Where were we last post? REVELATION 20:5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished… The dead (after being purged) in Hell live again? Don’t they, we asked in some surprise, get cast straight into the Lake of Fire?
Actually, immediately after this is written: This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. This is confusing because it is talking about those who are beheaded for Yahshua who live and reign with Him for one thousand years. The part of verse 5: But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished should be in parentheses. Perhaps Bible translators failed and fail today to fully comprehend the true and full meaning of this Scripture. These souls of the rest of the dead are sojourning for one thousand years in Hell, for look what is revealed about them in REVELATION 20:11-15: V.11 And I saw a great white throne… V.12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before YHWH; and the books (literally: scrolls) were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS.
So there is a book for every person here standing before YHWH for their great white throne judgment. In each book is written the minute and intimate details of that soul’s life, warts and all. Then there is another book called the Book of Life. According to REVELATION 3:4-5 those whose names are written in this Book have:
- overcome (sin and worldliness),
- been clothed with white garments (of holiness),
- had his name confessed by Yahshua to His Father before His angels;
- been counted worthy to walk in white with Yahshua.
Christian writer Mary Baxter saw precisely this in relation to these books on her trip to Heaven, and written about in her Divine Revelation of Heaven. After witnessing a man at a church service become a Christian, she was taken by angels to the ‘room of records’:
(Page 71) “As I observed, the man’s book was handed to one of the rejoicing saints. Page after page of the old writings were washed away. They lifted up the pages one by one, and I could see that every page had been washed in the blood (of Yahshua). Nothing of this person’s sins remained” (IS. 43:25).
Then they went before YHWH’s throne where an angel laid the book on the altar.
(Page 73) “I saw the Lamb’s Book of Life (REV. 21:27) on the altar of (YHWH), and I saw a hand come out of that cloud (of YHWH’s Shekinah glory) and open up the book that was laid there by the angel. Then the man’s name was written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Glory to (YHWH)! Saints, our names are surely written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life also!”
Returning to verse 12 of REVELATION 20, we see that these people standing before the throne were judged according to their WORKS, not whether they had Yahshua as their Saviour. V.13: And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
We can also see that there is a difference between the dead given up from the sea and those delivered up from death and Hell, for v.14: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Their physical death and going to Hell being the first.
Only those from ‘death and hell’ suffer the second death, and are cast into Perdition. So what happens to those from the ‘sea’? V.15: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. If only ‘death and hell’–we assume this means those souls whose works on Earth rendered them so evil they were totally spiritually dead and irredeemably separated from YHWH–are cast into the Lake of Fire, the souls from the sea are not. They must then have had their names written in the Book of Life at some point during their hellish purging. This is the second resurrection, as differentiated to the first resurrection of those beheaded for Messiah.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life… suggests that there are some whose names are written therein. If this were not so, what’s the point of judging these people if all are going to the Lake of Fire? Why not just throw them in as was done to the beast and false prophet (REV. 19:20)? What is the point of looking in the Book of Life at all if none of their names are in it? What is the point of judging them according to their works? It appears that the legal protocol of the Heavenly court states that those who never accepted Messiah must be judged by their works towards those who did accept Yahshua. We will revisit this momentarily.
In any case, those from the sea were not cast into Perdition. The sea traditionally means humanity or mankind. These people may still have been redeemable though failed to take the proper steps to salvation while still alive. There was humanity or compassion yet in them, but they may not have been Christians or heard about Yahshua. This is eternal or everlasting life. Souls who are saved go straight to Heaven at death (enough Christians have been there and come back for us to know this, not least our Saviour Himself), but even those who suffer the cleansing fires of Hell receive life everlasting. Yahshua also speaks of those Christians who fail to ‘endure to the end’, those who have failed to work out their salvation with fear and trembling (PHILI. 2:12): Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the LAST day.
Father once told me that a person needs only to have given one of His children a cup of water (or do some other loving act) in order to gain eternal life and be raised from the sea of Hell on the last day. This was if they failed to accept Yahshua as Saviour (MATT. 10:42, Mark 9:41).
Paradoxically, the Scripture immediately following MARK 9:41, v.42 declares whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in Me (the ones to whom was given a drink of water in v.41), it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. This presumably refers also to Christians. Note these people are apt to be cast into the sea. Is Yahshua here making a pun on His words, saying even Christians may be cast into the ‘sea’ of Hell to be raised up on the last day if they fail to repent of what He sees as a heinous deed? Yahshua does, after all, tell Christians who have even prophesied and cast out demons in his Name, “…I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity”! (MATT. 7:23). Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (MATT. 7:19). A plethora of Scriptures exist like this one for those with eyes to see. Those who bury their talents in the ground and are cast into outer darkness is another (MATT. 25:30). Christianity is not as cut and dried as the majority think. Basically when a Christian disobeys YHWH or His Word, or resorts to worldly means to live their life they are not only committing sin, but denying Him.
There is yet further evidence of the rescue from Hell principle: By which also He (Yahshua) went and preached unto the spirits in prison, Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of YHWH waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water (I PETER 3:19-20); and For for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to YHWH in the spirit (I PETER 4:6).
Yahshua, while in Hell following His death on the cross, preached the Gospel to the dead in Hell, particularly those from the days of Noah who had never before witnessed YHWH’s judgment. These then were less accountable than any after the Flood who should have been in fear of YHWH and potential punishment for sin. These lost souls were obviously given the opportunity to repent. He is truly a merciful Father, is YHWH.
Although this doctrine has been kept alive by the Catholic Church, it is a sad fact that few Catholics give much thought to where their souls are going at death. Of those who do, many believe a season in Purgatory is inescapable. Oh, that they would know the saving grace of Yahshua and His work on the cross.
The knowledge of this doctrine would make an immense difference to Christendom. What therefore does it mean for my suicidal friend? I happen to know he did much more for YHWH’s people than give to one a mere cup of water. We cannot know where he is at present except in Father’s hands. But if he has denied YHWH by the manner of his death, then he may just be one of those in the sea of Hell who are destined to be raised up on the last day. Personally I wouldn’t want to test YHWH in such a way in order to find out.
In Spirit and in Truth 
Where it says it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. I dont think Jesus was referring to the sea in revelation, because later on he says If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched So its obvious he is talking about the lake of fire. Do you see what i mean?
Perhaps, but I don’t believe so. The sea in REVELATION must be a spiritual place because these people are dead, they have not yet been sent to the Lake of Fire or anywhere else. They are coming from the sea, not necessarily going to it. Suggest reading the post and relevant Scriptures again.
So then do you think those that are raised from “the sea” can still be saved at judgment day?
Yes, that’s what I’m saying and this Scripture seems to indicate.
Okay then how would that correspond with this verse? 1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming
How would being raised from the sea be considered Christ’s second coming?
Not to consider myself an expert about any Bible verse, but it seems to me that this verse has little to do with the people to be raised from the sea in REVELATION 13. First it is saying that Messiah had to be raised first before anyone else could be. We were all previously cursed to die through Adam’s sin. ‘At His coming’ probably means His first coming when He opened Heaven and the dead in Him were raised to life in Heaven. They appeared in Yerushalem alive on their way from Paradise in Hell to the newly opened Heaven. Then when Yahshua returns for the third appearance of His second coming He brings with Him all the people who are in Heaven who will have new bodies and live again on Earth.
The dead in the sea are not raised til 1,000 years later at the end of the Millennial Reign of Messiah on Earth. These people are not Messiah’s. They may have called themselves Christians but were backsliders or deceived. The time in Hell has purged them of the sins they could just have been washed clean of by Yahshua’s blood but for some reason weren’t. It is understood that when a person is washed clean of sin or a sin, they will STOP committing that sin. If they don’t, they aren’t forgiven of it and must suffer a penalty for it. If they die in it they will probably go to Hell to be purged by fire.
There is a false belief in Christendom that once we become Christians we can go on sinning with abandon without penalty and are automatically forgiven. IN FACT, there is no forgiveness for deliberate sin. Messiah cannot be put back on the cross. A price must be paid apart from Him. Sins committed in ignorance are a different matter. Hope that answers your question.
Well not exactly. I think what I’m asking is, could anyone from the sea be non-believers yet somehow through a hellish purging of some sort or at the judgment become believers at this great white throne judgment? I’m not referring to backsliders, i’m more referring to non-believers or those who maybe were raised in another religion or were atheists but are not bad enough for the lake of fire. Because it does say whosoever names were not found written in the book of life, meaning that there are names that are found. So it seems like some will be saved at this judgment that were not saved previously. See what i mean?…
Yes, I think so, because–as I have written in the post–Yahshua witnessed to the dead in Hell killed in the flood of Noah. If they were not able to convert due to His witness, why would He have bothered to witness to them? These souls in Hell were at that time much less accountable than anyone after the flood as there had never before been a flood or even rain which was a judgment from YHWH. If there are people today for instance who have never heard the Gospel but live reasonably decent lives they still must go to Hell when they die, for Yahshua is the only Way to Heaven. How then could YHWH send them to the Lake of Fire if they never had the chance to repent? Their sins are not deliberate if they didn’t know about sin and can be purged off in Hell. So it seems they can convert at the end of their time in Hell or can also be saved if someone is baptized for them while they are in Hell.
There are also those souls who have gone to Hell because they didn’t repent for whatever reason but during their life did something good for YHWH’s people. Yahshua says they will not lose their reward (MATT. 10:42, MARK 9:41).
Well everybody knows about sin in the sense that people still know between right and wrong. There is still a God given conscience within all of us, whether we’re saved or not. Oh and how could someone be baptized for someone else? I’ve never heard of that. And some say we are unconscious (similar to soul sleep) when we die and then not become alive again until judgment day. Other’s say we remain conscious during death. Which do you think it is? I’m getting confused.
Did you not read in my post about baptism of the dead mentioned by Paul in I CORINTHIANS 15:29? I explain it in some depth there, it’s part of the title of this post: PURGATORY, PERDITION, AND BAPTISM OF THE DEAD. It has been practiced by the church since New Testament times. About the dead sleeping, I believe at death the soul (our personality: mind, will, and emotions) and spirit goes to either Heaven or Hell while the physical body ‘sleeps’ in the ground until the rapture or end of the Millennium. There is lots of Scriptural and testimonial evidence for this.
Sorry for the very late reply.
I’ve always read that’s a Mormon teaching, I’ve never known any Christians who believes that. So i dunno what to think on that..
I also believe that the soul is conscience after death but then how do explain: “Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.” ….Those who believe the soul isn’t conscience after death use this verse as proof. What does it mean then?
Personally I think ‘the dead know not anything’ means they don’t know what’s going on with the living anymore because their souls have gone to Heaven or Hell. As for the baptism of the dead being just a Mormon teaching, it is not true and I write about it in the post, if you want to read it again. The Catholics pray for the dead, as do Anglicans. I attend an Anglican Cathedral occasionally and we pray for the souls of the dead, even today. Just yesterday I read an article about Pope John Paul II and many people at a service with him in Poland praying for the souls of those who had perished at Auschwitz during WWII. It was an interesting article because the Jews raised objections to the Christian Messiah saving the souls of Jews who had died there. And if no one else did so, I regularly pray for the dead and I am not a Mormon.
Yeah i thought of that too that it could mean that. Well okay then let’s say we can pray for the dead. Where are they now and are there different levels of hell/sheol?
Yahshua talks about it being more tolerant for some and others will receive greater condemnation, so it does seem to be differing levels. Then there is Outer Darkness where the Christians go who bury their talents in the ground. Hell is the English word for Sheol (Hebrew) and Hades (Greek). Then there is Gehenna, also a Hebrew word for Hell which meant literally I think garbage dump. Tartarus, meaning ‘cast down to Hell’ is another place in Hell reserved for fallen angels and spoken about in JUDE 6.
I was told once by a man who had attended Catholic seminary but had left before he took final vows as a priest that they were taught about praying for the dead. He said that once he was asked by Father YHWH to pray for Gandhi who died a Hindu. But because he was a good man who upheld Christian principles Peter was asked to pray for him which would have resulted in Gandhi’s soul being raised to life. We can do this for anyone who died unconverted but perhaps never heard the Gospel and were good people. To me this illustrated the mercy of YHWH.
Yeah…You know i always wonder why the vast majority of Christians can’t see this verse in Revelation.20:15.where it says.. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” They seem to see it as and ALL are thrown into the lake of fire. I just dont get why they’re so blinded to it when its right in front of our eyes..This clearly implies that some will actually be saved. Most Christians teach that if one isn’t “saved” before death that they will end up in the lake of fire. I have family that were Jewish and they never accepted the Lord before they died. (because Jews don’t believe Jesus is the messiah)…yet i know my Christian brother thinks they’re in a burning hell now and will be for eternity. I really have a hard time with that..