Other Subjects Eternal Life
There are three principle periods that form the time that God (Father and Son) will do the work to bring eternal life to mankind as promised.
The first is the work to create the firstfruits who become the bride and wife of Jesus (two thousand years).
The second being the millennium (1000 years) when the Spirit of God is made available to the world for the first time and the world is ruled by Jesus and is prepared to receive billions for the great white throne judgment.
The great white throne judgment is the third period and is an undisclosed period of time.
Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
When we are born of God we will literally be the sons of God - be God - not able to sin. When begotten of God we are given the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us in the way of righteousness. This is the time the firstfruits are manifested. (see The Bride of Christ paper)
1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
First period:
The following is speaking of the first period of time when God's Spirit has not been available to the "world", only to the called. The following verses are speaking of the firstfruits who become the bride of Jesus.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Rev 17:14 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.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 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.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Second period:
The second period is when God's Spirit becomes available to mankind. Revelation 21:10 is speaking of Spiritual Jerusalem that changes its location, at the beginning of the millennium, from heaven to this earth.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Revelation 21:21-27 speaks to some specifics of Spiritual Jerusalem. The Spirit of God is now available to the nations of this "world". Those who repent have been baptized and receive the Spirit of God have access to the Spiritual city and all the saving help that Jesus, his wife and the angels have to offer ---- those that defile are refused access and the saving helps are denied them.
Rev 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Rev 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Notice the context of Isaiah 66:20-23. It is a time when a new heaven and earth is formed (see New Heaven and New Earth paper). It is a time at the beginning of the millennium when the remnant of the "Day of The Lord" are brought to Jerusalem. A time when Jesus takes control. And the time when the people (flesh) of the world will worship Jesus.
Isa 66:20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
Isa 66:21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
Isa 66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
Isa 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
Third period:
Revelation 20:12 is speaking of the third period when mankind that died prior to the millennium are brought back to life. To those who had no opportunity to repent, be baptized and receive Gods Spirit. They are given an unspecified time to repent and accept Jesus as their savior. The "books" (Bible) are open to them for their understanding. Those who have God's Spirit dwelling in them will be written in the book of life.
Rev 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.
John 7:37-38 speaks to this period of time. We should all ask, what makes the "last day of the feast" (7th day of the Feast of Tabernacles) great? Notice the emphasis pointing to the abundance of the Spirit of God and it being available to "any man".
Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
Joh 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
Joh 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Then in the 7th chapter of Revelation there is reference to those who have accepted Jesus and are part of the immense number of people that come up for the great white throne judgment.
Rev 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
There are several things to note in verses 13-17. The term "which came out" in verse 14, without question, should be "are coming out". Also "great tribulation" should be "the great tribulation". This is the only time that the term "the great tribulation" is used in the entire Bible. One should ponder the full picture that is given by using the correct translations of these two terms. (see Keil & Delitzsch and the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentaries).
Verse 15 is very clear about the fact that the throne and Jesus and the Father will be relocated to the confines of earth as Revelation 21:3-4 testifies to.
Rev 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.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Verses 16 and 17 show us that those arrayed in white robes are human beings that will not hunger or thirst. They have accepted Jesus as their savior and they are continuing to be led to spiritual fulfillment.
Notice that the context of verses 13 to 17 is continuous.
Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which
came out[are coming out] of [the] great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
All those who come up to the great white throne judgment will have to give up their "personal" religion. Wikipedia states that, "according to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world". They range from the very large to the very small.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.