David in NJ
Well-Known Member
There is much indication!!!I disagree. There is no indication in what Jesus or the apostles or the prophets before them said - in anything that is written - that the two are separate.
If they were indeed separate then I would agree that they speak as "one"
- but there is no indication that they are separate. All that is written speaks as "one"
- and that Word speaks thus:
The resurrection and judgment of ALL the dead will take place immediately following the return of Christ.
When Christ returns, those who died in Christ will rise first, then the rest of those who are in Christ and who are still alive will be changed, and caught up with them - joining them to meet the Lord in the air,
returning with His armies when He destroys the beast, and being judges under His authority of the twelve tribes of Israel.
IMO it's failure to believe that God would do such a thing - by allowing such a thing - as mortals being tested in paradise - that has Premillennialists ignoring the fact that the first three chapters of the Bible ended with the same test of immortals that the thousand years ends with, and needing to develop a theory like the one you just mentioned above, as a result.
The difference lies only between the consequences of all mankind in Adam failing the test, and the consequences for those who fail the final test.
First three chapters:
(a) Satan's deception of Adam & Eve (which began with the words "You will NOT surely die" - Genesis 3:1-7, 11-19).
-- in Adam all mankind failed the test --
(b) Expulsion from Eden (Genesis 3:22-24).
(c) Death of Adam (the first death) - 930 years later (Genesis 5:5).
IN-BETWEEN THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS
AND THE LAST THREE CHAPTERS:
--- "I am the Resurrection [anastasis]
and the (eternal) life [zoe]!" (John 11:25 - Jesus) ---
Last three chapters:
(a) Satan's deception of the nations descended from Adam & Eve.
-- one part of mankind descended from Adam and Eve fails the test --
and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." (Revelation 20:7-9).
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night to the ages of the ages." (Revelation 20:7-10).
Matthew 10:28
"Fear not them which kill the body [soma], but are not able to kill the soul [psuche]: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul [psuche] and body [soma] in gehennah [G1067 geenna]."
The New Testament uses the word gehennah every time Jesus talks about the everlasting destruction of body and soul. In Mark 9:43 & 45 Jesus calls it "the fire that shall never be quenched". Gehennah and the lake of fire burning with brimstone both represent an everlasting destruction of body and soul.
Revelation 19:20 (previous to the first of the last three chapters) tells us that the beast and the false prophet were both thrown alive [zao] into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
The concept of being damned while alive [zao] is not extra-biblical or alien to scripture.
and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." (Revelation 20:7-9).
A thousand years that commences following the return of Christ is in line with the fact that the last three chapters of the Bible are a reflection of the first three chapters of the Bible:
First three chapters: Beginning of time: God's creation (Genesis 1:1-31).
Last three chapters: Christ makes all things new (Revelation 21:5).
First three chapters: Perfectly good (Genesis 1:31).
Last three chapters: Only righteousness dwells in it (Revelation 21:27).
First three chapters: Tree of life (Genesis 2:9, 16-17).
Last three chapters: Tree of life (Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:1-2, 14, 17).
First three chapters: Adam given dominion (Genesis 1:26-28).
Last three chapters: The dominion of the last Adam (Revelation 20:4 - also see Revelation 3:21).
Adam lived 930 years, and then he died. Christ came into the world, died for the sins of mankind (all my / our sins included, of course), and rose again from the dead.
At the close of the thousand years, we read about something that ends with this consequence:
"..and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them."
No more grace.
SHALOM
