Today is October 5th 2012, August 20th in the Chinese lunar calendar, an ordinary day. Look up and observe the sky where it is clear with light wind and clouds. Look down and examine the earth where an autumnal vast expanse runs its due course. Sit quietly in front of the window and close the […]
Phillip Medhursf presents 053/788 James Tissot Bible c 1899 Jacob’s dream Genesis 28:12 Jewish Museum New York. By (James) Jacques-Joseph Tissot, French, 1836-1902. Gouache on board.
Phillip Medhurst presents 004/788 James Tissot Bible c 1899 God creates Eve Genesis 2:21-22 Morgan Museum New York
Phillip Medhurst presents 003/788 James Tissot Bible c 1899 God creates Adam Genesis 1:27 Morgan Museum New York
During Jesus’ millennial rule on earth, a “great crowd” of survivors of Armageddon and of the resurrected who were unable during their natural lifespan to access the proclaimed Gospel will be able to choose the “everlasting gospel” of obedience to God in circumstances where Satan is bound and Paradise restored on earth. The 144,000 co-regents will intercede as priests for their resurrected ancestors. The Danites, however, are excluded from the spiritual Israel (Judges 17:1-18:31). Their sin against the Holy Spirit was to use religion as a justification for evil. They will be resurrected at the end of the millennium, judged, then consigned to everlasting torment in the lake of fire – a diabolical immortality.
The six periods of sin-induced catastrophe on the earth are punctuated by six covenants which are part of God’s salvage-operation: through Noah, through Abraham, through Moses, through Joshua, through David, and through Jesus. Each covenant is an agreement by means of which a faithful remnant is defined by its commitment to Higher Truth and sets itself apart from the world, so that it may not only be spared the second death in the lake of fire, but be re-admitted to Paradise and access to the Tree of Life (Revelation 20:11-15). In each case in the Biblical account the spiritual movement towards God is symbolised by a geographical movement, and each covenant is sealed by the blood of sacrifice.
During the seventh period of seven months there is first a “silence” in heaven (Revelation 8:1): God “rests” completely for “half an hour”. This is the time of Armageddon and the Great Tribulation when Satan and the wicked angels once again briefly seek to gain the upper hand. The millennium then begins: a period of a thousand years during which the earth is ruled by a righteous regent as it should have been during the thousand years of Adam’s lifetime. God is able to rest easy in the knowledge that His son has things in hand. Finally, the last gasp of the forces of evil and those who choose to follow them into disobedience initiates the final judgement when they are consigned once and for all to the lake of fire.
Phillip Medhurst 