The Eden Conspiracy
Page 14
Isaac is quiet for a while as Adam drives. Then he breaks the silence with a question.
“So you are saying that everyone who ever lived will be given an opportunity to repent and learn about Jesus. Everyone, no matter what they have done, will be brought back to life in this resurrection?”
“Yes, but no. That is almost what I’m saying,” Adam corrects in a gentle tone. “Yes everyone will have that choice to make. Everyone who hasn't been called to come to Jesus in this life, will be resurrected in the second resurrection. They will be resurrected to a physical life, so that if they reject Jesus after living for a hundred years, they will be choosing death rather than eternal life with Jesus. They will choose for themselves if they gain eternal life. If they reject Jesus, these resurrected people will die and remain that way for the rest of eternity. They will have had their chance and let it pass by. In time even the memory of them will be forgotten.
Their punishment will be everlasting as it takes an act of God to resurrect anyone back to life. God will respect the choice they willingly made and will let them have what they want; God will let them stay dead. They become the sinner that is cursed having lived a hundred years.
The people in this second resurrection should not be mixed up with those who willingly reject Jesus during this life. They have only the fear of the judgement to look forward to. They're resurrection of the condemned is still to come.
The plan of God gives everyone a full opportunity to come to Jesus for salvation. Some are called during this life to Jesus; the others will have to wait for the second resurrection to come back to a physical life, where they can finally learn about Jesus and his salvation. God wants as many children in his family as will willingly join.”
“Oh. I think I am starting to get it,” Isaac says tentatively. “Let me look up some of those references. Here is an easy one,
Hebrews 10:26-30
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Here is a story about Paul preaching to the Jews,” Isaac said before continuing to read.
“Acts 13:44-48
44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
What key words should I use to find verses about a physical resurrection? I haven't learned much about that topic?”
“Try, valley of dead bones,” Adam suggested.
“Good idea,” Isaac said starting to type. “Yep here are some.
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest.
4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
5 Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13 And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord.
These verses seem pretty specific to Israel. How do you prove it includes the rest of humanity?” Isaac challenges.
“We need to see who else is on the earth with them. Look up the prophesies for Gog and Magog,” Adam directed.
“OK. I have heard a bit about them,” Isaac said remembering a class from school. “Here is a reference in;
Revelation 20:7-9
And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
This is to happen after Satan is released. So it is referring to the right time period,” Isaac points out. “I suppose that if Gog and Magog are there then it wouldn't just be Israel who are resurrected back to life, others will be living with them.”
“Exactly,” Adam says nodding his head. “Like it told us in Revelations, the rest of the dead are not resurrected until after the thousand years are over, then the dead are brought back to life. At the end of the hundred years Satan is set loose, he deceives the nations and they fight against the saints of God. This will be the war to end all wars.
Finally all of humanity will have had an opportunity to choose God, or reject him. Those called in this life have to struggle against Satan and themselves so they can become Kings and Priests with Jesus in his Kingdom. Others will have to decide without the pulls of Satan during the Millennium, or have their chance to come to Jesus in the second resurrection. Not all will choose life with Jesus, but for those who do, eternal life awaits them, as children of God.”
“So now God comes and lives with his people,” Isaac says, anticipating Adam's next thought.
“Not quite yet,” Adam says. “There are still some people that have to be dealt with for their poor choices.”
“Who would those people be? I thought everyone
would have had their chance by now,” Isaac said in surprise. “All the people from the millennium and the second resurrection have had their turn at accepting Jesus and they have either been born into the spirit-physical realm like Jesus, or they chose not to accept him as saviour and are dead. Who's left?” Isaac was scratching his head.
“All the people who had their eyes opened and have been called by God in their first life, but ended up turning their backs on Jesus,” Adam elaborates on the thought. “They have to receive the rewards of their choices. They have not tasted the second death yet. Those from the second resurrection have all died twice if they did not accept Jesus. One death after this life and once more dying a second and final time, after they reject salvation during their life in the second resurrection. People from this life, who know and accept Jesus, but do not follow him or the Spirit of God, as well as those born during the millennium but reject salvation, have to be dealt with and die their second death.”
“What second death?” Isaac demands. “If someone accepts Jesus as their saviour, that is good for their entire life and nothing can take them from the safety of God's hand,” Isaac said forcefully in the defense of his belief. “Once saved always saved!” he chanted.
“People who are Christians will not be hurt by the second death,” Adam agreed. “We have already read that. Like I said earlier, a man convinced against his will, is still of the same mind still,” Adam reminded, shaking his head. “We touched on these points earlier and I thought you understood, but it seems like we will have to more fully explore what it means to be, 'Saved', and how we need to be careful not to lose our salvation. Even Paul was concerned about being disqualified from the Kingdom and losing his eternal life.”
“Even Paul! Oh you better explain this. Does this feed into your conspiracy theory as well? Conspiracy of some sort seems to be tied up with all of your resurrection talk,” Isaac is back to his lofty, sarcastic, demeanor and tones.”
Chapter 15
Not All Who Call Me Lord