Season 5 Podcast 75 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew 27 E, “Paradise B.”

This week we shall continue our discussion of Paradise.

In the Revelations of John, we are taught that hell comes between death and the resurrection. First of all, we learn that there is a First Resurrection and a Second Resurrection. Those who come forth in the First Resurrection are the just who will reign with Christ during the Millennium.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, 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. (Revelation 20:4)

Those who come forth in the Second Resurrection, or the wicked, must wait at least another thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:5)

Those who come forth in the first resurrection shall reign with Christ during the Millennium.

“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: 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.” (Revelation 20:6)

Those who come forth in the second resurrection must first pay their dues in hell.

“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 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 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.” (Revelation 29:12-14)

At the end of the world Satan and the other sons of perdition will remain in hell forever. For Satan and his angels who were cast out of heaven with him, there, of course, is no resurrection for they never had bodies in the first place.

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 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.” (Revelation 20:10-11)

We do not know who of the posterity of Adam become sons of perdition, but the only way to become a son of perdition is to willfully and openly fight against Christ while knowing that he is the Son of God, the Savior of the World. They would have to knowingly deny or sin against the Holy Ghost. They are very few, but their fate will also be with the other sons of perdition. John continues.

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15)

There is time between death and the resurrection. For example, Christ was the first to be resurrected. Since Adam many thousands have died.  Where did their spirits go when they died?  The Apostle Paul said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are off all men most miserable.” They went to the spirit world where they would be taught about Christ even in the world of the spirits of the dead. One of the reasons Christ went to the spirit world was to open the prisons. Again, we turn to the remarkable visionary Isaiah.