PRELUDE
A BETTER RESURRECTION
The end-time system of the Beast also seals or marks its followers:
The Book of Revelation tells us that the whole earth will
worship or follow the Beast system, with the exception of those
whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life:
A GREAT MULTITUDE
The prophecies of this period of tribulation and punishment seem
to testify to the fact that few (in comparison at least to the
teeming hordes of humanity alive today) may survive the desolation
of the earth and live through to witness Christ's return and the
ushering in of the Millennium, especially once the massive horde
gathered to fight Christ is destroyed. Below is just selection
of these prophecies:
We should not become so narrow and inflexible in our definitions
of biblical terminology or the translation of specific words to
maintain that this vast multitude can only have been the
product of "tribulation": even Jesus Christ used the
term "great tribulation" generically to include the
full period of calamity to come upon the earth that would
threaten its very survival:
That some will physically die "in the Lord" even in
the last horrific moments that complete the wrath of God upon
this earth is also the testimony of the Book of Revelation. The
"labours" from which they rest are the troubles they
have endured in coming to repentance, not the works which they
have accomplished, such as the faithful works of the elect saints,
some of whom will live through this terrible time (Rev 13:10;
14:12). Their works are yet to come:
THE SAINTS: SEALED AND GLORIFIED
After the destruction of Babylon and the end of the vengeance
of God (Rev 19:2), John hears, on two different occasions, the
voice a great heavenly multitude. Neither of these "great
multitudes" is defined, unlike the one in Rev 7:9-17. There
would appear to be no reason to assume that these multitudes
have any relationship to the great multitude which we have been
discussing.
Indeed, if the elect rise to meet Christ in the air and then return
with Him to the earth to begin ruling, when is this great banquet
supposed to take place?
THE MARRIAGE CONSUMMATED
It is in this manner also that the vast multitude we have been
discussing can glorify God eternally in His temple (Rev 7:15)-in
the New Jerusalem:
Please let us keep in mind even before we begin to examine this
topic that the entirety of the Book of Revelation consists of
a series of visions given to and recorded by the apostle John.
Although these visions appear sequential, we should accept the
fact that some of them can be neither sequential nor chronological,
for instance chapter 12. Let us therefore not presume
that all we see recorded as occurring consecutively in John's
vision does also do so prophetically.
The Kingdom of God on this earth will be the possession of the
elect saints of God:
Da 7:22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment
was made in favour of the saints of the Most High, and the time
came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
This is the first resurrection, described as a "better"
resurrection:
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until
the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
It is a better resurrection not just in contrast to a physical
resurrection from the dead, but also because it promises greater
things for those blessed to attain to it. The promise of rulership
upon the earth is one of these:
Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again.
And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they
might obtain a better resurrection.
Rev 5:10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests
to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.
ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first
resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they
shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him
a thousand years.
Shortly before the last seven plagues, which will accompany the
triumphant return of Christ to the earth, the elect of God are
depicted as already glorified, even as, in prophetic sequence,
they very shortly would be:
Rev 15:1-4 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and
marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in
them the wrath of God is complete. 2 And I saw something like
a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory
over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the
number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps
of God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and
the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your
works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King
of the saints! 4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify
Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come
and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested."
This is the same group mentioned in Rev 14:1-5, where it is identified
as the 144,000 (v 1,3), and the firstfruits of God (v 4). They
sing the same song (v 3)-which no-one else can learn-and also
play on the harps (v 2). Verse 4 tells us that they are those
who have long been keeping themselves from being defiled by the
world, and that "they follow the Lamb wherever He goes"
and, as we know, Christ goes down to the earth to rule. On their
foreheads the Name of God is symbolically inscribed:
Rev 14:1-5 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on
Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand,
having His Father's name written on their foreheads. 2
And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters,
and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists
playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before
the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders;
and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four
thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones
who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are
the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed
from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And
in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault
before the throne of God.
SEALS AND SEALS
It is the 144,000, spiritual Israel, who are divinely sealed:
Rev 7:3-4 [the angel] saying, "Do not harm the earth,
the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our
God on their foreheads." 4 And I heard the number of those
who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the
tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.
In ancient times, a seal was collateral for a pledge (Ge 38:18),
or a sign of authority (Ge 41:42; 1Ki 21:8; ). The elect of God,
the Church of the Firstborn (Heb 12:23), are sealed by God not
only from the wrath to come upon the world, but as a pledge of
His guaranteed promise to us of eternal life, made from time immemorial,
according to His foreknowledge. Just as the children of Israel,
the firstborn of God (Ex 4:22), were protected from the wrath
of God by the blood of Christ on their doorposts (Ex 12:13), so
is the Holy Spirit of God the seal of God's pledge to His elect:
2Co 1:22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit
in our hearts as a guarantee [pledge, or first installment,
or downpayment].
As we shall see, this pledge from God includes even more.
2Co 5:5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing
is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee [a pledge].
Eph 1:14 [the Spirit] which is the guarantee of our inheritance
until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise
of His glory.
Rev 13:16 He [the second beast] causes all, both small
and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on
their right hand or on their foreheads [symbolic of commitment
to service and belief].
However, those who have the seal of the beast-the Babylon of this
world-do not have the seal of God, and thus incur His direct wrath.
They are destined for destruction unless this seal (also a "name")
is revoked:
Rev 9:4 They [the 'locusts'] were commanded not to harm
the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only
those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
The seal of God, the Holy Spirit, is the stamp of God, the means
of understanding and doing all in the Name of the true God-the
knowledge of the true God. It is this knowledge, through the Spirit
of God, that saves, that alone will preserve the saints from the
wrath of God to come on the earth. This is God's promise to His
elect who are predestined for salvation (Ro 8:30).
Rev 14:9-11 Then a third angel followed them, saying with
a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image,
and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself
shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured
out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be
tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy
angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their
torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or
night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives
the mark of his name."
Rev 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him,
whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world.
As we have seen, to follow him is to receive his mark:
Rev 14:9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with
a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image,
and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand....
The NIV footnote for Rev 13:8 reads: "[names] written from
the creation of the world in the book of life belonging to the
Lamb that was slain". These names-the names of the elect
of God-have indeed been sealed from eternity! This is the mark
or seal of God. He knows those who are His (2Ti 2:19).
The elect are promised preservation through a period of trial
to come upon the whole earth:
Rev 3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere,
I also will keep you from [NIV footnote: "through"]
the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test
those who dwell on the earth [whether they will heed the call
of God to repent].
This is probably the "evil day" of which Paul speaks:
Eph 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that
you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having
done all, to stand.
There is a second group to whom, as we shall see, no such preservation or protection
was guaranteed:
Rev 7:9-10 After these things I looked, and behold, a great
multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples,
and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed
with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying
out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our
God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
This massive array of glorified saints is then defined:
Rev 7:13-17 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me,
"Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they
come from?" 14 And I said to him, "Sir, you know."
So he said to me, "These are the ones who [have] come out
of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 "Therefore they are before
the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple.
And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 "They
shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall
not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the
midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living
fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their
eyes."
The "kingdom of priests" making up the elect of God
who rule on the earth with Jesus Christ is likewise redeemed from
all nations and peoples (Rev 5:9-10). But this is a
different throng.
The implication is that among them are martyrs who have glorified
God by their deaths.
Isa 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the
earth will move out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of
hosts and in the day of His fierce anger.
We are repeatedly told that unless people are sealed by God, they
will experience His coming wrath (Rev 7:3; 9:4; 14:9-11), in which
many will perish. From Rev 9:15, we see that the sixth trumpet
alone destroys a third of mankind. This great multitude was
not sealed from the wrath to come; therefore, it must have
borne the seal or mark of the Beast, and therefore incurred the
punishment of God.
Isa 24:1 Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes
it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants.
Isa 24:6 Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and
those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants
of the earth are burned, and few men are left.
Isa 28:22 Now therefore, do not be mockers, lest your
bonds be made strong; for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts,
a destruction determined even upon the whole earth.
Jer 25:33 And at that day the slain of the LORD shall
be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth.
They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall
become refuse on the ground.
Zep 3:8 "Therefore wait for Me," says the LORD,
"until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is
to gather the nations to My assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them
My indignation, all my fierce anger; all the earth shall be
devoured with the fire of My jealousy."
The sense also is that the number of this vast multitude is complete-all
nations and tongues: with them is achieved the full number of the saints of God,
glorifying Him in His temple. We will verify this shortly.
Mt 24:21-22 For then there will be great tribulation, such
as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time,
no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days [of great tribulation]
were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake
those days will be shortened.
Please note that this great multitude symbolically has palm
branches in its hands. The palm branches represent triumph,
as when Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey over the palm branches
strewn along His path (Jn 12:13), and also featured in the ceremonies
of the eight-day Feast of Tabernacles period (Lev 23:39-40), picturing
the glorious fullness of the harvest of the whole earth. Psalm
118:27 conveys this festal imagery:
Ps 118:27 (NIV) The LORD is God, and he has made his light
shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.
Surely it is not unreasonable, then, that this vast multitude
is the Millennial harvest of God that will begin with those saints
who are brought to repentance by going through tribulation, through
the period of the Day of the Lord, even at the cost of their physical
lives? They will accept correction from God, but have yet to
come to fully know Him. Some will live on through to the Millennium
during which they, and multitudes of others like them, will submit
to God's will and be glorified as saints. The masses of those
who suffer and die during the tribulation/Day of the Lord period
will "wash their robes white"-accept the blood of Jesus
Christ-during their calling at the time of the Great White Throne
Judgement (Rev 20:11-15), thus truly comprising "all nations,
tribes, peoples, and tongues". The vast multitude therefore
encompasses the meanings of both the Feast of Tabernacles and
the Last Great Day period.
Rev 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,
"Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now
on.' "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest
from their labours [Gk: "troubles, pains], and their works
follow them [NIV: "for their deeds will
follow them"]."
By contrast, the firstfruits who rule with Christ on the earth
are defined as those who are "called, chosen and faithful",
those who have proven themselves to be elect saints over a period
of time.
Rev 7:14
These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome
them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who
are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.
True conversion is a process, one
that the thief on the cross (Lk 23:40-43), king Nebuchadnezzar
of Babylon-and this great multitude who have taken the first steps
by their acknowledgement of God through repentance-have yet to
experience.
The seal of God-His Name engraved by His Holy Spirit-identifies
those destined for salvation. No-one therefore will see the New
Jerusalem without this seal:
Rev 22:1-5 And he showed me a pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the
Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the
river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree
yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for
the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse,
but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His
servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His
name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there:
They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives
them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
The elect, the pillars in the spiritual temple of God, who have
been destined as such by the sealing of God, at this time share
in all the promises of God to the overcomer:
Rev 3:12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in
the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will
write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My
God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My
God. And I will write on him My new name.
PROMISES TO ABRAHAM TOTALLY FULFILLED
Rev 2:26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until
the end, to him I will give power over the nations.
Rev 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with
Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father
on His throne.
The great multitude is the completion of the covenant promises
to Abraham, the fulfillment of the New Covenant. The innumerable
glorified saints are the legacy of Jesus Christ.
The promises of God to Abraham did indeed have a physical fulfillment
(Dt 1:10; 10:22; 28:62; 2Chr 1:9), yet in Christ they attain full
spiritual completion. Let us verify this from the Scriptures:
Gal 3:8-9 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify
the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand,
saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." 9
So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
Gal 3:29 And if you are Christ's, then you [whoever you are] are Abraham's
seed, and heirs according to the promise.
The word translated "gate" is referring to the gates
of a city; to take possession of the gate of a city was tantamount
to taking possession of the city itself. The cities of all the
enemies of the saints of God will eventually be subdued when the
entire earth is indeed the Lord's (1Co 10:26, 28). The ultimate
gate to be entered is the promised gate that leads into the City
of God:
Ge 22:17-18 blessing I will bless you [Abraham], and multiplying
I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and
as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall
possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations
of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.
Ge 28:14 Also your [referring to Jacob] descendants shall
be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west
and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your
seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Gen 32:12 For You said, 'I will surely treat you [Jacob]
well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which
cannot be numbered for multitude.'
Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that
they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through
the gates into the city [of God, the New Jerusalem].
This gate, in fact these twelve gates, bear the names of the elect
saints of spiritual Israel, through whom-through whose millennial
work-all the glorified multitudes will be able to access the Holy
City:
Rev 21:12 Also it had a great and high wall with twelve
gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them,
which are the names of the twelve tribes of the [spiritual]
children of Israel:
THE WEDDING SUPPER
Rev 22:2 In the middle of its street, and on either side
of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits,
each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree
were for the healing of the nations.
All who are attendees at the wedding supper of the Lamb are considered
blessed:
Rev 19:9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are
those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' "
And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."
However, much controversy has arisen as to when this great
wedding supper will take place.
In the several parables given by Christ which allude to the final
wedding supper, the invitations are extended to all who can
be found:
Mt 22:8-10 Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is
ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore
go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'
10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered
together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding
hall was filled with guests.
Note also that the royal invitation is virtually compulsory-an instant
invitation: all who are found come. God
has foreknown the names of all of those who will be in attendance.
The invitees assembled from all over-a great vast multitude that
filled the wedding hall (v 10)-are already wearing, as
it were, the wedding clothes, unlike the guest who sought to attend
the wedding uninvited (vs. 11-13). There is no need for them
to go home first and change: their deeds of godly righteousness
mean that they are already prepared (Rev 19:8)
Lk 13:29 (NIV) People will come from east and west and
north and south, and will take their [allotted] places at the
feast in the kingdom of God.
Notice also that the process of gathering the invitees to the
wedding supper continues to take place after the King has
sent out His armies to destroy His enemies-after the wrath
of God upon the earth and the return of Christ. More invitations,
as it were, are issued:
Mt 22:7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious.
And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned
up their city.
Let us also turn to Luke's account of this parable:
Lk 14:21-23 So that servant came and reported these things to his master.
Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out
quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor
and the maimed and the lame and the blind.' 22 And the servant said,
'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.' 23
Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and
hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.'
We see, as it were, more force applied to ensure that the banquet
is fully attended. This lends itself very well to the notion that the
wrath of God will bring many to repentance to enable them to
ultimately share in this great wedding supper with all the saints.
The first, in Rev 19:1-5, appears to be an angelic chorus praising
God for His power and judgements, an exultation over the fall
of Babylon. The second, in Rev 19:6-8, similarly appears to be
an angelic announcement of the marriage of the Lamb to come:
Rev 19:6-9 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great
multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty
thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent
reigns! 7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for
the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself
ready." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine
linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts
of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are
those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' "
And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."
Notice that there is no mention of the actual wedding supper taking
place; the wedding is announced as finally being a reality, to
be sure, and the blessedness of those invited to the supper is
reiterated.
Yes, the elect of God, pictured for example by the five wise virgins,
do marry the Lamb when He returns to earth. But is the marriage
of God to spiritual Israel fully consummated if only a portion
of Israel is redeemed? When is "all of Israel" saved
(Ro 11:26)? Is the wedding banquet, the great supper, at the
appropriate time if the entirety of the earth has been desolated
by the wrath of God and the fullness of the harvest of the saints
has yet to be realised? Will we be able to rejoice in the goodness
of God's purpose for all His saints if they are not all
yet with us? Consider a wedding banquet purely on the human level.
Present are the immediate family (the elect), the extended family
(the rest of the Israel of God) and even friends. And whom does
Christ classify as His friends?
Jn 15:14 "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you."
Christ gave no indication that the wedding supper would follow
immediately upon His return to earth, or even shortly before it.
Mt 25:10 And while they [the ten virgins] went to buy,
the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him
to the wedding [the Greek does mean only wedding; more
modern translations add "banquet", assuming that
the two go immediately together]; and the door was shut.
Yes, for the 10 virgins-epresenting God's elect-the door for entrance
to the wedding is indeed closed. The firstfruits are completed. But the
banquet is not yet.
The indication of the pertinent scriptures is that a special time
and place has been prepared for the wedding supper. Let's notice
more closely some of Christ's words which we have often referred
to:
Mt 26:29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit
of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with
you in My Father's kingdom.
Yet Christ ate and drank with His disciples after His ascension
before He returned again to His Father (Ac 1:4; 10:41). Did He
never drink wine during the forty days He spent with them after
His resurrection, when he was instructing them further about the
Kingdom of God (Ac 1:3)? Is it not more likely that just as
He spoke of never again eating a Passover meal "until it
finds fulfillment in the Kingdom of God" (Lk 22:16, NIV),
He likewise would not drink the specific wine-the Passover
cup-that symbolised the New Covenant until this covenant was totally
fulfilled? The question then becomes: with whom is it
fulfilled, and when?
Some time after the Millennium's end (Rev 21:1), the glorified
Church in its entirety-the elect of God and the vast multitude-and the
New Jerusalem which it is to forever
inhabit, are also described as the bride:
Rev 21:1-7,9-10 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the
first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was
no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying,
"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell
with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with
them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed
away." 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold,
I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for
these words are true and faithful." 6 And He said to me,
"It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning
and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life
freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all
things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son."
It is all people-the multitudes of the redeemed
of the earth-who will share in this:
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled
with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying,
"Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain,
and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out
of heaven from God.
Isa 25:6 And in this mountain [spiritual Mount Zion] The
LORD of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces,
a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of
well-refined wines on the lees.
Note that the setting is similar to that described in Revelation 21 above:
Isa 25:7-8 And He will destroy on this mountain the
surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is
spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever, and
the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of
His people He will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken.
Just as the Passover cup of the Last Supper, marking the very
beginnings of the establishment of the New Testament Church, was
one of several cups of wine drunk at that final meal and the
commemoration which marked the first completed stage of the work
of the Son of God, can we not likewise picture the promised cup
that will symbolise the fullness of the Church to be but one cup
of wine out of many during the future wedding banquet?
Rev 21:22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
The elect saints who have ruled the earth for a thousand years
with the Son of God will likewise be there, forever pillars, or
mainstays, of the New Jerusalem:
Rev 3:12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in
the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will
write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My
God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My
God. And I will write on him My new name.
AN ABUNDANT ENTRANCE
Rev 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with
Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father
on His throne.
If we have the Father's Name engraved upon us by His Holy Spirit,
if we know and walk with the true God and His elect Son, we have
this hope of eternal life (Jn 17:3). We have a guarantee not
only of a sworn inheritance with the vast multitude of all the
saints predestined to glory, but also the promise of rulership
of the earth, a priceless opportunity to learn and to be further
perfected that is not offered to all the sons of God. Let us
therefore even here and now continue to add to our faith (2Pe
1:5-7), so that we will not just have an allotment with the glorified
multitude of the saints, but an even richer welcome into the Kingdom
of God:
2Pe 1:10-11 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to
make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you
will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to
you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1.11 (NIV) and you will receive a rich welcome into
the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.