There are many today who say that we are still waiting for the Lord to come again because we still mourn, we still cry, and we still die. This is a misunderstanding of Rev. 21:4 because of a literalist view point. YHVH has a different view.
“13Then shall the maidens rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
14 I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance,
and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness,
says the Lord.” (Jer. 31:13-14, RSV)
The context of Jer. Chapter 31 is of the return from the Babylonian captivity.
“15 Thus said Jehovah, A voice in Ramah is heard, wailing, weeping most bitter, Rachel is weeping for her sons, She hath refused to be comforted for her sons, because they are not.
16 Thus said Jehovah: Withhold thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, For there is a reward for thy work, An affirmation of Jehovah, And they have turned back from the land of the enemy.
17 And there is hope for thy latter end, An affirmation of Jehovah, And the sons have turned back [to] their border.“(Jer. 31:15-17, YLT)
This is speaking of the rejoicing they were to have at their return from Babylon to their land of Judah. Their latter end was the end of the lawgiver (Gen. 49:10) when the transfer of the scepter from Judah to Christ happened at His baptism and resurrection.
“31 Lo, days are coming, an affirmation of Jehovah, And I have made with the house of Israel And with the house of Judah a new covenant,
32 Not like the covenant that I made with their fathers, In the day of My laying hold on their hand, To bring them out of the land of Egypt, In that they made void My covenant, And I ruled over them — an affirmation of Jehovah.
33 For this [is] the covenant that I make, With the house of Israel, after those days, An affirmation of Jehovah, I have given My law in their inward part, And on their heart I do write it, And I have been to them for God, And they are to me for a people.
34 And they do not teach any more Each his neighbour, and each his brother, Saying, Know ye Jehovah, For they all know Me, from their least unto their greatest, An affirmation of Jehovah; For I pardon their iniquity, And of their sin I make mention no more. “ (Jer. 31:31-34, YLT)
This was the prophecy of the new covenant that was prophesied to take over from the old covenant as Jesus declared.
“And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20, RSV)
Which Paul quoted in 1 Cor. 11:25, “And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
As Paul declared the Apostles to be ministers of a new covenant (2 Cor. 3:5-6), he also declared the old covenant to be the “dispensation of death, carved in letters on stone.” For the old covenant was a covenant of death, not of life.
“For if there was splendor in the dispensation of condemnation, the dispensation of righteousness must far exceed it in splendor. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had splendor has come to have no splendor at all, because of the splendor that surpasses it. 11 For if what faded away came with splendor, what is permanent must have much more splendor.” (2 Cor. 3:9-11, RSV) … and again…
“ for if the ministration of the condemnation [is] glory, much more doth the ministration of the righteousness abound in glory; 10 for also even that which hath been glorious, hath not been glorious — in this respect, because of the superior glory; 11 for if that which is being made useless [is] through glory, much more that which is remaining [is] in glory.” (2 Cor. 3:9-11, YLT)
And is affirmed again in Heb. 8:6-7,
“6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry which is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second.” (RSV)
The dispensation under the old Mosaic covenant was passing away during the days the Apostles were broadcasting the gospel of Christ through “all the world” of that old Roman empire of the first century AD.(1) The book of Hebrews confirms that the old covenant was about to be annulled, about to pass away at the time the book was written in about AD 65-66 (Heb. 8:13). And, the writer of Hebrews quoted Jer. 31 again:
“…The days will come, says the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; 9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in my covenant, and so I paid no heed to them, says the Lord.
10 This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach every one his fellow or every one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Heb. 8:8-12, RSV)
The crying and sorrow and mourning and tears was during the time of the captivity under the old covenant, under the dispensation of condemnation when the people were separated from YHVH. The separation was the cause of their tears and mourning.
But, under the new covenant, all those covered by Christ’s blood sacrifice now tabernacle with YHVH (Rev. 21:3), as we are in Christ’s body, “living stones of a spiritual house” (1 Pet. 2:5), which is His temple and in which we are His priests (Rev. 5:10). All who are in Christ are no longer separate from YHVH and therefore He says:
“…“Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,[a] and God himself will be with them;[b] 4 he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”(Rev. 21:3-4, RSV)
Sin equals death, and death equals separation from YHVH (Gen. 2:17; 3:23-24; Rom. 6:23; 8:1-2, etc). The former things were those under the old covenant of condemnation that passed away when that old temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. All who are in Christ “do not come into judgment, but have passed from death to life” (John 5:24).
Those former things passed away with that old covenant in AD 70. Under the new covenant we have eternal life. Though our carnal body must die, must put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:52-53), we have our spiritual life affirmed in the covenant of Christ’s blood.
As those who are in Christ now reign with Him as His priests and kings on this earth (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:10), we are now His chosen people and we dwell (tabernacle) with Him in His new covenant of grace and mercy where He remembers our sins no more, and where we are no longer separated from Him. There is no more mourning and crying, no more tears of the captive of the old covenant.
Rev. 21:3-4 is not speaking about earthly sorrows and mourning we all experience at the loss of our loved ones, or the brutality of murderers, robbers and despotic tyrants, or the cruelty of others who scorn and mock us. Everyone including the wicked experiences those conditions here in this earth realm.
It is speaking about the condition of being separate from YHVH where separation from Him is death. But, we who are in Christ are told to rejoice greatly because of our release from that old bondage in our new living hope.
“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice,[a] though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 1:3-7, RSV)
That revelation of Jesus Christ was His coming in glory to destroy that old covenant temple and all those of the unrepentant, rebellious Jerusalem in the destruction of that once great city which happened in AD 70.
Note:
1. See my post Frequent Mistakes – Part IV: Where Was “All the World:? (Feb. 2018)
Shredding The Veil 
Thanks again, Gina. These are such fundamental truths about reigning with Christ now for those who get it, but for those who don’t, it’s like they have a toothbrush in their hand because they need it now.
Still, the toothpaste, which they know is real, is somewhere up on a dark shelf, and they refuse to turn on the light to get it, or to move it to a closer shelf for the next time, which is at least once a day.
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Very good analogy. Thx.
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Hello Gina, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying reading your posts, I found your site through another blog by the name of Biblicism Institute who I must credit with initially opening my eyes to the Zionist lie that has corrupted most American Christians’ understanding of God’s Word. I was a skeptic for years because of the contradictions I thought I found in the Bible, I now fully believe in the Lord because I accept and know with all my heart that His Word is the only Truth! I’ve spent years looking for that truth in science and philosophy to no avail. All of those manmade endeavors to discover the “truth” of our existence (the “why are we here?” question) apart from God fall flat under scrutiny. I am thankful to God that He created me with the intense desire to seek out truth and righteousness, ultimately leading me to His Word and the revelation that it is the truth I was seeking!
Most of my questions have been answered by further reading of your posts, however I do have one sticking point I’d like your insight on. Particularly the nature of our creation and your perspective on how sin entered the world. Since we are created in God’s image, and God is perfect, we are created perfect and sinless. Not being able to die to sin until we become aware of right and wrong and accountability to the Law. My sticking point is this, if we are created perfect in God’s image, how is it that Eve defied God of her own volition in the first place? We know it was because the serpent twisted God’s Word and so convinced her to do so, but if the serpent is her desire/lust then wouldn’t that mean God created us with the inclination to sin?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
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Your statement that we are created perfect is not scriptural. The short answer is simply that God gave us free will to choose.
Image is H6754, “tselem” or likeness, resemblance, a representative figure. IOW not the original, but a reflection. It does not mean perfect.
Man is H120,, “adam” or human, person, with the understanding of common, or low degree.
Psa. 8:5, “And causest him to lack a little of Godhead, And with honour and majesty compassest him.” (YLT)
Jesus was with YHVH in the beginning, nothing was created without Him (John 1:1). “Let US make man in OUR image…” (Gen. 1:26). The duality, God and His Son. The likeness is in the mind of man, the capacity of man to be holy, to be good and kind and loving. It is not the physical image, but the spiritual. We were created for good works (Eph. 2:10) to be able to walk after God, to seek Him out, to know His mind, and to be able to attain unto His righteousness.
But, He also created us in a carnal body with a lower status that fits the physics of this earthly realm. As such He gave us dominion , and free will to choose what we do. That choice presents the struggle of mankind which Paul discusses in Rom. 7.
“18 for I have known that there doth not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh, good: for to will is present with me, and to work that which is right I do not find, 19 for the good that I will, I do not; but the evil that I do not will, this I practise. 20 And if what I do not will, this I do, it is no longer I that work it, but the sin that is dwelling in me.“ (YLT)
We have the constant inclination to sin which the Jews called the “yetzer hara” opposed to our inclination to ignore our selfish desires and do what is right (the yetzer hatov), the good inclination. We are responsible for our actions. Our choices are the reflection of which side of our nature we let rule us. YHVH’s constant hope is that we choose to follow Him, to be like Him, to walk with Him, to honor His holiness. And, that is what He gave us the capability to do.
So, Eve had free will to choose whether to follow God’s command, or to give into the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).
“…Noah [is] a righteous man; perfect he hath been among his generations; with God hath Noah walked habitually.” (Gen. 6:9, YLT)
“12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Rom. 8:12-15, RSV)
This is the constant choice before us either to live after the flesh, or to live according to God’s Spirit. We do not have sin reckoned to us until we choose to act against God and His commands. But once we commit those wrong actions we miss the mark, or sin, and then we have to have the blood atonement of His Son Yeshua to be forgiven.
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Thank you for taking the time to explain this to me, I see how I had it completely wrong. Still learning a lot each day about our Lord. I see you linked a website to another commenter and visited it, would you agree with their views on universalism? It seems that they do not believe the second coming has occurred yet, I believe that was in 70AD. However they do make a good point in that at the end of Jesus’ 1000 year reign He is to cast satan down into the abyss. I agree with your understanding that satan is the adversary and not a fallen angel, but I am a bit confused as to what that means in Revelation considering the Roman empire continued on for many years after our Lord died for our sins. Could it be in reference to the final destruction of apostate Jerusalem? And/or the unbelieving Hebrews gathered within?
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You need to read the other posts at this site as His return was promised to that same generation of His first appearance. There is no 1,000 year reign on earth. Pls read the post here “The Thousand Year Reign of Rev. 20…” from Oct. 2015, and all parts of “The Signs of Revelation…” from Feb & Mar 2017. The end was about the destruction of earthly Jerusalem and that earthly animal sacrificial temple, the end of the Mosaic covenant.
I am not sure which outside link you are looking at. I do not endorse all of the beliefs of others websites, but they sometimes get something right. Universalism is not scriptural as all of the “if” statements in the Bible prove that YHVH has conditions for salvation. “..if ye may not believe I am he…” John 8:24 “…if ye hold fast…” 1 Cor. 15:2 “…if ye may forgive men their trespasses…” Matt. 6:14 “…if thou dost hearken to me…” Psa 81:8
The words “might” and “may” are also indicators of conditional salvation. “…that your Father who is in heaven may forgive you…” Mark 11:25 “…that you may know the truth…” Luke 1:4 “…that your faith may not fail…” Luke 22:32 “that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life” John 3:15
Rev. 14:13, ” “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth.” (RSV) So we have to die in the Lord to have eternal life. Therefor, those who do not die in the Lord do not have eternal life. Salvation is not a universal promise. The call to come to Christ is universal. But the salvation is only promised to those who do the will of the Father in heaven to be immersed into His Son’s death, burial, and resurrection, and who will then stay faithful unto death.
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Gina, I am reading all of your posts and will have them all read within the next week or so. I just wanted to get a quick take on the resurrection of the just and unjust. I am neither premil or postmil believer. It seems quite plain that amil is the truth. It also seems that we are living in the thousand year period right now (thousand being a representative of a large block of time).
I appreciate all the time you have taken on this endeavor. We align with each other ALOT. I too understand that Satan was started by an Iranian prophet Zoroaster many moons ago and absorbed by the Jews. The Greeks came up with good demons and bad demons to explain things they didn’t oat the time (mental illness, epilepsy, etc).
Jesus didn’t correct these cultural beliefs because He had bigger fish to fry and saw no need to address a superstitious community that would detract from His much more important mission. He simply left mankind to learn things in the medical world as time went on.
I am also not a trinitarian. This is another lie that was prompted by the RCC. Since you are so well researched, my guess is that you see this lie as well. The notion of the trinity is based on pagan ideologies. Nowhere in the NT is there even a hint of the trinity.
thank you for your work and these areas. my only real concern is the notion of the resurrection. I take the first resurrection to be that of Jesus. In Revelation 20 it says blessed are they who have part in the first resurrection; this means those who share in Christ resurrection who was the first resurrection of the dead.
I guess your address the resurrection as described by Paul and first Thessalonians 4:17 and 18. Understandably, I have just been a bit perplexed by the notion that this has already happened. Maybe I’m understanding that event too much in a literal sense. I never saw it as symbolic, but maybe that is the explanation. Because again, if all believers at the time of 8070 were taken up and no believers were left on the Earth then I don’t know how Christianity could continue.
this is really my only large stumbling block. I do plan on reading all of your posts and hope I come across it. if you can give me a quick explanation here I would appreciate it. I just do not want you to think that I’m not gonna read all of your post because I’m going to
anyhow I appreciate all that you have done. peace and blessings to you
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Stumbling block indeed. All believers were not taken up in AD 70. Mortal eyes do not see what takes place in the spiritual realm. Jesus’ resurrection (and a few others) was witnessed by the disciples as proof concept. Thereafter, mortal eyes do not see the resurrection from the grave. It is not a symbolic issue, but an issue of separate realms. Those who were still living when the temple was destroyed had to continue to live out their physical lives until their bodily death. Every one experiences bodily death. They remained on the earth continuing to preach the gospel. As each one died, then they were gathered into heaven to be with those who had gone before. Contrary to current incorrect teaching it was not a simultaneous gathering. I know you are trying to connect all of the dots all at one time, but you have some misunderstood ideas to work out. “Hades Is No More’, “Testing the Spirits – Part III: Daniel’s Lot” and others address this question for you.
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thank you. I will read everything and then if I have any further questions, I will let you know.
by the way have you ever looked into the Trinity as far as it being a New Testament teaching?
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I have not written a post on the teaching of the Catholic trinity doctrine. I do not find any basis for that belief in the New Testament. The Catholic church admits that they changed Matt. 28:19 at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD to read “father, son, and holy ghost”. I do not find any scripture where our Father in heaven speaks to His Spirit as a separate being as He does speak to His Son. Although I do not agree with all of their statements, I am much in sympathy with the information at this post: https://godsplanforall.com/free-online-book/part-iii/chapter-26-antichrist-christianity/
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Hello Gina. I have also concluded that the Devil is not as most of Christendom believes. Can you send me all that you have on this?
Also, I am currently a partial preterist because several things re hyper preterism do not allow me to hold that view….but am intrigued by your views as a “fulfilled eschatologist”. Can you please send me or explain your understanding?
I am open to learn the truth and would appreciate you sending what you can.
My email is: jdr6000@gmail.com
Thanks – Jonathan
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Thanks for reading Johnathan. Every post at this blog supports the fulfilled eschatology perspective of the scriptures. Just click on each post, but I recommend that you read “Perspective” at the top menu first, then go to the bottom right margin & start with the 10 parts of It’s Not The End of The World series. My posts on Testing the Spirits- Parts IV (a) & (b) from July 2022 on Slandering Angels, as well as Parts VI (a) (b) & (c) on Demons, Devils, & Idols from Aug 2022 will be of interest to you. Also suggest you read “When Jesus Called Peter “Satan” from Aug 2015. IMO the term “hyper-preterism” was invented as a slur. The scriptures interpret scriptures; God interprets His word (Dan. 2:27-30). We are not allowed to interpret, or impose our own views upon His word. I believe what His word says.
Jesus told His disciples that all of “these things” would be fulfilled in that generation of the 1st century AD. Jesus told John that He was coming shortly, the time was at hand, and quickly; at the beginning of the in the 1st chap. of Rev. and again 3 times in the last chap. of Revelation. The time is book marked between Rev. 1 & Rev. 22. The words indicated a short, soon, immediate time for His return; and it was a return for judgment of those wicked who had crucified Him, and persecuted His saints. It was never about the end of the physical cosmos, or the end of all time. See Testing the Spirits – Parts II & III. Also, the Signs of Revelation – Part I: The Time of His Coming.
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Thank you for the reply and I will read those blog posts. In the meantime, I am hesitant to say that the resurrections have transpired because Hymenus and Philetus said the same thing and they were not thought too highly of by Paul.
What’s more is that if Jesus’ second coming happened in the generation back in the first century, then surely it would’ve been noticed and recorded by Josephus or someone else.
Finally, if all Christians were caught up in the air to meet the Lord, then there would be no Christians left on earth. This then begs the question of how Christianity would continue on…like it has for two millennia.
Again, I just want to know the truth. In regarding the above, I just don’t want to be wrong… And I just don’t see how Christianity would continue if all Christians were taken away before the end of the first century.
If you can give me a response to this before, I start reading your posts, that would be great. Thank you for interacting. Over the years, I have read your responses on that other website and I’ve always thought you give well thought out responses and comments.
I look forward to your reply. peace Jonathan
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We must always keep in mind the time period of each book in the New Testament. 2 Tim. was most probably the last epistle Paul wrote, around 63 AD. (http://www.datingthenewtestament.com/Timothy.htm) The temple was destroyed in 70 AD, about 7 years later. So, Hymeneaus and Philetus were 7 yrs early in their statements. Matt. 25 is part of the prophecy of Matt. 24, and details the resurrection from Hades after Jesus’ return, His second appearance (Heb. 9:28) in that generation during the wedding feast – the 10 days of awe before Yom Kippur, 10th of Tishrei which is detailed in the prophecy of Matt. 22:1-14. The time statements matter; the time the books were written matters. All of this I have written about in the blogs at this post. See “Gathering of the Elect” from July 2017; my father’s post “The Resurrection in Three Parts” from Sept. 2017; & “Frequent Mistakes – Part III: The Last Day” from Dec. 2017.
You are thinking in terms of the dispensationalist rapture idea which is wrong. Every one has to give up this carnal body. It is given unto man once to die, and after this judgment (Heb. 9:27). Mortal has to put on immortal (2 Cor. 15:53-54). Since Jesus’ death on the cross and ascension, each of YHVH’s saints that die in the Lord are changed in the twinkling of an eye at their bodily death and gathered into heaven. One by one, hour by hour, day by day. Each in our turn. The resurrection out of Hades was a group resurrection of all the dead from that prison after the temple was destroyed, both of the righteous from the section of Paradise (Abraham’s Bosom), & the unrighteous of the place of torment (Luke 16:19-31). See “Hades Is No More” from Aug 2022.
You are asking me to supply you with all of the answers I’ve already detailed in all of the posts at this blog, which is to say that you do not want to spend the time and effort to read what I’ve already written. I ask that you give the posts due consideration.
Josephus did write about Jesus’ second appearance as it was the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. See his book of wars at Gutenburgpress.org.
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♥️
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