Month: August 2022

Revelation at a Glance – Day 49

On August 10, 2022

Rev 22:1-21 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and 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) And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (5) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. (7) Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. (8) And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. (9) Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. (10) And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. (11) He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. (12) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (13) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. (14) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (15) For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (16) I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. (17) And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (18) For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: (19) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (20) He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (21) The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

I pray this series has blessed you and helped you to gain a sense of urgency in telling others about the Lord. May you not let a day go by without telling others about His saving power. ❤❤

So as we end with this last post, let’s see how the Lord finishes this wonderful Book. This is a completely new beginning; it’s not a “makeover” at all. Heaven literally comes to earth! We see this also spoken of by the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 65:17-19 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. (18) But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. Isaiah saw this and now we will see this in our lifetime! (Read 2 Peter 3:10-13) Through Jesus’ infinite mercy, He gives us one last opportunity at the end of the Book of Revelation to tell us what is in store at His Second Coming.

What wonder we see in store for us in the Holy City, New Jerusalem!! We see:

The description of the city: Beautiful; adorned with every precious stone
The population of the city; Believers are present and unbelievers are absent
The invititation to the city; “And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

We see in Revelation 22:6 that everything that has been said are faithful and true. John also tells us that the things that are going to happen will shortly be done. Some of you may doubt that this is within our generation (Since 1948) and probably won’t occur for a while like quoted in 2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. However, on May 14, 1948, Israel became a nation. Jesus said in:

Luke 21:29-33 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; (30) When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. (31) So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. (32) Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. (33) Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Israel is known as the fig tree and Jesus said that when the tree should “shoot forth,” summer is now nigh.” Jesus also said that “this generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.” Whatever generation exists on May 14, 1948, that generation will see Christ’s return. Whether you experience His return in the clouds for the Rapture or experience His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation, your generation will be the one to see it. Praise the Lord! \o/

Most importantly, Friend, let Revelation 22:7 be an exhortation to you. Jesus says that we are blessed if we keep the sayings of this Book. He also stated it in Revelation 1:3! I truly believe with all my heart that as believers and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is our responsibility to know the Book of Revelation so that we are able to be witnesses for Him. Our testimony is one thing, as well as our efforts in leading others to Christ, which must be our priority. It does not matter how you do it, just do it!

Revelation 22:10 exhorts John not to seal the sayings in this Book because the time is short. Use this Book wisely and let it move you to tell others what is in store for them should they neglect such a precious gift! Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God has given each human being every opportunity to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Yes, even the native in the deepest jungles of South America! If that person looks at the heavens and God’s creation and his heart is stirred, God will send someone (possibly a missionary) to reveal His Word to that native! (Romans 1:20)

The urgency of the rest of the verses in this chapter alert us that Christ is coming quickly once we see all these things come to past. Israel is a nation, wars and rumours of wars (Matthew 24:6-7) are currently under way. Earthquakes are occurring on a daily basis now (Matthew 24:7) and in multiple places, volcanoes are getting ready to erupt showing significant earthquake activity, famines and pestilences are everywhere (Matthew 24:7). But Jesus said in Matthew 24:8 that these are the beginning of sorrows. Just as birth pains during childbirth, the pains come quicker and they are stronger before the big event of birth occurs. Take this seriously! It is no joking matter – you will not be in Hell having a party with your friends!

Please, dear Reader, if you are not born again as you read this, consider your future in eternity. It will be filled with pain, burning and regret for all eternity. Jesus said three times in Mark chapter 9:

(Mar 9:44) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
(Mar 9:46) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
(Mar 9:48) Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

That “worm” is symbolic. Just as a body decays in the ground and worms slither in and out, you will not die but you will be writhing in excruciating pain; the fire won’t be put out for all eternity. As much as it hurts when you burn yourself, imagine this same (but greater) pain all over your body, for… all… eternity! There won’t be anyone there to give you a drink of water to quench your thirst. There won’t be anyone to relieve your pain. (Luke 16:23-25) Satan and his demons will be there with you making your life there a nightmare for all eternity.

The Lake of Fire is the final destination of those who have been in Hell. Those who are there now know what is in store for them. They must be afraid of what’s to come. The day they are released from Hell to attend the Great White Throne Judgment is the day that they will see everything they have done as written in the Books described in Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Unsaved royalty and leaders, lawyers, doctors, the rich as well as the poor, teenagers, engineers, etc. will all go through the same process. To those who had greater opportunity, they will be held accountable for every thought and action as revealed in the Books. Christ’s Word is a two-edged sword which will reveal even your deepest, darkest thoughts (Hebrews 4:12).

Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. As I wrote above, remember Lazarus? He was in Abraham’s bosom while the rich man was in Hell. The rich man couldn’t even buy a drink of water and he begged Lazarus to bring some to him. But once a person is in Hell, it’s too late. (Luke 16:24)

King Jesus will not be mocked. The Word, His two-edged sword, will judge us. Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

What a person suffers in Hell will not outweigh what is to happen in the Lake of Fire. The rich man could see Lazarus afar off. But the Lake of Fire will be in outer darkness. Jesus stated this three times in Mark 8:12, Matthew 22:13 and in Matthew 25:30. He also says that tears and pain will accompany the darkness. What an awful thing to experience for all eternity: which is, dear Reader, without end!

Jesus does not want you to suffer this end. 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He has prepared a beautiful place for those who believe on Him. We will live for all eternity in peace and beauty if we make Him our Saviour! Friend, you either believe now and go to Heaven or find out on that day of Judgment at His Second Coming that everything you believed was a lie. These lies will take you to Hell. It’s up to you; it’s your choice! So with that in mind, I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 48

By Kate Plourde

On August 8, 2022

In Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance

Rev 21:9-27 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. (10) And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (11) Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; (12) And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (13) On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. (14) And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. (15) And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. (16) And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. (17) And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. (18) And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. (19) And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; (20) The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. (21) And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. (22) And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (23) And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (24) And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. (25) And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. (26) And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. (27) And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Rev 22:1-5 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and 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) And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (5) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Good morning, Reader! We are quickly approaching the end of the Book of Revelation. It has been such an eye opener for me. I thought I knew a thing or two but, as with all of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit illuminates something new each time I read my Bible.

Today, we will look at the New Jerusalem and how God plans to build it. In my opinion, the layout is absolutely awesome! 😀 God doesn’t just do a makeover of Heaven and earth; He builds everything new, from scratch! If you recall the Garden of Eden, God walked in the garden (Genesis 3:8) amongst His creation, Adam and Eve. Both literally had God dwelling with them and yet they chose to disobey Him. I’m sure everyone who is willing to admit it would say in their heart that they would have never given in to Satan. But, remember, Adam and Eve were created as perfect human beings. We are far from perfect so we cannot say that we would not have listened to Satan. We are descendants of Adam and Eve’s fallen and sinful nature. There is no way we could have done better than they did.

They had access to the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Once they understood the difference between good and evil, in God’s mercy He had to kick them out of Eden before they ate of the Tree of Life. Think about it, if they had eaten from the Tree of Life, they would have been forever lost in their sinful condition. In His mercy, God kicked them out of the Garden of Eden and set a cherubim with a flaming sword to prevent their re-entry. Thus began God’s redemptive plan! Praise You Lord for interceding at that very moment! This whole account just gives me goosebumps!

So let’s see what the Apostle John was experiencing in this chapter. John tells us about the New Jerusalem and he calls it the great city, holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God. This city’s light was like a jasper. One has only to do a Google search for “jasper” to see all the various kinds there are. It is normally a multi colored gem, like quartz. Of course, if it’s in Heaven, it will be like something we’ve never seen according to 1Corinthians 2:9. This particular jasper is as clear as crystal. Can you imagine?

Now, let’s jump ahead to Revelation 21:16-17 to see the size of the city before we move on to what it is made of. The Bible says that it is actually shaped like a cube because it speaks of the “length and the breadth and the height” all being equal. Each measured 12,000 furlongs which can be anywhere from 1,280 to 1,500 miles, depending on which commentary you read. But let’s just round it up to 1,500 miles on each side so we can get a mental picture. That’s roughly the size of the moon!!! A pastor that I follow recounted this story from his youth. He told us about Dr. Henry Morris of the Institute for Creation Research. He passed away in 2006 but in the 1960’s, he was Dean of Engineering at Virginia Tech. He did a mathematical study to “guesstimate” how many people this 1,500 mile cube could hold. He took a guess at what the total population had been since the creation of man and as well as into the future. He came up with roughly 100 billion… remember that’s past, present and future. The current population is 7.9 billion. He’s not trying to pinpoint an exact number here. He’s just trying to give you an idea so you can get a picture in your mind. Personally, I think we have to remember that God designed this city knowing full well how many people it will have to hold. 😁 Then Dr. Morris calculated that possibly 20% of that 100 billion would be saved. Again, remember this is only a projection to see what the population of the New Jerusalem could possibly hold. That came up to 20 billion people. Dr. Morris said that since the city is a cube, we would not necessarily be living side by side but up and down, diagonally, etc. It’s hard to get my mind around it but I get the picture. One could also presume that there aren’t as many as 20 billion true Christians past, present and future. If you recall, the road is narrow that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:14) but broad is the road that leads to destruction.

Now back to verse 12, this city has a great and high wall with twelve gates which have the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel; three gates on each side. The foundation of the city has twelve foundations with the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb! Then in Revelation 21:21, we see that each of the twelve gates are made of one pearl! Think of it!!! One huge pearl makes up a gate! It reminds me of the pearl of great price in Matthew 13:46. I love allegories and this particular passage makes me think of this: The entrance to the New Jerusalem’s gates, which have the names of the twelve tribes, point me to the Messiah. John 4:22 tells us that salvation is of the Jews. Jesus Christ was born a Jew and through Him is the only way we can enter Heaven. Next, we look at the wall built with the 12 foundations of the apostles of the Lamb (Revelation 21:14). Jesus built His church upon the rock that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The twelve apostles took that message out and did exactly that – they built Christ’s church! Therefore, the New Jerusalem is all about the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ! Some think that Christians replaced the Jews but this passage clearly depicts the twelve Tribes of Israel as well as the Apostles!!

Revelation 21:21 is so beautiful! We see the street of the city pure as gold, as it were transparent as glass. Since eye has not seen what God has in store for us, we cannot imagine gold being transparent as glass. But we will because the Bible is truth! What I found very interesting is that the New Jerusalem won’t have a temple! Old Jerusalem sure did and it was everyone’s goal to have the temple rebuilt after 70AD. But New Jerusalem won’t have one because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. On a side note, the phrase “Lord God Almighty” is only used five times in Scripture and they are all in the Book of Revelation. The number 5 symbolizes God’s grace, goodness and favor toward mankind!

Revelation 4:8 says Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Revelation 11:7 says Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come.
Revelation 15:3 says Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Revelation 16:7 says Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. And, here
Revelation 21:21 says Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb are the temple of it.

Don’t you find that interesting??? Now we see that there is no need for the sun or the moon because the glory of God lightens it and the Lamb is the light! Everyone will walk in the light they shine!(Revelation 21:23-24)

Lastly, God reaches out one more time to readers across the ages through the Scriptures and gives us a warning.

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

God makes it perfectly clear that no one who defiles, works abomination or tells a lie, or whose name is not found in the Lamb’s book of life will be allowed into Heaven. God in His infinite mercy never ceases to show that mercy, even at the end of this wonderful Book!

New Jerusalem contains beautiful and amazing things. One of which is found in Revelation 22:1. We see the water of life proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. This water is crystal clear! Jesus Christ is our living water! On either side of the river is the tree of life which bears twelve fruit. Even the leaves were for healing the nations. The curse has been lifted and all we be experiencing is seeing God’s face and His name will be on our foreheads! Praise the Lord!

Our last post in this series is going to be about the Lord Jesus’ coming and the final warning to mankind to be saved! Philippians 2:10 says that every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Friend, you either bend your knee now and go to Heaven or on that day of His Second Coming, which will take you to Hell. It’s up to you; it’s your choice! So with that in mind, I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

What God’s Word Says About Homosexuality

By Kate Plourde

On August 7, 2022

In Homosexuality

If you are reading this, it is because of one of two reasons:

You want to truly find out what the Bible has to say about being a homosexual; or,
You want to start an argument with me on this topic. Please don’t bother as your comments will be deleted. I am not here to debate with you but to lead you into the Truth of God’s Word.

I am not trying to attack you personally. I am trying to help you understand what the Bible says about homosexuality. I will not give you my opinion but will simply list Bible verses. Please take a moment to read them.

Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
2Corinthians 11:14-15 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Genesis 19:1-25 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; (2) And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. (3) And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. (4) But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: (5) And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. (6) And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, (7) And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. (8) Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. (9) And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. (10) But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. (11) And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. (12) And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: (13) For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. (14) And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. (15) And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. (16) And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. (17) And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. (18) And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: (19) Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: (20) Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. (21) And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. (22) Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. (23) The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. (24) Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; (25) And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Deuteronomy 23:17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.
Romans 1:26-27 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (27) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Colossians 3:5-6 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (6) For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
1Timothy 1:9-10 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, (10) For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

No other city in the world was ever or has ever been entirely destroyed for lying, stealing, etc. The only time a city was entirely destroyed was due to homosexuality. But there is hope, Reader! The Bible also provides a way to be forgiven:

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Romans 10:9-13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (11) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Now, if you are still searching, please visit Out of Egypt Ministries and read about Patti Height. Her ministry will be very helpful to you if you are searching.

Revelation at a Glance – Day 47

By Kate Plourde

On August 5, 2022

In Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance

Rev 21:1-8 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (6) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (7) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Good morning, Reader!!! Oh how wonderful today’s post is on Revelation 21!!! I could not find a graphic that would accurately depict this event so the graphic I used at the top will have to suffice, LOL! I look forward to what the Lord has in store for us during that period of time!

The world may not believe this, but this event was all prophesied by Jesus, Isaiah and Peter. Jesus told us that the new heaven and earth would happen in Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Isaiah said it in Isa 65:17-19 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. (18) But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. (19) And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. Lastly Peter stated in 2Pe 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (11) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, (12) Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (13) Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Revelation 20:11 also gives us a glimpse of this. In today’s verses, Revelation 21:1-8, we see that everything will be made new. In fact, the new Heaven and earth will not have a sea. Hmmmm … that’s something to think about. Is it because Jesus is the “Living Water” from John 4:10 and John 7:38? In Revelation 21:6, Jesus says that He will give those that are thirsty of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Imagine the world depicted in Revelation 20:4!!! This is way beyond my imagination. There are a few things in life that I have regretted. I have dear friends who have chronic illnesses, including my husband! These things will all be gone! Praise God!

1Co 2:9-10 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (10) But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

First of all, God will be present, as we read in verse 3. The Apostle John told us in John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. That word “dwelt” in the Greek is:

G4637
σκηνόω
skēnoō
skay-no’-o
From G4636; to tent or encamp, that is, (figuratively) to occupy (as a mansion) or (specifically) to reside (as God did in the Tabernacle of old, a symbol of protection and communion): – dwell.
Strong’s Concordance

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

God will dwell with us! Is it any wonder that one of Jesus’ names is Emmanuel (or Immanuel) Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Emmanuel means “God with us”! Everything in the Bible intertwines. Isn’t it wonderful?? (Wonderful is also a name for Jesus in Isaiah 9:6 😀)”

Moving on, Revelation 21:4 tells us that there will no longer be any death, pain or sorrow! All these will be absent and former things are passed away. It makes me wonder if all my tears of my past will disappear. Will all my memories be wiped clear so they don’t make me cry anymore? … It’s something to think about.

We see in Revelation 21:7 that it declares to us those who inherit all things (those are the born again believers) will be God’s sons!! We are His children – is it any wonder that Jesus forbid the disciples to keep the children away (Matthew 10:13-16)? Jesus said: Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. God’s Kingdom is coming whether you like it or not.

Just so God makes it perfectly clear who won’t be entering into His Kingdom of Heaven, He lists the sins of the unbelievers so they are without excuse in Revelation 21:8:

Fearful: Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. God will judge righteously because He is Holy. Lev 20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. 1Pet 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 1Pet 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Unbelieving: Mat 12:31-32 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. (32) And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
The abominable: Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Murderers: Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Whoremongers: Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. The Greek word for whoremonger is G4205 πόρνος pornos por’-nos From πέρνημι pernēmi (to sell; akin to the base of G4097); a (male) prostitute (as venal), that is, (by analogy) a debauchee (libertine): – fornicator, whoremonger. As you can see, “pornos” is the word pornography is derived.
Sorcerers: Mal 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
Idolaters: 1Co 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (10) Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Liars: 1Ti 1:9-10 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, (10) For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Friend, you can give to charity as much as you want but if you are guilty of any of those sins above, it just won’t matter. If you are not born again, no amount of good works or philanthropic deeds you do will gain you entrance in Heaven (Jas 2:10) For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. You must be born again! Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

It’s up to you; it’s your choice! So with that in mind, I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 46

By Kate Plourde

On August 3, 2022

In Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance

Rev 20:7-15 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. (10) 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. (11) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Grab your favorite beverage and let’s take a look at the defeat of Satan, the Lake of Fire and the Great White Throne. This is where everything comes to a halt for the devil and he finally receives his just desserts. We are introduced to him in the Garden of Eden and he will end his earthly reign of wickedness in today’s verses! Please, this is a longer than usual post but it is packed with information that is vitally important. I ask for your patience as well as grace. I pray you will bear with me and read through its entirety.

For 1,000 years Satan has been under lock and key “in the bottomless pit.” During this time frame, people will be living longer in a beautiful earth similar to the Garden of Eden. They will be having children and everyone will still be born with a sinful nature. Although there won’t be Satan’s influence, sin will be in people’s heart. Satan will be released so people will have to make a choice between Jesus and Satan; even though they will be living under the rule of Jesus in a perfect world!

We read in Revelation 20:8 that all the nations will be deceived by him from the four corners of the earth, having the spirit of Gog and Magog. He will be inciting nations (numbered as the sands of the sea) to rebel. Once they go to advance against Israel, God breaths out fire! It doesn’t say how long “a little season” will be (Revelation 20:3). But we do know that it’s long enough to gather the world together to go against King Jesus!

The heart is deceitful even in a perfect society (Jeremiah 17:9)! The nations will abandon all that to follow Satan! Can you believe it? Here is what we can learn from the release of Satan after a thousand years:

The heart is depraved
Satan is powerfully deceptive to lure people away from a “perfect” world
God is just in His judgments

We see in Revelation 20:10 that the devil is cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity. He was only put into the bottomless pit, if you recall. But notice that the Antichrist and the False Prophet have already been cast alive into the Lake of Fire (see Revelation 19:20). The end of Revelation 20:10 tells us that they all will be tormented day and night for ever and ever!!!!

We must remember that the Lake of Fire is not Hell. It is referred to eleven times in the gospels. The Bible tells us that all of the unsaved people are kept in a place called Hell until the Millennium Kingdom is over. Hell is a temporary place of torment where these souls are kept until they have to appear before God for the final White Throne judgment. This judgment will then determine their eternal fate once and for all. Books will be opened which will contain everything they ever did and spoke. Then Jesus will look in the Book of Life and will tell them that their names are not found in it. This Book determines their future.

Today’s verses (Revelation 20:11-15) give us the details of what will be happening to all of the unsaved in this final judgment. Notice that Revelation 20:13 states that death and hell gave up the dead and their judgment will be taking place. Revelation 20:10 calls this the second death and that results in being cast into the Lake of Fire. To review, the first death is when all the unsaved die a physical death and are cast into Hell. There they remain until the Millennium is over. The second death is showing us that when the unsaved’s names are not found in the book of life, they are cast into the Lake of Fire where they will remain for all of eternity.

Many preach that there is no Hell, but there is! Do not be deceived by what some “spiritual” leaders say that contradicts the Bible! We must believe the Bible, especially when man says differently. Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. It doesn’t say that Joel Osteen’s words or the Pope’s words are what will keep you from sin. It is God’s word that keeps us from sin – and notice, we must hide it in our hearts so we can refer to it when the Bible is not available. A good example of this is the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Out of earth’s population, it is said that 16% are Catholic! Here’s what he said during an interview with the Pope’s favorite interviewer:

Published a new interview by Eugenio Scalfari, Francis’ favorite conversation partner.
The Rorate Caeli blog has just provided an English translation:

[Scalfari:] Your Holiness, in our previous meeting you told me that our species will disappear in a certain moment and that God, still out of his creative force, will create new species. You have never spoken to me about the souls who died in sin and will go to hell to suffer it for eternity. You have however spoken to me of good souls, admitted to the contemplation of God. But what about bad souls? Where are they punished?
[Francis:] “They are not punished, those who repent obtain the forgiveness of God and enter the rank of souls who contemplate him, but those who do not repent and cannot therefore be forgiven disappear. There is no hell, there is the disappearance of sinful souls.”

The Pope is misleading these poor Catholics and leading them straight to the gates of Hell! Dear precious Catholic soul, it is not just a trivial matter! It is of GREAT importance in the Bible. Jesus preached a lot about Heaven and how to get there. When He spoke of Hell, He did not mince words. Seven times in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus spoke of Hell’s consequence of “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” It’s not coincidence that it is mentioned seven times! Seven is the number for perfection; the fact that Jesus used “weeping and gnashing of teeth” seven times reveals God’s perfect judgment!

Luk 13:25-28 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: (26) Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. (27) But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (28) There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

The Pope is dead wrong! Catholics need to wake up and follow God’s Word, not the traditions of the Catholic Church where they believe whatever the Pope says takes precedence over the Bible. Here’s a quote from Pope Francis:

It is precisely because the Word of God embraces and extends beyond Scripture that, in order to properly understand it, the Holy Spirit’s constant presence, who guides us “to all truth,” is necessary. It is necessary to place ourselves within the great Tradition that has, with the Holy Spirit’s assistance and the Magisterium’s guidance, recognized the canonical writings as the Word that God addresses to his people, who have never ceased meditating upon it and discovering inexhaustible riches from it.
https://www.learnreligions.com/pope-francis-word-of-god-3970724

But friend, the Bible says:

Mat 15:3, 6b But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? (6b) Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Mat 23:24-27 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. (25) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. (26) Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. (27) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the Son of Man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?
Isaiah 55:11 So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My Mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Jeremiah 1:12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten My Word to perform it.

God will have the final word, reader, as we see in today’s post. There IS a Hell; there IS a Lake of Fire. Make no mistake, whether the Pope says there is or not, it doesn’t matter. It is what GOD says that matters.

It’s known that if you are born again, you only die once (your physical death) and you live for eternity with Christ. If you are one of the believer’s who will take part in the Rapture, you won’t even experience the first death! Glory!!! But the unsaved will die twice: once for their physical death and then this second time when they are cast into the Lake of Fire. Can you imagine burning in Hell until you’re released to stand before Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne Judgment only to be cast into the Lake of Fire (which is far greater punishment)? Here you experience bliss when you are released from Hell, only to be shown every single sin you ever committed! You are shown every opportunity that was given to you to become a believer and follower of Jesus. You won’t be able to deny that those opportunities were never presented to you because your life will be shown to you. Your own selfish pride meant more to you at this point than salvation. After your judgment, you are placed in the Lake of Fire for all eternity! You will wish at that point that you had accepted Christ as your Saviour while you had the opportunity. Some say that these are fear tactics used by Christians so they can increase their numbers. However, I would rather be known for telling the truth of where one will spend eternity than neglecting my duty to spread the Gospel!

Philippians 2:10 says that every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Friend, you either bend your knee now and go to Heaven or on that day of His Second Coming, which will take you to Hell. It’s up to you; it’s your choice! So with that in mind, I want to be sure that anyone who reads the posts on this blog can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to Heaven. Have you received Christ as your Saviour? If no, your sins are not covered by His sacrificial offering of Himself. You have not been redeemed by His blood. It is no coincidence that God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved if you are not already. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!

Revelation at a Glance – Day 45

By Kate Plourde

On August 1, 2022

In Devotionals, Revelation at a Glance

Rev 20:1-6 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (2) And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (3) 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. (4) 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. (5) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (6) 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.

Good morning! It’s a beautiful but hot day in Culpeper, Virginia! I love starting my day with the Lord and gleaning from His Word! There’s nothing like it! When do you do your Bible reading? Some like to end the day, some read segments throughout the day. I’d love for you to share what your schedule is for your devotional time.

Today we are going to cover the Millennium Reign of Jesus! How exciting is this topic!! Did you know that there are three common beliefs of His Millennial reign?

Amillennial is the concept there won’t be a literal reign. The thousand years are symbolic and they believe Satan is currently bound. How can Satan be bound at this moment? Look at all the bizarre evil works occurring right now!??? Saint Augustine held to this view, and so does the Roman Catholic Church, and even some Baptists. We know that Satan is definitely not bound today because of: 1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: So exactly where does it say in Scripture that Satan is bound? We will see this at the beginning of the Millennium in Revelation 20:1-3!
Postmillennial is the belief that Christ returns after the Millennium. There’s a problem with this belief, however: 1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; and Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. The Bible teaches a great apostasy and falling away before His return, despite the fact that technology currently contributes to the spreading of the gospel! The Millennium is to be a thousand years of peace with Jesus ruling. How can He return afterwards if He is already on earth?
Premillennial is the belief that Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation before the thousand year Millennial period. I believe this view is accurately depicted in the Bible.

In today’s Scriptures, John sees an angel come down from heaven to bind Satan for 1,000 years. Have you noticed that the word bottomless pit is used a total of eight times in the Bible? (Luke 8:31, and seven times in Revelation: Rev 9:1-2, Rev 9:11, Rev 11:7, Rev 17:8, Rev 20:1 and Rev 20:3.) Luke 8:31 calls it the deep and all the verses in Revelation call it bottomless pit; but the same Greek word is used, which is abussos, for all eight verses.) Jude 1:6 speaks of angels which rebelled with Lucifer against God (one third in Heaven). Not all angels are chained. It appears that only the worse of them are. Note that the demons in Luke 8:31 were afraid to go to the abyss.

We see in Revelation 20:2 that God wants us to know He is most certainly speaking about Satan here. He calls him “that old serpent” from Genesis 3. He will be bound and sealed in the bottomless pit for a thousand years and released for a little season. Why!!!??? We see in Revelation 20:7 that Satan will go out and deceive “the nations” from all four corners of the world! This will be Armageddon 2.0! Stay tuned for more of this on your next visit.

Jesus will rule from Jerusalem. The judgment of those surviving the Tribulation will take place; the saved will be placed on His right hand and the unsaved will be placed on his left hand. (Matthew 25:31-34). The saved will be welcomed into Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. The unsaved, however, will be judged and sent to everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:41-46).

Revelation 20:4 reveals to us that John is seeing thrones and those who sit upon them giving judgment. The saints will be judging the world, according to 1Cor 6:2. We will be understudies, if you will, of King Jesus and He will be our example of how to rule and reign. The second group John sees are those who died during the Tribulation. If you recall, Revelation 15:2 describes this group as a sea of glass with fire, having harps of God; they are rejoicing around the throne of God! Revelation 20:5 states that the rest of the dead (the unsaved) lived not again until the thousand years were finished. John shows us that this is the first resurrection. Those who died in Christ (were born again) have the first resurrection and the second death has no power. Rev 1:5-6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (6) And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. and Rev 5:9-10 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (10) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. We shall reign on earth with Christ.

When we enter the Millennium, there will be survivors from the Tribulation. The only difference will be that there won’t be anymore political powers. We will have One Great Monarch, King Jesus! With Satan being bound, his sinful influence won’t be present. However, people will still have a sin nature, despite all the perfection they will be experiencing! The Bible teaches us in Hebrews 9:27 that men will receive judgment after they die. Can you believe that people will actually be choosing to sin despite living in a world of peace and harmony under the Lord’s reign?! We also read that during the Millennium, the animals will be tame, as seen in Isaiah 11:1-10. The Prince of Peace’s influence will be so penetrating that even the animals will be peaceful. I look forward to hugging a lion around the neck 🥰 It will also be a time of longevity according to Isaiah 65:19-25. As well, it will be a time of worship according to Zechariah 14:16-21. There is a return of the Feasts for Israel where they will be looking back to their Messiah and what He has done for them. This will be similar to what communion is to us: a time of remembrance and contemplation.

So, again, why release Satan at the end of the Millennium? Even though people will be living in a perfect world, they will have a sinful nature (Jer 17:9). They will still have a choice between right and wrong; whether to serve the Lord or Satan. You have to realize that with Satan out of the picture, mankind really has only one choice of whom they will serve during the Millennium. Although Satan’s massive evil influence is not present, the wicked heart is still within the unsaved who are born during this timeframe. King Jesus is right there amongst them but yet they will choose to sin. It always boils down to choice. This will result in nations which will be ready to turn against King Jesus and follow Satan when he is released. We will cover more of this in our next post.