The Jehovah's Witness and the 144,000

I met a young lady that was a Jehovah's Witness at McDonald's recently. We introduced ourselves, exchanged our email addresses and had long discussions via email back and forth. Surprisingly, the JW believe in a lot of the same things that we do concerning heaven, hell, the immortality of the soul, and about not partaking in Pagan holidays.

However, we were not able to agree with them on every point. It was not a disagreement as a matter of personal opinion, but something we were able to prove scripturally. If you are a JW reading this, then please let us share our findings with you. And let the Bible be the final authority.

Here is what we found about the 144,000.

It is spoken of only two times in the Bible: Revelation 7 and 14.

JW believe that 144,000 is a literal number and not a symbolic number. We have found so far that a lot of numbers in the Bible, especially in Revelation are in code.

The number 12 is a special and significant number in the Bible. We see in the Bible that there were 12 tribes of Israel, 12 disciples of Christ, 24 elders, that the New Jerusalem has 12 foundations, 12 gates, 12 thousand furlongs, a tree with 12 different kinds of fruit, blooming 12 times a year, and so forth.

The 144,000 is a multiple of 12 which signifies a completeness.

Here is its basic Hebrew numerology:

12 = God's chosen people, part of His covenant, societal perfection

1,000 = Big number, gigantic scale, ultimate

Any number squared = The meaning of that number, but perfected

12 X 12 = 144 = The perfection of God's covenant with man

144 X 1,000 = 144,000 = The perfection of God's covenant with man on a gigantic scale

Immediately after John sees the 144,000, he now sees a great multitude that is innumerable from many tribes, nations, tongues, and so forth. In Revelation, there is a pattern we can find. It usually begins a chapter with symbolic things, then those symbolic things are clarified immediately after. For example, in Revelation 17, John sees a vision of a woman riding a beast with seven heads, ten crowns, rising out of the water. Immediately after this symbolic vision, there is a clarification of what it means in the same chapter. There is a very strong possibility that the innumerable crowd is the result of the symbolic 144,000.

If that statement above is not enough, let us look into more and dig deeper:

The 144,000 were redeemed from the earth. When Christ appears, we shall be caught up in the air to be with the Lord forever. This act of being caught up separates us from the earth below which will face the wrath of the Lord. We have been redeemed from the earth when this occurs.

The 144,000 are said to be resurrected immediately in heaven. In the Bible, it says that no man has ascended to heaven, except the one who descended from heaven (Christ) in John 3:13.

The Bible also only speaks of two resurrections: One for the just to go into life, and the wicked unto damnation.

"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" John 5:29

When Christ appears, it is the dead in Christ that shall rise. The Bible also says:

"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." Rev 20:6

And then it says that the rest of the dead lives not again until the thousand years are expired in verse 5 above.

The JW says that it is the 144,000 that reign as kings and priests with Christ, but the Bible speaks of those who partake of the first resurrection. The second resurrection is after the millennial reign.

I cannot find anywhere that there is a heavenly resurrection for the 144,000. I only have found that no man can enter heaven as of yet until the resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15 explains this in more detail:

Christ was the first to have a glorified resurrection. He was the firstfruit of the resurrection, and verse 23 says:

"But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming." (v23)

We will receive this glorification at His coming. 1 John 3:2, and Phil 3:21 both confirm that we shall see Christ appear, and receive His image. We shall too be like Him at His coming.

This next verse is key:

"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." 1 Cor 15:50.

So, this basically says that no one can enter heaven as of yet. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom, and corruption cannot inherit incorruption.

And there's a "BUT"..

"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." (v53)

So when Christ appears, we will be changed from mortal into immortal, from corruptible to incorruptible. Now this becomes possible. It is never said anywhere in the Bible that this spiritual resurrection ever occurs before His coming.

Here are the qualities of the 144,000. They are: 

SEALED- We see that they are sealed which separates them from the rest divinely. Yet, the Bible tells us that saved believers will be sealed by the Spirit also in (2 Cor 1:21,22, Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30). This sealing is available to us who are saved, and never made apparent to be exclusive to a specific number of people only.

WITHOUT GUILE- We are without guile because God has imputed upon us His righteousness (Psalm 32:2, Rom 4:8)

 WITHOUT FAULT-  We are without fault because Christ has perfected us forever with His one sacrifice (Heb 10:10, 14, 17)

 SERVANTS OF GOD- The 144,000 are called the servants of God, as we are. (Rom 6:22, Eph 6:6, 1 Peter 2:16)

 JEWS FROM THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL- 

The 144,000 are Jews, but the Bible says that we are no longer Jews by birthright, but of the heart-

"For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Rom 2:28,29

PRIESTS-  We have been made priests of God if we partake of the body of Christ.  (1 Peter 2:5, 9)

 ABLE TO SEE CHRIST AND REIGN WITH HIM- The great multitude mentioned in Rev 7 are surrounding the throne of God and of the lamb, and are seen worshiping them. This multitude came out of the great tribulation, washed their robes in the blood of the lamb, and are now before the throne serving God day and night. The Lamb will be in the midst of them also.


My JW friend asked me how I had proof that Christ would be with us. I gave her these verses:

"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." 1 Thess 4:17

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:3


Also, the Bible tells us that we will all see Jesus. It is not going to be an invisible event. Here is proof:


Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11

A great crowd of 500 saw Jesus ascend to heaven. The angels told them that in this like manner, we shall also see Him descend down.

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Rev 1:7

"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." Matthew 24:30

There is also another possibility about us seeing God the Almighty Himself-

Isaiah (in Isaiah 6) saw God, but first he had to be purified. When we are changed and transformed, we will be purified also into incorruptible, glorified beings, free from the flesh of sin.

"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 21:3

"And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads." Revelation 22:4


Now I address the verse that is very popular with the JW to support their beliefs of the 144,000:

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32

The JW believe that the "little flock" is specifically the 144,000. Firstly, there is nowhere in that passage that mentions the 144,000. Peter even asks Christ in this same passage in verse 41 if He is speaking to them, or to all? Jesus replies about the good and faithful servant, and this is who this passage is directed to.

The Lord is our Shepherd and we are His flock. This is spoken of countless of times throughout the Bible. (some examples: Ezekiel 34:15, 31, Psalm 79:13, 95:7, 100:3, Matt 10:6, 25:33, John 10:4, 11, Acts 20:28,29, 1 Peter 2:25, 5:2,3)

Unfortunately, the Lord's flock is small because the road is straight and narrow and there is a few that find it. There is no special group of 144,000 sheep separated from the rest of the other sheep but that God said He will bring us all together to be one fold, and to have one Shepherd (John 10:16).

Also, God is not a respecter of persons. He does not distinguish one above the other (Rom 3:22, Col 3:11, Gal 2:6). All have fallen short of the glory of God, and it is by His grace that we are saved and found without fault before the throne of God. We receive the sealing of the Spirit, and the Father claims us as His own through adoption of sons (Gal 4:5,6 and Rom 8:15). That is why His name is written on our foreheads.


He that overcomes is given all these things:  Power over the nations, to sit on a throne, and he will inherit all things.


"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations" Rev 2:26

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev 3:21


"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." Rev 21:7


And who is he that overcomes?


"Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John 5:5

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4


"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Rev 12:11

The Bible included you and me in this plan. Christ is our head, our mediator, and we are partakers of His grace and glory. It is not limited to specific 144,000 but that it was given to those who overcome. We shall live with Him and reign with Him. This is all made possible through Jesus Christ our Lord according to the Father's good pleasure.

Is There a Secret Rapture?

There is a popular, widespread belief about a certain kind of rapture. I personally believed it for years, but only because I was taught that way all of my life, because I heard it being taught from the pulpit and I read it in all the popular books. I read all fourteen books of the Left Behind Series. I would find myself wondering when the moment would be when we suddenly vanish into thin air. Do we really leave our clothes behind? What if I was driving? Who would be left behind in amazement at all the disappearances and how would they explain it?

These were some of my thoughts until one day I asked God for truth. In exchange, I knew I had to open myself up to Him to show me truth even if it meant accepting that I was wrong. That is not easy for many of us. We might be bold and zealous about defending our beliefs, but for us to realize that we were wrong is not an easy thing. It took me three months of seeking God and struggling with myself to finally understand AND accept what He was showing me.

Truth is in His Word alone. Be careful of popular belief. Be careful of man's doctrine. Be careful of traditions. We need to break away from all of these to be a clean slate, and open to whatever God may show us. It is a privilege and very humbling when He does, and it is very worth it.

Also, we encourage you to confirm everything that we are showing you in this article, and all articles with an open Bible. Double check everything, look into His Word, Seek HIM, not other men and their opinions. God offers us the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13)  and He gives us the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16) so that He may teach us.

Now, back to the focus of this article.. is there a secret rapture?


We all know that the word "rapture" is never in the Bible, but it does explain us being caught up in the air to be with the Lord. We can find that in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.

"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

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:

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.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words."


We see that we shall be "caught up" together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Note the word "them." The living shall be caught up with the dead in Christ who were asleep in their graves, then all together are we caught up in the air to be with the Lord.. forever.

"And so shall we ever be with the Lord." 

At that point, we are all together and we shall be with the Lord always, never to be separated again.

Also note that: Jesus will descend down from Heaven, with a SHOUT! 



Here is another verse that parallels to this one as well,


"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
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.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:51-55


Now, these both are descriptions of this same event. We see in verse 15 that "we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed".. only those who are dead IN Christ may rise, while those without Him will not be raised out of their sleep until the second resurrection (note: Rev 20:5,6, John 5:29). So the dead shall be raised up, the living shall be changed, and then together we are caught up together in the clouds.

When does this take place? We see it says "at the last trump."

We are changed from corruption into incorruption. We are changed from mortal to immortal. Death is swallowed up in victory and the grave is defeated.

Okay so.. why do we assume this is a secret rapture that occurs before the this 'seven year tribulation' .. that we go back to the grave just to be brought up again? We go back to our dead bodies and be raised up again? Wouldn't that be saying there two raptures?

I thought we were gonna be with the Lord forever? Now we have to be separated from Him again?

And I thought death was swallowed up in victory and the graves were defeated?

So let's say the secret rapture belief is right. We are raptured, then we go to be with Jesus for seven years during the tribulation, then Jesus sends us back to the grave and back to our corpses, to raise us up in another kind of spiritual body, then we are raptured again to meet him in the air, then he descends down again to the Mount of Olives. That's pretty confusing isn't it?

...God isn't the author of confusion. There are no two raptures. There is not a second coming, and then a third coming.

I've heard of others explaining that the first one isn't official because Jesus' feet never literally touch the ground. But where is that in the Bible? I have never found it. What I have found was:


"And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south" Zechariah 14:4

Wait, so His feet actually Do touch the ground after all?

When Jesus ascended to the skies after He rose from the dead, there were two angels and they said:


"Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11

And Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives. Prophecy tells us He shall descend upon the Mount of Olives, the same way and at the same place.

Here's another one:

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." Revelation 1:7

So.. every eye WILL see him? Yeah!


The Bible tells us that the wicked SHALL see it!


"The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish." Psalm 112:10


We are caught up to be with the Lord during this great, terrible and awesome day. The wicked are left on earth to suffer the Lord's vengeance. It will be a day of battle against the wicked and kings of this earth. This is a big, fiery showdown. We definitely do not want to be below while all this is occurring! (check Isaiah 13:6, Joel 2:1-11, Rev 16:14, Zech 14:1-3, Joel 3:12-16, Isaiah 29:6, Isaiah 66:15,16, Malachi 4:1)

When we are caught up to be with the Lord, we shall descend down with Him to the Mount of Olives as well. (check Zechariah 14:5, Deuteronomy 32:2, Jude 1:14)


Let us look into more rapture verses and see if it all aligns up, stay with us!

"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 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." Matthew 24:27-31

We see this verse is describing the coming of the Son of Man. As lightning shines in one place, it shines in the other as well, and we will all see Him. This passage describes awesome things to behold! Does this sound like a secret rapture to you? Surely when Jesus comes, every eye shall see Him and they shall wail, or gnash their teeth at Him. They will all see us have our victory with the Lord Jesus.

What is so cool is that when you read the last verse there, it says that He shall send his angels to gather his elect from the four winds. That is how we are "caught up." It never says we vanish. It never says we fly but that we are "caught" UP in the air.. by the angels. (read Rev 7:1 speaking of angels standing on the four corners of the earth). Also,


"The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels." Matthew 13:39

There is a harvest on this Earth. The reapers are the ones who gather the harvest and place them in a basket of some sort and brings them to the barn house. The reapers for this harvest are the angels as they reap God's people.

Also notice how it says "the harvest is at the end of the world?" All this will take place at the same time, at the end of the world. We recommend our readers to read the Wheat and Tares parable in Matthew 13.

There is one second coming. There is one rapture. What about the tribulation? Don't you know that the last days already began when Christ left the Earth? We have already been living in the last days. Believers are being martyred and persecuted for their faith every single day. During the Dark Ages, 50 million Christians were tortured and killed. China is hiding underground right now in fear of a massacre. We ARE in the last days!

Paul wasn't wrong when he said we were in the last days. He was telling the truth. Some pastors teach that Paul mistakenly thought they were in the last days. There are no mistakes in the Bible, and the last days did begin then.

Here is another:

"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." 2 Peter 3:10 

The Lord's coming shall come as a shock to many people. The heavens will pass away with a great noise, the elements shall melt with a fervent heat, and the earth and it's wicked works shall be burned up. This is definitely no secret rapture. How can anyone miss that?

Paul comments on this further:

"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." 1 Thess 5:2-4

It will only be a thief in the night for those without Christ, not for us. We should be like the faithful servant that is always watching. We will not be caught off guard. We will be ready.

Also note how it says "sudden destruction"...

Only man's doctrine teaches us that Jesus comes but doesn't "arrive" so it is not technically the Second Coming. There is no scripture basis for this. The Bible also never describes us leaving our bodies to be with the Lord, then be separated from Him again, return unto our corpses and graves, to be brought up again, then rise again, and then descend. Where does it say all of this? It doesn't.

Think about it, but don't just take my word for it either. Search these scriptures diligently. Ask God for truth. Open your eyes and keep them wide open. Question everything. Ask for scripture proving whatever people tell you.

Who Shall Stand Before the Great White Throne?

When is the Great White Throne Judgment? Who shall stand before the Great White Throne Judgment? What will happen there?

Let us study this together:


There are two resurrections. One shall be for those in Christ, and the second shall be for the wicked unto damnation.


"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." John 5:29


Also note: Only the dead IN CHRIST shall rise at His coming. It never says everyone shall rise, but those who are already IN Christ (1 Thess 4:16).

Also read Revelation 20:5,6


"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." 

In the first resurrection we shall receive these things:

Incorruptibility: "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." 1 Cor 15:52

Immortality: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Cor 15:53, 54



A Spiritual Body: "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." 1 Cor 15:44


We who shall rise first have become the Sons of God and heirs to the Kingdom: (John 1:12, Romans 8:14, Gal 4:5-7, Phil 2:15, Hebrew 12:7, 1 John 3:1, 2)


Now keeping these things in mind, let us read the passage about the Great White Throne Judgment.

"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.


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." Rev 20:11-15

-After reading the above passage, who are those standing before the Great White Throne?

The Dead.

-Where were the dead delivered up from?

The sea, death, hell (Greek word is Hades which means grave). 

-What are they judged by?

Their works.

Those without Christ are placed before the Great White Throne which takes place after the thousand years are passed and after Gog and Magog. Those are the dead that did not rise in the first resurrection. This is the Second Resurrection! When this occurs, we shall be with Christ and we shall be immortal so we are not the dead standing before the throne.

"Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. " Luke 20:36

We are not the ones judged by our works for we have the blood and liberty in Christ Jesus. The law was made for the transgressors and it shall condemn them for they have not grace.

 "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine" 1 Tim 1:9-10

When the dead are judged, shall any be justified by their works according to the law? Hear what the scriptures have to say:

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." Gal 3:10,11

"But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." Gal 3:22

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus 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." Gal 2:16


"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isaiah 64:6

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" Romans 3:10


Whoever stands before the throne shall be judged by the law and their works. None shall be justified. None shall walk away from the throne. All shall perish and die.

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10

The whole point of the Gospel is to show that no man can enter heaven without Jesus. No man can enter heaven by his own righteousness. No man shall be justified in the sight of God on their own.

Whoever HAS Christ, shall not be there at the Great White Throne. We shall be reigning with Christ. We shall have no condemnation (Romans 8:1) and we are justified by faith in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24, 28, Romans 5:1, 9, 1 Cor 6:11, Gal 2:16, 3:11, 24, 5:4, Titus 3:7)

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." John 5:24

The Thief on the Cross

In the last article, we explained what Paul truly meant when he said he would rather be absent from the body and present with the Lord, and if you haven't read it, check it out by CLICKING HERE. 

We will address the second of the two most popular verses that many use to debate that once we die, we shall immediately be with the Lord. This one is the famous verse spoken by Jesus Christ while He was on the cross. A thief crucified next to him had repented and asked Jesus with a prickle in his heart,  "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Luke 23:42

 

Firstly, We want to make sure our readers don't miss this. The thief asked for Jesus to remember him when Jesus comes into His kingdom. This doesn't occur until the second coming of Christ when He comes to receive His heavenly kingdom upon earth and the saints (us) shall reign with him for a thousand years. We also have several articles about this with many scriptures from the Bible. CLICK HERE if you would like to read more about this.

Going back to our point,

Jesus then turns to the thief in love and compassion and says:

"Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise ”(v43)

Let us remind everyone of the rule of the Bible. The Bible never contradicts itself. Keeping that in mind, let us understand all truth for there can only be one.

Why would Jesus tell the thief on the cross that he would be with Him today when Jesus told Mary after His resurrection that He had not yet ascended unto the Father yet? "Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father.." John 20:17

Why would Jesus tell the thief that he would be in Paradise with Him TODAY, and then tell Mary a completely otherwise story that Jesus had not yet ascended to His father yet three whole days later? That'd be a pretty cruel lie if it were what we thought it really was. But it wasn't.

Our Bible is the English translation of the original Hebrew and Greek text. It is the written Word of God in English, but the punctuations aren't infallible. It's amazing how one tiny comma can make a sentence mean an entirely different thing. With that in mind, let us remove the comma and take another look at the verse again,

Assuredly I say to you today you will be with Me in Paradise

Now try this,

Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise.

Now we can see what a difference placing a simple comma can be!

When we die, we are asleep in the graves awaiting the coming of Christ. He promises us this, "I will come again and receive you to myself.." John 14:3  We are not received unto Him before then, but at His coming.

The dead are asleep in their graves and are unaware of everything below. All shall die even the righteous and the wicked, (Ecclesiastes 9:2,3). For the wages of sin is death, and since Adam sinned, all have sinned because of him and all shall die. Jesus shall come again and redeem us from our graves, and then death is swallowed up in victory at His coming.


"So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Corinthians 15:54

Read all of 1 Corinthians 15 for a detailed description of how the dead in Christ shall be brought out of their graves at His coming, and then they shall receive incorruption and immortality. They are mortal first before they are immortal and this doesn't occur until the last trump on the last day. That is the blessed hope we look for, that Jesus shall come to receive us, and  there we shall ever be with the Lord.

Job speaks of the wicked in chapter 21 and says, "Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb." (v32)  And Job being a righteous man knowing his fate said,

"As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." Job 14:11-14 

Job is asleep in the graves and waiting there for his change to come where he will be raised immortal and incorruptible. Job knew he would have to wait until the heavens be no more, after the wrath is past which aligns with 2 Peter 3:10, "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."

Job is waiting for the Day of the Lord. So is the thief on the cross. So is the dead in Christ. We see that the wicked do not live again until the thousand years are passed, this is the resurrection unto damnation ( John 5:29, Rev 20:5)


Are our loved ones looking down from heaven at all the things we do and waiting for us there? It is a beautiful thought, but it is not truth. Our loved ones are actually very blessed because they do not know about all the things going on earth at the moment. The beautiful thing is that they won't have to miss us or experience the pain of longing to be with us again. At their last moment of awareness, they saw our faces. At their next moment they shall see us there with them and Jesus will be calling us all together unto Him. What an extraordinary moment it shall be!

We prayerfully urge our readers to continue studying about this and learning more about this. Please take a second glance at all these verses about the grave and about the resurrection, and try looking at it this way. See if it makes more sense and see if it matches all the other verses. If it be truth, it shall.

Christ's Kingdom on Earth

Note: We are not associated with any affiliations, nor religion, nor labels. We are not Jehovah's Witness, Seventh Day Adventists, or anything else but those who desire truth and seek it through God's Word and His Spirit. Our teachings may not be like the majority of Christian churches, but it is from the Bible. We believe the Bible is the final authority, even above doctrine and teachings of men.

We are showing what God's Word says about His Kingdom which is yet to come, so feel free to open your Bible and check each verse to verify it. We quote from the King James Bible.

The thief on the cross hung next to Jesus and with a prickle in his heart, he pleaded to Jesus "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Luke 23:42

The thief asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus entered His kingdom that He shall inherit from the Father.

Daniel wrote, "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Daniel 7:13, 14

We see that Jesus shall be given his Kingdom when He comes at His second coming. Where shall this kingdom be?

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." Revelation 11:15

Jesus will be King over every kingdom in this world. He shall reign on this earth as the true and perfect King. 


More verses to ponder:

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

We pray for His kingdom to come to earth, and for His will to be done on earth just as it is done in heaven.


"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity" Matthew 13:41

Jesus will send His angels to cast the wicked out of His kingdom. If it were in heaven in the skies, what would the wicked be doing there? Jesus is casting the wicked out of His earthly kingdom.


We await for Jesus to return and he promises that  “I will come again and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3)

We shall be redeemed from death and the graves. At the last trump at the last day, those in Christ shall be transformed into an immortal and incorruptible being (read 1 Corinthians 15) Then at that moment we shall be caught up in the clouds to be with the Lord at last, and so we shall always be with Him in His kingdom.

And we shall inherit the kingdom with Jesus forevermore,

"Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom."  Daniel 7:22


"And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." Daniel 7:27

What exciting and incredible things we have to look forward to!

The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth part 4

Here, we will conclude our four part study on the heavenly kingdom that will be established on Earth when Jesus Christ returns. Click to see PART 1, PART 2, and PART 3 of this study!

When Jesus Christ returns at His glorious appearing, those who are dead and alive in Christ will rise to be with Him forever. The wicked will be destroyed, cut off and consumed by Him. Jesus Christ will descend upon the Mount of Olives (the same place where he ascended up to the skies), and His saints will be with Him. Jesus Christ will reign the whole earth from Mount Zion (spelled Sion in the NT). Here are more details about Mount Zion with scriptures:

From Strong's Concordance:

Mount Sion: a hill of Jerusalem.


Mount Zion: a mountain of Jerusalem (same as Sion).

This is where the Lord shall be. 

"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." Psalm 2:6

"The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy." Psalm 99: 2, 9

 ^"When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory." Psalm 102:16

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." Psalm 48:2

"For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation." Psalm 132:13
"Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." Isaiah 12:6

"The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; 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. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more." Joel 3:16, 17


"Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain." Zechariah 8:3


We shall dwell there with Him.

"For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein." Psalm 69:35, 36

"They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever." Psalm 125:1, 2



What Zion shall be like!

No more war!

 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Isaiah 2: 2, 3, 4

Cloud by day,  fire by night, shade from heat, shelter from the rain

"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 day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain." Isaiah 4:5, 6

There will be stunning light from God that puts the moon and stars to shame!

"Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously." Isaiah 24:23

The Lord shall comfort you there!

"For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee." Isaiah 30:19

"And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Isaiah 35:10

"For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody." Isaiah 51:3


"Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." Isaiah 51:11

"But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying." Isaiah 65:25

There shall be healing there!

"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. "Isaiah 35: 5,6

It will be beautiful!

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim." Joel 3: 18

No more fear!

^"But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it." Micah 4:4

"The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid." Zephaniah 3:13

"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD." Isaiah 65:25

There will be one pure language!

"For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent." Zephaniah 3:9

You will be in the company of Angels!

"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." Hebrews 12:22

The Lord shall rejoice over you!

"The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

We will have the Father's name on our foreheads!

"And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." Revelation 14:1

We will have our own houses and vineyards!

"And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." Isaiah 65:21, 22

He shall speak to us and answer us even before we call!

"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Isaiah 65:24


Conclusion:

After the millennial reign (1,000 years with Jesus on Earth), and the great white throne judgment which takes place after Satan is loosed to deceive the earth one last time AKA Gog and Magog), it will be complete. There will be a new heaven and new earth. There will be a New Jerusalem that descends out of Heaven down to the new earth as a gift for the bridegroom (Jesus) and the bride (us). It will be a brilliant design with streets made of gold, walls made of precious jewels, and the lamb will be the light thereof!


There will be an article about the new heaven/earth/Jerusalem soon! 

But when Jesus appears, we shall always be with Him! He shall reign over us! We as His children are eagerly awaiting the return of our King! We are pilgrims on this Earth awaiting our heavenly kingdom for it's arrival! Such glorious things are awaiting us on Zion! We are the daughters of Zion, and how glorious will the Lamb's kingdom be when He comes to rescue us from our enemies!

Let us rejoice in anticipating these things to come!


And feel free to research more about Zion! There are thousands of verses about Zion/Sion, holy hill, holy mountain, city of God, etc!

The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth part 3

In this entry, we will show where Christ's heavenly kingdom will be on this Earth. This will hopefully help us to grasp the understanding of Heaven, and where we will be after we die. We know that those who die in Christ are awaiting His glorious return. When Jesus returns, He comes to claim His bride and to set up His Kingdom on Earth upon what the Bible calls Mount Zion. (Note: In the NT, they spell it Sion because of the Greek/Hebrew original text.)

We want to show that wherever the Lord is, so shall we be. We shall rise to be with Him, and go with Him wherever He goes. The wicked shall be cut off and destroyed. They shall be consumed away by Him at His appearing.

First, let's begin with a very well known passage:

 ^"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

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:

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.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

Some of us may read this and think that this passage is telling us that we will always be in the air with the Lord. Instead, what it really says is that we will rise, and from that point on, we will always be with the Lord wherever He goes.

When Jesus Christ returns with His army of Angels, the dead and the living that belong to Him shall rise to meet Him in the air. Those who are left behind on Earth will be destroyed and cut off. There are many verses speaking of this, and here are just a few to list as examples:

"For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth

 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming." Psalm 37: 9-13

"For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever" Psalm 37:28, 29

"Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it"  Psalm 37:34

The wicked shall be cut off and destroyed, and the righteous shall inherit the land. We shall have peace, and Jesus will rule the Earth the way it always should have been. We will all see the wicked perish and they will be gone.

The wicked will be consumed and destroyed by the Lord at His coming,

"By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed" Job 4:9

"Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD." Psalm 104:35

"And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed." Isaiah 1:28

"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.

And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts." Malachi 4:1, 3

"Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." Zephaniah1:18

"Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy" Zephaniah 3:8 

And when Jesus comes down, His feet will touch the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) and we shall be with Him when Jesus descends to Earth and claims His Kingdom on Mount Zion:

"And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee" Zechariah 14:5

"And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words." Deuteronomy 33:2, 3

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints" Jude 1:14 

More on what we will see!

"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

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." 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10

"And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one." Zechariah 14:9

More coming soon!

The Two Resurrections

Please allow us to show you more things that we have found in scriptures according to the Bible. We as Christians believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of God. Many Christians would call us too radical or outside of the box, but we are in the same box as you say you are in. Our box is defined by the Bible. If there is something we show you that is different than what you have been taught by other sources, churches, and so forth, we ask you to be open to what God may reveal to you from His Word.

We begin our studies with the resurrection. Many are unaware that there are actually two resurrections.

"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." John 5:28, 29

As we see here, there is the resurrection of life for those who have died IN Christ. The second resurrection which is of damnation are for those who stay in their graves until after the millennial reign. They are the ones who will face the Great White Throne of God for his fiery judgment. They will face the terrible and great wrath of God (Rev 20).

Then they shall be destroyed for good!

"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." John 3:36

Those without Christ shall not have life but have God's wrath upon him! We assume the wicked have immortality and will burn forever and ever in an inferno pit, yet the Bible shows us that only those who have Jesus Christ will have the gift of eternal life.

 The First Resurrection for those who shall inherit everlasting life

"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 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" 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10

 The Second Resurrection for those who do not have Christ and they shall be judged before the fiery Great White Throne seat of God.

 

When Jesus appears from the sky with his army of angels, he will send down fire to burn his enemies (Aka Armageddon) and they will have everlasting destruction from the presence of God. It will be as if they were never born! God is omnipresent and if there was a literal pit of burning hell, it cannot possibly be out of God's reach!


"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." Jude 1:7

Is Sodom and Gomorrha still burning today? No. They were burned with fire from God in Heaven and they have been completely wiped out. No man can find Sodom and Gomorrha today. It was as if they never existed. Eternal destruction is by fire, and it will be as if they were never born. Those with Christ will have the gift of everlasting life through Jesus Christ.

"Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." Zephaniah 3:8

The wicked will be consumed by fire when Christ appears. Those who belong to Him will be caught up to the air to be with Him and the wicked below will be consumed and devoured by fire and destruction. God tells us to wait and that He has a plan. He will gather the Earth together and it will be the most amazing showdown the Earth has EVER seen!

"Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD." Psalm 104:35

In the dictionary, consume means to be destroyed and to be devoured. It means they shall waste away. They shall mourn for they have no life. This is the second death. The Lake of Fire is the eternal fire that will be as they were never born.

How can we make sure we shall not be consumed with the wicked on that day? We need to trust Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and to repent from our sins. The blood will let the wrath of God pass over us. As in Egypt during the plagues of Mose's time, it was the blood of the spotless lamb on their door that had the angel of death pass over them. We need the blood of the spotless lamb of God for death to pass over us.