may be,
can know that Jesus came for sinners. What a magnificent encouragement!
4. Jesus is not a respecter of persons. This means that no class of people is more likely to
become saved than any other class or group of people. A person may be shunned by society,
and he may be regarded as one of the "untouchables" by his fellow humans, but in the Bible
God tells us about individuals who became saved who were scorned and despised by the
congregation of Jesus' day. Fxamples of this are the salvation of the Samaritan woman (John
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4:4-42), the tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19:2-8), the leper
43
(Luke 17:12-19), the criminal who was executed for his crimes (Luke 23:39-43), and the
adulterous woman (John 8:1-11). All of these people were looked upon as the scum of society,
but God saved each one of them. Thus, we see clearly that He is not a respecter of persons.
How wonderful this fact should be to any unsaved person.
5. God is merciful. It is true that mercy is no longer found in the local congregations where
their pastors, elders, deacons, and Bible teachers minister to those poor people. And what a
terrible truth that is! But outside the local congregations, throughout the world, God
continues to demonstrate His unfathomable mercy. God is a God of mercy.
We read in Psalm 103:8:
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
And in Lamentations 3:31-32, we read:
For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have
compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
And God beautifully and compassionately declares in Joel 2:13:
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for
he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of
the evil.
6. We can personally make known to God our intense desire to become saved. We can beg,
beseech, and plead with God for salvation. Praying to God is work that we do, so we know that
praying to God will not guarantee or contribute to our salvation. But we can know that as we
cry to God, He will know of our desire to become saved.
Jesus gives us the illustration of the publican who prayed for God's mercy, which we read
about in Luke 18:13-14:
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven,
but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man
went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself
shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
7. We need never lose hope for salvation. If God plans to save us, He will do so in His own
time. He may save us early in our life or salvation may come hours before our death. We are
never to attempt to dictate to God the time frame of our salvation, if, indeed, it is God's
intention to save us.
If God plans to save us, He will do so in His own time.
We read in Lamentations 3:26:
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44
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the
LORD.
And God gives us so much comfort in Psalm 62:5-8, where we read:
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock
and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and
my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times;
ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.
As a person patiently waits upon the Lord, he may be filled with great anxiety. To
become saved is a serious and important matter. To remain unsaved is awful.
Wonderfully, God gives us much comfort by the promise of Philippians 4:6:
Be careful |anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Then God gives us the assurance of Philippians 4:7:
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ 1esus.
Thus, God is comforting us by encouraging us to rest entirely in Him. He is encouraging us to
tell Him all about our anxiety. Marvelously, He is absolutely faithful and trustworthy to do
His perfect will. We are to rest in His almighty arms.
In the meanwhile, we can hear from God as we continue to carefully and prayerfully read the
Bible. And each time anxiety strikes us, again and again we can go boldly to God's throne of
grace to tell God all about it. How merciful God is!
God gives the unsaved great encouragement in Zephaniah 2:3, where we read:
Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek |humble] of the earth, which have wrought his
judgment |which have been doing His law]; seek righteousness, seek meekness
|humilitv]: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S |Jehovahs] anger.
And so, perhaps, God may save you.
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SCRIPTURE INDEX
Genesis 9:6, 19
Genesis 15:6, 39, 41, 42
Genesis 22, 21
Fxodus 31:13-14, 22
Numbers 15, 40, 46, 49
Numbers 15:32-36, 22
Numbers 22:12-13, 18, 25
Numbers Chapters 22 and 23, 19
Deuteronomy 4:29, 29
Deuteronomy 28:1, 28:15, 30:6-16,
25
Deuteronomy 30:6, 38
I Samuel 10:9-12, 18, 25
I Chronicles 10:13, 25
Psalm 34:9, 55
Psalm 51, 54, 58
Psalm 51:11, 58
Psalm 62:5-8, 65
Psalm 103:8, 63
Psalm 112:1, 55
Psalm 119, 53
Psalm 119:10, 53
Psalm 119:11, 53
Psalm 119:16, 53
Psalm 119:24, 53
Psalm 119:47, 53
Psalm 119:77, 53
Psalm 119:97, 53
Psalm 138:2, 3
Psalm 139:23-24, 24
Proverbs 1:7, 57
Proverbs 3:7, 55
Fcclesiastes 8:12-13, 57
Fcclesiastes 8:13, 56
Isaiah 53:6, 6
Isaiah 57:11-12, 56
Isaiah 63:5, 6
Isaiah 66:24, 19
Jeremiah 5:24-25, 56
Jeremiah 17:9, 30, 34
Jeremiah 23:39-40, 24:10, 19
Jeremiah 29:11-13, 29
Jeremiah 29:17-19, 27
Jeremiah 29:18-19, 28
Jeremiah 31:8-9, 27
Jeremiah 33:22, 61
Jeremiah 36:1-4, 3
Jeremiah 44:9-10, 56
Lamentations 3:26, 65
Lamentations 3:31-32, 63
Fzekiel 22:30, 6
Fzekiel 33:11, 19
Fzekiel 36:24-27, 34
Fzekiel 36:25-27, 30
Fzekiel 36:26, 11, 35
Fzekiel 37, 11, 35
Fzekiel 37:1-2, 10
Fzekiel 37:1-14, 17
Joel 2:12-14, 26
Joel 2:13, 64
Joel 2:13-14, 44
Joel 2:24, 60
Jonah 3, 44
Jonah 3:5, 38
Jonah 3:8-10, 44
Jonah 3:9, 26, 29
Jonah 3:10, 15
Habakkuk 2:14, 61
Zephaniah 2:3, 44, 66
Matthew 4:14, 8:17, 12:17, 43
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Matthew 5:22, 19
Matthew 7:22, 15
Matthew 9:16, 11
Matthew 9:17, 11
Matthew 15:19, 9, 34
Matthew 23, 28
Matthew 27:41-44, 62
Matthew 27:46, 7
Mark 4:33-34, 48
Mark 7:21, 30
Mark 13:13, 32
Luke 13:24, 20
Luke 17:12-19, 63
Luke 18:13, 26
Luke 18:13-14, 64
Luke 19:2-8, 63
Luke 19:41, 18
Luke 23:9-43, 5
Luke 23:39-43, 62, 63
John 3:3, 14
John 3:3 and 7, 11
John 3:5, 13
John 3:16, 35
John 4:4-42, 63
John 4:10-15, 14
John 6:37, 5
John 6:44, 18, 19
John 7:38, 14
John 8, 5
John 8:1-11, 63
John 8:9, 18, 24
John 8:44, 47
John 11, 12
John 11:39, 10, 17, 35
John 14:21, 57
John 14:23, 11, 57
Acts 8:13-23, 34
Acts 9:31, 10:35, 57
Acts 16:31, 35
Romans 2:11, 5
Romans 2:13-15, 1
Romans 2:14-15, 18, 24
Romans 2:15, 19
Romans 3, 35
Romans 3:10-12, 4, 17
Romans 4:3, 39, 42
Romans 4:9, 39
Romans 4:11, 37, 38
Romans 7:21-24, 51
Romans 8:9, 52
Romans 8:35-39, 51
Romans 9:15, 5
Romans 9:31-32, 25
Romans 10:9-10, 33
Romans 10:13, 29, 31
Romans 10:17, 14, 28, 61
I Corinthians 2:13, 29
I Corinthians 15, 32
I Corinthians 15:52, 11
II Corinthians 2:4, 44
II Corinthians 11:13-15, 46
Galatians 2, 36
Galatians 2:16, 15, 37, 42, 44
Galatians 3, 36
Galatians 3:2, 36, 37
Galatians 3:6, 39, 42
Galatians 3:11, 37
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Galatians 3:13, 7
Galatians 3:16, 51
Fphesians 1:3-5, 4
Fphesians 1:4, 5
Fphesians 1:13, 37-38
Fphesians 2:1-3, 13
Fphesians 2:3, 9
Fphesians 2:8, 37
Fphesians 2:8-9, 15
Fphesians 6:9, 5
Philippians 2:12, 54, 57
Philippians 3:20, 52
Philippians 4:6, 65
Philippians 4:7, 65
Colossians 1:12-13, 52
Colossians 3:25, 5
I Thessalonians 1:3, 16, 40
I Thessalonians 4, 13
II Thessalonians 1:11, 16, 40
Hebrews 4:11, 20
James 2:23, 42
I Peter 1:5, 32
I Peter 1:23, 11
I Peter 2:17, 57
II Peter 1:21, 3
II Peter 2:15-16, 25
II Peter 3:18, 52, 54
I John 2:3-5, 54
I John 2:3-6, 24
I John 3:9, 50
I John 4:18, 56, 57
Revelation 7:9, 59, 60
Revelation 7:13-14, 60
Revelation 13:8, 8, 9, 17
Revelation 19:11, 37, 45
Revelation 20:14-15, 10
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I55
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Pamph!ct 6
GAY PRIDE
I5/
GayPride:
Planned by God as a Sign of the End
By Harold Camping
Scripture texts are from the
King James Version of the Bible
Family Stations, Inc. Oakland, California 94621
Internet: www.familyradio.com
08-31-10
GAY PRIDE & SAME SEX MARRIAGE SUCCESSES;
A SIGN FROM GOD THAT 1UDGMENT DAY IS VERY NEAR
he world-wide success of the Gay Pride/Same Sex Marriage movement is a dramatic sign
provided by God to warn the world that the world is on the threshold of Judgment Day.
In the Bible God has given a number of signs to warn the world that Judgment Day and the
end of the world are very close. For example:
1. The nation of Israel was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 A.D. As a
consequence, for more than 1,800 years it did not exist as a nation. Nor did it have its own
homeland. But then in 1948, almost miraculously, it became a nation with its own
homeland. God planned
this event for many reasons. One was to demonstrate that
the world is getting near its end (Matthew 24:32,33).
2. The rise of the Charismatic Movement, that began several decades ago and has spread like
wildfire throughout the world into so many churches (Matthew 24:24; Revelation13:13,14),
is another sign that God has given that indicates we are very close to the end.
3. The great spiritual decay that can be seen in most churches (1 Peter 4:17, Jeremiah
25:28,29) is another sign that God has given.
4. Another sign is given by God`s words in 1
Thessalonians 5. There God warns that there will be a time when there will be true believers
who will know from the Bible the time of the Day of Judgment. But a great many others who
have the Bible will insist He will come as a
thief in the night that is, we cannot know the time.
In our day if any person who is a member of a church is asked,'Do you know when
Christ is coming? the
1
answer that will usually be given is, 'The Bible says we cannot know. Jesus is coming as a thief
in the night. If the questioner then asks,'Are you ready to meet Him whenever He comes? the
usual answer that is given is,'Yes, I
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am saved. I am ready to meet Him whenever He comes. Fffectively they have said,'Christ is
coming as a thief in the night but I am safely at peace with God because I am saved.
This response is exactly the sign God has given in the Bible that assures us that
Judgment Day is almost here. In 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 God warns:
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For
when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail
upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness,
that that day should overtake you as a thief. ye are all the children of light, and the children
of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others;
but let us watch and be sober.
For those who are not watching Christ gives the frightening warning that He will come
as a thief. Sudden destruction will come upon them (the Day of Judgment). In Revelation 3:3
God informs us: .If therefore, thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and
thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. To watch means to search through
the Bible to learn from God when He is coming. This is the way we have learned that He is
coming on May 21, 2011.
1his sign gives the terrible warning that those in
the churches who believe that we cannot know the exact day of Christ's return and that He will
come as a thief in the night (but that they themselves are saved) will for certain enter into
1udgment Day to endure the wrath of Cod. How awful!
2
THE GAY PRIDE SIGN
ut no sign is as dramatic and clear as the phenomenal world-wide success of the Gay Pride
movement. In the Bible God describes His involvement with this dramatic movement. Re- member,
each and every word in the original languages of the Bible came from the lips of God.
In the Bible God instructs us that about 4,000 years ago there were four cities that were
abruptly destroyed by God because of their wickedness . The key city was named Sodom (Genesis
19).
In Sodom lived a man named Lot who was a believer in the God of the Bible. God came to
warn Lot to immediately leave Sodom because of its imminent destruction due to its great wickedness.
God came to Lot`s house appearing as two very distinguished holy men.
The men of Sodom, both young and old, had seen these distinguished visitors enter Lot`s house.
They demanded that they be allowed 'to know them. 'To know them is Biblical language that means
that they wanted to have sex with them. They were so demanding that they were ready to tear down the
door of Lot`s house. Finally God blinded them so that they could no longer find the door.
The next morning after Lot and his two daughters were
safely out of Sodom, God completely destroyed it and the three neighboring cities by fire and
brimstone (Genesis 19:24,25).
SODOM`S DESTRUCTION ILLUSTRATES 1UDGMENT DAY
In Jude verses 6 and 7 of the Bible God instructs us that the destruction of Sodom is
revealed to us as an example of the Day of Judgment. Fire is to burn up the whole world when God
destroys it (2 Peter 3:10). God declares in Jude 6 and 7:
I59
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath
reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even
as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves
over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are
3
set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
In many citations the Bible informs us that there will come a time when the whole world will
experience the wrath of God. God speaks of this as Judgment Day. Judgment Day is typified by the
destruction of Sodom.
As has been noted above, the sin which was occurring in
Sodom just before its destruction was homosexuality. In Jude 7
God speaks of this sin as 'going after strange flesh. That dramatically relates to today`s world.
To understand this we should look at some more information God gives us in the Bible. We
will learn that the Cay Pride movement would successfully develop as a sign to the world that
1udgment Day was about to occur.
In Romans 1 of the Bible God prophecied about a future
time when homosexuality would become very important in the world. Almost 2,000 years ago God
declared in Romans 1:24-27:
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to
dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie,
and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.
Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did
change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men,
leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with
men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of
their error which was meet.
Never in the history of the world before the present time have we seen the fulfillment of this
prophecy. Throughout the history of the world, homosexuality was a sin that was present to a small
degree, particularly as part of the worship of idols. However, in the history of the United States, for
example, it was always seen as an exceedingly shameful act. We used the phrase,'It was kept
in the closet.
4
But in the last 20 years or so it has increasingly become a major success story. Not only in the
U.S. but all over the world it is being accepted as an alternative lifestyle. Rather than being hidden, it
is proudly and loudly displayed. The title of the movement, 'Gay Pride, has been very accurately
chosen.
The Bible has clearly warned that such activity is sinful, just as murder, adultery, stealing, and
lying are sinful. God warns very plainly in Leviticus 18:22:
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind:
it is abomination.
I40
In the United States, for example, this is the way it has always been regarded.
A GREAT CHANGE IN THE MORALITY OF THE WORLD
ut something drastic has happened to the morality of the world. God tells us what has
happened in the Bible verses which are written in Romans 1: 24 and 26:
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts,
to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.For this
cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural
use into that which is against nature.
We took the liberty of underlining the words 'gave them up, which could also be
written,'gave up them. This phrase 'gave them up is tremendously important. In the original
Greek
language of the Bible the words 'gave up are written as one word.
It is the Greek verb paradidomi. It is normally used as a judicial word meaning to 'deliver up.
For example in Mark 15 we read 'The chief priests.with
the elders.bound 1esus.and delivered Him to Pilate. (Mark
15:1). Pilate.delivered 1esus.to be crucified (Mark 15:15). The verb paradidomi is also
translated 'betrayed.
5
For example, '.the Son of man is betrayed (delivered) into the hand of sinners (Mark 14:41).
Thus in Romans 1:24 and 1:26 God is declaring that God planned to deliver up the world to
gross homosexual and lesbian activity.
How strange! Why would God do this? Insofar as we can know God has normally restrained
this particular sin. Lying, stealing, adultery, hatred, and murder are sins that are common throughout
the world`s history. But the sin of homosexuality that was going on so greatly and so publicly in
Sodom at the time it was destroyed has normally been kept hidden because of its shame. We have
already called attention to this conclusion as we view the history of the United States.
Remarkably, the Gay Pride movement of our time is presented very proudly to the entire world.
This matches what was happening in Sodom at the time of its destruction. We read in Genesis 19:4,5:
But before they lay down, the men of the city, even
the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from
every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which
came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
Remember, the words 'to know them is Biblical language that means they wanted to have sex
with them.
God calls our attention to this boldly public behavior in Isaiah 3:9: '.they declare their
sin as Sodom, they hide it not.`
DOES THIS MAKE GOD RESPONSIBLE FOR SIN?
ut how can a Holy God deliver up a world to gross sin? Doesn`t this make God responsible
and accountable for sin? This, of course, cannot be.
I4I
We must realize that mankind is by nature in complete rebellion against God. Thus by nature
he is ready to disobey each and every law that God gives to the human race.
6
But sin is very destructive. God gave mankind laws to live by so that we might have a good
and happy life on this earth. In the measure a person obeys God`s law, in that measure he ordinarily
will find that he can have a happier and more fruitful life.
Because the nature of mankind is to break every law of God, God in His wonderful mercy has
done several things to assist mankind to be more obedient to these laws of God. For example:
1. When God created man He placed in every person`s personality an awareness that there is a
God that each person must answer to. This is why by nature every person is a religious being.
2. The law of God to some degree has been written on the heart of every person. In Romans
2:14,15 God declares:
For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the
law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the
law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts
the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.
3. God actively restrains sin in the lives of natural man so that God`s purposes in the world will
be achieved (Genesis
20:6). However, God can also remove these restraints. God can do this if that person`s sins
will help Holy God achieve His purposes in the world.
For example, God hardened Pharaoh`s heart (that
is, removed the restraints on the normal sinful character of Pharaoh) at the time that Israel was
to be set free from Fgyptian bondage and be allowed to return to their own land (Fxodus 8:19,
32, etc.) God did this .to show in
thee (Pharaoh) My power and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth
(Fxodus 9:16).
Another example is given in connection with God preparing all the people in all the
churches of our day for entrance into the Day of Judgment. God declares in 2
Thessalonians 2:11,12:
7
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.
These verses are teaching that God can remove a person`s consciousness or sensitivity to sin so
that that which is actually very sinful will be looked upon as no sin. This is why many sinful acts of
our day, including that of homosexuality are increasingly no longer looked upon as sin.
Thus we can learn that it is God`s mercy that normally He restrains the natural tendencies of
mankind to be extremely sinful. God, in His loving patience and kindness, restrains sin so that
mankind can possibly live a reasonably happy life.
Because of what God teaches us in Romans 1:24-27 of the Bible, we can know that the present
I42
day phenomenon of the Gay Pride movement is a result of the fact that God has removed His restraints
on sin. As a result an otherwise shameful and unique sin such as homosexuality has become widely
practiced and accepted by mankind.
1hus we learn that Cod has planned today's situation of
Cay Pride and same-sex marriages to show the world that it is on the threshold of 1udgment Day.
He has shown us that an obviously parallel situation exists between Sodom, when it was on
the threshold of destruction, and the world of our day, which is on the threshold of destruction.
Both have the public unique sin of homosexuality (going
after strange flesh) loudly and proudly displayed. That is why in
Jude 7 God emphasizes:
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving
themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an
example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Therefore we can know that by means of the continuing worldwide successes of the Gay
Pride, same-sex marriage movement, God has given convincing evidence that the world is on the
threshold of Judgment Day.
8
This conclusion is not offered because it is the opinion of some Bible scholar. It is said because
this is what God teaches in the Bible. This dramatic sign which increasingly is in evidence all over the
world fits perfectly with the solid Biblical teaching that May 21, 2011 will be the first day of the Day of
Judgment.
The only hope any human being has to escape that terrible Day of Judgment is that he
humbly pleads with God for His mercy. Fven though no one deserves God`s mercy, God is still saving
many people. Therefore, as a person humbly begs and implores God for His undeserved mercy, God
might save that person before that awesome first day of Judgment Day, May 21,
2011.
For more information on this subject, or to learn more about the details of the end of the world you are invited to write
Family Radio to request the following, or to view them on our website:
Tracts:
1udgment Day: May 21, 2011
No Man Knows the Day or the Hour?
Another Infallible Proof
Booklets:
We Are AlmostThere
To God Be the Glory
For biblical answers to your questions, listen to or call the Open Forum,
a live call-in program on Family Radio, M-F, 8:30-10:00 pm FT, 5:30-7:00 pm PT,
1-800-322-5385.
To receive a free program guide of our Gospel broadcasts, or free books and materials, write to:
Family Radio, Oakland, CA 94621 U.S.A
or call 1-800-543-1495.
On the Internet:http://www.familyradio.com
9
I45
I44
Pamph!ct 7
TO GOD BE THE GLORY
I45
To God Be The Glory!
By Harold Camping
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part
in any form.
Published and printed by Family Stations, Inc. Oakland,
California 94621
U.S.A.
On the Internet:
www.familyradio.com
10-08
To God e
The GIory!
Table of Contents
Preface ..................................................................................................................... v
Chapter One. The Mystery of Coming to Truth ................................................. 1
Chapter Two.
The Bankruptcy of the Traditionally Understood 1udgment Plan ................... 6
Where Is God`s Mercy? .............................................................................. 9
Man`s Love for Man ................................................................................. 11
Chapter Three. God, The 1udge of All the Earth ............................................. 19
God`s Judgment Process ........................................................................... 22
What Is Hell? ............................................................................................ 23
The Lake of Fire ........................................................................................ 24
The Rich Man and Lazarus ....................................................................... 27
Chapter Four. When Did Christ Die? ................................................................ 32
Christ Demonstrates What He Did to Save Us ......................................... 33
It Is Finished .............................................................................................. 37
The Wonderful Pardon .............................................................................. 38
Chapter Five. God`s 1udgment Plan .................................................................. 39
The Non-Flect Who Die Before the Day of Judgment ............................. 42
The Flect Who Have Not Yet Become Saved .......................................... 43
Those Who Are Saved and Are Presently Living in
this World .................................................................................................. 44
The Non-Flect Who Are Still Alive on May 21, 2011 .............................. 44
The Resurrection of the Unsaved Dead .................................................... 44
Believers Judging the Unsaved ................................................................. 47
The Battle of Armageddon ........................................................................ 48
I4
Summary ................................................................................................... 50
Fvery Fye Shall See Him .......................................................................... 54
iii
Chapter Six.
A Kingdom Created to Demonstrate the Glory
and Wisdom of Christ .......................................................................................... 58
The Flect: 200 Million People .................................................................. 62
Millions of Unsaved People Have Died Unaware of
the Wrath of God ...................................................................................... 65
Chapter Seven. Salvation ..................................................................................... 72
Scripture Index ..................................................................................................... 75
iv
Preface
This book is a sequel or a follow-up to the book he Are Almost There! In the book he Are
Almost There!, we were able, by God`s mercy, to show that the Bible teaches with absolute certainty
that the beginning of the day of judgment, which coincides with the day of the rapture, is May 21, 2011.
God has made this startling information available to us precisely as He had promised. In Fcclesiastes
8:5-6, God declared:
. . . a wise man`s heart discerneth both time and judgment . . . to every purpose there is
time and judgment, . . . .
Throughout the church age, God had hidden this time information, and an understanding of
God`s judgment plan, from all of mankind, including the churches. And in addition to that, God placed
many statements in the Bible that taught that Christ would come as a thief in the night. This was done
to keep the churches focused on sending the Gospel into the world (see Acts 1:6-8).
Because the time information is tightly linked to God`s judgment plan, God`s judgment plan
was also altogether wrongly understood throughout the 1,955 years of the church age. However, it is
God`s purpose that during these closing years of the earth`s existence, the true believers are to warn the
world of God`s timetable and His intention to destroy this world. He has given the true believers a great
amount of precise information concerning the details of the time of the end of the world. Because of the
tight link between God`s timetable for this awesome event and the judgment, He has also given the true
believers a great amount of detailed information concerning His judgment plan. God has given this
information to the true believers so that they, like Noah and Jonah, can warn the world of this
impending disaster.
This end-time revelation of time and judgment is evidence of the unfathomable love and
mercy of God. How many people in the wicked city of Nineveh would have cried to God for mercy if
the prophet Jonah had simply told them that someday, the God of Israel would destroy them because of
their wickedness? How many people in the churches are crying to God for mercy because they have
been taught that someday, Christ will come as a thief in the night?
As a matter of fact, the teaching that Christ will come as a thief in the night is a very
comfortable teaching. The church age began over 1,900 years ago, and Christ has not come to end the
world`s existence. Therefore, people can reasonably believe that it is highly unlikely that He will come
in our lifetime. Whether they realize it or not, people in the churches, about two billion persons, have
I4/
developed a love for this world. Fxcept for things such as warfare and pestilence, this world is a
wonderful place to live. It is here that mankind can find friends, happiness, careers, pleasure, purpose,
etc. It is not a perfect world, but people would surely rather live in it than die and lose all of that
potential. Thus, they do not want to think about this world coming to an end.
v
And so, except for the true believers, who are aware that God has given a precise time for the end,
and who believe with all their heart that it is true and accurate, the rest of the world will insist either that
Christ will come as a thief in the night, or that the end of the world will not come as long as mankind
continues to solve problems, like global warming, etc.
This book, therefore, will be read and appreciated only by those who truly trust God and realize that
it is a great blessing and the mercy of God that He is supply- ing this information to those who fully trust the
Bible. We highly recommend that the reader of this book also read he Are Almost There! Both of these
books are available free of charge from Family Radio. To request a copy, write to Family Radio, Oakland,
California, 94621, USA, or call 1-800-543-1495 toll free. They are also available on
the web at www.familyradio.com.
vi
Chapter One.
The Mystery of Coming to Truth
The way each person thinks and believes is a product of the ideas he has accepted to be true and
trustworthy. These ideas may have been presented to him in the past or they may be new ideas that are
presented today. As additional ideas are presented, they will be filtered and tested in the light of the ideas
that he has already accepted to be true and trustworthy.
This is certainly the situation that exists when it comes to religious understanding. Once we
have learned certain religious ideas, and we have accepted them as truth, it seems impossible to accept any
ideas as truth that are not in agreement with the ideas that we have already accepted as truth.
Thus, the well-trained Roman Catholic ordinarily will remain a Roman Catholic, the Baptist a
Baptist, the Buddhist a Buddhist, etc. This is why most of the dear people who are members of a church
cannot accept the idea that God is finished with the churches, and He has commanded people to flee from
the churches, and that Satan has been installed to rule there, and that the Holy Spirit has abandoned the
churches so that no one under the authority of any church can become saved.
These dear people have been taught, and have accepted as truth, that their local church is a divine
institution, that God reigns over it, and so, the gates of hell can never prevail against it. That understanding
has become locked into their thinking as an undebatable truth. Therefore, any idea presented to them from
the Bible is filtered through and tested by their doctrine, which they are absolutely certain is the truth.
When they are presented with new ideas from the Bible that teach that we have come to the end of
the church age, they are incapable of examining them with any objectivity. However open they believe they
are to the truth of the Bible, in actuality, they are altogether unable to come to new truth. That is why in our
day, so few people are leaving the churches in obedience to God`s command to flee from them.
This situation has become extremely serious in our day because of at least three very significant
reasons. They are as follows.
1. We are living in a world that is very near the end of time. And at the time of the end, God
planned to take off the seals that He had placed on a great amount of end-time information in
the Bible. Therefore, we should expect that a great amount of information that previously
we had considered to be truth from the Bible, now must be restudied.
2. We are in the time period called the great tribulation, when God is testing those who claim to be
true believers. The nature of the true believer is that he wishes to be true and obedient to
I45
anything and everything in the Bible.
1
3. By means of these tests, God is separating the wheat, that is, the true believers, from the tares,
those who trust that they are true believers, but they have not become saved.
This time of testing encompasses the entire 8,400-day (23-year) period of the great tribulation,
which began on May 21, 1988, and continues until May 21,
2011. On that day, the day of judgment begins, and it continues until October 21,
2011.
The Bible is a spiritual book, and the only way that anyone will correctly understand truth from the
Bible is if God opens his spiritual eyes. Therefore, knowing that we have accepted as truth some
preconceived and false ideas, which we of ourselves will never be able to surrender, we must go to God,
pleading for His mercy, praying that He will unlock our minds from any thought or idea that is contrary to
His Word.
The problem of our inability to surrender ideas that the Bible presently shows us to be false is very
grievous in our day also in connection with another important area of truth, that is, the time information in
the Bible. The fact is that a lot of us analyze the problem of time by using the Bible`s time information as an
illustration.
The 70-page book he Are Almost There! is a product of 50 years of earnest Bible study concerning
the timeline of history. In addition, the material in that book has been subjected to thousands of hours of
discussion on the Family Radio program, the Open Forum. The conclusion of all this study is the truth that
Christ will not come as a thief in the night, but on a day, a month, and a year that God has disclosed to His
true believers in the Bible.
Now, suppose that the book he Are Almost There! is given to an intelligent, devout church member
who has always been taught that Christ will come as a thief in the night. He agrees to read this book and give
it a fair, honest appraisal. After reading the first few pages, he discovers that it does not teach that Christ will
come as a thief in the night. Immediately, his defenses are alerted, and he might think, 'This book is heresy.
I know too many verses that teach that no one can know the time of Christ`s return. It would be wrong for
me to read any more of this heretical book. And in his heart, he feels he has made an honest, fair appraisal
of this book.
What he fails to realize and cannot realize because of the lock that is on his heart, is that, indeed,
throughout the church age, all that God permitted any true believer to know about the end was that Christ
was coming as a thief in the night. Already, in Acts 1, the apostles asked the question, as we read in verse 6:
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this
time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
They wanted to know when the kingdom of God would be completed. And
Jesus answered them, as we read in verses 7 and 8:
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father
hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you: and ye shall be witnesses
2
unto me both in 1erusalem, and in all 1udaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of
the earth.
In other words, there is a job to be done, which is to bring the Gospel into all the world. That was
the task of the church during the church age, and they were not to be preoccupied with wondering about the
I49
time of the end.
Therefore, God made it very clear that all that could be known throughout the church age was that
He was coming as a thief in the night. No one could know the day or the hour of His return. For
approximately 1,900 years, during the time of the church age, there were no clues.
But the true child of God continually reads his Bible and always wants to know more of God`s truth.
And then he discovers from Fzekiel 3:17 and Fzekiel 33 that he is a watchman who must warn the world of
the time of Christ`s return. And then time information begins to surface, beginning with the information that
the year of creation was 11,013 B.C. Slowly, the timeline of the world`s history opens up. He can begin to
understand the importance of time information in the Bible.
This is surely a way in which God is helping many people to test themselves, to see whether they
are actually serving a god that is their church, their pastor, their creeds, or anything other than the God of the
Bible. This, indeed, emphasizes that we are all utterly dependent upon the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth.
How wonderful that we can humbly pray, and admit that in our own ability and wisdom, we know nothing.
We can beg the Lord to open our eyes to truth.
There is an additional major testing program that God has placed in the Bible that is taking place
during these 23 years (8,400 days) of the great tribulation. It has to do with God`s judgment process.
Throughout the church age, the normal understanding of God`s righteous judgment upon the wicked
could be summed up by the idea that on the last day, Christ will sit upon a judgment throne. Fach of the
wicked who had previously died will be alive again to take their turn, along with all of the wicked who had
not died, to be individually judged by Christ. They will be found guilty of innumerable sins and be sentenced
to a place called hell, where they will be in torment forevermore.
Basically, that is the locked-in mind set of most of the peoples of the world who have any trust in
the Bible at all. It is true whether they are still in a local church or whether they have left the church because
they understand that the church age has ended. That has been the basic understanding of most of the
churches throughout the church age. These dear people, therefore, believe that they can, in an
unbiased, objective way analyze any verse of the Bible that might relate to judgment and come to truth.
However, without the Holy Spirit unlocking their minds, they cannot come to truth.
But at this time, when we are so close to the end of time, and God has revealed an exceedingly great
amount of new truth about the church age and the timetable of the end, He has also revealed much new truth
about the judgment process. In fact, we will discover that the traditional understanding of Christ as Judge on
the last day, that He would send the wicked to hell to forever suffer the agony of God`s wrath, does not
identify with any precision at all with the true teachings of the Bible concerning God`s judgment process.
3
One other problem should be noted as we try to understand, as accurately as possible, the truth of
the Bible. It was God`s intention to withhold, until very near the time of the end of the world, the revealing
of much truth concerning the timetable and nature of God`s Judgment process. Therefore God wrote the
Bible so that it has many complex verses that are not at all easy to understand.
One method God used to make it very difficult to come to truth was to write verses in such a way
that, grammatically, they can be understood to teach two opposing ideas, both a right and a wrong idea. For
example, God wrote in 1 Timothy 3:15, '.which is the church of the living God, the pillar and
ground of truth. Grammatically it is altogether correct to understand from this verse that it is the church
that is the pillar and ground of truth. This, incidentally, is the way the Roman Catholic Church and the
Reformed churches teach this verse.
However, it is equally grammatically accurate to understand that this verse is teaching that the living
God is the pillar and ground of truth. This verse has been carefully structured by God so that it is a trap. By
following God`s rule of carefully searching the Bible, comparing Scripture with Scripture, we can know
which of these two understandings is the correct one. If the church is the pillar and ground of Bible truth,
any local congregation has the spiritual right to teach, and possibly even to modify, what any verse in the
Bible is teaching, because the church is the foundation of truth. On the other hand, if God is the pillar and
ground of truth, the only way we can discover what a difficult verse is teaching is by careful searching of the
Bible, accompanied by much prayer to God that He might, through His Word, the Bible, reveal the correct
I50
truth. Obviously this has to be the only correct teaching of this particular verse.
In the same way God has hidden a great amount of truth in the Bible that
relates to God`s judgment plan. A number of verses appear to teach very plainly and accurately the
traditional view that at the end of the world, God will cause each and every non-elect unsaved dead person
to be resurrected to appear before Christ as the Judge. They will be found guilty, and will be sentenced to
awful torment, that they will experience in the future in a place called Hell.
These same verses, however, can also be accurately understood to teach the correct understanding
that perfectly agrees with the teaching that on October 21,
2011, the entire universe, together with all the non-elect unsaved, will be completely annihilated.
For example, the Bible speaks of 'eternal damnation or 'unquenchable fire. These phrases can be
understood to mean damnation or fire that is to be experienced continuously for evermore in the future. Or
they can also be correctly understood to mean that damnation or the fire is of such a nature that the person
subject to this damnation or fire will be completely annihilated, so that throughout any time in the future
they will never, never live again.
How can we know which is the correct understanding? The correct understanding should be
obvious when we search the Bible and find that the word 'life or 'living is never used in connection with
those who have physically died as unsaved persons, and who are resurrected (see 'The Resurrection of the
Unsaved, pages 49-51). We must remember that a person must be alive in order to endure the suffering of
torment.
4
Moreover, God in His wonderful kindness gives us an example of eternal
fire. When Sodom was destroyed, that fire literally burned, at most, a few days. Yet the fire that destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah is spoken of as 'eternal fire. We read in Jude 7:
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves
over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the
vengeance of eternal fire.
Therefore, we can be assured that for these reasons and other Biblical reasons, we can know that the
traditional view of eternal damnation is bankrupt. When a non- elect unsaved person dies, he is forever
dead, both in body and soul. This truth will be further developed as we go to the next chapter.
5
Chapter Two.
The Bankruptcy of the Traditionally
Understood 1udgment Plan
During the past few years, we have learned that just before the day of judgment there is an 8,400-
day (23-year) period called the great tribulation. During this period of time, God is especially testing all the
people in the churches, are they true believers or not. That is, are their minds locked into preconceived ideas
held by their church, or are they ready to listen to and obey all that the Bible teaches, even though many
doctrines are only now being revealed.
During the great tribulation period, in which we are now living, we discover that God uses many
tests that serve to separate the wheat from the tares. This time of testing is decreed in Revelation 3:10, where
we read:
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of
temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
I5I
In this verse, the phrase 'the hour of temptation, or trial, identifies with the
8,400-day great tribulation. During this time, many trials or testings are taking place. Some examples of the
things we have learned are as follows.
1. The church age has come to its end.
2. The precise date of judgment day.
3. A correct understanding of God`s judgment process.
4. A correct understanding of all that is involved in becoming saved.
5. An understanding that God had hidden many important truths in the Bible that would be
revealed only near the end of time.
6. We are to send the message to the world that salvation is still possible today, and will continue
to be possible until the last day of the great tribulation, May 21, 2011.
7. We must warn the world that when judgment day comes, there never again will be the
possibility of salvation or any aspect of God`s mercy.
The Bible is exactly the same today as it was when it was completed, about
1,900 years ago. However, until our day, no one, regardless of how brilliant and faithful they were, or how
humbly they served God as their Savior, no one was able to accurately determine from the Bible the year of
creation, the year of the Noachian
6
flood, or the date of the birth of Jesus. Likewise, no one was able to accurately understand the many details
of God`s judgment process.
Consequently, as previously noted, throughout the church age the common agreement among the
most dedicated theologians and Bible students was that one could not know, with any precision, the time of
Christ`s return at the end of the world. It was generally agreed upon that the statement in the Bible that
Christ would come 'as a thief in the night (I Thessalonians 5:2, II Peter 3:10), settled the question of the
time of Christ`s return.
Likewise, in regard to the nature and character of God`s judgment on the unsaved, it was commonly
understood that at the end of time, Christ would visibly appear to judge all of the unsaved of the world.
Those who had died would be resurrected to conscious existence in order to be judged. And then those
who are alive at the end of time and those who were resurrected would be found guilty and sentenced to
eternal conscious suffering somewhere in a place called hell. Passages such as II Corinthians 5:10 and
Romans 14:10-11, and others, appeared to plainly teach that.
But God made a promise in Fcclesiastes 8:5-6, where we read:
Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man`s heart discerneth
both time and judgment. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore
the misery of man is great upon him.
And God declared in Daniel 12:9:
end.
Since time and judgment are intimately associated with the time of the end, we can therefore expect
I52
that because we are so very near the end, we will at this time know much more about the timeline of history
and the details of God`s judgment process.
Indeed, we have already learned, entirely from the Bible, the precise day, month, and year when the
rapture will occur, that is, when all the believers will be caught up into heaven. We also have learned, with
great precision, when the universe and the earth and all its works will be completely destroyed by fire.*
In a similar manner, at this time, God has opened up our understanding so that we can know far
more about God`s judgment program. God has revealed with great clarity the timeline of the events of the
end of the world, and that assists us so that we now have a more accurate understanding of His judgment
program.
We will discover that God`s judgment program began before sin entered the world, and it will be
completed when the earth and all of its works are burned up (II Peter 3:l0).
As we carefully examine God`s judgment plan, we will examine some key words, like 'death
and 'destruction, and also, things such as shame, loss of inheritance, great physical pain, and finally,
annihilation. However, before we do that, we might take note of some of the fallacies and difficulties that are
an intrinsic part of the traditional understanding of God`s judgment process.
Virtually every church throughout the church age believed that one of its primary tasks was to teach
people how to become saved. Therefore, every church developed an altogether unbiblical plan, which they
believed was fully in agreement with the Bible, whereby they taught that salvation could be assured to those
who followed their plan.
An exceedingly important part of their plan was the stern reminder that the alternative to salvation
was eternal damnation. Their usual understanding of eternal damnation was that the unsaved would be
tormented under God`s wrath forever and ever in a place called hell. They believed that such a horrible
consequence of sin should greatly assist and encourage people to understand their great need for salvation.
People were told that they could receive this salvation, and consequently, be guaranteed that they
would never have to suffer hell, if they faithfully followed the salvation plan being taught by the church or
the evangelist. It might involve things such as water baptism, the sinner`s prayer, a profession of faith,
church membership, giving of tithes, observance of the Fucharist or the Lord`s table, accepting Christ, etc.
Once they were assured by the church pastor, priest, elders, or deacons that they had become saved, they
also received the enormous comfort that they would never end up in an eternity of hell.
Very early on, a problem arose. Suppose a child died unsaved. Since even one sin makes man as
guilty as if he had broken the whole law (James 2:10), then
according to that doctrine, the unsaved child who died would suffer in hell forevermore. This would mean
that a little child would receive infinite torment for his childish sins.
Is it really true that a merciful, just God would bring that child into such terrible suffering
forevermore because he or she had died unsaved? This serious question was faced by the church theologians,
and various solutions to this question were developed and became an important part of each church`s dogma.
For example, the Roman Catholics developed the idea that if the child was baptized as an infant,
that would wipe away any guilt from the original sin of Adam. It would also place the child under the care
and security of the church, which, if its rules were carefully followed, would guarantee that God`s wrath
would never come to that person.
The Reformed churches followed a somewhat similar plan, even though they were far closer to truth
than the Roman Catholics. They also believed and taught that the baby that was baptized by the church came
into a spiritual covenant relationship with God, so that if the rules of the church were faithfully followed,
salvation would be assured.
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The churches that followed the Arminian doctrine of free will, such as the Baptist churches,
developed an entirely different solution. They decided that the Bible taught that there is an age of
accountability. That is, until a child reached a certain age, it was not accountable to God for any sins, and
therefore, could not be threatened
8
by hell until it reached a certain age. Thus, if a child died before he reached that age, he or she would not be
punished by God.
All of the above doctrines have no Biblical validation, even though to the present day, they are
taught with utmost sincerity in churches throughout the world.
Where Is God`s Mercy?
And another problem arose in connection with the conclusion that the punishment for sin is to
be tormented forevermore in a place called hell. A great many people who ridiculed the Bible raised a very
plausible question, 'You say the God of the Bible is merciful and just, so, do you really believe that a
merciful and just God would torture a person who has lived a decent, moral life by placing that person in a
place called hell, where he or she will intensely suffer forevermore? What kind of God is your God of the
Bible? And how does that idea agree with the statement in the Bible that God has no pleasure in the death of
the wicked? (Fzekiel 18:23 and 32).
These kinds of questions have been seriously considered by many churches. As a consequence, they
have developed another approach to encourage people to accept their do-it-yourself salvation plan. Instead
of emphasizing the negative, that is, an eternity of suffering, they changed their salvation presentation to
emphasize the positive and said, 'God loves you, and He has a wonderful plan for your life. You can be a
part of this plan by accepting Jesus. In other words, 'Join us, and then you no longer have to worry about
the fear that, from time to time, comes into your mind and heart because you know that there is a God, and
someday, you must answer to Him. These churches had not abandoned the idea of eternal suffering, but for
them, it is simply ignored insofar as being something about which they should be seriously concerned.
We might further note that the Bible teaches that, 'the wages of sin is death
. . . ' (Romans 6:23a). The typical, traditional teaching effectively declares, 'The
wages of sin` means that on the last day, any who are not God`s elect (those who did not become saved)
must come to life so that they can stand before Christ as their Judge. There they will be found guilty, and
therefore, sentenced to an eternity of endless pain and agony in a place called hell. Those who hold the
traditional position will not admit this, but to be consistent with their understanding of judgment, it also
means that because we are conceived and born in sin (Psalm 51:5), every non-elect baby who is aborted, and
every baby who dies, and every non-elect young child who dies, also must be subject to this terrible
judgment process.
The horrible man-made traditional idea of God`s judgment process is in terrible denial of the law of
God. The idea was designed with little or no understanding that the entire Bible, which is the Word of God,
is therefore, the law of God. Fffectively, statements like 'the wages of sin is death, and 'in the day that
thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, are looked upon as instructions from the mouth of God, rather
than as the very law of God.
It is absolutely imperative that we understand that the Word of God is completely identified
with Christ Himself. God says, 'And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:14a).
The Word of God is absolutely as authoritative as Christ Himself. Hebrews 4:12-13 declares:
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For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not
manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we
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have to do.
Thus, when God told Adam that in the day he ate of the forbidden tree he would die, God was
declaring His law to Adam. That law had the full authority of Christ Himself over Adam, so that when Adam
disobeyed that law, Adam instantly was condemned by that law to death.
When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the world of Noah`s day, those people did not need
to first stand before Christ as the Judge so that they could be sentenced to death. They had broken the law of
God, and each time they sinned, the law of God again condemned them to death.
In fact, the moment any unsaved person dies, regardless of how he dies, it is actually the moment
that he is being executed as payment for his sins. Because the traditional teaching of God`s judgment plan
did not take into account that the entire Bible is the law of God, and that each word is as authoritative as
Christ Himself, it is a judgment plan designed in the mind of man. Because God`s plan was to hide many
truths about time and judgment so that they would not be revealed to mankind until very near the end of
time, the Bible was written in very complex and confusing language. It was God`s intention that no one
could understand all that the Bible teaches about time and judgment until our day. It was God`s plan that
these important truths would not be understood until the world was near the end of time. Thus, God allowed
the incorrect traditional understanding of God`s judgment process to be taught in the churches, even as He
allowed churches to teach a do-it-yourself salvation plan.
So, even today, there are earnest, well-meaning Bible students who continue to try to justify the
traditional understanding of God`s judgment plan by carefully examining phrase after phrase found in the
Bible. However, they filter these phrases through their preconceived traditional and incorrect understanding
of God`s judgment program that they believe to be correct. It is an impossible and hopeless task because the
traditional judgment plan does not recognize the complete authority of each word in the Bible as being the
law of God.
In summary, we can certainly say that throughout the church age, there were unresolved issues in
connection with a true understanding of the punishment for sin. This is entirely understandable when we
remember that a great amount of information concerning the details and character of the end of time had
been sealed in the Bible so that it could not be understood. God made the language of the Bible very
complex and difficult to understand so that these truths would remain hidden until very near the end of time.
However, as we approach the end of time, it is God`s intention that a great amount of information of
this nature would become known. Sadly, the truths that are now being revealed will be resisted by the
churches, which are trusting altogether in their confessions, dogmas, and theological conclusions. This is
especially so because we will find that the idea of suffering eternally in hell as a consequence of sin is not
10
true. Thus, a major means or cudgel that was used to encourage people to become saved has been removed.
Moreover, churches are very content with their present understanding of the Bible. They do not
understand, or wish to understand, that it was God`s plan that in these last days, much additional truth would
flow from the Bible. For example, we learned earlier in this study that throughout the church age, the
churches concluded, based on their careful study of the Bible, that Christ would come as a thief in the night.
However, now that we are very near the end of time, God has given the true believers sufficient information,
which has come only from the Bible, so that we know with great accuracy the day, the month, and the year
of the end of time.
Likewise, we are now learning from the Bible a great amount of more clearly detailed information
concerning judgment. Remember what we learned from Fcclesiastes 8:5-6, where God says:
We should not be surprised that the churches continue to resist the conclusions concerning time,
which we have learned from the Bible, and that they will resist the conclusions that concern the character
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and nature of judgment, which also are a result of careful Bible study. But we should rejoice that since we
are so near the end of time, God is revealing to the true believers much Biblical truth that had been hidden in
the Bible for the past 1,900 years.
Man`s Love for Man
Before we leave our present examination of the traditional understanding of God`s judgment
process, we will look at one other matter that focuses on this subject. It relates to God`s command that we
are to love our neighbor.
In Matthew 22:36, Jesus was asked:
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
In verses 37 to 40, we read Jesus` answer:
1esus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and
the prophets.
Based on John 14:21, we know that to love God is to keep His commandments. There we
read:
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He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth
me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
We also know that His commandments are the entire Bible. The saved person, the true believer,
therefore, has an intense ongoing desire to be obedient to the entire Bible.
However, in the same setting that God says to love God with all your heart and soul and strength
and mind, He gives the command that you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Thus, God is singling out
one aspect of our love for God by emphasizing the need to love our neighbor. Not only is He calling special
attention to our love for our neighbor, but He is also giving us a standard by which we are to measure our
love for our neighbor. That is, our love for our neighbor is to be equal to our love for ourselves.
We learn from the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), that our neighbor is anyone who
needs help. This, of course, assures us that anyone who is not saved needs spiritual help, and thus, is our
neighbor. Therefore, in actuality, our neighbor is anyone in the world. That is why we send the precious
Gospel into the world. Anyone who is not saved needs our help. And of course, God utilizes the Bible to
save those who are chosen to be saved.
Since we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, we are to truly desire the highest good for them.
That highest good is salvation. However, what is the situation if a person dies unsaved? Do we still love
him? The Bible answers that question in Matthew 5:44, where we read:
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
The likelihood that many of these enemies will become saved is exceedingly remote. And yet, we
are to love them. Our love for the unsaved even after their death is demonstrated by David and by Jesus. For
approximately the last 15 years of King Saul`s life, he tried every way possible to kill David. And yet, when
King Saul died, David expressed his sorrow and love in verses such as II Samuel 1:19 and 24, where we
read:
I5
The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! . . . . Ye
daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put
on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
And in II Samuel 2:5, where we read:
And David sent messengers unto the men of 1abeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye
of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have
buried him.
12
David showed love and respect for his dead enemy, King Saul, but he expressed his love
even more greatly for his very wicked son,Absalom. WhenAbsalom was about 25 years of age, he began to
plot against his father, David. His desire was to take the throne of Israel away from his father. In fact, his
rebellion and the resultant anarchy became so pronounced that David was forced to flee from Jerusalem so
that Absalom would not kill him.
However, David`s abiding love for his wicked, treacherous son, who finally was killed by a general
in David`s army, is keenly expressed in II Samuel 18:33, where we read:
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as
he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for
thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
David`s love for Absalom expresses the love we are to have for our neighbor. We are not to rejoice
over the death of an enemy, but we are to be saddened that they experienced the punishing wrath of God that
comes upon all the unsaved.
Fven more dramatically, we see the love of Christ for those who must experience God`s
wrath. In Luke 19:41-44 we read:
And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known,
even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are
hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench
about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even
with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon
another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
In these verses, we read that Jesus wept over Jerusalem, which in this context represents all the
unsaved within national Israel and all those who remain in the churches, who will experience the full
measure of God`s wrath for their sins. They have been especially blessed because of what they have learned
from the Bible. They have learned so much about God`s love and mercy. But they have twisted Bible truths
into doctrines that are more pleasing to them. They have continued to walk in their pride. We might look
upon them as being spiritual anarchists, who most certainly deserve the wrath of God.
But Jesus weeps over them. Imagine, God Himself weeping because He must punish those who are
in rebellion against Him. It is no wonder that we read in Fzekiel 33:11:
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; . .
. .
We are learning that God must bring punishment upon our unsaved loved ones and friends, and
upon everyone in the world who remains unsaved, and that fills
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I5/
us with sorrow and sadness. But that sadness is greatly reduced because we know our friend can no longer
suffer once he is dead. However, if the traditional understanding is correct, that is, the unsaved will be
eternally tormented in a place called hell, we should indeed be grief-stricken when our unsaved friend dies.
If our friend had carelessly lived in this world, enjoying all the fun and pleasures the world provides, but
despising the Bible, we would continue to grieve long after his death when we thought of his eternal,
continual suffering.
But now, the Bible provides correction to our understanding of judgment. Fven though our friend
died despising the Bible, even though it is terrible that he has been denied the wonderful inheritance of
eternal life and the joy and glory of being joint-heirs with Christ in the new heavens and the new earth, and
even though it is terrible to realize that his death is a shameful execution under the curse of God, there is
good news. At least we can be absolutely assured that the death of our friend means that he will never again
be subject to pain and suffering. For his life, there has been closure.
Sadly, many people who truly believe that they are saved have become exceedingly angry at
the teaching set forth in the Bible and described in this book. We cannot help but be puzzled by their angry
reaction. We know that there are a great many people who are convinced they are saved, but who are actually
not saved. However, because they are fully convinced they are saved, they try their best to live like a saved
person. But because they are not saved, it means that both in body and soul, they love this world and all of
the joys it can bring. Therefore, to try to live as a saved person is a constant uphill climb. In their hearts, they
love the world, and because they believe they are saved, they know they are not to love the world. So, life is
quite difficult and unhappy for them. They must live like they do not want this world, and yet, they
desperately want this world.
The problem arises when a friend dies, a friend who could not care less about the Bible, and who
freely enjoyed all the happiness this world can bring. This friend must pay dearly for the happiness he
enjoyed from this world. By the traditional view of judgment, he should be in eternal torment in a place
called hell. Has the one we are considering, who believes he is saved but actually is not, considered the
terrible thought that if he, himself, is still unsaved, then according to the traditional view, he must be
punished forevermore in a place called hell? How terrible that would be.
However, now we learn that the traditional view of God`s plan for punishment upon sin is bankrupt.
It entirely denies the mercy, the compassion, and the justice of God. It is entirely designed after the wisdom
of man. There is no truth in it. The traditional view discloses the inherent cruelty and lack of mercy that is
part of the nature of unsaved mankind. It may be appropriate to warn that we must never try to supplant
God`s plan of mercy and justice with our concept of mercy and justice.
God gives this gracious promise in Fcclesiastes 8:5-6:
14
For thousands of years these words have been read by theologians and Bible scholars without
understanding. This is because time and judgment have everything to do with the end of time, and it was
God`s purpose to seal this kind of information, and only reveal it at the time of the end (Daniel 12:4). God
assures us of this as we witness how God, at this time in history, when we are so very close to the end of the
world, has revealed with many proofs the very day and year when this world will end. Thus, today, every
wise man, that is, every true believer, can know from the Bible about God`s timetable of history all the way
to the last day (see he Are Almost There!).
But this promise of Fcclesiastes 8:5-6 also speaks of 'judgment. The word 'judgment is
sometimes used as a synonym for the words 'law and 'commandments and 'precepts. For example, we
read in Psalm 119:106, '.I will keep thy righteous judgments.
However, ordinarily, the word 'judgment or 'judgments is used to signify the consequence of
breaking the law of God. This is the way it is used in the verses in Fcclesiastes that we are presently
examining, where we read, 'Because to every purpose there is time and judgment. That is, to every
I55
purpose there is both a time when it will be accomplished and a consequence that results from the
accomplishment of that purpose. That consequence is judgment or punishment, if what was done violated
the law of God.
We have learned that the major teaching of the time information in the Bible focuses on the end of
time, when all of God`s judgment activities will be completed. Therefore, we can readily understand why
time and judgment are linked together in these verses. All of God`s judgment processes will be completed at
the end of the
world.
We are not surprised that the traditional position that most of the churches have taught throughout
the church age (i.e., Christ will come as a thief in the night, II Peter 3:10), has been altogether supplanted by
the additional revelation God has given us. Strictly from the Bible alone we have learned that we can know
the very day, month, and year of the end-time events. However, throughout the church age, it was God`s
intention that the churches were to teach that Christ would come as a thief in the night. We know that this is
true because of what we read in Acts 1:6:
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this
time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
The apostles, who headed up the early church, wanted to know when God would complete the
restoration of the kingdom of God. In their minds, they were looking for Him to set up an earthly kingdom.
Christ answered them, as we read in Acts 1:7:
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father
hath put in his own power.
Then Jesus teaches more about the character of the kingdom. Acts 1:8 states:
15
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in 1erusalem, and in all 1udaea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth.
These three verses instruct us that during the church age, there would be great curiosity about the
timing of the end. However, the church throughout the church age was not to be interested in that question,
but they were to focus entirely on the mandate given to them, that is, to send the Gospel into all the world.
Therefore, throughout the 1,955 years of the church age, they were to understand that no one could know the
time of the end, but that Christ would come as a thief in the night.
However, near the time of the end of the world, the true believers had to be given the precise timing
of the end. Therefore, in our day, God has opened our eyes to an accurate understanding of the entire
timeline of history so that we can know the precise day, month, and year of the end. This enables the true
believers to carry out our responsibility to warn the world. Fvery believer is a watchman. We read in Fzekiel
33:2-7:
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword
upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their
watchman: If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn
the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning;
if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the
sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh
warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the
trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among
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them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman`s hand. So
thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt
hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
In I Thessalonians 5:2-6, we read about the shift from teaching that Christ is coming as a thief in the
night to the teaching that we are watchmen. Therefore God`s program called for a knowledge of time and
judgment.
Since time and judgment are so closely linked together, does this mean that the traditional teachings
on judgment are also to be supplanted by the new teachings from the Bible?
This is precisely what we are finding to be true. The key to this truth is that time is completely
interwoven into the fabric of God`s judgment processes. Therefore, the secure knowledge of the final
timetable of earth`s history has necessitated an entire re-analysis of any traditional view of God`s judgment
processes.
In other words, it was impossible to have a Biblically correct view of judgment until we first
learned, strictly from the Bible, an altogether correct view of time. Since God revealed so much new time
information, we should not be surprised at the tremendous new truth we will now learn.
16
When God finally revealed to us the precise timetable of the events of the end of the world, we
discovered not only the exact end of the church age (May 21,
1988), and the exact duration of the great tribulation (8,400 days or 23 full years), but also the time of the
day of judgment (May 21, 2011 to October 21, 2011). With this precise time information, we also very
quickly began to learn more and more about God`s entire judgment process. This is not surprising because,
as we have already noted, the Bible links time and judgment together.
Before we examine God`s judgment process more closely, it would be in order to make a few
comments about the great tribulation period, which is so closely tied to the day of judgment. Remember, the
church age ended May 21, 1988, which was also the first day of the 8,400-day period of great tribulation. In
turn, the great tribulation is to end on May 21, 2011, which is the first day of the 153-day period of the day
of judgment.
There are two verses in the Bible that appear to make the great tribulation period a part of the day of
judgment. The first is Luke 21:22, where we read:
For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
The second is I Peter 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?
The 'house of God is a reference to all the local congregations, which have been abandoned by the
Holy Spirit and placed under the rulership of Satan. They are being punished because they have departed
greatly from the true Gospel. Thus, they are under judgment. But that is far different from the day of
judgment, the five- month period from May 21, 2011 to October 21, 2011, when each and every human
being all over the entire earth will receive the final punishment for his sins. This punishment, of course, will
not come upon the true believers, who will be raptured, or caught up in the air to meet Christ, on May 21,
2011.
The great tribulation is a time of testing, particularly in the churches, but also in all the world, when
God is separating the wheat (the true believers) from the tares (those who believe they are saved, but in
actuality, are not).
Revelation 3:10 describes this period as 'the hour of temptation. The word 'temptation can also
be translated 'trial or 'testing. We have learned of many tests that God has caused to be in evidence during
I0
the last few years. They include important doctrinal subjects and questions such as the following.
1. Can a church show someone how to become saved?
2. Do we understand that at this time God is revealing a great amount of new information from
the Bible?
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3. Do we clearly understand that every word in the original languages of the Bible came from the
mouth of God?
4. The entire Bible is God`s law book to the human race, and it will bring condemnation if not
obeyed.
5. The church age ended in 1988, so, no one can become saved while under the authority of a local
congregation. In fact, God has placed Satan in the churches to rule there. Thus, God has
commanded those who desire to be obedient to God to come out of the local congregations.
6. Throughout the church age, it was God`s intention that the true believers should think that
Christ would come as a thief in the night. But now, the true believers should know the
precise day, month, and year of His coming. This allows them to faithfully warn the world
of the time of the end. If people continue with the idea that He is coming as a thief in the night,
it will only lock them in to a path that leads to sudden destruction coming upon them (I
Thessalonians 5:1-4).
7. Throughout the church age, God allowed the traditional and completely wrong idea of God`s
judgment process to prevail. But now, God is giving us far more insight into the true nature of
God`s judgment process. It is also a testing arena, do we truly love our enemies?
8. The whole world is being tested in that they are being warned of the impending end of the
world. Will they continue in a state of denial, as did the world in Noah`s day, or will some
individuals react to the warning, as did the Ninevites when Jonah warned them of impending
destruction?
God declares in Revelation 3:10 that He will keep the true believers from this hour of trial. For
the true believers, who dearly wish to obey all of God`s commands, the tests listed above are not a trial
because the believers have a desire to be obedient. But for non-believers in the churches and in the world,
each one of these tests or trials should tell them that if they refuse to obey, then they are in deep trouble with
God.
Wonderfully, the last 6,100 days of the 8,400-day great tribulation period is a time when a great
multitude, which no man could number, is being saved.
However, we should now return to the study of a more accurate understanding of God`s judgment
process. In the next chapter, we will take a close look at God as the Judge of all the world.
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Chapter Three.
God, The 1udge of All the Earth
In this study, we are trying to learn as accurately as possible God`s judgment plan for this world. A
judgment plan obviously must include a judge. That Judge is God Himself. In our minds, we immediately
II
picture a judge before whom an accused person stands. The judge carefully listens and considers
testimony from various witnesses and from the accused so that he can determine the guilt or innocence of
the accused person, and then assign the appropriate legal sentence if the accused is found guilty.
That is very similar to the traditional view of the Biblical judgment process. In that view, the Judge
will be Christ. The accused will be each and every unsaved person. The time will be the end of the world.
The sentence will be torment forevermore in a place called hell.
We are now learning that the traditional view is utterly bankrupt. While that view was held by
almost all churches throughout the church age, it is founded on man`s understanding of justice rather than
the truth of the Bible.
In fairness to those who have held the traditional position, we must realize that it was fostered by
the way God carefully wrote the Bible. We have learned that it was not God`s intention to reveal the details
of God`s plans for the end of the world until the world had almost come to its end. Therefore, because we are
at that time,
when the end of the world is very imminent, we now know the precise time of the
end. Likewise, it is only now that God is revealing in an accurate way the details of His judgment plan.
Therefore, at this time, when God is opening our eyes to Biblical truth that was never revealed in the past,
we should learn about the Biblical role of the Judge.
In the Old Testament Book of Judges, we learn about the activities of judges like Joshua, Gideon,
Jephthah, Samson, etc. We find that their chief occupation was to destroy the enemies of Israel. That is, they
were expected to provide peace and safety to the nation.
In I Samuel 8:20, we read that Israel asked for a king:
That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before
us, and fight our battles.
And in Judges 2:16, God declared:
Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that
spoiled plundered] them.
We see this also in statements such as the following.
Psalm 7:8: The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my
righteousness, . . . .
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Psalm 7:11: God judgeth the righteous, . . . .
Psalm 9:19:Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
Psalm 26:1: 1udge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I
have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
Psalm 67:4: O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people
righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
Psalm 72:1-4: Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king`s son.
He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. . . . He shall judge
the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces
the oppressor.
Psalm 103:6: The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
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Romans 14:10-11: . . . we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As
I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
II Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ; . . . .
Revelation 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.
From these verses we learn that the judge has the task of ruling, or governing, the people. Of course,
it includes the task of ascertaining guilt or innocence in the event of a trial. We are already learning that God,
as the Judge of all the earth, has given the law of God, the whole Bible, to carry out the task of finding
people guilty and sentencing them to the condemnation of hell. (Later we will learn that hell is death.)
However, it should be clear that as God rules the world, every human being throughout his lifetime
is standing before God as the Judge of the world. It is God who protects the poor and the fatherless,
spiritually speaking, and through His Word brings condemnation each time a sin is committed. As God
reigns as the Judge over all the earth, He takes many actions to carry out His Kingly desires. Some examples
are as follows.
1. God judged the elect before the foundation of the earth. He put their punishment on Christ who
is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
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world (Revelation 13:8).
2. God wrote the law of God (the Bible), identifying it altogether with God Himself (the Word
became flesh, John 1:14), thus giving the Word of God equal authority with God so that the
Word of God condemns.
3. He established the law that Jesus Christ was to be the High Priest who offered the Lamb, and
He was also to be the Lamb that was offered.
4. He established the awesome fact that the shame and the curse that Jesus the Lamb of God
endured, as He paid for the sins of the elect, were to be viewed in the sight of all the peoples of
the earth. God records details of this demonstration in the Bible so that the entire world can read
about it.
5. He has decreed that the result of the obedience of the true believers, particularly as shown in
the rapture, is a judgment on the unsaved, particularly on those who have had the Bible.
6. He puts down kings and raises up kings.
7. He governs all the affairs of each human being.
8. He determined the timeline of history and established the full judgment process.
9. There is nothing that happens anywhere in the world, at any time in the history of the world,
that is outside of His complete knowledge and authority.
10. We will learn that the focus of all the activity of Christ as the Judge of all the earth on the day
of judgment will be to deliver all of the true believers safely into heaven, and also to cause the
completion of His punishment upon all of the unsaved of the world.
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11. As Judge and Ruler of the world, He gave Satan certain ruling responsibilities and
allowed him access into heaven during the first
11,000 years of history. Christ also cast Satan out of heaven and took away many of his ruling
activities, giving him a deathblow, etc., at the time of the cross.
12. God also installed Satan in the churches to rule over each and every church during the 8,400-
day great tribulation and during the 153 days of the day of judgment.
Indeed, in God`s role as Judge and Ruler, His task is far greater and wider than that of a human
judge who is assigned the task of discovering the guilt or innocence of the accused.
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God`s 1udgment Process
Now that we have learned about the wide range of activities that are included under the heading of
God as the King, as the Governor, and as the Judge of all the earth, we should now determine the
punishment God has decreed for sin. We learn from the Bible that there are five major aspects of that awful
punishment. They are as follows.
1. The death of 'life in Christ. Mankind was created with life in Christ, which we call spiritual
life. It was the spiritual life with which Adam, and therefore, all mankind, was created.
However, it was given to mankind conditionally. If they sinned they would lose this
life and become spiritually dead. It is the same kind of life we receive at the moment God
gives us a new resurrected soul, except then it is called eternal life because all of our sins have
been covered by the blood of Christ. But when Adam disobeyed, he became spiritually dead.
He no longer had any life in Christ. He and all mankind who were in his loins became
spiritually dead, dead in trespasses and sins.
2. Death of body and soul, which we can call physical death.
3. Fnormous shame.
4. Loss of the inheritance of the kingdom of God, in which we would have lived eternally with
Christ.
5. Destruction that guarantees that the person judged could never again come to either spiritual
or physical life.
In Revelation 20:11-13, we read:
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. 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. 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.
This is a tableau (a three-dimensional picture), of the non-elect (those whom God never intended to
save), standing before God. There is a great white throne, which can identify only with God as the Ruler, the
Judge of all the earth. The One who sits (rules) upon the throne can be only God, who as the supreme Ruler
will bring an end to this universe, from whose face heaven and earth fled away.
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The dead are standing there before God. Fach and every person in the human race, throughout his
lifetime, stands before God. In this context, they are all the non-
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elect who are spiritually dead from the time they were in Adam (in Adam all die, I Corinthians 15:22). This
means that though they are physically alive for a time, from the moment of conception they have no life in
Christ. They are spiritually dead. In this tableau we see opened books that obviously have a record of their
sins. These people are condemned each time they commit a sin. This is so because the law of God, which is
the whole Bible, is used by God to bring condemnation. They are judged by the law of God each time they
commit the sins that have been recorded in these books.
There is also a book of life. Their names are not found in the book of life. Therefore, it is not God`s
intention to save them. They are all under the sentence of death, and eventually, it will become absolutely
certain that they can never become alive again as they are cast into the lake of fire. In Revelation 20, in both
verses 12 and 13 the verb 'were judged is in the aorist passive indicative tense, which means they were
subject to the continuous past action of being judged. Thus, verse 13 is teaching that in this tableau, the
unsaved who have already died and are in the grave, in their lifetime had been continuously under the
judgment of God as the Word of God condemned them. As a final part of God`s continuing judgment
process in the day of judgment, they will be thrown out of the graves to receive the final shame, and then
their remains will be destroyed forever.
In Revelation 20:13 we read about those in the sea. This could be a reference to the spiritually dead
who are physically alive and typified by the waves of the sea (Isaiah 57:20; Jude 13). Or it could refer to
those who perished in the sea, like those who perished in the flood of Noah`s day. In addition, those in death
and hell, or in death and the grave (that is, those who are still physically alive but spiritually dead,
together with those who had previously died and had been buried), are also brought
to final shame before God during the day of judgment.*
Finally, death and hell, or death and the grave, are thrown into the lake of fire. In I Corinthians
15:26, we read:
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Later we will learn that the lake of fire is called the second death, and it emphasizes that the
unsaved will never, never again come to any conscious existence or life. They will have ceased to exist.
What Is Hell?
The word that is most often associated with the judgment of God upon sin is the word 'hell.
What can we learn from the Bible about this word? In the Old
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Testament it can be found more than 30 times and is always the Hebrew word 'sheol. The word 'sheol is
also translated more than 30 times as the word 'grave and three times as the word 'pit.
In the New Testament, the Greek word 'hades is usually translated 'hell but also can be translated
'grave. Additionally, a few times, the word 'hell comes from the Greek word 'gehenna and once from
the Greek word 'tartaroo.
The Hebrew word 'sheol and the Greek word 'hades can be translated as the word 'hell or as
the word 'grave, depending upon the context. At times the context will permit either translation, which
indicates the close relationship of the words 'grave and 'hell. Both words are intimately associated with
death. This is very understandable when we read, 'For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and 'The
soul that sinneth, it shall die. (Fzekiel 18:20). It agrees with the concept given in I Corinthians 15:26,
'The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. It also makes Revelation 21:1 understandable, and there
we read:
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.
The word 'sea in the Bible is frequently used as a picture or representation of 'hell. For
example, the 2,000 pigs, into which the evil spirits entered, were destroyed in the sea (Mark 5:13).
When God`s judgment plan is finished there will be no more death, no more hell. Death and hell will no
longer exist.
Thus, we must understand that hell is the same as the grave, in that the grave is entirely identified
with death. This brings us to the next question: What is the lake of fire?
The Lake of Fire
In five verses of the Bible, reference is made to the lake of fire. They are as
follows.
Revelation 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.
Revelation 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.
Revelation 20:14-15: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second
death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
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all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death.
Significantly, Revelation 20:14 declares that death and hell (or death and the grave) were cast into
the lake of fire. Remember we learned from I Corinthians 15:26 that 'the last enemy that shall be
destroyed is death. But in these verses we learn that death is cast into the lake of fire, which in turn
is called the second death (Revelation 20:14). Moreover, we have learned from Revelation 21:1 that when
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the new heavens and the new earth come into existence, the sea (hell and death) is no more. Thus, the lake of
fire emphasizes a total end.
Later in this study, we will learn that the Lord Jesus Christ died twice in connection with the
atonement. He died before the foundation of the world as the Lamb that was slain (Revelation 13:8). He also
died when He was on the cross, demonstrating to us and the world how He paid for our sins. The doubling of
His punishment agrees with the principle set forth in Genesis 41:32, that is, that which is doubled is
established by God.
Likewise, God speaks of doubling the punishment of the unsaved in Jeremiah
17:18, and in Revelation 18:6, where we read:
Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her
works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
God declares in Revelation 18:8:
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall
be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
In this verse, God teaches us that in one day, which would have to be judgment day, there shall be
death and famine, and she shall be burned with fire. Burned with fire identifies with II Peter 3:10, where we
read:
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass
away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up.
The burning with fire, which is the second death, links the second death with the lake of fire. It is
the final end that guarantees that never, never again will there be any possibility of life. It links up with the
Greek work 'gehenna, which is found in a few places in the Bible, and has been translated as the word
'hell. For example, we read in Mark 9:43-44:
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than
having two hands to go into hell |Greek, gehenna], into the fire that never shall be quenched:
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
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The fire that shall never be quenched is the lake of fire. References to fire in the Bible identify with
Hebrews 12:29, where God is called 'a consuming fire. When a person is consumed by the fire of God, that
person can never exist again.
Later, we will learn that in the phrase 'worm dieth not, the word 'worm is completely identified
with shame. That it dieth not simply means that the unsaved are shamefully executed, and it is never
possible for that shame to be removed. Likewise, the phrase 'the fire is not quenched signifies that he
can never, never become alive again.
We must remember that in Adam, mankind was created to live forever, although that was
conditional. However, because of sin, mankind became subject to death. But inasmuch as he was created in
the image of God to live forever, is it possible that at some time in the future, after having paid for his sins,
he could come to life again? The answer is no! To emphasize this solemn fact, God speaks of a lake of fire,
of fire that cannot be quenched, of everlasting damnation, of the worm that dieth not, and of the smoke of
their torment ascending up forever. All of these phrases relate to the second death, the lake of fire. The fire,
the damnation, the smoke, and the worm are eternal, in that never, never again will there be life.
These phrases indicate that it is absolutely guaranteed that there never again shall be life for the
unsaved people. The fact is that they are completely burned up, so that in no sense do they exist any longer.
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The concept of the cessation of existence of the unsaved is emphasized in many verses of the Bible. For
example, in the following passages.
Nahum 1:6, 8: Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his
anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. . . . But with an
overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue
his enemies.
Malachi 4:1: For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea,
and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith
the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Isaiah 10:23: For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the
midst of all the land.
The Hebrew word that is translated as 'consumption is also translated as
'consume or 'full end. In Jeremiah 46:28, we read:
Fear thou not, O 1acob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full
end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but
correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.
Moreover, the word 'perish is used about 100 times in the Old Testament
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and about 30 times in the New Testament. In each verse, it emphasizes a cessation of existence. For
example, Job 4:20 declares:
They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any
regarding it.
Furthermore, forms of the words 'destroy and 'destruction are used more than 500 times in the
Bible.
On the other hand, the word 'torment is not found at all in the Old Testament, and only 22 times in
the New Testament. We discover that the context in which this word 'torment is used can range anywhere
from among the following.
1. The torment of the unsaved as they hear the true Gospel (Revelation
11:10).
2. The torment of suffering from illness (Matthew 8:6; Matthew 4:24).
3. The torment of stinging scorpions (Revelation 9:5).
4. The Greek word usually translated 'torment is also translated 'vexed, when the Bible speaks
of Lot`s righteous soul being 'vexed by the sins of Sodom (II Peter 2:8).
5. The Greek word that is translated 'torment is also translated
'sorrowing (Luke 2:48; Acts 20:38).
6. Torment with fire (Revelation 14:10; Luke 16:24).
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We have learned that the final end of God`s judgment process is death. This concept is thoroughly
supported by the Bible`s generous use of words like 'perish, 'destroy, and 'destruction. Incidentally, it
might be noted that words like 'death, 'dead, and 'die can be found more than 1,300 times in the Bible.
It is no wonder then that the Bible declares that the last enemy to be destroyed is death (I Corinthians
15:26).
The Rich Man and Lazarus
We will now review the parable of the rich man and Lazarus that is recorded in Luke 16. Improper
understanding of this parable has resulted in a wrong understanding of God`s judgment process.
The parable describes two individuals. The rich man has all of the joys and comforts this present
world can bring, but he is not saved. The poor man, Lazarus, has none of the good things of this world, but
he is a saved man. Finally, both men die. The rich man is buried, and Lazarus is carried by the angels into
Abraham`s bosom (Luke 16:22). To be in the bosom of Abraham is a picture of being in the highest blessing
in the presence of God. To be buried is to be placed in a grave.
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The parable then continues with a conversation between the dead rich man and Abraham (God),
who is in heaven. Remember we learned that the grave and death are the same as hell. Therefore, it is not
incorrect to say that the rich man was in hell (Luke 16:23). But we must understand that lifting up his eyes
and seeing Lazarus in Abraham`s bosom, and speaking to Abraham, are all hypothetical. That is, God has set
up a completely imaginary tableau, or three-dimensional picture, in order to convey spiritual truth. These
truths include important doctrines such as the following.
1. The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus with a drop of water to cool his tongue (Luke
16:24). There is no mercy or grace to those who have died unsaved.
2. There is a great gulf between heaven and hell. Heaven is eternal life.
Hell is death forevermore. Never, never will those who are dead ever come to life again.
3. The rich man wanted Abraham to send Lazarus to his five brothers because he thought
that such a miracle will cause them to become believers. The truth is, they have Moses and
the prophets, the Bible. If they will not believe the Bible, then they will not believe even if they
witness some great miracle.
4. The rich man is tormented in this flame. The Greek word that is translated 'tormented is used
only in verse 24, in verse 25 ('thou art tormented), in Luke 2:48, and in Acts 20:38. The word
'flame emphasizes the rich man is being punished by God, who is a consuming fire (Hebrews
12:29). The word 'torment, which is defined by its usage in Acts 20:38 and Luke 2:48,
indicates the nature and character of the torment he is experiencing. Therefore, we will
look carefully at this word as it is used in these two other verses.
Acts 20:38: Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face
no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
Luke 2:48: And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son,
why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
In both of these verses, the word that is translated as 'tormented in Luke 16 is translated as
'sorrowing. This sorrowing has nothing to do with physical pain. It is the sorrow of not seeing a loved one
again. The rich man was in torment because he was sorrowing that he could never again have the joys
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and comforts he had experienced in his life on earth, while Lazarus was safe and secure with the greatest
blessings forevermore.
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In other words, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus teaches us nothing at all about eternal pain
in a place called hell. It is teaching us about the penalty of losing all the blessings of this life, and gaining
none of the blessings of eternal life. This parable helps us to understand the experience of Fsau. He was the
firstborn. Therefore, he owned the birthright, which included the right of the double inheritance. Yet he
despised his birthright and traded it for a bowl of soup (Genesis 25:29-34).
In Adam, every human being had the right of the firstborn, the birthright. Jesus explains this in the
parable of the prodigal son. The elder son was told in Luke
15:31, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. The birthright included the double
inheritance of the firstborn (Deuteronomy 21:17). And 'all that I have is thine includes eternal life and
being joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
Because of our sin, which is typified by the bowl of soup, we have lost our birthright. We have lost
the right to life in Christ, which we call spiritual life, and which for the saved is eternal life. We have lost the
right to be co-inheritors with Christ of the new heavens and the new earth. That is an integral part of the
enormous penalty that we must pay for our sin.
Words cannot adequately describe the stupendous loss the unsaved person experiences when,
because of his sin, he loses eternal life with Christ, and he will not reign with Christ throughout eternity, and
he will not be joint-heirs with Him of the new heavens and the new earth. That will certainly be a large part
of the torment that those who enter into the final five months of the earth`s existence will experience. And
they will realize that because they were left behind when the rapture occurred, they will never receive any
part of their birthright.
The torment of the sorrowing of the rich man in the grave, which also can be called hell, surely
gives us some idea of the great torment (sorrowing) that will be present amongst the millions of church
people who had been convinced that they were saved, but at the time of the rapture, they are left behind. No
wonder, as we will presently learn, they are weeping and gnashing their teeth and blaspheming God. We are
learning that the main reaction of those who realize they are eternally outside of the kingdom of God is a
reaction of intense sorrow. This is also taught by the reaction of Fsau who despised his birthright and sold it
to Jacob for a bowl of soup. In Hebrews
12:16-17 we read:
Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his
birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he
was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
About two billion people living today call themselves 'Christian, and most of them are identified
in some manner with a local church. As we look at the local churches all around us, almost all of these
church people fail to believe the Bible`s admonishment to leave the church because God is finished using the
churches to send forth the Gospel. Most of them still believe that Christ is coming as a thief in the night, and
that we cannot know the precise date of the end of time. Most of them trust in a man-made do-it-yourself
gospel, and they have no true understanding of the principle that Christ has done all the work required to
save us. Most of them still
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believe in the traditional understanding of God`s judgment process, which wrongly teaches that on the last
day, the unsaved will be sentenced to terrible torment that they will experience continually forever in a place
called hell.
Nearly two billion of these church people will discover on May 21, 2011, that they have been left
behind. The Bible records that their sorrowing will be as the sorrows (torments) of the rich man in the
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parable we have just examined. We read in Luke 13:28:
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall seeAbraham, and Isaac, and
1acob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
When the day of judgment begins on May 21, 2011, all over the world, millions of true believers
will be changed instantly into their eternal, spiritual bodies and caught up into heaven, in full view of those
who are left behind. Additionally, all over the world, graves will be thrown open, and the bodies of the true
believers will be changed, and they also will be caught up into heaven. This includes the bodies of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. The church people who are left behind will be in shock as they realize they are still
completely under the wrath of God. In their great sorrow, they will be weeping, and yet, also, they will be
gnashing their teeth, showing their great anger at God. It will indeed be a time of immense sorrow for all of
the church people.
God records this in a number of verses, for example, Matthew 8:11-12; Matthew 13:49-50;
Matthew 13:41-42; Matthew 25:30. Some of these verses
emphasize that where the weeping and gnashing of teeth take place, it is called a
furnace of fire, 'And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of
teeth (Matthew 13:50). This is parallel to the rich man`s complaint in Luke 16:24: .I am tormented
|sorrowing] in this flame. Remember, God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12: 29). To be under His wrath is
like being in a burning furnace.
Thus, we learn that by means of this parable, in which a dead man is pictured speaking to God in
heaven (Abraham), we are given much information about the seriousness of the wrath of God.
The most shameful, horrible punishment for any crime is capital punishment. There may be virtually
no physical pain of any kind associated with execution, and yet, it is regarded by mankind as the ultimate
punishment. Why is this so?
This is so because the person who has been executed has shamefully had his right to life taken from
him. He can decide to take his own life by suicide. He can risk his life on the battlefield or by engaging in
mountain climbing. He can pay for his crimes by spending years in prison. But the moment his fellow
humans decree that shamefully, his life is to be taken from him, he is subject to what is regarded as the most
terrible and shameful punishment.
We may not be aware of this, but this earthly execution is an echo or reflection of the punishment
God has decreed for sin. In fact, God records in the Bible the most shameful execution we can ever imagine,
and that execution has everything to do with our salvation. Of course, we are speaking of the death of our
blessed Lord and
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Savior. Therefore, we should very carefully look at His death because from it, we will learn not only how
shame fits into the judgment process, but we will also learn much more about God`s entire judgment upon
sin.
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Chapter Four.
When Did Christ Die?
The first surprising information that we learn as we carefully study all that God teaches us in the
Bible about the atonement is that it was completely finished before God created mankind. In Revelation
13:8, we read of '.the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. We read in Hebrews 4:3:
For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they
shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
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And we read in Matthew 25:34:
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
These verses clearly teach us that all the work required to save was finished from the foundation of the
world.
Now we can understand the verses that speak of Him as the 'only begotten
Son. To be begotten requires a beginning. But Christ is from everlasting (Colossians
1:17). Therefore, He had no beginning. However, in Romans 1:4 we read:
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead:
And in Colossians 1:18, we read that He . is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.
According to these verses, Christ must have been raised from the dead. And since He was the Lamb
slain (put to death) from the foundation of the world, He must have also arisen from the dead from the
foundation of the world. 'From the foundation must be understood as 'before the foundation
because we read in Hebrews 1:2:
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all
things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Since the resurrection of Christ from the dead was the final act of the atonement, we know,
even as we read in Hebrews 1:2, that since Christ as the Son made the worlds, the entire action of the
atonement preceded Creation. Christ could not be called the Son until He arose from death. How all of this
was accomplished is God`s business, but it definitely has to be true because the Bible is absolutely true.
Thus, we now can understand verses such as the following:
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2 Timothy 1:9-10 declares: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us
in Christ 1esus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our
Saviour 1esus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to
light through the gospel:
Hebrews 1:5: For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have
I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
John 1:l8: No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of
the Father, he hath declared him.
Matthew 3:17: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Christ Demonstrates What He Did to Save Us
However, if Christ had done all of the work to save those whom He had chosen to save (the elect)
before He created the world, why did He have to die again on the cross? God answers that question. In Luke
3:6 God declares:
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And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
In I Peter 1:20 He further states:
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these
last times for you.
To be manifested means to be seen, to be shown, to be demonstrated. God provided for our
salvation in an act of love that is beyond our human comprehension. He sent Jesus to this earth to physically
and literally demonstrate to the world what He had already done to pay for the sins of the elect.
Christ spoke in parables. At times the parables were like great tableaus, or three-dimensional
pictures, illustrating Bible truth.* Remember the tableau of the rich man in the grave, which was called hell,
speaking to Abraham, who represented God. He was sorrowing because he had lost everything and because
he experienced the wrath of God, while Lazarus, being in Abraham`s bosom had everything, that is, eternal
life. He was secure, and he was a joint-heir with Christ.
That tableau was tiny compared with the living tableau wherein the main character, the Lord Jesus
Christ, represented Himself. In this tableau, we see Him
receiving a natural, physical body like ours by being born of the virgin Mary. God describes this in Hebrews
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore
when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body
hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Then said I, Lo I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Please note the shift from sacrifices and offerings to Jesus Himself, who is the body prepared to
demonstrate what had happened before the foundation of the world.
Thus, when Jesus went to the cross, He was not there to pay for our sins. That payment was fully
made more than 11,000 years earlier. But in His great love, He was willing to go through all the agony of
bearing God`s wrath on behalf of those He had come to save so that we would see with our own eyes
(through the Bible), the enormous payment that was required.
Now we can better understand why He said, 'O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from
me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt (Matthew
26:39), and asked, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew
27:46). God`s justice did not require that the payment for the sins of the elect be paid twice. This was an
extra, unnecessary act of magnificent love by God. It was anticipated by God. Moses (the law of God)
struck the rock (Christ) twice (Numbers
20:11) when only one strike was necessary to bring forth water (Fxodus 17:6). Isaiah
40:2 declares:
Speak ye comfortably to 1erusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that
her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD`s hand double for all her sins.
Now we understand that Christ suffered once to pay for our sins, and He suffered a second time to
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demonstrate how He paid for our sins. Now we can understand why Pilate, the Roman governor,
repeated again and again, 'I find no fault in him (Luke 23:4, 22; John 19:4, 6; also see Matthew 27:19, 24).
Christ stood before him absolutely sinless. Yet He had to be punished as if He were still laden with all of the
sins of those who were elected to become saved in order to demonstrate how He suffered for those sins.
Curiously, it was the chief priest who condemned Jesus. Matthew 20:18 declares:
Behold, we go up to 1erusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests
and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death.
John 11:50-51 states:
Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the
whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of
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himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that 1esus should die for that nation.
And in John 19:7 we read:
The 1ews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made
himself the Son of God.
Throughout the Bible, the high priest was a type of Jesus the High Priest. It was the task of the high
priest to kill the lamb.
So, Pilate, the governor, who had the legal right to have Jesus executed, in order to please the
Jews, gave the command that Jesus was to be executed by crucifixion. Crucifixion was, in all
likelihood, the most shameful execution ever designed by man. In the crucifixion of Christ, we learn three
very important lessons regarding the following.
1. The shame, the curse, and the agony that Christ endured in making the payment for our sins.
2. The shame and the curse that must be placed on those who do not become saved, and the
additional agony that will be endured by those who enter alive into the day of judgment.
3. The wonder of an eleventh hour pardon.
When Christ was hanged on the cross, He became a public display of someone who has come under
the curse of God. To understand the significance of being cursed, we should look at the fig tree, which Jesus
cursed (Mark 11:14). The fig tree, which represented national Israel throughout the Old Testament, was
cursed when Christ said, 'No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. Thus, the cursing of the fig tree
teaches that, effectively, national Israel was eternally destroyed, insofar as ever being used again of God as a
source of spiritual blessing.
In similar fashion, when mankind was cursed because of their sins, it meant that they must be
subject to the full punishment demanded by the law of God, the punishment which ends with eternal
destruction. We read in Deuteronomy 28:20:
The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine
hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the
wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
Furthermore, we read in Deuteronomy 28:45:
Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till
thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep
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his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee.
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This was the curse that was placed upon Jesus when He made payment for our sins before the
foundation of the world. Later, He demonstrated this curse when He was nailed to the cross, even as
Galatians 3:13 declares:
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
Thus, we can know, as we look at Jesus on the cross under the curse of God, that it means that every
unsaved person will end up with eternal destruction.
We should look closely at the awful spectacle of Jesus being crucified. As we have noted, execution
by crucifixion is probably the most cruel, the most vicious, the most horrible, and the most shameful way by
which a person`s right to life is taken from him. There is the intense agony of the nails driven through his
hands and his feet. There is the intense shame of having his clothes taken from him so that he hangs there
naked. There is the fact of being a public spectacle, where multitudes of his fellow citizens and indeed
anyone in the world can see his shame. There is the fact that for hours he must publicly endure the taunts and
the reviling and mocking of those who wanted him killed. Truly, no execution plan is more gross or shameful
than crucifixion.
When we look at Golgotha where Jesus was crucified, we see three crosses. On two of them are
criminals who are being executed in this horrible, shameful way. In between them, on a third cross, each and
every person Jesus came to save is hanging. No, we are not there personally. Our Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ, is hanging there showing us that He was our stand-in, our substitute. This is the death we should have
endured as payment for our sins. The Bible plainly declares in Galatians 2:20, 'I am crucified with Christ.
Jesus was numbered with the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12; Mark 15:28). It was the purpose of God to
show us, in a dramatic way, God`s judgment plan. First of all, remember that to be crucified was to be cursed
of God. The whole drama of Golgotha, where those crosses stood, was overshadowed by God`s curse upon
us, whereby we are subject to being destroyed forever. The most shameful death we can imagine was in full
view. Two criminals, representing all the peoples of the world, were about to experience the punishment
prescribed by the law, 'For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). They were under the curse of
the law. The law condemned them to be executed by a most shameful and cursed death. People die in
thousands of different ways, but none is as shameful as crucifixion. When they are dead, they will never
again come to life. Therefore, they will have lost the inheritance of eternal life and the inheritance of the new
heavens and the new earth. They will have paid an enormous price for the pleasures they experienced,
the sins they committed, in this life.
We have learned that a great part of the penalty for sin is the loss of the joys and blessings of this
life, together with loss of the inheritance of the kingdom of God, which includes both eternal life and the
inheritance of the new heavens and the new earth. It is true, of course, that those who die before the time of
the rapture are not aware of this. But it is a fact, as taught by the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke
16. When the rich man saw Lazarus in Abraham`s bosom, which spiritually
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directs our eyes to the eternal inheritance of the believer, he compared that with his own sorry existence in
which never again would he enjoy any of the pleasures of his former life, nor would he ever come into the
highest bliss and happiness of the spiritual inheritance. Indeed, he was greatly sorrowing because of this part
of the wrath of God.
As we have learned, the knowledge of this terrible loss of the inheritance will be literally
experienced by the billions of people who will enter into the day of judgment, the final five months. While
still alive, they will see the true believers as they are raptured into the highest glory, while they themselves
remain on earth in this horrible valley of death. Indeed, this proves that an integral part of the punishment for
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sin is the loss of the inheritance. The fact that some people die without knowing they are to lose the
inheritance does not change the fact that because of their sins, as part of the penalty, they lost this incredibly
valuable inheritance.
It Is Finished
The living tableau that showed how Jesus bore the wrath of God for our sins ended when Jesus cried
out, 'It is finished. It was a terrible agony Christ had to experience for a second time. However, the second
time was not as an effort to pay for our sins, but to show us and the principalities and powers how He
suffered, before the world was created, in order to make the full payment.
The three hours of darkness, after which Christ cried out, 'My God, My God, why hast thou
forsaken me? had to include the awesome fact that, when at the beginning of time, Christ made full
payment for our sins, He had died and had risen again. This truth was plainly stated in Psalm 16:10, 'For
thou wilt not leave my soul in hell. Hell is death. Thus, before the payment for sin was complete, Christ
had to arise from death. This is why from that time, Christ could be and would be called the Son of God,
even as we read in Romans 1:4. When He cried on the cross, 'It is finished, it had to mean that the tableau,
the demonstration of Christ`s suffering, was complete.
However, another demonstration immediately follows. True, the mystery of the three hours when
Christ was forsaken by God had to include His death and resurrection because immediately after that
experience of the three hours of darkness, Christ in His soul existence went to heaven (Luke 23:46). That
could happen only after His soul was resurrected from hell (death).
Therefore, to make more visible the fact that He had died and was resurrected to life, God provided
another tableau or demonstration that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead. It actually was a two-part
tableau. The first part was the demonstration of the graves being thrown open. After Jesus` resurrection on
Sunday morning, many bodies came out of graves and went into the holy city (Matthew 27:51-53). This holy
city would have to be heaven because once the veil of the temple was rent, when Christ was still on the
cross, the temple was no longer the holy place. Therefore, Jerusalem was no longer the holy city. The new
Jerusalem was the holy city, and that is a heavenly city. Thus, those resurrected bodies are actually a
demonstration of the rapture. But as God repeatedly points out in I Corinthians 15, if Christ had not been
raised from the dead there could not be the resurrection of anyone from the dead.
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Thus, the resurrection of these bodies on Sunday morning demonstrated that indeed
Christ had been resurrected from the dead.
But there was another part to this tableau, which was given to assure that Christ indeed arose from
the dead. In His soul, Christ went to heaven. His body without His soul was placed in a grave. While in the
grave, His body did not corrupt. It could not corrupt because if it did, it would show that the work of Christ,
as He paid for the sins of the elect before the creation of the world, was not completely finished. Therefore,
Christ`s resurrection from the grave could only be a demonstration.
The fact is, when His body was placed in the grave, in His soul existence He was in heaven. Thus,
in this tableau God foreshadows the rapture by having an actual rising of His body from a very literal grave,
and very literal bodies rising from the graves that were thrown open when the veil of the temple was rent.
Before we leave this tableau of Christ suffering as a shameful, cursed criminal, we must look at one
other part of this demonstration.
The Wonderful Pardon
When a criminal is to be punished for his crimes, he can be sentenced to a shameful execution.
There is no hope of setting aside the sentence of death except by executive pardon. In many countries,
including the U.S.A., the highest ruler has the right to pardon the convict who has been sentenced to die.
And so, until the execution, the friends of the convicted man make every effort they can so that he might
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receive a pardon, and thus be saved from the shameful death that was planned for him. Indeed, sometimes a
convicted person may receive a pardon in the eleventh hour, that is, just moments before he was to be
executed.
God has provided such a pardon for all whom He came to save. It is beautifully set forth in the
Book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 54:7-8 God declares:
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little
wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy
on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.
Then in Isaiah 55:7-8 He says:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return
unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly
pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the
LORD.
In the eleventh hour, one of the thieves who was being crucified with Christ heard the gracious
words from the lips of Jesus, 'To day shalt thou be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43). How wonderful!
That day, which for him began as a shameful execution of a criminal, ended with the glorious home-going of
a child of God. This is the pardon that each and every one of God`s elect people receives.
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Chapter Five.
God`s 1udgment Plan
Now that we have been enabled, by the mercy of God, to know more clearly the judgment plan of
God, as well as the timeline of history, we should attempt to set it forth as lucidly as possible. We must be
sure that all of our conclusions have come from the Bible and are entirely harmonious with all that is taught
in the Bible.
In the year 11,013 B.C., Christ, as the Son of God, created this universe. Because the Bible tells us
that the Son is the Creator, we can know that Christ`s death, as the Lamb from the foundation of the earth,
definitely occurred before creation. He created our first parents, Adam and Fve, in God`s image and likeness
to rule over the creation. They were perfect in every way. They and their descendants, as sons of God, were
to be with God forevermore in the highest glory and happiness. They were created with a body, with the
breath of life, and with a soul or spirit essence.
And God began to give them laws by which they were to live in the greatest happiness, and also, He
began to test their faithfulness to God. One of the first laws that was given to them was that if they ever
disobeyed God, they would die (Genesis
2:17).
God is infinite God who knows in the most minute detail the future of anything and everything. God
knew that soon after creation, mankind would disobey Him. Therefore, even before that happened, God
made provision for a portion of the human race, that eventually would come forth from our first parents,
Adam and Fve, to be rescued from death, the penalty for sin, which was demanded by God`s law.
In the process of carrying out this rescue program, God Himself would be wonderfully glorified as
all of His matchless attributes and characteristics would be displayed. They would be displayed not only
to mankind, but also to all the principalities and powers, of which we know nothing, but are in existence
because of God`s efforts throughout eternity past (Fphesians 3:10-11). We read in II Thessalonians
1:10:
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When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe
(because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Shortly after having been created as perfect beings, our first parents (in whose loins the entire
human race existed), disobeyed God. Therefore, they and the whole human race that was to come from them
should instantly have been executed as payment for sin. However, because God had already paid for the sins
of many of the descendants of Adam and Fve, physical death could not be instant. They had to remain alive
long enough to bear children. These children had to live long enough to bear children, etc., until all the
individuals that God had elected had been born and rescued from the sentence of death that was the result of
their sins. Since many of the persons elected to be saved from their sins would not be born until as late as
13,000 years after creation, the world had to continue for that time.
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Therefore, it is true that our first parents, and the whole human race that would eventually come
from their bodies, died in that we no longer had life in Christ, which we call spiritual life. And also, we
received the sentence of physical death at the moment Adam and Fve sinned. And yet, God provided for the
fact that all were to remain physically alive and have a functioning soul or spirit essence for a length of time
that ended anywhere from immediately after conception to after more than 900 years of physical existence.
But spiritually, all were dead. Life in Christ, which becomes eternal life when the elect person is saved,
is not a part of the existence of the unsaved. The infection of sin that entered the human race when Adam
and Fve sinned was passed on to each and every one of their descendants. Both in their body and in their
soul, sin reigns.
The Bible insists that the human race is dead in sin. The evidence of this spiritual death is that there
is no person who has not sinned except Jesus (Romans
5:12; II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 2:22). Fach sin causes the sentence of physical death to be more firmly
pronounced against the sinner.
We use the term 'spiritual death in speaking about the unsaved; the Bible refers to them as being
'dead in sins (Fphesians 2:5; Colossians 2:13). They, both in body and soul, have been cut off from the life
in God, which was the spiritual life they had at the beginning, before Adam sinned. Remember, each and
every human being was in the loins of Adam, so that when he sinned, we all sinned (I Corinthians
15:22). Fven though they have been cut off from life in God, they can continue to have physical life (a
conscious existence), in body and soul. Physical life comes to an end when the person dies, so that if he had
not become saved, both in body and soul, he is eternally dead. To have life in Christ, or eternal life, man
must be given a new soul and a new body.
This life in Christ is given to each and every person that God had elected to become saved. It is
given to an elect person at the moment God applies the Word of God to the person`s life. At that moment, the
person`s old dead soul is replaced with an eternally alive new soul in which he will never again want to sin (I
John 3:9). He continues to live in his spiritually dead physical body, but he has been guaranteed that at the
time of the rapture, his spiritually dead body will be instantly changed into an eternally alive 'in Christ
body (I Thessalonians 4:13-17, I Corinthians 15:51-52).
Both the elect person, who may or may not have yet experienced the blessing of a new resurrected
soul, and the non-elect person, who is physically alive with a functioning soul, are taught, by means of the
Bible, many things about their sinful situation, and also, about the glorious nature and characteristics of God.
We live in a beautiful world that is filled with an innumerable number of plants, animals, etc., which were
created by God and greatly display His majestic and glorious creation powers.
Furthermore, by means of the Bible, God gives mankind all of the details of His merciful plan to
rescue those whom He has elected to salvation. Because we are living very near the end of time, God is now
revealing many details that describe His plan for the closing years and the final days of history. In the book
he Are Almost There! we have set forth, strictly from the Bible, the precise timetable of each closing event.
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We have learned that the local congregations were the external representation of the kingdom of
God throughout the world for 1,955 years (A.D. 33 to 1988 A.D.), and then, on May 21, 1988, God was
finished with that aspect of His salvation program, and He began to prepare the churches and the world for
the end-time events.
On that date, God placed Satan in all the churches, and He allowed him to rule in all the churches
throughout the world. At the same time, God abandoned the churches insofar as salvation is concerned. He
also began to give those who remained in the churches a strong delusion, so that they would believe a lie (II
Thessalonians
2:11). Moreover, true believers were silenced in the churches as they were driven out or as they obeyed
God`s command to come out of them.
These are some of the means that God began to use in the churches as He prepares the people in the
churches to be recipients of God`s judgment. The Bible warns in I Peter 4:17 that 'judgment must begin at
the house of God.
At the same time, beginning on May 21, 1988, Satan was given much more freedom to help cause
sin to multiply, not only in the churches, but also in the non- church world. We read in Revelation 13:7:
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power
authority] was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Actually, May 21, 1988, was the beginning of a very significant end-time event that is to last a full
23 years (8,400 days), ending on May 21, 2011. The Bible calls this 8,400-day period a time of 'great
tribulation (see pages 50-51 of this study). This 8,400-day great tribulation period, in which we are now
living, is a time when God is preparing the churches all over the world, and the world itself, for the end of
the world.
During the first 2,300 days (May 21, 1988, to September 7, 1994), virtually no one became saved.
However, because there were still numerous elect persons that God had not yet saved, on September 7, 1994,
God began a huge salvation program whereby He will save all those elect individuals (Matthew 24:22). This
harvest of believers is being brought in entirely outside of the churches. It will continue for
6,100 days, the remaining days of the 8,400-day great tribulation period. Throughout this 6,100-day period,
the churches and the world are becoming increasingly sinful as God continues to prepare those who had not
been elected to salvation for their final end.
Then on May 21, 2011, God`s salvation plan for the world will come to an abrupt end. All of those
who had become true believers during the previous 13,000 years and had died will have their bodies
resurrected as a glorified spiritual body. They will be caught up (raptured) in the sight of all the unsaved who
are on the earth at that time. At the same time, all of the true believers living at that time will be
simultaneously changed and caught up to be with Christ forevermore. They, too, will be caught up in the
sight of the unsaved. At the same time, the bones, or whatever remains in the tombs or in the oceans, or
wherever the unsaved were buried, will arise (be thrown out of burial places), and be all over the earth in
preparation for being entirely destroyed on October 21, 2011, when the entire universe will be
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destroyed by fire (see pages 42-43 of this study). Moreover, the desecration of their remains will be a final
shame against them in the eyes of God and the heavenly principalities and powers.
Beginning on May 21, 2011, and continuing for 153 days, the situation on earth will be horrible.
The Bible says there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:11-12, 13:42; Luke 13:28). There no
longer will be any possibility of salvation. Thus, there will be no mercy. The Bible describes this time in
such lurid language (Deuteronomy 28:16-68; Revelation 9:1-21), that it may be describing nuclear
fallout or something equivalent to nuclear fallout. In any case, death will be in evidence everywhere.
And then will come the final day of the earth`s existence. We read in II Peter
3:10:
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. . . the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
The Bible tells us that at the end, death and hell are cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14).
Moreover, God describes the end of this world and gives mankind some insights into the glorious eternal
future that awaits those whom God has rescued. At the same time, by means of the Bible, God describes the
finality of death that will come to each and every person that God had not planned to rescue from the death
that absolutely must come upon them because of sin.
As God has taught us more and more clearly the details of God`s rescue plan, we have learned from
the Bible that the peoples of the world can be divided into several different groups. These groups are as
follows.
1. Those who are not elect, that is, those who were not chosen to be saved, and will never
become saved, and have died before judgment day.
2. Those who are elect, those whom God must save because they were chosen to be saved, and
who are living, but have not yet become saved.
3. Those who are elect and have become saved and are presently living in this world.
4. Those who are not elect and have not died.
5. Those who are elect and have died.
The Non-Elect Who Die Before the Day of 1udgment
A great many people, before the beginning of time, were not elected by God to become saved. Only
God knows who they are. They live in this world for a period of time, and then they die. They die without
realizing that their death was a shameful execution in the eyes of God and in the eyes of the heavenly
principalities and powers.
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Fach time they sinned, they shamed God and brought themselves further under the curse of God.
Moreover, when they died, they may have had some sorrow that they could no longer enjoy the
good things of this world. However, if they died in an accident or in their sleep, they did not even experience
their loss. They did not realize that their death meant that it was absolutely impossible that they would
ever receive the magnificent inheritance that could have been theirs because they were created to be sons of
God. Because each and every person was in Adam, our first parent, when he was created, we were created
with the birthright of the firstborn. That birthright included the inheritance of eternal life. But it was
conditional. It is parallel to the situation with Fsau. If Fsau had not sinned by rejecting his birthright, which
was his by the right of having been physically the firstborn, it would have remained his. If Adam and Fve
had not sinned, they would have forever retained the birthright. That is, they would never have been
removed from the kingdom of God. Like Fsau, the individuals who die unsaved have traded their birthright
for a bowl of soup. We can look at the bowl of soup as representing the instant gratification that sin can
bring. It began already with the sin of Adam.
Thus, even though these people died without any awareness of the huge penalty that they paid for
their sins, it did not change the fact that they did pay that penalty. That penalty was the loss of their
birthright, that is, the kingdom of God. This vividly demonstrates the magnificent mercy of God.
However, even though they are dead and never again will have conscious existence, God is not yet
finished with them. Their bones, or whatever remains of their dead bodies, will be raised from their place of
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burial on May 21, 2011, the date of the rapture, which is also the first day of the Day of Judgment. Their
remains will be scattered as filth or manure on the ground, so that they will be exposed to a most shameful
desecration by vultures, dogs, worms, etc. One last time, they will be grossly shamed in the eyes of God and
in the eyes of the heavenly principalities and powers.
Finally, on October 21, 2011, the last day of the Day of Judgment, their remains, together with the
earth and the entire universe, will be burned with fire and destroyed forever.
The Elect Who Have Not Yet Become Saved
There are people living on this earth who were elected to become saved, but at this moment, they
are still unsaved. Because they are elect of God, and Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world, the penalty for the sins of this group of people was paid long before they were born. God, therefore,
cannot destroy them. They are still spiritually dead, but they are physically alive with a functioning soul, just
like the situation with those who are not elect of God, and who eventually, will be destroyed forevermore.
However, because the sins of all the elect have been covered by the death of Jesus, God must save
them (must pardon them), before they die physically or before the rapture, which will occur on May 21,
2011. At the moment they are saved, they become a part of the group of saved people that will be caught up
to God on May 21,
2011.
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Those Who Are Saved and Are Presently Living in this World
This group of people continues to grow larger because God is presently saving a great multitude that
cannot be numbered. They have already been given a new, eternal, resurrected soul. If they die before May
21, 2011, in their eternally alive soul existence, they instantly will be reigning in heaven with Christ. On
May 21, 2011, their dead bodies will come out of the tombs as an eternal spiritual body, and their bodies will
be caught up (raptured) to be with Christ. Thus, throughout eternity future, they will be a whole personality,
body and soul, that will live and reign with Christ.
If they are still alive on May 21, 2011, instantly they will be given a new eternally alive body. And
they will be caught up to be eternally with Christ.
The Non-Elect Who Are Still Alive on May 21, 2011
This group of people, which is very large, normally would have heard the warning that the end of
the world is almost here. Yet they paid no attention to it. They paid no attention to it because they did not
believe that the Bible is the Word of God. Or they paid no attention to the warning because they implicitly
trusted the teachings of their church, that is, Christ would come as a thief in the night, and therefore, they
need not be concerned with what they believed were false teachings about the return of Christ. Or more
likely, in their love for this world, they paid no attention to the warning because they did not want this world
to end.
For more than 1,900 years, the Bible taught that Christ would come as a thief in the night, and He
has not come. Therefore, many people think it is reasonable to believe that He will not come to end this
world for at least another 100 years or more. Thus, they can be assured that they will continue to enjoy this
world throughout their normally expected lifetime. But when an exact date is given, a date that is only a few
years in the future, that is completely unacceptable to them. Therefore, they absolutely do not want to listen
to the information we have now received from the Bible.
As additional punishment for the people who have heard the warning and refused to heed it, this
group of people will enter, physically alive, into the horrible five-month period called the Day of Judgment,
which begins with the rapture of the true believers on May 21, 2011. They will see people being raptured
while they are left behind. They will be weeping and gnashing their teeth at God in anger. Moreover, for a
period of five months, they will be subject to grievous pain caused by plagues that will begin with a huge
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earthquake that will occur on the first day. If they die during this five-month period, and a great many
probably will, their dead bodies will litter the ground. Finally, on October 21, 2011, the whole universe,
including the earth and all its works, will be burned up, and they will never again become alive.
The Resurrection of the Unsaved Dead
We have learned that when a non-elect person dies, he is dead both in body and in soul. Moreover,
he will never again come to life. The Bible nowhere speaks of the unsaved who have died as ever living
again. But there are a few verses that at
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least infer that they will live again so that they can further experience the wrath of God. We should carefully
examine these verses. We will learn that these verses show us how shame on the unsaved continues all the
way to the last day of this world`s existence. We read in Acts 24:15:
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a
resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
And in John 5:28-29, we read:
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his
voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they
that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
In Daniel 12:2 God says:
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.
These verses speak of dead people who are not saved becoming awake and hearing the voice of
God. How is that possible, if that person has not first been made alive so he can hear God`s voice?
The answer can be found in Fzekiel 37, where in both parabolic language and in literal, earthly
language, God addresses this question. In verses 4 and 5, God declares:
Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear
the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause
breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
In these verses, God is saying that before the breath of life has entered into them, these dry bones
can hear the Word of the Lord. Spiritually, God is declaring that those whom He plans to save are like dry
bones with no life within them. They are spiritually dead, even though they are physically alive. But God
can give these spiritually dead people spiritual ears to hear, which He does as He raises them from spiritual
death to eternal life.
And God speaks in a literal, earthly way when He further declares in Fzekiel
37:12-13:
Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people,
I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the
land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my
people, and brought you up out of your graves,
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These verses can be understood spiritually, but they are also teaching a literal, earthly truth. At the
time of the rapture, the dead bodies of the elect will hear His voice and will come forth. Their bodies will be
given eternal life because they will be raised with an eternal, spiritual body (I Corinthians 15:44).
However, even as the dead bodies of the elect individuals heard the Word of God before they were
given breath (Fzekiel 37:4-5), the bones or remains of those who were not saved, while equally dead, can
hear the Word of God. The principle that God establishes in Fzekiel 37 is that He can command anything to
obey His will, as He wishes. Remember, for example, Mark 4:39 and 41, where we read:
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind
ceased, and there was a great calm. . . . And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another,
What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
In order for the wind and the waves to obey the command of Jesus, they had to be awake to hear His
voice. Likewise, the dead bones and the remains of the unsaved can be awakened to hear the voice of God
without becoming literally alive. That is what will occur when God brings the remains of the unsaved dead
out of the graves at the time the day of judgment begins. These remains will be like litter or filth on the
ground.
We should be aware of how carefully God wrote these three verses that speak of a rising or a
resurrection of the dead. In Acts 24:15 God declares that there will be a resurrection of the unjust. It appears
to indicate that the resurrection of the unsaved is identical to the resurrection of the believers. However, in
John 5:29 God stipulates that the unsaved are resurrected to damnation. The word 'damnation signifies
some aspect of the punishment the unsaved receive for their sins. What part of the punishment does
God have in mind?
The third verse, Daniel 12:2, tell us what God has in mind. It is a resurrection to shame and
contempt. This will occur when their bodies and bones are raised from the graves and thrown all over the
ground, so that they will be shamed before those who are still living at the beginning of the day of judgment,
and before God, and before the principalities in the heavens. This sad event is described in Jeremiah 7:33
through 8:2, where we read:
And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of
the earth; and none shall fray them away. Then will I cause to cease from the cities of 1udah,
and from the streets of 1erusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of
the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate. At that time, saith
the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of 1udah, and the bones of his princes,
and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of
1erusalem, out of their graves: And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and
all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom
they have walked, and whom they
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have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be
buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
In Nahum 3:5-6 God says:
Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy
face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame. And I will cast
abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.
Believers 1udging the Unsaved
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At the beginning of the Day of Judgment, May 21, 2011, when the dead bodies of the Ninevites are
seen being caught up (raptured) into the clouds to be with Christ, it will be a judgment and condemnation
upon those left behind. The Ninevites recognized their wickedness and very humbly repented, and cried to
God for mercy, hoping that maybe God would not destroy them. The Bible informs us that God in His
mercy did save them.
The fact of the Ninevites` resurrected spiritual bodies being raptured emphasizes the sin of
those left behind. This condemnation is especially true for those who had believed they were saved but
whose trust was in their church or their baptism, etc. In that sense, they will receive greater judgment than
those who have not known the Bible. The rapture of the Ninevites, which clearly will show that they
had become saved, is huge evidence that those left behind had not become saved and
definitely will be under the wrath of God. This explains passages such as the following.
Mathhew 12:41: The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall
condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of 1onas; and, behold, a greater than
1onas is here.
Revelation 2:26: And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I
give power over the nations.
Revelation 3:9: Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are 1ews,
and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to
know that I have loved thee.
I 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?
We are reminded of I Peter 2:12, where we read:
Having your conversation |conduct] honest among the Gentiles: that,
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whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall
behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
In this context, the phrase 'glorify God in the day of visitation relates to those who are to be
punished for their sins, even as Achan was told to give God the glory as he was about to be executed for his
sin (Joshua 7:18-26).
Thus, we can understand that when the unsaved recognize that someone has truly become saved (as
evidenced by the rapture of that person) it brings judgment and condemnation on those who thought they had
become saved, but now know they were not saved because they were left behind at the time of the rapture.
They are being condemned by the true believers who have been raptured.
Actually, that will be the situation in the entire world on May 21, 2011, when the bodies of the true
believers who had previously died, together with all of the true believers living at that time, are caught up to
be with Christ. This will be an enormous condemnation on the world, and especially on those who are in the
churches all over the world, who during the church age were represented by the 12 tribes of Israel
(Revelation 7:4-8; Matthew 19:28). It will be the proof that all of those who are left behind are under the
eternal judgment of God.
The fullness (No. 12) of all believers who reign with Christ will judge both the world and the
churches (12 tribes, see Matthew 19:28) by the fact that they are eternally with Christ, and the world and the
churches are rightfully to be forever destroyed in everlasting fire.
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The Battle of Armageddon
The battle of Armageddon, spoken of in Revelation, is what we are presently describing. The army
of the true believers, which is safe and secure at this time with Christ, does not actually engage in any kind
of literal battle with the unsaved. However, the enormous evidence that they indeed had become saved will
be seen throughout the world at the time of the rapture. This will be a great judgment and condemnation on
the armies of the unsaved who are left behind at the time of the rapture.
The Word of God itself brings judgment upon the sinner, and so, too, the certain evidence of
salvation in the lives of those who have been raptured is a judgment on the unsaved. We read in Hebrews
11:7:
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an
ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the
righteousness which is by faith.
The fact that the ark brought safety to Noah when the flood waters came was a judgment on the
unsaved who perished in the flood, even as the Word of God itself brings condemnation on those who violate
it.
How will the armies of the unsaved fight in the battle of Armageddon? God says in Joel 3:9-16:
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Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of
war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks
into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and
gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O
LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of 1ehoshaphat: for there will I
sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get
you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes,
multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The
LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from 1erusalem; and the heavens
and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the
children of Israel.
Like the ten virgins spoken of in Matthew 25, who were awakened when the Bridegroom (Christ)
came, so, at the beginning of judgment day, the unsaved are to be ready to do battle with those who have
become saved. Their battle is one of intense frustration and great anger as they weep and gnash their teeth at
God for leaving them behind.
Matthew 7:22-23: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 8:11-12: And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall
sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and 1acob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of
the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.
Matthew 13: 49-50: So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever
the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be
wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Luke 13:26-28: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou
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hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart
from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye
shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and 1acob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and
you yourselves thrust out.
Revelation 16:10-11: And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his
kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the
God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
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In Revelation 17:14 God speaks of this war, and there we read:
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of
lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
The end of the war is described, for example, in Revelation 19:19-21:
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make
war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 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. And the remnant were slain with the sword of
him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were
filled with their flesh.
We will learn that the end of this war will be when God destroys the entire universe.
Summary
We should now summarize what we have learned in connection with God`s judgment process as it
relates to the end-time events of this world.
1. The traditional view, which teaches that each and every unsaved person will literally stand
before Christ as the Judge, and be found guilty, and be sentenced to be forever grievously
tormented in a place called hell, is bankrupt.
2. The church age ended on May 21, 1988. The next period of time, which is precisely 8,400 days
in duration, ends on May 21, 2011. It is called the great tribulation.
3. The great tribulation is divided into two periods of time. The first period runs from May 21,
1988, to September 7, 1994. During this time, virtually no one in the entire world became
saved. The second period is 6,100 days, which runs from September 7, 1994, to May 21, 2011.
During this period, no one is becoming saved inside the churches, but outside the churches a
great multitude do become saved. The Bible particularly emphasizes that there will be many
coming to salvation who identify with Ishmael, the son of Abraham. Moreover, it emphasizes
that many of those who are the last to become acquainted with the Bible will be coming into the
kingdom of God.
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4. The entire 8,400-day period of the great tribulation will be a time when God is separating the true
believers (the elect) from those who claim to be believers, but are not. God is making this separation
by setting forth a number of tests, such as those that are found in the following principles.
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a. Fvery word in the original languages in which the Bible was written came from the mouth of
God.
b. Fvery word in the Bible is the law of God that has the same authority as God Himself.
c. Believing is a work that we do, so no one can believe in such a way that he will become saved.
All the work that had to be done to save someone was done by Christ, long before that person was
born.
d. Fven though the Bible is about 1,900 years old, and since it was completed, no words have been
added to it. In our day, when we are very near to the end of time, a great amount of new truth is
being revealed by the Holy Spirit.
e. The church age is finished and God commands people to leave the churches. Satan rules there,
and God is no longer saving people within the churches.
f. Christ has now revealed that He will not come as a thief in the night. g. God has given the true
believers the exact day, month, and year of
His return so that the world can be warned.
h. God has given the true believers much new information from the
Bible concerning the details of God`s judgment process.
i. God is giving the entire world the precise time of the end of the world so that they have an
opportunity to repent and cry to God for mercy, as did the Ninevites when Jonah warned them of
impending destruction. Those who are true believers are earnestly concerned about what the Bible
teaches, and they recognize it as their only authority. They will carefully check these teachings and
believe them. For those who trust their churches, or their church creeds, or their own thinking,
these teachings are a severe test. Those who are not elected to salvation will have great difficulty
with them.
5. The great tribulation will end on May 21, 2011, which is also the date of the beginning of the Day of
Judgment, which is also called 'The Day of the Lord. The Day of Judgment will continue for 153
days, until October 21, 2011, at which time the world will end.
6. May 21, 2011, will mark the end of God`s salvation program. On that day, the catching up (the
rapture) of all the elect (those who are truly saved) will occur. The bodies of those who were saved
will be resurrected as glorious spiritual bodies. The believers who are still living on that day will
instantly receive new spiritual bodies, and they also will be caught up to be forever with Christ.
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7. Almost seven billion people will be on earth at that time, and they will witness the rapture of the true
believers. Those left behind will be divided into two groups. About one-third of them, or about two
billion of them, will be church people. They have had some knowledge of Bible truth and believed
they were Christians. The remaining group will consist of all of the rest of the peoples of the world
who were left behind.
8. That awesome day, May 21, 2011, will be preceded by very ordinary days, during which time, all over
the world, it will be business as usual.
9. However, on that day, there will be a super enormous earthquake, so that all over the world, every
grave, every burial place will be thrown open. And the remains of people that had been buried there
will be thrown out on the ground. (Fxcept for the remains of the true believers because their remains
will become a glorious body that is raptured.)
10. This earthquake will create great destruction over all the world, resulting in tsunamis, destroyed water
systems and power plants, etc. Thus, there will be great plagues.
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11. This will be a time of horrible sorrow for the church people. They had thought that they were the ones
who were to be raptured. Suddenly, they will realize that they have been left behind and are under the
full wrath of God. They will dramatically realize that they can no longer enjoy the comforts and
desires of living in this present world. Much worse, they will know that they are forever cut off from
eternal life with Christ and of being inheritors of the new heavens and the new earth.
In addition, they will be in great shame in the eyes of those who knew nothing of the Bible but who
now see that their Christianity was totally false and hypocritical. More than that, they will be in great
shame in the eyes of God and the heavenly principalities and powers. In God`s eyes, their death will
be a shameful execution because they were completely under the curse of God. And they will
experience physical pain, which results from the plagues that will occur all over the world. All of
them will die (be shamefully executed in God`s eyes) on or before the last day, October 21, 2011.
12. The remaining group of people who never claimed to be Christians, and who were left behind when
the believers were raptured, will also experience the sorrow of knowing that they have been cut off
from the joys and aspirations of the life they were living on this earth. They, too, will endure great
physical suffering, which will result from the plagues they are enduring. They, too, will be shamed in
the eyes of God and the heavenly principalities and powers. They, too, will die on or before the last
day, October 21, 2011. Their deaths, too, will be a shameful execution in the eyes of God and the
heavenly principalities and powers.
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13. At the time of the rapture, all the graves will be thrown open, and all the corpses, bones, ashes,
dust, or whatever remains of people that were in them, and which had not been raptured, will be
scattered like manure on the earth. The vultures, dogs, and worms will feed on the dead bodies.
These people, at the time of their death, had no idea how great a penalty they had paid for their
sins. Many of them were buried with great honor, but in God`s sight, their death was a shameful
execution. Most of them realized their death would deprive them of the joys and hopes for this
life, but none realized how great a penalty they paid in losing the birthright, the
inheritance of eternal life and the new heavens and the new earth.
14. By having their remains thrown out of the tombs, it is one more shame those people must
endure, even though they, themselves, will have been long dead and will not be aware of it.
God emphasizes the shame of sin by throwing open all the burial places of those individuals so
that their remains can be desecrated. Their remains are being shamed in the eyes of God, in the
eyes of the principalities and powers in the heavens, and in the eyes of those left behind who
are to experience the day of judgment. The greater their knowledge of the law of God, the
greater will be their shame in the eyes of God and the heavenly creatures.
15. At the end of the 153 days of this great horror, which is called Judgment Day (May 21 to
October 21, 2011), the end of this world will come. The earth and all of its works will be
burned up, even as the whole universe will be destroyed. The 13,023-year history of the world
and all that has transpired here will be remembered no more.
16. The true believers, who will be raptured, will live forever in the highest joy and happiness as
the bride of Christ, and will reign with Him forevermore.
17. The usual means by which God brings judgment on sin, and condemns the sinner to endure all
of the punishments for sin, as described in the Bible, is the law of God. But God also uses the
lives of the true believers to be a condemnation on the sinner. This will be especially true on the
day of the rapture. All the believers being raptured before the eyes of the church people who are
left behind will be a tremendous witness that the Word of God, as followed by those who are
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raptured, is absolutely true and trustworthy. It will be a vivid demonstration and proof that the
church people and the others left behind had not obeyed the Word of God.
The traditional understanding of God`s judgment plan, which teaches that the sinner will
forevermore be in a place called hell, suffering fearful torment, is completely contrary to the teachings of the
Bible.
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Every Eye Shall See Him
About 2,000 years ago our Lord Jesus Christ personally came to this world. He came very literally
and physically as the Son of God and as the Son of man. Thousands of people in the nation of Israel had the
privilege of seeing Him during a time period of almost 40 years. He then went back to heaven, but promised
He would come again. At the time He went back into heaven, two angels told the apostles, as we read in Acts
1:11:
. . . why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same 1esus, which is taken up from you into
heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
To come 'in like manner is a very ambiguous term. It could mean that He will come again looking
exactly like He did when He went into heaven. When He came the first time, He came as the Son of God and
as the Son of man. And 'in like manner could mean, for example, that He will come again as the Son of
God but in great glory. We must search the Bible to learn more about this awesome event, the second coming
of the Lord Jesus.
We have already learned that the time of the second coming of Jesus must coincide with the time of
the rapture, which in turn coincides with the first day of the
153 days of the day of judgment. That date is May 21, 2011. On that day, the graves will be opened, and all
the dead bodies of those who previously had become saved will be resurrected as glorified spiritual bodies.
At the same time, the carcasses, bones, etc., of all the unsaved who had previously died will be thrown out of
the graves as filth on the ground. Those who are still living and are true believers will be instantly changed
into their heavenly bodies, and will be caught up to heaven in the sight of all those who are left behind.
Indeed, about 6 billion people who are left behind will also know that Jesus has come. And we can be very
certain that it is at the time of the rapture that everyone will see Jesus in His second coming.
Thus, we can be sure that the coming of Christ, when every eye shall see
Him, identifies with the rapture. That is why He will come 'with clouds (Revelation
1:7), and 'with clouds indicates that He has come to punish. Remember, the day of the rapture is also the
first day of the 153-day period that is the day of judgment.
However, nowhere does the Bible teach that on the day of the rapture the unsaved of the world will
literally, physically see Jesus. And yet, Revelation 1:7 declares that 'every eye shall see him.
The solution to this puzzle is found, for example, in John 1:51, where we read that Jesus told
Nathanael:
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and
the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Do we read anywhere in the Bible that Nathanael ever literally saw heaven open, and angels literally
climbing up and down into heaven on the Lord Jesus? Of
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course the Bible records nothing like that. However, if we remember that the word 'angel can be translated
'messenger, and every true believer is a messenger of the Gospel, then we know what Nathanael was to see.
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As people become saved, they are made to spiritually ascend into heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Fphesians
2:6). In other words, when we are given salvation, we are spiritually in heaven with Christ because we have
been given new resurrected souls. Instantly, as it were, we came into heaven altogether by what Jesus did for
us. And therefore, we must get busy on this earth serving as ambassadors of Christ.
In other words, Jesus was telling Nathanael that he would see people becoming saved, and
then they would be used of Christ to send out the Gospel. The same idea of seeing Christ in the future, by
being a witness to Christ`s present actions, is seen in the statement Jesus made to the wicked high priest,
Caiaphas, in Matthew
But 1esus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the
living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 1esus saith unto
him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man
sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Caiaphas died about 2,000 years ago and will never live again. Caiaphas witnessed Jesus on the
cross, and he became fully aware that Jesus arose from the dead. He was well enough acquainted with the
Bible of his day (the Old Testament), to know that Jesus met all the requirements to be the Messiah. As the
high priest, Caiaphas would have known Psalm 16:10, where we read:
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither will thou suffer thine
Holy One to see corruption.
See also Matthew 27:62-66, Matthew 28:11-15, and Daniel 7:13-14.
Many supernatural things were going on at the time of the cross, supernatural things that identified
with Bible prophesy. Caiaphas, the high priest, would have been well acquainted with Old Testament
prophecies relating to the coming Messiah, and so, he should have been able to see that, indeed, Jesus is the
Christ who is coming as the supreme Ruler of the earth and who would complete the entire judgment
process.
Returning now to the prophecy that every eye shall see Jesus, we can know that because of the
enormous events of the rapture, and the events that cause the opening of all the graves, every person will
know that Christ has come. He will have come to complete the salvation of the believers and He will have
come to complete the judgment process on those who were not saved.
Because of the great importance of the day of the rapture, we will now examine two other
passages that speak of everyone seeing the coming of Jesus. We will examine Matthew 24:27-31, where we
read:
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the
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carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those
days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall
from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of
the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see
the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send
his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the
four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
These verses very clearly teach that Christ`s coming will be worldwide. That is, the evidence that
He has come will be seen everywhere in the world. The fact that the tribes of the earth mourn (vs. 30)
coincides with phrases like 'weeping and gnashing of teeth that we find elsewhere in the Bible. Indeed,
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all of the language of these verses identifies altogether with what we have learned concerning the day of the
rapture.
But why is verse 28 inserted in this passage? It is teaching that there will be corpses, which will
bring together the eagles. Obviously, these eagles are there to feed on the dead bodies that have been thrown
out of the graves. The presence of corpses clearly teaches that when the Bible speaks of the resurrection of
the just and the unjust, it definitely is not implying that the unsaved will be resurrected to some kind of
conscious existence. Instead, it is teaching that the unsaved will be raised (thrown out of the graves) to be
desecrated. They will be further shamed in the eyes of God and other heavenly creatures.
The more a person knows God`s Word without becoming saved, the greater
his shame will be in the eyes of God. This is part of his punishment. That is why Jesus indicated that
Capernaum, a city in which Jesus had ministered a long time and yet almost none had become saved, would
be under more punishment than Sodom. Sodom knew very little of God`s Word. We read in Matthew 11:23-
24:
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if
the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have
remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of
Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Likewise, an unsaved preacher or Bible teacher who is still alive in the Day of Judgment, depending
on how much he knew of the Bible, will be shamed in the eyes of God and the world, and as a corpse when
he dies, as part of his punishment.
Another passage we should look at is Luke 17:36-37, where we read:
Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered
and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither
will the eagles be gathered together.
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Two individuals are in the field. One is taken. He is a true believer and he is caught up to be with
Christ. The other person is not saved, and so, he is left. Then came the question, where is he left? The answer
is that he is left where the body is, and the eagles are gathered together. When the Bible speaks of an eagle
(singular), normally, it is speaking of God coming in judgment, or God`s compassionate love for His people
(Deuteronomy 33:11). But when the word 'eagle is plural, it is used to signify that they are feeding like
vultures or buzzards on corpses (Matthew 24:28). Thus, we can understand that those who are left behind at
the time of the rapture are companions of the corpses that have been thrown out of the graves.
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Chapter Six.
A Kingdom Created to Demonstrate the Glory and
Wisdom of Christ
We have been earnestly searching the Bible so that we might know, as accurately as
possible, God`s judgment process. But there is a very important question we have not tried to answer. Yet it
is such an important question that we must search the Bible to see if indeed it does provide an answer. The
question is: WHAT IS GOD`S PURPOSF IN CRFATING THIS WORLD, AND THFN AFTFR 13,023
YFARS, DFSTROYING IT?
To begin to find an answer to this very important question, we must learn what God has to say
about the principalities and powers that He has created in the heavens, and so, we will look at the following
verses.
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Colossians 1:16: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all
things were created by him, and for him.
Fphesians 3:10: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.
Colossians 2:10: And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.
The Bible also speaks of future principalities and powers in Fphesians 1:21:
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is
named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
Additionally, there are a few verses that speak of principalities as they may relate to man`s
government on earth and Satan`s rule on earth.
Romans 8:38: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Fphesians 6:12: For we wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Colossians 2:15: And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it.
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Titus 3:1: Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to
be ready to every good work.
Fphesians 6:12 uses the term 'high places because it refers to church members trying to
serve God, throughout the church age, while under the influence of Satan. In reviewing all of these verses it
is very obvious that in eternity past, God has been very active in establishing heavenly principalities and
powers, which are all adjuncts or parts of God`s total heavenly kingdom. This has been true not only of the
past, but it will continue in the future (Fphesians 1:21).
When we search the Bible to learn what to expect in these individual principalities, which
all together make up the entire kingdom of God, we would expect the following.
1. God alone is the supreme Ruler of each and every principality that is part of God`s kingdom
(Fphesians 1:19-23).
2. The purpose of every citizen of the kingdom of God is to glorify God.
3. Sin is not a part of the kingdom of God, and therefore, has no place in these kingdoms.
4. Citizens of God`s kingdom do not marry nor are they given in marriage
(Matthew 22:30).
5. God`s kingdom is an eternal kingdom that will never be destroyed
(Daniel 6:26).
Having learned some fundamental principles upon which the kingdom of God is built, we look with
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amazement upon the kingdom of God as presently found on planet earth. It appears to violate every
characteristic of what a principality ought to be that is ruled by God.
When we carefully examine this kingdom that identifies with planet earth, we see that in its earliest
infancy, many strange things appear that do not seem to agree with our normal expectation of the kingdom of
God. First, when God created this beautiful world, He put within it the Garden of Fden. Why would God do
this? A garden (the Garden of Fden) in a world that is perfectly lovely appears to be pointing to a time when
the kingdom of God (represented by the Garden of Fden), would be in some kind of sinful world.
Secondly, why did God create this world requiring marrying and giving in marriage? This would
bring about a multiplication of the human race, so that there would be literally billions of people who would
be infected with sin because they were all present in the body of Adam.
Thirdly, since God knows the intents of the heart before the desire to sin has developed (Hebrews
4:12), He therefore would have known of the angel Lucifer`s desire to be a king (Isaiah 14:13-14). Why
would He allow Lucifer access into the Garden of Fden?
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Finally, why would God, in this perfect new world, give a tree the intriguing and exotic name, 'the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and make Adam and Fve aware of it by commanding them not to
eat of it, and also, make Lucifer aware of it and of this command? The solution is found in God`s declaration
of Fphesians
3:10:
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly
places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.
In this verse, God discloses to us that throughout eternity past, God had been creating heavenly
organizations of various kinds. All those in these organizations are to be treated to a 13,023-year spectacle
that will demonstrate the wisdom and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To accomplish this, about 13,000 years ago, God created one more heavenly organization, which is
our world. It was an unusual organization because it was to have people in it marrying and bearing children.
We are told by the Bible that in heaven, people do not marry. Yet it was God`s purpose that this organization
that began with two people, Adam and Fve, would grow to be billions of people. It was different in that it
had come under the curse of God because sin reigned everywhere. It was different in that it was on display
to all of the other heavenly organizations that God had created throughout eternity past. It was different in
that God named a precise day, month, and year when it would cease to exist. It was different in that at the
end of its existence, 200 million of its inhabitants would be taken into heaven as the bride of Christ, to reign
with Christ forevermore.
It was also different in that during most of its existence, it was ruled over by a wicked fallen angel
named Lucifer or Satan. By right of conquest, Lucifer had conquered mankind by getting first Fve and
then Adam to disobey God. In our judgment, God should have instantly destroyed Lucifer for that
outrageous act. But God allowed him to become the head ruler of the earth and its inhabitants for the first
11,000 years of its existence. It is in this kind of world that God began to build the kingdom of God on earth.
All of these questions and observations are valid because Christ is the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the earth. This assures us that God absolutely designed the principality of this world knowing
that it would become a principality of sin. It would become, and was designed to become, a kingdom very
much unlike those God had created throughout eternity past.
But why? Why was it created so unlike all of the other principalities and
powers in the heavenlies?
Significantly, a great many angels were accomplices of Lucifer in his scheme to become king, so
that they, under the curse of God, became demons or devils or evil spirits (Jude 6). However, there is no
Biblical record of another rebellion against the authority of God, just this one, thus indicating that God
allowed this one to further God`s desires for the purpose of this earth.
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The fact that God placed Lucifer in the Garden of Fden, even before Lucifer himself knew that to be
king was the intent of his heart (see Isaiah 14:13-14 and Hebrews 4:12), is typical of the way God
sometimes uses those who are evil to
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accomplish His own purposes. Two examples are Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and the ten brothers
who sold Joseph into slavery (Genesis 50:15, 20).
God knew full well that billions of people were in the loins ofAdam (Hebrews
7:9-10, I Corinthians 15:22). WhenAdam rebelled, each and every one of these billions of people would be
sentenced to die, but God had already made provision to save 200 million of these people. To accomplish
this, God first prepared two books. The first book named every person who would become a descendant of
Adam. The second book, which is called the Lamb`s book of life, had 200 million names in it. These
individuals were to be saved by God Himself being their Savior. God Himself, then, in the person of the
Lord Jesus Christ, was laden with each and every sin of these 200 million individuals. And being found
guilty of all these sins, He was put to shameful death on behalf of each of these people. He was the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. Actually, this terrible punishment came upon Christ before this world
was created. We read in I Peter 1:20:
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these
last times for you,
And in Matthew 25:34, we read:
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
And in 2 Timothy 1:9-10, we read:
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but
according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ 1esus before the world
began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour 1esus Christ, who hath
abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
See also Hebrews 4:3.
Hell means to be dead. To be dead means all life is gone forever. Jesus said, for example, in Psalm
16:10:
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine
Holy One to see corruption.
Because He was victorious over hell, His soul did arise from the dead. This is proven by Romans
1:4, where we read:
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead:
This verse also teaches us that only because Christ arose from the grave
(Hell) can He be called the Son of God. Christ has no beginning. He is eternal God
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from everlasting past. A son has a beginning. This is emphasized by the declaration of God in John 3:16 ...
He gave his only begotten Son. To be begotten implies a beginning. How can God speak of Christ having
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a beginning? He had a beginning in that He became dead and then became alive again. Thus, once He arose
from the dead, He could be called the Son of God. Fven though Christ is Fternal God, before He could
create this world, He had to rise from the dead. This is proven by Hebrews 1:2:
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the worlds;
This, in turn, proves that the full payment for the sins of the elect was made before the creation of
the universe.
Therefore, the question may be asked: 'Was it necessary that Christ die twice in order to fully pay
for our sins? Remember the historical parable of Fxodus 17:6:
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock,
and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight
of the elders of Israel.
The rock represented Christ. Moses represented the law of God. The water represents the Gospel of
Salvation which became available because Christ was punished to satisfy the demands of the law. In this
citation, we learn that Christ, the rock, was struck but once by Moses, the law; and the water (salvation)
flowed from the rock.
However, in Numbers 20:10-11, Moses struck the rock twice and water came forth. But in so doing,
Moses went beyond what God had commanded him to do, and so Moses was denied the privelege of leading
Israel across the Jordan river into the Promised Land.
In other words, the rock was struck twice when all that was required was that it be struck once.
Jesus was punished twice even though full payment for our sin demanded that He be punished only once.
Therefore, we are certain that the second time He was punished, at which time He physically hung
on the cross, was not a payment for sin. As we are learning, it was a demonstration of how He had made
payment for our sins before this world was created.
The Elect: 200 Million People
Curiously, God in His wisdom gives us the number of people whom He has elected to become
saved.
We can be quite certain that the total accurate number of people that God plans to save is 200
million people. This includes every person who will be raptured on May 21, 2011. On that awesome day, the
body of every true believer who has lived and subsequently died will be raised from the dead and caught up
to be with Christ. At the same moment, every living true believer will be given his eternal
resurrected body and caught up as a whole personality into heaven.
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In Revelation 9:14 they (the true believers) are spoken of as four angels bound in the River
Fuphrates. While the River Fuphrates flowed through Babylon, in the Bible, God normally associates it
with the promised land, the land of Israel (Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7, 11:24; Joshua 1:4, etc.). It was
the river that typified the farthest extent of the kingdom of God, which was typified by the land of Israel.
All the elect, that is, all those who will be raptured, are presently identified by the kingdom of God
but are bound at the edge (the Fuphrates River) of the kingdom of God. This is because they become fully
identified with the kingdom of God when their salvation is completed at the time they receive their
resurrected bodies. They are called four angels, or four messengers, because the number four signifies the
fullest extent. The number four emphasizes that they are to be found throughout the entire world and are to
include the last one who becomes saved.
We must learn and understand that this magnificent demonstration of the glory and wisdom of God
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stands forever, so that it will never happen again.
We read in Revelation 1:18:
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the
keys of hell and of death.
The words 'I am alive for evermore guarantee that this kind of demonstration will never
happen again.
The number 200 million is effectively given twice. In Revelation 9:16 the number that is given is
'200 thousand thousand (200 million). The Bible then says, '.and I heard the number of them. This
language assures us that this is
established by God and will shortly come to pass (Genesis 41:32).*
They are mounted on horses, thus identifying them with the armies of heaven described in
Revelation 19:11-16, where we read:
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called
Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame
of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but
he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The
Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed
in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he
should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his
thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
God indicates their special target is the third part of men, as we read in
Revelation 9:15:
And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month,
and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
In the Bible, the third part originally identified with the true believers, who were to be found
especially in the churches throughout the world. We read of them in Zechariah 13:9:
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and
will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is
my people: and they shall say, the LORD is my God.
However, because the churches quickly became so apostate, God speaks of them, particularly in the
Book of Revelation, as the third part that is to be destroyed by God.
God principally makes people subject to the wrath of God at the time they break His law. Breaking
the law of God condemns people to death. But also, there will be condemnation of those who claimed
obedience to the Bible. It will be proven that they were not obedient by the fact that they were not raptured.
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They are the third part. Thus, those who are not raptured are pictured in Revelation 9:17-18, where we read:
And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire,
and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out
of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men
killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Those who claimed to be believers but were left behind at the time of the rapture will be further
condemned by the fact that they are enduring God`s wrath as it is being poured out at judgment day. This is
what God is teaching in the following passages.
Matthew 12:41-42: The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall
condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of 1onas; and, behold, a greater than
1onas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation,
and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom
of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
Luke 22:30: That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging
the twelve tribes of Israel.
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All of the foregoing is in view when theologians speak of the battle of Armageddon. The
armies of the righteous will have been raptured. The peoples of the churches will be weeping and gnashing
their teeth (Matthew 8:11-12; 13:42, 50;
22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28), because they have been left behind.
Millions of Unsaved People Have Died Unaware of the Wrath of God
To our great surprise, we learn that most unsaved people who have died, or will die prior to May 21,
2011, never feel or are conscious of God`s wrath upon them because of their sins. How can this be? We have
learned that the wrath of God is multilayered. It consists of the following.
1. Great shame.
2. Fxecution (death, hell).
3. Loss of privileges of this life.
4. Loss of the inheritance of eternal life, together with the loss of the inheritance of the
new heavens and the new earth.
5. Fternal destruction, never to exist again.
While all of these punishments come upon the unsaved person, ordinarily, the person dies with no
awareness that his death was a result of sin in his life. If he is a church member, he probably believes in the
traditional view that sinners go to hell where they are eternally tormented. But this is no problem to him
because he is certain that he is a born-again, confessing member of that church.
In fact, in the lives of most church people, and frequently in the lives of people outside the church,
the belief is that death is a marvelous moment of going to a better land. Thus, death is looked upon as a time
of victory, even though it is tinged with sorrow because of the separation from loved ones and from the good
things the person enjoyed in this life.
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However, the unsaved person who has died is now eternally dead. Never will he have consciously
experienced the wrath of God. True, at the time of the rapture, the remains of his body that have been placed
in a grave will be shamefully thrown out of the grave, to be shamed by God and by the heavenly spectators.
But the unsaved dead person will have no conscious knowledge of this. True, he has lost his birthright of
eternal life and the inheritance of the new heavens and the new earth, but he is not at all aware of it.
Moreover, during the lifetime of these individuals, often there has been great enjoyment and
happiness. They have experienced things such as the love of family and the enjoyments of living in a
beautiful world. Thus, life and death are all good, even though they never became saved. Where, then, is the
wrath of God upon these individuals who never became saved? Somehow, it seems we have lost our way in
our understanding of the judgment process of God.
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But we have not lost our way. Instead, we are learning that the supreme focus of this world is not
upon God`s salvation program or upon God`s judgment plan. It is upon the wisdom and glory of God.
Remember we learned that the purpose of God in creating mankind and placing him in this world was to
provide an enormous tableau by which all of the principalities and powers in the heavenlies could see the
enormous wisdom and glory of God, as God worked out His salvation plan through more than 13,000 years
of sin.
Therefore, we find, for example, that while God hates the sinner (Psalm
5:5), in that His divine wrath is upon him, He nevertheless has enormous compassion and tenderness toward
His entire creation, including sinners. In Matthew 5:45 we read:
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise
on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Think about the great blessings that flow from the beautiful sunshine and the benevolent rains that
water the earth. Those who were not elected to salvation can enjoy these blessings every bit as much as
those who are saved.
Christ`s compassionate concern for the whole human race is demonstrated in the two places in the
Bible where we read that Jesus wept. In John 11:33-35, we read these emotional words:
When 1esus therefore saw her weeping, and the 1ews also weeping which came with her, he
groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto
him, Lord, come and see. 1esus wept.
Fternal God, the Lord Jesus, shows His empathetic distress that death has entered this world. In
Luke 19:41-44, we read:
And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known,
even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are
hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench
about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even
with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon
another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
The Jerusalem that the Bible has in view here consists of all of Israel and all of the churches, which
have externally represented the kingdom of God, and have become apostate. Thus, their members are headed
for hell. They have mocked God. They have set up their own salvation plans. They have twisted the Bible,
etc. Yet Christ is weeping because He must bring His full wrath upon them. Can we see how glorious Christ
is, as He, by weeping over Jerusalem, demonstrates His compassion
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to us and to the principalities and powers in the heavens? No wonder God says, as we read in Fzekiel 33:11,
'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
This is all being witnessed by the principalities and powers throughout the reaches of heaven. They
see a world that for 11,000 years is ruled over by a wicked angel named Satan. They see how few became
saved, eight people, when God warned the world of the impending destruction in the days of Noah. They
view the faithfulness of Abraham, and the unfaithfulness of the nation of Israel, which perished in the
wilderness because of unbelief. They witness the nation of Israel being destroyed for its wickedness by the
Assyrians, and the nation of Judah by the Babylonians.
How will Christ manage a world of billions of spiritually dead people who are ruled over by Satan?
How will Christ manage a world wherein every citizen starts out spiritually dead, being a slave of
sin and Satan?
How can God manage a cursed universe in which live a cursed people, out of which a few are to be
extracted to become God`s people?
The final focus is on the eternal church, the 200 million people whose names are in the Lamb`s book
of life. How can they live among and then be brought out from amongst billions of wicked people ruled over
by Satan, who is at enmity with Christ?
How can God manage a world in which there are mostly spiritually dead people ruled over by Satan,
but in that same world there are a small number of people who have been named to be saved and yet are not
saved, and some who indeed have become saved?
Our planet was created to show the wisdom and glory of God in the most difficult and impossible
situation. The fullest manifestation of His glory is seen in the fact that God Himself became the Savior.
Throughout all this, the principalities and powers witness the tenderness, the kindness, the
forgiveness, the mercy, and the patience of God. And then they witness the incarnation. God took on a
human nature and came personally to this world to literally demonstrate how He had suffered before the
foundation of the world on behalf of the 200 million people He had come to save.
They saw Him as the humble teacher who never ceased to be almighty God. They saw Him despised
and rejected of men. They saw Him endure the most shameful, cursed execution as He hung on the cross.
They saw, too, His wonderful mercy as a thief on an adjacent cross first reviles Jesus in his teeth,
and then pleads, 'Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom (Luke 23:42). And right
there in the eleventh hour of this man`s vile life, they witnessed him being given a full pardon.
They witnessed the glorious tableau of the resurrection of Christ, followed by the salvation of about
3,000 at the time the Holy Spirit was poured out. How glorious God is, and they see His glory as they see
Him in all of these actions.
And mankind, too, who are residents of planet earth have had the privilege of witnessing Christ`s
wisdom and glory by carefully reading the Bible.
But then the world will come to the date of the beginning of the day of judgment, May 21, 2011.
More than 6.5 billion people will be living at that time, and they will enter the 153-day period of judgment,
and they will know without any
67
question that they are under the wrath of God because of their sins. Most of them will consciously
experience the wrath of God.
Why is there this sudden change? They are the same kinds of people who for
13,000 years have been peacefully living out their lives here on earth. But if they are alive on May 21, 2011,
suddenly, there will be a huge earthquake that will kill many of them (Revelation 16:18). Death will be
everywhere. Great pain and suffering will be everywhere.
The difference for these people is described in what we read in Luke 12:45-48:
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat
the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; The lord of that
I99
servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware,
and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And
that servant, which knew his lord`s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his
will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of
stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be
much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
We are living in a day when God has given us, with great precision, the timing of the end. This
information is given to the world, and it is increasingly being known by the peoples of the world, so that the
unsaved can cry for mercy. Hopefully, a great many people, like the Ninevites of Jonah`s day, will
experience the mercy of God.
True, there have been times in the past when the teaching has gone forth that on such and such a
day, it will be the end. And of course, those dates have all been incorrect. But today, the warning of the time
of Christ`s return and judgment day is far different from ever before. The above verses show the tremendous
importance of giving heed to the end-time warnings of the Bible. For example, the following
principles are integrated into the warning.
1. The entire Bible is the law of God, and every word in the original languages is directly
from the mouth of God. Thus, the church and the world should know that the Bible is the
ultimate authority, far greater than ever recognized before. It must be listened to and obeyed.
2. The time information from the Bible that shows the dates May 21, 2011, and October 21, 2011,
has many proofs, in the Bible, that guarantee the accuracy of these dates. This is enormous
information that the world has never before known, and of course, it effects the whole world.
3. This time information is available throughout the world on the Internet and shortwave radio. It
is available free and postpaid in many languages to anyone who writes or calls for it. Fveryone
should become aware of it.
68
4. Typically, people ridicule and scoff at this time information, and many people remain in
complete denial.
5. Those who are not raptured on May 21, 2011, will die on that date or at some moment on or
before October 21, 2011, at which time the entire universe will be consumed by fire. When
death occurs, there is no further awareness of the wrath of God.
However, until death occurs, there will be a great awareness of the wrath of God, as those who
are living continue to be under the pain of the plagues that overwhelm the world during the Day of
Judgment, the 153 days from May 21, 2011 to October 21, 2011. They very acutely will experience the
following.
1. The shame and curse of being under the wrath of God.
2. The knowledge that the joys and comforts, etc., of this world are all over.
3. The knowledge that they have no future inheritance. Only death awaits them, and that will
come no later than October 21, 2011.
4. The pain and physical suffering that will be the situation for all of those living at that time.
5. The knowledge that there cannot be any mercy of God.
200
The destruction of this universe will be the final historical event witnessed by the principalities and
powers in the heavens. It all shows the glory and wisdom of God.
This presentation of the wrath of God is indeed dreadfully sorrowful. It is especially sorrowful and
dreadful when we remember that it is all going to happen in just a few months. And there is no possibility of
a delay. It will happen.
But think how merciful God is. He could bring the rapture and judgment day by coming as a thief in
the night, and then most people of the earth would have no warning whatsoever. But God in His wonderful
mercy is giving us time to get the warning of impending doom out into all the world. Sadly, for those who
are in denial because they do not want this world to end, He will come as a thief in the night.
Moreover, God gives the example of the ancient wicked city of Nineveh in the Book of Jonah. They
knew virtually nothing of the Bible, and they had 40 days or less to react to the warning. We might take a
lesson from them.
1. They implicitly believed God. They did not argue with God.
2. They looked at themselves honestly, recognizing that they were sinners and deserved the wrath of
God.
3. They publicly showed their great humility by sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
69
This was true of the most lowly servant and of the highest and most glamorous official, the king.
4. They turned from their sins and immediately tried to live a life that was pleasing to God.
5. They made no demands upon God, but they pleaded with God that maybe
God would change His mind and not destroy them.
We should pay serious attention to the reaction of the people in Noah`s day as they were warned that
destruction was about to occur. It is frightening to read that the typical reaction to the end of the world, the
destruction of our day, is identical to that of the people of Noah`s day. We read in Matthew 24:37-39:
But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days
that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them
all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
One thing is certain. The only safe and proper reaction to the news of this impending destruction
should be a great change in my goals, my aspirations, my plans, my purpose, my hopes in this world.
Suddenly, I should realize that the only important matter that I should be focused on is the fact that in a few
months, this world will be at its end. In these remaining few months, what is important for my life and the
life of my family? It surely has nothing to do with making my life more comfortable in this world.
In fact, if I am a true believer, I must know that I, as a watchman, should have a great concern that
not only my family but the whole world must receive the terrible news of the impending destruction of the
world.
In other words, if the facts of the nearness of the end do not seriously cause a great change in my
immediate conduct and in my goals, I had better honestly answer the question: Do I really believe the
Biblical truth that May 21, 2011, is the date of the rapture and the beginning of the day of judgment?
Remember the warning of Luke 12:47.
God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
The Ninevites show us the path, and we should be following that path now that we know without
any question that Judgment Day is so near. God has indicated with great certainty that today, a great
20I
multitude, which no man could number, is being saved (Revelation 7:9-14). God insists that He is not a
respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). Thus, there is a great hope for you. You have just as great a possibility
as anyone else in the world of being one of God`s elect.
Start reading the Bible and praying that God might help you to become more and more obedient to
it. Beg God to humble you. Just because you are a pastor or have been a faithful church member for many
years, that does not put you in a favored position to become saved. There are no favored positions. And your
church or your
70
pastor or your creeds may have been your god because a god is whatever we have placed our trust in. Our
trust should be in the Bible alone. Fven though there is much in the Bible we do not understand, we still
must understand that it is all from the mouth of God.
Never cease crying to God for His mercy. But do so remembering that not one of us is worthy of
God`s mercy. Therefore, we go to Him pleading, begging, beseeching, 'Oh, Lord, is it possible that I, too,
might become saved?
71
Chapter Seven.
Salvation
Who or where are the sinners who cannot be sent to hell? Nobody knows. The only time we can
truly know we are one of God`s chosen people is when we receive from God a new resurrected soul. When
that occurs, we will know it happened only because God had elected us to become saved, and He had
completely provided for our salvation. We will know that our salvation is altogether the grace and mercy of
God, and that we had nothing at all to do with our becoming saved.
When God gives a person a new heart and a new spirit (Fzekiel 36:26), God is preparing that person
to live eternally with Him. The new heart, or new spirit, which we also call a new resurrected soul,
transforms our life so that we have an intense ongoing desire to do the will of God. Moreover, we are deeply
troubled when we sin, but it is still possible to sin because we are living in an unsaved body. Therefore,
before we become eternal citizens of the new heavens and the new earth, we also will be given a new
spiritual, resurrected body. God can give a new soul to anyone whom God had elected, at any time in an
elect person`s life. It can be before birth or a minute before death. It is an action entirely programmed by
God.
However, it will take place while that elect person is under the hearing of the Word of God (Romans
10:17). That is why we try to encourage everyone in the world to hear the Bible. In fact, we are commanded
by God to send the Word of God into the whole world, so that everyone may be under the hearing of the
Bible.
To place people in the environment of hearing the Word of God is to place
them under God`s commands to mankind to obey the Bible. To obey the Bible requires that we read or listen
to the Bible. We are commanded to become saved. We are commanded to repent of our sins. We are
commanded to pray for God`s mercy. The unsaved person is commanded to strive to enter the kingdom of
God (Luke 13:24). The word 'strive is from a Greek word that means to agonize. It is like a runner who
agonizes or strives to be the winner of a race.
This is where the mystery of salvation exists. Because God created man in His image and His
likeness, even though man is spiritually dead, he is to attempt with all his strength to follow the commands
of God. He therefore carefully listens to the Word of God, trying to be obedient to the commands of God.
How God interrelates with this striving is a mystery. Certainly, we must never believe that my striving to
enter into the kingdom of God is meritorious in any way. Nor does my striving in any way guarantee that I
will become saved.
It is true that in my striving, I will become better acquainted with God`s law book, the Bible. It is
202
true that in my striving, I will increasingly seek God`s will, rather than my will. It is true that in my striving,
I will find myself humbly crying to God for His mercy. It is true that in my striving, I will increasingly
realize that I must wait entirely upon the Lord, if indeed it is His plan to save me. It is true that in my
striving, I have a great hope that I, too, could possibly be one of God`s elect. It is true that today, God is
saving a great multitude, which no man could number, and I, too, might possibly be included in that number.
72
It is also true that God rules over the unsaved as well as the saved. That is, ultimately, God can
cause an unsaved person to do His will from time to time, even though God has no plan to save that person.
Likewise, as an unsaved individual is striving to enter the kingdom of God, anything that he does that is
obedient to God may be God working in him, even though he is not one of God`s elect. Or it may be that
individual`s own attempt, altogether by his own efforts, to obey God. Or it may be a combination of both
God`s action and man`s action. Only God knows precisely what is going on in a person`s life.
But all of the above is God`s business. The unsaved person does not have to determine whether it is
God`s action or his own action that is occurring in his life. All he knows for sure is that if he becomes saved,
it will be entirely by the work of Christ. In Joel 2:12-13, we read:
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting,
and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn
unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great
kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
If an unsaved person finds that, increasingly, he hates sin and is far happier when he is doing the
will of God, and that he has an eager, ongoing desire to be obedient to all the commandments of the
Bible, it may be that God`s Spirit is witnessing with his spirit that he has become saved.
We must remember that God has a legal right to command mankind to obey His laws. Because
mankind was created in the image and likeness of God, mankind, like God Himself, is completely subject to
the law of God, the Bible. If a person lives in this world and has not heard anything from the Bible, God
must arrange for that person to come under the hearing of the Bible if the person is one of God`s elect. That
can happen at any time in the lifetime of that person.
However, the Bible is greatly concerned about those who read the Bible, or who hear God`s
commands with their physical ears, but are not hearing the Bible. How can that be? In Deuteronomy 28:45
we read:
Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till
thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep
his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
And in Jeremiah 29:17-19, we read:
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the
pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil. And I will
persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them
to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an
hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations
73
whither I have driven them: Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD,
which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye
would not hear, saith the LORD.
205
The word 'hearken in these two warnings, which are typical of many similar warnings recorded in
the Bible, means to listen and obey. God is teaching that if we hear the words of the Bible with our physical
ears, but do not try to obey that which we are hearing, it is equivalent to not hearing the Word of God. Such
people have deliberately placed themselves outside of an environment in which God is saving. Their
preconceived ideas concerning salvation or any other teaching of the Bible prevent them from humbly
listening to, and desiring to obey, the commands and truths of the Bible.
However, there is hope, wonderful hope, for those who now humbly admit their sins and who turn
away from their preconceived ideas, who earnestly strive to be obedient to all of the Bible, and who humbly
cry to God for His mercy.
It is true that the Bible teaches that God`s wrath is now on every one of the churches that are found
throughout the world. For 1,955 years, churches had been God`s official external representatives of the
kingdom of God. Sadly, in the name of God, and while claiming that the Bible was their authority, they
taught, and continue to teach, many doctrines that are contrary to the Bible. Moreover, Satan rather than
Christ is now their spiritual ruler. Today, there is no hope for any of the churches that exist throughout the
world. Those who remain within them are being prepared for their entrance into judgment day.
Only by turning away from the condition of spiritually serving Satan, and by fleeing from the local
churches, and going with spiritually broken hearts to the God of the Bible, and being under the hearing of
the Word of God, is there hope for anyone.
MAY GOD HAVE MERCY.
74
204
To God Be The Glorv
Scripture Index
Book Chapter:Verse(s), Page(s)
Genesis
2:17, 39
15:18, 63
25:29-34, 29
41:32, 25, 63
50:15, 61
50:20, 61
Exodus
17:6, 34, 62
Numbers
20:11, 34
Deuteronomy
1:7, 63
11:24, 63
21:17, 29
28:16, 42, 68
28:20, 35
28:45, 35, 73
33:11, 57
1oshua
1:4, 63
7:18-26, 48
1udges
2:16, 19
I Samuel
8:20, 19
II Samuel
1:19, 12
1:24, 12
2:5, 12
18:33, 13
1ob
4:20, 27
Psalms
5:5, 66
7:8, 19
7:11, 20
9:19, 20
16:10, 37, 55, 61
26:1, 20
51:5, 9
67:4, 20
72:1-4, 20
103:6, 20
119:109 15
Ecclesiastes
8:5-6, 7, 11, 14, 15
8:5-7, v
Isaiah
10:23, 26
14:13-14, 59, 60
53:12, 36
54:7-8, 38
55:7-8, 38
57:20, 23
1eremiah
7:33-8:2, 46-47
17:18, 25
29:17-19, 73-74
46:28, 26
Ezekiel
3:17, 3
18:20, 24
18:23, 9
18:32, 9
33:2-7, 16
33. 3
33:11, 13, 67
36:26, 72
37, 45, 46
37:4-5, 45, 46
37:12-13, 45
Daniel
6:26, 59
7:13-14, 55
12:2, 45, 46
12:4, 15
12:9, 7, 50
1oel
2:12-13, 73
3:9-16, 48-49
1onah
4:11, 63
Nahum
1:6, 26
1:8, 26
3:5-6, 47
Zechariah
13:9, 64
Malachi
4:1, 26
Matthew
3:17, 33
4:24, 27
5:44, 12
5:45, 66
75
205
7:22-23, 49
8:6, 27
8:11-12, 30, 42, 49,65
11:23-24, 56
12: 23, 24
12:36, 23
12:41, 30, 47
12:41-42, 64
13:42, 30, 46, 65
13:49-50, 30, 49
13:50, 30, 65
19:28, 48
20:18, 34
22:13, 65
22:30, 59
22:36, 11
22:37-40, 11
24:22, 41
24:27-31, 55-56
24:28, 56, 57
24:37-39, 70
24:51, 65
25:30, 30, 65
25:34, 32, 61
26:39, 34
26:63-64, 55
27:19, 34
27:24, 34
27:46, 34
27:51-53, 37
27:62-66, 55
28:11-15, 55
Mark
4:39, 46
4:41, 46
5:13, 24
9:43-44, 25
11:14, 35
15:28, 3
Luke
2:48, 27, 28, 32
3:6, 33
10:29-37, 12
12:45-48, 68
12:47, 70
13:24, 72
13:26-28, 49
13:28, 30, 42, 65
15:31, 29
16, 36
16:22, 27
16:23, 28
16:24, 27, 28, 30
16:25, 28
17:36-37, 56
19:41-44, 13, 66
21:22, 17
22:30, 64
23:4, 37
23:22, 37
23:42, 67
23:43, 38
23:46, 37
1ohn
1:14, 9, 21
1:18, 33
1:51, 54
3:16, 62
5:28-29, 45
5:29, 46
11:33-35, 66
11:50-51, 34-35
14:21, 11-12
19:7, 35
19: 4, 37
19:6 37
Acts
1:6, 2, 15
1:6-8, v
1:7, 15
1;7-8, 2-3
1:8, 15-16
1:11, 54
20:38, 27, 28, 32
24:15, 45, 46, 51
Romans,
1:4, 32, 37, 61
2:11, 70
5:12, 40
6:23, 9, 24, 36
8:17, 29
8:38, 58
10:17, 72
14:10-11, 7, 20
14:12, 23
I Corinthians
6:2-3, 47
15, 37
15:22, 23, 40, 61
15:26, 23, 24, 25,
27
15:44, 46
15:51-52, 40
II Corinthians
5:10, 7, 20
5:21, 40
Galatians
2:20, 36
3:13, 36
Ephesians
1:19-23, 59
1:21, 58, 59
2:5, 40, 55
3:10, 58, 60
3:10-11, 39
76
20
Book Chapter:Verse(-s), Page(s)
6:12, 58-59
Colossians
1:16, 58
1:17, 32
1:18, 32
2:10, 58
2:13, 40
2:15, 58
I Thessalonians
4:13-17, 40
5:1-4, 18
5:2, 7
5:2-6, 16
II Thessalonians
1:10, 39
2:11, 41
I Timothy
3:15, 4
II Timothy
1:9, 68
1:9-10 33, 61
Titus
3:1, 59
Hebrews
1:2, 32, 62
1:5, 33
4:3, 32, 61
4:12, 59-60
4:12-13, 9-10
7:9-10, 61
10:4-7, 34
11:7, 48
12:16-17, 29
12:29, 26, 30
13:8, 70
1ames
2:10, 8
I Peter
1:20, 33, 61
2:12, 47-48
2:22, 40
4:17, 17, 41
II Peter
2:8, 27
3:10, 7, 25,42
I 1ohn
3:9, 8
1ude
6, 60
13, 5, 23
Revelation 64
1:7, 54
1:18, 63
2:26, 47
3:9, 47
3:10, 6, 18
7:4-8, 48
7:9-14, 70
9:1-21, 42
9:5, 27
9:14, 63
9:15, 64
9:17-18, 64
11:10, 27
13:7, 41
13:8, 25
14:10, 27
16:10-11, 49
16:18, 68
17:14, 50
18:6, 25
18:8, 25
19:11-16, 63
19:19-21, 50
19:20, 24
20:10, 24
20:11-13, 22
20:12, 20, 23
20:13, 23
20:14, 25, 42
20:14-15, 24
21:1, 24, 25
21:8, 24-25
77
Other Books by Harold Camping
Time Has An End
The End of the Church Age and After
hheat and Tares
First Principles of Bible Studv I Hope God hill Save Me Adam
hhen?
The Perfect Harmonv of the Numbers of the Hebrew Kings
78
20/
205
FACIS obout Moy 21, 2011
AI IHIS IIME IN HISIOkY IHEkE IS NO VALID, 8I8LICAL EVIDENCE Ok
AbIHOkIIY WHICH INDICAIES IHAI WE CANNOI KNOW IHE FkECISE DAY
OF JbDGMENI. IHE GkEAI AMObNI OF 8I8LICAL SIGNS AND FkOOFS
A8SOLbIELY GbAkANIEE IHAI JbDGMENI DAY WILL 8EGIN ON MAY 21st
IHIS YEAk.
Who or Whot |s Fom||y kod|o?
lumlly Stutlons, lnc. ls u nonroflt, noncommerclul, Chrlstlun rudlo network. lt wus
estubllshed ln 8 wlth one lM stutlon ln the Sun lrunclsco buy ureu. Mr. Cumlng ulong
wlth two other Chrlstlun men urchused lLAR wlth the sole lntent of roclulmlng the Cosel
of 'esus Chrlst. 1oduy there ure slxtyslx owned und oeruted rudlo stutlons throughout the
U.S.
Along wlth these domestlc stutlons lumlly Stutlons ulso broudcusts lts rogrummlng from
numerous lnternutlonul broudcust fucllltles throughout the world.
Who |s Horo|d Comp|ng?
Eurold Cumlng ls the Presldent und Cenerul Munuger of lumlly Stutlons, lnc. Ee gruduuted
209
Appendix A
www |amilykadio com |AQ
from UC 8erkeley ln z wlth u degree ln clvll englneerlng. Mr. Cumlng hus been u fulltlme
volunteer slnce lumlly Rudlo's lnfuncy und hus never recelved comensutlon for hls servlce.
Whot Quo||||es Mr. Comp|ng to moke the pronouncement o| Moy 21,
2011?
Mr. Cumlng hus been u tlreless student of the 8lble for over flve decudes. 1he tens of
thousunds of hours he hus sent unulyzlng the 8lble hus glven hlm u unlque ersectlve of
the entlrety of Scrlture. Ee hus dedlcuted hls llfe to reure hlmself to unswer questlons
rulsed concernlng Cod's vord to mun.
Whot |s the Open Forum progrom?
vhut begun uroxlmutely flfty yeurs ugo us slmly un lnformutlonul rogrum for locul buy
ureu llsteners, blossomed lnto whut ls known toduy us the Cen lorum.
1he Cen lorum rogrum ulrs Monduy through lrlduy evenlngs by rudlo, shortwuve, und the
lnternet. lt ls un unonymous cullln rogrum deslgned to ullow unyone to usk uny questlon
reluted to the 8lble.
How con Fom||y kod|o be so bo|d os to dec|ore o dote |or Chr|st's
return?
Clven the overwhelmlng blbllcul evldence, the lumlly Stutlons, lnc. 8ourd of Llrectors mude
u determlnutlon to dedlcute ull uvulluble resources to roclulm the wurnlng of Muy z, zc.
Cod hus reured lumlly Rudlo for thls lmortunt tlme ln hlstory. Clven the oulutlon of
the world, rudlo und the lnternet ure the erfect vehlcles to dellver thls wurnlng.
Whot proo| |s there |or the dote o| Moy 21, 2011?
1he dute Muy z, zc wus derlved solely from evldence found ln the 8lble. Mr. Cumlng suw
Cod hud luced, ln Scrlture, muny lmortunt slgns und roofs. 1hese roofs ulert bellevers
thut Muy z
st
of zc ls the dute Chrlst wlll return for Els eole und begln u erlod of the
flnul destructlon of the world.
Whot s|gns precede the Doy o| Judgment?
'esus wurned of severul slrltuul slgns, such us the comlete degrudutlon of the Chrlstlun
church, the devustutlng morul breukdown of soclety, the reestubllshment of Nutlonul lsruel
ln8, the emergence of the 'Cuy Prlde Movement', und the comlete dlsregurd of the
8lble ln ull of soclety toduy us dlrect evldence of Els return.
2I0
Whot |s the I|me||ne o| H|story?
1he tlmellne of hlstory ls Cod's redetermlned tlmetuble for the unfoldlng of Cod's Cosel
rogrum for thls world. ln other words the length of tlme between the duy Cod creuted thls
world ln ,c 8.C. und the duy he wlll destroy lt ln Cctober z, zc.
1he dlscovery of thls lnformutlon bullt the foundutlon for whut Cod would luter reveul from
the 8lble us the dute for the end.
'udgment Luy on Muy z, zc ls the culmlnutlon of flve decudes of lntenslve blbllcul study by
Mr. Cumlng und other blble teuchers who huve dlscovered the sume blbllcul dutu.
Whot do post 8|b||co| events hove to do w|th todoy?
1he reclslon wlth whlch Cod murked tlme ln the ust shows how reclsely Ee kees tlme
und orders ull the events of mun.
Cod uses such hruses ln the 8lble us "in the fullness of time", or "1o every thing there is a
season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
Cod declures ln the 8lble thut "Be hath determined the times before appointed, and the
bounds of their habitation"
'ust us ull 8lbllcul events took luce exuctly us Cod determlned, so too wlll ull future events
tuke luce us Ee hus lunned.
Cod knew before Ee creuted thls world the exuct duy Ee would destroy lt, the questlon ls
whether Cod reveuls Els lun to others.
Does God reveo| h|s p|on?
Yes! All true bellevers throughout the world ure urt of Chrlst's fumlly und therefore they not
only belong to 'esus Chrlst, but they ure one wlth Elm us well.
'esus culls Els eole Els "frlends" und "Els beloved"
'esus tells Els "beloved" whut Ee und Els luther wlll do before 1hey do lt. Cnly, true
bellevers ure glven slrltuul eyeslght to see und understund thut they muy be reudy und
reured for the duy of Chrlst's return.
All those who ure not "born uguln" do not ossess the slrltuul eyeslght to see thls evldence.
Sudly, Chrlst wlll come uon them us u "thlef ln the nlght".
'esus seuks to hls eole through the uges of Els word, the 8lble.
Els Slrlt guldes them "into all truth."
"Benceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I
have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Iather I have made known
unto you."
Cod ls the guurdlun of Els secrets contulned ln the 8lble und only Ee determlnes when or lf
Els secrets ure reveuled. 1he Eoly Slrlt reveuls to Chrlst's eole the lnformutlon needful
for them not only to be reudy, but ulso to wurn the world, Chrlst ls returnlng.
Armed wlth the vltul lnformutlon needed to know the duy of Chrlst's return ull true bellevers,
2II
us servunts of Cod, ure communded to declure whut Chrlst's Slrlt hus reveuled. 1hey must
"blow the trumet" und wurn the world, 'udgment ls comlng.
Con o|| o| monk|nd understond thot Judgment Doy |s com|ng?
'ust us wlse men of old sought to see the young 'esus, so too wlll the wlse of toduy seek
Chrlst before the end. "a wise man's heart (one who ls born uguln) discerneth both time and
[udgment."
Cod romlses Els eole they wlll be llke Nouh who wus uwure und reudy for the duy when
the floodwuters of destructlon cume uon thls eurth.
Whot w||| toke p|oce on Moy 21?
Cn Muy z, zc two events wlll occur. 1hese events could not be more ooslte ln nuture,
the one more wonderful thun cun be lmuglned, the other more horrlflc thun cun be
lmuglned.
A greut eurthquuke wlll occur the 8lble descrlbes lt us "such as was not since men were
upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." 1hls eurthquuke wlll be so
owerful lt wlll throw oen ull gruves. 1he remulns of the ull the bellevers who huve ever
llved wlll be lnstuntly trunsformed lnto glorlfled slrltuul bodles to be forever wlth Cod.
Cn the other hund the bodles of ull unsuved eole wlll be thrown out uon the ground to
be shumed.
1he lnhubltunts who survlve thls terrlble eurthquuke wlll exlst ln u world of horror und chuos
beyond descrltlon. Luch duy eole wlll dle untll October z, zo when Cod wlll comletely
destroy thls eurth und lts survlvlng lnhubltunts.
Whot |s Fom||y kod|o spec|||co||y do|ng to worn the Wor|d?
lumlly Stutlons, lnc. broudcusts lnternutlonully ln more thun slxtyone dlfferent lunguuges.
lts rogrummlng cun ulso be seen und heurd worldwlde on the lnternet. Numerous
blllbourds huve been luced throughout the world wurnlng of 'udgment Luy. vhlle teums
of volunteers curry llteruture concernlng Muy z to muny forelgn countrles. Cn to of thls
teums of Rv curuvuns huve been sent throughout the US to dellver thls greut messuge.
Why kV Corovons?
ln Setember of zcc lumlly Rudlo develoed u lun to send out teums of curuvuns
conslstlng of recreutlonul vehlcles. 1he curuvuns truvel lnto towns und cltles ucross the
Unlted Stutes wurnlng of 'udgment Luy, Muy z, zc. Luch member of the curuvun roject ls
u volunteer, who hus dedlcuted hls or her llfe to wurn the eole of the U.S. und boldly
roclulm thls very lmortunt messuge.
2I2
Is Fom||y kod|o the on|y group dec|or|ng th|s messoge?
No! 1here ure muny other grous und lndlvlduuls, sendlng out the wurnlng of Muy z, zc. A
growlng groundswell of lndlvlduuls und grous huve become convlcted of thls messuge on
euch contlnent und ure worklng hurd to wurn thelr nelghbors, cltles und countrles.
Why 8|||boords?
8lllbourds huve roven to be very effectlve. 1hey ure belng luced ln muny U.S., Cunudlun
und forelgn cltles, not only by lumlly Rudlo, but other orgunlzutlons und lndlvlduuls us well.
Presently there ure over zccc blllbourds, osters, und bus osters throughout the world,
wlth muny golng u weekly. 1he blllbourd messuges ure slmle, und deslgned to cleurly
communlcute the sume messuge, 'udgment Luy Muy z, zc.
Whot ore the ||steners o| Fom||y kod|o do|ng to prepore |or thot doy?
'esus guve exllclt communds to Els eole us to how they ure to behuve untll he returns.
'esus suld "Co ye and teach all nations..." Ee ulso suld to "occupy until I come." 8ellevers
who belleve Chrlst wlll return on Muy z ure communded to wurn the world und encouruge
concerned eole to ruy for Cod's mercy.
W||| there be some sort o| "gother|ng" be|ore Moy 21, 2011?
No. 1hls messuge ls roclulmed to lndlvlduuls not to seclflc grous, rellglons or nutlons.
lumlly Rudlo ls not u church or rellglon.
Luch erson must be "born uguln" ln order to be reudy for Chrlst's return und be reudy to be
"cuught u" wherever they llve ln thls world.
'esus suld ln Matthew zq:qoq "1hen shall two be in the field: the one shall be taken, and
the other left. 1wo women sholl be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, and the
other left"
Whot || Moy 21 ends ond noth|ng occurs?
1he 8lbllcul evldence ls too overwhelmlng und seclflc to be wrong. Chrlst's eole cun look
wlth greut confldence to thls dute becuuse Cod romlses Els "beloved" Ee wlll not come
uon them us u thlef ln the nlght.
Cod ln Els mercy hus reveuled the vltul lnformutlon needed to know the duy. 'udgment Luy
on Muy z, zc wlll occur becuuse the blble declures lt. Anyone whom Cod hus not suved wlll
urrlve ut thut duy wlth no hoe for sulvutlon. Cod wurns slmly the "door wlll be shut."
2I5
Whot shou|d o person do when he or she heors th|s messoge?
Cry out to Cod for mercy und fully recognlze you ure u slnner. Cne must urouch Cod wlth u
broken und contrlte uttltude, becuuse ufter ull every humun belng, wlthout excetlon, ls
gullty before Cod.
Cnly Cod decldes whom Ee wlll suve und lt ls only Chrlst's 'glft' of sulvutlon thut cun suve
one from destructlon und the terrlble events comlng uon thls world on Muy z, zc.
Whot do we soy to o|| those who soy Jesus w||| come os o th|e| |n the
n|ght?
1he 8lble seuks of two klnds of eole ln the world. 1hose wlthln Cod's klngdom he culls
hls "beloved." 1he other, much lurger ortlon of the humun ruce, Cod descrlbes us those
"wlthout" or outslde the klngdom of Cod.
1hose "wlthout" wlll suy ut the end of tlme "Peace and safety" 1hese eole wlll mlstukenly
belleve ull ls well. 8ut Cod wurns, "then sudden destruction cometh upon them..."
1he fuct so muny church leuders ure lnslstlng Chrlst wlll come us u "thlef ln the nlght" (thut
ls, no one cun know the duy or the hour) ls unother very lmortunt 8lbllcul 'slgn' Chrlst's
return ls very close. lur too muny eole mlstukenly resume they ure ut "Peace" wlth Cod
und therefore ln "safety."
Sudly, muny ussume no humun belng cun know, becuuse they mlstukenly belleve even 'esus
hlmself does not know the duy or hour of Els own return.
1he bellef Chrlst wlll come "us u thlef ln the nlght" for everyone, lncludlng Chrlst's eole, ls
the foundutlonul busls for whlch most Chrlstluns, lncludlng church leuders und ustors reject
Muy z, zc.
Eowever, Cod hus wrltten ln Els vord he wlll tell hls eole exuctly whut he luns before he
brlngs lt to uss:
"Surely the LORD COD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the
prophets."
Cod's "beloved" eole ure not ln durkness thut thut duy would come uon them us u thlef
ln the nlght. Cod gruclously hus wrltten ln I 1hessalonians verse q
"8ut ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief."
Whot obout o|| those |n the post who pred|cted Jesus wou|d come |n
the|r doy?
Muny rellglous grous und lndlvlduuls throughout hlstory huve redlcted 'esus' return, but
they were ulwuys wrong. No theologlun, no mutter how leurned or lntelllgent, could know
the duy becuuse Cod hud not reveuled lt. 1he scrlturul evldence needed to know the exuct
duy could not be known before 88, the yeur the 'Church uge' ended. 1he 8lble lndlcutes
rlor to thls yeur thut dute could not be known.
2I4
Muny Church leuders of the ust looked ut olltlcul us well us nuturul events to rove thelr
redlctlons und they were reeutedly wrong.
Cod ls the guurdlun of Els secrets. 1he words needed to know the tlme of the end "ore
closed up and sealed till the time of the end"
Cnly Chrlst 'esus, the "Lamb," ls uble to unseul the 8lble, und reveul whut ls needful to know
the duy und the hour of Els return.
D|dn't Horo|d Comp|ng soy thot the wor|d wou|d end |n 14?
ln z Mr. Cumlng wrote u book entltled q? ln thut book Mr. Cumlng hlghllghted the
ubundunt evldence olntlng to us u robuble yeur of Chrlst's return. Clven the
ubundunce of lnformutlon olntlng und the urgency of tlme, the book q? wus
wrltten. Mr. Cumlng felt us u teucher, he must shure the 8lbllcul lnformutlon he hud found
und wurn the world.
lmortunt subsequent blbllcul lnformutlon wus not yet known, so thls book wus lncomlete.
Mr. Cumlng wurned there muy be somethlng he overlooked therefore the questlon murk
wus romlnently luced on the tltle.
Mr. Cumlng wrote on uges und of the book q? he belleved zc wus the most
robuble yeur of Chrlst's second comlng. Clven the fuct zc ls the ,ccc yeur unnlversury of
the flood, but he mlsunderstood 'esus' teuchlng ln Mutthew z verse zz "except those days
should be shortened"
At the tlme Mr. Cumlng concluded the erlod of "greut trlbulutlon" would be shortened
from twenty three yeurs, us the 8lble teuches, to zcc evenlng mornlngs or slx und one thlrd
yeurs. .
Mr. Cumlng wrote ln q?:
"Cod ueurs to be declurlng thut thls flnul trlbulutlon erlod should be u certuln length of
tlme. lf lt were thut length of tlme, lt seems lt would flt erfectly wlth Cod's lun of ,ccc
yeurs. 'udgment Luy would be zc A.L.
8ut for the suke of the elect those duy wlll be shortened."
Why |s there no quest|on now?
ln the nlneteen yeurs slnce q? vus wrltten the blbllcul evldence for zc hus greutly
solldlfled. 1oduy there ls no longer uny questlon, Muy z, zc ls the duy ln whlch 'esus Chrlst
wlll return.
Whot do you soy to those who |ns|st we connot know the prec|se dote
o| Judgment Doy?
lor one to object to Muy z
st
, zc one must huve 8l8LlCAL AU1ECRl1Y to do so. Cbjectlons
cunnot be bused uon consensus, trudltlons or feur. Cod hus glven fur too muny blbllcul
roofs for unyone to dlsregurd Muy z slmly becuuse he or she does not llke lt.
2I5
Ihe 8|b|e hos |ed us to Moy 21, 2011
1hls dute ls not the roduct of the mlnd of one mun or u grou of men.
lt ls the culmlnutlon of study of the entlre 8lble, both the Cld und New 1estuments.
Lvery word wrltten ln the orlglnul 8lbllcul "uutogruhs" were dlctuted by Cod, therefore ull
words, numbers und sentences ln these orlglnul wrltlngs ure to be trusted us comlng from
Cod.
1he fuct thut thls dute ls the result of the synthesls of ull of Scrlture cuuses Muy z
st
, zc to
tuke on very soberlng fuctuullty. lt ls no longer olnlon, but u mutter of fuct.
Muy z, zc ls Cod's dute. All other redlctlons ure mun's uttemt to redlct the end. So lt
becomes u mutter of eternul llfe, or eternul deuth. Cne cun no longer resume Muy z
st
of
thls yeur wlll be just unother normul duy.
Luch erson must come to entrust thelr llves to whut Cod hus wrltten ln Els vord the 8lble
und leud to Elm for mercy. Ctherwlse Cod wlll come uon them wlth unmerclful vengeunce
on Muy z, zc.
2I
omebody lad better caII Mark litclcock, lor le is wkOlu! (read 21z, rhe 8ible and rhe
nd cj rhe wcrld) il tlese uod-knowing peopIe are riglt. 8ince tle very lirst clristians
roamed tlis eartl, tley beIieved tley Iived in tle Lnd 1imes. 1le lew 1estament says so
itseIl. It records tle claracters in its books as aII knowing tley wouId Iive to see tle
apocaIypse. ObviousIy tle bibIe was compIeteIy wrong about tlat, and mucl re-
interpretation las been required to write oll tlose statements.
ueIusion runs deep and it runs last. I just lope none ol tlese peopIe lave cliIdren. Or
maybe I slouId lope tley aII do, lor wlen tleir cliIdren see just low ridicuIous tleir
parent's beIiels are, tley wiII junk tleir reIigion and become budding agnostics. laroId
camping is tle type ol person wlo can be a very dangerous man. le creates buIIslit, tlen
peddIes it oll on tle brainwasled clristian masses. le is dangerous preciseIy because
peopIe Iisten to lim and take lis teaclings" seriousIy. worse yet, because tlose idiots
regurgitate it to tleir cliIdren.
Am I being too rougl on tlis man and lis loIIowers7 leII no! keread chicken Lirrle or 1he
8cy whc cried wclj. 1lere is a moraI to tlose stories, and it slouId not be lorgotten lere.
lear is a powerluI motivator (just Iook at tle ellects ol reIigion in generaI) and tlere is no
way a moraI person can just sit idIy by and Iet tlis man put tle lear ol end times into tle
leads ol tlese peopIe. 1ley own guns alter aII!
2I/
Closing Comments
by ellperado
Lindsav, Hal. La|c Grca| Planc| Lar|h (1970i.
Chcc|ham, Lrika. Thc Iinal Prophccics ol Nos|radamus (1980i.
LaHavc, Tim. Lcl| Bchind scrics (1990i.
Hi|chcock, Mark. 2012, |hc Biblc and |hc Lnd ol |hc Vorld.
Vcinland, Ronald. 2008 - God`s Iinal Vi|ncss.
Vcinland, Ronald. Thc Prophcsicd Lnd-Timc.
2I5
kelerences
Family RadioArmageddon:
The Big Picture
L|i:| l. ::: O.
What People are saying:
This is insane. Are people like this really allowed
to get licenses and drive the same streets as me?
J oe On-The-Street
Dude, can I have your car on May 22?
Smokey MacPot
I am astounded! I loved watching the news
about those crazies in Heaven's Gate. Can I have
a front seat to this show?
The Tall Man
Without knowing the truth, I would have sworn
that this was fiction, and bad fiction at that. But,
alas, it is reality.
Norman Bates, Prof. Of Psychology
This has got to be a joke. Get a Life!
God

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