Man looks to the sky:

Recently, all eyes were to the sky again, as Mars came the closest to earth as it has in history.  Man always looks for a sign.  A heavenly sign.  Scripture and verse ...  Luke 11:16!  That's why man is always captivated and engrossed by heavenly signs ...  to the sun rising on the New Millennium, Haley's Comet, the recent meteor shower, the apparent manned moon trips, the Jupiter Effect, not to forget the UFO craze, and on it goes.  Whether it is the greatest of radio telescopes ever built, or the furthest away spacecraft mission, the further man looks out, the further away he misses the mark by a million light years.

This is why people are so infatuated with the sky and heavenly signs.  It takes mans focus off God's simple answer.  It was a sign in the sky, a star, which lead a very small remnant of men to the baby Jesus, and the star has prominence every year when the world celebrates the glossed up manger scene.  However, this baby, who was God in the flesh, grew up to be the Man who cancelled out a sign in the sky men were looking for, by these words:

"There shall no sign be given unto this generation."

The sign in the earth:

Here our Saviour dispelled what man was hoping, that Jesus would endorse or reinforce mans dreams and aspirations of his own version of deliverance.  Jesus' answer to this generation, who were looking for a sign in the sky:

Matt. 12:39-40.  "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

Man's horizon is very broad and his way is very wide.  It is also very costly and very complex.  He erects towers towards the sky and sends rockets into the heavens.  His intellectual and philosophical answers to life are also very complicated, lofty, and high minded.  However, God's children are called to a simple obedience and a narrow way.  All that is broad, convenient, and accommodating, is to be shunned in order to gain that Pearl of great price.  To the natural mind this is all too simplistic, too narrow, too inappropriate and extreme.  Even considered foolish.  However, God's ways are not our ways, and He will not accommodate anything short of His cross.  This tree being the only remedy for fallen man.  Everything man does short-cuts this remedy, where "the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."

Mans tree would be a symbol he could erect, of posture and achievement, which ultimately would be cut down and thrown into the fire (note: the Twin Towers being brought down occurred after this was written).  Reminiscent of Jesus words:

"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."

An age of mixture and mutualism:

"Unto this generation," was Jesus' reference.

We live in an age of mutualism and compromise.  One word would sum up this present phenomenon, and it is the word 'mixture'   With God His ways never change and the first principle in knowing Him is as always, and will be as always ... the principle of separation.

As it was in the garden ...  the tree of life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; so it was prior to the flood ...  you were either with Noah's family or you missed salvation.  Post flood, the principle remained ...  you were either His chosen nation (the Israelites) or you were as the heathen.  Has anything changed?  The new and living way may have been ushered in, but the principle of separation remains the same ...  Moses (representing law and condemnation) or Jesus Christ (representing grace and truth).  Alternatively looked at from another angle ...  the kingdom of this present world, or the kingdom of God!  We could also be more direct and "old fashioned" and say Heaven or Hell!

With this godly principle always remaining (as God is a holy God who requires separation) the New Covenant goes further, and digs deeper, from the natural to the spiritual.  It speaks of separation, or circumcision of the heart, not a geographical isolation, or a Monastery or Cultist mentality, or a clique.  That's why Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world."  And when He said all He did mean all, not just in part.  Whether it was hovels to palaces, or gutters to mansions, or the highways and byways to appealing to Caesar; the command was to go physically into all facets and aspects of this present world system   Not as a licence for sin of course, but from the great debt we owe our Redeemer to seek out His lost sheep.  At the same time keeping our hearts from all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.  Being in the world, but not of it.  Using it, but not abusing it.  That's a certain peculiar people called out, and called in, to being all things in order to save some.  A sober demonstration of the chosen remnant, sojourning through this present system, without joining hands and being party to it's spirit.

True separation:

Separation?  Yes!!  But a spiritual separation, a heart consecration, where Paul makes it clear in 2 Cor. 6:14:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Saith the Lord Almighty!  In the New Testament!  Under the New Covenant!  Out of the mouth of an apostle, whose name was Paul!

Yes, the age of mutualism.  Where everyone is suppose to scratch each others back without rippling the pond.  Where the world beacons in style and plausibility, "Come lie with me, and don't rock the boat!  While it reverses what is good calling it evil, and reverses what is evil calling it good (Is. 5:20).  Yes, know ye not, the whole world will be seduced by this lie according to scripture.  But only those true and faithful will refuse.

Biblical signs of the time:

Jesus did not say the signs of the end times would just be a multitude of marriage breakdowns and divorces.  Nor did He say it would be gender sexual confusion and the whole world given over to sodomy.  This is not the full picture, and the full picture is what we need in order to discern the signs of the time, and heed the call to "be ye separate".  Jesus actually said it would be a mixture of all these things working in conjunction ...  as it was in the days of Noah ...  as it was in the days of Lot!  Two different time periods (pre flood and post flood), with two different trends.  In rebellion against the Creator nevertheless.  As a great stewing pot of exuberance, cleverness, ease, and justified indulgence, brewed together collectively.  Where if you don't chill out with the world, you will be branded intolerant, prejudice, and an "old fossil" from the last millennium.  Fools for Christ's sake, is the scriptural way of putting it.

In the days of Noah  ...  "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage".  When the world's population was multiplying.  Then in the days of Lot ...  "Likewise also as it was; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded".  And they had eyes for the same gender.

So in the days of Jesus' return we have a mixture and an emphasis of elaborate marriage ceremonies and celebrations taking place, incorporated with high divorce rates.  We have nil birth growth rate taking place in regions (through mass abortions and childless couples), along with a population explosion (again, "when men began to multiply on the face of the earth").  We also have heterosexual licence and homosexual perversion, all as a mixture of simultaneous occurrences.  Where the spirit of the age pleads tolerance and understanding one towards another.  In other words ...  "please understand the god we have formed in our own image is better, and knows better, than the God of absolutes, and the God of Creation?"   "Please bare with us in sin, so that we can likewise bare with you in sin?"  "After all, nobody is perfect and how do you define sin anyhow!?"  Where the ancient standard boundaries are being torn down so the masses can rise up and play together as one, in diversity and multi-mutualism, and defiance against their Maker.  Where responsibility to the earth as "our Mother" is endorsed, but individual responsibility to our own consequences is ignored or even suppressed.

Two wicked ages converging:

All around the world there will be a pre occupation of all these occurrences happening at once ...  wining and dining (food and booze has never had so much profile and emphasis as of late), buying and selling (from real estate to the stock market and shares), planting (the industrial age rocketing into the hi-tech age) and building (not to mention the vast changes in the landscape through the great building projects over the last century).  While being open minded towards same gender sexual "partnerships" and opposite gender "partnerships", coexisting along side each other, in mutual understanding and acceptance, with the absence of protest and revulsion.

It's all happening at once on such a grand scale ...  boom and bust, wealth and poverty, recession and affluence, war and peace.  When in the world's history has there been such a mixture of sophistication and crudeness, high standards and no standards, civilization and backwardness, co existing together?  All living in compliance one to another, with mutual acceptance and approval?  Full scale evidence we are now close to the midnight hour.  With anything going against the grain being frowned upon, even despised, and seen as unfit for this world.  Where the only intolerance (ironically in an age of "tolerance") will the catch phrase "zero tolerance" be dished out against free thinkers and social mavericks.  Soon, people will be jailed for saying homosexuality is wrong (note: this has came to fruition since writing this)!  Look out if you say the Bible is the word of God!  This will be classed as the chief danger against human progress.

As it was in the days of Noah ...  Likewise also, as it was in the days of Lot!  And being celebrated and paraded, as "leaving the Dark Ages behind", "moving with the times", "coming into the 21 st Century" ...  the dawning of the New Age of "enlightenment" and "good will to all humankind"!  Where heaven is enhanced and hell is eradicated.  In defiance of the ancient landmark our fathers have set, and the boundaries set up based on the commands of God.

That Great City of compromise:

Babylon!!  Meaning the wide open gate to everything that can be that City, without God!  Babylon the Great!  Multi-cultural and mutual understanding, dangling a cloak over redefined paganism of old, where the way is wide and broad, and accommodating.  Accommodating everything that is contrary to the word of God.  Conspiracies and wheels within wheels or "much ado about nothing", as long as the real conspiracy is not exposed ...  the Devil's scheme in undermining the Bible, from every post and pillar on planet earth.  Using Christendom as his greatest ally, asset, and weapon, in conjunction with his plan ...  "Hath God said?"

Which tree are we partaking from?  The cut down, dead version, which is spiced up to look attractive and alive; and demands our devotion and offerings?  Or the living realty (I wont say version) which appears all too ordinary and uninviting; but is the gateway to life.

Two end time gospels:

"Peace, and good will toward men" in itself is a half truth, and a half truth is a lie.  The full truth is "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

First God, then man!  With no reconciliation with God first, there can be no true reconciliation among man in a true lasting sense.  As true reconciliation can only come about by true repentance.

The Manger scene of the Baby Jesus in isolation and out of context, cannot save or convert anyone.  It never has and never will.  It is made even more spineless when it is presented both artificially and superficially with added human grandeur and gloss, and a distortion of the historical facts, at a time of man's choosing.  Jesus came for one reason (not a "Season"), and that was to do the will of His Father.  The cross was His complete and finished work!  We are to know nothing but that!  There is no alternatives or deviations.  Want to be a disciple of Jesus?  Then there is no option but full conformity to His word, minus conformity to the world.  Then and only then are we qualified along with Paul to announce we have been crucified with Christ, saying ...  the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

Is this the faith you signed up for?

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
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History of God's Tree:

The tree of life first appears in the Garden of God at the beginning of Creation, and is placed on the earth.  There are many trees in this garden from chestnuts, to firs, to cedars (Ezekiel 31:8).  However, there are two main trees God is concerned with in this Garden ... the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  One tree is for is for participation and nourishment and the other tree is forbidden to partake from ...  as is to do with one losing their innocence and inheritance.

The position of these two trees is to do with man's created uniqueness above other created beasts, with man been gifted with a will to make choices, resulting in either blessing or cursing.  Where God places man in this Garden under man's care and supervision as it's husbandman.  A great privilege with a great responsibility, along with a 'no go zone'!

The Garden then becomes out of bounds to man after the fall but there is no mention in scripture about the Lord removing it from the earth, only having it guarded so man cannot have access to it.

So here is this beautiful paradise garden, positioned somewhere on the earth, but being barred from fallen man trespassing onto it.  Please note it was still on the earth at this stage in time.  The scriptures say that "Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden."  So there it is!

What happened to it?  The Garden that is!

The Great Flood and the Netherworld:

Then along came all this great, subterranean, volcanic and thermal activity, and a great breaking up of the earth, with a gigantic deluge from the sky and from under the earth, violently converging into the vast flood which covered all the earth.  There is great turmoil and catastrophe and everything gets destroyed or buried.  But what on earth happens to the Paradise of God?  Does it get destroyed?  No!!  Does it get buried?  Yes!!  It ends up somewhere deep in "the heart of the earth".  It is never mentioned again as on the earth after the flood, and it couldn't have been anywhere else!  Scripture confirms it is now under the earth.  Please read on:

The name of this paradise garden that was on the earth, is Eden.  What happens to Eden, this great garden paradise?

Ezekiel 31:16 makes mention of Eden now being in the nether parts (the underworld, the lower regions, in more than just one part) of the earth, along side hell and the pit (two distinct things), with those that descended and were cast down there:

"I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts (the underworld, the lower regions, in more than just one part) of the earth."

So we have hell down there and those that were cast down, as well as those being comforted and refreshed (obviously the righteous who had died prior to the cross), along with all the trees of Eden.

Ezekiel 31:18 speaks about Pharaoh and all his multitude being taken down there in the midst of the slain (hell) where also the Garden of Eden (Paradise) is taken:

"To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden (Paradise) unto the nether parts (the underworld, the lower regions, in more than just one part) of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised (hell) with them that be slain by the sword.  This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD."

(Please note -  The mystical and occult world call this place Atlantis, Lucifer's counterfeit region or diversion from the truth.  Hence, the great emphasis on this place in myths, folk lore, and legends.  The more people can be taken in and dazzled by modern occultism, the more they can be lured away from truth and reality.  Modern 'Bible Correctors' and 'Alexandrian Scholars' use the broad terms Sheol and Hades - Hades being the Greek god of the lower world, or death - Satan - to keep people from the truth.  Just like the broad name 'demon' has replaced the biblical word 'devil', all dumbing down this realm, our enemy, and lost eternity)

The next biblical mention of this paradise garden is made by Jesus in the gospels (Lk. 16: 22-27), which He refers to as Abraham's Bosom.  Down here in the netherworld is it clear there are two main compartments (remember, nether parts is the Old Testament's term) ...  hell, the place of torment, and Abraham's bosom, the place of rest and refreshment (remember there is water down there).  Down here the sinner and saint are separated by a great gulf (one part where the water is - Ezk 31:16 & Lk 16:24 - and the other part where the fire is) where the members of each chamber cannot pass over, protecting those comforted in the hidden/sunken garden from the compartment of fire.

No doubt the trees and garden are nourished by the presence of water down there, and maybe the light and heat from the fire in the other regional part compensates for the sun.  Being too close to the fire it is tormenting.  But at the right distance it is pleasant and warm, and lights and enhances the Garden.

The gospels are for the church:

As always some dumb down this portion of scripture found in Luke 16 (or many other accounts in the gospels) saying it only relates to the Jews or is only written for the Jews.  Please let me make this clear that our Bible is only made up of two testaments ...  the Old Testament just by itself (for the Jews) and the New Testament (for both Jew and Gentile).  Mans ways are to chronologically arrange scripture into segments, to fit in with his teaching and intellectual reasoning.  Like using cut-off periods and abrupt ordered periods (as in institutionalizing time).  However, God's manifold ways (Ps. 104:24) and thinking is always above mans uniform ways and thinking (Is. 55:9).

Man compartmentalizes scripture (no phasing in and out) where God always uses seasons in scripture to progress towards better promises (Heb. 8:6).  With seasons is there no cut-off points, but a phasing of one season into another.  Like Spring slowly being replaced by Summer, until Spring is no more.  The Old Testament never ended abruptly, because we have John the Baptist recorded at the beginning of the New Testament, as the last of the Old Testaments prophets, being used as the main example.

John, representing the Old, was diminishing ("I must decrease"), while ushering in the New ...  the Jesus who was to increase.  Not abruptly interrupting, as a knight making entrance in shinning armour, but going through the birth and growing process, increasing "in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."

F'instance, did the church start when Jesus breathed on the disciples before the cross or after the Holy Ghost fell at Pentecost?  Was the Old Covenant finished when Jesus came demonstrating His ministry after receiving the Holy Ghost at age 30, or when He said  "it is finished" from the cross?  Or shouldn't it have commenced, logically thinking, at the commencement of the New Covenant?  After all ..  covenant and testament mean the same thing, do they not?  Or was history split in half at Jesus' birth, or when He rose from the grace, or ascended into Heaven?  The list could go on!

The bottom line is that there is only two Covenants at the end of the day ...  Moses or Jesus!  What Jesus taught the Jews in the gospel accounts were always to do with the kingdom, which was being removed from Natural Israel (Matt. 21:43) and given to the new wine skins of both converted Jews and Gentiles in the gospel.

Also, because the rich man's friends had rejected Moses and the prophets (v. 31) they would also reject the one who would rise from the dead (looking forward towards the cross).  This also makes it plain that in order for the poor man to enter Paradise he would've never rejected Moses or the prophets, and looked forward to the resurrection.

Therefore, pre cross, the righteous (those who looked to the cross - no one could keep the law of Moses to the letter) were the redeemed.  Those who had died and were transposed to Abraham's bosom, the place of nourishment.  Post cross, the righteous are those who looked back to the cross and have died and are transposed to the place of nourishment now in heaven.  Hence, a certain beggar named Lazarus ending up in the gardened chamber of this region below the earth (a type of Christian).  Whereas, in contrast,  the rich man finding himself in the chamber of torments (a type of unrepentant non believer)!  Where the Old (even in factual accounts) was a type for the New.  Abraham being the father of our faith and being a type of the Father we pray and look  to:

 "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom (a type of being in Christ)."

Very simple really!  If you believe the Old Testament was for the Hebrews whereas the New Testament is for the Body of Christ, with the latter Testament superseding the old one (Heb. 7:22; 8:7,13; 12:24,).

John. 4:23.  "But the hour cometh, and now is (being phased in), when the true worshippers (repentant Jews and Gentiles) shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth (the kingdom of God)".

With this now established, let's move on:

Paradise and Abraham's Bosom:

It is obvious that the sunken paradise (continued from my chapter before the last chapter) is called Abraham's bosom as it is this deep place the true children of Abraham go before Jesus comes and rescues them when He descends down, after the crucifixion, and takes them and the whole living compartment (Eden/Paradise) to heaven.  That's why the tree of life which was in Eden, then buried as a refuge "in the heart of the earth" (protected from judgement), is again found in heaven with Paradise, in the book of Revelation.  When Jesus said to the thief on the cross, "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise",  it was because this repentant sinner was going down with Jesus to the nether world, then up to heaven with all the rescued Old Testament saints, and the whole garden compartment, when Jesus took the keys of hell and of death from the Devil, and overcame death and the grave at the cross.  The other unrepentant thief was going straight down into the other (hot) part and would be there until the Great Judgement Day, when death and hell are thrown into the eternal lake of fire (Rev. 20:14).

1 Peter 3:19:  "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison (to a confined place)"

Yes, Jesus went down into "the heart of the earth" to where the spirits pre and post flood were captive.

Eph. 4: 8-10:  "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity (those that were confined) captive, and gave gifts unto men (new homes).  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens (into Paradise, the Third Heaven, where Paul went temporally), that he might fill all things.)"

Proof that the Old Testament saints came up with Jesus is recorded in Matthew 27: 52-53:

"And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection (their separated spirits met with their new resurrected bodies/homes), and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."

Eternal reality:

That's why in the opposite sense, death and hell (in the lower parts) are no longer trapped in the earth but eventually cast into the lake of fire, the second death (Rev. 20:40), which burns forever, and ever.  This is where the Devil and his angels, and Christ rejecters meet their eternal destiny.

People do not like to hear this.  It is the most frightening and terrifying reality, and scorned more in this age than any other (many haughtily think man has progressed beyond God), and probably the main reason there is now an absence of the fear of God.  Scripture is clear that it is real and very close at hand time wise.  Hence, the undermining of this reality by both the world and Christendom together, and is the reason we are exhorted in Jude 1: 21-23 to use compassion on some (love), and others (the more hardened) to "save with fear (sounds like fear "tactics", desperation "measures" with great warnings to me), pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."  In context with 2 Corinthians 5:11:

"Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men".

Which would make Paul a terrorist in today's PC New Age world, would it not?  Look out, you could be next by agreeing with the Holy Bible, and warning people with the truth, in order to save them from sure hell and get them into the better place!

Today, I hear many Christians using the word "hell" as a swear word in unison with the world as a part of their cheap vocabulary.  They obviously are using it because they do not believe in it's existence.  If they did, would they be too scared to use it so flippantly.

In contrast Paul knew Paradise was now in heaven as he was personally caught up there in 2 Corinthians 12:4.  Also, Paul and Jude knew and taught about hell as a forever place of punishment :

Jude 1:7.  "Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."

2 Thes. 1:9.  "Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power".

Here's the oldest Correctionists trick in the book:  Some use Paul to dispel 'hell' by saying he never mentioned the word.  Now aint that smart!  Paul never used the word Rapture either but he did use the term "caught up" (as well as John).  The Bible never mentions the word 'bible', but we live buy it.  Just the same, Paul never used the word 'hell' but he did use the phrase "everlasting destruction" in unison with Jude's "suffering the vengeance of eternal fire", as punishment and being forever separated from the presence of the Lord.

Everlasting means forever:

Jesus preached and taught about hell and mentioned it more times than heaven believe it or not  (the word 'sheol' or 'hades' is never mentioned in the Holy Bible but is used by folk who love to correct our English Bible with the Greek or Hebrew, so their authority becomes more accurate than what "is written").  Here's the English in plain speech without dissecting it with the Greek or a human opinion:

Matt. 23:33.  "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"

Matt. 25:46.  "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (which means - if there is no everlasting hell then there is no everlasting life)."

Matt. 25:41.  "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels".

Matt. 18:8.  "Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire."

This last verse sounds like Jesus was using terror tactics in order to jolt people into reality, which would make Jesus a terrorist in today's PC New Age world.

On the contrary I have been astounded (and alarmed) over the years by the amount of so-called reputable teachers (you maybe surprised if I named names) who have tried to teach the lie that the words "everlasting" and "eternal" are not the same thing nor mean the same thing in scripture, in order to undermine the Biblical account of hell, which is not only against all sound logic but not rightly dividing the word of truth.  Please compare the above Jude 1:17, where the word "eternal" is used in the same context as "everlasting" in the following scriptures below this verse.  The good news is ...  the word "eternal" and  "everlasting" are also used interchangeably when it comes to our "forever" position with Christ.  Read these two following random scriptures taken from a list of many:

John 3:15.  "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
John 6:47.  "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life."

What's the difference?

It's plain to see ...  if hell is everlasting (but not meaning forever) then "everlasting life" is not eternal either.  Biblically it cannot work only one way.  Proof both the word 'eternal' and the word 'everlasting' mean "forever and ever"!

While people have been bogged down over the this issue over the years, did you know the words 'for ever' is used throughout scripture many many more times than 'eternal' or everlasting'?  Check it out yourself?  Here's only a couple of verse supporting this, where one place is to do with 'the deceived' and the other is to do with 'the saved':

Revelation 20:10.  "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Revelation 22:5.  "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever."

The Roman Catholic Church speaks of three places after death ...  heaven, hell and purgatory (that's adding to scripture).  However, the Bible talks of only two places and they both begin with "H"!  The evangelicals, on the other hand, appear to working in the other direction, and are diminishing these places ...  "heaven will be established on earth and hell will dissipate forever!"  Of course ...  you can prove anything from the Greek!

Hell:

Daniel knew and spoke about hell:

Dan. l 12:2.  "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt (there's that word 'everlasting' being used for heaven as well as hell again).

King Solomon knew and spoke about hell:

Pr. 9:18.  "But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell."

Job knew about hell and obviously believed in it:

Job 26:6.  "Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering."

The prophets also believed the same:

Is. 14:15.  "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit (notice hell is within the pit)."
Ez. 31:17.  "They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword ..."
Amos 9:2.  "Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down".

David knew and spoke about hell:

Ps. 9:17.  "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." (which means nations as well as individuals are going to be judged together)

Peter also mentioned and believed in a place called hell:

2 Pet. 2:4.  "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell".

John also knew about hell and never tried to hide the fact:

Rev. 20:14.  "And death and hell were cast into the lake.of fire (outside of the earth). This is the second death (the "forever and ever" realm).

Heaven for the saints:

It appears from scripture that there cannot be one without the other.  Heaven and hell that is!  Just like there is God, our Maker and Redeemer, and a Devil, our adversary.  Just like there is those inside (saved) and those without (unsaved).  Just like there are two trees ...  one that brings forth good fruit and the other which is cut down and thrown into the fire.  The good news is that we can escape one and embrace the other.

John knew that Paradise was a reality in heaven as he wrote:

"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

This is where God's tree is now found!  Who wants to eat from it and escape the other place?

Revelation 22:2:  "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."

See ya there!! Praise the Lord!!!

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More on the trees:

The difference
The cross - a sign or reality

The living tree - God's tree (nothing artificial or demeaning): . For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit  She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her (Pr. 3:18)  .. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God (Rev. 2:7). Blessing . Life Nourishment Heaven Everlasting - eternal - forever and ever

The sacrificed tree - the world's tree (dead/decorated): . neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.  (Jer. 10: 3-4) And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head (Mark 15:17) .Cursing Death Fire Hell Everlasting - eternal - forever and ever

A Question Asked

Quote:  This time, I'm writing because I hope to talk about something else.  I'm reading 'two trees' right now, in which you said this:

Proof that the Old Testament saints came up with Jesus is recorded in Matthew 27: 52-53:

"And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection (their separated spirits met with their new resurrected bodies/homes), and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."

There's no way I can agree with that, and I'd like to tell you why, and talk about it.

So far I havent read anything else that I can say I disagree with, and I've been reading your stuff for days. But this one thing stumps me.  I'm not writing to say "you're wrong and I'm right", but to discuss it because I want to know the truth of it.  I've heard preached for years that Jesus went "down" during those three days, but usually its to Hell to forcefully take the keys from the devil or its because He had to suffer in Hell in our place, to "pay" for all those sins He took on. I have never agreed with any of that and I dont see it in scripture.  But I've never heard that He went "down" for the reasons you are saying and I'd like to talk about it.  I read an article once that I agreed with about what "by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison" really means.  I'm hoping you will read it, and discuss?

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Answer:  In regards to the deceased Old Testament saints being resurrected with Jesus, post cross!  If this was not the case then would this not mean they are still down in paradise awaiting the end?  Also, would this not also mean that when the the saint today dies, they don't go straight to heaven either, but down to join them in paradise (Abraham's bosom) until the great resurrection at the end?  If it didn't, wouldn't this contradict Paul who said it would be a plus for us to die now, as being absent from the body is being present with the Lord?   Furthermore, we must be able to scripturally answer who the captive in captivity that Jesus lead up with Him in Eph. 4:8 were?  No doubt this was to heaven as this is where He went up to in the ascension.  The only captivity I know of down below were those in the lower chamber (Abraham's bosom) who Jesus captured (rescued) to take up with Him.  Scripture is clear He went down.  Where did He go when he descended?  And how could He have gone down before the cross, as He had not defeated death at this stage?  As far as Jesus suffering in hell for us, where is this found in scripture?  And wasn't His suffering on the cross enough?  I believe when He said "it is finished" on the cross before He gave up the ghost (died), His suffering was finished forever.  This teaching is only an invention by false teacher Benny Hinn, who many in the apostate church follow.  Me thinks Jesus did overcome death and hell at the cross which gave Him the right to go down and rescue (rapture) the Old Testament saints trapped in the confines of the netherworld as well as saving us.  He did not rapture us (the church) at this stage, as He has kept us here to bring the good new to the captors on the earth.  The ones that remain under the earth are still trapped down there, suffering until the great judgement day, when both hell (the place below) and death (the sting of sin) are thrown into the everlasting fire (where the Devil and all his fallen angels go, as well as all Christ rejecters). Trust all this makes sense for you Gina!

Blessings,

Tom.

  approx. 02.  Updated last 24/10/08 NZ.