THE DEATH IS DESTROYED (Rev 20.11-15)
1) A GREAT WHITE THRONE.
“And I saw a great white throne and The [One] sitting Himself on it, from whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled. And a place was not found for them” - Rev 20.11.
WHOSE THRONE IS THIS? Although this is confusing, by design, it is very important. The Bible is “spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2.14), by the men of God, and other men have their “minds corrupted from the simplicity that is in the Anointed by the Serpent” (2 Cor 11.3). [The battle of life is summarized in the preceding sentence.] Part of the answer to the question, “Whose throne is this?” is contained herein:
“For the Father neither does judge no one, but the judgment of all He has given to the Son (tw Yiw), so that all will honor the Son (ton Yion) just as they honor the Father (ton Patera). The [one] not honoring the Son (to Yion), does not honor the Father (ton Patera) The [One] having sent Him” - Jn 5.22-23.
The Bible has recorded several visions of the throne of the God, and reference is made to the throne of the Son of man. The difference between the two is very basic. However, we were all confused on this issue at one time in our lives. Spiritual maturity provides the explanation.
Comparing the scenes in Chapters 4 & 5, of Revelation, with this account in Chapter 20, we spot the difference immediately. All creatures of earth, and Spirits of Third Heaven, pictured for us in Chapters 4 & 5 & 7, are “saved!” On the contrary, Chapter 20 combines the account of the “lost and the saved.” Therefore, we have the throne of The God and of The Lamb (Rev 22.1) in the first instance, and the judgment throne of the Son of the man (Adam) in the present case. What this conveys to the logical mind is that the judgment is “outside of Third Heaven.” God would not pollute His Eternal Abode (Third Heaven) by bringing the filthy sinners there for judgment.
As Iesous’ resurrection is found to have been in two stages, so the raising up of the servants of God to be with the Heavenly Father is also a two-step operation. In Iesous’ case, first He was raised up from the grave to earth. After 40 days with His students, then He ascended to Third Heaven. The servants of God are raised to the Judgment (#1), and then to Third Heaven (#2). The servants of God are accompanied in the resurrection to judgment by the “lost.” The proposition is stated dogmatically. The presence of the Spirit is not required to understand this basic fact. (See: Dan 12.2; Mt 25.31-32; Rev 20.11-15.) The resurrection of the “lost” is also in two stages. First is the raising up of them from Hell to the judgment; and secondly, the casting down of them into the “lake of fire.”
SOME GO UP; SOME GO DOWN!
Therefore, scenes of Iesous’ throne of judgment mention both “the saved and the unsaved.” Visions of the throne of God in Third Heaven are limited to the seven Spirits of God, and the four Living Creatures, and the 24 Elders, and those “in Heaven and in Earth” (Israel), and others “down under the earth” (Gentiles; see: Rev 5.13). This is a striking contrast that all may be able to recognize.
For visions of the throne of the God, without the “lost,” see: Isaiah 6.1-4; Eze 10.1; Dan 7.9-10, 7.13-14; Rev 4 & 5 & 7.
THE EARTH AND THE HEAVEN FLED. We have observed that “Heavens and Earth” is a symbol for “Government and Subjects” of nations. Babylon is identified using these terms (Isa 13.13), as is Edom (Isa 34.4-5), and Judah in 588 BC (Joel 2.10), and Israel in AD 70 (Joel 2.30); and even the Papacy (Babylon) is identified in this manner, concerning AD 1870 (Joel 3.15-16).
But a thorough research produced records of “nations” also being represented by “the Earth and the Heaven” (listed “backwards,” if you will). See: Heb 12.26. Hebrews was quoting Haggai 2.6, which reads: “the Heavens and the Earth.”
[“Heavens” is always plural in the Hebrew because the “Sun” is the daytime “Heaven,” and the “Moon and Stars” are the nighttime “Heaven”; and considered together they are “Heavens.”]
So then, “How do we determine if “Heavens” are literal or symbolic for nations? Our opinion is: “This can only be determined by the context.” The Preterits contend that there is no mention of the end of the earth in the Bible. This is founded on three points: (1) “Heaven and Earth passing away” (Mt 5.18) refers to the nation of Israel; (2) “But the Earth remains to ever” (Eccl 1.4); and: (3) A lack of complete research contributes to this misunderstanding.
We agree with the Preterits that the majority of the time “Heaven and Earth” are used to represent nations. Sometimes “Earth” alone pictures Israel. (See: Isa 24.) However, Solomon was prophesying the resurrection to eternal life (Eccl 1.4), and the change from “Israel” to “New Jerusalem.” And so, the physical earth is not intended. God created the Earth and the Heavens “from nothing” (ex nihil). See: Ps 33.6 – “… in saying of He Is (
hwhy
) Heavens doing them.”Ps 33.9 - “For this; saying and they were, this, commanding, and he stood.”
Jn 1.1-3 - In beginning was the Word and the Word was with the God (ton Qeon) and God (Qeoj) was the Word, all [things] came to be through Him, and without Him came not to be not even in (en) [thing] which has come to be.”
Iesous also created “Heaven and Earth” (nations), which indicated TEAM WORK; which is recorded:
“For in Him were created the all [things], the [ones] in the Heavens (Government), and the [ones] on the Earth (Subjects), the visible (nations) and the invisible (kingdom of God), whether thrones or rulers or authorities, the all through [power] of Him (autou), and into Him they have been created” - Col 1.16.
NOTE: “Two Creators” equal plural “Gods” (
myhla
; Gen 1.1, and 2,492 times) equals two Gods.The reader can comprehend the difference between the physical subjects, in the first quotes, and the spiritual subjects, in the last quote. “Iesous is the King of kings” is the message conveyed in Colossians (1.16); and, this supports the Preterits’ view. But Iesous is also the Lord of the physical universe, as we read here:
“And: ‘Lord (Kurie), You in the beginning laid the foundation of the Earth, and the Heavens are the work of the hands of You’” - Heb 1.10.
The quote by the writer of Hebrews, from Psalm 102.25-27. continues:
“They will perish, but You will remain; and all as a garment will grow old; and as a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and the years of you will not fail” - Heb 1.11- 12.
Solomon had stated, “And the Earth (Israel) to ever remaining” (Eccl 1.4). This statement is doubly true! “A remnant” was resurrected, in AD 77, to be with God forever. Then, the survivors of the war with Rome, who were converted to Iesous, founded New Jerusalem in AD 77-78. Though “Heaven and Earth” (Israel) passed away (Mt 5.18), nevertheless, the “New Earth” is with us to the present day. But, “The Earth and the Heavens” will perish. Either the physical creation was intended, or Israel was intended, or both were intended (Heb 1.11-12). Paul was quoting Ps 102.25-27. In Hebrew the words “heavens” is always plural. Paul was discussing “the end of Israel.” The plural “heavens” in the psalm would refer to successive governments of Israel. Zechariah utilizes the same backwards combination of the words to describe the physical universe:
“And I lifted eyes of me and I saw, and look, two Women (Covenants) appearing hers and wind in wings of them, as wings of the stork, and lifting her of the basket (with Babylon inside) between the Earth and between the Heavens” - Zec 5.9.
Ezekiel continues this backwards pattern:
“And he sent pattern of a hand, and he took me in fringe of head of me, and lifting me of spirit between the Earth and between the Heavens and she [spirits and souls of males are both referred to as “she”] brought me to Jerusalem in visions of Gods (
myhla
) to door of gate …” - Eze 8.3.
God consistently switches between use of the words, “Heavens and Earth,” and “The Earth and the Heavens.” Compare: Isa 48.13; Prov 3.19; Ps 68.8, 18.7-9; Gen 2.4.
If you are thoroughly confused, you should be! For we have exceptions where the “backwards” combination refers to nations also. But then, God would not leave the message (Rev 20.11-15) in unclear terms, and so, He adds:
THE END OF THE EARTH IS NEAR: Genesis 8.22, Rev 20.11
“Ever (
d[
) all of days of the Earth [remains], seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night, no remaining you [in] them” (w t bvy al
) - Gen 8.22.KJV: “While the earth remains …” [“remains” not in text, but “supplied” in our translation] … day and night shall not cease (
w t bvy al
)” – Gen 8.22. Strong’s #7673 -tbv
; - cease – 43 times;tbv
- #7676 – Sabbath – 106 times. ERROR: text =w t bvy
and not -tbv
.NOTE: Amplified Version, 1964, NAS, 1960, NIV, 1978, ESV, 2008 all copied the KJV error. NLT, 2008, “left out the final participle with two suffixes.”
A) The phrase, “all of the days” is clear that a period of time to the End of the Earth is described. NOTES: them (W) [in] you (T) remaining (BSY - #3427 – 148 times) no (AL).
Forwards: no remaining you (T) [in] them (W = these contrasted conditions; as day and night).
This prophecy means that “you” (man) will not remain in “them” (contrasted conditions) “ever all of days of the earth.”
Stated simply, “The Final Resurrection will occur ever (as long as) the earth remains.” In other words, the Final Resurrection will precede the “End of the Earth.”
The Dark Ages writers misquoted Second Peter 3.7-10 to say “the earth will be burned up.”
“And the Day of Lord will come as a thief in night in which the heavens (Governments) will pass away with hissing, and elements (Sun, Moon, Stars)* being burned up will be destroyed, both Earth* (Israel) and the works in her will be burned up” – 2 Peter 3.10.
NOTE *: = A, B, Cs of God. Sun = king, Moon = Levitical Priesthood, Stars = Jewish Prophets, Earth = congregation of Israel.
Peter was predicting the “annihilation” of the nation of Israel – which certain prophecy was repeated often.
“the Sun (Antipas – Rev 2.13) darkened (killed) and the Moon (Priesthood to blood)” – Joel 2.31, Mt 24.29, Mk 13.24-25; Lk 21.25, Acts 2.20, and many others.
After the “annihiulation of Israel,” Peter predicted “new heavens and a new earth” (New Jerusalem) – 2 Pet 3.13.
Therefore, the “Dark Ages interpretation” is ignorance.
The Revelation of Iesous also contained this prophecy of the Final Resurrection:
“And they saw a great, white throne, and The [One] (Iesous)* sitting on it, from whose face the earth** and the heaven** fled. And a place was not found for them [on earth] …. And the dead [only], they were judged from … in the books” – Rev 20.11-12.
NOTE *: “For neither the Father does judge no one but He has given to the Son the all judgment” – Jn 5.22.
NOTE **: Now then, “What are the earth and the heaven.”
The “sun and the moon”, above, were “king and priesthood”; or, “the government.”
“Heavens and Earth” were repeatedly used to describe, “Government and Subjects of the Government.” CONCLUSION: The “Government” and the “Subjects” fled from “the face of Iesous,” and there was no place for them [on earth].
This is exactly what the prophecy in Genesis 8.22 had proclaimed.
The literal “earth” is fading away, and the Final Resurrection will precede her demise. IN OTHER WORDS – the Judgment Day is Near!
“Ever (
d[
) all of days of the Earth [remains], seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night, no remaining you [in] them” (w t bvy al
) - Gen 8.22.God was making a covenant with Noah that he would not destroy the (physical) Earth again by water. He promised nothing more. [Especially, the human population is intended by “destroy the earth by water.”] He is contrasting one year when the earth was flooded with the promise of not to flood the whole earth again. During this one year period there was no seedtime and harvest, and no cold and heat (for the water temperature was constant), and no winter and summer (for the same reason). Even the word, “night” is not found during this period. The Covenant to continue these blessings was limited to: “While the earth remains.” This stipulation implies that there will be an end to the earth. “Earth and the Heaven fled” was John’s vision of the possible End of the earth. “And there was no place found for them” is the reversal of the creation (ex nihil; from nothing). On the other hand, “Earth and the Heaven fled” could represent all of the Governments (Heavens), and all of the Subjects (Earth). But whether taken literally or symbolically, the result is the same: “We will all die.”
2) THE DEAD STANDING BEFORE GOD.
“And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before [place] of the (tou) throne, and books they opened. And another book was opened, the [one] [Book] of the (thj) Life. And the dead were judged from of the (twn) [things] having been written in the books according to the works of them. And the Sea
(of Glass) gave up the [ones] in her, and the Death and the Hell gave up the [ones] in them. And they were judged, each according to the works of him” - Rev 20.12-13.
THE DEAD. Where are the living? The “Old Heavens” resurrection was explained by Paul: “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them (the dead) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thes 4.17). The “Old Heavens” resurrection describes the “living and the dead;” but here we are only informed about the “dead.” Will we all die?
The “rapture” explains the difference. First the “dead in the Anointed” would be raised (1Thes 4.16). As happens frequently, while addressing the congregation, Paul chooses not to discuss the fate of the sinners. This is demonstrated by this quote:
“… for to Me, she will bow, all of knee, she will swear all of tongue” - Isa 45.23; quoted in Rom 14.11.
Isaiah goes on to discuss the fate of the sinners who are condemned: “And all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him” - Isa 45.24.
[These examples of a partial discussion of a subject lead to much ignorance and misunderstanding. Therefore we must take Iesous’ words seriously, about “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”]
Returning to our subject of the “dead” and the “live,” we may safely assume, that the “dead in the Anointed” were raised, being those confined to “Paradise” until the judgment. However, the “living” is a different story! We had the “living” servants of God, and the “living” sons of the Devil on earth together. The “saved” met the Lord in the air, while the “lost” were left behind. Therefore, the “sinners” judged at that time were only from the “dead.” And, those who would later become New Jerusalem were among these “sinners” who were left behind. The prophets of God foretold that they (who believed) would be saved “by” the resurrection. See: Zec 12.10-14; Mt 24.30-31; Rom 8.19-23, 11.25-27; Heb 9.8; Rev 1.7. All of these verses are about “seeing” the “sign of the Son of man” or the destruction of the temple in AD 70 (Heb 9.8).
There is no “rapture” in the New Covenant message, and therefore, no distinction between the “living and the dead.” This is due to the fact that: “There will be no living!” But Paul described that even the bodies of the “Elect” would die in the resurrection (including the Rapture in AD 77).
“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor 15.53).
Our conclusion is that all the persons at the Final Resurrection and Judgment will have experienced the death of their physical bodies, and so, “The dead stood before God.”
THE BOOKS AND THE BOOK OF LIFE. We have two standards of judgment pictured here. “... for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Gal 2.16). Those not found written in the Book of Life have no hope of eternal life. The second standard of judgment is described by Paul also: “For the all of us, it is necessary to appear before [place] of the (tou) judgment seat of the Anointed (tou
Cristou) ... Therefore, if anyone is in Anointed (Cristw), [he is] a new creature ... For The [One] not knowing sin [Iesous], He made sin above us, so that we might become righteousness of God (Qeou) in Him” – 2Cor 5.10, 17, 21.
In other words, we are “saved by the blood.” Stated differently, we are not saved by our own righteousness, but by the righteousness of Iesous, through our faith. But, as Alexander Campbell wrote in the 1800s: “We are saved without works; we stay saved by works.” Many other conservative commentators have expressed similar opinions.
DEGREES OF JUDGMENT. Iesous teaches different degrees of punishment for the lost. (See: Mt 10.14-15 - worse than Sodom.) As might be expected, various degrees of reward are also expounded. (See: 1 Cor 3.11-15 - no reward, but saved.) The “Book of Life” determines Life or Death, while the “books” determine degrees of reward or punishment.
TWO GROUPS DEFINED. The “dead” are described to consist of two groups, which are defined by “two subjects” and “two verbs” and “two objects.” TWO SUBJECTS. “The Sea (of Glass)” and “the Death and the Hell.” TWO VERBS. The Sea “gave up,” and the Death and the Hell gave up.” TWO OBJECTS. The Sea had “who were in her” (singular), while the Death and the Hell had “who were in them” (plural). “The Sea of Glass” is life, and the “Death and the Hell” is death. This is a compound sentence which contains two independent sentences connected by a conjunction.
“The Sea (of Glass) gave up the dead who were in her.” “The Death and the Hell gave up the dead who were in them.”
Two concurrent resurrections to judgment are described; the resurrection of the saved and the unsaved.
In order to support the Pope’s teaching of “only two resurrections: Iesous and the general resurrection,” men teach the following theories: A) The final resurrection was in AD 70; B) The “first resurrection” is the just, and the “final resurrection” is the unjust, and together they constitute one resurrection; C) There is no “first resurrection;” D) There is no “first century resurrection;” E) The “general resurrection,” for all men, is at the end of time.
Our interpretation of Revelation has disproved all of these vain theories. Iesous mentioned four resurrections! The Pope is wrong! These four are: “Iesous” in AD 32; and: “The Old Heavens” in AD 77; and: “The first resurrection” before AD 1775; and: “The final resurrection” soon to come. All of these four resurrections are mentioned in the book of Revelation. (See: Rev 1.18; and Rev 4 & 5; and Rev 20.4-6; and Rev 20.11-15. For three resurrections listed together, see: 1 Cor 15.22-24.)
3) THE END OF DEATH.
“And the Death and the Hell were cast into the lake of the fire. This is the Second Death, the lake of the fire. And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of the Life, he was cast into the lake of the fire” - Rev 20.14-15.
THE FIRST DEATH. Men dying with their sins unforgiven went to Hell to await the judgment. Under the Old Covenant the “dead in the Anointed” were in Abraham’s bosom in Paradise. These waited before the throne of God, while the former group awaited in torment. (See: Lk 16.22-24.) God places great emphasis on consistency, and on the principle of impartial judgment. In view of this, it seems likely that the New Covenant also has a Paradise to await the judgment. The death of the body is the First Death.
THE SECOND DEATH. “The last enemy that will be destroyed is Death” (1 Cor 15.26). The Death and the Hell will be cast into the lake of fire. Hell contains the souls of the “lost.” The “lake of fire” is the Second Death -- for the “lost only.” The “saved” have eternal life, and need not fear the Second Death. The saved are raised up, and the lost are cast down.
THE BOOK OF THE LIFE. Those who inherit the Blessing are found written in the Book of the Life, and never experience a Second Death. The “rebellious” and “all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and in holy God (Qe iw), which is the Second Death” (Rev 21.8). Paul writes:
“And I urge you also, true companion, help with them, who labored with me in the good message, and Clement, and the remaining workers with of me, whose the names in Book of Life” - Php 4.3.