Major Christian Doctrines in the Bible
The controversy surrounding major Christian doctrines is resolved.

Jesus Christ
Dispensation of Grace
Gospel
Indwelling Holy Spirit
Church
Body of Christ
Bride of Christ
End Times
Rapture
Tribulation
Millennium
New Jerusalem

Introduction

The first century Christian church was immediately attacked by the sons of Satan who tried to neutralize the doctrines. The first group was the Judaizers as described by the Apostle Paul. The second major group was the Gnostics who existed in Paul's time but became more influential in the second and third centuries. The Gnostics did more than spread lies and false doctrines like the Judaizers. The Gnostics attempted to destroy the true gospel by distributing copies of the Holy Scriptures with subtle but highly destructive changes. Copies of the corrupted Gnostic text were circulated widely around the Mediterranean area. The most well-known corrupted scriptures are:

Codex Sinaiticus (Sin.) was discovered in the library at the Monastery of St. Catherine at the foot of Mt. Sinai in 1859 by German theologian and Biblical scholar Count Konstantin von Tischendorf (1815-1874). Some of the Old Testament is missing; however, the whole 4th-century New Testament is preserved, with the Letter of Barnabas and most of the Shepherd of Hermas at the end. It was taken to St. Petersburg (Leningrad, Russia) and in 1933 sold by the Soviet regime to the British Museum Library in London for only 100,000 British Pounds Sterling. It is a partial manuscript believed to be dated about 350 A.D. as shown in the table below. Later revisions representing attempts to alter the text to a different standard probably were made about the 6th or 7th century at Caesarea.

Codex Vaticanus (B) was discovered in the Vatican Library, where it remains and is believed to have been since before 1475 A.D. It is a partial manuscript believed to be dated about 300 A.D. as shown in the table below. The New Testament is missing Hebrews from Chapter 9, verse 14, Philemon, and Revelation. The text type is mostly of the Alexandrian group.

Codex Alexandrinus (A) was discovered in the patriarchal library at Alexandria in the seventeenth century and taken to the British Museum Library in London as well. It contains most of the New Testament but with lacunae (gaps) in Matthew, John , and II Corinthians, and also contains the extracanonical books of I and II Clement. In the Gospels the text is of the Byzantine type, but in the rest of the New Testament it is Alexandrian. It is believed to be dated about 450 A.D. as shown in the table below.

Beatty Papyri (P) were made available in the period between 1930 and 1960 from two wealthy book collectors, Chester Beatty and Martin Bodmer. These fragments of papyri were mainly found preserved in the dry sands of Egypt. They are all Alexandrian text type. The various papyri fragments are now located in Dublin, Ireland; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Cologny, Switzerland; Vatican, Rome; and Vienna, Austria. These fragments are partial manuscripts with the Gospel of John 18:31-33 and 18:37-38 (manuscript P52) being the oldest, dating to about 130-140 A.D. P52 is now in the John Rylands Library in Manchester, England. The others are believed to be dated about 200 to 250 A.D. as shown in the table below.

The dating of these manuscripts is possible because in 1895 a German pastor by the name of Adolf Deissmann published a rather innocent-sounding book titled Bible Studies. Deissmann was reading scraps of papyrus found in 2,000-year old Egyptian garbage dumps. These papyri did not contain Scripture but were private letters, business transactions, receipts, and marriage contracts that were dated. The grammar and vocabulary contained in the papyri had unique features which were compared and matched with the undated Scripture papyri.

Gnosticism was an esoteric religious movement that flourished and spread to Egypt during the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. It presented a major challenge to orthodox Christianity. Most Gnostic sects professed Christianity, but their belief sharply diverged from those of the majority of Christians in the early church. It is believed that the Gnostics butchered the Greek text with these 5,000 changes, which are mostly deletions. The Gnostics can be identified because the deletions match their theology. The Gnostics did not believe:

• The virgin birth of Jesus.

• That Jesus was the Son of God.

• That Jesus was resurrected from the dead.

• That Jesus ascended to Heaven.

• That Jesus was the Creator.

• That Jesus removed the sins of all mankind.

History proves that the Greek Textus Receptus or Received Text as edited by Desiderius Erasmus from the Holy Greek Byzantine Manuscripts is the inspired word of God. This work was not a translation, since all of the original manuscripts and the resultant new printed Bible were in the Greek language. Only the King James Version and the New King James Version were translated into English from the Greek Textus Receptus.

The Eastern Greek Church has preserved more than 5,000 Greek copies of our Bible. The Old Testament was translated from Hebrew into Greek and is called the Septuagint. The New Testament Scriptures were originally written in Greek and required no translation. They are referred to as the Byzantine Text or Byzantine Manuscripts. There are a few slight differences among these 5,000 copies. Hundreds of manuscripts have been traced to texts existing at the end of the 2nd century A.D. However, no manuscript even relatively complete in form comes from that period.

Byzantium is the name given to both the state and the culture of the Eastern Roman Empire in the middle ages. Both the state and the inhabitants always called themselves Romans as did most of their neighbors. Western Europeans, who had their own Roman Empire, called them Orientals or Greeks and later, following the example of the great French scholar DuCange, Byzantines, after the former name of the Empire's capital city, Constantinople. The Byzantine Christians have become the current Greek Orthodox Church.

The major doctrines of the Bible were severely neglected and distorted during the Dark Ages (476 AD - 1100 AD), "600 years of degenerate, godless, inhuman behavior." These doctrines are available today only because of the 5,000 Greek manuscripts that survived. Today's Christian churches continue to distort, neglect, and ignore these doctrines.

History of the New Testament Scripture.

The following major doctrines of the Bible are presented as defined in Scripture without influence or changes made by modern-day Christian denominations.

Jesus Christ Was God Manifested in the Flesh

Jesus was conceived in a virgin's womb by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, was God manifested in the flesh, lived a sinless life, and in death on the cross took upon Himself the sins of the whole world. He rose bodily from the grave to give all who believe in His resurrection eternal life with Himself and God the Father in Heaven.

Some Bible teachers attempt to destroy the Deity of Jesus by claiming He gave up His attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence when He came to Earth in the likeness of men. This false teaching originated in the heretical Bible translations such as the New American Standard Bible, American Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, Revised Version, J. N. Darby Version, and Modern Language Bible version. The King James Version and New King James Version as presented below are correct.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, [and] coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to [the] [point] [of] death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Theological Seminaries Are Centers for Higher Brainwashing.

The heretical versions translate verse 7 to read "emptied Himself" in place of "made Himself of no reputation." Jesus did not empty Himself of anything. He "poured" Himself into the likeness of men. He did not pour His Divine attributes onto the ground as claimed by false teachers. He did not have the visual "reputation" of God as stated in Philippians 2:7 above. People could not visually discern that Jesus was God manifested in the flesh. Jesus was God cloaked or veiled in a human body, or as correctly stated in the lyrics of the infamous hymn, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, which reads, "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity." The King James Version and New King James Version both have a very good translation of the Greek Textus Receptus. False teachers quickly grasped the heretical versions to blaspheme God by trying to reduce Jesus' deity to only that of a good, personal, relational, kind, and loving man. The following web pages and book give a full explanation of why Jesus had all of the attributes of God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Kenosis - Christ "emptied Himself" (Philippians 2:7)

The Problematic Translation of "emptied himself" as found in Philippians 2.7

Amazon.com: God, I don't Understand by Kenneth Boa

Hark the Herald Angels Sing - by Charles Wesley

"Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!""

To strip Jesus of His Divine attributes is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of the most serious degree. This constitutes having committed the unpardonable sin for which no one can have eternal life, as clearly explained in Matthew 12:31. To deny Jesus' Godly attributes is contrary to many positive witnesses (verses) such as 2 Timothy 3:16 which clearly states, "Jesus was God manifested in the flesh." Again, the heretical versions translate this verse incorrectly as well in an attempt to strip Jesus of His deity. The heretical versions read, "Jesus was manifested in the flesh," "He was manifested in the flesh," or "Who was manifested in the flesh." This is blasphemy. It strips Jesus of His Deity and destroys the most important doctrine in the Bible. Every person is manifested in the flesh. My cat is manifested in the flesh.

Matthew 12:31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy [against] the Spirit will not be forgiven men." 32 "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the [age] to come."

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. (Jesus was God in the flesh in the likeness of a man.)

John 10:30 I and My Father are one.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

John 1:14 The Word (Jesus) became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Colossians 1:15 He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him (Jesus) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Colossians 2:9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Philippians 2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 " If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."

Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, "I AM. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

Ephesians 3:9 The mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ. (Jesus was the Creator.)

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I (Paul) am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe in Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Matthew 1:23 "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call his name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us."

John 20:27 Then He (Jesus) said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Isaiah 43:11 "I (God), even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior. 12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses," Says the LORD, "that I am God. 13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"

Summary: Jesus Christ is Himself God, and He chose to become a man in order to redeem us from our sin (John 1:1-14). Jesus Christ was the Creator (John 1:3, Col 1:15-16, Eph 3:9 and Heb 1:2). God exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. When Jesus said, I AM, he was equating Himself with the God of The Old Testament. The Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemy (Matthew 26:64-65) because he claimed to be God.

In 1 Timothy 1:17, Paul simply couldn't go any further without sounding out this tremendous doxology. Who is "the King eternal?" He is the Lord Jesus Christ. And who is the Lord Jesus? He is "the only wise God." Paul is teaching us that the Lord Jesus was God. Paul considered Him to be God manifest in the flesh, and here he gives this wonderful testimony to that fact.

1 Timothy 1:15 says, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," and in Isaiah 43:11, God says, "besides Me there is no savior."

You cannot believe that Jesus is the Savior unless you also believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Also, see John 4:25-26, 5:18, 8-58, 9-35, 14:9-11, Heb 1:3, 1:8-9, Phil 2:6, Titus 2:13, 2Peter 1:1, Romans 9:5, 1John 5:20, Isaiah 9:6, 44:6, 45:21, Rev 22:8-9, Luke 24:52 and Mark 2:5-10. Jesus has all of the attributes of God because He is God.

Jesus had all of the attributes and power of God the Father while always acting according to the Father's will. Jesus knew everything about the people, both His followers and His enemies. Jesus could read their minds and foreknow their future thoughts and actions. Jesus had command of the elements. He could control gravity by walking on water. He could control the wind. He knew the location of the fish and could create them at will to guide them into the fishermen's nets. Jesus could heal people at a far distance of many miles. Jesus could restore a dead person to life. Jesus could create life with His spoken word just as He had done in the creation of the Earth and the entire Universe.

Matthew 22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, [you] hypocrites?

Mark 2:8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts.

Luke 6:8 But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, "Arise and stand here." And he arose and stood. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?" 10 And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 

Matthew 8:7 And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 "For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this [one], `Go,' and he goes; and to another, `Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, `Do this,' and he does [it]." 10 When Jesus heard [it], He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 "And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 "But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, [so] let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour.

Matthew 14:24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. 25 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

Mark 4:38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

John 11:41 Then they took away the stone [from] [the] [place] where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up [His] eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said [this], that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

John 21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They answered Him, "No." 6 And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find [some]." So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

Luke 9:20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God." 21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day."

God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are at all times in full agreement because they are one God. God is monotheistic. Reducing or diminishing the Divine attributes of Jesus leads to polytheism, a doctrine of two or more gods. Such a false doctrine is that of a cult.

1 Corinthians 8:5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us [there] [is] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom [are] all things, and through whom we [live].

Attributes of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Compare all of the major Bible versions on the following web page:

History of the New Testament Scripture.

Dispensation of Grace

We live in the Dispensation of Grace. Many churches simply ignore or deny the fact that God had dealt differently with mankind in past ages. These churches simply ignore the dispensational doctrine. They mix and stir together everything in the Bible, while applying some of the Scriptures that they like to themselves and ignoring the rest. We can easily see that God's commands given to Adam and Eve do not apply to us today. This was the gospel for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. We call this the Dispensation of Man Innocent. God told them:

Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.

Israel was given the Ten Commandments and told to keep them. Israel offered the blood of bulls and goats as atonement (temporary cleansing) annually for the sins of the people. Israel failed just as Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, and all of the others failed.

Exodus 34:28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. 29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony [were] in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. 32 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.

Numbers 7:11 For the Lord said to Moses, "They shall offer their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar." 12 And the one who offered his offering on the first day [was] Nahshon the son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah. 13 His offering [was] one silver platter, the weight of which [was] one hundred and thirty [shekels], and one silver bowl of seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering; 14 one gold pan of ten [shekels], full of incense; 15 one young bull, one ram, and one male lamb in its first year, as a burnt offering; 16 one kid of the goats as a sin offering; 17 and for the sacrifice of peace offerings: two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs in their first year. This [was] the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

The Dispensation of Grace was revealed to the Apostle Paul by the resurrected Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles-- 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what [is] the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly [places], 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

A more detailed description of the many dispensations and the gospel that applied to each can be found on the following web page:

The Seven Dispensations
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
by Dr. C. I. Scofield

Many people believe the Dispensation of Grace began in Acts 2, but this is certainly not correct. The twelve Apostles were teaching faith in Jesus as the Son of God, His resurrection, and requiring obedience to the Law and circumcision in Acts 2. Other Bible teachers called "ultra dispensationalists" falsely claim that the Dispensation of Grace began later in Acts 28. The late Acts claim is certainly flawed because the Apostle Paul had converted many Gentiles to the faith without the requirement of the Law or circumcision for several years prior to that.

The Dispensation of Grace began with the conversion of Saul of Tarsus whom Jesus renamed Paul as described in Acts 9. The true beginning was the revelation given by the resurrected Christ Jesus to the Apostle Paul during a period when Paul went from Damascus to the desert. He wrote that he "went to Arabia."

Acts 9:3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It [is] hard for you to kick against the goads." 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord [said] to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." 7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought [him] into Damascus.

Galatians 1:11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught [it], but [it] [came] through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called [me] through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those [who] [were] apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.

Gospel

The gospel in the Dispensation of Grace is different from the gospel in each of the other dispensations. God's requirements for obedience differ in each dispensation. The Dispensation of Law began with Moses. The gospel was to believe in God and keep His commandments. Jesus preached the same before His crucifixion because His earthly ministry was in the Dispensation of Law. Jesus recited some of the Ten Commandments as requirements, but certainly all of them were requirements.

Exodus 15:26 and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I [am] the Lord who heals you.

Matthew 19:17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one [is] good but One, [that] [is], God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, " `You shall not murder,' `You shall not commit adultery,' `You shall not steal,' `You shall not bear false witness,' 19 `Honor your father and [your] mother,' and, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "

Most Christian churches teach a "do good" gospel. They teach that we must be righteous and do good. They say we must keep the Ten Commandments and Jesus' commandments in order to go to Heaven. They quote Jesus from the New Testament and David from the Old Testament book of Psalms chapter 119. This teaching is actually contrary to the Bible. The Bible does not say a person can go to Heaven if he is good or keeps the commandments. In fact, the Bible teaches much differently. We are told in the Bible that the Law was given to lead us to Christ. The Law was not given to make us righteous. The Law was given to reveal sin in our hearts. The Law was a curse before Jesus came because it made the people believe they could get to Heaven by works. It showed the people that they were sinful because no one can keep the entire Law. The Law brings death, not life eternal. A person who is true to his heart should realize that he cannot keep the Law. Pride and arrogance is in the heart of him who thinks he can become righteous before God by keeping the Law.

Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God [is] evident, for "the just shall live by faith." 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor [to] [bring] [us] to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Romans 7:9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which [was] to [bring] life, I found to [bring] death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed [me].

The gospel in the present Dispensation of Grace is to "confess the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead." The gospel appears in several books of the Bible which were all written by the Apostle Paul. We are saved by faith without the burden of the Law and without the requirement for male circumcision. "Confess the Lord Jesus" means to openly or in a prayer to God express faith that Jesus was conceived in a virgin's womb by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, was God manifested in the flesh, lived a sinless life, and in death on the cross took upon Himself the sins of the whole world. The second part of the gospel which says you must "believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead" means that a person truly believes in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Jesus did not raise Himself as many false teachers claim.

Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name [was] Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored [one], the Lord [is] with you; blessed [are] you among women!" 29 But when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." 34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "[The] Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

Luke 2:4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth";

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Mark 16:4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away--for it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

1 Peter 1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

We are called upon in the Bible to repent from unbelief and turn to God in faith. Jesus said, "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." The Apostle Peter wrote to the Church, "The Lord is not slack concerning [His] promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

Luke 15:7 "I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning [His] promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Salvation is by faith in the resurrection of Jesus, not simply believing your sins have been forgiven. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:11-22, " And if Christ is not risen, your faith [is] futile; you are still in your sins!" Paul is telling us that Jesus would not have been the Son of God without the resurrection, and His death on the cross would not have been sufficient for the forgiveness of the sins of the whole world. Indeed, one must believe in the resurrection of Jesus as the Son of God in order to receive eternal salvation. Faith in the resurrection of Jesus is the gospel in this Dispensation of Grace.

Matthew 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first [day] of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead [men]. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you." 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go [and] tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

1 Corinthians 15:11 Therefore, whether [it] [was] I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching [is] empty and your faith [is] also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if [the] dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith [is] futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, [and] has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man [came] death, by Man also [came] the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. 11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:25 (Jesus Christ) Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (resurrection).

Romans 10:9 If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Scripture does not teach that salvation is accomplished by having one's sins forgiven. Most Christian churches teach the false doctrine of effectual forgiveness. They teach that sins are not forgiven until one believes Jesus died for his sins. They falsely believe that having one's sins forgiven equates to being saved. The effectual forgiveness doctrine is not in the Bible. Actually the Bible teaches just the opposite. While we were enemies of God (meaning unsaved) we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. It does not require faith to be reconciled to God as many churches falsely teach. Reconciliation does not mean one is saved as these churches teach. It means the enmity between man and God as a result of Adam's transgression has been reversed, and the sins of the whole world have been forgiven. We are saved by sincere faith in the bodily resurrection of Jesus. We are spiritually baptized with the filling of the Holy Spirit upon our salvation to eternal life as a child of God.

Romans 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (His resurrection).

Are the Sins of All Mankind Forgiven?
Universal Reconciliation is True, but
Universal Salvation is False.

In Romans 4:25 we see the separation between the forgiveness of sins and salvation. Jesus was delivered up and crucified for the forgiveness of our sins, and He was raised from the dead to provide the way of salvation. The only sin which has not been forgiven is the sin of unbelief in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. Some have called this the "unpardonable sin." The denial of Jesus Christ is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit for which there is no forgiveness.

Mark 3:28 " Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;" 29 "but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation"-- 30 because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."

Matthew 12:31 " Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy [against] the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the [age] to come.

Many churches teach Romans 10:13 as the gospel, "For 'whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'" This verse is a summation of the gospel as presented in Romans 10:9 above but should not be presented as the gospel.

Unfortunately, most "Christian" churches have one or more false doctrines they hold above the gospel or in place of the gospel that they defend vehemently (heatedly, violently, fervidly, passionately, hotly, intensely, and vigorously). Any church or church member that teaches that salvation is available only through their church must be lost by definition because the claim shows they do not understand the gospel.

God gives the indwelling Holy Spirit to all who believe the gospel in the current Dispensation of Grace. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit did not occur in any of the previous dispensations. Certainly the Holy Spirit came into the lives of many of God's people, but this was on a temporary basis. King David pleaded with God not to take the Holy Spirit from him. King David is an example which shows that a permanent indwelling was not common.

Psalms 51:11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me [by] [Your] generous Spirit. 13 [Then] I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. 14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, [And] my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb. We can assume that his filling continued.

Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 "And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

Jesus told his disciples that He was going away (death and resurrection), but He would send a "Helper." We know from Scripture that the "Helper" was the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit given to believers at the moment of salvation.

John 15:26 " But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

Later, on the same day as His resurrection, Jesus entered the room through closed doors where the disciples were discussing His resurrection. The women who had visited His tomb and were told by an angel that He had risen were explaining their experience to the others. After Jesus entered, He breathed on [them], and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This was the exact fulfillment of Jesus' promise to send a "Helper." It was the beginning of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the saints.

John 20:1 Now on the first [day] of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw [that] the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying [there]; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying [there], 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

John 20:19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace [be] with you." 20 When He had said this, He showed them [His] hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on [them], and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

The people did not speak in other tongues on Resurrection Day when Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit. The revealing of the indwelling Holy Spirit with great power and astonishment occurred in Acts 2, but this was after Jesus breathed on the disciples and gave them the Holy Spirit. Pentecost was the revealing of the power and majesty of the Holy Spirit. It was not the beginning of the indwelling Holy Spirit in the saints. The Holy Spirit was given in John 20:22.

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and [one] sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 "And how [is] [it] [that] we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?

Speaking in tongues and performing healing miracles are not evidence for salvation or the indwelling Holy Spirit. Satan and his agents can do those things. Rightly dividing the word of truth is evidence of possession of the Holy Spirit. Satan and his agents always twist Scripture.

The Holy Spirit was also revealed to the believing uncircumcised Gentiles who were not bound by the Law or circumcision. The indwelling Holy Spirit was a gift from God as promised by Jesus. The Holy Spirit is never poured out on the unbeliever as falsely taught by John Calvin.

Calvinism - The False Doctrines of the "Pope" of Geneva.

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

The Apostle Paul instructed the Gentile believers to "walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." This is not a lawful commandment like the Ten Commandments but rather sound doctrinal advice for believers in the Dispensation of Grace.

Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told [you] in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The indwelling Holy Spirit produces "fruit of the Spirit" that was not possible under the Law.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those [who] [are] Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

The indwelling Holy Spirit is one of the "Great Bible Mysteries" that was not foretold or prophesied in the Old Testament.

The Great Bible Mystery.

Mystery No. 2 - The Holy Spirit Divine Indwelling of Christ in the Believer

The second part of the mystery was the filling of believers with the Holy Spirit. This is often referred to as having "Christ in you," being "in Christ," or "Christ lives in me."

Colossians 1:24-27 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the MYSTERY which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this MYSTERY among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the [life] which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness [comes] through the law, then Christ died in vain."

Acts 10:44-45 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

Church

The word "Church" in the Bible does not refer to a particular Christian denomination or a building on the street corner with a cross on the front. The "Church" consists of past and present true believers in Jesus Christ from the original foundation of the Church as described below to the present and future days ending at the Rapture. Most dispensationalists tend to make the "Church Age" identical to the Dispensation of Grace, but it certainly is not. Other Bible teachers and denominations place the beginning of the Church at the "Day of Pentecost," but this is not true either. Certainly the Church already existed prior to Act 2 because Jesus told His disciples to "tell it to the church" in Matthew 18:17 prior to His death and resurrection.

Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" 14 So they said, "Some [say] John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed [this] to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 18:15 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother." 16 "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that `by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' 17 "And if he refuses to hear them, tell [it] to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector."

Acts 2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. 

Jesus referred to the coming Church prior to His crucifixion. The most likely beginning of the Church which Jesus promised to Peter occurred on the same day as Jesus' resurrection. The disciples were meeting after the resurrection, and Jesus entered through a closed door. Jesus said to them, "Peace to you! As the Father sent Me, I also send you." This instance was the beginning of the Church. Every living believer at this moment and every believer since has become a member of Jesus' Church. Followers and believers in Jesus who died during His earthly ministry are in the "Body of Christ" but not in the Church. A good example is John the Baptist.

John 20:19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace [be] with you." 20 When He had said this, He showed them [His] hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on [them], and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

Body of Christ

The "Body of Christ" is more than the Church. It is all those who have believed in Jesus Christ as the Almighty God who humbled Himself in human flesh as the Son of God. Pastors and Bible teachers who claim the Body of Christ and the Church are one in the same have failed to "rightly divide the Word of Truth."

John 10:30 I and My Father are one.

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

John 1:14 The Word (Jesus) became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Colossians 1:15-16 He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him (Jesus) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Colossians 2:9-10 For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God also highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."

John 14:6-7 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."

Mark 14:62 And Jesus said, "I AM. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." JOHN 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. (Jesus was God in the flesh in the likeness of a man.)

Ephesians 3:9 The mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ. (Jesus was the Creator.)

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the first person in the "Body of Christ." She was the first to know about the coming Son of God, and she believed.

Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name [was] Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored [one], the Lord [is] with you; blessed [are] you among women!" 29 But when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 "And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." 34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" 35 And the angel answered and said to her, "[The] Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 "For with God nothing will be impossible." 38 Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Mary's cousin Elizabeth was the second person to enter into the "Body of Christ" because she also believed when told. Her baby in the womb, John the Baptist, was the third person in the Body of Christ for he leaped with joy in the womb upon hearing the good news. Elizabeth's husband, Zacharias, was most likely the fourth person to enter into the "Body of Christ" after he was filled with the Holy Spirit and believed.

Luke 1:39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed [are] you among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb!

Luke 1:67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68 "Blessed [is] the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, 70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who [have] [been] since the world began, 71 That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, 72 To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, 73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: 74 To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; 79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."

Joseph, to whom Mary was betrothed, entered into the 'Body of Christ" when he was told and believed that Mary had conceived a child by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." 24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

All of Jesus' disciples and the twelve Apostles (not counting the one who betrayed Him, Judas Iscariot), Mary Magdalene, and the other women among them entered into the "Body of Christ" upon their faith in Jesus as the Son of the Living God. People who did not believe in Jesus during His earthly ministry could come into the "Body of Christ" upon believing Jesus was the Son of the Living God and faith in His resurrection. The "Body of Christ" continues to increase to this day as people hear the gospel and believe.

Thomas was doubtful of the resurrection of Jesus. This doubt nearly sent Thomas to an eternal Hell in the "Lake of Fire." Jesus said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand [here], and put [it] into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas did as Jesus asked and replied, "My Lord and my God!" Thomas was saved, but he also received a severe scolding from Jesus for his doubtfulness. Jesus said, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed [are] those who have not seen and [yet] have believed." This is a harsh warning to the doubter and unbeliever, who should not expect a personal visit from the resurrected Jesus Christ as evidence.

John 20:25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" 27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand [here], and put [it] into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed [are] those who have not seen and [yet] have believed."

Some pastors and Bible teachers who are generally dispensational in their theology say the twelve Apostles are not a part of the "Body of Christ." These false teachers claim the twelve Apostles will be judging Israel during the Dispensation of the Fullness of the Times. This is incorrect. Many false teachers like to use the phrase "rightly dividing the Word of Truth," but they are "wrongly butchering the Word of Truth." These teachers falsely believe a sinful Israel will require judgment during the Dispensation of the Fullness of the Times, but it will not. During His earthly ministry, Jesus proclaimed the establishment of the Kingdom of God in Israel where He would be her King. He sent the twelve Apostles to the lost sheep of the house of Israel but instructed them not to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5-6). The Kingdom of God was not established at that time because the people crucified the King (Jesus). Therefore, the twelve Apostles were denied the opportunity to judge Israel as stated in Matthew 19:27. After Jesus' resurrection, He again proclaimed the Kingdom of God would be established in Israel. He told the Apostles, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." John 20:21. Again He was rejected, and the Kingdom of God could not be established in Israel. The twelve Apostles were denied the second opportunity to judge Israel. The heresy that the twelve Apostles are not included in the "Body of Christ" is troubling, since it entails such extreme twisting and denial of Scripture. It is inconceivable that these false teachers could be filled with the Holy Spirit while at the same time being blind to the truth.

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 "But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 "And as you go, preach, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8 "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 "Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 "nor bag for [your] journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 "Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 "And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 "If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 "And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 "Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

Matthew 19:23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 "And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When His disciples heard [it], they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at [them] and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?" 28 So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

John 20:19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace [be] with you." 20 When He had said this, He showed them [His] hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on [them], and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

Revelation 21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light [was] like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are [the] [names] of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 

Bride of Christ

The "Bride of Christ" is more than the "Body of Christ." The "Bride of Christ" includes the "Body of Christ" and saints from the Old Testament who were resurrected soon after Jesus' resurrection. This doctrine is presented with such clarity that it seems troublesome that anyone would disagree; yet many pastors and Bible teachers equate the Church, Body of Christ, and Bride of Christ as all the same. They certainly are not.

The Old Testament saints did not go immediately to Heaven upon their deaths because their sins had not been forgiven. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the whole world, including the sins of the Old Testament saints, pagans, and sinners. Jesus died for everyone. After Jesus' resurrection all of the Old Testament saints were raised. Some of them appeared in Jerusalem before going to Heaven where they await to become a part of the "Bride of Christ."

Are the Sins of All Mankind Forgiven?
Universal Reconciliation is True, but
Universal Salvation is False.

Matthew 27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Revelation 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them [and] [be] their God. 4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." 6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Revelation 21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light [was] like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are [the] [names] of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The joining of the "Bride of Christ" and Christ Jesus is called "the marriage of the Lamb" in Scripture.

Revelation 19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, "Write: `Blessed [are] those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

The one hundred and forty-four thousand saved out of Israel during the Tribulation will not be a part of the "Bride of Christ." They have a special dressing in robes of white and a special duty. Jesus Christ will assemble the "Bride of Christ" at the Rapture.

Revelation 7:2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred [and] forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel [were] sealed: 5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand [were] sealed; 6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand [were] sealed; 7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand [were] sealed; 8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand [were] sealed. 9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation [belongs] to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, [Be] to our God forever and ever. Amen." 13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" 14 And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.

End Times

The Apostle Paul mentioned the Dispensation of the Fullness of the Times in Ephesians 1:10. Modern theologians generally refer to these prophecies as "End Times" events rather than "Fullness of the Times" events. The phrase "end times" is not in the Bible but by the discussion we can safely surmise that they are generally talking about the same prophesy events. Many books, website, and television programs deal exclusively with end times prophecies.

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him.

The Dispensation of the Fullness of the Times begins with the Rapture, continues through the Tribulation and great Tribulation, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the Millennium, the Battle of Armageddon, the New Earth and New Jerusalem, and continues forever. More detailed studies of these events are list below. End times prophecies in books, websites, and on television programs are wrought with false statements contradicting clearly written details presented in numerous Scripture verses. There may be many reasons for these heretical teachings, but the most common deviation appears to be the protection of the Jewish people from the harsh prophecies presented in Scripture. Most Christians have believed these heretical teachings all of their lives, so you may quickly reject and dismiss the information below. I strongly advise you to study the referenced Scripture carefully rather than simply reject this information based on what you have heard someone say in the past. You may find the conclusions shocking even though they come directly from the Bible.

The Dispensation of the Fullness of the Times begins after Dispensation of Grace in which we are living today. The chronological listing of major end time events are:

• Rapture of the Church

• Tribulation for 3 1/2 years (forty and two months)

• Antichrist (Beast) reveals himself and proclaims himself to be God

• Great Tribulation for 3 1/2 years (forty and two months)

• Antichrist (Beast) and the False Prophet will be thrown into the Lake of Fire

• Satan (Devil) will be locked in the Bottomless Pit for a thousand years and a seal will be placed to prevent his escape

• Second Coming of Jesus Christ with the Saints will descend from Heaven to the Holy Land and Holy City, Jerusalem

• Christ will marry the Saints who are also called the "Bride of Christ"

• Millennium reign of Christ with the Saints for 1000 years

• Righteousness will engulf the earth because Satan will not be lose to deceive mankind (Revelation 20:3)

• Satan will be released from the Bottomless Pit at the end of the Millennium for a little while to deceive the nations

• The nations of the world along with the dispersed Jewish people will gather to make war against Christ and the Saints

• Battle of Armageddon will occur in which God destroys all the enemies of Christ and the Saints

• Satan will be thrown into the Lake of Fire to remain there for eternity

• Great White Throne judgment will occur in which everyone whose name in not in the Lambs Book of Life will be thrown into the Lake of Fire

• God will creates the New Jerusalem in the heavens where the Saints will live with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit forever

The Book of Daniel contains prophecies about the crucifiction of Jesus Christ and end times events. The chronological graph produced by Clarence Larkin presents the best interpretation including the supporting Scripture references; however, the Book of Revelation gives more details about end time events. One week in prophecy equals seven earthly years and one earthly year equals 360 earthly days, not 365 days.

Click here to see Daniel's Seventy Weeks graph in full scale.

The length of the gap between Daniel's 69 weeks and the final one week is an unknown period in which we live today. Daniel's sixty nine weeks ended with the crucifiction of Jesus and the seventh week will begin with the rapture of the faithful dead and the Jesus Christ's living church. Some teachers claim that the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. was the tribulation but this certainly does not match with the events in the Book of Revelation and many versus in the Book of Daniel. However, Daniel did prophesy about the coming destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. in Daniel 9:26.

Daniel 9:26 "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it [shall] [be] with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined."

Some false teachers claim the twelve Apostles will judge Israel (Jewish people) in the New Jerusalem during the Dispensation of the Fullness of the Times. This doctrine is false because Jewish people will not be in the New Jerusalem during this period and the New Jerusalem will be in space, not in Israel. There will not be any sinful people in the New Jerusalem who require judgment because "there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles." (Revelation 21:27) Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be there. There will be no need for judgments because all judgments have already been decided and executed. The New Jerusalem will contain God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son,  Holy Spirit, Saints comprising the "Bride of Christ," and the one hundred forty-four thousand saved out of Israel during the Tribulation. The twelve Apostles will not be judging anyone because Israel was "broken off" as a result of unbelief. God then turned to the Gentiles with the gospel of grace. The Jewish people who become believers are being grafted in again by faith in Jesus Christ, but this grafting will end with the Rapture. Many false teachers claim God will raise up Israel in the "last days" and will restore Israel to leadership of the world. This is not true. The claim has no Scriptural basis.

Revelation 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him.

Romans 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy [those] [who] [are] my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away [is] the reconciling of the world, what [will] their acceptance [be] but life from the dead? 16 For if the firstfruit [is] holy, the lump [is] also [holy]; and if the root [is] holy, so [are] the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, [remember] [that] you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." 20 Well [said]. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.

Revelation 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is [the] Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then [I] [saw] the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received [his] mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy [is] he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Romans 11:26 below does not mean that everyone in Israel will be saved in the End Times as many Bible teachers claim. It means that Jesus Christ (Deliverer) came out of Israel to give all in Israel the opportunity to be saved during His earthly ministry, but Israel rejected Jesus in their blindness. So God turned to the Gentiles with the offer of salvation by faith without works, which is described in Scripture as a part of the "Mystery."

Romans 11:25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this [is] My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."

Many Bible teachers falsely claim that covenants and promises made to the ancient nation of Israel are everlasting. This is not true. God's promises are always conditional as He states in 1 Kings 9:4-7. He can also change his mind at any time as He did about the destruction of Nineveh in Jonah 3:2-9.

1 Kings 9:4 "Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, [and] if you keep My statutes and My judgments, 5 "then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, `You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.' 6 "[But] if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments [and] My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 "then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

Jonah 3:2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you." 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey [in] [extent]. 4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" 5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6 Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered [himself] with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused [it] to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who can tell [if] God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? 10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

Rapture

The Rapture will be the assembly by Christ in the air of the living Church Saints and the Body of Christ Saints who have died. Many pastors and Bible teachers use the phrase "Rapture of the Church." That is technically and theologically wrong. The Rapture will include more Saints than those in the "Church." Some people in the Body of Christ died before the beginning of the Church. They will all be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

Matthew 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 "But as the days of Noah [were], so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 "and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 "Then two [men] will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 "Two [women] [will] [be] grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 "But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

The dead in Christ will rise first. These are people in the Body of Christ who have died such as the Virgin Mary, twelve Apostles (not including the one who betrayed Him, Judas Iscariot), Apostle Paul, John the Baptist, and everyone else. The living members of the Church will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The Scripture is very clear on these points.

The word Rapture does not appear in the Bible. It is derived from the Greek verb, harpazo, meaning "caught up" or "taken away," which translates into the Latin word rapturo from which we get the English word Rapture. The Rapture will occur just prior to the start of the Tribulation. In fact, the Tribulation will begin immediately upon removal of the Saints in the Rapture because the Holy Spirit will also be removed from the earth. The Tribulation will be a seven-year period divided in two 3 1/2-year periods, the first period being the Tribulation and the second period being the Great Tribulation. Chaos will begin immediately after the Rapture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [and] remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. 5:1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others [do], but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and [as] a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Many false teachers claim that the rapture will occur in the middle of the tribulation while other false teachers claim the rapture is after the tribulation. Matthew 24 give us the answer, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." The tribulation will be easily identified by those unfortunate lost souls who must endure this terrible seven years that will kill one third of the world's population. They will be able to count the seven years and know when the end of the tribulation will be. We know the rapture is not at the end of the tribulation, otherwise the event would easily be expected; but the Bible says no one knows when it will occur but God. Do not believe the false doctrines identified as the mid-tribulation rapture or the post-tribulation rapture. We must be ready now as warned in the Scripture.

The Apostle Paul 1 Thessalonians 5:1 "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness." We can see from the text that saved people (sons of the light) will not suffer from the "sudden destruction." Therefore, the rapture will immediately proceed the Tribulation.

Paul also said in 1 Thessalonians 5:9 "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him." This clearly states that believers, the Church, will not suffer the wrath (Tribulation) as many false teachers claim. These verses are very clear and cannot be denied; yet, the false teachers do not quote them nor do they give an explanation. Only 144,000 Jewish believers will be saved out of the Tribulation and Great Tribulation; therefore, the mid-Tribulation rapture theology is wrong. A post-Tribulation theology is wrong because Jesus Christ returns to the Holy Land at the end of the Great Tribulation with the Saints who were previously raptured. The rapture will definitely be a pre-Tribulation event.

Tribulation

The last book in the Bible, Revelation, can be very difficult for the casual reader to understand and is often misunderstood by serious students because the chapters and verses do not flow in a chronological manner. This is similar to a movie where the director inserts flash-backs into the middle of the movie. Revelation must be clearly understood in order to comprehend accurately the End Times prophecies. The seven-year Tribulation period begins immediately after the rapture of the Church. The seven years is divided into two segments of 3 1/2-years each (forty and two months), the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation. Prophecies about the Tribulation often follow verses about the Great Tribulation. Therefore, an in-depth knowledge of the entire Bible is needed to detect the differences.

The Tribulation consisting of God's harsh judgments and deadly catastrophes directed from Heaven upon the Jews in Jerusalem and in the surrounding territories of the Jews. Thus, the Jews must surely occupy the land in the time of the Tribulation. These judgments and destructive miracles of God will not be brought against the whole world nor will they be directed toward any other races, religions, or peoples. God is preparing the land for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ with the Saints from Heaven to occupy the Holy Land for one thousand years, call the Millennium.

The Tribulation will not be a worldwide event because only Israel will be subjected to God's wrath. Details of the Tribulation begin in Revelation Chapter 6:

Revelation 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see." 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. 3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see." 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that [people] should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. 5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine." 7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see." 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. 9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both [the] [number] [of] their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they [were], was completed. 12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

Revelation 11:1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 "But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot [for] forty-two months.

The Great Tribulation is a 3 1/2 year period referred in the Bible as God's wrath. These events are not natural calamities. God is pouring out His wrath upon sinful mankind who have rejected Him and blasphemed His Son, Jesus Christ.

Revelation 7:1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred [and] forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel [were] sealed: 5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand [were] sealed; 6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand [were] sealed; 7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand [were] sealed; 8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand [were] sealed; of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand [were] sealed. 9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation [belongs] to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

Revelation 13:4 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like [the] [feet] [of] a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And [I] [saw] one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who [is] like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.

Many false teachers fall into the trap of assuming that prophesies in the Bible are in chronological order. This is often not the case. These false teachers are taking advantage of this non chronological order to press their false doctrines. This is the case in the Book of Matthew where verse 25:36 will actually occur sometime in the future and before the events in Matthew 24:15. We must be careful and be on guard when listening to these false teachers in sermons, watching videos or movies, and reading books because this false teaching method is rampant. Many people fall for these deceptions. We know that the Rapture comes before the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation because those who are alive at that time could easily predict a mid-Tribulation or post-Tribulation Rapture, but Scripture in Matthew 24:36 above clearly states, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."

The Great Tribulation will be a period of greater destruction on the earth and will begin when the Antichrist (Beast) reveals himself in the new Tribulation Temple (name that I have given to it). In His Olivet Discourse, Jesus referred to this Tribulation Temple:

Matthew 24:15 Therefore when you see the `abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 "Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 "And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 "And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. 23 "Then if anyone says to you, `Look, here [is] the Christ!' or `There!' do not believe [it]. 24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 "See, I have told you beforehand.

The Tribulation Temple does not exist as of the end of 2012. The Christian church as been watching for centuries for this major step in end times prophecy to appear, and perhaps the event is near at hand. Palestinian officials claim that Israel has serious plans to build the temple on the Temple Mount next to the existing Islam Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israel Planning to Build Holy Temple, Claims Palestinian Official

The abomination of desolation refers to the act of the Antichrist in the erection of a false god in the holy place of the temple, or it may refer to a false or wicked sacrifice.

1John 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but [they] [went] [out] that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

The Beast (also called the Antichrist) most likely will be the offspring of a Jewish mother and Arab-Muslim father because he will be accepted by both sides in the Middle East conflicts. The Jewish tradition states that a person who has a Jewish mother is classified as being Jewish. The Antichrist will be acceptable to all until he reveals his true nature, but then it will be too late. The Antichrist will make a covenant with Israel for seven years (one week in Scripture means seven years), but he will break the agreement midway at forty and two months, or 3 1/2 years (Daniel 9:27). The Antichrist commits blasphemy by claiming himself to be God. His blasphemy starts of the Great Tribulation.

Daniel 9:27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate."

Daniel 12:11 "And from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, [there] [shall] [be] one thousand two hundred and ninety days.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that] [Day] [will] [not] [come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains [will] [do] [so] until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the [lawless] [one] is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The Antichrist is also call the First Beast. In Revelation chapter 13 we see another second beast coming up out of the earth who creates an image or idol of the First Beast. All of the people of the earth are forced to worship the image and those who will not worship the image of the beast will be killed. This means that no person who comes to believe in the Lord during the Great Tribulation will survive. All will be killed by the Antichrist.

The Beast is a real person with flesh and blood. The name does not apply to a world system or world economy as often claimed; although, the Beast will rule over a one world government where all nations and rulers will worship the Beast.

Revelation 13:11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted [power] to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

Daniel 8:23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. 24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and [also] the holy people. 25 "Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt [himself] in his heart. He shall destroy many in [their] prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without [human] means.

The Book of Revelation Chapter 16 gives details for the Great Tribulation as the bowl judgments:

Revelation 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth." 2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. 3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead [man]; and every living creature in the sea died. 4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: "You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due." 7 And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous [are] Your judgments." 8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. 10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds. 12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [coming] out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, [which] go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed [is] he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. 17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, [each] [hailstone] about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.

Harlot, Great City, and Babylon

The Bible gives the exact identification of the Harlot, Great City, and Babylon. It is JERUSALEM.

Much debate and assumptions have been made about the Tribulation and Great Tribulation in the Book of Revelation to identify the "Harlot," "Great City," and "Babylon."  These all refer to the same city that is most likely the actual city of Jerusalem, Israel. The key to this understanding concerns the "two witnesses" that were killed and left in the streets of Jerusalem for three days in the city were also our Lord was crucified.

Revelation 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty [and] two months. {leave out: Gr. cast out} 3 And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. {I will give...: or, I will give unto my two witnesses that they may prophesy} 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Revelation 17:5 And on her forehead a name [was] written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

"Zionism and Christianity: Unholy Alliance" full-length film by Ted Pike
This video explains why the Bible says Jerusalem is the Whore and Babylon.
However, the Rapture and End Times doctrine are incorrect in this video.
See the correct End Times in the following web page.
Major Christian Doctrines in the Bible

Many Bible teachers and students fail to grasp the true meaning of the word "Babylon" as used in the New Testament. Babylon is often thought of as being the ancient city of Babylon in the present country of Iraq. The word is incorrectly assume to be literal. Others believe the apostles were referring to Rome because of the evil rulers and persecution of the Christians in Rome, but this understanding does not fit all of the references to Babylon in the New Testament, primarily in the Book of Revelation. Because of the wickedness of the Jews in Jerusalem, crucifiction of Jesus, and persecution of the Christians, the apostles gave Jerusalem the nickname of Babylon. Yes, the apostles were referring to Jerusalem, neither the city in present day Iraq nor Rome. Peter gives us an example:

1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you]. 11 To him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand. 13 The [church that is] at Babylon, elected together with [you], saluteth you; and [so doth] Marcus my son. 14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace [be] with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

God called Jerusalem the sister city of Sodom because of the wickedness of the people in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 16:48 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. 49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw [good].

Only Jerusalem is guilty of killing the prophets, saints, and the righteous.

Matthew 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

During the Great Tribulation the Beast will rule over all of the kings of the earth from Jerusalem.

Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Jerusalem, The "Great City Babylon," will be totally destroyed by God during the Great Tribulation.

Revelation 18:1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury." 4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 "For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 "Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 "In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, `I sit [as] queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.'

Revelation 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Revelation 18:16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

Revelation 18:18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city is] like unto this great city!

Revelation18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

Revelation18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft [he be], shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Revelation 18:8-21 describes the total destruction of the Great City (Great Whore or Babylon) which is Jerusalem.

Revelation 18:8 "Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong [is] the Lord God who judges her. 9 " The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 "standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, `Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.' 11 "And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 "merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 "and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. 14 "The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. 15 "The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 "and saying, `Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 `For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18 "and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, `What [is] like this great city?' 19 "They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, `Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.' 20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and [you] holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!" 21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw [it] into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.

Yes, Israel is the Whore prophesied in Revelation and Jerusalem is "Babylon" or the "Great City" that crucified the prophets and Jesus Christ. Israel has never repented and has become even more wicked by spreading wickedness throughout the world, but judgment will come. God will direct the Tribulation and Great Tribulation directly against Israel and Jerusalem, the Great City - Babylon, and Jerusalem will be totally destroyed by God.

 Revelation Chapters 17, 18, 19, and 20 verses 1-5 provides many additional details about the Great Tribulation. One thing is certain, the nation Israel will be literally destroyed with 144,000 spared because of their faith in Jesus Christ. The Great Tribulation ends with Revelation 20:6 after the destruction of much of the earth and death of a vast majority of the people. The Antichrist (called the Beast in Revelation 16:13, 19:20, and other verses) and the False Prophet will both be cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone (Revelation 19:20 and Daniel 7:11). The "serpent of old" who tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, who is the Devil or Satan, will be bound for a thousand years and cast into the Bottomless Pit where God will shut him up and place a seal upon it to prevent his escape (Revelation 20:1-3).

Revelation 19:20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is [the] Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then [I] [saw] the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received [his] mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy [is] he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Daniel 7:11 "I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.

Will All of the Jewish Citizens of Israel be Saved in the End Times? Absolutely Not!

The simple reading of Romans 11:26 without a close study of the entire chapter has tricked many false teachers into the misinterpreting the Apostle Paul's statement in Romans 11:26. The false teachers claim that "all Israel will be saved" in the End Times. They make this major doctrinal error because they do not study the entire book of Romans.

Romans 11: 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this [is] My covenant with them, When I take away their sins."

We must go back to Roman 9:6 to start our correct interpretation.

Romans 9:6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they [are] not all Israel who [are] of Israel, 7 nor [are] [they] all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called." 8 That is, those who [are] the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

Galatians 3:5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, [does] [He] [do] [it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?-- 6 just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." 7 Therefore know that [only] those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

Paul clearly states that those in Israel who are not saved (children of the flesh) are not children of God. Paul said that "only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham." Paul is telling us that those who believe in Jesus and His resurrection are truly sons of Abraham, not blood descendents. These are spiritual sons. We know that the majority of the Jewish citizens of Israel have rejected God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Only the believers are God's chosen people whom Paul calls "Israel." Paul calls the believers the "Israel of God." The clue to understanding Paul's statement is found in the following versus:

Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy [be] upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

Romans 11:28 Concerning the gospel [they] [are] enemies for your sake, but concerning the election [they] [are] beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God [are] irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

These verses mean that the Gentiles obtained mercy through the offering of the Gospel of Grace because of Israel's disobedience. God cut off Israel because of disobedience and turned to the Gentiles whom He calls His "elect." Through the mercy shown to the Gentiles, Israel has another chance to become children of God by the obedience of faith in the same manner as the Gentiles. All of the Jewish citizens of Israel will not be saved in the End Times. Scripture clearly stays that only 144,000 people in Israel will be saved during the Tribulation.

Jews Hate Jesus Christ and Christians
Jew Hate America

Does Israel Have a Right to Exist?
Absolutely NOT

Millennium

The Millennium (thousand-year reign of Christ) will begin when Jesus Christ and the Christian Saints who had been raptured descend from Heaven to the Holy City, Jerusalem. This will be the "Second Coming" of the Lord or sometimes called "the day of the Lord." Israel will be occupied by Christians (Saints) during the Millennium, not by Jewish people because they will be either killed during the Great Tribulation or will be dispersed. The Holy Land and the Holy City (Jerusalem) will be occupied by the Christian Saints, called His elect in Matthew 24:29, and reigned over by Christ for the thousand years of the Millennium. The Gentile believers, never Israel, are referred to a the "elect."

Matthew 24:29 " Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 "And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Daniel 7:13 "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, [One] like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom [the] [one] Which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 12:12 "Blessed [is] he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. 13 "But you, go [your] [way] till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days."

Satan shall be released from the Bottomless Pit at the end of the Millennium to deceive the world for a little while, and enemies of the Christian Saints and Christ will assemble around about to attack them. These people represent all peoples of the world including the Jews who want to occupy the land again. God will defend the Saints and destroy all those who come to attack in the great Battle of Armageddon. The Jewish people will not exist during the End Times that follow.

Revelation 16:14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, [which] go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed [is] he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. 17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!"

Daniel 7:21 "I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 "until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made [in] [favor] of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

Jesus described the how the Jews would be destroyed and "vineyard" would be given to the Saints in His parable about the vineyard and the vinedressers. The Lord of the Vineyard is God. The vinedressers who were chosen to care for the vineyard are the Jewish people of Israel. The people who heard the parable knew Jesus was talking about them, and they wanted to harm Him. The servants in the parable are righteous prophets. The vineyard would be given to others, meaning those who believe, meaning the Saints.

Mark 12:1 Then He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around [it], dug [a] [place] [for] the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 2 "Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. 3 "And they took [him] and beat him and sent [him] away empty-handed. 4 "Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded [him] in the head, and sent [him] away shamefully treated. 5 "And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. 6 "Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, `They will respect my son.' 7 "But those vinedressers said among themselves, `This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 "So they took him and killed [him] and cast [him] out of the vineyard. 9 "Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. 10 "Have you not even read this Scripture: `The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. 11 This was the Lord's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?" 12 And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.

False teachers claim that Jesus will rule over Israel (meaning the Jews) for one thousand years in a period called the Millennial Reign. Part of this teaching is false. Jesus will come back to the Earth with His Saints after the seven years of tribulation. Jesus and the Saints will descend to the Holy Land where Jesus will reign for a thousand years from the Holy City, Jerusalem. The Holy Land will be occupied by the resurrected Saints as described in Revelation 20:9 below, not by the Jewish people.

Daniel 7:18 `But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.'

These false teachers claim that many enemies of Israel (Jewish people) will gather about to destroy Israel but God will intervene to destroy the enemies in a battle known as the Battle of Armageddon. Much of what they say is false. The false teachers claim that God will rescue the Jewish people in the Battle of Armageddon, but this claim is false. The Christian Saints who will descend from Heaven are those who will be rescued by God. The Jewish people who will be dispersed during the Great Tribulation will be among the great armies of the world, and God will destroy them all. God "cut off" the Jewish people 2,000 years ago because they rejected His Son, Jesus Christ; and God removed the title of the "chosen people" from them. God turned to the Gentiles whom He called the "elect" with the gospel of grace, meaning salvation by faith without the works of the Law (obedience to the Ten Commandments and other commandments). The Jewish race is doomed because of their unbelief.

The Myth of the Chosen People

Are Jews the Chosen People?

Jew World Order Exposed

At the end of the Millennial Reign, Satan will be released for a short time from the Bottomless Pit to deceive the nations again. Satan will organize armies from around the world, including "Gog and Magog," to battle the Saints and Christ. These armies will be instantly devoured by fire sent from Heaven by God. This is clearly described in Revelation 20:7-9 below. Other false teachers claim the Battle of Armageddon will occur after the seven-year tribulation period. Revelation 20:7-9 below easily refutes this claim. The Battle of Armageddon will occur after the Millennium. Noticed that the enemies of Jesus Christ from the "four corners of the earth" will surround the "camp of the Saints." Revelation 20:8-9. These verses tell us that the Christian Saints will occupy the Holy City during the Millennium, not the Jewish people of Israel. Ezekiel 38 and 39  is not prophesy of the Battle of Armageddon as many false teachers claim. Ezekiel was prophesying about the return of Israel from Babylon to the Holy Land and rebuilding the temple. Gog and Magog does not mean Russia as many false teachers claim.

Revelation 20:7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number [is] as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet [are]. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is [the] [Book] of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Gog and Magog According to Historical Scholars as presented on Wikipedia.

False teachers often claim the unbeliever will be judged during the Great White Throne judgment on a sliding scale according to the degree of his sins, but the Bible teaches that God does not give the unbeliever a varying degree of punishment according to his sins. All unbelievers whose names are not in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire. The atheist who managed a orphanage all of his life will receive the exact same punishment as the atheist who was a child mass murderer. God is just. God is not punishing them for their varying degrees of sins. He is punishing them all equally for their rejection of Jesus Christ's substitutionary death and their unbelief in His resurrection.

New Jerusalem

The New Jerusalem will be the place were all Christian Saints will live for eternity as the bride of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. It will descend out of Heaven after the Millennium to an unknown location in space. It will not be on the surface of the Earth and most likely will not be within our Solar System because the light comes from the precious stones of the structure, not from the Sun. The first heaven and first earth will pass away. The Solar system and Earth will not exist at that time.

The size and shape of the New Jerusalem will be cubical 1500 miles (2414 km) in each direction with the inhabitants occupying the entire three dimensional space, not just the surface. The New Jerusalem will be the most magnificent structure that was ever created. Only those Saints whose name were written in the Lamb's Book of Life will occupy the New Jerusalem with the "Tabernacle of God" (Jesus Christ) and God, the Father. Revelation 21:3.

Revelation 21:16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.

1 furlong = 0.125 miles
1 furlong = 201.16800 meters

Revelation 3:12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And [I] [will] [write] [on] [him] My new name.

Revelation 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them [and] [be] their God. 4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." 6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light [was] like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are [the] [names] of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred [and] forty-four cubits, [according] to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was [of] jasper; and the city [was] pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city [were] adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation [was] jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates [were] twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city [was] pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb [is] its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, [was] the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each [tree] yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name [shall] [be] on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. 6 Then he said to me, "These words [are] faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. 7 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed [is] he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

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False Doctrines of the "Pope" of Geneva

What Love Is This?
Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God by Dave Hunt

The Seven Dispensations
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
by Dr. C. I. Scofield

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The best book for the study of dispensations is:
Gods' Plan for Man
by Finis Jennings Dake, 1990 ISBN-10: 1558290265

Highly recommended book for studying many different theologies is:
The Moody Handbook of Theology
by Paul Enns, ISBN: 0-8024-3428-2

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