UNBELIEVERS

For the non-believing world, the end of one’s earthly life and beginning of life in eternity will be unimaginably horrible.

Jesus warned:

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

The rich man in hell cried out in his misery:

“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame’” (Luke 16:24).

“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment’” (Luke 16:27-28).

What a waste that the door stands open and so many refuse to enter in. Jesus said:

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9).

Glory to God for those of us who have been saved, but our one desire is that others may come to Jesus and be saved also. It is so much sweeter to enjoy His love now and in eternity than to face His judgment in eternity.

BELIEVERS

Stepping into eternity is an event every Christian looks forward to, especially those who are suffering in some way.

When the last breath leaves our body while on this earth, we will see the face of God in Jesus Christ. This is the same Jesus who left His home in Heaven for a time and came to earth to pay our sin debt and provide the only path to God. He walked the streets of Galilee, and He prayed for us in the garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives (John 17:20-26). This is the same Jesus who the angels told His disciples:

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

If I may emphasize one more point; this is the same Jesus as revealed in the book of Revelation.

“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:12-18).

This very same Jesus we see in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and also in the book of Acts, is the same Jesus we see throughout the Bible (Old and New Testament), including the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the last book of the Bible.

In Psalms 22 and Isaiah 53, is Jesus our Savior upon the cross of Calvary paying our sin-debt. In Matthew 28 our Savior rose from the grave just as He said He would. In John 20 He appears to Mary Magdalene and His disciples.

In Genesis 1 He spoke everything into existence. In Genesis 3:15 He announces Satan’s fate. In Genesis 6 He told Noah He was bringing a world-wide flood and to build an ark. In Genesis 12 He births the Jewish nation of Israel from a man He called Abraham.

In Exodus 3 He calls a man named Moses to deliver His people from Egypt. In 1 Samuel 16 He called a young shepherd boy named David to be king over Israel. In Daniel 3 He was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace.

This is just a small sampling of Jesus at work throughout His written word, the Bible. His greatest missionary, the apostle Paul, wrote most of the New Testament as inspired by God’s Spirit, as did the other writers of the Old and New Testaments. The Bible, in its entirety, is about Jesus, the very same one we will see when we are welcomed into Heaven and eternity.

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He [Jesus] expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27; insert mine).

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15-16).

Our seeing Him will be our greatest reward of all, but there are more wonderful ‘surprises’ ahead, thanks to Him.

For all those who belong to God, there will be no more bodies riddled with diseases … not even a bad cold. In our new bodies, there will be no pain. The blind on earth will see in Heaven. The deaf on earth will hear in Heaven. Those without limbs will be whole in Heaven. There will be no blemishes in our new bodies, not even a pimple. Again, our new bodies will be perfect in every way. Yet, there is more. It just keeps getting better.

We will have no hate within us. There will be nothing but love in our hearts. Envy and jealousy will be like the DoDo bird … extinct, non-existent. There will be no sorrow within us and no fear. Every day will be a Friday instead of a Monday (those who dread Monday but long for Friday will understand). Think on this: no sinful thoughts of any kind. Now don’t say you don’t have them anyway. We all have sinful thoughts here on earth, but we will entertain none in Heaven.

Those who have died with disease-riddled bodies will one second later be with Jesus and completely healed, never to suffer again. Victims of car wrecks, murder, war and accidents will be whole in Heaven, with a new body. Those whose body and mind were ravaged by Alzheimer’s will have a clear mind and a new body.

There are those who say this is only a pipe dream. We are called gullible daydreamers, but the gullible are those who believe the lies of the son of darkness … Satan. Satan is a liar. The Son of God is not.

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).

“And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not” (John 8:45).

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

I haven’t mentioned a tenth of a percent of the problems we have while upon this earth. Our bodies, our minds and our very souls are under constant attack from the results of sin that came upon all mankind, but none … I repeat, NONE … of this will exist in Heaven with our Lord and Savior. Any who will just put all their trust in Jesus can be blessed by His very presence and all He provides for us in eternity.

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com

Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html

“Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water.

“When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”). Then the people complained and turned against Moses. ‘What are we going to drink?’ they demanded. So Moses cried out to the LORD for help, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink. It was there at Marah that the LORD set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him.

“He said, ‘If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you.’

“After leaving Marah, the Israelites traveled on to the oasis of Elim, where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the water” (Exodus 15:22-27).

Water is your best friend. I’ve heard my wife and daughter say those very words more than once, and it’s true … water is your best friend, physically and spiritually.

I didn’t used to care much for water. I preferred to drink a certain diet cola after I left it sitting in the refrigerator … opened … for at least a day. I know it sounds terrible, but I like the acquired taste. There’s no fizz, so it’s not as bad on your stomach, and it does taste good … to me.

When my doctor said I need to cut way back on this bad habit (4-6 per day) and drink water instead, I made an adjustment. I now drink one of these in the morning and the rest of the day I drink several glasses of ice water. I’ve actually grown to like water with ice … not so much without ice.

If I’m outside working in the hot sun, nothing satisfies like water; not a cola, not tea or anything else, just cool water.

Now why am I rambling on about all this? Merely to make a point. Our body knows it needs water, lots of it. When we listen to it (our body), we are much healthier and there is even a bonus; our skin is not as wrinkled, so they say anyway. (Just thought I would throw that in, especially for the ladies.)

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, several thousand people got thirsty in that desert region quickly. I’ve read anywhere from about 600,000 to 2.4 million. Either way you cut it, that’s a bunch of thirsty Israelites. Here’s the thing. There was more than just physical thirst involved here.

From the constant belly-aching, nagging, whining and threats that Moses had to deal with throughout the trip, it is obvious Israel had forgotten God, except for wanting Him to pull their butts out of the fire – in slavery in Egypt, when they were thirsty, when Pharaoh came after them, when they were hungry, and ad infinitum.

Here at Marah they thought their problem was physical thirst, but their real problem was a lack of spiritual thirst. They were thirsty for H2O, but they didn’t have a thirst for God, other than wanting Him to appease their discomfort. One of their own, the apostle Paul, said many years later:

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).

That’s a far cry from the belly-aching Moses had to deal with from Paul’s ancestors. When reading the book of Exodus, I always scratch my head (figuratively) and say something like, “What’s wrong with these idiots?” Over and over again they show their desire for the earthly things but no desire for spiritual things. Finally, it came down to only Joshua and Caleb (and their families) of that generation being allowed to enter the Promised Land. All the others died off during 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, just going around in circles. When the 40 years were up, their children were allowed to enter the land their parents never saw.

I believe we have reached that plateau of ignorance in our day. There is no thirst for the spiritual. Oh, you betcha, we cling to what the world has to offer but have no room for God … unless we’re sick, broke, jobless, dying, or whatever. We’re just going around in circles like the wandering Israelites in the desert.

The Bible tells us that just before Christ’s return there will be a great apostasy.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

“Falling away” is a falling away from the faith which is ‘apostasy.’ How long will the apostasy of our day be allowed to continue before Jesus removes His Church and allows the “man of sin” to come on the scene? I don’t know, but I do believe we are living on borrowed time. Any day Jesus could call out to His bride (the Church), “Come up here.” Millions upon multiplied millions of people are risking their souls for a drop of water offered by the world instead of the Water of the Word, the Son of God, freely given by God.

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isaiah 55:1).

I’ve always loved this verse. It has God’s grace written all over it. Salvation cannot be bought. It is free to all who will come to Jesus Christ to be saved. Jesus paid dearly for it.

“But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins” (Romans 5:15-16).

Grant Phillips

Email: Phillip5769@twc.com

Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com

Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html