The Bible tells us of more than one resurrection. Jesus said, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die (John 11:25,26). Christ was the first fruit of the resurrected; others were resurrected with Him. At the Crucifixion, Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many (Matthew 27:50-53). The saints did not come out of the graves until Christ was resurrected although the graves were opened at the Crucifixion. Think of the astonishment when the resurrected ones came forth from the dead and appeared to those who knew them! This was a resurrection of the first fruits.

First Corinthians 15:22,23: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. The human race died spiritually in Adam, but Christ came and brought eternal life, rescued us from eternal death. All who will accept Christ will have eternal life with Him as long as they do not turn away from Him again. All who receive Christ shall “be made alive” for all eternity.

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:20,21). If you are looking for Jesus to come, your conversation is about the things of Heaven. The glorious body of Jesus is His resurrected body. We will have a body like His resurrected body, a body that will never suffer sickness, disease or death.

After the Resurrection when Mary reached out to touch Jesus, He said, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father (John 20:17). Later Jesus told the disciples: Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have (Luke 24:39). Jesus in His resurrected body ate with the disciples. There are many mysteries for God to show us.

A resurrection will take place at Christ’s second coming. Behold, I show 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 (I Corinthians 15:51,52).

Paul tells us more about this resurrection: Sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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 (I Thessalonians 4:13,14,16,17). Jesus will bring the souls of our loved ones with Him; the bodies will come forth from the graves incorruptible to be united with the souls in the air.

This resurrection of the righteous is also called the resurrection of the just: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14). This resurrection, I say again, will take place at Christ’s second coming, about one thousand and seven years before the resurrection of the wicked dead.

Armageddon

Isaiah 63:3 speaks of the crucifixion of Jesus: I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me. At Calvary Jesus was alone; then the scene changes to the third coming: For I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

The Bride will be with Jesus when He comes the third time. In one mind, one accord with all His greatness, all His power, all His love, all His strength, the Bride will be a part of Heaven’s army. A mighty force, she will come with Jesus to fight the final battle, the battle of all battles: Armageddon. Jesus said, Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened (Matthew 24:22). Relatively speaking, few men will be left on Earth at the end of the Battle of Armageddon. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left (Isaiah 24:6).

All the cities of the earth will fall in a devastating world-wide earthquake. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell (Revelation 16:18,19). Millions and millions will be killed. It will be a fearsome time when the Lord comes as the Lion of the tribe of Judah! No longer in His Lamb’s personality, Jesus will battle with all the vengeance and fury of an angry God.

As the Lamb of God, Jesus was scorned and crucified. When He comes as the Lion of Judah, He will be indestructible, a holy terror waging war against the enemies of God. An angel will call for the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field to come to the feast of Lord God Almighty. This is when the blood will run up to the horses’ bridles. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs [or two hundred miles] (Revelation 14:20). Never again will there be another war on Earth or in Heaven.

And I saw the beast [the Antichrist], and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet [the Antispirit] that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone (Revelation 19:19,20). The Antichrist, the Antispirit and those who worship the Antichrist will be cast alive into the lake of fire. The third coming of Jesus will end the Battle of Armageddon.

The Wicked Dead Will Be Raised

Jesus tells us in John 5:28,29: 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. Between the resurrection of those who have done good and the resurrection of those who have done evil is a space of approximately one thousand years. The resurrection of the righteous dead and the resurrection of the wicked dead cannot be lumped together.

The Bible speaks of the following resurrections:

1. The resurrection of the first fruits, Jesus and the saints, a limited resurrection
2. A resurrection of the righteous at the second coming of Jesus
3. A resurrection of the righteous after the Battle of Armageddon and before the Perfect Age
4. The resurrection of the wicked dead to face the Great White Throne Judgment after the Perfect Age

Revelation 20 separates the last two resurrections, the resurrection of the righteous who were martyred in the Tribulation Period and the resurrection of the wicked dead: And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished (Revelation 20:4,5). The souls that are killed for the witness of Jesus, those who had not worshiped the beast or received his mark, will live to reign on Earth with Christ for one thousand years. The wicked dead, however, will not come out of their graves until the end of that thousand year period. Those who come forth at that time will find that eternal death has power over them for all eternity. They won’t come forth to life; they will come forth to a living death, death, death. This is the second death.

Then cometh the end, when he [Jesus] shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (I Corinthians 15:24-26).

The False Doctrine of “Once in Grace, Always in Grace”

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not (Isaiah 6:9).

When will the wedding of the Lamb take place? Much false doctrine has gone out about this event, about the Bride of Christ and the preparation for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and when it will occur. Study the Bible so you will not stumble over the things God has said. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God (Revelation 19:7-9). Because the Bible says the wife has made herself ready, some are teaching that the Bride will make her own wedding garment after she arrives in Heaven, and that the process will take seven years, the seven years of the Tribulation Period on Earth.

Keep the right interpretation of this verse in Revelation 19:7 in mind: The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. The wife will make herself ready—not in Heaven—but right here on Earth through the blood of the Lamb that was given her to use.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire (I Corinthians 3:11-15). False doctrine teaches that because the works of certain individuals will be completely wiped out and burned up, they will have to start over in Heaven making preparations for the wedding supper. It declares that even though not all “saints” will be ready, they still will be raptured. Some will have an “abundant entrance,” while others will be “saved as by fire” and some “will be ashamed to meet Him.” This is not what the Bible is talking about. Do you really think there will be people in Heaven who are ashamed to meet Jesus? The shame is not in Heaven but in sin here on Earth. No one will be ashamed in Heaven, naked, unclothed; no one in Heaven will still need seven years to get ready for the marriage of the Lamb.

False doctrine goes on to say that the Bride’s robe will consist of the material she herself has provided here on Earth, now cleansed from all “hay, wood and stubble.” She is to be arrayed for the wedding in a robe of her own making. They say that now, after seven years in Heaven, the cleansing is complete and the Bride is ready to be judged in the air as she reappears clean and white at last. According to this false doctrine, the clean, white robe is her righteousness, not the righteousness of the Lord. This is not true. The fine linen Revelation tells us of is the righteousness of the saints. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (Revelation 19:8). Jesus is our righteousness, the righteousness of the saints. How could the Bride make her own wedding dress out of her own righteousness? No man can manufacture the righteousness of God; it comes only from Him. His righteousness is not man’s work; it is God’s work, His wonderful work. Man cannot create the garment of righteousness either in Heaven or in Earth. The Bible says, We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

None of what God has made available to us is forced upon us. We can use it or not use it; it’s on the table. You were not forced to go to Calvary, but there was no other way to be rid of your sins and to take on the righteousness of God.

In a wedding, different people are represented. God the Father will be at the marriage of the Lamb; He is the father of the Groom. Jesus the Groom and His Bride will have guests, the friends of the Bridegroom. John the Baptist identified himself as a friend of the Bridegroom: The friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled (John 3:29). Why did John call himself a friend? Why will he not be a part of the bridal company? Because he died before Calvary, which means he will not be a part of the Bride, the Church that came from the side of Jesus. When the Bible says that blessed are they which are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, it is not talking about the Bride, but the guests of the Bride and Groom.

In the Song of Solomon, the guests are called the daughters of Jerusalem. The Old Testament saints of God will be guests at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, all those who died before the Cross. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Isaiah, Daniel and the rest will be there.

How wonderful it will be to shake hands with people like Moses, Joshua, King Hezekiah! Imagine how beautiful Queen Esther will be in her glorified form! I remember my excitement to visit Abraham’s tomb in the Holy Land; think what it will be like to meet him face to face! I have preached about Abraham, gone in the spirit with him as he walked up Mount Moriah to offer his son Isaac. Actually meeting him will be a thrill beyond words.

The marriage supper will begin after the Rapture and continue for seven years. Why will it last so long? Look at all the guests, all the saints of God who will be there, as well as all those who will make up the Bride. This will be a tremendous affair! If you were not in a glorified body, you couldn’t take it all in. what an exciting occasion this wedding supper will be! Plan to be a part of it.

False doctrine goes on to say that the carnal “Christian” who has led a careless life will have to give an account before the judgment seat of Christ; this record will determine, false doctrine claims, his position in the Kingdom reign, or the Perfect Age. Some will reign over ten cities, some five, some will barely enter and will receive no rewards. What a disappointment to stand before the Lord and find we have bartered away the opportunity for a place of high honor in His Kingdom for a few fleeting pleasures in this life—according to what they say. They err in assuming that the rewards on the Day of Rewards will consist only of being made rulers. There would not be enough cities to go around if this were true; some deserving people would get no reward at all.

All those who were once saved shall indeed rise—this is their teaching—to meet Him, but before they can return to reign with Christ, certain “difficulties” must be righted. The Bible says that people will be rewarded according to their works here on Earth, not on how they right their difficulties in Heaven. Too many people believe that because they were once saved by grace, they can live as they please and still either go to Heaven when they die or else be caught up to meet the Lord when He comes. The Bible says, The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:4).

“What kind of robe will you wear?” ask those in this false doctrine. “Is your life one of service or of selfishness and filthiness? Are you seeking your own advancement or the glory of God?” These legitimate questions are completely wasted on those who think they can enter Heaven with sin in their souls. True believers do not take part in worldliness and carnality. Grace does not give the Christian the right to live as he pleases. Because many believe that it does, the Church of Jesus Christ has lost her testimony and become a reproach before the world that sees her bickering, malice and selfishness—yet she is going to Heaven, some claim. Those embracing this false doctrine do not think that bickering, malice and selfishness will keep them from Heaven, but that they will be changed, purified in Heaven after seven years.

The damnable teaching of once in grace always in grace has gone forth on the airways. It teaches that in Heaven the period of which follows the Rapture will not be a pleasant experience for all, that the penalty for sin will be suffering, rebukes, and cleansings and confessions which should have been made here on Earth. Disregarding the fact that the penalty for sin is death, they go on to say that on the Day of Rewards, some will be rewarded; others, who suffer loss as they see the hay, wood and stubble of their lives burned up, will scarcely be saved. I cannot stress enough the lie of the doctrine that claims if you have been saved once, you will always be saved even though you sin; you just will have seven years in Heaven to get straightened out. The Bible lets us know that no sin will enter Heaven in any form. The verse they use for their false doctrine, again, is Revelation 19:7, The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

On Earth, the blood makes you pure even as Christ is pure when you take Him into your heart. To be purified is to be rid of impurities or polluting matter, to be free from guilt, to be cleansed. This purification, this cleansing is to take place right here on Earth. Why would you need seven years in Heaven to be cleansed when you are to be cleansed on Earth in the moment you let Jesus into your heart?

The truth is that the Bride will not be making herself ready in Heaven for seven years; she will make herself ready on Earth prior to the Rapture through the blood of the Lamb and by yielding to the Holy Spirit in total obedience and committing no willful sin. The blood of Jesus cleanses you from all sin when you confess, ask forgiveness and say, Lord, I believe that your blood washes away all of my sins. Salvation comes in a flash. One moment you are dirty; the next you are clean through the precious blood of Jesus. As long as you commit no willful sin, you will keep your salvation, but on sin will cause you to lose it.

The Rapture means that Jesus is coming for His Bride, and she will be ready for the marriage, ready for the Groom when He comes. I repeat, there will not be a seven-year wedding gown-making period in Heaven. Spotless and holy and without blemish, the Bride will be all the Groom could ask for. She will be a virgin in that she will be separated from the world, sanctified, holy, and prepared through His blood to be like Him. Jesus will not rapture those who are not ready, those with even one speck of sin; they will be left to enter the Great Tribulation Period. Christ will have a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27).

Titus 2:11-15 clearly tells us how we must live: For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. The Lord is letting us know that in this world we must be righteous and godly, not sinning or living a carnal life. We will be looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. Jesus gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity here on planet Earth. Zeal for good works must be here on Earth.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:25-27). Where is the Church to be cleansed? Right here on Earth. Jesus is coming after the glorious Bride, not a contaminated Bride polluted with sin, disobedience and the world. It will be a Bride in love with her Groom, not indifferent to Him. Jesus is coming after a Bride that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27).

When the Rapture takes place and all Heaven shouts, Here comes the Bride! she will enter the gates of Glory immediately. The Bible makes plain, I say again, that Earth is the place the Bride will be cleansed and made holy, not in Heaven for seven years. The Bride will be a glorious Church, and anything glorious in the eyes of God will have no spots, wrinkles or blemishes. How can on improve on “glorious”? Why would anyone who is glorious need seven years to be cleaned up?

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it (Revelation 2:17). To him that overcometh…overcometh what? Sin, of course, disobedience. Through the blood of the Lamb, the Bride will overcome while she is still here on Earth.

We find more words of Jesus: But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron (Revelation 2:25-27). Jesus is speaking of those who die free of sin, who have overcome it. In the Perfect Age, God will put the righteous in charge to see that people—not in Heaven but here on Earth—live right whether or not they want to. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches (Revelation 2:27-29).

Study the seven churches of Revelation. Did the Lord accept all their actions? No. He rebuked them for all sin, disobedience and lukewarmness while they were here on Earth. Every period of the two-thousand-year Church Age is represented by one of the seven churches in Revelation chapters two and three. In these chapters seven times you will find the words: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

The Spirit said this to the Church: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth (Revelation 3:15,16). Jesus is saying that the lukewarm Christian will be spewed out. Does that sound as though they will be purified in Heaven? Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17). False doctrine claims that those who are wretched, blind and naked in the eyes of God will be taken in the Rapture, and then it will take seven years to clean them up. In reality, however, only those without spot, blemish, wrinkle will be taken.

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see (Revelatio 3:18). The Church is instructed to live in such a way that they will be worthy of the white raiment of the Lord’s righteousness. Not until you were washed in the blood of Jesus did you become worthy of the Lord’s white raiment. Your spiritual garments were soiled, stained with sin before salvation. The Lord rebuked people in false doctrine, telling them to anoint their eyes with eye-salve so they might see. The eye-salve is the Word of the living God.

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. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches (Revelation 3:21,22). Overcometh where? Here on Earth.

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not (Matthew 25:11,12). Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins; five were wise, five were foolish. The foolish virgins who had neglected to get oil—representing the Holy Spirit—in their lamps heard the Lord say, “I don’t know you.” However, false doctrine preaches that those without the Holy Spirit will be taken in the Rapture. The necessity of salvation and the Holy Ghost baptism is not taught in many churches. People have turned away from the true Church of Jesus Christ because they accepted false doctrine instead of the truth.

People are deceived who think they are going to Heaven no matter what they do on Earth or how they live; they believe this damnable doctrine of once in grace, always in grace, that regardless of what they do, they will have a cleansing period after they reach Heaven. No wonder so many people have not received or kept a true born again experience! They won’t reach Heaven. All who die with even one sin in their hearts will go to hell.

Jesus tells us to watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh (Matthew 25:13). What does it mean to watch? It means to have no spots, no wrinkles, no blemishes in your soul and to be ready, expecting your Lord to come. In other words, live holy.

And if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 24:48-51). Jesus said the disobedient will be cut off; He lumped them together with the hypocrites. However, those in false doctrine claim that the disobedient will be raptured and stand at the judgment seat of rewards. Although their works will be burned, those in false doctrine teach that sinning “Christians” will be saved as by fire.

The scripture that speaks of brands plucked from the fire does not refer to people in Heaven whose works have been burned up. It refers to those here on Earth who narrowly avoid destruction. Your salvation, your preparation for Heaven is down here on Earth. There is no chance of becoming saved after you die; salvation, I say again, takes place only here on Earth. If you are among people who are weeping and gnashing their teeth, you are not in Heaven preparing for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation (II Peter 1:20). This means we need to take all the scriptures about each subject and put them together to gain understanding of them. Do not base a doctrine on only one verse. Take all the information about the subject into consideration. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15). Rightly divide the scriptures.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad (II Corinthians 5:10). There will be a Day of Rewards. The born-again Christians received judgment for their sins at Calvary; only at Calvary are they judged for sin. When they asked Jesus into their hearts, the verdict was a pardon because Jesus had interceded, shed His blood for mankind’s redemption. By pleading the blood, accepting the blood, using the blood, you will not appear before the judgment seat of Christ as a sinner; but as a born-again Christian you will appear before the judgment seat of rewards, and your works will be judged.

On Earth, a groom usually gives a gift or gifts to his bride, at the least, a ring. This Groom in Heaven is going to give the Bride gifts, rewards. The holy weddings that take place on Earth are tokens of how things are organized in Heaven. The bride and groom who are really in love are excited, eager to be together. When the Bride of Christ is caught up in the air to be with Jesus, she will be thrilled to be with Him for eternity. There will be no separating period, no cleansing period in Heaven. For there to be a cleansing period, there would have to be a separating period. The reward for the righteous is in Heaven. The reward for the wicked is on Earth and in hell, never in Heaven.

Jesus said, Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8). To see God, you must be pure in heart. The Bible tells us that without holiness no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Remember, man can’t make himself holy; holiness comes from the grace of God. To be pure in heart means to be free from anything that adulterates or taints, free from defects. To be pure is to be perfect in His love, faultless, free from sin and blameless.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure (I John 3:3). What hope is this referring to? The hope of the coming of the Lord. This hope is in men and women while they are on Earth.

People are human. They can err, tell something they think is the truth, but is not really true. The Lord doesn’t just think something is true or false; He knows. Everything He tells us is truth, truth, truth, and the truth will stand. Anything less than the truth doesn’t have the life of God’s eternity in it. If it’s false, it has the death of eternity. Always be careful to speak the truth, to know the truth in the Word of God. Some people don’t talk the truth of the Bible; they like their own talk better.

What do you talk about? How much do you talk about Jesus? If you love someone with all your heart, you want to talk about that one. When I dated Angel before we were married, I would be just bursting to talk about her. You never get tired of talking or listening to someone else talk about the one you’re in love with. Say on, is your attitude. People who become tired talking about Jesus are not in love with Him; but if you love Him, you talk about Him: Jesus is wonderful! A big echo inside agrees completely. He’s the greatest person in the whole world, and your heart says, That’s exactly right! You hang on to those words about Him.

Talk about the Lord, about the things of God. It isn’t necessary to be funny every time you get together with others. People need words of substance. Of course, you can use humor, but your main conversation should be about the Lord. Be sober minded, intoxicated with the things of the Lord, the power and the new wine of the Holy Spirit. You are what you talk about. If you talk about doubt, you have doubt. If you talk about faith, you have faith. If you talk about hate, you have hate. If you talk love, you have love.

We know Jesus is coming for the Bride; the wedding will take place, the Marriage Supper and the Day of Rewards. All this seems to last the whole seven years while the Great Tribulation Period is on Earth. At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, we will be right there with the Lord, close to the one we love so much, looking upon His face.

The Day of Rewards will not take long; God can do all things. He listens to all our prayers at the same time, and He can reward everyone at the same time, also. It takes people a long time to accomplish things, but not God. When God had no man to help, He simply said, “Let it be,” and creation took place. He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing (Job 26:7). Man can’t hang something on nothing, but God can. neither can man bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them (verse 8). And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so (Genesis 1:14,15). How could God do all this? Because He did not have to work through mankind. How could He have made that first Adam out of the dust of the earth? Again, because He did not have to work through mankind. Man had nothing to do with how God created anything, and man will have nothing do with how God handles the Day of Rewards.

Jesus said, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father (John 14:12). In order to do the greater works, Jesus’ followers must be like Him. Why would the Lord tell us to do His works and then wink at the bad works and give those people seven years in Heaven to clean up before the marriage? It’s a false doctrine that takes away the need for people to feel guilty for their sins, a false doctrine that will keep them out of Heaven. Many, really believing this false doctrine, are careless in serving the Lord. In a spirit of indifference, they excuse themselves by believing they can make things right when they reach Heaven. Unfortunately, they won’t reach Heaven; no one with even one sin will be able to enter Heaven; nothing unclean can enter.

When the seven years are over, we will return with Jesus to fight the Battle of Armageddon with Him. We read in First Thessalonians, remember, that when we are caught up to be with the Lord we shall ever be with Him—that includes being part of His army.

When does the judgment, the separation of the sheep and goat nations take place? Between the end of the Battle of Armageddon and the beginning of the Perfect Age. The sheep nations are those who have been good to the Jews. Not all the people in the sheep nations will have salvation, but these nations as a whole will have respect for God’s people and will go into the Perfect Age. The goat nations, those who have mistreated the Jews, will be cast into the lake of fire.

Jesus spoke of the dividing of the sheep and goat nations: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:31-34,41). Bible prophecy falls into place when you let the Holy Spirit fit it together for you.

A Perfect Age

After the Battle of Armageddon and judgment of the nations, the thousand-year reign of Christ right here on Earth with the Bride will begin, the honeymoon called the Perfect Age. Six times in Revelation 20 we read of a time period of one thousand years, the millennium. Millennium is a Latin term meaning one thousand years, a word derived from two words: mille, or one thousand, and annum, meaning year. Just like the word Rapture is not in the Bible, neither is the word millennium; but these two events will take place, nevertheless.

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 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. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison (Revelation 20:1-7). In this one chapter, verses 2-7 mention a thousand-year period six times.

The Perfect Age of one thousand years is closer than you may think, a time when the curse will be lifted from the earth. Jesus will fight the Battle of Armageddon and redeem the earth from the curse of sin. To show you that the devil is the source of all sin, when he is placed in the bottomless pit, the whole world changes.

Revelation 5:10 tells us that God will make the redeemed, the Bride, kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. This will happen in the Perfect Age. Isaiah tells us that the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them (Isaiah 11:6). When the devil is in the pit, the animals will have no fierceness. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox (verse 7). In Eden before the fall, the animals were tame; they will be tame once again in the Perfect Age. No death existed in Eden. In Eden, Adam and Eve didn’t eat meat; they didn’t kill anything. The Perfect Age will be like an Eden. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:8,9).

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt (Amos 9:13). With the curse lifted, the ground will be so fertile in the Perfect Age that the soil will be like that in Eden. They won’t get in the harvest until it’s time to plant again.

And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely (Hosea 2:18).

Isaiah the prophet writes in Isaiah 35:1, The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. There will be no desert places, no desolate land. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes (Isaiah 35:7). Life, life everywhere. We don’t read of death in this period.

And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them (Ezekiel 34:27). God gave the insight of the Perfect Age to different prophets in both Old and New Testaments.

Isaiah said again, 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). Even though the curse is lifted from the earth, it does not seem to be lifted from the serpent. In the Perfect Age, the serpent will still be eating dust; he was the one the devil used to deceive Eve.

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now (Romans 8:19-22). The beasts of the field, the fowls of the air will all be delivered in the Perfect Age. There will be no ferocious animals, I say again, no birds of prey. Jesus is the perfect Redeemer for man, animals and the earth as well. He is our Redeemer Kinsman.

In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts (Zechariah 14:20,21). God loves holy living so much that even on the bowls and pots in Jerusalem and Judah will be the words: Holiness unto the Lord.

Zechariah the prophet has this to say about the millennium: And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain (Zechariah 14:16,17). People from the sheep nations who do not have salvation, are not blood-washed people, still must pay homage to the Lord.

And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles (Zechariah 14:18,19). In the Perfect Age those who do not really love the Lord will give lip-service to Jesus, for if they don’t, no rain will fall on their crops. People will bow for money, for food; and their hearts will not change. Those who don’t want their hearts to change will be ready to follow the devil. It will be the Perfect Age for the children of God, their society, their world, the Kingdom of the Lord; but it will not be perfect for those who do not worship the Lord. Those who desire to fight holiness will be in much trouble.

It seems incredible that people will live a thousand years in an age of perfection and still not want God even though they will be able to see Jesus anytime they want, talk to Him. One thousand years of love gushing forth from Jesus Himself, from the Bride and the saints of all ages, and still people will go after the devil the first chance they get.

The Perfect Age will show God’s long, lingering mercy toward people who will not yield to Him. But because they want to be deceived, people will be deceived. God can’t help people who want to be deceived. The heathen are different. They are deceived because they have never known the truth that destroys deceit. God is going to see, saith the Lord, that they get the truth, and then the end is coming.

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 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 (Revelation 20:7,8). When Satan comes out, he gathers millions of people together. People, numerous as the sands of the sea, line up, ready to follow their master the devil. I will be your God, he tells them. Do whatever you want; it will be all right. See, I’m out of prison; I’m stronger than God. You’ve been right to resent Him all these years. Now we’ll be in charge. 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 (verse 9). The rebellion against God will come to an abrupt end as the fire falls from heaven to devour the devil and his followers. 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 for ever and ever (verse 10).

Why will Satan be loosed from the bottomless pit? God always works with a purpose. He wants to prove for all time to His people that no matter what He does, no matter how long He waits or how much love He offers, some people simply will not serve Him, for they do not want Him. For all eternity, there will never be a doubt in the Bride’s mind, in the minds of the saints of all ages that God has done all He could. They will see the absolute justice of God’s casting the wicked into the lake of fire for eternity.

Many today are ready to follow the devil, turning from the Lord at the least annoyance. I have seen God clean up people from sin, and when a problem arises, they go off with the devil. The Lord shows great mercy, but one day that mercy will end. In the Perfect Age people will see one thousand years of mercy; yet some will turn away from it. It is right that those who don’t want God should be thrown into the lake of fire, right that they should be destroyed, that God should shut them away from Himself forever. They don’t want any part of God, and one day He won’t want them. They don’t want truth; they don’t want to be free in the holiness of God.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death (Revelation 20:14). God is just, merciful; He knows the cutting-off point in every life. He knows when people have sinned against the Holy Ghost, blasphemed against the Holy Ghost. Jesus will reign until He has conquered every enemy of His, of God and of man. He then will turn the kingdom back to the Father.

It’s time to wake up. God has spoken and God cannot lie. Judgment is on your trail. Backslider, you must get home before dark. The night cometh. We live in the sunset of the Gentile dispensation. The Church Age is about to close, and it will close in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye when the Bride is taken out of here. She will be taken out, and then the Great Tribulation Period will begin.

If the Tribulation Period were all the hell there is to face, it still would be more than the mind could stand. Read the book of Revelation again and again. Let its warning settle within you. If you don’t have Jesus in your heart, let me pray with you for your soul’s salvation. Oh, God, I am lost! I am so sorry that I sinned against you, but I have come home. I’m going to serve you, Lord, the rest of my life. I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all of my sins, all of them! Come into my heart, Jesus! Come in Jesus!

If you mean that prayer, He has come into your heart. Praise the Lord; He is yours! It’s wonderful to know you belong to the Lord! Read your Bible, pray, fast and go on to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit; be ready when Jesus comes for His Bride. The Bride will be victorious, made glorious through the glorious blood of Jesus, through the glorious love and compassion of Him.

I’m not a healer; Jesus is the healer. I’m a believer in the promise of healing in the Word of God. With His blood stripes you can have healing today. If healing is your need or the need of your child, let me pray with you now: Lord, I bring the sick and afflicted to you. Lay a healing hand on those with cancer, those with heart trouble, the diabetics, the crippled ones, the paralyzed ones, the little deformed babies, those with any kind of disease or affliction. So many times, Lord, you have healed people with those conditions. We know you will do it again. You are our Master and Lord. Heal! in the holy, holy name of Jesus! Heal! in the all-powerful, all-mighty name of Jesus. And with His stripes, His blood stripes, we are healed. Let His power work in your body by not doubting. Let His power work in your body by your giving total obedience to the Lord, by submitting yourself completely to His Word daily. Walk hand in hand with the nail-riven hand and watch you or yours get well. He promised, and He keeps His promises.

Yea, saith the Spirit of the Lord: I have given you my truth. The Bride is receiving my truth in this final hour. She will have all of my truth. She will know what is false. She will know what is true. Her eyes will not be cloudy. Her eyes will be bright with my knowledge and wisdom, and she will know the mind of her Lord because she will be that close in her final walk. She will know His footsteps because she will walk in His steps. She will know her hand is in His because she will use His greatness as it flows to her.

Open thine heart to all of my truth. Open your heart to all of my love, to all of my compassion. Open your heart to all of my wisdom, knowledge, to all of my greatness; and then you will serve all of my greatness to the heathen in this your final walk. You will walk in the way of your Lord, and you will seek no other paths. You will delight your heart daily in the presence of your Lord, and you will be strong in the might of your Lord because you will wear the whole armor. Nothing will be lacking. You will be complete in your Lord. Grace and my divine love will be yours, and no power will be able to destroy you. You will trample devils underfoot. You will speak and it will be the voice of the Lord. You will speak, and it will be the faith of the Lord. You will speak, and it will be the power of the Lord. Work, work, work, and lift up your heads, redemption draweth nigh, saith the Lord.

This is the hour that’s been prophesied for many, many years. Joel the prophet saw it over 2,500 years ago, and we’re in it. He had the vision; we have the reality of his vision. He wrote it; we believed it, and we are seeing it. He wrote about it as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost. No human mind could see 2,500 years in advance, only Lord God Almighty. The Lord is indeed our shepherd, and we walk in the greatness of Him. We walk in the might of His love, and we have God’s strength, courage, power for the journey in this the final hour before the Rapture takes place. 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 (Revelation 20:6).