by Gary L. Evans
(revised 7/28/2023)
The Resurrection — Part 9
Rev 20:1-2 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
When Christ returns as promised, Satan (The Antichrist) will be cast into The Bottomless Pit for one thousand years. Note also that when our Lord returns, all who are alive in the flesh will instantly be transferred from their flesh bodies into their angelic bodies.
Rev 20:3 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.
Near the end of The Millennial Reign of Christ, Satan will be released from The Pit so that he can continue to deceive people (angels).
Rev 20:4 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.
All who have overcome the deception of Satan while dwelling in the flesh will reign with The Lord during this one thousand years. These will have Eternal Life, having already been judged and found innocent and worthy of Life.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
The First Resurrection is of all who overcome the deception of Satan in this world and remain faithful to our Lord to the end. Everyone else will be spiritually dead, not having Eternal Life.
Rev 20:6 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.
Those who are in The First Resurrection will be priests of God and of Christ, and be in no danger from The Second Death anymore, because they will already have Eternal Life.
Rev 20:7-10 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 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. 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.
At the end of The Millennium, Satan will be released from his prison to deceive as many as he can, and then will be cast into The Lake of Fire, where he will consume to ashes and never exist again.
Eze 28:18-19 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
So we see that Lucifer, alias Satan, will consume to ashes. The notion of “tormented” forever is figurative. The word is from the Greek “bas-an-id’-zo” which means “to torture.” So the actual pain experienced is momentary but the end result is Eternal.
Rev 20:11-12 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. 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.
Keep in mind that we will all be in our angelic bodies during this time, so there will be no such thing as the weakness of flesh. But still, it will be very difficult, because there will not be any grace or unmerited favor. Those who are spiritually dead when our Lord returns will be judged according to their works. And that is hard.
Rev 20:13 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.
All of the dead will be judged according to their works. And all who manage to overcome Satan’s deception at the end will receive Eternal Life. This is The Second Resurrection.
Rev 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
And everyone who does not manage to get his name written in The Book of Life will be cast into The Lake of Fire with Satan. This is The Second Death. And we will walk over their ashes, my friends.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
The Resurrection — Part 10
Luk 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
Jesus had been crucified and buried in a tomb.
Luk 24:2-4 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
The stone had been moved from the tomb which was empty, and then two angels appeared there in front of the tomb.
Luk 24:5-7 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
The angels announced that Jesus had risen from the dead, just as He had explained would happen.
Luk 24:8-9 And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
So the women went back to the disciples and told what they saw.
Luk 24:10-11 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
The disciples did not believe any of it.
Luk 24:12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
But Peter at least went to the tomb to see for himself.
Luk 24:13-14 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
Two of the disciples went to a nearby village and talked about what had happened.
Luk 24:15-16 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
Jesus walked right up to them and joined them as they walked, but did not allow them to perceive who He was.
Luk 24:17-18 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
They didn’t know who He was and assumed He was a stranger.
Luk 24:19-21 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
They had hoped that Jesus was the one who would save Israel.
Luk 24:22-26 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
The Resurrection — Part 11
Psa 16:1-5 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
The Lord God is the inheritance of all who love Him. Think about this. In The New Covenant we become The Lord’s People, and The Lord God becomes our inheritance.
Psa 16:6-10 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
The Lord will not leave our Lord in hell nor allow His body to decay. Therefore His resurrection is implied in this verse.
Psa 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
The Lord God has the way of Eternal Life, and Eternal Joy, and Eternal Pleasure. Our Lord taught us of this way, and lived it.
Psa 86:1-12 Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
Our Lord inherited Eternal Life and so is able to promise to glorify The Name of The Father forever.
Psa 86:13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
The grave could not hold Him, because He had lived a sinless life. His body was raised from the dead by The Power of The Law which promised Eternal Life to anyone who would obey it. But only the man Christ Jesus was able to accomplish perfect obedience.
Psa 86:14-17 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.
Our Lord lived a sinless life and according to the Promise of The Law He would Live in The Law, meaning that He would have Eternal Life. And in the New Covenant, we are offered upon repentance The Mind of Christ to dwell in us so that we also will have the “Eyes to See and Ears to Hear” so that we will also live sinless lives. Not that we can live without sin according to our flesh nature, but Christ lives a sinless life through us so that we inherit Eternal Life just as He did.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
The Resurrection — Part 12
Psa 17:1-4 Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
The Lord was not deceitful in any way, and He declared that The Eternal had not found any sin in Him. He also declared that He was disciplined not to speak any falsehood. God’s Word protected our Lord from the ways of The Destroyer, that is, Satan. And now having The Holy Mind in us , God’s Word also protects us from the ways of Satan.
Psa 17:5-9 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.
Our Lord prays for The Eternal to protect Him in His paths. He declares that He has called upon The Eternal who hears Him. He prays for The Eternal to protect Him from The Wicked who are murderous and continuously attack.
Psa 17:10-15 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
All who have The Holy Spirit should pray this prayer themselves, just as our Lord did, that The Father would protect us in this world from The Wicked One and from the lawless ones that serve him, and that we will behold the face of The Most High when we resurrect in the likeness of The Lord God.
Isa 26:1-2 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.
The Word of God is The Truth.
Isa 26:3-5 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.
The Lord protects the nation that trusts in Him.
Isa 26:6-8 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
The Just nation waits for The Eternal’s judgements, and trusts in His Name which is The Word of God.
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
When our Lord returns to establish His Millennial Kingdom, His Judgments will be in the earth and all inhabitants will learn righteousness.
Isa 26:10-11 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.
Those who hate God cannot learn of His Righteousness which is declared in His Law and in all of The Word of God. But in the Millennium they will be so ashamed that they will be weeping, wailing, and gnashing their teeth at what they have done.
Isa 26:12-13 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.
Our Lord has ordained peace for us because He does all of our Righteous works in us, that is, our Lord does the work through us and then allows us to share in the credit. This is the Promise of The New Covenant.
Isa 26:14-18 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth. LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
This world is like a woman in childbirth, and our Lord was The Firstborn of The Dead, among many brothers and sisters. And we who have entered into The New Covenant will Rise from The Dead also when Christ returns. We will be in The First Resurrection into Eternal Life.
Isa 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
All will resurrect, those in The New Covenant to Eternal Life, all others to Judgment.
Isa 26:20-21 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
The Resurrection — Part 13
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
The stranger the disciples had met then explained many of The Scriptures from The Law and The Prophets that had made reference of Jesus.
Luk 24:28-31 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
While they were having dinner, the eyes of the disciples were opened, and they realized that this stranger was in fact Jesus. But when they recognized Him, suddenly, He vanished.
Luk 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
If someone talked to you and explained The Scriptures in detail, would you perceive The Holy Spirit in that man or woman? If you had been there with that stranger and heard Him teach, would your eyes have been opened?
Luk 24:33-36 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Jesus suddenly appeared in the room where they were.
Luk 24:37-40 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
Jesus showed them His body, His hands and feet, so that they could see the nail prints in them and be convinced that this was Jesus.
Luk 24:41-43 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.
Jesus ate food with them.
Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Again, Jesus emphasizes that He was mentioned in The Scriptures, and many prophesies were given concerning Him.
Luk 24:45-48 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.
Although we were not there to see Him and to see the nail prints in His hands and feet, we are His witnesses today about these things. But our belief is based on The Written Word, and not by sight. How? We are enabled to perceive The Mind of God Most High throughout all of The Word of God. We perceive that it is the truth that In The Beginning The Word was with God, and The Word was God, and that all things were created by Him. We literally perceive God through His Word in These Last Days.
Luk 24:49-51 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
Jesus ascended while they watched into the clouds of the sky. Where did He go? And what means of transportation did He use.
Luk 24:52-53 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.