Where Will the Righteous Be?

(Related article “Romanism vs. Scripture” specifically point 5.)

The promise of Heaven as a reward for the righteous is nowhere to be found in scripture even when the ‘World Tomorrow’ (New Heavens and New Earth) is mentioned and is often plural. Most of the Psalms, Isaiah and Ezekiel references are to Earth, Zion or Jerusalem. The Hebrew word for Heaven is ‘shamiym’ or ‘shameh’ or ‘shamiyn’ (strong’s concordance # 8064 and 8065) means lofty and refers to the atmosphere, the cosmos and beyond. It is also translated as ‘air’. In Greek it is ‘ouranos’ which implies the concept of elevation through happiness, power eternity, specifically the Gospel; also translated as ‘air’ or ‘sky.’

Gen 1:26-31 God’s original intent for man was the earth not heaven

Ps 37 (spec.  Verses 3, 9, 11, 22, 29, 39), Mt 5:5, Rm 4:13 – Those who are meek and those who wait upon the Lord shall inherit the Earth.

Rv. 5:10, 20:4 As Kings and Priests the righteous shall rule a thousand years over the earth.

Is 42:4 Justice and law will be established.

Dan 2:34-35, 44-45 A kingdom requires a ruler, land and people.

Zech. 14 The feet of Jesus Christ will stand upon the Mount of Olives. Those who are left will go up from year to year to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (vs. 16-19 and also Rv 19). Rv 14:1-5 John saw the “Lamb standing on Mt Zion with the firstfruits purchased from the earth.”

 

Mic.  4, Joel 2:32, Is 2:1-4 The ‘Mountain of the Lord’ will be established in Zion.

Jer. 3:14-18 God will bring Israel and Judah to Zion / Jerusalem and it shall be called “The Throne of the Lord.”

Prov 2:21-22, Jer 32:37-44, Zeph 2:9 “I will bring ‘my people’ back to their land.

Zech. 8 Description of day to day life in Jerusalem.

Is 65:17-25 The generations will be ongoing in the ‘New Heavens and New Earth.’

 

Deut. 28, Lv. 26 Blessings / Curses

Promises (covenant) made:

To Abraham         Gen 17:1-8

To Isaac                Gen 26:1-5
To Jacob (Israel) Gen 28:1-4
To David               II Sam 7:13-16
To Mary                Lk 1:32-35

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob dwelt in the land of promise (Heb 11:9-10)

Ezek 36 Israel gathered from among the nations and brought back into their own land; filled with the Holy Spirit.

Amos 9:13-15 The desolated cities will be rebuilt. The land will be fertile and never again will the Israelites be forced to leave the land that God has given them.

Ps 97, 98 God reigns and judges over the Earth and its inhabitants in righteousness and equity.

Is 61 lists the responsibilities of the firstfruits.

Hab 2:14 The Earth will be filled with the knowledge (Yada) of the Lord (see also Is 11:9 dea or de’ah from yada).

Is 11: The 2^nd Exodus and the World Tomorrow; Is 35: The healing of humanity and the Earth.

Obad 17 – 21 Mount Zion shall be delivered

Mal 4:1-3 The wicked shall be as ashes under the soles of the feet of the saints.

New Heavens and New Earth: Is 65:17 – 66:24; II Pt 3:13

 

New Jerusalem: Rv 3:12, 21:2

Ps 132:11 The Lord has chosen Zion as his dwelling place and David’s sons will sit on their father’s throne forevermore.

Job 19:25-27 The Redeemer will stand upon the Earth in the latter days. Though the body will be destroyed, my flesh shall see God.

Jesus is returning with his reward and to re-establish his Kingdom. Jn 14:1-3, Mt 16:27-28, Rv 22:7,12, Dan 2:35, 7:14,26,27 – *

Lk19:11-27 Rewarding of the cities – *Acts 1:9-11 Christ is returning in like manner as He ascended into Heaven (no mention of a 3^rd phase) – *.

I Kngs 8:27 The Heavens and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain God

 

[*notice: there is no mention of returning to where He had received the Kingdom].

 

To SLEEP one must LIE down and REST

Asleep:                                         7290 (2) see Sleep
                                                      3463(2) (see sleep)
Sleep(er, est, eth, ing) {a,b,c,d}: 8639  'Tardemah' from 7290 A lethargy or (by impl. a trance) T/A:  deep sleep
                                                      7290 'radam' to stun (stupefy) with sleep or death T/A: be fast asleep (Jg 4:21, Jonah 1:5); be in a deep sleep (Dan 8:18, 10:9); cast into a dead sleep (Ps 76:6);
                                                      7901 (see Lie)
                                                      8139/42 'sh^enah / shena(h)' from 3462
                                                      3462/3 'yashen' to be slack or languid (implies sleep, grow old, stale or inveterate, to die. T/A old (store), remain long, (make to) sleep, asleep
                                                      1957 (Is 56:10) 'hazah To dream, sleep or rave

Slept:                                                   3462/3 (see sleep)
                                                             7901 (see Lie)
                                                             5123 (Ps 76:5)
Slumber(ings):                                    5123 / 4  'nuwm / numah to slumber / sleepinessT/A slept (Ps 76:5), slumber (5),  drowsiness (Prov 23:21)
                                                              8572 (5) 't^enuwmah'
Lie(st, eth):                                          7901 'shakah' to lie down (whatever the purpose) A/T/A: X at all, cast down, (over)lay (self down), (make to) lie (down) (to sleep,still, with), lodge (Jos 2:1), ravish, take rest (Job 11:18, 30:17), Sleep, Stay (Job 38:37)
Rest(ed, eth,ing,s):                             4494/6)'manowach /m^enuwchah'                                        
                                                             7673/7 'shabath / shabbaththown'
                                                             5117 'nuwach'
                                                             8252
                                                             7901 (see Lie)
                                                              7931
                                                              5183
                                                              7257
                                                              1824
                                                               4771
                                                               7280
                                                                6314
                                                                

Points to Consider

(Related article “Romanism vs Scripture” http://smrsancientandbiblicaltudies.blogspot.com/2011/05/romanism-vs-scripture_1953.html specifically point 7)
A.      Rev 20:11-15 (esp. Vs. 12) The ‘Book of Life’ is opened = Last Call.
B.      To be saved is easier than to be lost. John 3:16, Acts8:36-39
C.      Heb 6:4-6 describes what is considered the unpardonable sin – only if you have been enlightened and if you have turned your back on it. This has happened to very few in this age.
D.      Since Adam and Eve partook of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, Humanity has been in a constant state of violence, corruption, arrogance etc. Realise as well the plight and suffering of innocent children. Observe the state of humanity vis-a-vis its relationship to God since Adam and Eve.
E.       Rm 8:7-8 The fleshly mind is hostile to God and will not submit to His Law.
F.       Jer. 17:9, I Cor. 2:14. The heart and nature of man is deceitful and the ways of God are as folly to him.
G.     Lk. 23:34 “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”
H.      Rv. 12:9 Satan has deceived the whole world. See previous posting “Atonement”: http://smrsancientandbiblicaltudies.blogspot.com/2011/01/atonement.html
I.        Gen 6:18 only Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives (8 in all) entered into the ark
Gen 19:30 only Lot and his 2 daughters were saved from Sodom and Gomorrah
Acts 1:15 only 120 assisted at the first Pentecost after Christ had been crucified
J.        Is 30:19-22, 65:17-25, 66:22-24, Mic. 4:1-4 Implies that there will still be mortal humans in the ‘New Heavens and the New Earth’ and that they will require divine teaching, guidance, correction and protection.
K.      Mt 5:13-16, 24:21-22 Why ‘preserve’ if you ‘intend’ to destroy.
L.       “It shall be more tolerable for ...” from the Greek ‘anektoteros’ – more endurable  Mt 10:15, 11:22, 24, Mk 6:11, Lu 10:12, 14
M.    Order of resurrection (Greek = ‘anastasis’ a standing up again namely after being dead)
I Cor 15:21-26, Rv 20:1-6, 11-15 Christ --- First Fruits (those who belong to Christ) --- The rest of the dead --- The condemned who will subsequently be thrown into the Lake of Fire, suffer the 2^nd death and (Mal 4:1-3) be ashes under the soles of our feet.
N.     It is not prophesied that humanity will accept Jesus Christ at his 2^nd coming (see Zech 14, Rv 19, 6:15-17, II Tim 3:1-9, Mt 24:24 etc.
O.     Compare these with II Pt 3:9, Is 11, 26:16-27, Zech 8:20-23, Mic 4:1-5, I Tim 2:1-6, 4:10 (Interlinear reads as “Preserver of all Men”