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NO ETERNAL HEAVEN (for the saved); NO ETERNAL HELL (For the lost)..

(At The End of Time, That Is-- No saved person "goes to heaven" for eternity. No lost person "goes to hell" for eternity)

But before I commence this study, let there be no doubt about the following scriptural truth; i.e., that there will indeed be an "eternal abode" for the saved children of God, and an "eternal abode" for the lost children of Satan. It is the purpose of this study simply to dispel the popular misconceptions concerning both of the above "eternal abodes", and to scripturally identify both of them.

But unlike most such studies, let us begin first with the (final) end time, where Rev Ch 20-21 plainly state that the resurrected saved (i.e., THE MEEK; compare Matt 5:5) WILL INHERIT THE EARTH, while the resurrected lost (i.e., WHOSOEVER WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE LAMBS BOOK OF LIFE) WILL BE CAST INTO THE ETERNAL LAKE OF FIRE--together with Satan, Death, and Hell; and where The Beast and The False Prophet will already have been cast (during Christ's 1, 000 Year Reign over Planet Earth; see Rev 19:20).

"The First (Millennial) General Resurrection of The saved"

Rev 20:1-6 "AND I SAW AN ANGEL COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, HAVING THE KEY OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT AND A GREAT CHAIN IN HIS HAND.

"AND HE LAID HOLD ON THE DRAGON, THAT OLD SERPENT, WHICH IS THE DEVIL, AND SATAN, AND BOUND HIM A THOUSAND YEARS, AND CAST HIM INTO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT, AND SHUT HIM UP, AND SET A SEAL UPON HIM, THAT HE SHOULD DECEIVE THE NATIONS NO MORE, TILL THE THOUSAND YEARS SHOULD BE FULFILLED: AND AFTER THAT HE MUST BE LOOSED A LITTLE SEASON.

"AND I SAW THRONES (Matt 19:27-30 with Rev 20:1-4), AND THEY SAT UPON THEM, AND (ruling) JUDGEMENT WAS GIVEN UNTO THEM: AND I SAW THE SOULS OF THEM THAT WERE BEHEADED FOR THE WITNESS OF JESUS (e.g., John The Baptist, James, etc.), AND FOR THE WORD OF GOD, AND WHICH HAD NOT WORSHIPPED THE BEAST, NEITHER HIS IMAGE, NEITHER HAD RECEIVED HIS MARK UPON THEIR FOREHEADS, OR IN THEIR HANDS; AND THEY LIVED AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS.

"BUT THE REST OF THE DEAD LIVED NOT AGAIN UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE FINISHED (compare Rev 20:11-15). THIS (i.e. Rev 20:1-4 above) IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION.

"BLESSED AND HOLY IS HE THAT HATH PART IN THE FIRST RESSURRECTION: ON SUCH THE SECOND DEATH HATH NO POWER, BUT THEY SHALL BE PRIESTS OF GOD AND OF CHRIST, AND SHALL REIGN WITH HIM A THOUSAND YEARS (e.g. Matt 19:27-30)."

Note: The above verses refer to the first defeat of the Satanic forces at Armageddon, and Satan's being thereupon "CHAINED IN THE BOTTOMLESS PIT" for precisely One Thousand Years, i.e. during The Millennial reign of Christ Jesus over planet earth. They also refer to THE FIRST (GENERAL) RESURRECTION OF THE SAVED, to reign with Christ on planet earth for precisely One Thousand Years.

Now, to continue with that future (post-Millennial) time schedule, as follows:

Rev 20:7-9 "AND WHEN THE THOUSAND YEARS ARE EXPIRED, SATAN SHALL BE LOOSED OUT OF HIS PRISON ('THE BOTTOMLESS PIT' of Rev 20:1-3), AND SHALL GO OUT TO DECEIVE THE NATIONS (once again) WHICH ARE IN THE FOUR QUARTERS OF THE EARTH, GOG AND MAGOG, TO GATHER THEM TOGETHER TO BATTLE: THE NUMBER OF WHOM IS AS THE SAND OF THE SEA. AND THEY WENT UP ON THE BREADTH OF THE EARTH, AND COMPASSED THE CAMP OF THE SAINTS ABOUT, AND THE BELOVED CITY: AND FIRE CAME DOWN FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN, AND DEVOURED THEM."

Note: The Battle of Armageddon, which had been simply "suspended" for precisely One Thousand Years, will then be simply resumed; i.e., as The Final Battle of Gog and Magog listed above. Satan will "lose" the foregoing, Pre-Millennial Battle of Armageddon; AND he will "lose" the Post-Millennial, Final Battle stated above. Then, immediately following The Final Great White Throne Judgement of Rev 20:11-15, SATAN WILL BE CAST INTO "THE LAKE OF FIRE", as stated below:

Rev 20:10 "AND THE DEVIL THAT DECEIVED THEM WAS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, WHERE THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET ARE (i.e. will have been, ever since they were slain at the 'start' of the Millennial reign of Christ Jesus; see Rev 19:19, 20), AND SHALL BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOR EVER AND EVER." But the following will of course precede the above, as shown below:

The Post-Gog & Magog (Second) General Resurrection of "The Lost"
To Be Followed by The Final, Great White Throne Judgement of "The Lost"
------------- Then, "Eternity Beginns" -------------

Rev 20:11-15 "AND I SAW A GREAT WHITE THRONE, AND HIM THAT SAT ON IT, FROM WHOSE FACE THE EARTH AND THE HEAVEN FLED AWAY; AND THERE WAS FOUND NO PLACE FOR THEM. AND I SAW THE DEAD, SMALL AND GREAT, STAND BEFORE GOD; AND THE BOOKS WERE OPENED: AND ANOTHER BOOK WAS OPENED, WHICH IS THE BOOK OF LIFE: AND THE DEAD (i.e. "the lost dead" of all generations, in context) WERE JUDGED OUT OF THOSE THINGS WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS, ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS.

"AND THE SEA GAVE UP THE DEAD WHICH WERE IN IT; AND DEATH AND HELL DELIVERED UP THE DEAD WHICH WERE (temporarily confined) IN THEM: AND THEY WERE JUDGED EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS. AND DEATH AND HELL WERE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH. AND WHOSOEVER WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE (e.g. Phil 4:3, Luke 10:20) WAS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE."

Note: There it is, as set forth in proper scriptural sequence - the two general resurrections, separated by the 1, 000 year Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus. Both of the separated resurrections are again identified as follows:

John 5:28, 29 "MARVEL NOT AT THIS: FOR THE HOUR IS COMING, IN THE WHICH ALL THAT ARE IN THE GRAVES (i.e., in Sheol, or Hades) SHALL HEAR HIS VOICE, AND SHALL COME FORTH; THEY THAT HAVE DONE GOOD, UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF LIFE; AND THEY THAT HAVE DONE EVIL, UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF DAMNATION"; e.g. Rev 20:4, and Rev 20:5, 12, 13.

"A NEW HEAVEN & A NEW EARTH"

Rev 21:1 "AND I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH: FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH (i.e. of Gen 1:1) WERE PASSED AWAY; AND THERE WAS NO MORE SEA".

From the foregoing "end-time" related scriptures, we may thus reach the following doctrinal conclusions:

(1). That at the (first) resurrection of Rev 20:4, "The saved" do not then "go to heaven", but will remain on planet earth to Millennially reign with Christ Jesus over planet earth; i.e., within the totally reclaimed Promised Land of Gen Ch 15. Like The Garden of Eden, before "the fall" of Adam and Eve, this will once again be A Microcosm of Eternity. However, it will be placed within (still war-devastated) planet earth. See Rev 22:14, 15, with Rev 21:27, in full context.

(2). At the close of the foregoing (Millennial) reign of "the saved" with Christ Jesus over planet earth, the newly released Satan will launch the (final) War of Gog and Magog, Rev 20:7-9. Satan will then try to destroy the resurrected saints of God inhabiting The Promised Land mentioned above. Satan and his followers will be taken, tried, sentenced, and cast into "THE LAKE OF FIRE"--NOT HADES, NOR SHEOL, Rev 20:10-15. "The resurrected saved" of all generations will then be placed in "THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH", of Rev 21:1. They will NOT all be "TAKEN TO HEAVEN", as commonly suggested. As it so states in Matt 5:5, "THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH". So again – THEY WILL NOT BE TAKEN TO HEAVEN, as plainly stated above.

(3). The resurrected "lost" of all generations will not GO TO HELL (Sheol, or Hades) for ETERNITY, but will go to "THE LAKE OF FIRE", into which Sheol or Hades will also have earlier been cast into, e.g. Rev 20:13, 14.

In order to fully understand the doctrinal fact that "the saved" do not "go to heaven" at the end of time, and "the lost" do not "go to hell" for eternity, one needs to know the true "scriptural definition" concerning them, as follows:

The Hebrew word for HELL is SHEOL, meaning (THE) GRAVE. It refers to THE PLACE WHERE ALL DEPARTED SPIRITS GO, BE THEY "SAVED SPIRITS" OR "LOST SPIRITS"; AWAITING THE TWO END TIME RESURRECTIONS, AND THE INESCAPABLE APPEARANCE (of the lost) BEFORE THE FINAL GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF GOD THE FATHER (REV 20:15-21).

The New Testament Greek word HADES is identical to The Old Testament word SHEOL. And as stated earlier, both words refer to (THE) GRAVE, as opposed to the Hebrew word KEBER (which simply refers to "a" grave, which would simply be an earthly tomb, or a common cemetery burial plot). The latter word, KEBER, has no reference at all to "THE GRAVE", which is "THE" ABODE OF ALL DEPARTED SPIRITS. Yes, one must always bear in mind that the Anglo-Saxon word HELL is identical to the Heb word Sheol, or the Greek word Hades. And again, this word solely refers to "THE" TEMPORARY ABODE OF ALL DEAD DEPARTED SPIRITS (BOTH SAVED AND LOST SPIRITS ALIKE), AWAITING THE TWO RESURRECTIONS OF THE SAVED AND THE UNSAVED, separated by The 1, 000 Year Millennial Rule of Christ Jesus, of Luke 1:31-33.

As stated above, the Heb word Sheol, the Greek word Hades, and the English-coined word HELL do not refer TO THE ETERNAL ABODE OF THE SAVED, NOR TO THE ETERNAL ABODE OF THE UNSAVED! The Eternal Abode of The Saved will be that of THE "NEW HEAVEN" AND THE "NEW EARTH" of Rev 21:1. The Eternal Abode of The Unsaved will be that of "THE LAKE OF FIRE", of Rev 20:10, 14, 15, thus disputing the commonly accepted teaching that at the end of time.. The Saved will "go to heaven", and The Lost will "go to Hell".


Q. But does it not say in John 14:2, 3 "IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS: IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME AGAIN, AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO."

A. THE "PLACE" that Christ Jesus returned to heaven TO PREPARE FOR THE SAVED is not A DWELLING PLACE (IN) HEAVEN. It will be THE CITY OF NEW JERUSALEM, described in Rev 21:2-27; i.e., Christ's descended, elevated Holy City, from which He will subdue and rule planet earth for 1, 000 (millenial) years (e.g. Rev 19:11-16). No, Christ does not take all of the resurrected saved saints to heaven, but brings some of them with Him, to join the still-living saved, who would still be residing on planet earth (i.e., at "The Rapture", of 1 Thess 4:13, 17). Following Christ's Millennial reign of precisely 1, 000 years on planet earth (with the saved of both Old and New Jerusalem), the resurrected saved are still not "taken to heaven", following the events set forth in Rev 20:11-15. Instead, they are taken to THE NEWLY CREATED HEAVEN AND EARTH of Rev 21:1, to thereafter dwell therein --for all eternity.


Q. If the foregoing be so, then why does it state in Rev 7:9-14, "AFTER THIS I BEHELD, AND, LO, A GREAT MULTITUDE, WHICH NO MAN COULD NUMBER, OF ALL NATIONS, AND KINDREDS, AND PEOPLE, AND TONGUES, STOOD BEFORE THE THRONE, AND BEFORE THE LAMB, CLOTHED WITH WHITE ROBES, AND PALMS IN THEIR HANDS…AND ONE OF THE ELDERS ANSWERED, SAYING UNTO ME, WHAT ARE THESE WHICH ARE ARRAYED IN WHITE ROBES? AND WHENCE CAME THEY? AND I SAID UNTO HIM, SIR, THOU KNOWEST. AND HE SAID TO ME, THESE ARE THEY WHICH CAME OUT OF GREAT TRIBULATION, AND HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES, AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB."

A. The foregoing "multitudes" are indeed said to appear "in heaven", and "BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD" (see also verse 15). But certain scriptural facts must be known before one may determine WHICH HEAVEN IS IN VIEW in the foregoing verses. This "heaven" is identified as being among the following:

(a). The "terrestrial" heaven. This "heaven" is the circle of life sustaining atmosphere surrounding planet earth. It extends for a very few limited miles above planet earth, and is accessible to man via planes, balloons, etc.

(b). The "celestial" heaven. This "heaven" extends from our "terrestrial" heaven to include the entire (thus far immeasurable) galaxy of solar systems. It, too, is accessible to man.

(c). The "THIRD HEAVEN". This "heaven" was so named by the Apostle Paul, in 2 Cor12:1-6. And in vs. 4, it is also described as "PARADISE". The Apostle Paul states that he was "CAUGHT UP" TO THIS THIRD HEAVEN (in spirit, rather than in body form), AND HEARD UNSPEAKABLE WORDS, WHICH IS NOT LAWFUL FOR A MAN TO UTTER. See also Gal 1:11-12.

Note: According to Rev 2:7 (compare Rev 22:2 and 14), the "tree of life" (which is in the Garden of Eden, according to Gen. 3:24) is in the midst of this "PARADISE OF GOD". Thus, the foregoing "THIRD HEAVEN" (or "PARADISE") is identified as THE GARDEN OF EDEN, PARADISE OF GOD, which was PRESERVED BY GOD, AT GEN 3:22-24! This "PARADISE OF GOD" was then removed TO THE HEART OF THE EARTH, AS THE (SAVED) COMPARTMENT OF SHEOL, OR HADES; e.g. Luke 16:19-31. This "heaven" begins where the "celestial" heaven of the entire solar system ends. And being totally spiritual in nature, it is not accessible to man, apart from being placed "in spirit form", as was Paul at 2 Cor 12:1-6.

(d). The "HEAVEN" ABOVE ALL OTHER HEAVENS. This "heaven" is said to be GOD'S EXCLUSIVE DWELLING PLACE, as follows:

Ps 8:1 "O LORD OUR LORD, HOW EXCELLENT IS THY NAME IN ALL THE EARTH! WHO HAST SET THY GLORY ABOVE THE (foregoing) HEAVENS."

Ps 57:5 "BE THOU EXALTED, O GOD, ABOVE THE (3) HEAVENS…".

Job 22:12 "IS NOT GOD IN THE HEIGHT OF HEAVEN? AND BEHOLD THE HEIGHT OF THE STARS, HOW HIGH THEY ARE!" (i.e., the stars would then be far below God's Abode).

Eph 4:10 "HE THAT DESCENDED IS THE SAME ALSO THAT ASCENDED UP FAR ABOVE ALL HEAVENS…"

That no human being has ever been (or will ever be) given access to the foregoing FOURTH HEAVEN, ETERNAL ABODE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, is plainly evident as follows:

John 3:13 "…NO MAN HATH ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN (i.e., the foregoing heaven), BUT HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, EVEN THE SON OF MAN WHICH IS IN HEAVEN (i.e., now in that fourth heaven)."

Note: From all of the foregoing related scriptures, we may doctrinally conclude that "the multitudes" mentioned as appearing BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD in Rev 7:9-17 are the saved, resurrected, Jewish and Gentile MEMBERS OF THE OLD CREATION mentioned in the same context, at Rev 6:9-11. These are not said to be on THE FOURTH HEAVEN level, with Almighty God. Rather, they are located somewhere UNDER THE (FOURTH HEAVEN) ALTAR OF GOD, Rev. 6:9. They are close enough to be visible to God; and are able, in the lower position of THE THIRD HEAVEN, to FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP BEFORE THE "FOURTH HEAVEN" THRONE OF GOD. Why so? Because those same saved persons of Rev 6:9-11, and Rev 7:9-17, are still "disembodied spirits", who will not receive their eternal "glorified bodies" UNTIL they return with Christ Jesus to reign with Him in the Millennium. Without "glorified bodies", no one could ever "stand" in The Actual Presence of Almighty God"! Nor did they, at Rev 7:9-17!.

In Conclusion

At the end of time---

(1). The saved will go to THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH, not "to Heaven".

(2). The lost will go to "THE LAKE OF FIRE"; not to Hell, Sheol, or Hades.

Wellington


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