God's elect know that there is a reason for this flesh age.

Since this 39th chapter of Ezekiel is a transition chapter between two dispensations,
it is remarkable that the first part of this chapter, verses 1 through 8,
describes the defeat and destruction of the armies of the enemies of God and His children,
while the remainder of the chapter describes the ensuing cleansing of the land
and ends with the promise that this is the final restoration of Israel
and the Lord will hide His face from them no more, for ever.

Also, God's elect know that there is a reason for this flesh age
which goes beyond what most Christians believe and perceive.

Many of our brothers and sisters believe that this temporary dwelling in the flesh is "the day",
i.e. the only day, of salvation instead of "a day" of salvation.

(Did you know that there are no indefinite articles in Greek?)

In other words, they believe that if you do not accept Jesus Christ while alive in the flesh,
you are going to "hell" to be tortured by fire for all of eternity!

Now that seems really fair to those who live and die in the flesh who have never had an opportunity to know the truth, doesn't it? Well, such is not the case and our Father is not unfair!

The fact is that any wise and knowledgeable disciple of His Word knows
that the greatest harvest of souls is the time of the Millennium,
the time depicted by the great fall harvest known as the Feast of Tabernacles.

There is however an "early crop" and that is depicted by the Feast of the Firstfruits,
also known as Pentecost in the Greek language.

You see, there are TWO times (of harvesting) when the granting of eternal life,
the raising (resurrection) to immortality is granted.

This means you must remain "spiritually dead",
which is to exist but not have the gift of eternal life,
i.e. you still have an unjudged mortal soul all during the Millennium.

The flesh therefore is but a temporary dwelling,
actually a form of "low life",
and you were placed in it not to live eternally therein,
but to "experience" the pain and sufferings and joys as well (the "times" of Ecclesiastes chapter 3),
and to experience DEATH so that when you are born again into your spiritual body
the glory of God will be MAGNIFIED enormously!

You see, the salvation plan of God involves much teaching and training by word and experience.

If you have eyes to see and ears to hear then you will understand
that the temporary flesh tabernacle is but a training vessel for the souls of God's children.

Their eternal dwelling place is in the spirit with Him!

Perhaps it seems a little crude to say it like this,
but you were born in the flesh "to die" in the flesh!

Think about it!

That is one of the main purposes of being born of water, i.e. in the flesh.

You see, it is written that before God judges the rest of His children
like He judged Satan in the first earth age,
they must all come down from above, be born of water, i.e. of flesh,
and then be born back into their spiritual, i.e. incorruptible, bodies.

This is precisely what Christ told Nicodemus must happen in John chapter 3:1-15,
though most think He was describing spiritual conversion,
which He didn't talk about until verse 16.

Here is where it is written that only AFTER all the sons of God
have made the trip from above and passed through the flesh body will the judgment occur!

That is why is it so often written
that "They shall KNOW that He is LORD!",
because they will KNOW WELL having experienced death in the flesh!

That is why God brought Israel out of Egypt in the manner in which He did,
because it served a double purpose!

It was designed to make believers out of non-believers
while at the same time intensify the love and admiration His children have for Him.

That same "plan" has been designed for the final restoration
of the whole house of Israel when Christ returns.

Antichrist, Satan himself posing as Jesus Christ,
will have been reigning on earth for a period of 5 months (Rev. 9:5)
and will ultimately cause an "evil thought" (Ezek. 38:10) to enter Gog,
the Ro'shian leader of Meshech and Tubal,
to assemble and bring forth a mighty military force from the northern part against the true house of Israel!

But Gog will be unsuccessful in his attempt,
for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
shall intervene and strike down that force,
just as He alone drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
while His children looked upon that army's demise at the hand of their God
and gave glory to Him for the victory!

Thus the "positive",
two-fold purpose in the defeat of the enemy of His people was fulfilled!

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

is

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