and may I respond? Thank you and may you all have peace! I will initially need to reformat, and so ask your patience while I do.
This always made me think, what about those who were resurrected by Elijah, Elisha, Jesus and his disciples? Did they live out their lives separately from the spouses on earth, did they never marry if they were single? What about Lazarus, Tabitha, Eutychus.
These were resurrected back to flesh… with its blood… which can always die again. It is only flesh… with God’s blood, holy spirit… that cannot die forever: it must be destroyed. An example is seen with those who participate in the second resurrection (where “the rest of the dead… come to life”): some are resurrected to life… and some to judgment, culminating in destruction in the Lake of Fire (the place where both the body AND the spirit are destroyed). Those who are resurrected to life are given “white robes”… i.e., spirit bodies… and so never die. The others, however, those resurrected to judgment, not only die (in body)… but are destroyed (in spirit).
The funny thing is: the bible does not promote the two-tiered class or hope for Christians. There's absolutely no mention of some Christians being delegated to spend eternity on earth along with people like Abraham Isaac and Jacob…
Actually, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob don’t spend eternity on earth, per se. They, too, recline at my Lord’s table… which is in the spirit realm. Here’s what this is all about: initially, the hope for everyone from Adam on was to live forever… in a world that consisted of BOTH the physical realm (earth) and the spirit realm (heaven). Adam was created OUTSIDE the garden of Eden; his flesh came from the earth, but his SPIRIT… came from God. This made him a kind of half-breed (i.e., half physical/half spiritual), which is what my Lord was when he came to this world (flesh from Mary, spirit from God). This condition is what everyone from Adam on hoped for.
Thus, because the earth was formed to be inhabited forever, the early Hebrews did not entertain thoughts of going to heaven permanently. They actually hoped to be able to exist in BOTH… as spirit beings do. While it is true that they put their faith in a resurrection, it was NOT a resurrection of flesh… with its blood. Their faith was in a resurrection of flesh… with GOD’S blood… holy spirit. Why? Because anyone with GOD’S blood in their body… can “go in and out” between the physical and spirit realms.
That is why Adam was able to be placed in Eden… a SPIRITUAL location… and how he was banned from it and confined to the physical realm once he sinned: he initially had God’s blood in his flesh… but was later given a “long garment of skin”… which is flesh with blood from the physical realm. Hemoglobin. It is also why my Lord could transfigure, so as to be seen with Moses and Elijah (whose spirits were already in the spirit realm – under the altar)… and why, upon his resurrection, although he had flesh and bone… could walk through doors and walls: because his flesh… had GOD’S blood in it. Eventually, he completely transfigured so as to enter into the spirit realm (when he ascended). He “put off” his flesh.
All spirit beings can do this, initially: put on physical flesh so as to be manifest in this world, and then put it off… i.e., “transfigure”… into a spirit body so as to re-enter into that (the spiritual) world. They have been doing this since the creation of the physical realm. That is why Jacob saw them coming and going (ascending and descending): they were “going in and out.” That is why there are cherubs posted at the entry to Eden… and the 12 gates of “heavenly Jerusalem.”
Thus, the resurrection hope that Israel had was to “be LIKE the angels”… meaning, having the ability to go in and out between the physical and spirit realms… which is the hope held out to ALL of us.
I was also bothered by the thought there would be two classes of people in the earthly new system. There would be those that 'do' and those that 'don't or can't'. And this would be because of the luck of the draw. It would be simply because they were born and died at a certain time in history. This doesn't sound like the makings of an equal or peaceful society. What would happen if one of the ones who 'does' develops a liking for one of the ones who 'can't'?
There are two classes, yes: those who rule with Christ (those who "belong" to him, by means of being in union with him through holy spirit, and thus are married to him and make up his "bride")... and those who such rule over (i.e., the "sheep," who are designated such by means of the good they did to even the least one of Christ's brothers... and who are also given "white robes"... spirit bodies... so as to be able to enter and attend as guests of the marriage feast).
However, those who rule… will have been taught by Christ to be one who SERVES... just as he did. In this way, the rulership is “righteous” – there is no oppression, or self interest, etc. And even then, such rulership only lasts 1,000 years, during which those who are to be ruled OVER… the “sheep”… are “separated” from those who are everlastingly “cut off” from entering the spirit realm… the “goats.”
I don't know, but to me is sounds like Jesus was really only talking about a Heavenly resurrection. That's why he said the resurrected are like angels neither marrying nor being given in marriage.
Actually, there are two resurrections (not counting the few individual ones). The first one takes place when my Lord returns. At that time, those who belong to him… but have died… are resurrected… into SPIRIT bodies… at the SAME time as those who belong to him… but have NOT died… are CHANGED into spirit bodies. Afterward, these two groups… TOGETHER… are taken to meet my Lord “in the air”… so as to be taken to his Father’s house… where they are joined to him… in marriage… as his bride. They are “New Jerusalem”… the “city”… or “temple” that is being built by Christ. He is the foundation cornerstone, the 12 apostles are the foundation, the Prophets and others are the pillars… and the rest are “living stones.” This is the city/temple/house that God will occupy… by spirit… and it is made up of PEOPLE.
The second resurrection takes places after these have returned with Christ, sat down on thrones… and separated the sheep from the goats. This takes “1,000 years” and Satan is abyssed during this time. What the time has ended, Satan is loosed and misleads the goats (Gog) and the angels that have sinned but not repented (Magog)… to come against the “holy city”… the city/temple/house that is God’s people… New Jerusalem. And New Jerusalem is NOT in heaven (the spirit realm)… but is “upon the earth”, having “come down OUT of heaven (the spirit realm).
They come against the city because they want access to what is in the MIDST of the city… the Tree of Life. If they can get to that Tree… and eat… they will live… forever. But God does not permit this: He sends fire from heaven and these, Gog and Magog, are destroyed. Body… AND spirit. THIS… is Armageddon, the War of God Almighty. And THIS… takes place AFTER the 1,000 years have ended. And the 1,000 years take place… AFTER my Lord has returned and gathered his chosen ones, whether by resurrection or transfiguration, given them spirit bodies… and taken them home for his marriage to them.
Matt;22;30 those that will be resurrection ..neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the angeles 0f God heaven.
Exactly. Angels, in an of themselves, cannot procreate: they must put on flesh to do so. So, those who are resurrected become “like” the angels: they have BODIES that do not procreate… nor do such bodies lust, in and of themselves… and so, do not marry.
WHO WERE THE MEN THAT MARRIED THE DAUGHTERS OF MEN? DIDN,T THEY COME FROM HEAVEN
There were no “men” that did so; there were spirit beings… the Nephilim… who happened to be “in the earth,” meaning, they were in the physical realm. These came from the spirit realm.
AND IF THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY SEX DRIVE , WHY WERE LOOKING AT THE FAIR WOMEN? VERY STRANGE
You have the cart before the horse, here. It was NOT because of a sex drive that they were looking at the women; it was because they were looking at the women that they developed a sex drive. It was “the desire… OF THE EYES.” That is why my Lord said that when a man so LOOKS at a women so as to have relations with her… he has already done so… in his heart.
It is the desire of the eyes that initially gets all of us, earthling man and spirit being, in trouble. The desire of the eyes leads to the desire of the flesh… which leads to the birth of sin. And I don’t necessarily mean sexual sin; it could be covetousness, theft, etc. It is what led Eve to sin - she SAW the fruit was desirable FIRST… and that is what Satan exploited.
And those who are blind in the flesh are not off the hook – such desire can be that of the eyes of the physical flesh… or the eyes of the spirit.
Let's say I'm single after "this old world" fizzles off into ephemera. let's also say there are some world-class hotties being resurrected with whom I fall engorgedly in love. would it be a deviation if I were to hit that?
Well, yeah, because you would have to put on flesh in order to do so. You would be CHOOSING to manifest the desire of your eyes… by putting on a physical body that “has corruption in it” in order to carry out that desire. So… you would be CHOOSING a body… that dies… over one that does NOT die. And God will NOT prevent your choice, no more than He did for Adam or Eve, or the angels that "sinned." You, though, won’t be able to “have your cake and eat it, too,” meaning, try to put off that flesh and transfigure back into a full spirit being. Sorry, the “angels that sinned tried that, and, well, look where it got them.”
I'm mean, what if I'm *destined* to be Bathsheba's one true love? what a bummer!
Well, it won't be impossible. If you and she CHOOSE death… meaning, CHOOSE manifestation in the physical body, which has in it sin and death… over the SPIRIT body… which has in it LIFE… then God won’t stand in your way. You are and will be a free moral agent... and so you will be allowed to fulfill your desire. BUT... you will have to do it “OUTSIDE”… meaning, outside the spirit realm and in the physical realm… where the dogs, practicers of spiritism, etc. are.
And that’s okay… but you won’t be able to come back into the spirit realm afterward. You will have made a CHOICE to manifest as flesh… with its blood… and flesh with its blood… cannot enter into the kingdom. Thus, the angels at the gate will stop you… just as Adam and Eve were stopped.
I've decided I don't want my resurrection until halfway through the thousand years.
LOLOLOLO! Unfortunately, the choices are BEFORE the 1,000 years begin… or after they have ended... and aren't yours to make.
One of the things about the resurrection that puzzled me was the following: According to Watchtower teaching when a person dies according to scripture they had paid the penalty for sin "the wages of sin is death.” Therefore this surely would mean a resurrected person would be sinless in the New System, because they had paid the penalty already.
This is a seriously erroneous teaching of the WTBTS, one for which I directed to go to Bethel, which I did, and spoke to Carey Barber about. One does not pay for one’s sins so as to deserve life when one dies. One’s blood… cannot atone for… or repurchase… anything… let alone one’s life. The COST of sin… is death. And so, under this “law” when one dies… one is… well, dead. And one should stay dead because while they made have paid for their sins, they did not pay… for life.
However, the GIFT that GOD gives… is everlasting life… through the price… ransom… repurchase… made and paid… by CHRIST. So, it is NOT because one has died and thus “paid” for one’s sins that one is in line for resurrection. It is by means of the blood of CHRIST… which blood CAN atone for sin… anyone’s… that one CAN receive the gift of life.
But those who survive through Armageddon would still carry sin
Here is another error: the erroneous teaching of the WTBTS that the "great tribulation" and "Armageddon" are one and the same. They are not. The first occurs at the beginning of the 1,000 and the latter after they have ended. And while some come through the great tribulation... NO ONE “survives” Armageddon. ALL those who take place in that event… except God Himself... are destroyed. Including Satan.
Now, it is true that my Lord, his co-rulers, and those who have been deemed to be “sheep”… are in existence. But they do not take part in this War; indeed, they are told to STAND BACK. They have already been given "white robes" (spirit bodies) and thus, have no condemnation. These do not take part in Armageddon – they are the reason FOR that event.
this would not be removed until the end of the 1,000 years of Christs reign on earth. When he will have completed all things etc.
I’m sorry, but I think you’ve got your chronology and understanding confused…
So who is the superior one? The one without sin or the one who still carries sin.
When Armageddon begins... and ends... those who still carry sin… are not yet on the scene. These must take part in the SECOND resurrection. When Satan is loosed and Gog and Magog come against New Jerusalem, my Lord will have handed the kingdom back over to the Father (his co-rulership is only 1,000 years, and Satan is loosed when that 1,000 years have ended). Thus, it is GOD who destroys Gog, Magog, and Satan. That is why it is called the “War, of the Great Day of GOD… Almighty.”
After this, however, God sits back down on His throne (where Christ WAS sitting)… and Judgment Day begins. This is the vision that Daniel and John shared. It is THEN that those who still carry sin are brought on the scene. These... are resurrected: some to life… by means of having their sins… BLOTTED OUT by the blood of Christ as a result of having their names written in the Lamb's Book (the Book of Life)… and some to judgment (and, as a result, destruction) because their sins remain (their names are NOT written in the Lamb's book and as a result have no covering for their sins).
Given that, I would say that those who are “without sin”… and thus, receive spirit bodies (white robes) and everlasting life as a result... are far superior to those who still carry sin... and receive judgment as a result.
Again, I bid you all peace.
A slave of Christ,
SA
