Shall All Be Made Alive? - Part 2

 Joh 12:32 

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.

1. Was Jesus lifted up from the earth? Therefore what will he do?

Act 15:13-18 

13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me: 14 Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16 After these things I will return,  And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen;  And I will build again the ruins thereof,  And I will set it up: 17 That the residue of men may seek after the Lord,  And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, 18 Saith the Lord, who maketh these things known from of old.

1. Vs14 James states that Simeon or Peter say "First God visited the Gentiles?" Huh? Why?

1. To take out a people for his name

2. So James seems to be speaking about what God was doing in their present day? 

3. Then we can assume that the rest of this will be future or prophecy

2. Vs15 Amos 9:11-12

3. Vs16 Then I will return…

4. Vs16 I will build up the Tabernacle again which is fallen.

5. Vs16 I will build up the ruins

1. ***Notice here that James is prophesying that the church is destined to lie in ruins…

6. Vs16 And I will set it up!

7. Vs17 The residue (remainder) of man may seek after the Lord

8. Vs17 and all the gentiles upon whom my name is called. 

I don't think he is saying that he will collect only those whom his name is called upon. I think he is saying that his name is called upon all the Gentiles

9. Amo 9:11-12 This corresponds to Acts 15:16-17

11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old; 12 that they may possess the remnant of Edom (man), and all the nations that are called by my name, saith Jehovah that doeth this.

10. Where does James get the idea at the beginning of Acts 15:16 that says "Then I will return"?

1. He certainly connects it with Jesus's second coming (Christ)

11. Repeat the pattern!

1. God takes people from the Gentiles for his name (Christ?)

2. Then He returns

3. Then he rebuilds his Tabernacle which has fallen

4. He builds upon the ruins and he will set it up

5. Those remaining may seek after the Lord…All the Gentiles upon whom His name is called!

1Ti 4:10 

For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe.

1. How could Jesus the living God be the Savior of all men, especially them that believe? Do the ones that believe now have some advantage? It would seem, despite it not being entirely clear…

1Ti 2:1-4

1 I exhort therefore first of all to make supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, for all men; 2 for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. 3 This is good and acceptable before God our: Savior; 4 who willeth all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth.

1Jn 2:1-2 

1 My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

1. Notice again in verse 2…"He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world."

2. What might be this connection between Jesus giving himself not just for "us" but also for the whole world?

1Co 15:21-22 

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

1. Vs22 In Adam all die.

2. Vs22 In Christ shall all be made alive via resurrection of the dead

1 Cor 15:23-24

23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power. 

Here is the order or sequence of the resurrection of the dead per Paul.

1. Christ The firstfruits

2. They that are Christ's at His coming

3. Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power

1. Vs23 Christ the firstfruits

1. Seems to be more than just Jesus. It's Christ…

Rev 14:4 

These are they that were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb.

2.  These are before Christ's second coming! 

1. Because they are the first in the sequence and the second one will be those that are priced at is coming

3. The word "Christ" is G5547, which means:

1. Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God

2. anointed

4. Don't forget the 42nd generation from Matt 1:17. The generation of people from "Jesus to Christ" which I think includes Jesus also.

5. Rom 8:18-23

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

At the present time God is saving only those He has called unto the special salvation of the ages. He will use these to bring about the salvation of the rest. In other words this first group seems to have a hand in the salvation of the future groups.

God is taking out a people. He is not calling all people now. He is taking out a people for His name. To be in Christ is to be a Son of God, born of incorruptible seed as Jesus is a Son of God. To be in Christ is to be a member of the body of Christ. To be a member of the body of Christ is to be a king, a priest, a royal generation, a holy people. To be a sharer of His glorious name is to be prepared by God for the ages to come in which those chosen ones shall show forth the praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. Being thus called to bear His name is to be prepared to reign with Him in the ages to come, in which ages the Lord will gather the residue of mankind and eventually all the Gentiles whosoever and wheresoever they may be. That is the true purpose of the ministry of the Sons of God for which all creation groans and travails. 

6. Let's compare "Christ the firstfruits" to those James speaks of in Acts 15:13-18: 

1. Acts 15:14  God visited the Gentiles "to take out of them a people for his name."

2. A people for his name? What name? Christ

3. So James speaks of this first group also.

7. Jas 1:18 

Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

1. James is speaking to "the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting". James 1:1b

****The firstfruits more than likely correlate with the people that God/Jesus take out of the Gentile for His name in Acts 15:14***

****Not everyone is chosen at this time. Only those firstfruits****

2. Vs23 They that are Christ's at His coming

1. Same group is spoken of in Rev 19.

1. Rev 19:11-15 Jesus

11 And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. 13 And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 

2. Rev 19:14-15 Those that are His

And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. 15 And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty.

3. He shall rule them with a rod of iron? Who are these? HINT

1. Rev 2:26-27  

26 And he that overcometh, and he that keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give authority over the nations: 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to shivers; as I also have received of my Father.

NOTICE THE INTERMIXING OF CHRIST WITH THE OVERCOMER INCLUDED!

2. Mat 25:31 

But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory

1. Angels - angelos; "a messenger", "to deliver a message", sent whether by God or by man or by Satan, a messenger; especially an " angel" ; by implication a pastor: - angel, messenger.

2. Then he shall sit on his throne. 

1. Where is the throne? In His temple.

2. Where is his New testament throne? In his temple. 

3. Who is His temple in the New testament? His people

In Rev 22, His throne is in the New Jerusalem which comments down out of heaven. This is metaphoric for his people.