Lesson 23
After Satan is sent to his fiery prison, there is one more resurrection and judgement to take place. This resurrection is for those who were called to Jesus by God, accepted Jesus, but then turned from Jesus and chased after the pleasures of this world. These miscarried Christians are not resurrected when Jesus returns, they will wait in their graves until everyone else has had their opportunity to accept Jesus. Everyone will live twice. Those who faithfully follow Jesus during their first life, will be born into spiritual life when Jesus comes back to rule the earth. The second death will not harm them. Those who resist Satan’s final temptations to sin during their second life, will also be changed into spirit beings like Jesus. They too will be free of a second death. Everyone else rejected their opportunity to accept Jesus and died a second and final time. Now in the third and final resurrection, those who abandoned their saviour will be resurrected to give an account for themselves. Found wanting they will be thrown into the lake of fire and die. Will these failed Christians be surprised to be in this resurrection? What will their reactions be to their sentence?
Hebrews 10:26-31 Easy-to-Read Version
26 If we decide to continue sinning after we have learned the truth, then there is no other sacrifice that will take away sins. 27 If we continue sinning, all that is left for us is a fearful time of waiting for the judgment and the angry fire that will destroy those who live against God. 28 Whoever refused to obey the Law of Moses was found guilty from the testimony given by two or three witnesses. Such people were not forgiven. They were killed. 29 So think how much more punishment people deserve who show their hate for the Son of God—people who show they have no respect for the blood sacrifice that began the new agreement and once made them holy or who insult the Spirit of God’s grace. 30 We know that God said, “I will punish people for the wrongs they do; I will repay them.” And he also said, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a terrible thing to face punishment from the living God.
Luke 9:61-62 English Standard Version
61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Revelation 20:11-15 Holman Christian Standard Bible
11 Then I saw a great white throne and One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. 12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead; all were judged according to their works. 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And anyone not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.