The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet #6330

 You were born in the flesh "to die" in the flesh!

Chapter 39 of the great book named "God is our strength", EZEK-I-EL, is a "Transition Chapter" between this flesh age and the Millennium age which begins "on that day", the Lord's Day, also known as the Day of Vengeance, the Day of God's Wrath, when Jesus Christ returns and ALL people who are still alive in their flesh bodies will be instantly changed into their spiritual bodies.

It is written regarding "that day", the day of the Lord's return, that it is both a "great" and a "dreadful" day.

Malachi 4:5
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

1 Cor. 15:52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

It should be pointed out that the apostle Paul was an Hebrew scholar who studied under the great teacher Gamaliel, which lets us know that Paul was quite familiar with Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. He therefore knew that "on that day" of Christ's return, at the 7th Trump, that day which he is speaking of in 1 Cor. 15:52, there would be a final battle in which God would "smite the bow" from the hand of Gog's forces and many would die in the open field. Of course he knew also that God's children would not die that way and they would not be smitten, for God is not angry at them. Nevertheless, ALL will be changed into their spiritual bodies at that time: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, 1.) the dead ("oi nekroi" in Greek, see appendix 139 in the Companion Bible), those who die that day, will be raised into their incorruptible bodies and the rest will simply shed their flesh and be changed, just like that!

Note: Some read the "dead" in 1 Cor. 15:52 as being the "spiritually dead" who are alive "on that day", and certainly the enemies of God fit that category. However, it is a fact that there will be "dead corpses", oi nekroi,  on the day of Christ's return and that is what we are now going to read about in the 39th chapter of Ezekiel.

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 should be taught in Basic Bible 101 for it is so simple.

1.) The first granting of eternal life is called the First Resurrection which occurs when Jesus Christ returns.  "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Rev. 20:6)

2.) The second time of the granting of eternal life occurs at the end of the Millennium at the Great White Throne Judgment, at which time one could also receive the same death sentence already given to the son of perdition, which is to perish in the lake of fire.

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!

Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

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!