After the Millennium

Following the millennial reign of Christ and the Church on earth, however, shall come the time of God's JUDGMENT on this world. A criminal may have committed a great crime--even murder. But until caught, and brought to trial before a judge, he has not yet been judged or condemned.
 In the final judgment, with Christ on the judgment seat, every human who has lived in this world shall be brought back to life (Rev. 20:11-12). They shall then give account for their sins committed in their first life.
 The dead IN Christ at the time of Jesus' Second Coming shall be resurrected to immortal God-life if they shall have died, and those still living who are IN Christ at his coming and led by his Holy Spirit shall rule and teach with and under Christ during the thousand years. But all others who have died shall not live again until the end of the millennium (Rev. 20:5).
 The 37th chapter of Ezekiel also shows the resurrection at the time of the judgment. This 37th chapter is the prophecy of the "dry bones." The Bible itself interprets these dry bones in verse 11 where it says these dry bones are the House of Israel: "...behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost...." Like the prophecy says: "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: and I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord" (verses 4-6).
 Next this prophecy tells of the Great White Throne Judgment when this whole house of Israel, who sinned so greatly against God, shall be resurrected.
 The prophecy continues: "So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
 "So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army" (verses 7-10). This shows being brought back to mortal life, sustained by breathing of air, just as in their original life. That is, mortal life--still unconverted. Then God says, "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." This is the resurrection in the Great White Throne Judgment. All the ancient Israelites are resurrected mortal, precisely as in their first life. Then what? "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, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord" (verses 13, 14).
 In other words, in the Great White Throne Judgment after the millennium, Old Testament Israel will be resurrected; then they shall come to "know the Lord." God's knowledge will come to them. The resurrected then will read this: "And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God" (Ezek. 20:43-44).
 Then upon this repentance, notice again in Ezek. 37:14: "And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord."
 Thus, in the Great White Throne Judgment, they will come to know that Christ the Savior had come and died for them. And upon their repentance they shall receive the Holy Spirit and with it salvation and eternal life.
 All who had lived, previously unjudged, not only Israel, but of all nations, will be resurrected MORTAL, physical, as they were in their first life up to the time of death. Those in this judgment will be mortals. They will then give account and be judged. Concerning this Great White Throne Judgment Jesus said: "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas 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" (Matt. 12:41-42; also in Luke 11:31-32). Also: "But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.... But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidom at the judgment, than for you" (Luke 10:12, 14). There will be punishments. Those who have sinned little will be beaten with few stripes, but those who have sinned greatly, knowing God's will, with many stripes (Luke 12:47-48).
 But the penalty for sin is DEATH in the final last judgment. Since all have sinned, all shall be judged guilty and sentenced. But they shall learn that Jesus Christ paid their penalty in their stead. And in repentance, demonstrated by performance, they will be given an opportunity yet at that time to choose LIFE, and be made immortal.
 What a merciful God is the Creator, whose mercy is as great toward us as the heavens are high above the earth. And he is able to remove our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12).
 BUT THERE IS MORE! MUCH MORE!

Incredible Human Potential Revealed

In the book of Hebrews we read: "For unto the angels hath he [God] not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak" (Heb. 2:5). The theme of the context here is "the world to come."
 There is but one earth, but the Bible speaks of three worlds, ages or civilizations on the earth--the "world that then was" (the antediluvian world from Adam to Noah); this "present evil world" (from the Flood until Christ's return, yet future); and "the world to come" (which will start when Christ comes and sets up the kingdom of God).
 This verse speaks of angels as if the world had been put in subjection to angels; in fact, in the very beginning of this book of Hebrews, the first chapter, it is speaking of Christ and angels and the relation of angels to humans. This was explained in Chapter 2 of this book.
 But bear in mind the general theme here, or context, is "the world to come, whereof we speak"--not this present age, now coming rapidly to its end! Continue on in verse 6: "But one in a certain place testified, saying...." Then follows a quotation from the first six verses only of the eighth Psalm.
 In this psalm, David continued showing specifically that God has now placed in subjection under man the solid earth, the earth's atmosphere or air, and the sea. But now the writer of the book of Hebrews is inspired to expand David's prophecy to add something radically different--something to happen in the world to come!
 This revealed knowledge of God's purpose for mankind--of man's incredible awesome potential--staggers the imagination. Science knows nothing of it--no religion reveals it, so far as I know--and certainly higher education is in utter ignorance of it.
 Nevertheless, it is what God says he has prepared for them that love him (I Cor. 2:9-10).
 I have said before that God revealed necessary knowledge to our first parents, but they didn't believe what he said! Some 4,000 years later, Jesus Christ the second Adam appeared on earth with a message direct from God the Father in heaven, revealing the same necessary knowledge--but only a handful--a hundred and twenty--believed what he said, though many professed to "believe on him" (as in John 8:30-31, 37-38, 40, 45-46).
 Today science, religion and education still do not believe WHAT HE SAID.
 But now let's see what is said in this passage in hebrews, beginning where Hebrews leaves off quoting the eighth Psalm: "Thou hast put all things in subjection under his [man's] feet. For in that he [God] put all in subjection under him [man], he [God] left NOTHING that is not put under him" (Heb. 2:8).
 Is it possible God could mean what he says "all things"? Nothing excluded?
 In the first chapter, the Moffatt translation of the Bible renders the Greek word translated "all things" as "the universe" (verse 8).
 In other words, for those willing to believe what God says, he says that he has decreed the entire universe--with all its galaxies, its countless suns and planets--everything--will be put under man's subjection.
 But wait a moment! Before you disbelieve, read the next words in the same eighth verse: "But now we see not yet all things [the endless universe] put under him [man]." Remember (verse 5), this is speaking of the "world to come"--not today's world. But what do we see now, today? "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels [or, "for a little while lower"] for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour." Man, other than Christ, is NOT YET "crowned with glory and honour."
 But see how Christ is already crowned with glory and honor. Continue: "For it became him, for whom are all things [the entire universe] and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the  captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings....for which cause he [Christ] is not ashamed to call them brethren" (verses 10-11).
 In other words, Christians having God's Spirit are joint heirs with Christ to INHERIT all that Christ already has inherited. He is now in glory! He has already inherited the entire universe. He sustains it by his power. Man, if he is converted, having God's Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9), is now only and HEIR--not yet a possessor.
 But see now how Christ already has been crowned with glory and honor--and is already in possession--has already inherited. Begin with Hebrews, chapter 1:
 "God...hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things [the entire universe], by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding [sustaining] all things [the entire universe] by the word of his power..." (Heb. 1:1-3).
 The living Christ already sustains the entire universe by his limitless divine power. The passage continues to show his superiority over the angels--he is the begotten and born Son of God--angels are merely individually created beings. Angels are now administering spirits (invisible to us), ministering to us--to us who are now in lower status than angels--but who are heirs of salvation, when we, like Christ, shall become born sons of God (Heb. 1:4-14).

Outer Space--Planets Now Dead

 Now put this together with what is revealed in the eighth chapter of Romans.
 Here it speaks of Christ as God's Son: "...that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). Humans, having God's Holy Spirit, are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ--who, alone of all humans, has already been born as God's Son by a resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4). He is the FIRST of the human family to be born into the family of God--the kingdom of God. He is our pioneer who has gone on before. We shall follow at the resurrection of the just at Christ's return to earth in supreme power and glory.
 This eighth chapter of Romans, verse 9, says if we have within us the Holy Spirit of God we are his begotten sons, but if we do not have his Spirit we are none of his--not Christians at all. But verse 11 says that if we have God's Holy Spirit growing within and leading us we shall be raised from the dead by his Spirit--(or if living when Christ comes we shall be changed from mortal to immortal).
 Now continue: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God....The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ...also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us..." (Rom. 8:14-18).
 Continue, Revised Standard Version: "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; for the creation [all the suns, planets, stars, moons] was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation [stars, suns and moons now in decay and futility] has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves [we Spirit-begotten humans], who have the first fruits of the Spirit [the very FEW now being called to salvation--the "firstfruits"], groan inwardly as we wait for the [birth] as sons" (verses 19-23).
 What an amazing marvelous revelation of knowledge!
 No more amazing, awesome, eye-opening passage could be written!
 It is so astonishingly revealing, one doesn't fully grasp it just reading quickly through.
 First I quoted from verse 29 of Romans 8 stating Christ WAS the firstborn of MANY BRETHREN.
 In Hebrews 1, we see that Christ, the first human to be born by a resurrection from the dead, has been glorified and now sustains the entire universe. He is our Pioneer who has gone on ahead. At his return to earth in power and glory, those who have been converted and received God's Holy Spirit shall be born into the God family by a resurrection. Then the entire universe will be put into subjection UNDER them!
 Then, from Romans 8, if we have and are led by the Holy Spirit of God, we shall be raised to Spirit composition and immortality in the God family even as Christ was in A.D. 31 upon his resurrection.
 Now once again from verse 19: "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God" (RSV). This shall happen after the time of the resurrection, when those who are human actually become--by a resurrection or instantaneous change from mortal flesh to Spirit immortality--sons of God.

Astonishing?--Entire Universe to Be Renewed

Now understand please. Why should the whole universe--the creation--be waiting with eager longing for the actual birth and appearing of all these sons of God to be born into the family of God? The following verses portray a universe filled with planets in decay and futility--yet as if subjected now to this dead state in hope! "Because the creation itself [the universe not now capable of sustaining life] will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God."
 How did all the planets fall into the bondage of decay? Surely God did not so create them!
 Decay signifies a state or condition caused by degeneration and decomposition from a previous undecayed state. God, then, created these planets in a state of NONdecay.
 But something caused deterioration to set in.
 What could have caused all this "bondage to decay"?
 It cannot be the state in which God created them! Everything we read in God's revealed Word about God's creation shows it to have been a perfect creation. The earth was first created a perfect creation of glorious beauty.
 We see that angels inhabited the earth prior to the creation of man. Angels, who were perfect from the creation until iniquity or lawlessness was found in them, caused the whole surface of the earth to turn into a state of decay, confusion and emptiness, as shown in chapter 2.
 Could the whole universe with its myriad of other planets have been created for the eventual purpose of sustaining life? We are not told specifically be revelation in God's Word whether it was or not, but what we are told throws additional light on why God decided to create man!
 Continue this passage in Romans 8:22: "We know that the whole creation [universe] has been groaning in travail together until now." Consider that the creation is compared to a mother about to be delivered of her child. The creation is pictured as groaning in travail in hope (verse 20), awaiting the birth by resurrection to immortality, of the children of God. It is as if the creation is the mother and God is the father. Anyway the whole thrust of the passage is that when we (converted humans) are born of God--then having the power and glory of God--we are going to do as God did when this earth had been laid "waste and empty"--Hebrew, tohu and bohu (Gen. 1:2). Christ, who renewed "the face of the earth" (Ps. 104:30), was renewing what had been destroyed by the rebellion of the sinning angels.
 What these wonderful passages imply and indicate goes far beyond the amount specifically revealed.
 This passage indicates precisely what all astronomers and scientific evidence indicate--the suns are as balls of fire, giving out light and heat; but the planets, except for this earth, are in a state of death, decay and futility--but not forever--waiting until converted humans are BORN the children of God; born into the very divine family of God, forming the kingdom of God.
 Jesus' gospel was the kingdom of God. What I am showing you here is that Christ's gospel of the kingdom actually included all this knowledge here revealed--even the whole universe is to be ruled by us, who, with God the Father and Christ, become the kingdom of God.
 God is first of all Creator, but God is also Ruler. And he is Educator, who reveals knowledge beyond and outside the scope of human mind of itself to comprehend!
 Put together all these scriptures I have used in this chapter, and you begin to grasp the incredible human potential. Our potential is to be born into the God family, receiving total power! We are to be given jurisdiction over the entire universe!
 What are we going to do then? These scriptures indicate we shall impart life to billions and billions of dead planets, as life has been imparted to this earth. We shall create, as God directs and instructs. We shall rule through all eternity! Revelation 21 and 22 show there will then be no pain, no suffering, no evil, because we shall have learned to choose God's way of good. It will be an eternal life of accomplishment, constantly looking forward in super-joyous anticipation to new creative projects, and still looking back also on accomplishments with happiness and joy over what shall have been already accomplished.
 We shall never grow tired and weary. Always alive--full of joyous energy, vitality, exuberant life and strength and power!

Earth To Become UNIVERSE Headquarters

Finally, even the Father will come to this earth. His throne over the whole universe will be established on this earth.
 Notice in I Corinthians 15:24, after speaking of the various resurrections, it is recorded: "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power."
 In Revelation 21:3: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."
 And further in Revelation 22:3: "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him."
 When it speaks of God and the LAMB, the LAMB represents Christ and God refers to the FATHER.
 Finally the at-one-ment shall be completed. Both God the Father and the Son Jesus Christ in us and we united with them as the one great supreme God family.
 How wonderful beyond the ability of words to express is the glory of God and his wonderful purpose actually now in progress. Praise, honor and glory be to God and to Jesus Christ forever and forever.
 With God's great master plan of seven thousand years finally completed--the mystery of the ages finally revealed, and with the re-creating of the vast universe and eternity lying ahead, we come finally to  THE BEGINNING.