This transcript was generated automatically. Its accuracy may vary
Short Summary
The study discusses the challenges and opportunities humanity will face during the millennial age after resurrection, emphasizing the importance of humility, teachability, and forgiveness for personal growth and harmony. It addresses the difficulties people may encounter due to pride, past experiences, and bitterness, and hig...
This transcript was generated automatically. Its accuracy may vary
Short Summary
The study discusses the challenges and opportunities humanity will face during the millennial age after resurrection, emphasizing the importance of humility, teachability, and forgiveness for personal growth and harmony. It addresses the difficulties people may encounter due to pride, past experiences, and bitterness, and highlights that God’s guidance and the work of the faithful will aid in overcoming these obstacles. Additionally, the study explores themes such as the presence of physical and spiritual needs during the millennium, the potential deceptions by Satan in the “little season,” and the reason some may face the second death despite God’s desire for all to be saved.
Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Study on the Millennial Age, Teachability, Forgiveness, and Related Themes
Overview of the Millennial Age After Resurrection
– The millennial age following the resurrection will be experienced differently by individuals depending on their attitudes, past experiences, and how they lived during the “permission of evil” (the current age).
– Some will find it easier, others more difficult, highlighting the need for personal growth and adjustment.
Question 1: Why Might a Person Have Difficulty Being Teachable, and How Can It Be Fixed?
– Being teachable is foundational to progress in the resurrection. A repentant heart is crucial but requires being teachable first.
Causes of Difficulty in Being Teachable:
– Pride from worldly success and status, which needs to be humbled (humility is emphasized throughout Scripture).
– Previous ingrained teachings or experiences leading to distrust or resistance to new teachings (“fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me”).
– Life circumstances: Those raised from high status (e.g., billionaires) may struggle with humility when placed in humbler conditions. Conversely, those from poor backgrounds may be more receptive, being “raised up.”
– Bitterness from past suffering or injustice can harden hearts.
– Acknowledging mistakes and confronting personal faults is challenging but necessary.
How to Fix It:
– Cultivating humility and willingness to learn.
– Allowing the “roll the video” technique: confronting oneself honestly with past actions to evoke repentance.
– Recognizing God’s power to change “stony hearts to hearts of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26 implied).
– Being willing to serve others, even if one was once accustomed to being served.
– Trust in Jehovah’s ability to manage this transformative process (Jeremiah 32:26: “Is anything too hard for me?”).
– Scripture referenced: Isaiah 40:4 (“Every valley shall be raised up…”), Malachi 3:18 (distinction between righteous and wicked), Jeremiah 32:26.
Question 2: Difficulty in Forgiving Others and How to Overcome It
– Forgiveness is critical for peace and harmony during the millennium.
Causes of Difficulty in Forgiveness:
– Pride and bitterness, especially when the offender appears to be “blessed” despite wrongdoing.
– Feeling unjustly treated and struggling to understand why others receive blessings.
– Hurt from severe offenses (e.g., murder, abuse) will require coaching and time to heal.
– Question of whether forgiveness must be granted only if the offender asks for it.
How to Fix It:
– Developing love and compassion by understanding one’s own flaws and need for forgiveness (Ecclesiastes 7:20-22—no one is righteous, all have sinned).
– Recognizing that forgiveness benefits the forgiver by removing bitterness and ill will.
– Praying for the Holy Spirit to assist in developing Christlike love and forgiving spirit.
– Forgiving as God forgives, following Jesus’ example (Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them…”).
– Learning to forgive oneself as a step toward forgiving others.
– The principle of reciprocal forgiveness is noted: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
– The importance of a forgiving spirit as a prerequisite for receiving God’s blessings is emphasized.
Question 3: Will Some People Be Hungry, Thirsty, Naked, Sick, or in Prison During the Millennium? (Matthew 25:34-36)
– Verses read: Matthew 25:34-36 describes the King blessing those who provide food, drink, clothing, care for the sick and imprisoned.
Interpretations:
– Some physical needs (hunger, thirst, etc.) may exist initially in the millennium due to carry-over conditions from this age.
– These conditions can also be spiritual (e.g., hunger/thirst for truth, imprisonment in sin).
– The “sheep and goats” are literal people, representing the nations gathered and separated in judgment.
– Challenges will exist even with those who committed serious offenses (e.g., Hitler), but God’s mercy and power can enable change.
– Helping others overcome these conditions will be part of the millennial work.
– Some may resist service or forgiveness initially, requiring ongoing character development and coaching.
– The principle of the “Good Samaritan” applies: one must not ignore suffering.
– Scripture referenced: Matthew 25:31-46, 2 Corinthians 5 (ministry of reconciliation).
Question 4: What Deceptions Might Satan Use During the Little Season (the short time after the millennium when Satan is released)?
– Satan’s deceptions will test whether mankind has truly learned the lessons of the millennium.
– Possible deceptions include:
– Challenging God’s authority and order, similar to the rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16).
– Suggesting mankind no longer needs God because of medical or technological advances (“You can eliminate death yourselves”).
– Appealing to pride, encouraging people to desire to rule rather than serve.
– Implying that the kingdom should now be turned over to others (“chronology” deception).
– The dragon (Satan) is not destroyed at Revelation 19:20 but is released at the end of the millennium to deceive the nations (Revelation 20).
– The deception will be a final test of obedience, free moral agency, and loyalty to God’s rulership.
Question 5: If God Desires All Men to be Saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4), Why Might Some Die the Second Death During the Little Season?
– Despite God’s desire for salvation for all, free will remains.
– Some will choose to reject God even after extended education and resurrection.
– Persistent evil intent and refusal to obey God’s laws will lead to second death (final destruction).
– The church will have finished its role, and God will execute justice during this time.
– Example of those who prefer to “rule in Hades” rather than serve in heaven illustrates willful rebellion.
– Scripture referenced: 1 Timothy 2:3-4, John 17:12 (Jesus guarding the apostles).
Closing Encouragement and Hope
– The study closes with Revelation 21:3-4:
– “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men… and God shall wipe away all tears… and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”
– This promises the final fulfillment of God’s plan where suffering and death are eradicated.
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Key Bible Verses Cited in the Study
– Isaiah 40:4 — “Every valley shall be raised up, and every mountain and hill made low.”
– Malachi 3:18 — Distinction between righteous and wicked will be clear.
– Jeremiah 32:26 — “Is anything too hard for me?”
– Luke 23:34 — Jesus’ prayer for forgiveness: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
– Ecclesiastes 7:20-22 — No one is righteous and sinless.
– Matthew 25:34-36 — The King’s commendation for acts of kindness to those in need.
– 2 Corinthians 5 — Ministry of reconciliation.
– Revelation 19:20 — Beast and false prophet cast alive into the lake of fire.
– 1 Timothy 2:3-4 — God desires all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of truth.
– John 17:12 — Jesus guarded his apostles from perishing.
– Revelation 21:3-4 — God dwelling with men, wiping away every tear, and abolishing death.
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Summary
This study highlights the transformative challenges and blessings of the millennial age and the subsequent little season. It emphasizes humility, teachability, forgiveness, and the ongoing struggle against pride and bitterness. The resurrection provides a second chance, but free will remains, and individuals must choose obedience and love to attain eternal life. The adversary’s final test will reveal who truly embraces God’s kingdom. Ultimately, God’s love and justice will prevail, culminating in a new order without suffering or death.
Transcript
The millennial age after the resurrection begins will be easy for some and difficult for others, depending on their attitude, their experiences, and how they live their lives during the permission of evil.
So question number one is about being teachable. To me, in the Resurrection, the very first quality a person must have is to be teachable. Of course, a repentant heart is also crucial. But to get to that point where they are repentant for the things they’ve done, they first need to understand exactly why they are on trial, and to understand something means someone must teach them.
So question number one is, why might a person have great difficulty being teachable? And how can that be fixed? When you raise your hand and we have a microphone, that will come around. All right, brother, you’ve got your work cut out for you. This.
Well, people who have been successful in this life have taken great pride in it, and it’s the pride that has to go. We know there are so many verses about humility and the importance of humility, and it takes many of us a lifetime to learn that humility, and I think that’s a big first step. Very good. Thank you.
Next.
I teach English as a second language as a private tutor, and some of my clients feel they already know everything. I don’t know why they hire me, but sometimes you do get a know it all in front of, and some people don’t feel they need to learn anymore. Wow. Okay.
Thank you. Next.
That always makes me think of the scripture, Isaiah 40, verse 4, where it says, every valley shall be raised up and every mountain and hill made low. So we know that there’s going to be people that come in from higher stations of life that absolutely didn’t have that many problems. They may have been rich and had everything given to them. So to teach them to live in more humble circumstances would make it more difficult, because I know if I’m a billionaire and you put me into some little house in the millennium, I’m probably gonna be a little upset that all my every opportunity I had with that money is gone. So, like the other sister said, pride would be in the way.
But anybody that’s, you know, really poor, you know, that’s being raised up is probably gonna be a little bit more teachable because they’re coming from nothing to something. But when you take everything from someone that had everything and put them down, it’s gonna be perfect. Probably make them a little bit bitter for a while, and they have to adjust to it, but that’s why they get 1,000 years for it. That’s Right, Very good point. As a matter of fact, you think about those who are so used to being served, will they have to be willing to serve others in the kingdom?
Yes, and so that could be a challenge. Like, wait a minute, you’re giving me a smaller house and I have to serve others. So. Yeah, good.
Who else has a thought?
Over there. Oh, there you go. That’s fine. Sometimes it has to do with what you’ve been taught before and people who have been led and taught before. It’s kind of like, fool me once, shame on you, but fool me twice, shame on me.
So people are not receptive to a new teaching sometimes because it’s been ingrained in their head a previous teaching, or they’ve been duped by a previous teaching and they don’t want to be taught anymore. That’s a very good point. Thank you. Over there.
Well, I was thinking of Malachi 3:18. It says, you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. There’s going to be a real plain demonstration in the kingdom, and I agree it’s going to be harder for those, as different ones have mentioned. But one thing we haven’t seen yet. You know, every person will have gone through the low door of death, and we don’t know what that testimony will do to prepare their hearts for the lessons.
And then you have the generation that lives through the trouble, and to me, that’s like the final lesson on the permission of evil. They will not, I shouldn’t say permission of evil on the unrighteous aspect of the permission of evil as a society, and they will be brought low as a society. So I think there’s going to be this stirring up work even before the mediation begins. All right, very good.
Thank you. Over here.
Yeah, real quick. Most of what I was going to say has been said, so I just thought I’d throw in a quick testimony. When I first came, for lack of better term, when I first consecrated myself, I was invited to our family study. My brother invited me. I was actually living here in Orlando, didn’t know enough about the Orlando brotherhood.
But anyway, they were studying the presence of Christ from the epitome of faith, and you talking about someone that’s so opposed to something like that. But I had to humble myself and I had to go and study on my own, and everything they said I found to be true. So the key word is they will have to humble themselves.
Very good. Thank you. Oh, while you’re right there, I’ve appreciated All the comments. I want to add that I believe that this is a job that Jehovah can handle, and I am of the belief that mankind will be overwhelmingly grateful for the transition.
I just happened to turn to Jeremiah 32, verse 26. Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Thank you, Sister Nanette, You pick.
Okay.
I was thinking of those that have had a really miserable hard life, and I think that they might come back in the Kingdom with a lot of bitterness about what they had to suffer in this life, and I think it will be, and when you harbor bitterness in your heart, it can poison it, and I think it’s going to take a lot of work.
But God can change the stony hearts to a heart of flesh. But I think that will be another group that will hold it against God for the past life that they had. Absolutely, and that actually leads into question two, which we’ll cover in just a minute. Thank you.
To be teachable, you have to admit that you were wrong, and that’s not easy to face. Absolutely, and that reminds me of a story. I’ll tell a true story.
So when I was a police officer, we got a call from a store that sold hunting and fishing supplies. Now they believed they had an employee stealing money from the cash register. But they didn’t know who it was, so they asked us to help. So we set up a hidden camera in the ceiling above the register, and the good news is after a few days, we determined it was one of their part time employees who was working there as a side job.
The bad news was it was a full time police officer.
So he was called into the conference room at the police station, told to sit at one end of the conference table and at the other end was a video player. The only thing said to him was, watch this video. The play button was pressed and then he started watching and he saw himself stealing money from the register. At that point he turned white. Apologize for saying this.
Then he vomited on the conference table because he knew he had been caught red handed. There was no excuse, there was no way out. There was nothing he could say, and not only was his career over, but his reputation as well. So I bring this up and I call this the roll the video technique.
So that those in the Kingdom who think, well, I did pretty well, roll the video. Right? So, and what happens is those people will actually feel shame and feel, wow, I don’t even deserve to live, and they’d be correct.
And that’s when they’ll be taught about the Lord’s grace and love for them. All right, who’s next? Oh, go ahead.
So if we follow the sequence of the last being first, presumably when some would be raised from the grave, their loved ones would be there, and would. Their loved ones would have grown in a lovely character and have prayed for them, and so that will be one of the ways. It’s been said that the Lord’s ways. Nothing’s too hard for the Lord.
Very good. Thank you. All right, we are out of time for that question. We have to go to question number two, and remember, these questions, well, they’re about you in the sense that this is your work, the work of the church.
So question two is about forgiveness, which is crucial during the millennial age, because as long as someone is holding a grudge against another person, there cannot be peace and harmony. So question 2. Why might a person have great difficulty forgiving someone, and how can this be fixed? Why might a person have great difficulty forgiving someone, and how can this be fixed? Well, it has to do with the love in your heart, because when you learn these things, it might be difficult for someone to look at, well, this person did this to me.
Why are they being blessed too? I did everything right, and now look at them. They’re getting blessed as well, and that could result in bitterness, because when I first came into the truth, when I was a Jehovah’s Witness, I was a foul person. I thought everyone needed to die in Armageddon because they wronged me and they weren’t coming back in the Resurrection.
And then I realized, because I just had a trial with a friend, too, and we’re no longer friends anymore. But I still think even though this person wronged me, they still get to be blessed in the kingdom as well, and I actually feel that for them. So people are going to have to come back and learn love first to realize that God intended this for everyone, not just for me. So it stems back to pride.
So once they, the restitutionist can let that go, they should be able to have that love and see why they’re being blessed once they know that why evil was here to teach them a lesson so that they can grow in love. Very good. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Brother Peter. I’m going to try to be very quick. I’ve always struggled with this question. We had this question raised in our class, but I’m going to probably pertain it towards the Church as opposed to the world of mankind.
And I just want to say, I think we should always, the world of mankind, as well as the Church, should have a forgiving spirit in order to receive blessings from the Heavenly Father. However, I guess my problem with this question is that should I automatically forgive someone who doesn’t ask for my forgiveness? I mean, if someone persecutes me or does something that offends me during this period of time, I’m not talking about in the kingdom, but right now, should I just say, oh, yes, I forgive you, and they’ll say, well, why are you forgiving me? I did that to you on purpose.
I don’t care, and the point is that I’m thinking about a couple of examples. I’m thinking about Charlie Cook’s wife. She indicated that she forgave the murder of her husband, which I think was a noble kind of thing to do, and I’m also thinking about what was written in Luke chapter 23.
It talks about Jesus said, forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do. But I understand those words are spurious. Now, in answer to your question, I think that the human family will have to have. They will have to put things behind them in order to receive blessings in the kingdom, because God will forgive them as long as they demonstrate that they have a forgiving spirit. If indeed they don’t have a forgiving spirit, they won’t receive any blessings.
Thank you. All right. Thank you, Sister Kathy.
This is Joyce Young, Sister Joyce Young speaking to you and saying, I am thankful for all my blessings that we can be here and learn more so that we can become Christ. Like, no, there’s none righteous. No, not one. No, not one. That’s us.
That’s all of us, and we can help each other and we can have a loving spirit even when we’ve been very angry about something, and the Lord is going to touch our hearts with the right words. If we pray, this is the key, praying for the Holy Spirit, because that’s the whole Spirit, the W H O L E Spirit of God. So if you have the whole spirit of our Lord Jesus in our guard, he’s going to bless you more than you can imagine.
So I’m thankful for this truth. It’s an important truth because if you don’t remember that, you’re going to have a lot rougher road because he wants you to be like his son. So we’ve got to do that because Jesus, he gave his son. But Jesus died on the cross for all of us so that we can help the whole world, which is gigantic when you think about it. Think about him loving the whole world enough to do all this for us.
That will be our job. Thank you, Sister Joyce. Thank you.
I just question, who is forgiveness for? Is forgiveness for the other person, or is it for us so that we don’t have something in the way of our being Christlike, so that we don’t hold on to ill will and bad feelings? I think you just answered the question. It’s for both. Thank you.
Next over there. Yep, here we go.
And to build on that beautiful comment and Sister Joyce’s as well, once we realize how flawed we are. So once we see our video replaced, or once mankind sees its video replaced, if we put it in the kingdom, you have much more compassion for others. So once you understand your own, as several comments have brought out, the pride is subjected and put down so that you understand your own problems, then when you look at others, their problems become much more understandable and forgivable. Having said that, if you had. I always think of a mother losing a child due to someone else’s negligence or deliberateness.
And that kind of forgiveness is going to be very difficult, and they’re going to have to be coached through it, and it’s going to be very hard, and I think that’s going to be a big part of what we do, is to coach those that have been unbearably hurt through those hurts, so that they can look at what caused the problem to begin with in the other person, and I love the thought that forgiveness is for ourselves, and one of the things that mankind is going to have to do, as we have to do, is learn to forgive ourselves and to get over our own guilt, over our own misdeeds, so that we can move forward, and that’s a very difficult step and maybe the first step towards forgiving others.
Very good. Thank you. I think about a case where we had a. We were in court, we had a pedophile who was involved with grooming and abusing three young boys, and during the trial, of course, we had to testify to what had happened.
And I will tell you, the folks in the courtroom, if stoning had been legal, seriously, it was that bad. But what they didn’t know was what that pedophile had gone through when he was a little boy, and it messed him up. It’s not excusing it, but as you say, we don’t know what the other person went through. So thank you.
Okay, go ahead. I’d like to read from Ecclesiastes, chapter 7, verses 20 through 22.
There’s been a lot of Discussion about realizing our own sin and our own need for forgiveness of that sin, and probably most of us recite the Lord’s Prayer at least daily, multiple times a day. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. So there’s almost this quid pro quo scenario to forgiveness. Very important.
But here’s the point of this scripture. I find it very instructive. Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
And so there’ll be this grand awakening and realization of personal fault. The thing that we accuse others of doing, we have found that we do ourselves, and I think in the grand scheme of things, when the Lord enlightens mankind, it’ll make it much easier for them to fulfill this scripture. Thank you. Thank you.
It reminds me of the parable of the 10,000 talents. The point being, you were forgiven a debt you could never afford to repay. So therefore, you need to be willing to forgive this tiny debt that’s owed you. It’s all the perspective. So thank you very much.
Brethren, we have to go to the next question now.
Number three.
Regarding the picture of sheep and goats from Matthew 25:31 46. Will some people actually be hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, and in prison during the thousand years? Could I get someone to read Matthew 25:34, 36? Is there someone in that area who could read it? Sure.
Matthew 25:34, 36.
Is King James okay? Sure. Okay. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, come, ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungered, and you gave me meat.
I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in naked, and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came unto me. Is that it?
There you go. Thank you. So, brethren, will some people actually be hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, and in prison during the thousand years? Brother Peter, I only read till 36. You want me to read more?
We just want 34 to 36. That’s all we need. Thank you. Thank you.
So I would say perhaps initially, however, as the kingdom progresses, nobody can make progress. If you do not see someone in those conditions, you know there’s going to be a lapping over from the. From this present age into the kingdom. So there are going to be Some like that, and so you can’t walk by and say, if you hope to walk up the highway of holiness to see somebody.
I’m thinking about, for example, the Good Samaritan principle. You cannot walk by and say, oh, I don’t see them. You get no blessing either. Very good. I’ll ask you this.
Do you think folks like Hitler, what’s going to happen when they’re resurrected? Are folks going to just walk up and want to give them a hug and say, I love you, brother, or might there be some challenges? Yes.
Well, first thing, of course, he’s talking about spiritual, hunger, spiritual, thirsty, spiritual, whatever the case, might be naked. So, yes, as Brother Homer said in the beginning, everybody going to be. Have all those, if not all of those conditions, quite a bit of them. There’s going to be some that, you know, that is relatively, let’s say, sincere religious people. They may not be loaded with a lot of these things, but for the most part, the whole world of mankind going to have all these things on them.
And guys like, you know, this guy that was, you know, the president of. Was the president of Iran that was just killed Hitler, Mussolini, whomever.
I’ve always thought about that, and my thing was I’ve always said Hitler was the worst person ever created, and, you know, that’s just my opinion, and I’ve always gotten other people that might be worse, but it doesn’t matter. But the point is we know how merciful God is.
And because he’s so mercy, and because nothing is impossible with God, anything can happen. I would. I couldn’t tell you how someone like a Hitler will overcome because he got a. If he got all of these things and more, and I don’t know how he will overcome that.
But with God, nothing is impossible, and that’s all I would have to say. Thank you. Very good. Thank you.
Over here and over there, and I’m not saying Hitler’s going to prison. I’m just bringing up who knows what’s going to happen, and if a person is refusing to do what is right, not so much that they’re refusing to do what is right, but if they have intent to harm someone else who has been resurrected. Now we’ve got an issue.
We’re not sure how that’s going to get handled. Yes. Piggybacking off what Brother William said, if we look at it as a parable, if the sheep are not literal and the, the goats aren’t literal, are each of these things literal? So like when we say the blind shall see, we say oh, that means their understanding will be opened up. So if we think about it, are they hungry for truth?
Are they thirsty for truth? Are they people that are imprisoned in their own sins and aren’t willing to come free of those things? Because I really don’t think they’re going to be in cell block 9, literally, you know, 100 years into the millennium. But I do think a lot of these things can be spiritual. Are they sick?
So are they stuck in their sins and don’t know how to get out? Are we going to help others? Because we are not we. But the restitutionists do also have to help other people as they also come up out of sin as well. Right.
So I just want to clarify. You said they are not literal sheep, not literal goats, but are they literally people? Are they symbols? Well, let’s actually read. It’s technically.
Technically, I was told it’s not a parable, even though we call it a parable. But I’m just going to read the first few scriptures. It says when the Son of Man comes in his glory and the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne and the nations will be gathered before him and he will separate them from one another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. So he’s saying these are people, these are the nations that have been gathered. But he’s going to separate them in a way that they could relate.
Oh, yeah, you separate the sheep and the goats. So, yeah. All right, next. Yeah, on your question about Hitler, I think, you know, prison in symbol is referring to the prison house of death. So someone will be, I think instigating his return from the grave is one point.
And they won’t hurt nor destroy in the kingdom. So if he has murderous intent or whatever, he will be prevented, however that will be, and I think it ties in, interesting, with a question you asked earlier, that there’s a difference between being ready to forgive. Because you think of all that died in the Holocaust.
They may have lived very righteous lives, but if they can’t forgive, they’re not going to make it, and then there’s manifestation of forgiveness, which I think Sister Sandy, maybe her question had to do with. I think our hearts have to be ready to forgive, but others may not be ready to receive that forgiveness. It will not benefit them. I would just make that distinction.
I appreciate that. Now, I do want to bring up in the kingdom, and we asked earlier, do you think folks are going to be told, okay, you have a job to do and you need to do this to serve even the multi Billionaire from today is going to be given some jobs to do. Well, what if they refuse? What are you going to do? So we don’t know exactly how that’s going to be handled.
Now, I know some have said, yeah, but everyone’s going to be so happy that they’re in the kingdom and they’re rejoicing. Yeah, a lot of people will be happy. But if they had a grudge going into the grave, is that grudge going to be removed immediately upon their resurrection? Take the example of a person, a man in his house with his family, criminal forces his way in and murders the family in front of him. Do you think when he is resurrected along with the murderer that he’s going to just want to give that man a hug or is he still struggling?
So. Yes. Well, I think from the standpoint of the discussion, people all have work to do. Brother Russell has a comment on this in reprint 2606. It says the sheep class will manifest God’s character of love to each other in the time of sorest need.
So I think when Jesus was teaching this, you know, it’s like he was using practical illustrations. You know, like, I was hungry, I was thirsty. So that’ll be needs that people have. You know, like when we, you know, as Brother John said, you know, you have to be ready to forgive, ready to receive the forgiveness. So I think everyone will have character development to work on, but it’s the fact that it’ll all kind of be like a one room schoolhouse.
You’ll live by people and you’ll say, well, he’s struggling with this or she’s struggling with that. So that’s if you share and say, well, I found this to be helpful when I’m overcoming a similar problem to you with somebody else. That’s the love outpouring that God is looking for. Because in 2nd Corinthians 5 it talks about God is reconciling the world to himself and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, and so people will be learning that exact same thing thing.
And that will break down these difficulties of being able to openly and honestly discuss grievances and confrontations, and so it’s a development in character and seeing Jesus as the ultimate example, and so it would, through the power of the Holy Spirit working in their minds, there’ll be a lot of accomplishment. But it’s God gives everyone free will. So if you don’t choose that way, it’s not going to be forced on them.
All right, thank you. Just to summarize, this section, there has to be something that’s lacking, that people are going to be able to provide for other people. Because the end result of providing those things at the end of chapter 25 is they receive eternal life because they have done these things for others. So there’s something lacking, whatever it is, if it’s real food or spiritual food, something is lacking that they have the privilege and opportunity of fulfilling. Thank you.
Is it a brief comment? Okay, brief, and then we’re going to move on.
Yeah. The human family in the kingdom is not spirit begotten, and so we can’t really expect them to come back and just forgive, and I was thinking about Nero. Nero ordered the execution of the Christians, the early Christians.
And those early Christians, I believe, didn’t say to Nero right before they were being killed, I forgive you, but they had a forgiving spirit. They. That’s because they were spirit begotten. Thank you. Thank you, Sister Kathy.
All right, so question number four. What deception? Or during the little season? Remember, it says, Satan is released for a little while to see who he can deceive. So during the little season, what deceptions might be used by the adversary?
Because when I first read about that, I think, really, how could Satan actually even have a chance of deceiving someone after going through the thousand years? So what do you think, brethren? What deceptions might be used by the adversary to deceive?
Oh, chronology. What’s that? Chronology. It’s time for you to give up the kingdom so that we can begin to take over. It’s a deception now.
Okay, thank you, Brother Homer.
It’s interesting what Brother Homer said, because there’s probably some truth in that that we could discuss for quite a while. If we take a look at Revelation 19, we see that, of course, we know Revelation is a symbolic, you know, book, book of lot of symbols, but we have three major entities in there that we’re aware of. The beast, the false prophet, and the dragon. We won’t get into all the definitions of those, but I think most Revelation scholars that I’m aware of, I think at least amongst Bible student circles will notice that there’s one that’s missing here where there’s a destruction. Okay.
And this is. This is before this time you’re talking of, but it leaves somebody out. So that’s my point, and in verse 20, and the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, which if he. Which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worship his image.
These both, and who are the both the beast and the false prophet were cast alive, by the way. Not cast dead, cast alive. They were still alive and screaming or kicking or whatever you want to call it. These both were cast alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone.
So the beast and the false prophet are destroyed. Okay, that leaves one left of the big three from Revelation 16:13, and that’s the dragon. So the dragon isn’t destroyed. So where does the dragon show up again if he’s not destroyed? Well, I think the dragon shows up again at the end of the millennial age.
And the dragon is like the civil powers. It was a representation of the civil entities during the time previous to this time we’re talking about, and how will that show up? Well, you know, you got. You got a symbol of Gog and Magog showing up there at the end.
Satan’s let loose, right? And I think the way he is let loose, brother, is that he shows up as a civil entity that challenges the ancient worthies who were the earthly representatives of the heavenly administration, and there was a picture of this in Kohath Dathan and Abiram, the rebellion of Korah, I believe, and Brother Russell says that this rebellion, which they were rebelling against God’s representatives of Moses and Aaron, and you all recall, they put out their staffs because they were a little upset that they weren’t able to do the officiating like Moses and Aaron were. So let’s have a little test here.
So the one that the rod that buds is the one that’s showing God’s authority, right? And they were challenging God’s authority through Moses and Aaron. So this whole picture was such as ended up, of course, the rod that butted was the one that Moses had and Aaron, and so at the very end, whether they really learned their lessons of appreciation of God’s order of things and his authorized agency that he had and waiting on them to tell them when the kingdom was up, right? Was this civil entity rises like this rebellion.
And so this is the way we would look at it, that it would be a civil entity represented by the symbolic dragon at the very end. All right, thank you very much, Brother Larry. Go ahead.
Oh, dear brethren, what was the first lie in the garden? Thou shalt not surely die in the day thou eatest thereof. Now that our heavenly Father, given an understanding of what would happen if they ate the forbidden fruit, and then the deceiver convinced our first parents, Adam and Eve, that they wouldn’t die, well, you could use that same type of scenario in the End of the kingdom to see who has truly learned the lessons and understanding of what, of how our heavenly Father. They’ve had a thousand years to learn the principles that Christ our Lord and the Church are presenting to man the way they should live their lives. But there are going to be some that are just professing, yes, but in their hearts not.
And they may be part of those that will be part of a class of people that will try to convince, deceive others of what the true hope is if they follow God’s ways. So the deceptibility deception that Satan has is quite unique. Yes. Thank you, brother Mark. So only because we’re short on time, I’m going to throw out two other possibilities.
Now, I don’t know how far mankind will advance in the medical field before the resurrection starts, but it’s getting more and more advanced as we see more and more things are being taken care of and solved. So is it possible that people will be told, hey, you know what? You guys were so close to eliminating death. You don’t actually need the Lord. You’ve got the ability.
So that’s one and another would be, and it was talked about with the kings and the pharaohs. Hey, you shouldn’t be serving others. You deserve to be served. You’re up here, everyone else should be below you.
Again, appealing to the pride, and as was brought out with the Korah, what was his big problem? It was pride. Yeah, I can do just as good a job or better than Moses. So.
And in the garden, pride. Yeah, I want that. I deserve that. So thank you. Brethren, we’re going to have to go to our last question now.
Number five. If God desires that all men be saved, then why might a person die the second death during the little season? And I need someone to read first Timothy 2, 3, 4. Okay, right there. First Timothy 2, 3, 4.
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of the God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Very good. Thank you. I also want to bring this up in John 17:12. Jesus saying he’s talking to his Father and he says, while I was with them, I was keeping them in your name, which you have given me.
I guarded them and not one of them perished, but the Son of perdition, so that the scripture would be fulfilled. So Jesus was given the responsibility from the Father to take care of those apostles and keep them, protect them well in the kingdom. Our job is going to be to take care of the people on mankind. So again, the Question is, if God desires all men to be saved, then why might someone die the second death during the little season?
Well, man is still going to have free choice.
You know, he’s not going to be forced. So he still has evil intent. He’ll exercise that at some point. So he still has free will, and that leaves them the possibility of failing over.
That’s it. Thank you. There and then over there.
I believe this applies to the ransom, where the world will be raised from the grave. God desires all to be saved first, and then what? Then learn, then come to a knowledge. So, in fact, as brother Randy said, everyone now has a choice.
Now that they’ve been raised, now that they’ve been educated, do they want to join in and continue or do they want to opt out? Right, very good. Thank you. One more comment or. Actually we have a couple more comments.
Sorry. Well, other. There have been people in the world who have said, or so much as expressed the thought that I would rather rule in Hades instead of serve in heaven, and it’s no matter what, and these people, I mean, I don’t know, I won’t say who, because I don’t know exactly, but they could adapt.
The stubborn attitude of resisting, you know, bowing before the Lord, just absolutely refusing to bow and to humble themselves at all. So that’s a pathway to death, I think. All right, thank you very much. All right, final comment right here.
Thank you, brother. Brother Peter. All those that make it to little season will have offered up their book. The church, the bride, the Christ that is a pure, perfect heart, and they’re going to step out of the way for the Father to administer justice.
And it will be then the church will be the arm of God. But all those in that little season will be perfect. They’ll have free moral agency, and Satan, what was it? The test was obedience.
Eve failed it and Adam coalesced. Same will happen. There will be a test of obedience. It’s not because they’re inherently evil. They didn’t make it to the little season without the church stepping aside, without the Christ saying, father, here is your creation back to you.
That’s it. Thank you. Yeah. The difference between then and now is Satan is not bound. Well, there’s still evil and still the evil influence.
Whereas during the thousand years, at that point prior to the little season, we know Satan is bound and it’s a different thing. So now the free will is they’ve been educated, they know the difference, and then it’s willful or not. Thank you all very much for your comments. Your thoughts and your readings.
I’m going to close with Revelation 21:3 and 4. Revelation 21:3 4, and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he will dwell among them, and they shall be his people, and God Himself will be among them, and he will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
And there will no longer be any death. There will no longer be any mourning or crying or pain. The first things have passed away, and we look forward to that day. Thank you, brethren.
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