| Dispensations of the Holy Spirit, Grace and Salvation |
Created Date: 18-Nov-2018 |
| From Garden of Eden until the end of Millennial Kingdom |
Last updated: 23-May-2023 |
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There are some theories that have explanations that infer that God administers Salvation differently depending upon what period of history of the world that a person lived. In other words, as an example, a person living prior to Jesus Christ would receive Salvation differently than someone who lived after the time of Jesus Christ. This is scripturally incorrect where the confusion is people who had Faith in God went to Upper Sheol to await the payment of their sins by Jesus Christ.
The Scriptures let us know that Salvation was and will always be the same process through Jesus Christ which we accept Him through Faith, The Old Testament believers in God, that were in Upper Sheol awaiting on the Messiah Jesus Christ, would all have known Him when He came there to take them to Heaven.
| John 14:6 | Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. |
| Ephesians 4:8-9 | 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. 9 Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? |
| Psalm 68:18 |
Thou hast ascended on high, thou
hast led away captives; Thou
hast received gifts among men, Yea, among the rebellious also, that Jehovah God might well with them. |
In the Old Testament period, everyone had to have Faith in God where the Messiah was the plan and the Messiah Jesus Christ was being revealed in all of the prophecies. One of the earliest prophecies in history was of the future virgin birth as God revealed to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15. Jesus Christ is the "her seed" reference of the virgin birth.
This is an excerpt from the
Adam and Eve topic:
Note that there is more on the "seed of the woman" to consider because it was through Mary's lineage that Jesus Christ had legal right and claim to the Kingship of Israel, and of course the entire Earth. Women require the "seed" to come from the man, which was done through the Holy Spirit. Both Mary and Mary's husband Joseph were part of the Royal Linage of Jesus Christ, but Joseph's part of the family genealogy had the curse of Jeconiah problem which is an incredible and amazing point on of how God circumvented the problems and fulfilling the prophecy of Genesis 3:15. |
In the New Testament period, during the time Jesus Christ walked with His disciples, the scriptures let us know that were people, including a few members of the Sanhedrin, that were expecting the Messiah to come and were looking earnestly. Some people thought initially that John the Baptist was possibly the Messiah and then later a type of Elijah which proves the knowledge of God's Plan was known.
| John 1:19-26 | 19 Now this was Johns testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, I am not the Messiah. 21 They asked him, Then who are you? Are you Elijah? He said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? He answered, No. 22 Finally they said, Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? 23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, Make straight the way for the Lord. 24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? 26 I baptize with water, John replied, but among you stands one you do not know. |
From the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve through the time of the Great Flood of Noah, the requirement was Faith in God even when the process for Salvation was not known completely necessarily known where no one was able to make the payment for their own sins without Jesus Christ. Faith in God at every point in history:
| Romans 3:10 |
As it is written:
There is no one righteous, not even one;
|
Romans 4:3-8, lets us two important points about required Faith unto Salvation, before Jesus Christ payment for sins that requires our acceptance and no works.
| Romans 4:3-8 | 3 What does Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. 4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 7 Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them. |
Anyone who had Faith that leads to Salvation, who died prior to Jesus Christ's death on the Cross, had to await the event of Jesus Christ escorting them out of the good compartment of Upper Sheol after Jesus Christ's death on the Cross. This is discussed more further in this topic.
Salvation can be summarized that at any point in the history of mankind on the earth, the revelation that God gave mankind at that time, required Faith to have acceptance by God. At the beginning and as time went by, God revealed more and more about the plan that there would be a Savior up until the Savior came to us. God has always used:
to speak to us so that we could have the Faith that leads to Righteousness, followed by Salvation.
There can be some questions in our minds concerning the knowledge that we know that Salvation requires acceptance Jesus Christ to be our Savior, which was not possible prior to His payment on the Cross. The solution to the question:
Jesus Christ confirmed to us that prior to Him leaving Heaven, for His first mission as Savior, that no one had gone to Heaven as read in John 3:13. Ephesians 1:9-12 confirms that the fullness of times was one dispensation through Jesus Christ. Enoch and Elijah were caught up but it would have been impossible for them to be in Heaven with God before the payment of sins at the Cross event that would happen in the future.
| John 3:13 | And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven. |
| Proverbs 30:4 | Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know! |
| Ephesians 1:9-10 | 9 making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10 unto a dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, [I say,] 11 in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; 12 to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: |
The important point is if Salvation was obtainable before Jesus Christ made the payment for sins on the Cross, then Jesus Christ was not necessary. That is obviously is not true, as Jesus Christ's payment on the Cross with acceptance as our Savior is required. As noted above, prior to Jesus Christ's payment on the cross, God gave Righteousness that awaited the Savior.
The two listed periods, in the table shown, give us the summary process. Note that the Age of Accountability is scriptural provable to be true, and is applicable before and after the Cross.
| Historical Period | Details | |
| 1 | Before the Cross | Before the Savior Jesus Christ came to earth from heaven, then Faith in the God of the Scriptures was required to have Righteousness, but the Righteousness did not get anyone into heaven, as payment for sins was still required. Faith was achieved through many ways that focus on God only. |
| (a) All those who died with Righteousness before Jesus Christ made the payment for sins went to Upper Sheol. | ||
|
(b) All those who died without Righteousness
through Faith, before Jesus Christ made the payment for sins, went to
Lower Sheol. They are still
there awaiting the Great White Throne of Judgment. |
||
| 2 | After the Cross | After Jesus Christ died on the Cross for the payment of the sins for the World: |
| (a) Jesus Christ went into Upper Sheol to take the Righteous into Heaven who had been waiting there for the Savior's payment on the Cross. See Ephesians 4:8-9 and Psalm 68:18 | ||
| (b) The payment on the Cross, allowed all of us who have Him as our Savior to have access to Heaven. |
| Ephesians 4:8-9 | 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. 9 Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? |
| Psalm 68:18 |
Thou hast ascended on high, thou
hast led away captives; Thou
hast received gifts among men, Yea, among the rebellious also, that Jehovah God might well with them. |
| 1 Samuel 28:15 (part of verse) |
Notice that the phrase "bring me up" which infers ascending and not
descending.
And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? This is the incident that King Saul went to a Spiritual Medium at Endor to ostensibly have a Séance to speak to the Prophet Samuel, who had died. The Prophet Samuel tells King Saul that he came from below, which has to be the good compartment of Sheol. |
When we read carefully and examine all of the prophetic writing concerning the Messiah in the Old Testament, it is very obvious that the role, destiny and action of the Messiah Jesus Christ was known. There are hundreds of prophecies concerning the Messiah Jesus Christ and here are three of the most well-known:
| Genesis 22:13-14 | 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, The Lord will provide; as it is said to this day, On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided. |
| Job 19:25-27 | 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! |
It is in this author's opinion that the main problem with giving this Classical dispensational View, has too often been in how it is presented, which puts focus mostly on humankind. The first four items are given as description of what was occurring for humankind and then the last three steps list the periods from God's perspective. This is not honoring to God.
This the Classical Dispensation view, found in many sources, which consists of seven dispensations. This author has added two more that are singled out by an asterisk, as an attempt to help the chart be more relevant.
| # | Dispensation | Reference | Notes |
| 1 | Age of Innocence | Genesis 1:28-30 through Genesis 2:15-17 | Generally presented as the time in the Garden of Eden before the Fall |
| 2 | Conscience | Genesis 3:8 through Genesis 8:22 | Generally presented as the period of time after the Fall, in the Garden of Eden, before the Great Flood. |
| 3 | Human Government | Genesis 8 | Generally presented as the times of the kingdoms on the Earth before Israel that arose after the Great Flood. God had commanded mankind to disperse on the earth bud did not until after the tower of Babel. |
| 4 | Promise | Genesis 12:1 through Exodus 19:25 | Generally presented as the time which started with Abraham, the Patriarchs and Moses which ends at the Exodus from Egypt. |
| 5 | Law | Exodus 19-23 | Israel lives under the Mosaic Laws and a covenant based on obedience which Israel was unable to do. The disobedience led to failures to enter the Promise Land until later and then also lead to further bondage. |
| 6 | Grace | Luke 22:20; John 3:18; John 14:26-26, Romans 11:25-26 and so much more. | Period that we are living now that is often called the Times of the Gentiles, Fullness of the Gentiles and the Church Age. It is the period that in-between the 69th and 70th week that is prophesized in Daniel 9:24. |
| * | Tribulation | Tribulation Purpose | The Seventh Week of Daniel with the last 3.5 years are the judgments. This is Daniel's 70th week. |
| 7 | Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ | Revelation 20:2-5 | Jesus Christ takes the throne of King David and rules the Earth for 1000 years. It is an amazing period that many of the Earth's features, geology and laws of decay will be changed. |
| * | New Heavens and New Earth | Revelation 21:4-> | Eternity |
The overlooked problem, when often giving these classical seven periods is:
(a)
the absence of how Salvation was received when the central person, Jesus Christ,
is not presented until the sixth Dispensation in the list, and
(b) Jesus Christ is finally mentioned by name
in the seventh Dispensation.
(c) There is no mention of
Faith and Salvation
for the periods.
As briefly explained at the start of this topic, before Jesus Christ was presented to mankind as the Savior, mankind obtained Righteousness through Faith, but Salvation still required the payment of sins on the Cross by Jesus Christ. In all the time periods of the world, as mentioned above, God's witness to us was through His Creation, Angels, human witnesses, His written Word and Theophanies.
Everyone that lived prior to Jesus Christ:
From many scriptures in the different books of the Old Testament, we know that many people were righteous because of their Faith and they did receive Salvation after Jesus Christ paid the sin debt. The oldest book in the Bible, Book of Job is a great example, as read in Job 19:25-26.
| Job 19:25-26 | 25 As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: |
| Please re-read this paragraph twice to make sure there is no
confusion of what this author is writing concerning the possibility. An interesting point is, if people didn't know how God was going to provide Salvation, prior to Jesus Christ, then does this have other possibilities that prove that God reaches out to everyone who hasn't heard of Jesus Christ or is under the Age of Accountability? The answer, in this author's opinion, is yes, where God possibly reveals Himself in more ways that are not listed in the scriptures, so that those who have Hope and Faith in God, without ever hearing of Jesus Christ can most likely be given that opportunity after death as the Old Testament Believers in the God of the Bible did who were sent to Upper Sheol before Jesus Christ's death on the Cross. This does not exonerate anyone who receive revelation and refuses it, nor those who follow other false gods while rejecting revelation from the true God, but this author is talking about the strong possibility of saving revelation by Faith for those under special or different types of circumstances. |
Prior to Jesus Christ: the hints, prophecies, patterns, and knowledge of a Messiah in the scriptures indicate there was an understanding that God would provide a way as proven by the evidence:
| Exodus 18:1 | Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. |
| Genesis 3:15 | and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. |
| Genesis 49:10 | The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the rulers staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come; And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be. |
| Isaiah 53 excerpt | ... 7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. ... |
| Psalms 40:7 |
Then said I, Lo, I am come; In the roll of the
book it is written of me:
|
| Hebrews 10:7 | Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. |
| Psalm 68 | ... Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led away captives; Thou hast received gifts among men, Yea, among the rebellious also, that Jehovah God might dwell with them. ... |
| Ephesians 4:8 | Wherefore he saith, When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, And gave gifts unto men. |
| 1 Peter 3:19-20 | 19 in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, 20 that aforetime were disobedient, when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: |
| Isaiah 55:11 | so shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My Mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. |
Many Biblical Scholars point out that the solution to the question is Faith and Faith alone. Faith of course must be in God of the scriptures. God's grace and mercy has always been active and always will be active, where anyone prior to Jesus Christ's death had to have Faith that was specific to the God of the Bible. God promises that He will reveal Himself in many, many scriptures.
All of this can very beautifully be given in summation of Ephesians 1:3-14:
| Ephesians 1:3-14 |
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: 4 even as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: 5 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: 7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 making known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him 10 unto a dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in Him, I say, 11 in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His will; 12 to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ: 13 in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,”in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of Gods own possession, unto the praise of his glory. |
As detailed above, we have always had to live by Faith which leads us into knowing we are loved and will be with God in eternity. Through God's grace and mercy, everyone who receives revelation to seek God through the Salvation Processes, since the Garden of Eden, will absolutely receive Salvation.
| Habakkuk 2:4 | Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. |
| Hebrews 11:7 | By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. |
| Romans 4:22 | Paul is speaking about Abraham who lived prior to the nation of Israel. Capital letters not done by this author. 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, |
Before Genesis 1:1, God existed. God has always existed and He existed before there was a universe. Many Christians are victims of idioms taught through many methods, that even include Christian Coloring Books, that God is up in the air in a place somewhere in the universe. The Earth was created before the Universe and both of these entities are a subset of a larger reality in the Kingdom of God
During the time of Israel, before Jesus Christ came as the Messiah, we know that God set up a covenant for Israel to follow which rewards, inheritance and protection was contingent upon behavior and obedience. The people of Israel, had to make their own decision to live in Faith in order to have the protection and rewards of God's covenant with them.
A person in Israel, who had righteousness through Faith unto Salvation, could not lose Salvation but they could suffer loss as explained. God knew in advance that many people in Israel would not be able to live up to their commitment and also would abandon God. This is why God had set up the plan, before the foundation of the Earth, that there would be a Savior. When Jesus Christ died on the Cross, this set up a new Covenant that made everyone in the Old Testament people eligible for entrance into eternity with God.
| Hebrews 9:15 | For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. |
How has mankind received Salvation throughout all of the ages of the Earth? It was always by Faith.
| Genesis 9:13-17 | 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth. 17 And God said to Noah, This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth. |
| Isaiah 53:8-10 |
8
By oppression and
judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who
[among them] considered that he was
cut off out of the land
of the living for the transgression of my people to whom
the stroke [was due]?
9
And they made his grave with the wicked,
and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no
violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10
Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:
when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see
[his] seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of
Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.
|
| Acts 2:27 | Because thou wilt not leave my soul in Sheol, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. |
| 1 Peter 3:18-19 | 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, |
| 2 Corinthians 5:8 | we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. |
There is a scriptural passage, Matthew 25:31-46, that is given as a parable on how Jesus Christ will judge when He comes back to Earth, which is known as the Sheep and Goat Judgment at the Second Coming.
The Second Coming event occurs at the end of the Tribulation Period. In order for Jesus Christ to come back then Israel would have had to recognize Jesus Christ as their Savior whom they pierced (killed), Zechariah 12:10, where many Biblical Scholars state that the primary purpose of the Tribulation Period is for Israel to recognize their Messiah.
| Zechariah 12:10 | And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. |
| Matthew 25:31 | But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. |
Note that Jesus Christ will be ruling during the 1000-year Millennial Kingdom of Christ so He will have already returned, which confirms the passage is dealing with the Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation Period.
This passage in the Sheep and Goat Judgment Parable informs us that those who took care of others were also thus doing it unto Jesus Christ.
| Matthew 25:40 | The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. |
This passage in the Sheep and Goat Judgment Parable informs us that those who did not take care of others were not taking care of Jesus Christ.
| Matthew 25:45 | He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. |
There are some Biblical Commentaries that state incorrectly that the Sheep and Goat Judgment means that Jesus Christ is judging differently during the Tribulation Period based on a person's works in life that were good or bad towards Israel. This cannot be the correct interpretation because it would contradict other scriptures. A person has to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior to receive the inheritance mentioned in the passage. Additionally no one is good according to Romans 3:10. Throughout the history of the classic Dispensations, Jesus Christ has always been the requirement for Salvation.
| Romans 3:10 | As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. |
The naming in Biblical Commentaries of this passage as the Sheep and Goat Judgment is because of Matthew 25:31 reference of sheep and goats. The passage in this author's opinion is conveying these important truths:
| James 2:14-17 | 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. |
| Matthew 25:26 | Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? |
| 1 Corinthians 3:16 | Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? |
People who are alive at the end of the Tribulation Period or die during the Tribulation Period will fall into one these five categories:
The Antichrist and the False Prophet are the exception of how they are handled, where they will be thrown alive into the Lake of Fire. Many Biblical Scholars state that they are the first two humans to be cast there. There is a debate between Biblical Scholars if these two men will be brought out of the Lake of Fire to have their Judgment by Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne of Judgment. This author believes that will happen to the two of them.
As mentioned, there are some differences of opinions in some scriptural commentaries regarding Mathew 25:31, that somehow the "sheep" can be righteous without Faith in Jesus Christ because they helped or protected Israel during the Tribulation Period. During the Tribulation Period there will be many Jewish people saved, and if they are being helped by Gentiles, then the Gentiles will be told about Jesus Christ so that they can make a decision to believe on Jesus Christ or not. Jewish people alive at the end of the Tribulation Period, will have been told about Jesus Christ which is why they made to the end of the Tribulation Period alive.
Scriptures do not contradict scriptures. Based on the entirety of scriptures, regarding righteousness, the sheep group has to be those who have Faith in Jesus Christ or those who are under the Age of Accountability. Those who have Faith in Jesus Christ will be made up those in Israel along with many Gentiles on the Earth.
There is a unique time period when the Holy Spirit will not be restraining the Satanic Activities of Fallen Angels, Demons and Human-Beings. For anyone during that time period, who suffers, may be martyred and even tortured but God will reward and avenge all Christians.
| An excerpt from the Mark of the Beast topic: A Christian is marked with the seal of God when receiving Salvation. It is impossible for anyone to have their Salvation lost.
According to many scriptures such as 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9, during the Tribulation Period there will be increased Satanic activity from the Fallen Angels and Demons, where the Holy Spirit will not restrain them in order for the prophecies of that time period to occur. The lawless one of 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9 is the Antichrist. The "restraineth now" does not mean that God is not in control of all things, as God's goals will still be accomplished. The uniqueness of the time period of the Antichrist is because it is the only time in the history of God's protection for Christians does not stop Satanic Forces from killing and martyring all the Christians they can find. Many Biblical Commentaries point out that this is partially because people should have recognized the events happening on the Earth that was leading up to the 70th Week of Daniel and therefore accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior so that this horrible period of the Tribulation Period could have been avoided. The 70th Week of Daniel is a seven-year period that the first 3.5 years are peaceful and the second 3.5 years are the Tribulation Period.
Before the Tribulation Period, there is a Rapture event so all the true Christians will be taken away from the Earth. After the Rapture, the 70th Week of Daniel begins, where many Biblical Scholars have stated there will be a wonderful and great harvest of people accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior through the work of the 144,000 Witnesses, the Two Witnesses, God's Angels, witness of other Christians and also most likely event Theophanies. The people who become Christians during the Tribulation Period will have these points apply to them:
Two additional points on the Revelation 13:7-10:
|
During the Millennial Kingdom, which is 1,000 years, Jesus Christ will rule and everyone will know Him because He will sit on the Thrown of King David for the world to see.
In the Book of Hebrews, which is written after the Crucifixion, informs us of this knowledge of Jesus Christ being universally known. There will be a new covenant with Israel.
| Hebrews 8:8-13 | 8 But God found fault with the people and said: "The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. 10 This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." 13 By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. |
There is still the requirement to accept Jesus Christ through Faith and at the end there will be one last rebellion when Lucifer is released from chains in Lower Sheol.
| Revelation 20:7-10 | 7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. |
For more information, read the topic on the Millennial Kingdom.
What to read next?
What is Salvation? Is it possible to lose Salvation? We have eternal life. Evolution is not real. When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it. Rewards in heaven. Do we Tithe? What does the 3rd Commandment tell us? What is Grace and Mercy? Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?