1952 Bible Studies - page 130

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BIBLE STUDIES

Answers (1). --I judge these are the end of the days that all the "blessed" shall reach.  "Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the 1, 885 days. "--J. M.

(2) Yes. "Ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God" (Luke 13. 28). --J. M.

Questions from Melbourne. --(1) Do both Jew and Gentile awake to everlasting life (Daniel 12. 2), or is this resurrection confined to Jews ?

(2) Is the resurrection of the dead in Christ at His coming said to be part of the first resurrection ?

(3) Do these sleepers in the dust awake at the commencement of Christ’s reign on earth, and so for them begins eternal life ?

(4) Is this everlasting life on earth or with Christ in glory ?

(5) Is the beast with two horns (Revelation 13. 11) the false prophet ?

A n s w e r s . --(1) It applies to both Jew and Gentile. Note what is said about the living nations in Matthew 25. 46.  See note on paper from Barrhead and Paisley in this issue. --J. M.

(2) Two groups are indicated in Revelation 20. 4, and another in verse 5, "the rest of the dead", who are not raised till after the thousand years.

The two groups of verse 4 are, "they that sat upon" the thrones, and, such as were martyred by the beast. Such lived again. Then we are told--"This is the first resurrection". The demonstrative pronoun "this" points out what the first resurrection is. The raising of the saints who are of the Church is a pre-resurrection to this, as I see it. --J. M.

(3) If Dr. Tregelles is right (see note on paper from Barrhead and Paisley), then only the righteous awake to everlasting life. The others or "the rest of the dead", who are not awakened from their sleep in the dust, do not awake till after the millennium.  We must distinguish between at least three presentations of eternal life in the New Testament:  (a) eternal life is the gift of God to all believers, otherwise they would have no new life connected with the new birth, and such a thought is quite impossible (John 3. 16; Romans 6. 23, etc. ); (b) eternal life can be reaped by such believers, who already have eternal life, as sow to the Spirit, and not to the flesh. "He that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life"

(Galatians 6. 8); this is the abundant life of John 10. 10; (c) eternal life is an inheritance in the future for those who on earth had the gift of eternal life and reaped eternal life. "Every one that hath left houses, or brethren, or s i s t e r s , . . . for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19. 29). Inheritance implies a previous relationship.  I do not understand that, in the case of such as awake to eternal life, this is eternal life the gift of God to the believing sinner, as at (a). -- J. M.

(4) See answer (3).  It is everlasting life enjoyed with Christ in the millennial reign and after. See (c) in answer (3). --J. M.

(5) Yes ! --J. M.

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