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To: GiovannaNicoletta
I remember learning that the Old Testament saints (those who died before Christ came) were present in spirit with God in Heaven - they were the ones in "Paradise/Abraham's bosom" that Jesus brought to Heaven with him after his death. Their bodies, on the other hand, are "in the grave". They, as well as all NT saints who have already died, will receive glorified bodies with us at the Rapture when we rise together with them to meet the Lord in the air. We are changed "in the blink of an eye" and corruption puts on in-corruption, mortal puts on immortality.

Those who are saved during the Trib but killed for their testimony will be raised up with glorified bodies and will go into the Millenium. Those who were saved during the Tribulation and escaped death and who go into the millennium with their human bodies, will be able to stay alive by going to the Tree of Life:

Revelation 2:7 "Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

Revelation 22:2 "down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations."

Revelation 22:14 "“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city."

The unbelievers who were taken out of the earth after the tribulation (not going into the Millennium), will be the ones who take part in the "second resurrection" along with all the unsaved that have ever lived. All the unsaved will be in Sheol/Hades, until Hell is finally created at the end of the millennium and Satan is finally, and forever cast into the Lake of Fire - the Second Resurrection.

Revelation 20

The Thousand Years

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Satan’s Doom

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

The Dead Are Judged

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

I agree with you about it being an interesting topic to discuss. We do not know ALL nor EVERYTHING about the end-times but can know what the Lord has revealed to us. I disagree with some people who make this subject a life or death doctrine or who condemn others just because they don't understand things the way they do. One day we WILL know as we are known, but in the meantime, we can praise our Savior Jesus Christ who came into the world to save us and we, who believe in him, can know we have eternal life because God never lies. Thanks for the thread!

28 posted on 08/18/2011 8:37:50 PM PDT by boatbums ( God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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To: boatbums
The unbelievers who were taken out of the earth after the tribulation (not going into the Millennium), will be the ones who take part in the "second resurrection" along with all the unsaved that have ever lived. All the unsaved will be in Sheol/Hades, until Hell is finally created at the end of the millennium and Satan is finally, and forever cast into the Lake of Fire - the Second Resurrection.

The second resurrection? Revelation 20:14 says the second death. Studying this subject, I have come to the conclusion that I do not have a perfect understanding of death and resurrection. We see others die but we don’t know what it is like to die until we die. Certainly this is by design.

My gut feeling is that Christ is the resurrection, both resurrections, and that the second resurrection is somehow connected to the second death. Resurrection isn’t necessary until you die and one resurrection is sufficient unless you die twice. Perhaps that is why the second resurrection is not mentioned.

Notice how different these events are. Those who are raised in Christ, lived (Rev. 20:4) and the ones standing before the throne are twice referred to as dead (Rev 20:12). What is a resurrection without life? Without Christ?
29 posted on 08/18/2011 10:18:10 PM PDT by Seven_0 (You cannot fool all of the people, ever!)
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