The Bema Seat

The article below is a small portion from my manuscript, Waiting for The Day and Hour:

After the Body of Christ is taken into the heavenly realm, clothed with glorified bodies and transformed into immortal beings; it will be judged. This thought scares a lot of Christians. This might be one of the many reasons many believers don’t want the rapture to happen. But the bema seat, or the judgment seat of Christ, is nothing to fear because it is not like the great white throne judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). The latter judgment is for all whose names are not written in τῆ βίβλου ζωῆς (tí vívlou zoís) “the book of life” [mGNT] (Rev. 20:15; Jn. 3:3, 36b). The book of life is also called τοῦ ἀρνίου βιβλίῳ τῆς ζωῆς (toú arníou vivlío tís zoís) “the Lamb's book of life” (Rev. 21:27d, mGNT). Those whose names are not written in the book of life will be judged according to their sins, deeds, and actions during their lifetime (Rev. 20:12-13)—I will mention the great white throne judgment some more at the end of this section. Whereas the former judgment will be for those whose names are written in the book of life (Rev. 3:5; Phil. 4:3; Lk. 10:20). Every person appointed to eternal life has their name written in the book of life (Acts 13:48; Jn. 3:14-16, 36a; 5:24; 6:40, 47). The bema seat of Christ is not to judge the church for its sins because the believer’s sins were judged by God and put on Jesus while he was nailed to the cross (Col. 2:13-14). Jesus became sin so that man could be made right in God’s sight (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus carried the sins of man in his own body so that he could be forgiven and be made righteous (1 Pet. 2:24a). The church must think carefully that it is dead to sin and made alive to God through Jesus (Rom. 6:11).

The bema seat is a Greek term (bema κάθισμα – bema káthisma). It refers to a raised platform mounted by steps, usually with a throne or an official’s chair at the top. It is seen as a place of power, and is used by a king or a high-ranking official. This seat was used to present rewards or crowns to those that achieved victory in ancient Greece. English Bibles translate bema káthisma as judgment seat (Matt. 27:19; Acts 18:12; 25:10). In 2 Corinthians 5:10, the judgment seat of Christ reads like this in the Greek: το βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ (to vímatos toú Christoú) “the footsteps of Christ” or “the step of Christ” (mGNT). In Romans 14:10, the judgment seat of God reads like this in Greek: τῷ βήματι τοῦ θεοῦ (tó vímati toú theoú) “at the foot of God” or “the Tribune of God” or “the step of God” (mGNT). The bema seat describes the judge's chair in the ancient Greek Olympics. Because Paul wrote primarily to the Gentile church, he used Greek sports imagery and metaphors to help Gentiles understand his message more clearly (1 Cor. 9:24-24; 2 Tim. 4:7).  

God plans to judge every believer for their deeds, actions, and even their attitude; whether good or bad. The actions and attitude of every believer in the body of Christ will be judged (2 Cor. 5:10). Every believer will have to give a record of their conduct and attitude before God (Rom. 14:12). This is why the believer should not look down on or judge the weak (Rom. 14:1-3). Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Church; therefore, the believer should not pass judgment on the Lord’s servants (Rom. 14:4-11).

Every believer is assigned different assignments within the body of Christ. Each one will be rewarded for their labor (1 Cor. 3:8)—at the bema seat of Christ. The body of Christ is to build on the foundation the apostles laid (1 Cor. 3:10a, Eph. 2:20a). Paul said the foundation, or cornerstone, is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20b). So, every believer must be careful how they build on the foundation of Jesus Christ as they interact with the household of God and the world (1 Cor. 10b; Eph. 2:19). Every believer will be rewarded according to the labor assigned to them by the Lord. Their rewards will be determined by their record. The way the believer approaches their assigned duties and how they complete them is how they will be rewarded. After the rapture each one will have his work tested to see if it holds up under examination (1 Cor. 3:12-13a). Every believer’s effort and labor on the foundation the apostles laid will be tested by fire to see what kind of work they have done (1 Cor. 13b). The believer who put a genuine effort building upon the foundation the apostles laid will receive a reward (1 Cor. 3:14)—the testing fire will not destroy their labor. But if the believer did not put a genuine effort forth in building on the foundation of Jesus Christ, he will suffer loss, his labor will be burned up by fire (1 Cor. 15a). Likewise, when Christians do their works to be seen by men their reward will only be earthly (Matt. 6:1-6, 16-18, 19-21).  However, the believer who has his labor destroyed will not have his salvation destroyed, because it was given by grace (Eph. 2:8-9). They will still have eternal life in their heavenly body with Jesus. The believer whose labor is destroyed, σωθήσεται οὕτως ὡς διὰ πυρός (sothísetai oútos os diá pyrós) “will be saved so as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15b, mGNT). This statement may mean that what the believer could have had in the way of rewards in eternity will be burned up like a bonfire. His eternal life will be intact but his treasures in heaven will be set ablaze before him. Therefore, every believer should make a sincere effort to put forth a genuine effort in building on the foundation of Jesus Christ, so they get a full reward in eternity (2 Jn. 1:8). Every believer should always μένετε ἐν αὐτῷ (ménete en aftó) “abide in him [Christ]” (1 Jn. 2:28a, mGNT), so that he is not ashamed of his conduct when the rapture suddenly happens (1 Jn. 2:28b).

Paul wrote that believers may be given a στέφανος (stéfanos) wreath or crown as a reward for being faithful in their deeds, action, and attitude.

There are five crowns:[1]

1) The Imperishable Crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25). This crown is indestructible, not defiled or tainted, and its beauty will never diminish (1 Pet. 1:4). This crown will be given to every Christian that does not give up as they press forward to the completion of their salvation.

2) The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19). This crown will be presented to every Christian who sincerely loves their brothers and sisters in the Lord (1 Thess. 2:17-18). At the bema seat of Christ, there will be those who will receive a crown of rejoicing because they had true and genuine love for the church; the body of Christ. Not just their chosen friends and family but the entire church, no matter how poor and weak they may be.

3) The Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8). This crown will be presented to every believer who is watching, and waiting, with an eager heart for the rapture to happen. Paul wrote earlier that an athlete is not crowned if he cheats, he must compete by the rules (2 Tim. 2:5). A believer cannot expect to receive the crown of righteousness if they are not watching and ready when Jesus comes for his church (Matt. 24:42, 44; 25:13). The church is to wait eagerly for its salvation to be completed (Rom. 8:23; 2 Cor. 5:2). Jesus is coming for the believer that is anxiously (ardently or earnestly wishing[2]) waiting for him to appear in the clouds to rapture the body of Christ (Heb. 9:28).

4) The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4). At the bema seat of Christ this crown will be presented to the πρεσβυτέρους (presvytérous) elders, or pastors, who shepherd God’s people without force, or overbearing control, not for personal gain, but overseeing the church voluntarily being an example to those they over see (1 Pet. 5:1-3). Paul likely had in mind the stéfanos (wreath) produced from the amaranth plant.[3] It is a pinkish or rosy red flower (it is not a rose). This flower never fades away. The crown of glory presented to the faithful pastors will never lose its importance. The crown of glory is a testimony of the pastor's faithfulness to his congregation; God’s people.  

5) The Crown of Life (Revelation 2:10). The crown of life (τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς – tón stéfanon tís zoís) is a crown that everyone in the body of Christ will be presented with at the bema seat of Christ. It is essentially the crown of eternal life (Rev. 3:11). This crown will be important especially to the Christian who suffered much tribulation in their life (James 1:12)—God has promised this crown to those who truly love him. Some members in the church of Smyrna suffered persecution at the hands of Caesar Domitianus Augustus (September 14, 81 – September 18, 96). Domitian was likely the διάβολος (diávolos) devil, that Jesus was referring to. Jesus has promised his people the crown of life to those who do not give up even when being faced with torture and death.         

The great white throne judgment I mentioned above, will happen after the 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ is over—the millennial reign (Rev. 20:1-6). At the great white throne, people that died without Jesus as their Lord before the 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ began, and the people that live during the thousand-year reign and rebel against Christ’s earthly kingdom by joining with Satan to conquer the millennial saints (Rev. 20:7-9) will be judged. It does not matter how or where the enemies of God have died, because the sea will give up the dead that are in it, and θάνατος καὶ ὁ ᾅδης (thánatos kaí o ádis) “death and hell” will give up the dead in them and they all will be judged (Rev. 20:13). 

The dead that did not rise at the first resurrection are the people that rejected God’s warning to repent during Israel’s 70^th week (Rev. 20:5). The people dead and in hell likely refers to those who lived during the church age but refused to receive Jesus as their savior. They may also be those who rejected the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob before Christ’s 1^st appearance. This would include those who worshiped the fallen angels and the spirits of their offspring as gods.  

 

Picture: Pixabay (VBlock)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License

 

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[1] What are the five heavenly crowns that believers can receive in heaven?

https://www.gotquestions.org/heavenly-crowns.html

(Accessed 3/4/25)

[2] Anxiously

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anxiously

[3] Amaranth

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amaranth

Preparing a Place

The article below is a small portion of my manuscript, Waiting for The Day and Hour: 

The rapture is a pre-church promise that Jesus made to the apostles in John 14:2-3. What I mean by pre-church is before the church was even born. As the above Scripture reference states, Jesus knew that he would go back to the eternal realm to be with God his Father, after he sacrificed his life on the cross and then be resurrected. And this is why he informed his disciples that he would return for them once he prepared a place for them in God his Father’s house. This promise was made after Judas Iscariot left the room during the Last Supper (Jn. 13:1-38). At that time the church was unknown to the disciples, the Jewish nation, and the world. However, Jesus knew that the new creation would be born once he was resurrected.

Most Christians believe the church was born in the Upper Room when the Holy Spirit came upon and filled the followers of Christ there (Acts 2:1-4)—ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven and 50 days after he was raised from the dead. This group believes that when the 120 were baptized with the Holy Spirit, that was when the church was born. Their reason is the conversion of Jews and some godly men who heard Peter preach after witnessing the 120 speak in tongues (Acts 2: 5-41). But I disagree with this theory. I believe the church was born when Jesus breathed on the disciples and told them to receive the Holy Spirit (Jn. 20:22)—I have written about his theory before.

I believe the new creation was born on the evening of the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, on the first day of the week (Jn. 20:1; 19a). This happened 50 days before the Upper Room incident. On the evening of the Lord’s resurrection he breathed on his disciples, except Thomas because he was not there (Jn. 20:24), and told them to receive the Holy Spirit (Jn. 20:22). Jesus released the Holy Spirit to them because he discerned their faith in him being raised from the dead (Jn. 20:19c-20; Rom. 10:9). At that moment they would have had their spirit-being sealed with the Holy Spirit. The disciples Jesus released the Holy Spirit to were born-again at that moment—the church was born. When Thomas heard of the experience of the other disciples in seeing the risen Lord, he did not believe it because he needed proof (Jn. 20:24). Thomas was essentially the first person to have the gospel told him, but he did not have the faith to believe. He did get saved eight days later though. Jesus again suddenly appeared in the room the disciples were in, and Thomas was there this time (Jn. 20:26). After Jesus humiliated him, Thomas put his faith in the risen Savior (Jn. 20:27-29).

Thomas received the new birth 42 days before the Upper Room experience. The other disciples received the new birth 50 days before the Upper Room experience. I believe that all the Lord’s disciples, except Judas Iscariot, were born-again eight days after his resurrection—Judas had hanged himself the morning after Jesus’ arrest (Matt. 27:3-5). The 40 days between the resurrection of the Lord and his being raptured into heaven, Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at once (1 Cor. 15:6). These 500 would have witnessed the risen Lord like the disciples did. There can be no doubt that either most or all put their faith in him because they saw that he had been raised from the dead. These people were the earliest members of the new creation. He had also appeared to James, his half-brother, who would have likewise been saved after witnessing the Lord raised from the dead (1 Cor. 15:7). Mary Magdalene would have been the first person born into the new creation, because she witnessed the risen Lord just hours after he rose from the dead (Jn. 20:11-18)—she put her faith in him. Therefore, the church was born, and growing, before the followers of Christ were filled with the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room, and the 3,000 who heard them speak in tongues received the Lord on the day of Pentecost.

According to the facts, the 120 people in the Upper Room were all saved when the Holy Spirit came upon them and filled them with his power, which enabled them to speak in tongues. So how could the day of Pentecost be the day when the church was born? They all would have been saved during the 50 days after Christ was raised from the dead. The apostles would have made sure of that. Would the apostles have allowed unbelievers into the Upper Room where they had devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 1:12-14)—the Scripture said they were all in one accord? And while conducting church business (Acts 1:15-26)?

Jesus told his apostles that they would be baptized with/in the Holy Spirit, a promise of God the Father (Acts 1:3-5). He was meaning when they were gathered in the Upper Room, ten days later (Acts 2:1). Being baptized with/in the Holy Spirit means the believer’s spirit-being is dipped, immersed, or plunged into the power of the Spirit similar to how a person’s earthly body is dunked into water during water baptism (Mk. 1:8; Acts 1:5; 11:16). He told them that when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, they will receive power (Acts 1:8a; Lk. 24:49)—this happened while they were gathered in the Upper Room. Another way of describing the results of when the Holy Spirit comes upon a believer, or when God baptizes them with the Spirit is: a) Their spirit-being is πίμπλημι (pimplēmi) filled with the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk. 1:15, 41, 67; Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9, 52), or, b) Their spirit-being is πλήρης (plērēs) full or complete in the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk. 4:1; Acts 6:3, 5; 7:55; 11:24). Both pimplēmi (filled) and plērēs (full) have the meaning of infuse (to cause to be permeated with something [such as a principle or quality] that alters usually for the better),[i] and replete (fully or abundantly provided or filled).[ii] The Scripture reveals that being baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit enables the person to speak in tongues καθὼς τὸ πνεῦμα ἐδίδου ἀποφθέγγεσθαι αὐτοῖς (kathós tó pnevma edídou apofthéngesthai aftoís) “As the Spirit gives them utterance” [Acts 2:4c, mGNT] (Mk. 16:17; Acts. 2:6-12; 10:44-48; 19:6; Eph. 6:18a). Speaking in – genuine – tongues is evidence that the believer’s spirit-being is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Or that they are full of the power of the Holy Spirit. Some Christians believe there is no sign proving the believer is baptized in the Spirit, but Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; 19:5-7, seem to say otherwise. The believer who is baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit has been blessed with divine power to pray in tongues, or pray in the Spirit (Rom. 8:26-27; 1 Cor. 14:14-18; Eph. 6:18a; Jude 1:20). Having the Spirit’s power λαλεῖν ἑτέραις γλώσσαις (laleín etérais glóssais) “to speak in other languages” (Acts 2:4b, mGNT) is so the believer can have direct access to God in prayer as the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:26-27. 

Being filled or baptized with the Holy Spirit is not referring to the gift of ἑτέρῳ γένη γλωσσῶν (etéro géni glossón) “other languages” (1 Cor. 12:10d, mGNT; 28, 30; 14:2-4, 26-28, 39). Although a believer who has the gift of etéro géni glossón (other languages), has been baptized with the Holy Spirit at some point in their life. The Holy Spirit will use a Spirit-filled believer to release a word from God to the church by a gift of other languages. However, the Holy Spirit will not prompt the believer with the gift of tongues to speak if there is no believer present with the gift of interpretation to interpret (1 Cor. 14:5)—a genuine gift of tongues will not be given if there is no one with the gift to interpret that message from God. The Holy Spirit builds the church up, he does not confuse it (1 Cor. 14:6-13). The body of Christ is to be led by the Holy Spirit even when using his gifts.

I wrote the preceding, to prove that the church was not birthed on the day of Pentecost, in the Upper Room. But rather, the day of Pentecost was the initial baptism of the church with/in the Holy Spirit’s power. That was the day the believers were first able to speak in other languages as the Holy Spirit of God gave them the power to speak. That is the day the church began to multiply in great numbers after the 120 followers of Christ received the power of the Holy Spirit.       

The Lord Jesus Christ is preparing a place for his church in his Father’s house while they wait for him to return (Jn. 14:2-3). But in the meantime, he has appointed the – initial – apostles and prophets to be the foundation his church is to be built upon (Eph. 2:19-20). The people who appointed themselves as apostles and prophets today are not the apostles and prophets the apostle Paul referred to. Jesus promised that once he prepares this place, the church would be raptured out of this world so that they can be where he is—in heaven. As I mentioned in a few places, the hour the rapture happens is proof that Jesus has finished preparing a place for the body of Christ in his Father’s house. And to fulfill his promise to his apostles he will seize his followers out of this world in a moment, in the blink of an eye. Jesus will meet his church, the dead and living, in the eternal realm as they are newly fitted with heavenly bodies. This event will happen before the 70^th week of Israel begins. Before the ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἀνομίας (ánthropos tís anomías) “man of lawlessness” (2 Thess. 2:3c, mGNT) is revealed. The pre-Tribulation theory is a valid doctrine.

Could this place that Jesus is preparing for his people be the new Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12; 21:2, 10-27)? I ask this question because John 14:2-3 does not make it clear. When Jesus said, πορεύομαι ἑτοιμάσαι τόπον ὑμῖν (porévomai etoimásai tópon ymín) “I go to prepare a place for you” (Jn. 14:2b, mGNT), we assume he was referring to a dwelling in heaven because his Father’s house is in heaven. He said that in his Father’s house are πολλαί μονή (pollaí moní) “multiple monasteries” (Jn. 14:2a, GNT). In many English Bibles pollaí moní is translated as: many rooms; many dwelling places; many mansions. A monastery is a house dedicated to God. A monastery is an abbey occupied by priests who fulfill their vows to Christ Jesus. Heaven is filled with dwelling places for the angels of God. There are multiple rooms in heaven for the angels to dwell. At this time, Jesus is preparing pollaí moní (multiple monasteries) in his Father’s house for the body of Christ to dwell in once the church is raptured.

The apostle John saw in a vision the new Jerusalem “coming down out of heaven from God” (Rev. 21:2b, 10b, CSB). The reference to heaven is the eternal realm and not the earth’s atmosphere or the celestial cosmos. This event happens after this earth and heaven (the whole celestial cosmos) have passed away and a new heaven and earth will replace them (Rev. 21:1)—in the new earth there will be no sea. John sees the new Jerusalem coming out of the eternal realm to rest upon the new earth. He heard a loud voice speak from the throne room of God, the inner sanctuary, that ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ θεοῦ (i skiní toú theoú) “the tabernacle of God” (Rev. 21:3b, mGNT) is with men. Some English Bibles translate i skiní toú theoú, as, God’s dwelling place. On the new earth, the tabernacle of God, or God’s dwelling place, will be with the people who will inhabit the new earth. These people will be the ones who survive Christ’s millennial reign and who are not deceived by Satan once he is released out of the abyss (Rev. 20:7). There will be people who go through the millennial reign of Christ that end up joining forces with Satan to battle the saints living in the land promised to Israel (Gen. 15:18; Josh. 1:4; Num. 34:1-15[iii]) and the Jerusalem that now exists (Rev. 20:8-9a). But God the Father will destroy this evil army and cast Satan into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:9b-10). The saints living in Jerusalem at that time are not the body of Christ. After the body of Christ is raptured, they become heavenly beings as I mentioned above under the heading, Salvation Completed (Made Perfect). The home of the body of Christ after being raptured is in the eternal heaven with God the Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord. The saints living in Israel at the time of Satan’s release from the abyss, and during his attack on the πόλιν ἠγαπημένην (pólin igapiménin) “beloved city,” are most likely the remnant Jews who were saved at Christ’s 2^nd coming. The offspring born to them during Christ’s millennial reign will also most likely dwell there at the time of Satan’s attack—they could number in the hundreds of millions.

Revelation 21:2a and 3, seem to say, that the new Jerusalem will be God’s tabernacle on the new earth. As I wrote, God’s dwelling place on the new Earth will be with men, the inhabitants of the new Earth. God will dwell with the inhabitants of the new earth, and he will be their God. These people will not be clothed in heavenly bodies like the body of Christ will be, and as the angels of God have been since they were created. But the Scripture seems to indicate that they will live in earthly bodies that will never die (Rev. 21:4). After the attack on God’s beloved city, and after the great white throne judgment has been completed (Rev. 20:11-15), God will make all things new (Rev. 21:5a). He told John: “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” (Rev. 21:5b, ESV).

Revelation 21:3 raises a question. If God is going to dwell with the inhabitants of the new earth, does this mean his eternal heaven will be no more? The answer is no. Eternity will never cease to be. It is Eternal, everlasting. Eternity is a place without beginning or end. Just as God is Eternal; God never had a beginning and he will never have an end. When the Scripture states that he will dwell with the inhabitants of the new earth, it means that he will be in the new earth with men just like the Holy Spirit is in this earth with his new creation, the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is omnipresent on this earth and in the heavens. He is omnipresent, in the eternal realm. He is everywhere at all times. The Holy Spirit will be everywhere on the new earth, but I believe his presence will be in a great measure. His presence may be as powerful as it is in heaven. The new Jerusalem will be the tabernacle of God on the new earth, something like the tabernacle Moses made for God in the desert (Ex. 25:8-9). Except the new Jerusalem is built by God. The new heaven and new earth are not a replacement for eternity, but only a replacement for this earth and the physical universe. And, if you are wondering, the new heaven and new earth does not become part of the eternal realm. But rather the new heaven and new earth are the current heavens and current earth transformed into a place where there is no more curse (Rev.22:3a)—it will still be governed by time and space (spacetime). God has to create a new heaven and new earth because God the Father chooses to visit with men on the new earth so that he can bless them with his physical presence: he wants to present himself in person (Rev.21:3). The new Jerusalem will be the place where the inhabitants of the new earth will go to worship God and the Lamb (Rev. 22:3c).

Some people think that the new Jerusalem is the church, because the way the Scripture presents the new Jerusalem as if it is τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀρνίου (tín gynaíka toú arníou) “the wife of the lamb” (Rev. 21:9b, mGNT). No! God did not sacrifice his Son for a city, but for the people who will dwell in that city. Revelation 21:2, says that the new Jerusalem is: “prepared like a bride adorned for her husband” (CSB). This means it is created beautifully and amazing like (or similar to) a bride for her husband. The new Jerusalem is adorned for the one who will dwell there, or make his tabernacle there. And that One is God (Rev. 21:3). That is why God the Father and Jesus the Lamb of God will both have thrones there (Rev. 22:3b). The new Jerusalem will be adorned with the presence of God. God’s presence will permeate the entirety of the new Jerusalem. The new Jerusalem will permeate with the glory of God (Rev. 21:10-11a)— “Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal” (Rev. 21:11b, CSB). Revelation 21:12-21 describes its foundation, gates, and walls. It gives its measurements and the raw materials it is made of. It has a high wall with twelve gates. Twelve angels are at these twelve gates. The names of Jacob’s sons are inscribed on these twelve gates. The high wall has twelve foundations. Christ’s twelve apostles have their names inscribed upon these twelve foundations. The new Jerusalem could be the place Jesus is preparing in heaven for all those who belong to him. It could be the place in preparation for the wedding feast of God’s holy Son (Rev. 19:7-8; Matt. 22:1-14; Lk. 14:15-24).

 

Picture: Pixabay (enokenoc)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License

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[i] Infuse: To cause to be permeated with something (such as a principle or quality) that alters usually for the better.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infuse

(Accessed 2/21/2025)

[ii] Replete: Fully or abundantly provided or filled.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/replete

(Accessed 2/21/2025)

[iii] What is the land that God promised to Israel?

https://www.gotquestions.org/Israel-land.html

(Accessed 2/27/2025)

Heavenly Beings—Immortal Beings

 

The writing below is another excerpt from my manuscript, Waiting for The Day and Hour:

As I have been writing, at the end of the church age, and the body of Christ is raptured into heaven, the final part of the sanctification process happens with the believer’s earthly body being transformed. It is transfigured from a mortal body into an immortal one; it becomes a heavenly body. The dead in Christ will be reunited with their transfigured earthly bodies as they are resurrected the moment the trumpet of God sounds. Every believer still living once the trumpet of God sounds will never die. Their earthly bodies will be changed in a moment, in the blink of an eye, into heavenly bodies, as I wrote under the heading, Salvation Completed (Made Perfect). This immortal body will live forever. It cannot be destroyed. It will be ἄφθαρτος (áfthartos) indestructible. Áfthartos can also be translated as imperishable. The body of Christ still living are mortal beings. The body of Christ in heaven died while being mortal beings, that is why they passed away. But once the last trumpet sounds, both the earthly bodies of the dead in Christ and the earthly bodies of the living will become áfthartos (indestructible/imperishable). Once the body of Christ is raptured, they will receive supernatural, godlike, heavenly bodies.    

The heavenly bodies that God has prepared for his children are made of the same spiritual substance that Jesus was clothed in when he was raptured and out of the sight of his apostles. By the power of the Holy Spirit, God will convert the believer’s earthly body into a glorified body, just like the Lord’s (Phil.3:20-21). Just as Jesus was in an earthly body, everyone born-again has been or is still in an earthly body. And just as Jesus is now the heavenly man, so the body of Christ will one day be heavenly men or people—Jesus is referred to as “the heavenly man” or “the man of heaven” in many English translations (1 Cor.15:48-49). He is called [the] ἄνθρωπος Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς (ánthropos Christós Iisoús) “[the] man Christ Jesus” even though he is in heaven (1 Tim. 2:5c, mGNT).   

God has kept the greater details about this glorified body a mystery. However, having even this limited knowledge should excite the believer about being raptured. The apostle John writes: “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is” (1 Jn. 3:2, HNV). If a Christian is not longing and praying, they are raptured as soon as possible, then there is something wrong with them (Rom. 8:23; 2 Cor. 5:2; Gal. 5:5; Phil. 3:20-21; 2 Tim. 4:8; Heb. 9:28). The preceding Scripture verses proclaim that the followers of Jesus Christ should be longing to be clothed in their heavenly bodies. The body of Christ is naked without its heavenly garment. Its earthly garment is perishing, but its glorified tent will never perish. The body of Christ is called to be immortal. And the primary reason it has received the Holy Spirit is to make that happen. The Spirit of God is sent as a deposit and guarantee (2 Cor. 5:1-5).

Picture: Pixabay (AlejandraEnciso)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License  

 

Salvation Completed (Made Perfect)

This article is another piece of my manuscript, Waiting for The Day and Hour:

The day the rapture occurs is the day when the body of Christ is finally made perfect. Its salvation process is completed. As I have mentioned previously, the final process in our salvation experience is our earthly bodies will be changed miraculously into heavenly bodies; they become glorified.

“Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality.” (1 Cor. 15:51-53, CSB).

The hour the church age is over on the Earth is when the body of Christ will be redeemed spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess.5:23). At this time, the true Church will be sanctified or made pure. Everyone snatched away into heaven from the Earth will, in an instant, never sin again. When the last trump sounds, the body of Christ, who is still living, will be transformed from earthly beings to heavenly beings. That is what πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα (pántes ou koimithisómetha) “We all won't sleep” (15:51b, mGNT) means. In a ἄτομος (átomos) “moment,” the transition will take place. The metamorphosis will happen ἐν ῥιπῇ ὀφθαλμοῦ (en ripí ofthalmoús) “in the blink of an eye” (mGNT). The believers in heaven will be reunited with their earthly bodies, as I mentioned above under the heading, In the Clouds. 

There were trumpets blown in ancient Israel for various reasons: Feast of Trumpets [Yom Teruah] (Lev. 23:23-25); to sound alarms (Num. 10:5-6); to assemble the people (Ex. 19:13); to announce the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:9-10); temple worship and praise (2 Chron. 15:14),[1] and more. Angels will be given trumpets to blow during Israel’s 70^th week (Isa. 27:13; Zech. 9:14; Rev. 8:2, 13; 9:13-14; Matt. 24:31; Mk. 13:27). The trumpet of God that will sound when the rapture occurs is not only to announce the church age is over but to also alert the dead in Christ to rise (1 Thess. 4:16).

The “last trumpet” in 1 Corinthians 15:52 is the same trumpet of God in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Some disagree because they contend there is an interval between the time of the rapture and the moment the body of Christ receives heavenly bodies. They believe there is an indefinite amount of time between the two events. I disagree because I argue both events are simultaneous. They believe the body of Christ will fly up to the clouds like Jesus did when he was raptured. I mentioned this above as well. I said there that when Jesus was taken up into heaven, it was to correspond with his 2^nd coming, as the two angels proclaimed. But when the body of Christ is raptured, it will be different than the rapture of Jesus and the rapture of Elijah. The body of Christ will be seized out of this world suddenly. That is what the Greek term ἁρπάζω (harpazō) means: Seized quickly, to grab with force. The body of Christ will suddenly disappear. That would explain Paul’s explanation that the body of Christ is changed from earthly beings to heavenly beings in a átomos (moment), en ripí ofthalmoús (in the blink of an eye). One second, the body of Christ is on the earth, and in the blink of an eye, they vanish. The transformation from earthly beings to heavenly beings is straightaway, instantly.   

When a person receives Christ and becomes born-again, the Holy Spirit immediately becomes one with their spirit-being. Immediately, that person’s spirit-being is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13; 4:30). This transformation allows them to communicate with God through their spirit-being and he with them. At that instant, that person’s body becomes a temple for the Spirit of God to dwell in (1 Cor. 6:19). The believer is then “justified by his [Christ’s] blood” (Rom. 5:9a, KJV). The believer is δικαιωθέντες (dikaiothéntes) vindicated by faith [in Christ] (Rom. 5:1)—many English translations say, justified. The believer now enters the state of ἁγιασμόν (agiasmón) sanctification, which leads to eternal life (Rom. 6:22). Sanctification means the believer now goes through the process of being separated from the world to God (1 Cor. 1:30).[2]

In the simplest terms, sanctification is the transformation the believer goes through to become heavenly beings (glorified people). When Jesus asked his Father to sanctify the disciples by the truth, he was asking his Father to separate the disciples from the world (John 17:16). Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit done in the believer throughout their life as the believer submits to him and obeys the word of God (1 Pet. 1:15; Jn. 17:17).

When the body of Christ’s salvation is completed (at the hour the rapture occurs) and is in Eternity, do not be surprised if there is a room containing church chronicles. In these archives, there is not only a record of the works of the church in every generation, but every believer can view how they contributed to the work of the Lord. This will be the Record of Rewards.[3] Do not be surprised about the room dedicated to the Journal of the Holy Spirit. In this room is a record of how the Holy Spirit brought the body of Christ through the salvation process to a victorious completion. This record reveals how Christ was able to sanctify the church by cleansing her with a λουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν ῥήματι (loutró toú ýdatos en rímati) “bath of water in the word” (Eph. 5:26b, mGNT). The records will show how Christ was able to: “Present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish [or holy and blameless] (Eph. 5:27, ESV).

God has chosen the believer to partake in the transformation process. The follower of Christ is to offer their earthly body to God as a living sacrifice, it is an act of worship (Rom. 12:1). The believer must not conform to the ways of the world any longer but change the way he thinks by replacing the old man with the new man (Rom.12:2; Eph.4:22-24). Because the church of God has his promises, it must cleanse itself: “From every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion [or spirit, perfecting holiness] in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1b, CSB).

Picture: Pixabay (kiberstalker)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License

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[1] Understanding the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah)

https://icejusa.org/2023/08/02/understanding-the-feast-of-trumpets-yom-teruah/#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20a%20trumpet%20blast,Psalm%2081%3A4%E2%80%936)

(Accessed 2/11/2025)

[2] What is sanctification? What is the definition of Christian sanctification?

https://www.gotquestions.org/sanctification.html

(Accessed 2/14/2025)

[3] What are some Bible verses about rewards?

https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-verses-about-rewards.html

(Accessed 2/14/2025)

Gateways

 

The article below is a small portion of my manuscript, Waiting For The Day And Hour:

This invisible wall that separates the spiritual world, from the physical world, has gateways. This is how the holy angels travel from the heavenly realm into Earth’s physical realm. We cannot see the holy angels come directly through these gateways, but once they come through, they are visible to whomever they have come to minister to. These spiritual gateways are also called portals or doorways. This is how the fallen angels travel back and forth. They travel from the heavenly realms they can access, to the physical realm through gateways. The 200 angels that produced Nephilim with women before the Great Flood (Gen. 6:2, 4; Enoch 6:2) came through a gateway that exists over Ardîs, which is the summit of Mount Hermon (Enoch 6:6)—a spiritual portal is supposed to be there. It is believed that the high mountain Jesus took Peter, John, and James up to where they witnessed him transfigured was Mount Hermon[1] (Matt. 17:1-8). When Moses and Elijah appeared, they were in glorified bodies as I mentioned above under the heading, In the Clouds (Lk. 9:30). This means they are in their heavenly garments already. If you recall, I wrote about this in chapter #6, in its introduction. Moses and Elijah would have traveled from heaven and entered Earth through a spiritual doorway to get to Mount Hermon. The theory that there is a spiritual gateway over Mount Hermon is plausible.  

Both holy and fallen angels are not limited to entering Earth’s atmosphere only but can also enter Earth’s outer space, through portals. A lack of oxygen and gravity does not affect these angelic beings. You might ask why angels would travel into Earth’s outer space. What would be the purpose? I can think of one reason fallen angels would travel to Earth’s outer space, and it has to do with man’s exploration of Earth’s outer space. Their purpose is to lead the world astray by deception.

Gateways in the invisible wall separating the spiritual and physical realms are how the angel Gabriel arrived to visit Zechariah, the priest, and the virgin, Mary. Gabriel would have come through a spiritual portal to talk to Daniel. In Jacob’s dream at Bethel, he saw a gateway into the heavenly realm where he witnessed angels going back and forth on a stairway; Yahweh even spoke to him through this gateway—Jacob called it שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם (shaa'ar hashemhamyim) “Heaven’s Gate” (Gen.28:10-17).

When the apostle John was on the Island of Patmos, he heard a loud voice like a trumpet, which told him to write the things he saw and send them to the seven churches in Asia (Rev. 1:9-11). When he turned, he witnessed Jesus in a vision (Rev. 1:12-20). After writing down the messages he received to the seven churches in Asia (Rev. 2-3), he looked and saw a (spiritual) doorway open leading into heaven (Rev. 4:1a). The voice like a trumpet he had heard at the beginning of his vision spoke again: υσα, Ἀνάβα ὧδε καὶ δείξω σοι ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι μετὰ ταῦτα (ysa, Anáva óde kaí deíxo soi á deí genésthai metá tafta) “Come up here and I will show you what must happen after this.” (Rev. 4:1c, Textus Receptus). John was then immediately taken deep in his vision: εὐθέως ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι (efthéos egenómin en pnévmati) “I was born directly in spirit” (Rev. 4:2a, Textus Receptus). This phrase, efthéos egenómin en pnévmati (I was born directly in spirit), may mean that John lost awareness of his earthly body and was only aware of his spirit-being. This allowed him to see deep in his vision, so, he could witness the inner sanctuary of heaven. When this spiritual encounter occurred, he could go through the spiritual doorway that leads into heaven where he saw God the Father on his throne and the twenty-four elders on their thrones (Rev. 4:2b-4). In John’s vision, he was transferred from his earthly body so he could function in his spirit-man, he could then go through the doorway in the invisible wall that separates the physical realm and the realm of heaven. John’s spirit-man at this time was sealed with the Holy Spirit of God.

When the apostle Paul was translated up into the inner sanctuary of God, he too would have been translated from his earthly body to function in his spirit-man (2 Cor. 12:2-3). He too was sealed with the Holy Spirit at the time.   

When Isaiah saw the אֲדֹנָי (Adonai) Lord sitting on his throne (Isa. 6:1-13), he would have lost awareness of his body and been only aware of his spirit-being. Was Isaiah’s spirit born again? I believe it was. The Scriptures record that the Old Testament men of God had the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the Scriptures say the Spirit came upon them, and sometimes they say the Spirit was in them. This means they were sealed with the Spirit. In the book of Numbers, it says: אֶל־מֹשֶׁה קַח־לְךָ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־רוּחַ בּוֹ (el-moshue kach-lech et-yehoshoo'a been-noon ish ashuer-roo'ach bo) “Moses took Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom was the spirit” (Num. 27:18, Masoretic Text). King Belshazzar of Babylon said to Daniel: “I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods [or Spirit of God] is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you (Dan. 5:14, ESV). Ezekiel said: “As he spoke to me, the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and I listened to the one who was speaking to me” (Ezek. 2:2, CSB).

How could the Old Testament prophets communicate with Yahweh unless the Spirit of God dwelled within them? Sometimes their communication was conveyed by angels, but at other times the prophets heard God speak within their spirit-being. The apostle Peter recorded that the Spirit of God was in the prophets (1 Pet. 1:10-12). When Elijah was raptured, he would have had to be born again or he could not have entered heaven (2 Kgs. 2:11). Neither would he have been able to appear to Jesus with Moses on Mount Hermon without his glorified body. Moses must have had the Spirit of God dwell in him or he would not have been able to enter heaven, and he would not have been able to visit Jesus with Elijah without his glorified body. It is believed that when Michael, the archangel, disputed with Satan over Moses' dead body, God then raptured Moses' dead body into heaven so that the fallen angels would not desecrate his body. That would explain how Moses was able to be in a heavenly body on Mount Hermon—Moses’ dead body resurrected into heaven was a template to the dead-in-Christ having their dead bodies resurrected into heaven at the moment the body of Christ is raptured (1 Thess. 4:13-14).

Jesus said to Nicodemus the Pharisee: “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again [or from above], he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:3, CSB). The born-again effect is not something new with the birth of the church. For the Old Testament prophets and saints to be in heaven, they would have had to be born again at their death—their renewed spirit-being was how they were ushered into the kingdom of heaven. The saints and prophets of the Old Testament were looking to the day when their Messiah would appear which means they had faith in Jesus before he made his first appearance. When the rapture of the body of Christ happens the Old Testament prophets and saints will meet Jesus in the air with all those who have fallen asleep in Christ because they had faith in Yahweh. People like Abraham: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad” (Jn. 8:56, CSB). Like Isaiah: “Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him” (Jn. 12:41, ESV). Like Moses: “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me” (Jn. 5:46, KJV).

The Old Testament prophets and saints were not saved by keeping the Law because no one is saved by keeping the Law (Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16a; 3:11a). Rather the Old Testament prophets and saints were justified by faith: “For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Rom. 3:28, CSB). Just like the church, the prophets and saints of the Old Testament are in heaven because they had faith in Yahweh (Hab. 2:4b; Rom. 1:7; Gal. 3:11b; Heb. 10:38a). They could not be saved by obeying the Law but saved by the gift of God, his grace (Eph. 2:8-9). They are in heaven with the dead-in-Christ waiting for the rapture to occur so their dead bodies can be resurrected into heavenly bodies.  

Picture: Pixabay (jcoope12)         

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[1] What is the significance of Mount Hermon in the Bible?

https://www.gotquestions.org/mount-Hermon.html

(Accessed 2/7/2025)

 

Heaven

 

The article below is a small portion of my manuscript, Waiting For The Day And Hour:

I do not believe that ouranós (heaven) is someplace beyond the physical universe. I disagree with those who say it is lightyears away in some heavenly galaxy. I remember an American televangelist[1] used to say that heaven is 64 million trillion, light years away from planet Earth (or some fantastic number like that). And then, with a big happy smile, he would say that when the rapture happens, we will be there in less than 64^th of a second; in the twinkling of an eye (or something like that). Maybe you can remember the exact numbers this televangelist used to quote? When I was young in the faith, I believed this outer universe heavenly theology also; because that is what I was told. And then my view changed when researching material for teaching I was doing in my church. I had come across the teachings of a Bible Expositor, Ray Stedman.[2] He taught that heaven was not beyond the universe but in another dimension. I had never heard that before. But after reading his material on the subject it was like my mind was illuminated. Immediately the Spirit of God confirmed what I just learned was true. This is why I stand firm that heaven is in another dimension, and the inner sanctuary of God is situated in multiple dimensions beyond the lower dimensions or regions (sectors) of the heavenly realm. I can explain it like this: If I were to hold an object several inches in front of my face so that I cannot see around it, what I see in my sight is physical time and space. But on the other side of the object, that I cannot see, is the spiritual realm extending endlessly. The spiritual realm is there, right in front of my face, but I cannot see it with my human eyes. The spiritual realm extends one realm or region after another unseen from the physical realm. Sadly, I have been unsuccessful in finding the article I read more than 20 years ago by Ray Stedman. But below is an excerpt from an article called, The Other Side of the Vacuum, written by, Lambert Dolphin:

“Although we can neither visibly see nor scientifically measure the spiritual world, this unseen dimension of the universe is of supreme importance. The notion of three vertical tiers to the heavens is however misleading--tending to imply that the spiritual dimension is “up” and far away—light-years beyond the farthest stars. We should think instead of matter and spirit intermingled together as an integrated whole. The physical world is a small region of heaven, embedded, as it were, in the vacuum. The cosmos is not really merely scaled in the vertical direction with hell at the bottom of the stack deep in the heart of the planet and heaven at the top inaccessibly high above the reach of space ships and telescopes. To think of heaven as above means that heavenly realities transcend the physical—the Creator is greater than His creation. Isaiah (57:15) says that God is “the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity;” who declares “...my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways...For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)” … “It is the invisible dimension of the spiritual world where God himself dwells. The heavenlies are also inhabited by the “heavenly hosts,” that is by “myriads” *** of angels. These beings were created and named one by one by God and appointed as “ministering spirits”; they have special bodies suited for the spiritual real which they inhabit (see Heb. 1:7, 14; 1 Cor. 15:40). Our material world is embedded in the spiritual—this is the meaning of the vacuum as a plenum or substrate. Every day we sense and participate in, but cannot see, happenings in the invisible world of the spirit, for instance in spiritual warfare we are part of God's armies in company with His angels. We are buffeted and influenced constantly by unseen events occurring in the heavenly places, (Eph. 6:12).”

*** “The Greek word for ten thousand” is often used to signify “countless numbers of.”

So, I believe the argument can be made that the spiritual realm exists in multiple dimensions that extend endlessly. It co-occurs with the physical dimension (space and time). In physics, it is called extra dimensions.[3] I am not saying that the spiritual realm is exactly like what the author of, Pedagogical Introduction to Extra Dimensions (endnote #3), writes in his research. However, you may be able to understand my theory to the multidimensional spiritual realm by what, Thomas G. Rizzo, has written in his research journal.  

What do I mean when I say that the spiritual or heavenly realm coincides or co-occurs with the earth and the universe’s physical dimensions; the physical realm (space and time)? According to physics, the general notion is that the properties of the earth and the universe are merged by, absolute space and time.[4] This means three-dimensional space, plus one-dimensional time, is equal to the four-dimensional world that God Almighty created for humans to live in. Physics calls it, spacetime, where three-dimensional space and one-dimensional time combine to create four-dimensional topological space.

The theory that I hold, that the spiritual realm co-occurs with the physical realm means that they both exist simultaneously: The heavenly realm or spiritual realm coexists with the physical realm (space and time), and the physical realm coexists with the spiritual realm—they coexist at the same time. They coexist or are held together by the power of God. Like Earth’s atmosphere co-occurs with the Earth’s surface. They coexist by the power that God created in the earth’s gravity. The heavenly realm exists in multiple dimensions right beside the physical dimension that God created man to dwell in—the heavenly realm is a multidimensional space that coincides with the universe and all the planets within it. Some believe that the spiritual realm and the physical realm exist interdimensionally[5] with one another. This means that both realms exist within one another. It is similar to the idea of a parallel universe.[6] This means that another universe exists with Earth’s universe. The theory that I hold has an interdimensional aspect to it. Although the heavenly realm and the physical realm both exist simultaneously, one does not have to go to the edge of the heavenly realm to enter the physical realm, or, one does not have to go to the edge of space and time to enter the spiritual realm. One can enter space and time from anywhere within the heavenly realm or by certain spiritual gateways, and one can enter the heavenly realm from anywhere within the physical realm by these special gateways. I will explain further under the next heading, Gateways.

When the Lord gives a person a dream, he opens up their mind to see and hear into heaven the message he is releasing while the person is asleep. Like when Joseph saw in a dream that he would reign over his brothers, and in another dream where God prophesied that the sun, moon, and stars would bow to Joseph (Gen. 37:5-10). While Joseph was asleep an angel of the Lord would have opened up his mind so that he could see and hear into heaven. The angel of the Lord was likely the one who produced the images Joseph saw in his dream.

When a person receives a vision from the Lord, an angel of the Lord opens that person’s mind so they can see and hear into heaven the message of the Lord while awake. An example is, when Daniel saw and heard a majestic angel in a vision, in the 3^rd year after King Cyrus conquered Babylon—Daniel was standing on the banks of the Tigris River (Dan. 10:1-6). Some think that Daniel had a vision of Jesus because of the vision John saw of Jesus (Rev. 1:12-16). But I disagree. The angel Daniel saw in his vision said that he had to battle the prince of the kingdom of Persia for 21 days, and then get help from Michael so that he could deliver God’s message to Daniel (Dan. 10:13). So, he could not have been the Lord. Daniel was awake when he saw this fine angel clothed in linen, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. He saw him in a vision rather than in person. This angel of the Lord would have opened Daniel’s mind so that he could see and hear into heaven.

Sometimes an angel of the Lord is sent to appear in person to the one God wants to speak to, like Zechariah, the priest, the husband of, Elizabeth. When the angel appeared to Zechariah, the angel was standing beside the altar of incense (Lk. 1:11). The angel appeared in physical form which brought fear upon Zechariah (Lk. 1:12). This angel was named, Gabriel. He stands in the inner sanctuary of God (Lk. 1:19). Gabriel would have traveled from the inner sanctuary in heaven to Jerusalem to speak to Zechariah face to face. This same angel traveled from the presence of God to the city of Nazareth, in Galilee, to speak to the Virgin Mary (Lk. 1:26-27). Gabriel stepped out of heaven to Earth’s space and time to speak to Mary one-on-one. Gabriel’s journey would have been like walking through a door, going from one realm to another. Daniel also saw and heard Gabriel in person (Dan. 8:15-26; 9:20-27) after seeing a prophetic vision (Dan. 8:1-14, 27).

 

Picture: Pixabay (beziehungsweise_KI)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License

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[1] American televangelist, Jack Van Impe (1931 - 2020)

[2] The Ray C. Stedman Library (1917 – 1992)

http://server.firefighters.org/stedman/stedmandvd/index2.html

https://www.raystedman.org/

(Accessed 1/31/2025)

[3] Pedagogical Introduction to Extra Dimensions, by Thomas G. Rizzo

https://archive.org/details/arxiv-hep-ph0409309

(Accessed 2/3/2025)

[4] Absolute space and time

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_space_and_time   

(Accessed 2/3/2025)

[5] Interdimensional

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/interdimensional

[6] Parallel universe

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/parallel-universe

The Heavenly Realms

  

The article below is a small portion of my manuscript, Waiting For The Day And Hour:

When I insist that we are raptured immediately into the ἐπουράνιος (epouranios) heavenly realms, I mean the place where the Lord and his holy angels’ dwell, as I said above, the place where God the Father is. This place is where God the Father has his Holy throne (Rev. 4:2-3). When the body of Christ is caught up into this place, we will see God seated on his throne along with twenty-four other thrones that surround his throne—the twenty-four elders are on these thrones (Rev. 4:4). We will see coming from God’s throne ορεύονται ἀστραπαὶ (orévontai astrapaí) “lightning strikes” (Rev. 4:5a, mGNT). We will also hear φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (fonaí kaí vrontaí) “voices and thunder” (Rev. 4:5b, mGNT). The only way the raptured church can withstand the brightness of God, the lightning strikes that emanate from his throne, and the voices and thunder, is because we will be incorruptible and immortal—we will be in our heavenly bodies.

In the heavenly realms, the incorruptible and immortal bride of Christ will also see the precious Holy Spirit of God in physical form. No person has ever seen the Holy Spirit physically. Christians can feel his presence within and around them at times. We have seen and experienced his work being performed. But we the church have never seen the Holy Spirit with our eyes that I know of. The apostle Paul might be the exception (2 Cor. 12:2-4). – When I was very young in the faith, a man told me he was caught up to the 3^rd heaven like Paul. And that he had seen things he could not tell me. I did not believe him. But only the Spirit of God knows whether he was or not telling me the truth. – The angels of God have certainly seen the Holy Spirit because they are heavenly beings. The Scriptures indicate that the prophet Isaiah may have seen him when he had the vision of God’s throne room (Isa. 6:1-13). The Scriptures also indicate that the prophet Ezekiel may have seen the Spirit of God in visions (Ez. 1:1 – 3:15).

The ἑπτὰ λαμπάδες πυρὸς (eptá lampádes pyrós) “seven lamps of fire” (Rev. 4:c, mGNT), are an image of the Holy Spirit. The image of seven lamps on fire before the throne of the Father is the Holy Spirit in physical form. The number seven is allusive to him being complete, and the fire is allusive to him being pure, righteous, and holy. The Holy Spirit’s image is καιόμεναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου (kaiómenai enópion toú thrónou) “burning before the throne” (Rev. 4:5d, mGNT). This reference is allusive to him being omnipresent and omnipotent. The Holy Spirit being omnipresent means that he is not only in the throne room of the Father, but that he is also, everywhere in creation at all times. He is in the heavenly realms, and the earthly realms, all at one time. He is everywhere at all times. Being omnipotent means that the Holy Spirit has unlimited power and authority. He is the Almighty. The Holy Spirit is God Almighty, with the Father, and the Son. The Holy Spirit is also referred to as being: τὰ ἑπτὰ πνεύματα τοῦ θεοῦ (tá eptá pnévmata toú theoú) “the seven spirits of God” (Rev. 4:5e, mGNT). The reason why he is referred to as “the seven spirits of God” is because the number seven, again, represents completeness, and spirits refer to his divinity. The Holy Spirit is God, complete. God the Father and God the Son are complete with the Holy Spirit. Their perfectness is manifested in the person of the Holy Spirit. God the Father, Son, and Spirit are all together, the only true, Lord God, Almighty.  

The place in the heavenly realms, where the throne room of God is situated, is a restricted area to the angels that rebelled against Yahweh. In chapter #11, I wrote about the angels that rebelled along with Satan, that committed sin, against the Lord. These sons of God, the fallen ones (Gen. 6:2, 4: Deut. 32:8), once had access to the throne room of God, but when they committed mutiny, they had their access revoked. Jesus said to 72 of his disciples: “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning” (Lk. 10:18, CSB). When Jesus made this statement, he was referring to the inner sanctuary of οὐρανός (ouranós) “heaven” where God’s throne room is situated. Satan and his angels still have access to other regions, or sectors, of the ἐπουράνιος (epouranios) heavenly realms, but not the inner sanctuary of God. However, as I have written before, one day they will not have any more access because they will all be cast out of the heavenly realms to the Earth—this will happen during the 7-year Tribulation Period (Rev. 12:7-9). But now, in the lower regions of the heavenly places, there is a battle, between the host (army) of holy angels and the multitude of fallen angels. The apostle Paul wrote about it. The body of Christ’s fight is against the fallen ones in the lower sectors of the heavenly realms, it is not against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12). When the body of Christ is raptured, we bypass this lower region right into the inner sanctuary of God Almighty.     

In the 1^st two chapters of the book of Job, we see that the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh and Satan was with them (Job 1:6; 2:1). The Scripture does not say whether or not Satan met face-to-face with God on these occasions, only that he was in attendance with the other angels. Being in attendance does not mean there was a direct face-to-face interaction. Being present could have meant that Satan met God via a heavenly type of Zoom technology. Since he had fallen from heaven (the inner sanctuary), he could have only presented himself to God in a way similar to Zoom technology from a different realm. For the sake of argument, from the outer courts of heaven. The Scripture does not say whether the sons of God were all holy sons, besides Satan, or that they were all fallen sons and they too presented themselves before God via the heavenly Zoom technology while in the outer courts of heaven. The Scripture does not make it clear. But one thing is for sure: Satan would not have had a face-to-face meeting with God during the days of Job because he had already lied and deceived Eve in the Garden (Gen. 3:1-5). This means that before he had deceived Eve he must have already fallen from heaven as Jesus witnessed. In Job 1:7, and Job 2:2, Satan said he had been walking the Earth, so this means he had already been ejected from the inner sanctuary of heaven because of his rebellion. One-third of the sons of God would have already committed rebellion before Satan deceived Eve also. 

Picture: Old Testament Allusions and the Apocalypse of John – by Wes Van Fleet

https://oldtestamentallusions.blog/2018/07/13/old-testament-allusions-and-the-apocalypse-of-john-revelation-41-6/