Judgment Day—“The Last Day”

“The Year of My Redemption”

Chapter 10, Part 3 Preview: Most Christians believe that Judgment Day occurs for you the moment that you die. But “NO ONE HAS GONE UP TO HEAVEN EXCEPT YESHUA [Jesus],” (John 3:13). A minority believes that Judgment Day occurs after “the millennium” for the “firstfruits” (Revelation 14:4), but these “one hundred forty-four thousand” are flesh and blood survivors of the Great Tribulation—with a mission! (“firstfruits” (Revelation 7:14). So when is Judgment Day?

Actually, the Eighth Day, the Day following the Feast of Tabernacles, commemorates this Judgment Day. It is the final Jubilee year that brings an end to this millennium, as explained in Israel’s 7 Apocalyptic Days, part 5, beginning about 1/3 of the way thru the segment.

Isaiah 4 describes the time period immediately after of the Day of Yehovah (the “Lord”). It’s about Israel finding “her” way back to the Promised Land. “Her” being the operative word, since women, after all of the fighting will apparently outnumber men by seven to one! (Imagine how many men must die even if not one women died!)

Isaiah 4:1,3-4 When That Day Comes, seven women will grab a man and say, ‘We’ll eat our own bread and cloth ourselves. Just let us take on your name thru marriage and take away our stigma.”... 3 Then anyone left alive in Zion, anyone who is left behind in Jerusalem [1] will be called 'special', everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem, 4 once Yehovah has washed away the filth of the maidens of Zion, and rinsed the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of justice and a spirit that sets ablaze!—The Gabriel Bible

[1] The Hebrew name Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) is plural! An “im” ending like on seraphim or cherubim or Elohim makes it plural, just like an “s” ending in English. The age old question is: “Why is Jerusalem plural?” The age old answer is that there are two! As above, so below. It’s not really a secret, it’s just that Christians don’t seem to know about it yet (even with that big clue in Revelation 21)!

He will “by the spirit of judgment” separate those worthy to live on from those who should die. “And by the spirit of burning” He will purge the earth of it’s “filth”.

Revelation 22:11-12 Anyone who is unjust [1] will continue to be unjust, anyone who is filthy will continue to be filthy, anyone who is righteous will continue to practice righteousness, and anyone who is 'Select' will continue to be 'select'. 12 I’ll come suddenly! My compensation is with Me to pay everyone according to what they’ve done.

[1] There are three other Greek words that imply a worse degree of wickedness than unjust. The others seem to be a permanent condition.

The meaning of the Seventh Day of the Feast of Tabernacles could not have been understood until Yeshua (Jesus) explained it on the very occasion of the Last Day of the Feast. His discourse on that Feast Day solved the mystery of the significance of the day! This is the announcement of a new beginning. There is some duality here. Yeshua spoke of the 'special' spirit being given, yet is was “not yet given” to His Assembly—in fact there was no Assembly (church) as we know it until the Pentecost after He died. In a similar way, when the announcement to the rest of the world comes that Satan is being removed and that salvation is near, the universal presence of the 'special' spirit will still “not yet” be extant.

The Last (7th) Great Day portrays the time when the people of the earth will all begin to seek to please Yehovah (God)—particularly when people see how many unbelievers will die when they oppose Yehovah! There is very good news accompanying these end time events, it concerns “ANYONE” and “EVERYONE” who is willing to change. When is the Last Great Day?

John 7:37-38 On the Last Day of the Feast—the Great Day—Yeshua stood and spoke out, “If anyone is thirsty they should come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scriptures says, ‘Out of their innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”

This next verse is for the 'chosen ones' (saints) who have already died:

John 6:40 Because My Father wants everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him to have eternal life, and I’ll raise them up on the Last Day [of the Feast].”

“The Last Day” is also the time period when Yehovah will raise US up!

John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them. Then I’ll raise them from the dead on the Last Day.

The word “day” as used here is the Greek word “hemera”, Strong’s, and one of it’s usages is defined by the Online Bible Greek Lexicon as: “of the last day of this present age, the day [the Messiah] will return from heaven, raise the dead, hold the final judgment, and perfect his kingdom”. Metaphorically, in Greek as in English, “day” can mean a period of time, as our expression: “In my day”, meaning in my younger days, “I did such and such”.

John 6:54 but anyone who eats My body and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I’ll raise them from the dead on the Last Day.

Hopefully this includes you!

Yeshua taught “meat in due season”, but these times are also “opportunities” for failure:

John 12:48 Those who reject Me and don’t accept My words have something to judge them—the words [5] I have spoken will judge them on the Last Day.

[5] Isaiah 5:24

Eternal Judgment also will occur on this same Last (Great) Day, for those who have rejected the 'special' spirit.

Isaiah spoke about the future Day of Salvation.

Isaiah 49:8 This is what Yehovah says: “In a favorable time I have answered You, and in a day of deliverance I have helped You. I’ll protect You [the Messiah: Barnes] and give You to the people as a covenant [the covenantee], to restore the land and to repossess its desolate heritage.

Yet Paul quoted this verse and insisted that:

2 Corinthians 6:2 He has said, “In an acceptable time [1] I have heard you, and in a day of life I have helped you.” Now is an acceptable time! Now is a day of salvation!

[1] An acceptable time” is a synonym for Jubilee Year. Yeshua was announcing a Jubilee year on the Day of Atonements, the time of year when the upcoming Jubilee was announced. But it was the first phase (Luke 4:19). Actually His crucifixion marked Jubilee #80 (year 4000). His return will be on Jubilee #120 (Year 6000). This quote begins in Isaiah 49:8, but the rest of the chapter describes Yeshua’s entire end-time plan!

If you are drawing breath then “now” is your “time”.

During Yeshua’s Last Great Day discourse He explained what that annual Feast Day was intended to portray:

John 7:39 But He said this about the spirit that those who believe in Him were to receive, since the spirit had not yet been given, because Yeshua had not yet become radiant.

Being begotten of Yehovah became much more prevalent beginning with the arrival of the 'special' spirit. During the fifth and sixth Millennium, beginning on Pentecost of 31 AD, and continuing until the Everlasting Kingdom comes is our opportunity to qualify to be leaders in the Kingdom of Elohim (God). In the Seventh millennium, the 'cherished ones' will have their Day of ultimate Salvation. This is not to imply that this particular “Millennium” is the end of anything other than the first “millennial week” (1 Chronicles 16:15). In Yeshua’s Last Great Day dialogue He stated:

John 7:37-38On the Last Day of the Feast—the Great Day—Yeshua stood and spoke out, “If anyone is thirsty they should come to Me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scriptures says, ‘Out of their innermost being will flow rivers of living water.”

This Last Great Day promise of eternal life is applicable to anyone when it is his or her Day of Salvation. However, Yeshua was comparing our “day of salvation” to the time when all of the prophecies have been fulfilled (Acts 3:21, Aramaic) by using the living river reference of Ezekiel, that says:

Ezekiel 47:9 Swarms of living creatures will live everywhere the river goes, including very many fish, because wherever this water goes it makes sea water fresh. Everything is brought to life where the river flows.

Timing? The near future when Yehovah will “restore the earth.”

Judgment Day—The Last Day that I have compiled these many Bible verses on is sometimes referred to as “The Great White Throne Judgment”. I use the term “Great Judgment Day” to avoid confusion with possible preconceived notions that you may be accustomed to when “White Throne” is mentioned. The timing of this event can be determined by closely comparing the 21st century events that occur in Revelation 20:11 thru 21:8, to other references concerning the same Biblical events found elsewhere that are exactly “dated” by their context, as I’ll explain.

1 Corinthians 15 is known as the “Resurrection Chapter”, and for good reason:

1 Corinthians 15:22-25 Everyone dies because of Adam, but in contrast because of the Messiah everyone will be restored to life, 23 but everyone in their order, Messiah was the firstfruit [1b]. Later, at His [2] coming, those who are the Messiah’s [will be restored to life]. 24 Then the end of these events [3] comes, when He’ll have handed over the Kingdom to Yehovah the Father, when every ruler and every government and every powerful force will have been overthrown. 25 For 'Yeshua' must rule until He vanquishes all of His enemies.

[1a,b] “Firstborn” is the exact equivalent of “firstfruit” as used in the Tanak, and can just as easily be understood as “firstborn” (firstling), since we aren’t picked from trees. While resurrection to physical life certainly has Biblical precedent, Yeshua is the only person ever resurrected to eternal life. (John 3:13). [2] Or this could be translated as “Their coming.”, as in Daniel 7. [3] “The end” of the age, the sixth millennium, is mentioned several times in Daniel 11 and 12 and Matthew 24. The end of the fourth age is mentioned in Hebrews 9:26.

Daniel elaborated about the exact time when “He puts all things under His feet”. Every trace of opposition to Yehovah will be crushed within one year! It won’t take Yehovah a thousand years to conquer the earth. Consider what He did in one week, but opposition will occasionally try to creep back in. All earthly kings (Daniel 2:31-43) will be replaced during the life times of the end time kings when the Kingdom of Elohim is established:

Daniel 2:44 During the reign of those kings [Barne’s], the Elohim of heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed. It’s sovereignty will never be given to other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it will be established forever.

Daniel 7:13-14 In my vision that night I saw Someone like a Human Son [4] coming with the clouds in the sky [or of heaven], and as He was approaching the Ancient of Days, they escorted Him into His presence. 14 He was given dominion, splendor and a Kingdom, so that people of every nation and language would serve Him. His Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom that will never pass away, and His Kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. 14 He was given dominion, and splendor, and a Kingdom, so that people of every nation and language would serve Him. His Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom that won’t pass away, and His Kingdom is one what will never be destroyed.

[4] Messiah in the form of a human being: See all the commentaries on this page.

Did you notice that both Yeshua and the Ancient of Days are present after the Kingdoms of this earth are destroyed and the Everlasting Kingdom is “set up”?

1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

The monumental concept of death being destroyed is repeated later in the same chapter.

1 Corinthians 15:50-55 Friends, I tell you that flesh and blood can’t inherit the Kingdom of the Heavens, nor can the perishable inherit perpetuity. 51 See, I’ll explain a mystery to you, we won’t all die, but we’ll all be transformed! 52 In the smallest possible fraction of a second [Gr. atomos], while the last [seventh] shofar [8] is sounding, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be transformed! 53 This perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality.

[8] See Revelation 8:6.

Death Loses!

is clothed with immortality, THAT IS WHEN the written Word will be accomplished: “Death is devoured in victory. 55 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?

1 Corinthians 15:20-27,54 But now the Messiah has risen from the dead and has become the first person [firstfruits] born [1a] from the dead. 21 Since one man brought about death, so another man brought about the resurrection of the dead. 22 Everyone dies because of Adam, but in contrast because of the Messiah everyone will be restored to life, 23 but everyone in their order, Messiah was the firstfruit [1b]. Later, at His [2] coming, those who are the Messiah’s [will be restored to life]. 24 Then the end of these events [3] comes, when He’ll have handed over the Kingdom to Yehovah the Father, when every ruler and every government and every powerful force will have been overthrown. 25 For 'Yeshua' must rule until He vanquishes all of His enemies. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 He has put everything under 'Yeshua’s' command. But when He said that everything is under His command, this certainly excludes the One who authorized Him... 54 So when this perishable is clothed with the imperishable, and this mortal is clothed with immortality, THAT IS WHEN the written Word will be accomplished: “Death is devoured in victory.

[1a,b] “Firstborn” is the exact equivalent of “firstfruit” as used in the Tanak, and can just as easily be understood as “firstborn” (firstling), since we aren’t picked from trees. While resurrection to physical life certainly has Biblical precedent, Yeshua is the only person ever resurrected to eternal life. (John 3:13). [2] Or this could be translated as “Their coming.”, as in Daniel 7. [3] “The end” of the age, the sixth millennium, is mentioned several times in Daniel 11 and 12 and Matthew 24. The end of the fourth age is mentioned in Hebrews 9:26.

This is the most convincing statement concerning when “death is devoured”. Death being devoured only pertains to those of us as we are made immortal. Also notice that “the end” in this resurrection chapter is the end of this present age. This age ends and the Everlasting Kingdom begins for those who themselves have become everlasting! Death is swallowed up in victory, not for all people or for all time, but death is ended for those who have exchanged their “corruptible” bodies for incorruptible ones (v.54)! There are still going to be humans for a thousand more years, and I believe for a literal “thousand generations”, as in Psalms 105:8-10. In a sense, Yeshua has already “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light thru the gospel...” (2 Timothy 1:10). Again, this only pertains to those who have already qualified for “immortality”.

At the Feast of Trumpets we will experience “immortality”. “At the last trumpet...Death [strictly for 'chosen ones' saints] is devoured in victory!” (1 Corinthians 15:52-54) The end of death only pertains to those with a “'special'calling”. Actually, from Yehovah’s perspective, death is already abolished!

His 'cherished ones' are already “saved” and “called”:

2 Timothy 1:9-11 who has rescued us from perishing and called us with a supernatural invitation not because of what we’ve done, but because of His own dignity that was given to us thru Yeshua Messiah before the time [Gr. chronos] of eternity [or “the worlds”]. 10 And now it’s been plainly revealed by the appearance of our Life Giver, Yeshua Messiah, who has abolished death [2] and brought real life and immortality into plain view thru the Good News. 11 For this I’ve been appointed a herald, an envoy, and a teacher of the nations.

[2] This pertains to the resurrection: 1 Corinthians 15:21,50-56, 1 John 3:14, Revelation 20:14, 21:4

There is a distinction made between the Torah obedient 'cherished ones' (believers) who were serving Yehovah prior to the end time events, who will meet up with Yehovah in the clouds of the earth, and those “new” believers who are in the process of being brought to their senses during the Great Tribulation.

1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 Because if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, we should also believe that thru Yeshua, Yehovah will bring those who have fallen asleep back with Him. 15 We declare this to you by the Word of Aloha’s own authority, that we who survive and are alive when our Sovereign returns will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep [into the Kingdom]. 16 Our Sovereign will 'personally' come down from Heaven with a mandate, and with a voice like the chief Messenger and with Yehovah’s shofar, and the dead who 'belong to' the Messiah will rise first! 17 Then, we who are still alive, having survived, will be carried away together with them into the clouds to meet our Sovereign in the expanse. And we will be with our Sovereign forever.

In the near future, millions of other people will be choosing life, not death!

Deuteronomy 30:19 Today, I am summoning heaven and earth to witness that I have 'offered' you life or death, blessings or curses. Now, choose life, so that both you and your descendants will live.

Yehovah’s plan began before He created time, however He didn’t predestine our fates individually. Paul still had...“anticipation of eternal Life, that Yehovah made an absolute, even BEFORE ETERNITY ITSELF BEGAN.” (Titus 1:2, also see Philemon 1:12-16)

Living in the Everlasting Kingdom will not a free ticket to eternal life, it is a “free sample” of life. The entire subject of Isaiah 25 is about the end of human rule. Yehovah is going to “destroy...the veil that is spread over all nations”—the obstacle blocking their view of the Kingdom!” (v.7). It is in this context that “He will devour death forever and Yehovah will wipe away tears from all faces” [1]. (v.8) Yet Moab will be trampled down under Him! (v.10) The elimination of all tears is a new thing and this prophecy’s meaning is fulfilled during the Feast of Tabernacles. The previous verse declares: “Yehovah of Hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees.” (v.6) This is the beginning of the Everlasting Kingdom:

[1] The cessation of tears and death is at the very beginning of the Everlasting Kingdom. Compare to Isaiah 25:6-11, particularly v.8. Yet the wicked are excluded from this blessing, as mentioned in John 21:8.

Isaiah 30:19-21 also firmly establishes that the total cessation of tears is associated with our new beginning, when we will be saying: “This is the way, walk in it.” (v.21) We have now established the twenty-first century time sequences of two prophesied events, namely, the elimination of death and consequently, no more reason for us to cry tears of sorrow. Mortal humans, however will not be immune from death yet, but a righteous person who dies at the age of one hundred will be thought of as having died a “child”! (Isaiah 65:20)

I want to return to the only chapter about Judgment Day, with reference to a “white throne”. The only totally unique information in Revelation 20:11-15 is that we learn that Yehovah’s throne is white! There is however another clue to the timing of Judgment Day. (v.12) Compare the phrase “small and great” to the other places where it is used in the Bible.

Revelation describes the Seventh Trumpet:

Revelation 11:15-18 The seventh messenger blew his shofar [6], and there were voices [the Greek adds “in heaven”] and thunder that said, “The kingdoms of the world have become the kingdom of Yehovah and of His Messiah, and They will reign forever and ever.” 16 The twenty-four Elders who are in the presence of Yehovah’s throne [7] who sit on their own thrones fell facedown and worshiped Yehovah, 17 and said, “We praise you, Yehovah Aloha the Sovereign, who is, and was, because You’ve assumed Your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were angry, but Your anger has come, and it’s time for the dead to be judged, and for You to compensate Your servants the prophets, and the 'chosen ones' and those who fear Your name, both small and great, and to destroy those who are destroying the earth! [8]

[6] The Seventh Shofar (“trumpet”) of Revelation 11:15! corresponds with the “Great Shofar” of Isaiah 27, particularly vs 12-13)—adding the pertinen backstory! [7] The Greek has the elders in this verse sitting on thrones [Gr. thronos], omitting mention of Yehovah’s throne, unlike 4:2-4, 7:11, and 19:4. [8] The earth will likely be more damaged than it was when the great flood destroyed the earth. Genesis 9:11. But heaven and earth will be renewed again: Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22.

Timing: Day of Yehovah.

Revelation 11:11,16 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from Yehovah entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror 'struck' everyone who saw them... 16 The twenty-four Elders who are in the presence of Yehovah’s throne [7] who sit on their own thrones fell facedown and worshiped Yehovah,

[7] The Greek has the elders in this verse sitting on thrones [Gr. thronos], omitting mention of Yehovah’s throne, unlike 4:2-4, 7:11, and 19:4.

Timing: Great Tribulation.

Revelation also describes when Yehovah will judge the harlot:

Revelation 19:2-5,18 His judgments are true and righteous, because He has judged the 'infamous' prostitute who was corrupting the entire earth with her immorality, and has avenged the blood of His servants whose murders she handled.” 3 Again they shouted, “Hallelujah! Her smoke ascends forever and ever.” 4 The twenty-four elders and the four beasts fell down and worshiped Yehovah, sitting on the throne saying, “Aw-main'! Hallelujah”!

5 A voice came from the throne that said, “Praise our Aloha, all of His servants, and everyone who fears Him, small and great.”...

18 so that you can eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains of thousands, the flesh of valiant men, the flesh of horses and their riders, the flesh of everyone both free and slave, those of little status and the highly esteemed.”

Timing: Day of Yehovah. Association is a major clue, concerning these “small and great” statements. They indicate the timing of the “white throne” judgment.

The best news about the Kingdom of Elohim is that we will not have to wait any longer for the “good news”. Judgment Day—The Last Day will initiate the Everlasting Kingdom. Within the lifetime of many of us, both Elohim the Father and the Son will be ruling a “New” Earth (Greek/Aramaic: “renewed”, as in Matthew 19:28). The New Jerusalem will descend out of a Renewed Heaven. Yeshua’s followers will have conquered Death, and many of our uninformed ancestors will be “excused” (pardoned) and made “equal to the Spirit Messengers” (angels) having already proved their willingness to obey the “golden rule”. For the time being, I believe that on Judgment Day the wicked will be resurrected in a physical state, just long enough to face their maker and then receive their punishment. Destiny is determined in part on what you know. Verse 48 summarizes a primary principle about what you “know”: “to whom much is given, from him much will be required!” If everyone who was a transgressor of the Torah (Law) received the death sentence, then why would some receive just a few stripes? There is absolutely no doubt that Yeshua was teaching about the Judgment Day in the following passages! Some are greatly rewarded, some die, some are severely punished, and some are lightly punished as they begin their lives again in the Kingdom.

Luke 12:42-48 Yeshua replied, “So who is the faithful and wise manager, that the master will put in charge of his entire household, giving them their fair share of food at the right time? 43 The master’s servants will be blessed when he comes and he finds them still serving! 44 I tell you with absolute certainty that he will put him in charge of everything he owns. 45 But if the head servant thinks to himself, ‘My master is postponing his return’, and starts beating the men and women servants and starts wining and dining and getting drunk, 46 that servant’s master will come on a day when he isn’t expecting him, and at a time of day when he doesn’t suspect, and will cut him in two, and make him share the lot of the unfaithful.

47 The servant who knew what his master wanted, but wouldn’t do what he was instructed will be beaten with many stripes, 48 while the person who did something deserving stripes in ignorance will be beaten with fewer stripes. Much is required of anyone who is given much, and much is expected from anyone who has been entrusted with much.

The wicked will be purged out and no longer exist. (Ezekiel 20:38) Any rebellious new troublemakers will be terminated promptly. Immediately after the “thousand years”, it is possible that “the rest of the dead”, those who died within that period will be awarded eternal life as long as they hungered and thirsted for righteousness. In fact a later Greek copyist added “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed” to Revelation 20:5!

These people will live into the one thousand year long Sabbath (the first such week of many).

Suppose that there were a judge who only offered two possible outcomes to people who were brought to him for judgment. It didn’t matter if the crime was a traffic ticket or murder, he only offered two outcomes. Those receiving verdict number one would be awarded a large cash settlement ranging from one to ten million dollars. Those receiving verdict number two would be burned at the stake! Such a judge would be insanely unfair most of the time, regardless of which outcome he chose. This is of course ludicrous and would never happen in any country in the world, yet this is the exact form of “righteous judgment” that we are told that Yeshua will pronounce on anyone He has called during these last 6,000 years! This is true whether you buy into the Heaven/Hell doctrines or if you have some understanding about either being placed in the very top positions of leadership in Yehovah’s family structure, in at least the first thousand years of the Everlasting Kingdom, as opposed to being burned to a crisp! Those whom Yehovah has called are not people who have all righteous character or no character. However, there is every shade of intermediate character imaginable. I tend to believe that most of those who truly have Yehovah’s 'special' spirit are about as black as they are white, you seldom see the “extremes”, so there are a lot of borderline cases—much to good to burn, but not good enough to become the Kings and Priests that Yehovah would place in the highest ruling positions of His Kingdom.

John 15:6 If anyone doesn’t remain in Me, they are thrown away like a dried up branch. They are picked up and tossed in the fire to be burned.

This prevents contamination.

Every Christian professing organization that I am aware of promises either the millions of dollars or the fiery stake.

If you wonder where Father will spend the next 1,000 years, then you should read Yehovah and His Messiah.

Former WCG?

Many of the people who write to me concerning information found on this site were once a part of the late Herbert Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God. The following comments address some of the inconsistencies of his explanations of end time prophecy.

TIMING: Why did the Worldwide Church of God mistakenly determine that “the Great White Throne Judgment” (Revelation 20:11), as they termed it, should follow “the Millennium”? How did the church determine that New Jerusalem, and Elohim the Father Himself, were also put on hold for 1,000 years? Why had they taught the idea that the New Heavens and New Earth were part of the distant future? Indeed, why did they describe a fiery ending of the world, when the relevant verses actually all describe the devastation of the Day of Yehovah? Would the destruction of the earth following a thousand years of building and accomplishment during “the millennium” be a sane thing to do? (Incidentally, most of the “uniquely inspired teachings” of Herbert Armstrong had actually been taught beginning about 1904 and published in The Remnant of Israel magazine by G.G. Rupert, until his death in 1922, when “God gave them to” Herbert Armstrong. (Also see Wikipedia.)

All of these “postponements” and errors were based on a series of assumptions—all of which were wrong!

Assumption #1:

Herbert Armstrong always assumed that anyone whom Yehovah had not called within the six thousand years to be king and priests in the Kingdom of Elohim must at some future time be physically resurrected as humans and judged similarly to the way that we were, over the course of a lifetime. He taught that they would be given a better opportunity to please Yehovah. This was based entirely upon wishful thinking centering on Ezekiel 37’s dry bones! For a brief recap of the Book of Ezekiel, the first 36 chapters describe the ancient demise of Israel and contrast it to the time when the nation of Israel will be metaphorically brought back from the dead! Ezekiel 36, the very context of which the “dry bones” refer, perfectly and succinctly illustrates the purpose of the book of Ezekiel. We saw in Part 2 of my Great Judgment Day (Ezekiel 36:6-12, 24-36) that the context immediately preceding “dem” dry bones is about the restoration of the “lost Ten Tribes”! Judah is included beginning in verse 15 in an analogy about healing the broken stick. (No, the stick is not literally resurrected either.)

Ironically, the WCG did understand the coming restoration of the nation of Israel, and yet still tried to force the figurative language of the dry bones into meaning a physical resurrection of all of mankind. The confusion was further compounded by his teaching that this so called “resurrection” would take place 1,000 years after all of the specific prophecies contained within the book of Revelation—a book entirely devoted to depicting the end of this age and the restoration of Israel—were completed!

The prophecies of the Bible will soon be history, including the message itself about the restoration of Israel. There will be no urgency to respond to a prophetic message! The trials encountered while being 'cherished ones' will not be relevant to the people living within the Kingdom. Peer pressure will put people into “the Assembly”! There will be no special callings then; no Assembly of called out ones, the entire world will then be “called”. No jobs or heads will be lost while struggling to please our Elohim. Nothing will be the same for the people living in the Everlasting Kingdom. Satan will be gone and even the wicked people who lived among us will be removed. Their circumstances won’t remotely resemble ours!

Assumption #2:

WCG hierarchy (and their many splintered successors) always assumed that Yehovah could not determine, from observing people’s lives in this age, their fitness for eternal life. Yet no verse in the Bible indicates that Yehovah has any trouble determining who the truly wicked are! One reason why the WCG moved the Great White Throne Judgment ahead in time by 1,000 years was because it couldn’t accept the fact that Yehovah will judge much of humanity in the way that most of Yeshua’s parables so clearly describe: “when the son of man returns...” The wicked have no excuse for being wicked!

Romans 1:18-21 Yehovah’s anger is revealed from Heaven against all the unrighteousness and depravity of people who censor and vilify the truth. 19 An awareness of Yehovah has been revealed to them, because Yehovah has revealed it to them. 20 The invisible attributes of Aloha [God] have been visible to the intellect since the creation of the cosmos [Gr. kosmos], because the physical creation reveals His eternal power as the Supreme Being, leaving them no excuse.

Moronic Theories

21 They have [1] some knowledge of Yehovah, but they don’t praise Him or appreciate His Transcendence, but have 'accepted' moronic [Gr. moraino] theories until their minds are darkened—void of understanding.

[1] The situation described in the following verses should not be considered as being in the past, the situation has only gotten worse since the first century. The Greek aorist tense has no direct English equivalent, but I have used a smattering of present tense renderings thru the last 12 verses. Every version I looked at “optimistically” translates the following verses in the past tense.

Assumption #3:

Herbert Armstrong taught that the New Heavens and the New Earth would arrive after “the millennium” because the account describing it immediately follows the Great White Throne Judgment, beginning in the next chapter. They assumed that it followed “the millennium” because they already assumed that The Great White Throne Judgment followed “the millennium”! Many of the accounts in the book of Revelation describe events that happen simultaneously. The last chapters fall within the Day of Yehovah. In fact, the entire book of Revelation concerns what John “saw” and “heard” (Revelation 22:8) during the Day of Yehovah!

Revelation 1:10 I found myself transitioning into the spirit realm on the Day of Yehovah [6], and I heard a loud voice behind me like a shofar that said,

[6] Literally, “like” or “resembling” or “corresponding to”, just as in Daniel 7:13. John was not positive of His identity at first (Revelation 1:17-18).

Assumption #4:

WCG then had to have a reason to postpone these wonderful events, so they further assumed that Elohim the Father wouldn’t touch us with a zillion mile pole, until we were perfect!

Assumption #5:

The book of Revelation is a book concerning primarily the amazing events of the first third of the 21st century. Even the information about the Seven “Churches” of Revelation 2-3, in hindsight, predominantly deals with seven different groups of latter day commandment keeping people–amid much doctrinal chaos. Yehovah told Thyatira to “hold tightly onto what you have UNTIL I COME”, (Revelation 2:25). This approximates what He told the following three Assemblies. These are not “Church eras”—the seven Assemblies all coexist in the end time! All of the major occurrences in the book of Revelation are described as end-of-this-present-evil-age-events in the Hebrew Scriptures. The verses that confused the WCG about timing are found in Revelation 20:1-10, the text contains three events that would have been in the form of footnotes had Revelation been written today. These three things all deal strictly with Satan’s brief future return, judgment and second death. Aside from these clearly labeled, “post millennial” events, we know absolutely nothing specific about developments that take place beyond the thousand years. Here are the comments that tend to lose the casual reader:

Revelation 20:2-3 He seized the Dragon, that ancient serpent who is the Deceiver [Gr. Devil] or Satan, who seduced the whole world [1], and restrained him for a thousand years [2]. 3 He threw him into the bottomless pit and closed it up and sealed him securely so that he couldn’t seduce the nations any longer until the thousand years were finished. But after that he’ll be released from bondage for a little while.

[1] The words “Who deceived the whole world” was omitted from the Greek. [2] This chapter offers a rare glimpse of events of the seventh millennium, a period of time noted for both beginning (Ezekiel 38) and ending with a Satanic insurrection.

Then the context returns to the Wild Beast during the end time:

Revelation 20:4 I saw thrones, and those who were seated on them, and judicial authority was given to them, and I saw the bodies of those who were beheaded for THE TESTIMONY OF YESHUA [the ‘NT’] [3] and for THE WORD OF ALOHA [the ‘OT’]. These are the ones who hadn’t worshiped the predatory beast or his icon, nor had they accepted his mark on their forehead or on their hand. They lived and reigned with their Messiah during those thousand years.

Then, supposedly, in verse 5 there is a second “thousand years footnote”: “The rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection”.

Actually only “This is the first resurrection” is original, and should have been part of one of the other verses. The words: “the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished”, aren’t in the Syriac and Aramaic manuscripts, or the earliest Greek manuscripts, such as the Codex Sinaitic and Codex Alexandrine. Without this insertion, we see that the context here never actually left the end time. In verses 5-6 we simply enter the millennium. We are still reading about the “first resurrection”, and our reigning for the 1,000 years. Then in verses 7-10, the actual second footnote takes us “back to the future”, to Satan’s demise. (See Will Satan the Devil Die?) If you can temporarily overlook these two footnotes, then there is no problem understanding the story flow that moves from the destruction of the Beast power, then to the White Throne Judgment and straight to the New Heavens, the New Earth and the New Jerusalem as the context of Isaiah chapters 65 and 66 clearly show! Assumption #5 is that the two footnotes about Satan move all of the rest of the information in the book of Revelation ahead by 1,000 years! I’ve read the end of the book and we win—right away!

Assumption #6:

The primary “reason” offered as to why it would require 1,000 years of peace to prepare for the Great White Throne Judgment, a presumed human resurrection, is the fact that there have been “an estimated 50,000,000,000 people” who have lived and died since Adam and Eve were created. Hence, the Judgment period of these people was thought to include too many humans for Yehovah to be able to cope with in the aftermath of the Day of Yehovah. The theory was that billions of people would be simultaneously resurrected and in need of food, clothing and shelter at the same time. The solution is that the White Throne Judgment results in a vast number of people actually becoming spirit beings who are “equal to the Messengers”. WCG spoke of three resurrections, and none of them had to do with anyone becoming equal to the angels!

Timeless Quote: All truth passes thru three stages: First, it is ridiculed; second, it is violently opposed; and third, it is accepted as self-evident. Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Part 2 / The Great And Awesome Day Of Yehovah