The Wrath of God

[turnorburn]

"Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee"(Job. 36:18)

This is one of the danger-signals which God has placed across the sinner's pathway to Hell. At every turn of the Broad Road there are notice boards giving warning of the Destruction which lies ahead. The Sunday School teacher, the prayers of godly parents, the sermons of faithful preachers, the little Gospel tract, the warnings of conscience, the innate fear of death, the declarations of Holy 'Writ, are so many obstacles which God places in the way of the sinner-so many barriers to the Lake of Fire.

One chief reason why God wrote the Bible was to warn the sinner of the awful consequences of sin, and to bid him flee from the wrath to come. Our text is one of these warnings. There are many such scattered throughout the Bible. We mention one or two at random. "Be sure your sin will find you out" (Num. 32:23). "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb.9:27). "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5). "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. 2:3).

Our opening text naturally divides itself under three heads:

I. A Terrible Fact
"Because there is wrath."

The reference here is to God's Wrath. In regard to the wrath of God let us now contemplate four things:

1. The Fact of God's Wrath
Men try to forget that there is such a thing as Divine wrath. The realization of it makes them uneasy, so they endeavor to banish all thought of it. At times they are terrified at the bare mention of God's wrath, hence their anxiety to dismiss the subject from their minds. Others try to believe there is no such thing. They argue that God is loving and merciful, and therefore God's Anger is merely a bogey with which to frighten naughty children. But how do we know that God is Loving and Merciful? The heathen do not believe that He is. Nor does Nature clearly and uniformly reveal the fact. The answer is, we know God to be such, because His Word so affirms. Yes, and the same Bible which tells of God's Mercy speaks of His Wrath, and as a matter of fact, refers more frequently (much more so) to His anger than it does to His love.

The fact of God's Wrath is clearly revealed in the Scriptures. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36). "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men" (Rom. 1:18). "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience" (Eph. 5:6). In these, and in other passages too numerous to mention, the fact of the Divine wrath is affirmed. And now let us consider:

2. The Necessity for God's Wrath
Wrath is one of the Divine perfections. If God did not punish evildoers He would be a party to evil doing, He would compromise with wickedness, He would condone sin. Of necessity God is a God of Wrath. Consider an argument from the less to the greater. In the human sphere he who loves purity and chastity and has no wrath against impurity and unchastity is a moral leper. He who pities the poor and defenseless and has no wrath against the oppressor who crushes the weak and slays the defenseless, but loves them too, is a fiend. Divine wrath is Divine Holiness in activity. Because God is holy He hates sin, and because He hates sin His anger burns against the sinner. As it is written, "Thou hatest all workers of iniquity" (Psalm 5:5). And again, "God is angry with the. wicked every day" (Psalm 7:11). And now-

3. The Manifestation of God's Wrath
God's wrath is not an abstract quality. God's wrath is not some thing that is inactive and inoperative. During Old Testament times God's wrath was openly displayed against evil-doers, notably at the Flood; in the destruction of Sodom and Gormorrah with fire and brimstone from heaven; on the Egyptians and their haughty king, when He visited their land with plagues, slew their first born and destroyed their armies at the Red Sea; and in His dealings with the Nation of Israel, in selling them into the hands of their enemies, sending them into captivity and destroying their beloved city. God's wrath against sin was publicly manifested at the Cross, when all His billows and waves passed over the head of the blessed Sin-Bearer, "I am afflicted and ready to die from My youth up: while I suffer Thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over Me: Thy terrors have cut Me off" (Psalm 138:15, 16) was His solemn cry. And now:

4. The Greatness of God's Wrath
Human wrath is oftentimes an awful thing. Scripture likens the wrath of a king to the roaring of a lion. When a man's anger gets the better of him and he allows his fury to burst all restraints; it is a fearful thing to behold. Scripture also speaks of the Devil having "great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Rev. 12:12). But what shall be said of the Wrath of God? To what shall we liken it? How indescribably awful must be the unrestrained and unmixed wrath of such a Being! With what shall we compare the wrath of Him who made the heavens and the earth by the word of His power, who spake and it was done, who commanded and it stood fast! What must the wrath of Him be like who shaketh the earth out of its place and maketh the pillars thereof to tremble! What must the wrath of Him be like who rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry, who removeth the mountains out of their places and overturneth them in His anger! What must the wrath of Him be like whose majesty is so terrible that no fallen man can live in the sight of it, and in whose presence the very seraphim veil their faces!

Scripture speaks of God's wrath "waxing hot" (Exod. 23:14). It declares "Great is the wrath of the Lord" (2 Kings 22:13). It makes mention of "The fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" (Rev. 19:15). It refers to God's wrath coming upon sinners "to the uttermost" (I Thess. 2:16). Everything about God is unique. His power is omnipotent. His wisdom is a great deep. His love is unsearchable. His grace is unfathomable. His holiness is unapproachable. And like all His other perfections and attributes God's wrath is incomparable, incomprehensible, infinite. It will be the Wrath of the Almighty! And what will the wrath of the Almighty be like when it comes upon sinners "to the uttermost"? And what power of resistance will poor, frail creatures of the dust have for enduring the full weight of it? None. None whatever. It will overwhelm them. It will utterly consume them. It will crush them more easily than we can a worm beneath our feet. It will sink them into the lowest depths of hopeless despair. It will be intolerable and unbearable. And yet it will have to be endured - consciously endured - endured day and night for ever and ever! May these unspeakably solemn thoughts prepare the unsaved reader for the next division of our text.

http://biblebelievers.com/misc_periodical_articles/our-hope_001.html

tob

 

[turnorburn]

II. A Solemn Warning
In view of this terrific fact, "Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke."

Sinners are even now threatened with God's wrath, yea, they are by nature "children of wrath." It is true that God's wrath now slumbereth for a while, because this is the day of salvation. It is true that the time for the full and final and open manifestation of it has not yet arrived. It is true that sinners often defy God now with apparent impugnity, and because of this the wicked spread themselves like green bay trees. "Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what profit should we have if we pray unto Him?" (Job. 21:14, 15). Let all such heed the Divine warning, "Because there is wrath, BEWARE lest He take thee away with His stroke." Sinner, be not deceived, God is not mocked. "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. Is not this laid up in store with Me, and sealed up among My treasures? To Me belongeth vengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste" (Deut. 32:29, 31-35). The sinner is treading a path more slippery than ice, and unless he forsake it, in due time his foot shall slide. The bow of God's wrath is already bent: the arrow of His vengeance is even now fitted to the string, and nothing but His infinite forebearance stays its release. My reader, the only reason why you have not already been cast into Hell fire is because it has been the good pleasure of the Most High to stay your doom. Flee then from the wrath to come while there is yet time.

"And thinketh thou this, O man that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?" (Rom. 2:3). Did Adam escape the judgment of God? Did Cain, did Pharaoh, did Achan, did Haman? The only reason God has not "taken thee away with His stroke" before this is because He endures with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.

The time of the sinner's opportunity for fleeing from God's wrath is exceedingly brief and limited. The sad and tragic thing is that so few realize it. The sinner sees little cause for alarm and fails to apprehend his imperative need of promptly accepting Christ as his Saviour. He imagines himself secure. He goes on in his sin, and because judgment against an evil work is not executed speedily he increases in his boldness against God. But God's ways are different to ours. There is no need for God to be in a hurry - all eternity is at His disposal. When one man robs another, instantly the cry is raised, "Stop thief!" lest he should soon be out of reach. When a murder is committed the hounds of the law at once seek to track down the guilty One. A reward is offered lest he should succeed in escaping justice. But it is different with God. He is in no haste to execute judgment because He knows the sinner, cannot escape Him. It is impossible to flee out of His dominions! In due time every transgression and disobedience shall receive "a just recompense of reward."

"Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke." The immediate reference is to death - the removal of the sinner from this earth to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. Scripture furnishes many solemn examples of God's stroke "suddenly cutting off sinners out of the land of the living." "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censor and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord" (Lev. 10:1, 2). Again, "Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the King's palace. And this is the writing that was written, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting In that night was Belshazzar the King of the Chaldeans slain" (Dan. 5). Unsaved reader, you may be enjoying the health and strength of youth, yet, thou knowest not how soon the dread summons shall come, "This night shall thy soul be required of thee." Turning now to the last clause of our text, we have mention of:

III. An Utter Impossibility
"Because there is wrath, beware lest He take thee away with His stroke, then a great ransom cannot deliver thee."

Every member of Adam's race richly merits God's Wrath. Our sins which have mounted up to heaven; our profitless lives, spent in selfish gratification with no regard for God's glory; our indifference and carelessness respecting our soul's future welfare; our repeated refusals to respond to the invitations of God's grace, all cry aloud for judgment to descend upon us. But God's Mercy has provided a "Ransom" - a "covering" for sin - Christ! Our text speaks of this ransom as "great" - great in its value, great in its scope, great in its effectiveness, great because it delivers from so great a death and secures so great salvation. But great as this "ransom" is, it avails nothing for those who ignore and reject it.

"Beware lest He take thee away with His stroke, then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." If this ransom be despised then there is no possible escape for the sinner. If Christ be rejected there remains nought but wrath. How this text shatters the "Larger Hope"! How it repudiates any possibility of a "Second Chance" in the next world! How effectually it closes the door of hope against all who die in their sins! Let the stroke of God remove such from this world and "then a great ransom cannot deliver" them. There are other Scriptures equally explicit. "He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy" (Prov. 29:1). For the sinner there is no remedy, no deliverance, no hope whatever beyond the grave.

"Then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." Why? Because it is appointed unto man once to die, and after that - not a second chance, not a further probation - but the judgment. Why? Because at death the sinner goes immediately to Hell (Luke 16 :22, 23) and there there is no preaching of the Gospel and no Holy Spirit to quicken into newness of life. Why? Because there awaits all such nothing but "the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:29) and the judgment of the Great White Throne. "Then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." Why? Because repentance then will be too late. "Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them! (Ezek. 8:18). Then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Why? Because, Whosoever's name was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the Lake of Fire - and a "lake" has no outlet!

Here then is a solemn warning against indifference, "Because there is wrath." Here is a solemn warning against procrastination, "Beware lest He take thee away with His stroke." Here is a solemn warning against hoping in another chance after death. "Then a great ransom cannot deliver thee." Here is a powerful plea for accepting Christ NOW. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" We shall not! There will be no escape! Then "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found: Call ye upon Him while He is near."

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."

http://biblebelievers.com/misc_periodical_articles/our-hope_001.html

tob

 

[for_his_glory]

Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Without Gods grace found in one man, none of us would be here right now. Gods wrath is real and justified in that man has chosen to reject that of what they know nothing about.

 

[Deborah13]

turnorburn

I would say...

God's wrath simply stated is 'the curse of the law'.

If one does not receive redemption in Christ, that one is still under the curse of the law, God's wrath.
KJV
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
ESV
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him

 

[turnorburn]

We should treat everyone we meet as the last person they'll ever see we should be asking ourselves "Are they saved or are they Damned" Will the go to that crosswalk and be hit by a school bus? Will they get behind the wheel of their car just to have the brakes fail as they journey into dead mans curve? The Wrath of God is set in stone there isn't any way to avoid it.. but one.. "Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ And Be Saved"

tob

 

[Deborah13]

We should treat everyone we meet as the last person they'll ever see we should be asking ourselves "Are they saved or are they Damned" Will the go to that crosswalk and be hit by a school bus? Will they get behind the wheel of their car just to have the brakes fail as they journey into dead mans curve? The Wrath of God is set in stone there isn't any way to avoid it.. but one.. "Believe On The Lord Jesus Christ And Be Saved"

tob

 

[digging]

Yes but even the unrighteous will receive the resurrection, just because someone does not become a believer in the age doesn't mean they won't in the age to come.

Digging

 

[turnorburn]

Please explain "the age" and the age to come..

tob

 

[digging]

Sorry typo 'not a believer in this age' but might become a believer in the age to come during the 1000's years which I understand to be the time of the resurrection.

Both of the righteous and the unrighteous.

Acts 24:15 NAS
having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

John 5:29 NAS
and will come forth ; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

Just because the word judgement is used doesn't automatically mean condemnation, it just means what choice they make will judge whether they live or die. As I understand it persons in this age who have found their faith in God have come out from under judgement receiving the gift of righteousness, that's why they are part of the' first resurrection' or the 'resurrection of life'. This resurrection I understand brings them to immortality and frees them from the danger of going into the second death. Everyone else who never found their faith while under the curse of Adam will be resurrected but not to immortality they still are 'unrighteous' and during the millennium will need to hear the call to come. If they fail to hear the call they will die the second death and be lost for all time.

Revelation 22:17 NAS
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come ; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

That is how I understand it.

Digging

 

[digging]

Here is another scripture to support what I'm saying.

John 12:47 NAS
"If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

For myself I see everyone being resurrected for the purpose for giving them all an equal opportunity to hear the call of the great shepherd, how they act and respond after that is what their everlasting judgement will be based on.

Digging

 

[turnorburn]

There is no call during the millinium where did you hear that?

tob

 

[digging]

Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth ; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come ; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

Who is the Spirit and Bride saying Come too then? It seem new ones are being invited to drink the water of life clearly after New Jerusalem has arrived.

Digging

 

[Deborah13]

Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth ; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come ; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

Who is the Spirit and Bride saying Come too then? It seem new ones are being invited to drink the water of life clearly after New Jerusalem has arrived.

Digging

Rev 22:14 `Happy are those doing His commands that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of the life, and by the gates they may enter into the city;
Rev 22:15 and without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the whoremongers, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one who is loving and is doing a lie.

Those obeying are entering the city but there are those outside the city who are the unredeemed.

I see this as ... we as believers have already come into the Kingdom, to Mt. Zion and that heavenly city. It is still in the spiritual realm but at His time it will be completely revealed and manifested.

Until that time of His choosing the call to 'Come' will continue. Those that are now outside the city will choose, some will choose to obey that call and will enter in but sadly some will not.

 

[Deborah13]

Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth ; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come ; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

Who is the Spirit and Bride saying Come too then? It seem new ones are being invited to drink the water of life clearly after New Jerusalem has arrived.

Digging

Sorry Digging, I should have posted this scripture with what I said before,

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

 

[digging]

I hear you Deb and I would ask you to consider what I`m going to say. Notice again how the City is described as being made of stones and pearls with the names of the 12 sons of Israel and the 12 apostles and that the whole city it`s self is also described as the bride. Then

Rev 21:26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it;

Rev 22:1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and oft he Lamb,

Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

It seems to me the City is made of all the righteous who were believers in the previous age during the curse, to enter the City is to join and become part of the city part of the blessed family of God.

When I read Rev 22:14 I see this as the very action of the judgement. Everyone resurrected will have the choice to Come`drink life`s water free`or to stay outside with the dogs. If they stay outside they will perish in the lake of fire.

I just really, really don`t believe this age is about judgement. What has been given is the invitation to be part of the first fruits or the Bride of Christ for the purpose of this great in gathering which is to happen during the millennium. Just think for a few moments and try to imagine how many uncountable millions of people have died with never hearing one peep of the message. How many died as 1 day old babies, 2 days, 3 days, 1 year, 5 years.....none of these people even had their chance to hear the call. The bible is very very clear we are only saved through faith in Christ and how can anyone be saved if they have not heard. Every single soul that`s ever lived will be given the chance to hear the sprite and the bride say come.

Digging

 

[Deborah13]

I hear you Deb and I would ask you to consider what I`m going to say. Notice again how the City is described as being made of stones and pearls with the names of the 12 sons of Israel and the 12 apostles and that the whole city it`s self is also described as the bride. Then

Rev 21:26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it;

Rev 22:1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and oft he Lamb,

Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

It seems to me the City is made of all the righteous who were believers in the previous age during the curse, to enter the City is to join and become part of the city part of the blessed family of God.

When I read Rev 22:14 I see this as the very action of the judgement. Everyone resurrected will have the choice to Come`drink life`s water free`or to stay outside with the dogs. If they stay outside they will perish in the lake of fire.

I just really, really don`t believe this age is about judgement. What has been given is the invitation to be part of the first fruits or the Bride of Christ for the purpose of this great in gathering which is to happen during the millennium. Just think for a few moments and try to imagine how many uncountable millions of people have died with never hearing one peep of the message. How many died as 1 day old babies, 2 days, 3 days, 1 year, 5 years.....none of these people even had their chance to hear the call. The bible is very very clear we are only saved through faith in Christ and how can anyone be saved if they have not heard. Every single soul that`s ever lived will be given the chance to hear the sprite and the bride say come.

Digging

I don't know how the Lord makes Himself known to those who have never heard or lived long enough to make a choice. But here's a hit maybe.....

Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Joh 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Joh 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

God can redeem them who do not have the ability to choose for themselves. God can make Himself known without the help of man. I trust that my God is a just God. What we see as difficulties, He worked out before the foundations of the world.

 

[digging]

I forgot but here is another scripture that I see a pointing to this large group of the future to receive salvation as well.

Exodus 23:14 "Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me 15 "You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread ; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. 16 "Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field ; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field.

This last feast is so very interesting to me, this last feast would have been truly large because they were celebrating the entire harvest of all the crops that had grown out of the ground. Well think about the first two feasts they are also connected to the resurrection, first Jesus then I believe the 2nd is a type for the faithful who are to receive the resurrection of righteousness. So the last feast surely must also be a type for a resurrection. Which interesting everyone receives by coming up out of the ground.....

Digging

 

[digging]

I don't know how the Lord makes Himself known to those who have never heard or lived long enough to make a choice. But here's a hit maybe.....

Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Joh 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Joh 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

God can redeem them who do not have the ability to choose for themselves. God can make Himself known without the help of man. I trust that my God is a just God. What we see as difficulties, He worked out before the foundations of the world.

Now Deborah what I`m going to say I`m not wanting to say in any why to insult you. I have heard what you have said in very similar ways by other people and I carefully considered it but found it was not complete it was not just as you have said. There is a way for everything to be perfectly just and equal for every person.

First let`s talk about this vs you just mentioned.

Jesus is totally the KEY, how did Abraham see his day, Abraham believed in Jesus before he was born, he believed in the promise of God of the resurrection and thus was also believing in Christ.

I agree that God can redeem all these ones that is what the purpose of the whole resurrection is about, because to simply be brought back to life doesn`t mean you receive immortality. I believe everyone that was resurrected in the past still died again because it wasn`t a resurrection to everlasting life. However the gift of immortality ONLY is given through faith in Christ, to say or imply there is a different way that some other people can still be `saved`or `redeemed` is to then open Pandora`s box because then why was Christ`s sacrifice needed at all, if untold millions can be saved by some other means why not the whole of humanity. What is the judgement then based on.

Digging

 

[Deborah13]

I forgot but here is another scripture that I see a pointing to this large group of the future to receive salvation as well.

Exodus 23:14 "Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me 15 "You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread ; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. 16 "Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field ; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field.

This last feast is so very interesting to me, this last feast would have been truly large because they were celebrating the entire harvest of all the crops that had grown out of the ground. Well think about the first two feasts they are also connected to the resurrection, first Jesus then I believe the 2nd is a type for the faithful who are to receive the resurrection of righteousness. So the last feast surely must also be a type for a resurrection. Which interesting everyone receives by coming up out of the ground.....

Digging

I've been studying this on and off.
Passover - is when our Lord was resurrected. New spring planting time.
Feast of Weeks - ?
Feast of Tabernacles - resurrection of the saints - fall harvest - shofar (trumpets) are blown "at the last trump"

I do believe that the last trumpet is connect to the Feast of Tabernacles. The shofars are commanded to be blown at this feast.

 

[digging]

Yes feast of weeks is also called Pentecost which we can see was very important for the early Church since the blessing of the spirit was poured out on them.
But the righteous are referred to as the firstfruits of spring not as the fall harvest, this is why I feel it`s pointing to a greater work yet to come.

Digging