I believe that all peoples even from
the beginning of time will be in God's new kingdom and here is why.
Let me start with John's description of
the new kingdom that was given to him by God through an angel;
written in the book of Revelation in the New Testament of the Bible
(Rev
1:1). In Revelation chapter 21, he describes the holy city, the
new Jerusalem. The city is huge and is surrounded by a wall measuring
1500 miles wide, 1500 miles long, 1500 miles tall and 72 yards thick
(Rev
21:16-17). There are twelve gates into the city; 3 gates on each
side (Rev
21:12-13). He talks about those living inside the city and those
outside the city.
First, those inside the city: The Lord
God and the Lamb (Jesus,Yeshua in Hebrew) (Rev
21: 22); those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life
(Rev
21:27), also known as the bride, the wife of the Lamb
(Rev 21:9), also known as God's bond-servants (Rev
22:3).
Those outside the city: the dogs and
the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murders and the
idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying (Rev
22:15), also know as the nations (Rev
21:24).
I believe that the reference of those
outside the city being dogs and sorcerers and immoral persons and
murders and idolaters and those who practice lying are actually
references to when they were in the old earth. Maybe even the animals
(dogs) are actually dogs outside the city and not that it is
referring to people being dogs. There are a number of reasons why I
believe this. {I just remembered something that Jesus said, or I think He said. If my memory is correct, He was traveling through Samaria, was talking to a Samaritan woman, and made some kind of reference to her being a dog. I could not find this but this has led me to a whole new study on the subject. I will post something when I get it together.}
In the last two chapters of Revelation
it talks about the people living outside the city who are able to
enter through the gates into the city; the kings of the earth bring
the glory and honor of the nations into the city (Rev
21: 24-26), yet verse
27 says that “nothing unclean and no one who practices
abomination and lying, shall ever come in, but only those whose names
are written in the Lamb's book of life”. It seems to me that at
least some of those whose names are written in the book of life are
living outside the city.
Rev
22:14 says Revelation
22:14
Common English Bible (CEB)
14 Favored
are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right of
access to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.
This shows again
those who can enter the city.
Now let me talk
about the city itself. There is no temple in the city because the
Lord God, The Almighty, and the Lamb are its temple (Rev
21:22). There is no more darkness at all because the glory of God
illumines it and the Lamb is its lamp (Rev
21:23). The gates of the city are never closed (Rev
21: 25). A river that is the water of life flows from the throne
of God and of the Lamb (Rev
22:1). The river flows down the middle of the great street of the
city. On each side of the river stands the tree of life bearing
twelve crops of fruit every month and the
leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations (Rev
22:2). Sounds like something going on with the people outside the
city that needs healing. There
will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and the Lamb will be
in it, and his servants will worship him (Rev
22: 3). The curse is related to sins so sounds like no more
sinning. There is no longer any night or darkness and there will be
no need of a lamp or the sun for light because the Lord God will
illumine them (Rev
22:5)
Lets go back to
the first part of Revelation chapter 21. For me, I think this sheds
light on the things I've just talked about.
Revelation 21:1-8 Common English Bible (CEB)
New heaven and new earth
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the former
heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no
more. 2 I
saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
made ready as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I
heard a loud voice from the throne say, “Look! God’s dwelling is
here with humankind. He will dwell with them, and they will be his
peoples. God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He
will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more.
There will be no mourning, crying, or pain anymore, for the former
things have passed away.”5 Then
the one seated on the throne said, “Look! I’m making all things
new.” He also said, “Write this down, for these words are
trustworthy and true.”6 Then
he said to me, “All is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will freely give water from
the life-giving spring. 7 Those
who emerge victorious will inherit these things. I will be their God,
and they will be my sons and daughters. 8 But
for the cowardly, the faithless, the vile, the murderers, those who
commit sexual immorality, those who use drugs and cast spells, the
idolaters and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns
with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
Verse 8 is talking about those same people that chapter 22:15 says
are outside the holy city. This verse says that “their share will
be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.” I have read that
in Greek culture, burning with fire and sulfur (brimstone in KJV) is
symbolic for Divine Cleansing. This would go along with several
places I remember reading in the Old Testament (The Mikra or Tanakh
or Hebrew Bible).
Malachi 3:2 Common English Bible (CEB)
2 Who
can endure the day of his coming?
Who can withstand his appearance?
He is like the refiner’s fire or the cleaner’s soap.
Who can withstand his appearance?
He is like the refiner’s fire or the cleaner’s soap.
Isaiah (Yeshayah) 1:25 Common English Bible (CEB)
25 and
I will turn my hand against you.
I will refine your impurities as with lye,
and remove all your cinders.
I will refine your impurities as with lye,
and remove all your cinders.
Psalm (Tehillim) 66:10 Common English Bible (CEB)
Psalm (Tehillim) 66:8-12 Common English Bible (CEB)
8 All
you nations, bless our God!
Let the sound of his praise be heard!
9 God preserved us among the living;
he didn’t let our feet slip a bit.
Let the sound of his praise be heard!
9 God preserved us among the living;
he didn’t let our feet slip a bit.
10 But
you, God, have tested us—
you’ve refined us like silver,
11 trapped us in a net,
laid burdens on our backs,
12 let other people run right over our heads—
we’ve been through fire and water.
you’ve refined us like silver,
11 trapped us in a net,
laid burdens on our backs,
12 let other people run right over our heads—
we’ve been through fire and water.
But
you brought us out to freedom!
There
are so many more scriptures that I have found that I believe relate
to this subject; that all of God's, everyone, even all the angels
including Satan, will be with Him in the end but fixed. In other
words we will be as we should be; God Almighty will be our God and we
will be His people.
1 Corinthians 15:28 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
28 When all
things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be
subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God
may be all in all.
Ephesians 1:22-23 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
22 And
He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him
as head over all things to the church, 23 which
is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
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