Lesson 25

Since the first century when Jesus left, the next big thing most Christians are waiting for, is the return of Jesus. The Bible predicts his return will take place when humanity has reached the end of their time as rulers of the earth. It’s the time the Bible refers to as the day of the Lord. Jesus instructed his followers to pray for his Kingdom to come. That Kingdom will come to earth when Jesus returns, deposes human authority and begins ruling in the Kingdom of God. At the return of Jesus his faithful followers become kings and priests after being resurrected back to life. With Satan still bound in the pit, the rest of the dead, which would be anyone who wasn’t a follower of Jesus and resurrected at his return, are resurrected back to life after the first thousand years of his rule has ended. Those who go to fight the saints from that second mass resurrection are burnt up in a fire from God. This will be the second time they will have died. There is only one group of people at this point that have not yet been brought back to life. These people will refer to Jesus and God as Lord, they have cast out demons and healed the sick in the name of Jesus. They will be surprised to find themselves being condemned for what they have done during their lives. These people who were not truly followers of Jesus, will be rejected by him and thrown into the lake of fire. Having been resurrected back to life into the Great White Throne Judgment, this will be their second and final death. If we deny Jesus experienced a biblically defined death, and resurrection, are we rejecting him as our savior? Can we follow peripheral beliefs that deny our essential ones?

Matthew 7:21-23 King James Version
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Revelation 20:11-15 International Children’s Bible
11 Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. Earth and sky ran away from him and disappeared. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And the book of life was opened. There were also other books opened. The dead were judged by what they had done, which was written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. Each person was judged by what he had done. 14 And Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.