YEA Lesson Library

The Lesson

What in the world is God doing? Did God plan His creation of human beings to be like the large-mouth bass that lays millions of eggs, most of which will not be fertilized nor hatched, but eaten by minnows or bream? Did God put billions of people on the earth to allow for wastage? Is the God we read about in the Bible the sort of being who would waste real people in their billions to achieve His objectives? At first glance it may seem like it, but read on.

Only a small fraction of the world's population are confessing, practicing Christians. Many are Muslims, Hindus, Shintos, Jews, or atheists who do not believe Jesus Christ is their Savior. Many have never heard the name of Jesus. Acts 4:12 seems to say these people will not receive salvation:

"Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Are those people who have died in hell jumping from one hot coal to another? Would a merciful God consign a person to an ever-burning hellfire who has never heard the name of Jesus and knows nothing about repentance and baptism?

This is a worrisome problem for people whose mates, parents, children, friends, or loved ones have died without repenting of their sins and being baptized. Do you have friends who have died in an automobile accident from driving drunk? Have you lost grandparents or relatives who didn't measure up to the scriptural requirements for salvation? Have you worried about what will happen to them in the end? What about babies who died before they were able to even say "Jesus"? Have you just assumed God would take care of them, but haven't understood how He plans to do this? These answers have an enormous impact on most of the people who have lived.

The fascinating answer lies in understanding what the Last Great Day pictures. The hope that lies in the meaning will help you to truly rejoice in God's love and mercy. You will see how it is a Great Day! Understanding that God is a God of love, mercy, and justice is where we begin. Exploring His plan that is depicted in the holy days makes these characteristics of God more vivid and understandable. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 says, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” This seems to say that God has a plan with no intentions of creating mankind with wastage.

But was Timothy speaking of universal salvation, where every last person will be saved regardless of how he lives his life? I think not. The term "all men" is speaking generally, and not of universal salvation. Revelation 21:8 says: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and the murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." This makes it clear that there are people who won't make it into God's Kingdom.

Every holy day pictures part of God's plan and is entirely relevant to the Christian faith. God not only desires that all men be saved, He lays out an intriguing plan to accomplish this that is revealed in the holy days of the Bible.

The Feast of Trumpets' lessons have taught us that, at Christ's return, the dead in Christ will be raised and Christians who are alive will meet Him in the air to live and reign with Him for a thousand years on this earth. The Book of Revelation is a vision John had with a time sequence from the first resurrection to the end of the Millennium. Where does this vision lead?

Since John speaks of "the first resurrection" wouldn't you agree there must be another one? Revelation 20:5 sheds light on this by saying, "But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished." This takes us to Revelation 20:11-12: "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. .." What is the Book of Life? When a dead person stands, wouldn't that mean he is resurrected back to life?

The Book of Life is the book in which the names of the saints and all those in Christ are written. Everyone whose name is in the Book will be raised in the first resurrection. So, why will this Book of Life be opened again in the second resurrection? To make new entries? Who will be those new entries? In Ezekiel 37 God told Ezekiel to prophecy to very dry bones and to "hear the word of the Lord!” Breath will come to these bones and they will be covered with skin. The bones begin to rattle and come together. They come to life and stand up - - a vast army! Who are they? The whole house of Israel who were in their graves. They will be converted. God will give them His Spirit and take them back to their own land. This is a loving, merciful God who will give babies, and those who died never having had a chance for salvation, the opportunity to be resurrected to life, to know and obey God, and have their names written in the Book of Life. What an awesome God! Is your name in the Book of Life? If not, it should be or you could miss out on 1000 years of being with Christ, your friends, and family.

This is only a portion of the meaning of the Last Great Day. It contains enormous hope and has such beautiful, satisfying meaning. Please call -1 888-BIBLE-44 to order The Thread, God's Appointments With History and read it from cover to cover. You will find God's plan, pictured in the holy days, so fascinating, so intriguing, and so enlightening.